How to bring friends & family out?

[Zezima]

How does one bring their friend's & their family out of the LR?

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Zezima

How does one bring their friend's & their family out of the LR?

Sorry Zezima. It just doesn’t work that way. There’s an old saying: “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” (Not very spiritual, huh?)

People are free to choose. You can speak the truth and pray for the Lord to shine his light so others can see the truth also, but they are still free to choose their own path.

Pray for your family and friends. Speak truth to them as the Lord leads. Pray for the utterance that will bring light to their eyes. Lead them to water…so to speak. Most of all…love them.

Nell

[Bible-believer]

Originally Posted by Zezima

How does one bring their friend's & their family out of the LR?

Not easy. At least not until they realize there are problems.
I found mistakes in Br. Lee's teachings. But, at that time, I didn't consider leaving LR, not until the last straw- the processed four-in-one God. When I realize that's not just false teaching but nearly a heretic, I feel I have to make a move.
Tons of meetings and training occupy saints that they can't spend time on the Bible itself.
The more training and meetings they attend, the harder they think.
Once I asked saints about the four-in-one God, none of them answered me. One said, "Enjoying Christ is enough."
See, this is an example of "doctrine does not matter."
If you pay attention, you will find most of them don't know the fundamentals.
When people enjoy the dream, they don't want to wake up.

[River]

How I wish I knew. My heart would burst if my parents could escape this cult. Even though I left it long ago, I can't fully get away from it. It is always the elephant in the room and it has a grip, that doesn't let go of them.

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Zezima

How does one bring their friend's & their family out of the LR?

Hopefully, the following verses will be helpful to you, and all of us, to realize what the results of the "ministry of Witness Lee" might be. In fact, these verses are not limited to the results of following Lee, but following anyone but Christ Himself.

In 1 Cor. 13:5a we learn that love does not insist on its own way. What do we learn from Witness Lee and his followers? I learned that it's Lee's way or the highway.

In Matthew 11:29 we learn to "take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest for your soul. His yoke is easy and his burden is light."
Do we see a meek and lowly heart in Lee, and/or the leadership that followed him? Is following Lee restful to your soul?

Revelation 3:17-19 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

We learned from Lee to say "I am rich" and we have need of nothing but Lee's teaching and "ministry".

This is what we say of ourselves. We need to see what God sees: "You are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." What we need is God's love in the form of rebuke and chastening. We need to be zealous to repent.

When we have a clear realization of some relevant verses, prayer in this manner may be helpful to all...friends and family...each of us. We may be tempted to go in to friends and family with guns blazin'. I've done that...maybe rethink this approach?

Nell

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Zezima

How does one bring their friend's & their family out of the LR?

Reading the Gospels, one can see behind the scenes that the early disciples faced this same battle when Jesus walked the earth, and their families were gripped by Judaism. I once read a great fictionalized story which brought this struggle to light called"The Runaway" by Patricia St James. Those who left Judaism had received from God a living faith in Jesus with a certain amount of courage to depart that system, knowing full well the accompanying dangers and rejections.

Church history shows us that departing all exclusive churches, from Catholicism to the Brethren to the Local Church, requires the same inner convictions and courage.

River's post here indicates that those of us who leave, might still be "damaged goods" as they say, but still in a far better place with the Lord "outside the camp." (Hebrews 13.13)

[awareness]

Originally Posted by Ohio

River's post here indicates that those of us who leave, might still be "damaged goods" as they say, but still in a far better place with the Lord "outside the camp." (Hebrews 13.13)

What I wonder is : can we get outside the camp, and the camp doesn't get outside us?

[River]

Originally Posted by River

River's post here indicates that those of us who leave, might still be "damaged goods" as they say, but still in a far better place with the Lord "outside the camp." (Hebrews 13.13)

"damaged goods," certainly in some ways, it's true, yet a far better place for sure! When I think of damage though, in relation to the LC/LR, I think of how it has damaged my family (countless others as well) and I know it is impossible to undo. I often think if my parents got out it would be easier to put it behind me once and for all.

I replied to this thread because it resonated with me so much. How do we get family out? Sadly, we don't. Even though I dream of the day my family is out, I've accepted that I can't change a thing about it. Overall maintaining a healthy loving relationship with my parents is a top priority, however, with all the LC craziness that I hear about from them, it is challenging.

When I hear things from the LC that I know are off or wrong, I think of this verse and it helps.
Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

[GraceAlone]

Just wanted to say I relate 100% to what you’re saying here, River. All I can do right now is keep navigating the awkwardness and praying for truth to be revealed to them. I used to think that it was fine if they all kept meeting with the LR if they believe that’s where the Lord wants them, but the more I realized how the truth there has been compromised with deception in so many ways, the harder it has been to accept that it could be the Lord’s perfect will for anyone, given that He is light and in Him is no darkness AT ALL.

Thanks for articulating the struggle so well.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by River

When I hear things from the LC that I know are off or wrong, I think of this verse and it helps.
Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Thanks! We would all do well to think on these verses, and perhaps Philippians 4.5-9 also.