The Wild, Wild MidWest - All things Great Lakes Area and Canada

[Cassidy]

"Anyways, Cass ... did you register for the conference?"


No.

[UntoHim]

All the posts related to the conference at the church in Cleveland and matters relating to Nigel and the church in Toronto have been moved to this thread.

Lets continue this important subject here.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

All the posts related to the conference at the church in Cleveland and matters relating to Nigel and the church in Toronto have been moved to this thread.

Lets continue this important subject here.

Thanks UntoHim. Here's some information.

Back in Sept. of 1977, I was part of the team of saints which migrated to Columbus, Ohio to "take the ground of the church." I have posted on many occasions how our primary minister Philip Comfort was so harshly abused by TC, and how that was devastating to the whole church there. Though I left Cols years ago, I have always had an affection for the church there, and have been sorely grieved to see further damages inflicted by LC headquarters located in Cleveland and Anaheim. When it comes to small assemblies such as Columbus, neither of these work centers has ever placed the church above their own selfish interests.

Here are some related events from Ohio ...

1. The LSM sponsored group which sued the original church in Columbus, now has possession of their church property, and definitely still claims exclusive rights to the ground of locality.

2. The remaining saints, a clear majority in number, began to meet in a rented school and call themselves Columbus Christian Assembly. After they willingly handed over all their church property and assets, they seemed to flourish for awhile. Their website, however, is now down.

3. After the conflicts surrounding the quarantine and the lawsuits settled down, Titus Chu once again demanded that John Myer bring all the young people to his Cleveland college conferences. John eventually decided that the ministry of TC was no longer beneficial to these young people, because he often found himself explaining to them why TC continually shamed and belittled him in front of them.

4. By this time, John and others had begun a new church closer to the OSU campus, and were meeting as Upper Arlington Christian Assembly. They regularly cared for college students who also had their own group on campus called Oasis Christian Community at OSU. When they lost their rented hall in Upper Arlington, they moved even closer to Campus becoming Grandview Christian Assembly.

5. TC demanded that the other elders at Cols Christian Assy side with him, and together they terminated all financial and housing support for John and his family. John's "Epilog" speaks of some of the details here. TC demanded that the other young people leaders also choose sides. Never was it asked by TC or his cadre of supporters what would be best for the needs of the young people on and around the campus.

6. After John Myer and Titus parted ways over spurious questions concerning the local ground, Keith Miller (if you remember, he was the original missionary to Uganda, which also was divided when Anaheim and Cleveland began to fight over their colonial rights to those African saints) and the Church in Cincinnati similarly decided that the entanglements with Cleveland were not beneficial to their spiritual health and well-being. They subsequently changed their name to Cincinnati Community Church.

7. Norm Minahan, a long time GLA worker, who had been with the church in Detroit for many years, has relocated back to Mansfield where he once lived,in order to strengthen the saints there who lost their meeting home during the LSM sponsored lawsuit that devastated their tiny church life. I was told that they don't invite Norm to Cleveland anymore. May the Lord bless him and Mansfield, which is the original LC in the GLA dating back to the 60's.

8. In a move surely to upset the proverbial apple cart, Keith Miller and the Cincinnati Community Church has recently merged with a non-LC assembly nearby them called Impact Church for strengthening and fellowship. Their website has more information. May the Lord grant them a fresh beginning in Cincinnati.

9. One of the remaining Columbus elders MP, mentioned in Myer's Epilog,who accompanied him to Cleveland to face Titus for their last time together, had been pursuing many "Pentecostal-style" teachings and practices since the soul-searching days surrounding the quarantine. He, and a number of saints I know, have been greatly impacted by Steve Gray's ministry at the World Revival Church in Kansas. He has just recently decided to leave the Columbus Christian Assembly to pursue the Lord on his own. May the Lord bless him and his family.

[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Ohio

TC demanded that the other elders at Cols Christian Assy side with him, and together they terminated all financial and housing support for John and his family.

So much for "administration local, each answering to the Lord"
So it turns out the John was not really a true biblical elder (maybe unbeknownst to him, but definitely to Chu). He was simply one of the branch managers of the Titus Chu division of the Local Church. It turns of that John was not serving at the pleasure of the King of kings, but rather he was serving at the pleasure of the bishop of the Midwest. When he found out that the bishop "had no clothes", and was unwilling to pretend that he did, he was betrayed by the bishop and the other branch managers. So what has become of the Titus Chu branch office in Columbus? Don't tell me, let me guess....a couple of dozen adults holed up on Sunday mornings pray-reading, singing and "prophesizing" the words of a man. (Lee or Chu...what does it matter). No preaching of the biblical gospel, no community outreach, no ministries to poor and needy in their community, no ministries to young people that are culturally relevant, no ministries to assist people with their families, marriages or life in general.

