The ground on which the church should be built

[Cassidy]

"Max was sent out to shake things up, which really means to undermine the regional and local authorities over the saints. He was only doing what Lee charged him to do..."

Ohio,

So your story is that Witness Lee sent Max out, then when Max did exactly what Witness Lee asked him to do, Witness Lee then fired Max.

All of that for some elaborate power play on Witness Lee's part.

That does not even make sense. That's no way to run a conspiracy!

Max got reeled in for the very things you described he did in the mid-west and in New England and wherever he went. Perhaps because you were a young person "in awe" at Max's ability to "sniff" things out and caught up in the magic of the moment then you might have missed the extreme concern Witness Lee, the co-workers, and churches in many places had about his goings-on once the feedback started coming in.

Far from the massive conspiracy you describe the reality is very simple and not at all complicated. Witness Lee trusted Max as a valued co-worker and was let down, disappointed, and had to make a tough decision.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Cassidy

Ohio,

So your story is that Witness Lee sent Max out, then when Max did exactly what Witness Lee asked him to do, Witness Lee then fired Max.

All of that for some elaborate power play on Witness Lee's part.

That does not even make sense. That's no way to run a conspiracy!

You have conveniently forgot about how Max thought Lee was an honorable and righteous man who would obviously take the appropriate measures to deal with his own son and employee, who had regularly molested the volunteer help.

Max was never "fired" for doing what he was paid to do. He was not even fired for dividing churches. He was banished for exposing son of Lee as a profligate philanderer. That was the one unforgivable sin. Their biggest mistake was trusting Lee. They should have called the police.

[Cassidy]

Originally Posted by Ohio

You have conveniently forgot about how Max thought Lee was an honorable and righteous man who would obviously take the appropriate measures to deal with his own son and employee, who had regularly molested the volunteer help.

Max was never "fired" for doing what he was paid to do. He was not even fired for dividing churches. He was banished for exposing son of Lee as a profligate philanderer. That was the one unforgivable sin. Their biggest mistake was trusting Lee. They should have called the police.

The reason Max was relieved of duties, fired, or banished, whatever descriptor you prefer, was for the things he was saying and how he was saying it in the mid-west, New England, and elsewhere. If the incidents with PL had never transpired Max would still have been relieved of duties. You documented the issues in the mid-west and that same behavior was widespread.

[ZNPaaneah]

Originally Posted by Cassidy

The reason Max was relieved of duties, fired, or banished, whatever descriptor you prefer, was for the things he was saying and how he was saying it in the mid-west, New England, and elsewhere. If the incidents with PL had never transpired Max would still have been relieved of duties. You documented the issues in the mid-west and that same behavior was widespread.

There are facts that cannot be disputed.

1. PL was put in charge of business affairs of the LSM. This man had no business being put into this position. He was not a "godly" man. That decision was made by WL.
2. Max discovered his profligate ways and confronted him on this yet PL was not disciplined or removed. WL was made aware of this issue at this time.
3. PL continued to be a profligate and was discovered by JI etal. This also was brought to WL attention who pretended that this was a "church" matter. PL should have been removed from office at the LSM by WL immediately but wasn't.
4. Max, JI, AK, JS, etc. all came to WL with this issue and instead were banished from the LRC and then a bill of goods was sold to the saints in the LRC.
5. The LSM published a whitewash of the incident.
6. At the time of Max there was also a "sister's rebellion" described in the book "The Thread of Gold". The insinuation of rebellion came from WL.
7. WL perpetrated a lie concerning WN's excommunication. This lie profited him directly as the "closest coworker" to WN and the one who "inherited the mantle" and ultimately became the next "MOTA".
8. WL has built a sect of Christianity based on a very flimsy teaching concerning "the ground of the church" first propagated by WN. This teaching does not hold up to any serious scrutiny.
9. RG and BP and KR replaced the brothers in Anaheim because they would not stand together with JI against adultery. They were willing to close their eyes, ears and mouth to the sins of PL.

