Please Keep Benson Phillips and his Family in your Thoughts and Prayers

[UntoHim]

[UntoHim]

Apparently Benson has been taken off life support.
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[Trapped]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

Apparently Benson has been taken off life support.
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I guess this could mean two different things.....either his situation has improved so that he no longer needs to be on life support, or he has a, say, DNR, and it was deemed that his situation is such that they are going to allow him to pass without extraordinary measures. Do we know which?

I dunno - I guess I'll just say it. These kinds of situations with the co-workers (Ron and Benson most recently) are hard because they are really the ones responsible for keeping the members in the local church trapped and deceived, and frankly the more who were directly close to Witness Lee who pass away, the better the chance that tight grip has of loosening there. But no one wants to wish someone would die. That is certainly not my wish for Benson or any of the co-workers, at least when I'm in my right mind.

But how do we pray the best prayers for life for those who have caused countless lifetimes of damage to so many people? I also have a hard time with that. The best I can do in this situation is to indeed pray for life or for a recovery, but not so they can continue on in their "function" in the local church, which is a wicked function, but rather, so that the leading brother has more time to repent. That I can do. God is always wanting us to repent and turn and acknowledge what we've done, and I can certainly want and pray for that too, even praying for cult leaders to recover so they have every chance to repent and turn.

Trapped

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by Trapped

These kinds of situations with the co-workers (Ron and Benson most recently) are hard because they are really the ones responsible for keeping the members in the local church trapped and deceived, and frankly the more who were directly close to Witness Lee who pass away, the better the chance that tight grip has of loosening there. But no one wants to wish someone would die. That is certainly not my wish for Benson or any of the co-workers, at least when I'm in my right mind.

What happened to Ron? Not sure who benson is.

Originally Posted by Trapped

These kinds of situations with the co-workers (Ron and Benson most recently) are hard because they are really the ones responsible for keeping the members in the local church trapped and deceived, and frankly the more who were directly close to Witness Lee who pass away, the better the chance that tight grip has of loosening there. But no one wants to wish someone would die. That is certainly not my wish for Benson or any of the co-workers, at least when I'm in my right mind.

I pray that God gives both of these man enough time to come to their senses. Sometimes these are the ways God works to wake people up, but it seems to me that the grip of power and all the years of unrepentant hearts set in so deep, that they will take it to the grave with them.

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Zezima

What happened to Ron? Not sure who benson is.

Here is a July 9 video announcement about Ron:
https://www.lsm.org/announcements/


Benson is President of Living Stream Ministry.

[Trapped]

The announcement about Ron is so strange to watch now that I haven't been in the direct LSM level meetings for a while. A few things I noticed:

1. I know Ed wasn't doing well a few years ago. His speech seems slurred here. Has he has a stroke or some other kind of neurological event?

2. What a strange thing to warn the saints not to do - don't pray for Ron directly. They believe in a God who doesn't care about Ron.....He just cares about His own interests and how Ron is a pawn in carrying His own interests out. They talk as if the church and the kingdom are separate things from the believers themselves. The strange flip side is they pray as if Ron himself is crucially necessary for God to carry out what He wants. Like God can't do it without Ron. Strange contradictory views happening at the same time there.

3. I noticed all the co-workers started their prayers with something like "Lord Jesus, we love you". They direct their prayers to Jesus.....who is the One in the Bible who told us to direct our prayers to the Father. Jesus died so we would have access to God, and yet the co-workers pray as if the veil is still in place and Jesus is the messenger, not the One who cleared the way to the Father.

4. Their prayers also clearly indicate that they think that Ron's cardiac issues are a part of Satan's attack. Ron has not been slim for quite some time now, although he has spoken about exercising on a treadmill. Unless there are genetic factors at play, Ron's clogged arteries are probably more a product of his diet, lifestyle, and age than Satan's attack. An 80+ year old man who angrily rails against anyone shining light on his secrets having health issues must, in their eyes, be the attack of the devil! This shows how they view literally any problems in their life.....how tiring.

It is my understanding that Ron ended up needing a quadruple bypass, i.e. open heart surgery. Unless they did something non-traditional like off-pump keyhole coronary bypass, his surgery would have been the whole shebang - chest cracked, heart stopped during surgery, veins/arteries harvested, the whole nine yards. If so, his recovery period will likely be extensive.

