LSM Launching an App

[Zezima]

Living Stream Ministry recently announced a new app for Life Study readying that will soon be available for download. See More here

Here is the text directly from the website's homepage, in order:

Develop a habit of reading the Life-studies for your spiritual nourishment and growth in Christ.

The 500 Life-studies project aims to help and encourage believers to get into the truth by using the Life-study of the Bible. The "500" comes from Witness Lee's encouragement to seeking believers to read at least 500 Life-study messages for their spiritual nourishment and growth (see quote below).

Over the last ten years we have published approximately twelve hundred Life-studies. I have the assurance to say that whoever has read through five hundred Life-study messages properly has been an excellent believer.

Be a good minister of Christ Jesus, being nourished with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which you have closely followed.
1 Timothy 4:6b

There is a video on the homepage where Minoru Chen articulates the burden of the coworkers for this project. He states that:

"The Life Studies are the Lord's divine provision for the saints in the Recovery to be equipped with the truth to grow and mature in life.

" These Life studies furnish a foundation for the saints in the churches to arrive at the high peak of the divine revelation. "

"One of the greatest needs for the next generation...is they need the Life Studies, they need to get into them."

"There is nothing better we can leave for the next generation than the interpreted word in the Life Studies"

"Our burden is to build up a culture in the Recovery until the Lord returns, generation after generation, they would read these Life Studies. They'd get into them, they'd be constituted with them, they would be fed by them, and equipped by them"

"This has too much to do with the Lord's Recovery's advance and going on in every way, including our gospel preaching, the spread of the churches and this has everything to do with the building up of the body of Christ"


Lot's to be said about the above, which I'll leave the thread to discuss. The conflation of the Bible and the Life Studies is on incredible display here. The emphasis on a Ministry is equally on display.

I’m wondering if there will be a subscription fee, and you will get “thumbs up” and “Likes” from the blenders for finishing up a message?

Also, since it’s still in development stages, here are few suggestions for Mr Chen:
I would also like to see a happy image of the minister show up on your screen every time you open the app and read it, but if you choose to leave or close it, a very sad crying image show up, to guilt trip you that you are leaving the plantation of “life”

My fees are only $.10 per each time this phenomenon happens, which you can add to “in app purchase required” tab. If interested, please contact me at 1-800-SCAM-ALERT!

Thanks.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Zezima

Lot's to be said about the above, which I'll leave the thread to discuss. The conflation of the Bible and the Life Studies is on incredible display here. The emphasis on a Ministry is equally on display.

Like a number of other groups and denominations, the LC is focused exclusively on just their own stuff. And with this app it will likely become more so. Sad. The last time I was at a LC meeting, that's how it was when various ones stood up to testify: "The Life Study said this or that" or "Brother Lee said this or that." One after another stood up and it was all the same - telling how great WL's words were. While it was actually good to at least hear from different members of the body, I didn't hear one independent thought come out in a testimony (for instance, "The Lord really showed me something wonderful from the word this week . . .")!

And when I spoke to a brother there afterwards, about something the Lord had taught me and I'd enjoyed while traveling around to various Christian groups, it was like his face became frozen solid. That's what intense exclusivity will do for you.

[Timotheist]

Wonder how much they will charge for every 8 pages this time?

[Bible-believer]

Originally Posted by On the money!

I’m wondering if there will be a subscription fee, and you will get “thumbs up” and “Likes” from the blenders for finishing up a message?

Also, since it’s still in development stages, here are few suggestions for Mr Chen:
I would also like to see a happy image of the minister show up on your screen every time you open the app and read it, but if you choose to leave or close it, a very sad crying image show up, to guilt trip you that you are leaving the plantation of “life”

My fees are only $.10 per each time this phenomenon happens, which you can add to “in app purchase required” tab. If interested, please contact me at 1-800-SCAM-ALERT!

Thanks.

[Trapped]

Here's how I see this pan out:

1. The dehydrated, tired, miserable saints in the church life all download the app because they have to do whatever the ministry representatives tell them

2. The co-workers analyze the data collected by the app about how faithful or unfaithful the saints are to read the Life-Studies, and they use that data to once again condemn the saints for all the problems, misery, dryness, stunted growth, and lack of love in the local church

I didn't think the LC could get worse, but having them start to track you on a name-by-name basis like this is......worse.

