Publication Work in The Lord's Recovery aka The One Publication

[Nell]

If "the ministry" as defined by a bunch of old fat men in "the one publication", were all it claimed to be, it would in fact be UNSTOPPABLE. If you have to legislate allegiance to your "ministry", there is something really wrong with your "ministry."

Does the Bible owe its longevity to a bunch of old fat men who, by mandate, crammed it down the throats of the faithful for centuries in order to keep it alive?

In fact, the nature of God is to give people the freedom to choose to follow Him---or not. We have the Bible today because of the faithful men and women, Divinely inspired and empowered, who chose to keep it alive for centuries. We are told that the Word of God is living (not the "one publication"). In the beginning was the Word...the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

How does this compare to "the ministry" of Witness Lee, in which Lee points the way to himself and not to Jesus? This "one publication" letter/document/whatever is an embarrassment to those who wrote it...as Trapped has noted. Further, this document is an obvious admission that Lee's "ministry" cannot stand on its own. That is, Lee's "ministry" can only stand as long as some old fat men prop it up with bogus mandatory loyalty imposed on those over whom they have "power". This "one publication" edict is an admission that the "ministry" of a dead man will die without someone (a bunch of old fat men) pumping air into it.

Why do we need "the ministry," the "one publication", when we have the eternal, unstoppable Bible?

Nell

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Nell

Why do we need "the ministry," the "one publication", when we have the eternal, unstoppable Bible?

Nell

Nell, Your post conflates two things. In this post I’ll address the first here which suggests that since we have the Bible we don’t need the ministry.

The answer is stated in the Bible itself, ......the Bible, though available to almost every person in the world who wants one, does not build up the Body of Christ by itself. Therefore, Christ in His ascension gave gifts to men to perfect the saints for the work of ministry unto the building up of the Body of Christ.

“For He Himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministry , unto the building up of the Body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-12

Therefore, we have the Bible but we also need the gifts Christ gave.... for instance we need the teachers to teach God’s Word. Every gift given by Christ to us has a function to perfect the saints.

If we neglect the gifts we neglect the perfecting and we miss participation in the ministry that builds up the Body of Christ according to Ephesians 4:11-12

Drake

[awareness]

Originally Posted by Drake

If we neglect the gifts we neglect the perfecting and we miss participation in the ministry that builds up the Body of Christ according to Ephesians 4:11-12

Hey Drake. Thanks for bringing this up.

My gift got more than neglected. It got rejected. It got pushed out. Not because I rejected Jesus, God, or the Bible ... or the church. All because of one thing : because I rejected the Lee as the MOTA thing.

They liked my delivery, but told me to restrict my testimonies to repeating Lee, and/or the elders.

All other gifts get neglected and rejected. At least it was that way way back then. Has it changed? I keep an eye on it, and see no proof of that yet.

[Drake]

Hi awareness,

I understand. Based only on your testimony in the past, I have a deep impression that the Lord’s provision for you in that situation was Ron’s shepherding ... his plea and request for you to join him.

It did not happen, it’s water under the bridge, but looking in the rear view mirror that is how it appears from here.

Drake

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Drake

Nell, Your post conflates two things. In this post I’ll address the first here which suggests that since we have the Bible we don’t need the ministry.
The answer is stated in the Bible itself, ......the Bible, though available to almost every person in the world who wants one, does not build up the Body of Christ by itself. Therefore, Christ in His ascension gave gifts to men to perfect the saints for the work of ministry unto the building up of the Body of Christ.
“For He Himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministry , unto the building up of the Body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-12
Therefore, we have the Bible but we also need the gifts Christ gave.... for instance we need the teachers to teach God’s Word. Every gift given by Christ to us has a function to perfect the saints.
If we neglect the gifts we neglect the perfecting and we miss participation in the ministry that builds up the Body of Christ according to Ephesians 4:11-12

Every Christian -- and Nell too -- agrees that the body of Christ needs the "work of ministry" for the building up. The Bible says it and we agree.

The real question is why Lee and LSM have twisted this into an abusive money making exclusive book publisher and training center which lords it over all the LC's? This is the question you refuse to answer.

Also, where are all of these "perfected" saints?

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Nell

Does the Bible owe its longevity to a bunch of old fat men who, by mandate, crammed it down the throats of the faithful for centuries in order to keep it alive?

How does this compare to "the ministry" of Witness Lee, in which Lee points the way to himself and not to Jesus?

Nell,

Your second point above is not accurate and even the document itself refutes that statement. If you really believe it then you’ll need to show us out of the tens of thousands of pages released through this ministry where Brother Lee does not point to Jesus..... for he dedicated this ministry to all that pertains to Christ as the subject in nearly every message.. This ministry’s focus is on Christ as life and the Church as His Body and the expression of the testimony of oneness of the Body in each locality. That is what attracted me to this way over forty years ago..... and still does. Yet, your experience is different, I get that, but it is a completely inaccurate to say this ministry does not point to Jesus but to Brother Lee... so let’s examine this document as the base note specified...,

Your first point above says “mandate”.... ... if there is a mandate implied in the document of any sort it is what LSM will publish on their presses under the banner of this ministry. It is not a read only mandate for everyone, it is not a mandate to every local church to read what LSM publishes, it is not a mandate that no other writings can be published by local churches for its own needs, it is not a mandate for the Lords recovery...etc. On the contrary, any member can read what they want, a local church is a local church whether they use LSM materials or not, any locality can publish their own material for their own need,..it is something directly about the ministry not the Lord’s recovery in general.