In a move surely to upset the proverbial apple cart, Keith Miller and the Cincinnati Community Church has recently merged with a non-LC assembly nearby them called Impact Church for strengthening and fellowship. Their website has more information. May the Lord grant them a fresh beginning in Cincinnati.

My understanding is that Miller et al unhitched from the LSM/LC/Chu apple cart a while back, so I doubt that they care very much if that apple cart is upset or not. I would say that this "merge" with Impact Church is a very positive step. I think all of the former LSM/LC churches should consider such a direction. The simple truth is that Local Church leaders are ill-equipped to meet the spiritual needs of most of the members. (sorry to be so frank, and this is not an indictment of the heart or character of these brothers). I really believe they would do well (for themselves and the rest of the church) to seek the support and assistance of an established, evangelical church or group of churches with an established, educated and proven leadership team.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

The simple truth is that Local Church leaders are ill-equipped to meet the spiritual needs of most of the members. (sorry to be so frank, and this is not an indictment of the heart or character of these brothers). I really believe they would do well (for themselves and the rest of the church) to seek the support and assistance of an established, evangelical church or group of churches with an established, educated and proven leadership team.

This is actually the strategy of TC -- he creates an environment that prohibits actual leadership growth -- while at the same time convincing these leaders that they are more equipped than all the pastors "out there." It was common over the years for TC to regularly squash others' creative initiatives, and at other times to steal good ideas to make them his own.

Both John Myer and Keith Miller were unique in that they both had "startup" experience. Cincy's website shows that Myer is a welcomed visitor to minister indicating that he has also earned the trust of those originally of the Impact Church.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

So what has become of the Titus Chu branch office in Columbus? Don't tell me, let me guess....a couple of dozen adults holed up on Sunday mornings pray-reading, singing and "prophesizing" the words of a man. (Lee or Chu...what does it matter).

That would be more descriptive of the LSM group which sued to obtain all the real estate. The TC group probably got another young full-timer from Cleveland to help out. The fact that their website is down is not a good sign.

[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Ohio

The TC group probably got another young full-timer from Cleveland to help out.

I received this news from a very well-placed little birdie...

Almost correct (not quite) The TC group got another young full-timer from Ann Arbor, MI [not Cleveland] to help out [in Columbus]. But it's still "shuffling the same deck, moving the same pawns around the board"

[UntoHim]

...But it's still "shuffling the same deck, moving the same pawns around the board"

Maybe a better analogy would be "shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic".

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by annonymous

Almost correct (not quite) The TC group got another young full-timer from Ann Arbor, MI [not Cleveland] to help out [in Columbus]. But it's still "shuffling the same deck, moving the same pawns around the board"

From "Cleveland" means from TC, one of the workers under his charge. Had I said he came from Michigan, would that have made sense?

As I have said before, going full-time in the Recovery under the direction of TC means that one must forfeit his right to determine where and how he serves. I'll never forget the day all the saints were packing a local full-timer and his family to move to Cincinnati "for the Lord's move," only to get a last minute phone call from one of TC's diminutives, "you will be moving to Willoughby instead." TC demands that all allegiances be to him and not the local church where you serve.

Btw, pawns are powerful indeed. One of them can "grow up" and be anything he wants to be! It just needs to reach the other side still alive. Not so in the Recovery.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Ohio

2. The remaining saints, a clear majority in number, began to meet in a rented school and call themselves Columbus Christian Assembly. After they willingly handed over all their church property and assets, they seemed to flourish for awhile. Their website, however, is now down.

It is with sadness only that I have recently learned that Columbus Christian Assembly has basically dissolved.

The once flourishing church, close to 200 saints, the most fruitful congregation of the late 1990's and early 2000's in all of greater Ohio, has been decimated. Firstly it was LSM operatives in the aftermath of the Titus Chu quarantine who brought lawsuits against the church. Then, true to form, it was Titus Chu who cut off John Myer, forcing all the young people to choose sides. Lastly, one of the remaining elders attempted to launch the church into totally new areas of pentecostal prosperity, which many saints rejected. Some of the scattered saints have decided to rejoin the LSM group which now owns their former meeting hall.