Trapped

[I tell the truth]

No mention of Benson's condition was mentioned tonight in the prayer meeting. Quite a few coworkers have had serious health problems in the last few years or died. Andrew Yu died and Dick Taylor had a stroke and hasn't spoken a message since. Three other coworkers died as well.

Minoru has also had heath problems but he doesn't really talk about it in the conferences and trainings. I don't remember what health problems Ed had but in the training last month he mentioned how he gets tired and weak suddenly and needs to call on the Lord with brothers to get enliven.

I think the last five years there has been talk back and forth of preparing the next generation to bring Jesus back and or just bringing Him back now.

A side note for Ron, when his wife died his children l had to go to the house every night because he didn't know how to do general tasks like cook or operate a dish washer. He spoke all this in a message. After he got remarried I saw him at a conference with his new wife. They sat down at breakfast and didn't say anything. She then got up and got his plate from the buffet. As they ate they still didn't speak. But after messages she would run up to him excited. Just my observation. She came from Russia and won the search to be his wife as the brothers searched for and interviewed many to possibly be his wife.

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by Nell

Here is a July 9 video announcement about Ron:
https://www.lsm.org/announcements/


Benson is President of Living Stream Ministry.

Thanks for that video. Benson isn’t involved with speaking much, what does the president do?

Also, how long does the Recovery go on once people with direct contact to lee start to pas away?

[Timotheist]

Originally Posted by Zezima

Thanks for that video. Benson isn’t involved with speaking much, what does the president do?

Also, how long does the Recovery go on once people with direct contact to lee start to pas away?

Back in the '80s, Benson was sort of a regional super-elder for the Texas/Oklahoma sector. At first he was more a preacher than a leader. But he definitely seemed to flourish as an 'attorney general' whenever a rebellion happened. My most imprinted memories of him is when he came into town to lay down the law.

W. Lee died several years after I left, but I gather that Benson was very instrumental in the forming of the "blended brothers". He went on a tour asking for all the elders to sign an oath to stay in one accord with the MOTA.

Now I must caveat all of this with the fact I was a high school/college student during this time, so I am certain my description above could use some improvements.

In fact, I would like to read corrective responses, just so I can make the proper adjustments to my perceptions.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Trapped

The announcement about Ron is so strange to watch now that I haven't been in the direct LSM level meetings for a while. A few things I noticed:

2. What a strange thing to warn the saints not to do - don't pray for Ron directly. They believe in a God who doesn't care about Ron.....He just cares about His own interests and how Ron is a pawn in carrying His own interests out. They talk as if the church and the kingdom are separate things from the believers themselves. The strange flip side is they pray as if Ron himself is crucially necessary for God to carry out what He wants. Like God can't do it without Ron. Strange contradictory views happening at the same time there.

Yes, strange indeed.

Back in the 90's I heard this strange kind of talk related to WL's health. Never understood what was being conveyed. One of those esoteric things - only the elite insiders can supposedly understand. As if Satan could use our prayers to damage WL somehow. Probably the source was something WN had said, based on something JPL had once said.

[Ohio]

When I think of RK, MC, and BP, I am reminded of Romans 16.17 and what these ones did to the Midwest LC's -- "Mark these ones who make divisions and causes of stumbling, and turn away from them."

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Timotheist

W. Lee died several years after I left, but I gather that Benson was very instrumental in the forming of the "blended brothers". He went on a tour asking for all the elders to sign an oath to stay in one accord with the MOTA.

The original "oath" BP and RG promoted was during an Elders Conf in ~ Feb 1986. There are many posts on the forum concerning this event.

[UntoHim]

According to sources at LSM, Benson Phillips passed away last night. Announcements regarding a memorial meeting will be forthcoming soon.
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Originally Posted by UntoHim

According to sources at LSM, Benson Phillips passed away last night. Announcements regarding a memorial meeting will be forthcoming soon.
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Isn’t this man claimed out loud and bragged that he is god? I guess even those self proclaimed deities see their end one day!

https://www.bitchute.com/video/xDfjhKwnk64o/

[Trapped]

Again, I'll just say it. Benson's passing does not give me any joy. I would rather he was still alive, and I know just how much he has wounded some people. Just as God does not desire that anyone perish, I also try to hope for the real kind of "recovery" of a person who has gone astray the way the co-workers have, while they are alive. There are those in the local church who rejoice upon the death of those who they consider "opposers". I do not want to be that kind of person.