I also am scratching my head why they needed to create a whole new website for this. Why on earth not put this on the lsm.org site, or the lifestudy.com site, or the ministrybooks.org site, or the livingstream.com site? How many sites and names does a single book publisher need to have?

[awareness]

Originally Posted by Zezima

Living Stream Ministry recently announced a new app for Life Study readying that will soon be available for download. See More here

Here is the text directly from the website's homepage, in order:

Can we say, propaganda?

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by Trapped

Here's how I see this pan out:

1. The dehydrated, tired, miserable saints in the church life all download the app because they have to do whatever the ministry representatives tell them

2. The co-workers analyze the data collected by the app about how faithful or unfaithful the saints are to read the Life-Studies, and they use that data to once again condemn the saints for all the problems, misery, dryness, stunted growth, and lack of love in the local church

You can see comments on this website, https://livingtohim.com/2010/11/read...-life-studies/ one comment “As to why I haven’t had much success, there are several reasons but one is a lack of hunger for the ministry.”

The condemnation is already a strong aroma in the recovery regarding ministry consumption quantities. Very sad.

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by Timotheist

Wonder how much they will charge for every 8 pages this time?

The life studies are free digitally, but the website encourages people to get the printed versions. Also, in the video a leading coworker encourages people to get the printed versions.

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by awareness

Can we say, propaganda?

I don’t think there’s any issue with any ministry making an app for their content. The issue on display here is how much they conflate their content with the Bible. How they openly claim that the Lord’s move on this earth is dependent on people consuming their content. That one of THE GREATEST NEEDs of the next generation is for them to get into LSM’s published works. That consuming their content has EVERYTHING to do with building up the body of Christ. Minoru literally says the life studies are THE divine provision for the saints to be equipped.

I reckon that’s propaganda. These followers are being told that consuming LSM material is vital to their Christian life, God’s work on the earth, and the growing of the universal church. Just an incredible display of spiritual abuse.

[GraceAlone]

I was watching the LR Unchained video on abuse, in which the speaker unpacks that rather appalling Life Study from Genesis on Noah and deputy authority, and I thought, “And people are supposed to read 500 of THESE to be healthy and excellent??”

I for one am thankful to be free of the condemnation I felt for years about not reading enough of the Life Studies etc…. and not being able to make myself want to.

[PriestlyScribe]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

The last time I was at a LC meeting, that's how it was when various ones stood up to testify: "The Life Study said this or that" or "Brother Lee said this or that." One after another stood up and it was all the same - telling how great WL's words were. While it was actually good to at least hear from different members of the body, I didn't hear one independent thought come out in a testimony (for instance, "The Lord really showed me something wonderful from the word this week . . .")

Witness Lee consistently condemned "one man speaking" in the Denominations and Free Groups. And looking back it seems like for a time there may have actually been genuine testifying on the part of many independent voices in the LC meetings - and such speaking was truly celebrated. But over time the system of idol worship that Lee had covertly fostered found a way to justify construction of it's own version of "One Man Speaking" - recruit every loyal member to be a tape recorder of Lee's words and then play those words AND ONLY THOSE WORDS back in the meetings. What they brag about having now (and it no doubt fooled CRI quite well) is merely a bastardization of 1 Cor 14:26 "When you come together... each one has... Witness Lee's opinion!

The current LR is nothing more than an optical illusion which depends upon smoke and mirrors and willful blindness in order to exist.

P.S.

Originally Posted by GraceAlone

I was watching the LR Unchained video on abuse, in which the speaker unpacks that rather appalling Life Study from Genesis on Noah and deputy authority, and I thought, “And people are supposed to read 500 of THESE to be healthy and excellent??”

I for one am thankful to be free of the condemnation I felt for years about not reading enough of the Life Studies etc…. and not being able to make myself want to.

GraceAlone,

Just remember the local church stand on reading the “pure word” or the Bible. This is couple of quotes from them to why it’s oh so dangerous, and why you MUST only read the “interpreted word” such as LSM books and Lees regurgitations AKA “Life Studies”

"From time to time a brother will trumpet the misguided notion that saints should read only the Bible, the 'pure Word', 'untainted' by anyone’s interpretation. Some have used this notion as a ploy to entice the saints to reject the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee as 'man’s interpretation.' On the surface, the teaching that we should read the Bible exclusively and without any interpretation may sound laudable. Actually, this is unbiblical and impractical. It casts aside a crucial means by which God perfects men in this age, and, conversely, inflates the self and makes a person subject to being misled into serious errors."

