Taking the Ground

Freedom · 02-04-2015, 06:49 PM

With respect to Lee's "ground of locality" doctrine, I was wondering what the practice of "taking the ground" actually means and how it came about. I understand what it is supposed to mean, but in my experience, it is a phrase that is thrown about quite loosely. My understanding from reading through different threads is that this practice of "taking the ground" is some type of addendum that came sometime after Lee came to the U.S.

To clarify my question, I will give a little bit of background. There are at least two (maybe more) LC's near me that meet as the church in X, however, they haven't "taken the ground" yet. For past LC's I have seen start, this action of "taking the ground" has usually been signified by a "ground-breaking" meeting, where LC's from the area will gather together.

This issue recently caught my attention when the church in X wasn't listed as one of the numerous LC's in a certain area. The church in X has been meeting together for quite some time, but hasn't "taken the ground", so they aren't officially called the church in X, and I don't think they have any problem with not being recognized as an official LC yet.

In other cases, I have seen LC's that haven't "taken the ground" where they are merely a "satellite" church of a larger nearby LC. Saints in one city merely start meeting with the new LC, and suddenly there are now saints meeting in that city (even though non-LC saints have been meeting there long before). It seems to me that this whole idea of a LC needing to "take the ground" shows a big hole in Lee's "ground of locality" doctrine.

With these LC efforts like GTCA, "taking the ground" seems to merely involved some pro-LSM saints moving to a city with no LSM church, meeting there for a period of time, gaining a few new people, then declaring that they are the church in X.

At any rate my best guess as to what taking the ground really means is that it is some type of stamp of approval that comes from headquarters. This might possibly involve choosing elders and insuring that the church is supportive of the ministry. Other than that, I can't really determine what it really means.

02-04-2015, 06:49 PM	#1
Freedom Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 1,636	Taking the Ground With respect to Lee's "ground of locality" doctrine, I was wondering what the practice of "taking the ground" actually means and how it came about. I understand what it is supposed to mean, but in my experience, it is a phrase that is thrown about quite loosely. My understanding from reading through different threads is that this practice of "taking the ground" is some type of addendum that came sometime after Lee came to the U.S. To clarify my question, I will give a little bit of background. There are at least two (maybe more) LC's near me that meet as the church in X, however, they haven't "taken the ground" yet. For past LC's I have seen start, this action of "taking the ground" has usually been signified by a "ground-breaking" meeting, where LC's from the area will gather together. This issue recently caught my attention when the church in X wasn't listed as one of the numerous LC's in a certain area. The church in X has been meeting together for quite some time, but hasn't "taken the ground", so they aren't officially called the church in X, and I don't think they have any problem with not being recognized as an official LC yet. In other cases, I have seen LC's that haven't "taken the ground" where they are merely a "satellite" church of a larger nearby LC. Saints in one city merely start meeting with the new LC, and suddenly there are now saints meeting in that city (even though non-LC saints have been meeting there long before). It seems to me that this whole idea of a LC needing to "take the ground" shows a big hole in Lee's "ground of locality" doctrine. With these LC efforts like GTCA, "taking the ground" seems to merely involved some pro-LSM saints moving to a city with no LSM church, meeting there for a period of time, gaining a few new people, then declaring that they are the church in X. At any rate my best guess as to what taking the ground really means is that it is some type of stamp of approval that comes from headquarters. This might possibly involve choosing elders and insuring that the church is supportive of the ministry. Other than that, I can't really determine what it really means.