His kids and grandkids just lost their father/grandfather. But this is also someone who followed Witness Lee in absolute allegiance and is part of the group of "leaders" who demand that everyone else does too, under threat of being destroyed and losing everything, wrecking people for decades with that kind of rhetoric. I genuinely do not know how to parse through the conflicted feelings.

Trapped

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Trapped

But this is also someone who followed Witness Lee in absolute allegiance and is part of the group of "leaders" who demand that everyone else does too, under threat of being destroyed and losing everything, wrecking people for decades with that kind of rhetoric. I genuinely do not know how to parse through the conflicted feelings.

Trapped

BP send his minions into the Midwest LC’s, and using the teachings of WL, divided every church.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Isn’t this man claimed out loud and bragged that he is god? I guess even those self proclaimed deities see their end one day!

https://www.bitchute.com/video/xDfjhKwnk64o/

Did BP ever reconcile with Jane and John Anderson?

[GraceAlone]

Originally Posted by Trapped

Again, I'll just say it. Benson's passing does not give me any joy. I would rather he was still alive, and I know just how much he has wounded some people. Just as God does not desire that anyone perish, I also try to hope for the real kind of "recovery" of a person who has gone astray the way the co-workers have, while they are alive. There are those in the local church who rejoice upon the death of those who they consider "opposers". I do not want to be that kind of person.

His kids and grandkids just lost their father/grandfather. But this is also someone who followed Witness Lee in absolute allegiance and is part of the group of "leaders" who demand that everyone else does too, under threat of being destroyed and losing everything, wrecking people for decades with that kind of rhetoric. I genuinely do not know how to parse through the conflicted feelings.

Trapped

Beautifully articulated, Trapped. Thanks for putting into words what others of us are feeling.

Originally Posted by Trapped

Again, I'll just say it. Benson's passing does not give me any joy. I would rather he was still alive, and I know just how much he has wounded some people. Just as God does not desire that anyone perish, I also try to hope for the real kind of "recovery" of a person who has gone astray the way the co-workers have, while they are alive. There are those in the local church who rejoice upon the death of those who they consider "opposers". I do not want to be that kind of person.

His kids and grandkids just lost their father/grandfather. But this is also someone who followed Witness Lee in absolute allegiance and is part of the group of "leaders" who demand that everyone else does too, under threat of being destroyed and losing everything, wrecking people for decades with that kind of rhetoric. I genuinely do not know how to parse through the conflicted feelings.

Trapped

I can see some of your points Trapped, I just don’t have the same amount of grace to these people that have been destroying peoples lives for decades. I don’t have the “feelings” to say that I want them dead, no I don’t. But let me say this, I pray God destroys this system utterly and totally, and if it comes with some of the man that hold this tight grip on these people vanishing away, let it be so. I’ll take 10 lives of people being restored and build up, over a life of a person that’s a tool for destruction. That’s as simple as it can be. Sorry if that’s harsh or not compassionate. Maybe his kids and grandkids will actually have an opportunity to experience God, and His unconditional love, which their dad and grandpa stood in the way of it even being considered, let alone experienced.

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Trapped

Again, I'll just say it. Benson's passing does not give me any joy. I would rather he was still alive, and I know just how much he has wounded some people. Just as God does not desire that anyone perish, I also try to hope for the real kind of "recovery" of a person who has gone astray the way the co-workers have, while they are alive. There are those in the local church who rejoice upon the death of those who they consider "opposers". I do not want to be that kind of person.

His kids and grandkids just lost their father/grandfather. But this is also someone who followed Witness Lee in absolute allegiance and is part of the group of "leaders" who demand that everyone else does too, under threat of being destroyed and losing everything, wrecking people for decades with that kind of rhetoric. I genuinely do not know how to parse through the conflicted feelings.

Trapped

Trapped,

I guess the thing I'm most grateful for is that those who have passed away are in the Lord's hands and not mine. I have the same mixed feelings you described, and in a way, I think that's a healthy thing. After all, we are all the Lord's children...brothers and sisters.

Death has been described as the "great equalizer", I think, because of this verse:

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

So we all have an appointment with the "righteous judge". I'm grateful that the righteous judge will make all things right.


Nell

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by GraceAlone

Beautifully articulated, Trapped. Thanks for putting into words what others of us are feeling.

