What is the boundary of the Local Church?

[aron]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

today, it is not practical or logical to seek higher authority in a church which is not local to us.

In practice, the Local Church franchises continually seek higher authority from HQ in Anaheim. Not to do so is deemed rebellious. In my LC group the lead elder tried to hold a regional conference based on one of WL's books. He was told, "Re-speak the most recent of the Seven Feasts". Two brothers came from Anaheim, to monitor compliance.

And it's logical to see the LC as based on the wholesale rejection and despising of every form of religious expression save what is being currently promoted by HQ.

Suppose there is an unaffiliated local expression of collective Christian testimony in San Marcos. Continual gatherings, shepherding, exhorting, outreach. Openness to all the faith, oneness with all, yet slavish to none. Various ministries functioning. But no LSM materials, as they've heard of Timothy and Philip Lee, and believe that Witness Lee has been disqualified as elder, much less apostle, by Paul's writings.

Suppose LSM-affiliated believers find such a church in that city. There's your practical expression. Do they recognize it? No, they despise it. Some pretext is found to reject it as . . . "Christianity"

To repeat, the LSM-affiliated LC is based on neither their righteousness nor God's mercy, but on the blanket condemnation of all Christian expression save their own. Which isn't a very Christian expression, if you ask me.

[aron]

The Acts 15 conference in Jerusalem was for the seeing, agreeing upon, and dissemination of what had been established by two or three outside Jerusalem, on earth as in heaven, that gentile believers were not to be held to Jewish practices. And it wasn't established by Paul the MOTA, because as Witness Lee noted, James spoke last.

"This is the LORD'S doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes". ~Psa 22