ShepherdingWords.com article - published March 23, 2021

Reading Only the ‘Pure Word’ – A Dangerous and Unbiblical Notion

And here is from Lee himself, when talking about what people should read in trainings and when preaching the gospel.

“The training has strict restrictions for the purpose of "pressing" oil out of the trainees as "olives." Therefore, we should not give our own messages or speak our own words; instead, we should use The Mystery of Human Life when we preach the gospel and should read LIFE LESSONS in the home meetings.”

CWWL, 1987, vol. 2, "Going Forth to Bear Fruit and Causing the Fruit to Remain for the Building of the Church," ch. 3: Being Trained to Practice the New Way to Bring in a Revival

Promote and sell LSM junk, “press” on believers, especially young people as if they have any rights to do so.
Sounds like it sure will bring forth “Life”, or just utter miserable existence! God helps us all.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by PriestlyScribe

Witness Lee consistently condemned "one man speaking" in the Denominations and Free Groups. And looking back it seems like for a time there may have actually been genuine testifying on the part of many independent voices in the LC meetings - and such speaking was truly celebrated. But over time the system of idol worship that Lee had covertly fostered found a way to justify construction of it's own version of "One Man Speaking" - recruit every loyal member to be a tape recorder of Lee's words and then play those words AND ONLY THOSE WORDS back in the meetings. What they brag about having now (and it no doubt fooled CRI quite well) is merely a bastardization of 1 Cor 14:26 "When you come together... each one has... Witness Lee's opinion!

The current LR is nothing more than an optical illusion which depends upon smoke and mirrors and willful blindness in order to exist.

P.S.

Yes, you make a good point here! While the LC rails against the clergy/laity system, where one person is "ruling" over the others, it does the same thing in spades (in the guise of every member functioning). It was stark to me when I visited that LC meeting, because I had been with a group where there was total freedom to share whatever someone got from the Lord . . . and not just beholding to just one man's ministry.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

GraceAlone,

Just remember the local church stand on reading the “pure word” or the Bible. This is couple of quotes from them to why it’s oh so dangerous, and why you MUST only read the “interpreted word” such as LSM books and Lees regurgitations AKA “Life Studies”

I was told plainly, back during the Midwest quarantines when I left, that reading only the pure Word of God was a tactic of the enemy.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Ohio

I was told plainly, back during the Midwest quarantines when I left, that reading only the pure Word of God was a tactic of the enemy.

Wow - really!? That's a mind blower to say the least! Even so, some churches like RCC are totally based on this error . . .

[Zezima]

New headline on their site

The 500 Life-studies project aims to help and encourage believers to get into the truth by using the Life-study of the Bible. The "500" comes from Witness Lee's encouragement to seeking believers to read at least 500 Life-study messages for their spiritual nourishment and growth

Translation:
Author of the content we publish encourages people to read said content! If you don’t, your Christian life will suffer! Read me, read me.

Originally Posted by Zezima

New headline on their site

Translation:
Author of the content we publish encourages people to read said content! If you don’t, your Christian life will suffer! Read me, read me.

In 1910 the was a man named Charles Taze Russel, who said the following quote:

“ if you read my books, then stop and just read the Bible itself, (putting my books aside), you will fall into darkness within two years”

September 15, 1910, The Watchman Reprint page 298-299.

That’s the man that invented the Watch Tower. So the inventor / minions of the “Recovery”, pretty much says the same thing, or take it even further on some occasions, claiming you will spiritually die!

Spiritually dead can only promote themselves and their dead works and books!

[Bible-believer]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

That’s the man that invented the Watch Tower. So the inventor / minions of the “Recovery”, pretty much says the same thing, or take it even further on some occasions, claiming you will spiritually die!

Spiritually dead can only promote themselves and their dead works and books!

The Collected Works of Witness Lee is just another version of Watch Tower, just like his RV is another version of ASV.

[countmeworthy]

Btw, Priestly Scribe and all,
I received a text late September I think from Brian in the church in San Diego, asking me to recall fond memories of my time in San Diego…something like that..

It came to my phone text but not addressed to ME directly. It was a mass mailing text He wanted me to sign in on a website. Did anyone else get a similar invitation? FYI, I trashed it
Here is what it said:

Dear saint,

Please take a few minutes to look at this video regarding the San Diego History Project.
Thank you, Brian

How to participate
We need your help! Your history is a crucial part of the church's history. Currently, we are in the information gathering stage. We would like to get your top impressions of your time in the church in San Diego. These could be testimonies, including experiences of salvation, baptism, prayer, etc. This also includes copies of pictures, songs, personal notes, hand-written notes, banners, tracts, newspaper items, and other artifacts.