Thanks. I realized I actually felt bad because of the conflicting feelings and thought maybe if I articulated them, then others who also feel that way might feel better knowing others feel the same way too

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I can see some of your points Trapped, I just don’t have the same amount of grace to these people that have been destroying peoples lives for decades. I don’t have the “feelings” to say that I want them dead, no I don’t. But let me say this, I pray God destroys this system utterly and totally, and if it comes with some of the man that hold this tight grip on these people vanishing away, let it be so. I’ll take 10 lives of people being restored and build up, over a life of a person that’s a tool for destruction. That’s as simple as it can be. Sorry if that’s harsh or not compassionate. Maybe his kids and grandkids will actually have an opportunity to experience God, and His unconditional love, which their dad and grandpa stood in the way of it even being considered, let alone experienced.

Unregistered,

Thanks for contributing your thoughts and honest response. I feel the same as you do. Most of the co-workers have had more than enough chances to see what's really going on, and yet they double-down in total allegiance even when the truth and the real damage to human lives is shined right in their faces. They are choosing to do what they do, choosing the lie over truth, and the charade over reality, to the continued searing of their consciences. I just can't say that I want them dead, just as you can't either. So we're stuck in this weird middle zone, knowing that since they continue on in unrepentant sin and deception, sadly, their getting older and passing away is one of the only hopes there are right now for things to change for the people trapped inside. It's an awkward place to be in.

Trapped

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by Nell

Trapped,

I guess the thing I'm most grateful for is that those who have passed away are in the Lord's hands and not mine. I have the same mixed feelings you described, and in a way, I think that's a healthy thing. After all, we are all the Lord's children...brothers and sisters.

Death has been described as the "great equalizer", I think, because of this verse:

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

So we all have an appointment with the "righteous judge". I'm grateful that the righteous judge will make all things right.

Nell

Yeah, I think part of the mixed feelings are that we can basically only make judgments based on the actions/words/behaviors that we see, from afar in many cases. But that's the best we can do, and the resultant judgments are not flattering for the co-workers. But only the righteous judge knows what's going on inside them, knows who is deceived or is actively deceiving, etc... I'm glad they are in the Lord's hands too.

Trapped

[UntoHim]

ANNOUNCEMENT OF MEMORIAL MEETINGS FOR
BROTHER BENSON PHILLIPS
A pattern to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity
Our dear Brother Benson Phillips, having served his own generation by the counsel
of God and having finished his course and the ministry which he received from the
Lord Jesus, went to be with our dear Lord on Monday, August 15, 2022, in Fort Worth,
Texas. The nearly eight decades of his Christian life and church life are a strong
testimony to what the Lord can do in and through His gifts to His glorious Body. He
was indeed a joint of the rich supply to many saints, to many churches, and even to
many countries throughout the earth. We will surely miss our dear brother
personally, and we will miss his service, his guidance, his perfecting, and his covering
in the work of the Lord’s recovery. But we take great comfort in the fact that we will
see Brother Benson in the resurrection unto life with our dear Lord Jesus Christ.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
To give the Lord the full glory for His operation in Brother Benson, we would like to
have two memorial meetings, full of well-speaking concerning what the Lord has done
through our brother’s life and service. We look to the Lord that these times will give
many of us the opportunity to speak building up and encouragement and consolation
to his family and to all the saints in the churches throughout the Lord’s recovery.
A time especially for the family and saints in Texas and the surrounding areas,
with open sharing and testimonies:
Lord’s Day, September 11, 2022, 2:30 p.m. (US CDT)
The church in Irving and LSM meeting hall
3600 Esters Road, Irving, Texas 75062
A link to livestream this meeting will be provided
at www.memorial-meeting.org.
A time for all the saints and churches everywhere,
with particular testimonies of appreciation from all the earth:
Lord’s Day, October 9, 2022, 2:30 p.m. (US PDT)
(after the conclusion of the October 2022 ITERO)
LSM Campus—Ministry Conference Center, Anaheim, California
This meeting will be streamed live at www.memorial-meeting.org
and will be made available there for later viewing.
A private burial will be held on Monday, October 10, 2022, at 11 a.m. at
Grace Terrace in Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, California.
Emails of appreciation to the family may be sent to: bensonphillips@lsm.org.
Updates on these events will be posted on www.memorial-meeting.org.