On a more positive note, "expelled" brothers from Cincinnati and Columbus, including John Myer and Keith Miller, are presently in Uganda caring for believers there. Hopefully they can steer clear of bureaucrats like Titus Chu's boy Vern Yoder of Pittsberg, who once claimed to be the "leading co-worker in Africa." Aren't there enough people in the world, that we don't need to fight over a handful of Christians the other side of the globe?

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by Ohio

It is with sadness only that I have recently learned that Columbus Christian Assembly has basically dissolved.

The once flourishing church, close to 200 saints, the most fruitful congregation of the late 1990's and early 2000's in all of greater Ohio, has been decimated. Firstly it was LSM operatives in the aftermath of the Titus Chu quarantine who brought lawsuits against the church. Then, true to form, it was Titus Chu who cut off John Myer, forcing all the young people to choose sides. Lastly, one of the remaining elders attempted to launch the church into totally new areas of pentecostal prosperity, which many saints rejected. Some of the scattered saints have decided to rejoin the LSM group which now owns their former meeting hall.

On a more positive note, "expelled" brothers from Cincinnati and Columbus, including John Myer and Keith Miller, are presently in Uganda caring for believers there. Hopefully they can steer clear of bureaucrats like Titus Chu's boy Vern Yoder of Pittsberg, who once claimed to be the "leading co-worker in Africa." Aren't there enough people in the world, that we don't need to fight over a handful of Christians the other side of the globe?

Forgive me ahead of time if I am speaking out of line because I have no connection to this assembly that dissolved. So I am just going by assumption and that might not so good on my part.

I am wondering what their goal was, their "mission statement" might have been. Because if they were holding on to some of the LSM or Titus Chu's wood, hay and stubble, it was bound to dissolve.

I think it is very difficult for people who were doing things, meeting in the same way for years and years to take the good things and make it successful. Too much baggage is brought in.

The Living Word of God by His Spirit is the only way we are going to be successful in our assembly. I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 1:12-13:

Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

200 saints meeting together is quite a nice group of people to be used mightily by the LORD. I suspect too many people were licking their wounds and putting band aids on them.

What do I know though? It is quite possible God had other plans for the saints and He had to disperse them in order to shed the old wine skin and put on them new wine skins.

Someday..and hopefully soon...indeed we will experience the unity of the saints -in Spirit-. God's promise is He makes all things new.

Hold fast to that promise. We are almost at the finish line folks!!

Blessings all!

Carol G

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

I am wondering what their goal was, their "mission statement" might have been. Because if they were holding on to some of the LSM or Titus Chu's wood, hay and stubble, it was bound to dissolve.

If you ask the saints in Columbus over the years what their "mission statement" included, they would all answer that they were a "local" church, loving the word of God, and desiring to testify of the living Christ, and Him alone.

What we have seen, however, continuously displayed by power hungry bureaucrats in both Anaheim and Cleveland are those who merely pay lip-service to the welfare of the saints, and place their own empires high above all. Whether it was Titus Chu publicly shaming local leaders in order to beat them into submission, or LSM operatives working backroom politics to win at all costs using lawsuits and slanders, neither side would dream of following the actual patterns laid out in scripture by the Lord Jesus and the apostles.

It is tragically amazing to have witnessed for decades so many sincere brothers, longing to know His will and seek guidance of the Holy Spirit, only to have all that regularly shelved by the steady stream of directives coming from headquarters. Call them the "new way," or the "flow," or the "God-ordained way," or some "urgent training," or whatever other deceptive ploy might be used, the real goal was never as stated, but rather always had surreptitious designs to maintain and expand the empires of notable Recovery leaders.

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by Ohio

If you ask the saints in Columbus over the years what their "mission statement" included, they would all answer that they were a "local" church, loving the word of God, and desiring to testify of the living Christ, and Him alone.

What we have seen, however, continuously displayed by power hungry bureaucrats in both Anaheim and Cleveland are those who merely pay lip-service to the welfare of the saints, and place their own empires high above all. Whether it was Titus Chu publicly shaming local leaders in order to beat them into submission, or LSM operatives working backroom politics to win at all costs using lawsuits and slanders, neither side would dream of following the actual patterns laid out in scripture by the Lord Jesus and the apostles.