To help you get started, we have prepared a template with some questions to jog your memory. You may choose to answer only some of the questions. There is also an option to submit photos at the end of the form.
========================

Originally Posted by PriestlyScribe

Witness Lee consistently condemned "one man speaking" in the Denominations and Free Groups. And looking back it seems like for a time there may have actually been genuine testifying on the part of many independent voices in the LC meetings - and such speaking was truly celebrated. But over time the system of idol worship that Lee had covertly fostered found a way to justify construction of it's own version of "One Man Speaking" - recruit every loyal member to be a tape recorder of Lee's words and then play those words AND ONLY THOSE WORDS back in the meetings. What they brag about having now (and it no doubt fooled CRI quite well) is merely a bastardization of 1 Cor 14:26 "When you come together... each one has... Witness Lee's opinion!

The current LR is nothing more than an optical illusion which depends upon smoke and mirrors and willful blindness in order to exist.

P.S.

[PriestlyScribe]

Oh Wow, do you think it was coming from Brian Axxxxxxxxxx? I might be able to help him out with some photos from the Nxxxxxxx wedding. Of course for it to be an honest history, it ought to include the 1989 open letter by John Smith!

P.S.

************************
PriestlyScribe-
I edited the last names from your post. John Smith is a "public figure" but the other names should be held anonymously. Please contact CMW via PM to discuss further.

Nell
Admin/Moderator

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by Zezima

Living Stream Ministry recently announced a new app for Life Study readying that will soon be available for download. See More here

Here is the text directly from the website's homepage, in order:

There is a video on the homepage where Minoru Chen articulates the burden of the coworkers for this project. He states that:

"The Life Studies are the Lord's divine provision for the saints in the Recovery to be equipped with the truth to grow and mature in life.

" These Life studies furnish a foundation for the saints in the churches to arrive at the high peak of the divine revelation. "

"One of the greatest needs for the next generation...is they need the Life Studies, they need to get into them."

"There is nothing better we can leave for the next generation than the interpreted word in the Life Studies"

"Our burden is to build up a culture in the Recovery until the Lord returns, generation after generation, they would read these Life Studies. They'd get into them, they'd be constituted with them, they would be fed by them, and equipped by them"

"This has too much to do with the Lord's Recovery's advance and going on in every way, including our gospel preaching, the spread of the churches and this has everything to do with the building up of the body of Christ"

Lot's to be said about the above, which I'll leave the thread to discuss. The conflation of the Bible and the Life Studies is on incredible display here. The emphasis on a Ministry is equally on display.

This app is now in the IOS store for download

[FaithHopeLove]

Originally Posted by Ohio

I was told plainly, back during the Midwest quarantines when I left, that reading only the pure Word of God was a tactic of the enemy.

The only tactic used by the enemy is to twist the Word of God, to doubt Him and to hate Him, and to hate one another - unloving, unforgiving. Yeshua Hamaschiach clearly said do not forbid the little ones to come to Him, for such is the kingdom of God. Does that not clearly show the simplicity of having the Lord God into our hearts? Anyone can say anything but only the Holy Spirit of God can tell us if the source of those words are of God or of Satan. God help us all move on with Him.

Nahh... Logos 10 Bible Software is way more better than LSM app.

It’s a sad state of true reality, that man are drawn to read uninspired word of men, at 9:1 ratio, rather that read the Word of God and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through it in their lives. God forbid that there would be any discomfort or even examining of the things you have been taught by those in charge. Comfort and disabling of your sense for discernment is what these men are after, and many fall for it.

[WitnessALot]

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

Btw, Priestly Scribe and all,
I received a text late September I think from Brian in the church in San Diego, asking me to recall fond memories of my time in San Diego…something like that..

It came to my phone text but not addressed to ME directly. It was a mass mailing text He wanted me to sign in on a website. Did anyone else get a similar invitation? FYI, I trashed it
Here is what it said:

Dear saint,

Please take a few minutes to look at this video regarding the San Diego History Project.
Thank you, Brian

How to participate
We need your help! Your history is a crucial part of the church's history. Currently, we are in the information gathering stage. We would like to get your top impressions of your time in the church in San Diego. These could be testimonies, including experiences of salvation, baptism, prayer, etc. This also includes copies of pictures, songs, personal notes, hand-written notes, banners, tracts, newspaper items, and other artifacts.