[Truthseeker]

Among the churches in the Lord's recovery, they are mentioning to the passing away of Benson Phillips, one of the most influential Lee's co-workers. People praise his work and endeavors for the Lord's recovery. But for me, I wasn't in the Lord's recovery during the turmoil in 1980-1990. I didn't have much information about Benson Phillips.
But John Ingalls in his speaking the truth in love mentioned about Benson during the times of turmoil. And it seems that Benson took Lee's side.
Apart from that, I have no idea about this co-worker.
Do you have information about him?

[Truthseeker]

Originally Posted by I tell the truth

No mention of Benson's condition was mentioned tonight in the prayer meeting. Quite a few coworkers have had serious health problems in the last few years or died. Andrew Yu died and Dick Taylor had a stroke and hasn't spoken a message since. Three other coworkers died as well.

Minoru has also had heath problems but he doesn't really talk about it in the conferences and trainings. I don't remember what health problems Ed had but in the training last month he mentioned how he gets tired and weak suddenly and needs to call on the Lord with brothers to get enliven.

I think the last five years there has been talk back and forth of preparing the next generation to bring Jesus back and or just bringing Him back now.

A side note for Ron, when his wife died his children l had to go to the house every night because he didn't know how to do general tasks like cook or operate a dish washer. He spoke all this in a message. After he got remarried I saw him at a conference with his new wife. They sat down at breakfast and didn't say anything. She then got up and got his plate from the buffet. As they ate they still didn't speak. But after messages she would run up to him excited. Just my observation. She came from Russia and won the search to be his wife as the brothers searched for and interviewed many to possibly be his wife.

Yeah, each one you mentioned here are the ones who worked with Lee during his lifetime before Lee's passing away in 1997.
I don't know what will happen with LSM and local churches if people who were with Lee all pass away and a generation who is never with Lee rise up and take over the church. What will happen with LSM in the next generation? I can't imagine. Will there be reform or will they seek a new way (not the one which caused division in 1980) and correct their faults? I can't figure out what will happen to LSM.

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

Yeah, each one you mentioned here are the ones who worked with Lee during his lifetime before Lee's passing away in 1997.
I don't know what will happen with LSM and local churches if people who were with Lee all pass away and a generation who is never with Lee rise up and take over the church. What will happen with LSM in the next generation? I can't imagine. Will there be reform or will they seek a new way (not the one which caused division in 1980) and correct their faults? I can't figure out what will happen to LSM.

There are already some younger (relatively) co-workers who have joined the co-worker group who are not the "originals" who were with Witness Lee. They are uber allegiant to the ministry and uber deferential and kowtowing to the senior co-workers, which I'm sure is why they got brought on in the first place. My personal opinion is that the culture will simply remain and as the original Lee co-workers pass away, the ones that remain as time goes on will simply stay in the same old well-worn rut of what they think is "spiritual deference" to the Baaaaahdy, and they will all thus be a group of guys all unable to say what they really think with each other because they have all been trained that to do so is the most terrifying thing that could happen.

Even though all the ones who started the lie are dead now.

If you watch any of the Leah Remini Scientology series, one thing that struck me was that IT IS POSSIBLE to be a senior level guy in a terrible group, with a seared conscience abusing and harassing people and yet.......still be able to change, repent, see the error in how you behaved and thought, and go around saying to the world that you were wrong, that you are grieved by what you did and the damage you caused people, and to make sure others know the truth of the organization. Mike Rinder was a top guy in Scientology and has done all those things.

And do you know who hates him now? Not the people he mistreated and harassed, because he's actually apologized. He now calls many of his victims his friends. It's the other side, the leaders, the scientologists who turned their backs on him.

Co-workers - it's never too late.

Trapped

[Timotheist]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

Among the churches in the Lord's recovery, they are mentioning to the passing away of Benson Phillips, one of the most influential Lee's co-workers. People praise his work and endeavors for the Lord's recovery. But for me, I wasn't in the Lord's recovery during the turmoil in 1980-1990. I didn't have much information about Benson Phillips.
But John Ingalls in his speaking the truth in love mentioned about Benson during the times of turmoil. And it seems that Benson took Lee's side.
Apart from that, I have no idea about this co-worker.
Do you have information about him?

In the sub-forum "writings of former members", there is a page called "History by Don Rutledge". Only the first two chapters are posted, but it does discuss Benson's early history in a positive light.

[Indiana]

Originally Posted by Timotheist

In the sub-forum "writings of former members", there is a page called "History by Don Rutledge". Only the first two chapters are posted, but it does discuss Benson's early history in a positive light.