The implication of mandate in your post is stretched well beyond the definition in the document and what Brother Lee has said himself.

Drake

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by Nell

If "the ministry" as defined by a bunch of old fat men in "the one publication", were all it claimed to be, it would in fact be UNSTOPPABLE. If you have to legislate allegiance to your "ministry", there is something really wrong with your "ministry."

Does the Bible owe its longevity to a bunch of old fat men who, by mandate, crammed it down the throats of the faithful for centuries in order to keep it alive?

In fact, the nature of God is to give people the freedom to choose to follow Him---or not. We have the Bible today because of the faithful men and women, Divinely inspired and empowered, who chose to keep it alive for centuries. We are told that the Word of God is living (not the "one publication"). In the beginning was the Word...the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

How does this compare to "the ministry" of Witness Lee, in which Lee points the way to himself and not to Jesus? This "one publication" letter/document/whatever is an embarrassment to those who wrote it...as Trapped has noted. Further, this document is an obvious admission that Lee's "ministry" cannot stand on its own. That is, Lee's "ministry" can only stand as long as some old fat men prop it up with bogus mandatory loyalty imposed on those over whom they have "power". This "one publication" edict is an admission that the "ministry" of a dead man will die without someone (a bunch of old fat men) pumping air into it.

Why do we need "the ministry," the "one publication", when we have the eternal, unstoppable Bible?

Nell

I do have to say in agreement....the only one who can have "up-to-date speaking" after his death is Jesus! He is the only one! For the blended brothers to claim that Lee's refried and rehashed ministry contains the Lord's up-to-date speaking 20 years after the mortal human being passed away is just ridiculous.

I have had conversations with elders in which I asked why we still do certain things (e.g. some aspects of the seven feasts) and they admitted that we only continue to do them because it was the practice that Lee set forth, even though as time goes by the reasons for doing them are no longer relevant and it would actually be beneficial to be able to make a change, but we can't because the man behind it is dead and we are unable to do anything different. (paraphrasing and editorializing a little obviously) We have trapped ourselves into not being able to take care of the needs of the saints and the churches in the best and most beneficial way!

In one sense it is "better" for a church to gather around a practice or teaching, like baptism by immersion or speaking in tongues, rather than gather around a specific man's ministry, because the practice/teaching can last forever, but what does a group of churches do after the man they followed dies?! Pump air into it, like you said

[UntoHim]

Salient points to keep in mind regarding "The One Publication":

First and foremost, it should be noted and understood that nothing...absolutely nothing... in this "declaration" varies or detracts one iota from what Witness Lee clearly and strongly taught for over 50 years - to wit - the he, Witness Lee, was the only person on earth speaking as God's oracle, at least since 1945. The New Testament Ministry was vested in Lee's person and work. PERIOD. No other person, no other work, shall be considered. PERIOD. When Lee died over 21+ years ago, the person died, but his personal work, The Ministry lives on...NOT in the persons or works of mere mortal men, but in an American registered corporation - The Living Stream Ministry.
"I would like to have a continuation of me, and this needs a corporation...The Living Stream corporation will continue this ministry”
(from unpublished notes of a meeting of Living Stream, July 12, 1996)

I would make this the first and foremost point because over the years many dear brothers have made the claim that The Blended Brothers have wondered from or even misrepresented Witness Lee. This is not true. Over the years I have challenged anyone to show me where the BBs have wavered from, altered or misrepresented Lee in any significant point of teaching or practice. No one has been able to meet my challenge, and nobody will, because the simple fact is that these men have, for better or for worse, faithfully fulfilled their vow and obligation to become "brother Lee's continuation".
He placed the direction of this corporation for the continuation and publication of the ministry in the hands of a group of blended brothers, who labor to fulfill this charge before the Lord.
(From The One Publication, paragraph 4)
Again, as with the late Witness Lee, these men are totally unambiguous regarding what ministry shall be accepted and imbibed in the Local Churches. Again, The New Testament Ministry was and is vested in the personal ministry of Witness Lee. "God, in these last days, has spoken", not merely by His Son, or the Holy Scriptures, or in the teachings and practices of the Apostles, but in the person and work of 李常受; Lǐ Chángshòu.

Of course there are number of facets and details of this document we can, and should, delve into on our little forum. But I wanted to make a clarification lest some here become successful with their attempt to distract, distort, mitigate, apologize for and water down what this declaration means for current members and for anyone thinking of joining the Local Church movement.
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