Way down South! - Discussions & Concerns South of the Mason-Dixon Line

[awareness]

Amen bro KTS for the wonderful meetings. But tell me, is this an LSM sponsored conference, or a conference of those outside of LSM? Who's holding these meetings?

[manna-man]

http://localchurchdiscussions.com/vB...6&postcount=15

Brother Harold,

Click on that link. Brother Don Rutledge says this is nothing to do with LSM. Or you can scroll down to message 15

And I would love Stan~the~mans email address.

manna-man

[kisstheson]

Originally Posted by awareness

Amen bro KTS for the wonderful meetings. But tell me, is this an LSM sponsored conference, or a conference of those outside of LSM? Who's holding these meetings?

Hello dear brother awareness,

I apologize if I was not clear. The conference which my wife and I attended this past weekend in Raleigh, NC, was most definitely NOT an LSM-sponsored conference! The "official" LSM International Thanksgiving Weekend Conference was held in Indianapolis, Indiana. The sweet, precious, time of fellowship centered around God's Word we attended in Raleigh, NC, was about as different from an LSM-sponsored conference as you can get!

Dear brother Steve Isitt was with us in Raleigh. Needless to say, he would not be welcome at an LSM-sponsored conference!

I am really not the right person to present the history, but I will try. The dear ones in Raleigh, NC, and Durham, NC, who hosted the gathering this past weekend are dear ones who tried very hard to address the obvious drifting away from the truth and the practice of the truth which were manifested in the LC back in the late 1980's. For their troubles, they were cast out of the LC "synagogue". They did not break away; rather, they were cast out. All of them became persona non grata to those in the LC.

In addition to the dear ones from Raleigh and Durham, there were a good number of outsiders in attendance who are also persona non grata to those in the LC. I have already mentioned dear brother Steve Isitt and dear brother Stan.

I hope this helps, dear brother awareness. I must say that you and dear brothers hosepipe and manna-man are well-known to many who attened the gathering in Raleigh. All three of you are very fondly remembered by so many dear brothers and sisters!

[kisstheson]

Hello once again, dear precious ones, beloved of God,

This post will be my last in this series, as it will cover the fourth, and last, conference meeting in Raleigh. I should state that in addition to the times of fellowship in the conference meetings, there was also a great deal of sweet fellowship both in the homes and during our meals together. To me, a real highlight of the weekend was the most enjoyable corporate lunch we had together on Saturday afternoon. We all ate together around several long tables at a marvelous Italian restaurant! That was some good food and some good fellowship! A real love feast!

The burden in this fourth meeting was our responsibility, as believers, to fight the spiritual warfare. This topic was covered in a very sober, balanced, way. We did not give undue credit and attention to Satan and his forces, and neither did we become paranoid, thinking that there is a demon lurking under every rock and around every corner. On the other hand, we allowed the Word of God to expose Satan's schemes against God's people, so that we would not be ignorant of his schemes (2 Cor. 2:11).

We saw that Satan has only a limited number of "plays" in his "playbook". His main scheme against us, of course, is to continually accuse us. Other schemes of his include causing his victims to become "enlightened" with a false enlightenment, and bringing about complications and befuddlements to lead us away from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

We also looked at the schemes Satan uses to keep the people of this world blinded to the truth of Christ. We saw how important it is to fight the spiritual warfare when sharing the gospel with unbelievers.

We ended with some very practical fellowship from the Scriptures for fighting the spiritual warfare in our daily living.

I came away with a fresh appreciation for the victory which our Lord and King, Jesus Christ, has won for us, and for all His mighty provisions which equip us to fight the spiritual warfare. Hallelujah!

When we said good-bye to the dear saints in Raleigh yesterday, we definitely went on our way rejoicing!!

[manna-man]

Wow! Brother KTS!

Sounds like you all had a wonderful time rejoicing together! And with some dear saints to boot! I am encouraged that The LORD blessed you and all the saints there in Raleigh. I wish I could have been there! Was brother Mallon and John Ingalls there? If they were, I am really jealous now! LOL! I know brother Mallon was fond of many who were there.

Thank you so much for your reports and passing on our regards to the dear ones in the Carolinas!