THIS IS ONLY PART OF THE STORY - DON SHARED LATER ABOUT THE SEEDS OF DEVIATION OUR BROTHER BENSON HAD PLANTED.

* * * * ****
Early Benson Bio
**by Don Rutledge**

excerpt of Texas and LA
church history
***

“…These two devotional practices [pray-reading and calling on the Lord] were critical to open the door of the local churches for the flood of new believers about to descend upon them…."

A Time of Rapid Church Growth

Starting in 1968, fresh new believers began to appear at Elden Hall, in LA. Then there was a flood of them. During the months of September and October, 1969, 200 new members were added to the church in LA. Within a little over a year there was a six-fold increase. I wish I had the time and the resources to compile a record of the wonderful works of God during those days. Miraculous stories of the Lord’s arranging of “Divine Appointments” resulting in marvelous salvation experiences and encounters of members with other seeking Christians were a staple of the day. By 1972, the church in LA had exploded into four halls and had over a thousand burning saints.
Similar blessings were pouring out on the churches in Texas, the Midwest, the Northwest and East Coast. For a while a publication came out called “News of the Churches.” Each month we eagerly waited for the latest copy to read and rejoice over the wonderful works of God. I attended my first conference and full time training in 1966. There were about 140 in attendance, including the local members at the conference and exactly 70 full time at the training. By 1976, nearly four thousand attended the Hebrews Training in Anaheim, CA.*

TEXAS EXPERIENCE AND THE FIRST MIGRATION
To understand the history and current condition of the Local Church movement, it is vital to know the history and character of many individuals. What has transpired has much to do with, not only Witness Lee, but also with many others.

BENSON PHILLIPS

In Texas, some of the most influential leaders, both past and present, were developed. The most prominent was Benson Phillips, the current president of LSM and the de facto leader of the “Blending Brothers,” who are the world-wide leaders of the Local Churches. Benson is the strongest and most determined individual I have known in any endeavor. At 23, shortly after his marriage, he developed Multiple Sclerosis. Yet during my 23 year history with him, he never complained or shrank back from a full involvement in the church life or Christian work we were endeavoring to carry out. I cannot count the number of times he laid aside his own comfort and needs to serve the need of the church or some needy member.

As previously mentioned, Benson attended and graduated from Wayland Baptist College. He became the most prominent student leader and headed up a group called the “Mission Band.” During my direct time with Benson from 1965-1986, he was always concerned for the spreading of the gospel. Whether the location was Waco, Houston or Dallas, he constantly was seeking to help the church and the members to be fruitful in the gospel and in the care for new believers. In Waco, there were six junior high teachers among us, two at each of three junior high schools.

In the fall of 1968, Benson shared with us all that he wanted to share the gospel with the students. We prayed furiously for a few weeks that the Lord would open the doors. The teachers at each school approached the principals and were given permission to invite the students to a Christian meeting for junior highers on a Saturday night if the teachers first contacted the parents. More prayer was offered to open the parents. Each Saturday evening we gathered with students from the three junior highs. Before the year was over about 50 junior highers were saved and given a good start in their Christian life.

Benson was not an eloquent speaker but was very effective in the gospel whether it was in a group setting or one on one. Once in Dallas, at a Saturday night gospel dinner, I witnessed the power and anointing that a simple plain-spoken man could possess. Our original hall in Dallas would hold about 150 for a dinner. We sat in circles while we ate and visited and fellowshipped with one another and with any guests in the circle. This night the hall was packed. There were about 15 guests. I was sitting in a circle with a post-doctoral student at the University of Texas at Dallas. She was a very refined lady from Hong Kong. There was a business man of about 40 also in my circle.

Benson was sharing the gospel message that evening. He was speaking on the vanity of life. He began to say over and over that such and such is nothing without Christ. Suddenly the lady stood up and began to argue with Benson. She shouted, “What about love?” Benson declared that love without Christ is nothing. She would then shout about this and that. Benson would reply that without Christ it was nothing. Then the business man stood up and began to berate Benson. Benson never backed down but continued to declare Christ and that the need of every man is Christ. The man became so disruptive the ushers had to remove him. Eventually things settled down and Benson asked all who wanted to receive the Lord to stand up. Seven young men in their 20s stood up and all became vital members of the church.