The facts that are little less certain:

1. Was Max ousted for being divisive or for confronting WL about PL? There are two accounts on this.
2. Was the sister's rebellion merely a smokescreen created by WL because he feared some sisters were aware of PL's profligacy and would spread this throughout the LRC? This seems to be the best explanation for why innocent sisters were falsely accused and disciplined.
3. Were these shady dealings related to earlier shady dealings with Daystar? Again, plausible.
4. Did WL lie about WN for personal gain?
5. Did WN and later WL use this teaching of the ground of the church for personal gain?

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Cassidy

The reason Max was relieved of duties, fired, or banished, whatever descriptor you prefer, was for the things he was saying and how he was saying it in the mid-west, New England, and elsewhere. If the incidents with PL had never transpired Max would still have been relieved of duties. You documented the issues in the mid-west and that same behavior was widespread.

No, I don't think so Cassidy. There were many, many saints willing to leave the GLA LC's immediately for greener pastures with Lee. Max converted them into ministry zealots almost overnight, and that was always Lee's goal. I know because I was one of these zealots ready to relocate, like tomorrow. By this point in time TC was viewed as a terrible hindrance to their empire in Anaheim, and a potential rival to their throne.

For Max to go into the midwest and leave with dozens of the brightest young ones would have got him another promotion and a pay raise. He would have returned to Anaheim and entered into their new meeting hall on Ball Road with all the pomp and circumstance of a victorious Roman general. Lee would have called a conference immediately and shared on II Cor. 2.14-16, with Ed Marks giving a glorious testimony to conclude the meeting by reading footnote #1 in verse 2.14.

Cassidy, think how glorious that would be! Max would then stand up to glowing admirations, and then declare to all the saints that he takes credit for none of this fruit, rather all the fruit belongs to God's New Testament economy, consummated in this little god-man Minister Of The Age from China, to a thousand resounding "amens, oh Lord's, and hallelujahs!" Cassidy can just you see it?!? Can you see the heavenly vision?

[Cassidy]

Originally Posted by Ohio

No, I don't think so Cassidy. There were many, many saints willing to leave the GLA LC's immediately for greener pastures with Lee. Max converted them into ministry zealots almost overnight, and that was always Lee's goal. I know because I was one of these zealots ready to relocate, like tomorrow. By this point in time TC was viewed as a terrible hindrance to their empire in Anaheim, and a potential rival to their throne.

For Max to go into the midwest and leave with dozens of the brightest young ones would have got him another promotion and a pay raise. He would have returned to Anaheim and entered into their new meeting hall on Ball Road with all the pomp and circumstance of a victorious Roman general. Lee would have called a conference immediately and shared on II Cor. 2.14-16, with Ed Marks giving a glorious testimony to conclude the meeting by reading footnote #1 in verse 2.14.

Cassidy, think how glorious that would be! Max would then stand up to glowing admirations, and then declare to all the saints that he takes credit for none of this fruit, rather all the fruit belongs to God's New Testament economy, consummated in this little god-man Minister Of The Age from China, to a thousand resounding "amens, oh Lord's, and hallelujahs!" Cassidy can just you see it?!? Can you see the heavenly vision?

Ohio, what I see clearly is that you missed your calling in life as a fictional writer. For a moment there I did feel awestruck. Then the facts came rushing back and I came back down to reality.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Cassidy

Ohio, what I see clearly is that you missed your calling in life as a fictional writer. For a moment there I did feel awestruck. Then the facts came rushing back and I came back down to reality.

But you have to admit that the post was not detestably "predictable," aye?

Fictionalized perhaps, but as they say, "inspired by a true story."

And surely closer to the truth than LSM's official version of events.

[Cassidy]

Originally Posted by Ohio

But you have to admit that the post was not detestably "predictable," aye?

Fictionalized perhaps, but as they say, "inspired by a true story."

And surely closer to the truth than LSM's official version of events.

Certainly inspired by a true story (and predictable).

However, as with any fictional account inspired by a true story, the dates, events, facts, characterizations, and accuracy are sacrificed in order to appeal to a target audience.

The story of Max's departure is very simple and straightforward. The reasons are discernible just using the facts you have presented about his visit to the mid-west. Though more wide-spread the reason is not any more complicated than that.