To help you get started, we have prepared a template with some questions to jog your memory. You may choose to answer only some of the questions. There is also an option to submit photos at the end of the form.
========================

Wow, they're even reaching out to folks who left the group decades ago, soliciting testimonies? Incredible.

[PriestlyScribe]

Originally Posted by Zezima

This app is now in the IOS store for download

Why make this APP available now? Is it possible that LSM's main motive for the creating and distributing of this "helpful" APP may simply be damage control?

Under the color of improving saints' access to "The Ministry", do we instead see one more stratagem employed by the "World Wide Spiritual Poison Control Center"?*

Does anyone remember that LSM distributed an open letter of warning (concerning an unauthorized APP) dated April 19, 2021 to all the saints and the churches in the Lord’s recovery?

Excerpt:
"In addition to The Bible—Recovery Version website, in 2016 Skuratov created an Android application that delivers the contents of his website. In addition to Skuratov’s violation of copyright law by offering illegally uploaded material, recently he began to refer his readers to materials published by those who oppose the Lord’s recovery. These materials contain spiritual poison that can inflict serious spiritual damage to the saints"

LSM Document Link

BTW: I find it a bit ironic how LSM foolishly included a direct link to the poisonous website right inside their warning letter! LOL

Questioning everything done by "The Ministry"...

P.S.
* Aka "The Ministry Of The Age Financial Protection Project"

[ACuriousFellow]

Hey! Look at that! I often use that "poisonous" website. It's where I found John Ingalls' testimony along with certain Recovery publications that I have used as material for different disputes/arguments. What a coincidence that this is the one that the leading brothers seem to be the most afraid of, haha!

I'd love to meet this Skuratov guy.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by PriestlyScribe

Excerpt from LSM letter to all the saints:
"In addition to The Bible—Recovery Version website, in 2016 Skuratov created an Android application that delivers the contents of his website. In addition to Skuratov’s violation of copyright law by offering illegally uploaded material, recently he began to refer his readers to materials published by those who oppose the Lord’s recovery. These materials contain spiritual poison that can inflict serious spiritual damage to the saints"

LSM Document Link

Compare the hearts of the real apostles with the narrow, constricted hearts of the LSM Blendeds in the letter in that LSM link. They have filed more lawsuits than any other ministry in history.

We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities; in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger; in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine; as unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are open wide. It is not our affection, but yours, that is restrained. As a fair exchange, I ask you as my children: Open wide your hearts also. -- 2 Corinthians 6.3-12

Can you imagine that someone in Ukraine, yes battle worn Ukraine, tried to make LSM's materials available to their ravaged people without a paywall ...
But LSM took legal action to stop them, then notified all the saints about what they were doing. Unbelievable.

Just think where we would all be if Jesus or the Apostles had a pathetic heart like theirs.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by PriestlyScribe

Why make this APP available now? Is it possible that LSM's main motive for the creating and distributing of this "helpful" APP may simply be damage control?

Under the color of improving saints' access to "The Ministry", do we instead see one more stratagem employed by the "World Wide Spiritual Poison Control Center"?*

Does anyone remember that LSM distributed an open letter of warning (concerning an unauthorized APP) dated April 19, 2021 to all the saints and the churches in the Lord’s recovery?

Excerpt:
"In addition to The Bible—Recovery Version website, in 2016 Skuratov created an Android application that delivers the contents of his website. In addition to Skuratov’s violation of copyright law by offering illegally uploaded material, recently he began to refer his readers to materials published by those who oppose the Lord’s recovery. These materials contain spiritual poison that can inflict serious spiritual damage to the saints"

LSM Document Link

BTW: I find it a bit ironic how LSM foolishly included a direct link to the poisonous website right inside their warning letter! LOL

Questioning everything done by "The Ministry"...

P.S.
* Aka "The Ministry Of The Age Financial Protection Project"

PriestlyScribe, it sure does seem there is financial motivation.
Why do the LSM scribes have to frame everything within the context of Us versus Them? If you are not with us, then you must be opposers.
I really think the brothers are scared to have the other side of the story be told. The brothers are using fear tactics such as "poison" or "spiritual damage" to keep brothers and sisters ensnared in their system of error.