On another occasion, we were in Austin visiting. Austin was a new church in those days. Often a few car loads would travel from the more established churches to help a newer church over a weekend. The church in Austin was very burdened for the gospel. Austin in those days was like Berkeley, California - full of hippies and street people - as well as the thousands of college students at the University of Texas.

On this occasion, we held a gospel dinner. The brothers and sisters spent the afternoon inviting all the people they could find. The rented store front was packed wall to wall. After the meal, we had the gospel message. I had been asked to share. I was a little overwhelmed at the group. As I began to proclaim Christ and His salvation, a young man rose to his feet and declared he had tried what I was sharing and it did not work. Then another and another spoke out against the gospel. I was very confused and turned to Benson for direction. He leaped to his feet and shouted that those people had spoken lies from the Devil to keep you from receiving the wonderful salvation of Christ. After a few more words, he asked for those who wanted to receive the Lord to stand. People stood up all around the room. It was truly a glorious night of many genuine salvations. I learned so much from those two times.

When the Devil is throwing up a lot of dust, it probably means the Lord has prepared some for the gospel. Consider the experience of Paul and Silas in Philippi.

During the first ten years in the church life, Benson’s maturity and leadership were vital to the churches in the Texas region and a great help to me even though he was only four years older than I.

Another practice he had was to never be discouraged or downhearted. When we were in Waco, we would from time to time have a stretch of poor meetings or be in a down time. Benson told me he would tell the Devil that he may have won this round but he would not win the war. I have applied that principle over and over both corporately and individually. Maybe my flesh, a body of sin, won out in a particular incident. But I would declare that God has His plan and calling and has prepared good works for me to walk in and that this is my destiny, not this temporary defeat or setback. I see things in the same way for people in my life and for the saints with whom I now gather.*

Benson was very generous with his money and his possessions and his time. He never shirked from pulling his share of the load and then some. This was in spite of his physical limitations. At one point in the first few months in Houston, a brother learned of some box cars that needed to be loaded. Benson heard of it and realized this was an opportunity to raise money for some of the needy among us. We had just moved there from the small churches in Waco, Lubbock and Denton. Benson had no thought that any of the money would go into his pocket.

Only Ray Graver could keep up with him as he labored furiously night after night loading the box cars. We were paid by the box car not by the hour. He became the acknowledged leader among us because of his character and ability to inspire others by his example. Benson shared with me that when he was in high school he had received a special call from the Lord. One evening he went out to a golf course and lay on a green as he prayed. The Lord showed him that he would head a world-wide religious organization. He also shared with me that he had had a desire to reform the Southern Baptist Convention. When he read The Normal Christian Church Life by Watchman Nee and then heard Witness Lee, he was clear that this was what his call was all about.

He also shared that he used to lay out two maps on a table, one of the USA and one of the world. He would lay his finger on each state one by one and pray “Lord use me in California, use me in Oregon”, etc. Then he would turn to the world map and put his finger on each country and pray “Lord use me in France,” etc. Benson had an intensity that far exceeded any of the other brothers. He was always considering what was needed to establish and to build up the local churches.*

OTHER EARLY BROTHERS AND SISTERS*
When I was new to the local churches, the character, sincerity and love for Jesus Christ among the participants deeply impressed me. Not only was Benson an exceptional young Christian, but so were nearly all. During my first year in Waco, I met many of the young brothers and sisters from Wayland Baptist College who had served with Benson in the “Mission Band.”*
They were all outstanding. Tim House, who had been president of the Baptist Student Union, would impress you with the presence of Christ without his saying a word. I felt like meeting him was like meeting Nathaniel, a man in whom was no guile. Bud and Judy Philley, Bobby Allen, Ben and Anita McPherson, Rodney Philips and Jim and Sharon Coleman were all truly men and women of God, and their devotion and faithful service was vital to the churches in Texas going from less that 30 in 1965 to over 1,500 by the mid-late 70s….”

Another valuable Excerpt concerning brother Benson Phillips

Witness Lee’s ministry on the Oneness of the Body of Christ flew in the face of the common practice of the day. He urged all believers to receive one another in Christ and to lay aside any and all non-essentials which could cause division. He urged us to seek out our brothers and sisters and if we found any group of believers who desired to simply gather in the Lord’s name and receive all whom the Lord had received, then we should strive to join with them and not to contend for our own work or meeting.

Whenever we happened to meet another Christian, we sought to give and receive Christ without any agenda of recruiting them for our gathering. Witness Lee on many occasions declared that we could not be the only Christians who desired to meet in the Lord’s name alone.