It is tragically amazing to have witnessed for decades so many sincere brothers, longing to know His will and seek guidance of the Holy Spirit, only to have all that regularly shelved by the steady stream of directives coming from headquarters. Call them the "new way," or the "flow," or the "God-ordained way," or some "urgent training," or whatever other deceptive ploy might be used, the real goal was never as stated, but rather always had surreptitious designs to maintain and expand the empires of notable Recovery leaders.

Agendas. There are always (it seems to me) hidden agendas. The Lord's will is found in the scriptures. His Will is not hidden from us. It has always been the same Will until we reach our Glorified state where there is no sin, no sickness, no disease, no old age, no death.

If you ask me what God's Will is, it is simply Eternal Salvation, followed by deliverance and sanctification.

To obtain eternal salvation, we have to acknowledge our sins, confront them and renounce them. Not just in general but acknowledge, confess and renounce the hidden, personal ones. Sometimes this is a private matter. Sometimes we need to confess our sins one to another. It is easy to say 'I repent of all my sins and forgive me.' But we cannot fool the Holy Spirit who knows the thoughts and intentions of our heart. Often times, we have hidden sin and don't want to acknowledge it.

Sin is hardly mentioned anymore. ANYWHERE. Just "call on the Name of the Lord" and you're saved." Boom. To the tongue speaking crowd it is after repeating the 'sinners prayer' it is "Get baptized in the Holy Spirit and begin praying in tongues". Boom. End of story. Well. It ISN'T the end of the story!!

We need help to be delivered from repeating the same sin over and over. We need to be delivered from pride, selfishness, greed, anxiety, from religious works and from dead works just to name a few sins.

We need to be sanctified, to be set apart unto the Lord. But many people have this notion we have to look 'different'. That is what we did in the 70s in the LC. We dressed the same so we could look different from the world. We forget the way we 'look different' to the world is by shining God's Light, projecting His Love and compassion and offering the world through our character, integrity and most important of all our relationship/connection with the Living Word -Jesus Christ- so that HE will be attractive to them and they will be drawn to HIM through us.

As to the brethren: we need to be encouraging one another and helping each other out. We need to friends with each other outside of fellowship/prayer gatherings. That is very hard to do because not everyone likes everyone in Christ.

We must pray without ceasing pray. Get to know our Creator in all His various functions. We need to be filled with the Joy of the Lord daily. For the Joy of the Lord is our strength. We need to Worship the Father, the Spirit and the Son. Three in ONE. Constantly.

We need to study the Word privately and 'corporately'..that is with at least 2-3 people. We have to let the HOLY SPIRIT lead. We should study topics and apply the Word to our own personal lives. Experience the transformation of the Living Word working in us so we can offer Hope to the lost and to the disillusioned and know how to answer every person with Truth and with Love.

Sorry for sounding off. Perhaps I am 'preaching to the choir here'. It is just that I am a tad frustrated with the condition of the church as a whole.

Blessings to all.

Carol G

[alwayslearning]

Originally Posted by Ohio

If you ask the saints in Columbus over the years what their "mission statement" included, they would all answer that they were a "local" church, loving the word of God, and desiring to testify of the living Christ, and Him alone...It is tragically amazing to have witnessed for decades so many sincere brothers, longing to know His will and seek guidance of the Holy Spirit, only to have all that regularly shelved by the steady stream of directives coming from headquarters. Call them the "new way," or the "flow," or the "God-ordained way," or some "urgent training," or whatever other deceptive ploy might be used, the real goal was never as stated, but rather always had surreptitious designs to maintain and expand the empires of notable Recovery leaders.

Tragic to hear of the demise of the post LSM LC in Columbus. The LSM bunch and Titus Chu & Co like to tinker around with other peoples lives with nary a care what the impact will be. Philip Comfort, Lewis Cheng and more recently John Myer all gone from the LC which is left with a leader/s who wants to take the church into the prosperity gospel!

True be told in practical terms a lot of the "oneness" in the LC system IS based on Witness Lee's ministry whether in the BB or Titus version regardless of the stated theories of "oneness". If an LC (rare) does have solid local leadership who have developed their own ministries and helped others do so (have a deep bench) then they can go on without Witness Lee's ministry and the edicts of those who claim to represent it. Maybe where Nigel Tomes is in Toronto is an example of this. I'm not sure.