Grace to you Brother,

manna-man

[Indiana]

The saints in Durham and Raleigh have brotherly love. They, as one Raleigh brother intimated, “have a little strength and have kept [the Lord’s word] and have not denied [His] name.”

www.Twoturmoils.com/ChurchofBrotherlyLove.pdf

[OBW]

Originally Posted by Indiana

The saints in Durham and Raleigh have brotherly love. They, as one Raleigh brother intimated, “have a little strength and have kept [the Lord’s word] and have not denied [His] name.”

But who are the "saints in Durham and Raleigh"? And what is meant when the phrases "kept the Lord's word" and "not denied His name" are used?

Before anyone gets my meaning wrong, I am not suggesting that the statement does not aptly apply to those who were in attendance at the recent conference and those of the various fellowships which they represented. Be joyous about the teaching and fellowship received/engaged in. Overflow in abundance.

But don't presume it to mean something unique to your fellowship or to be favored by God.

The question is "is there anyone else who is a saint in Durham and Raleigh."

Is there a view that what it is to do those things that were mentioned indicates some special position?

Is it missed that even the church in Philadelphia was exhorted to "overcome"? Or is it missed that the church in Sardis was not a "defective" church (like the RCC views all of Protestantism) but one that faced obstacles. That there was nothing so outstandingly negative to be pointed out is not indicated as a feather in the cap of Philadelphia. And those in Thyatira were not encouraged to move to Philadelphia.

The purpose of this is not to raise anyone's view of any person or group, but to suggest that even when there is the appearance of Philadelphia, it is good not to think more highly of one's self than one ought. Neither to think more lowly of (or debase) one's self. And not to pitchfork the warning to Pergamum as not relevant to you who think you are in Philadelphia. Yes, the letter that was sent to Philadelphia was specifically to them. But it was also recorded in a common writing with the other six letters and seen by all. Why? Not so the others could gloat over not having those problems, but so that all would be alert to the reality of opposition from both without and within. And to expect that such would arise.

So. Who are the "saints in Durham and Raleigh"? I hope this is not another relic of the errors of the LC that designate certain ones more highly than others?

[Hope]

Originally Posted by OBW

But who are the "saints in Durham and Raleigh"? And what is meant when the phrases "kept the Lord's word" and "not denied His name" are used?

Hello Mike,

Spiritual Pride is a real killer. Matt 5:3, Blessed are the poor in spirit. This verse is a good launching point for your thread on "the blessing."

I do not know what exactly the brother said who spoke with Indianna. But I would afirm that we do not have much strength. Our only boast in in Christ. We do aspire to keep His Word and to not deny His Name. We have a long long way to go.

If you desire to use the church in Philadelphia motif, then we must honor, respect and lift up all who have believed in our wonderful savior. Who knows how many saints are in Durham and Raleigh?

We work with and support others who have never been to any of our meetings and we do not have such an ambition to merely recruit.

Some among us have worked with Campus Crusaide, and other campus groups.

Others have worked with various rescue missions.

Others have financially supported missionaries from different denominations and free groups.

Some visit the sick and have an ongoing function of visiting them though they have never been to our meetings.

During the last few years, tens of thousands of dollars have been given to SAINTS who have never had anything to do with the LSM, the LC or support us in anyway.

Some are supporting needy people who are not believers as yet.

Being some type of loyal participant or holding to some set of doctrines is not a standard we hold for fellowship.

It does seem that we must bear the burden of having once been associated with WL etc. and with the assumption that whatever errors or faults were there may very well be ours today.

Numerous times after a period of very good fellowship or working together to share the gospel or meet the needs of others, I have been pulled aside by an onlooker and given the third degree regarding the past. It reminds me of the blacklisting during the early 50s of anyone who had once attended any kind of meeting of a group with some association with the communist party. Even those who were merely friends of people who had some obtuse relationship with the american communist party were blacklisted if they were not willing to publicly denounce their friend and give a list of all their associates.

We have had no association with the LSM for 20 years. I have not read their literature since 1987 nor attended any function they have sponsored. But some want me to wear the scarlet letters WL, LSM, LC.

Mike, please come and visit. You are welcome. You will be received as our dear brother and we would hope you would have the liberty to share what you have from the Lord be it a word of encouragement or rebuke.

A believer in Christ Jesus,


Hope