The practical local church was often referred to as “an expression of the Body of Christ.” This term was used so much that often members would refer to churches in various places as “the expression in that city.” During one conference, this term was used quite often and Witness Lee asked, “What is the expression? The expression of the local church should be Christ.” That little comment made a deep impression on me. We were not seeking to develop and spread a type of Christian work or style of meeting. Our mission was to spread the wonderful expression of Jesus Christ - regardless of local particulars.*

BEGINNING IN WACO TEXAS

Actively Seeking Other Believers

In September, 1965, I began meeting with the church in Waco, Texas, where Benson Phillips was in leadership. The church there began in the fall of 1964 on a park bench. There were three saints, Herman Massey, Kathleen Corley and Barbara Kratzer. Benson Phillips moved there in the spring of 1965.

Don Looper left his position in the Southern Baptist denomination in the summer of 1965 and joined the Waco Church along with his fianceé, Judy Heathcote.

In Waco, we attended many free groups and small peculiar meetings, looking for someone with whom we could join. In 1969, we moved to Houston and there also, Benson Phillips was very conscientious in carrying out Witness Lee’s fellowship to seek out Christian groups with whom we might join.

For example, in the fall of 1969, we came into contact with a Pentecostal group called “The Gospel Assembly.” Some of us from the church in Houston went faithfully at least once a week for many weeks.
Finally, on one Sunday evening when Benson, his wife Barbara and I were there, Barbara and I urged Benson to give up the endeavor with this group. Although they were non-denominational, they were exclusive - unquestionably only receiving believers who had spoken in tongues. Benson was very reluctant, as he truly wanted to follow Witness Lee’s exhortation to join with other believers.

[Trapped]

See, I read that account, and I don't get the warm fuzzies from it.

E.g., Benson stridently shouting that "love without Christ is nothing". I mean, I get it. Vanity of vanities, dust to dust and all that. But the Bible says a whole bunch of things WITHOUT LOVE are nothing. I don't see that it says "love without Christ is nothing".

Like Matthew 25, Jesus is saying (paraphrased) "if you give the least of the brothers something to eat, something to drink, invite a stranger in, clothe the unclothed, looked after the sick, and visited the imprisoned, you've done that for Me." No knocking of the physical things at all.

Also, telling people who are saying they've tried the gospel and it didn't work that they are "spewing lies from the devil"? Geez louise. Absolutely no awareness of the potential points of pain behind what those people were saying. Not saying that their interruption was okay, but Benson's response was also not okay.

There are just more of the many seeds of the local church dismissing all the good and positive things just because it's not "Christ". More "shut up or you are of the devil". This is very damaging. All I see is a dude who was problematic from the start.

People can say they receive "special calls from the Lord". Does it always mean they really did? Lots of evil leaders out there claim to have received special commissions from God.

[Indiana]

Originally Posted by Trapped

See, I read that account, and I don't get the warm fuzzies from it.

E.g., Benson stridently shouting that "love without Christ is nothing". I mean, I get it. Vanity of vanities, dust to dust and all that. But the Bible says a whole bunch of things WITHOUT LOVE are nothing. I don't see that it says "love without Christ is nothing".

Like Matthew 25, Jesus is saying (paraphrased) "if you give the least of the brothers something to eat, something to drink, invite a stranger in, clothe the unclothed, looked after the sick, and visited the imprisoned, you've done that for Me." No knocking of the physical things at all.

Also, telling people who are saying they've tried the gospel and it didn't work that they are "spewing lies from the devil"? Geez louise. Absolutely no awareness of the potential points of pain behind what those people were saying. Not saying that their interruption was okay, but Benson's response was also not okay.

There are just more of the many seeds of the local church dismissing all the good and positive things just because it's not "Christ". More "shut up or you are of the devil". This is very damaging. All I see is a dude who was problematic from the start.

People can say they receive "special calls from the Lord". Does it always mean they really did? Lots of evil leaders out there claim to have received special commissions from God.

Good thoughtful responses, Trapped.

Reading this account just makes me sad because if Benson had simply stayed with the baptists instead of joining the LC, he would probably have become a very prominent pastor (maybe a modern Billy Graham?) and led many hundreds of thousands to Christ via mainstream christianity.

Instead he had to join the LC, resulting in less outreach (tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands) and the promotion of controversial non-mainstream teachings that cause further division within christianity.