Moving here too

[Timotheist]

Hello all,

Looking forward to a more serene environment.


Brief intro: Very ex LC-er, bailing out more than 20 years ago as I saw the beginning of the end unfold. I was very interested to find so much history documented on this site (and the other sites referred to in these posts). There have been times when I missed the good parts of being in the LC and wondered if I was right to leave. According to many of the testimonies posted here, I see I did the right thing.

"Christ vs Religion" was the first WL book I read as a youth growing up in the LC. It made a lasting impression on me, for I saw firsthand the frustration of my parents as they visited different denominations before settling down in the LC (about 1970). I listened to my parents discuss beliefs and practices after visiting each new church. I learned at a young age that man's tendency is to mess things up, just as OT Israel did. It comforted me to see in print that it was OK to question man's religions and still maintain a strong belief in, and relationship with, God. But with the good came the bad: not knowing what was truth and what was otherwise. When I saw sure signs of the LC becoming just another denomination (and an extreme one at that), I left but did not go anywhere else for over 10 years.

Why did I choose "Timotheist" as my name?

1) It is a play on words, and I love bad puns. My first name is indeed Timothy (but you can call me Tim).

2) According to Naves, "timothy" means "precious one of God". So if you want a definition, "Timotheism" is simply the belief that we are considered precious by God, even though we often seem unworthy of that consideration.

3) As you get to know me, you will find that I am loyal to no individual denomination or theological -ism. I take the good from each and discard the bad. So I thought it appropriate to coin a unique term for my individual faith. I was pleased to see that Google refuses to acknowledge the term, so I hereby claim it as mine (unless I am sued by LSM of course (sorry moderator, I simply could not resist ))

It has been a strange and wonderful journey of discovery for me. May this forum lead to long-lasting new relationships and fruitful discussions!

[aron]

Originally Posted by Timotheist

Hello all,

Looking forward to a more serene environment

Timotheist,

Welcome aboard.

aron

[Hope]

Hi Tim,

Good to see you here. How are things going for you. I have enjoyed your posts on the other forum and look forward to more fellowship. Who knows maybe in person? Do you still live in Dallas? I am interested to hear news of your life and of course your journey in the Christian life. PM me if you have time.

In Christ Jesus,

Hope, Don Rutledge

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by Timotheist

Hello all,

Looking forward to a more serene environment

Here's waving at ya, Timotheist!

I too am looking for a more serene, insightful yet uplifting environment..as we look to Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our Faith to reveal His Truth to us.

For He alone is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE! Praise the Name of JESUS!

[AndPeter]

I was hoping for this to happen.


The signal to noise ratio was getting to the point where the other site was unintelligible.

Mike H's exit message on the other site summed up my feelings. To paraphrase, reading these sites, at the beginning of there is an awakening and a release from the shackles that we did not know were binding us. After about, in my case almost 2 years, there is a further realization that there are insidious understandings (such as deputy authority) that are no more than a person(s) interpretation (perhaps erroneous) of the bible.

Sites such as this really make the relearning & re-evaluation process possible. How else could so many with so varied an experience in Christ fellowship. In that fellowship much light and understanding about our own experiences is brought forth.

The most important message. Not only is there sanctification apart from the LSM-LC, there is the life that is really life apart from the LSM-LC.

Steve Pritchard

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by AndPeter

The signal to noise ratio was getting to the point where the other site was unintelligible.

Well said, AndPeter ... and let me introduce myself ...


I have been in the GLA LC's since the mid-70's, when I jumped in head first. After my first Friday night meeting in Cleveland, I stayed the whole weekend, soon after that moved in with some saints. With my whole heart I loved "Christ and the church." Countless times over the years, I prayed the Lord would "keep me here."

Slowly over the years, however, due to endless changes in practices and excessive emphasis on doctrine, my joy eroded. Then there was the constant undercurrent of conflict with Anaheim, which began to pick up speed in the early part of this century. All that talk about "oneness" had became just that. About the time many in the GLA were seriously re-examining WN's book TNCCL, both my wife and I had some serious conflicts with the local leadership, both of which served to drive me to examine, perhaps for the first time, the areas of LC ecclesiology and history.

In the beginning of my study, the brothers I was with used the book TNCCL, to expose LSM/BB's flaws ... but they were not willing to go further. But many conclusions were inevitable -- WL was the source of BB teachings and practices -- how could I stop the examination with them? And ... on top of that ... it was impossible not to see so many similarities between Cleveland and Anaheim. The local leaders were only willing to see the differences, yes ... many are positive indeed, but the similarities were even more so, especially as I began to "step away" from the program and enter the greater body of Christ.

As the rumors of the "One Publication" surfaced, I just knew this matter would divide us, or should I say, this matter was being used to divide us. The Lord then gave me an intense desire to study the history of the Plymouth Brethren, and specifically their first division. I read the historical accounts of Darby exclusives, Kelly exclusives, Opens, Outsiders ... whatever I could find. This was immensely informative for me to understand how gifted Christian leaders could at the same time be so good and so bad. This is an area few understand, and a huge source of conflict in church history.

Since the web was my "major mode of transportation," I also came across the Bereans forum and many documents of former leaders in the LC's. Most notable for me, of course, was John Ingall's book STTIL. After reading that, with my memory still intact of the history I was "taught" by the ministry ... everything was now suspect. Brothers I respected for decades seem to lose all credibility.

One area of the LC leadership that was increasingly troublesome for me was the pattern of "bullying" which I saw on all levels. Perhaps if I had come from a long line of military heritage, this would not have bothered me. Why was Apostle Paul a "nursing mother" and our leaders "abusive generals?" I had long been pained while watching many dear brothers depart after being "beat up" by Cleveland. One well-loved brother with a tender heart, who had a lasting impact on me, left the LC after being "brutalized" in Cleveland, only to later become a renowned Biblical authority and translator. Watching those events transpire, nearly all my peers departed the LC in the mid-80's.

One driving question in my mind was this, "how could something so good, become so bad?" What happened to us? What were the root causes? Why are we not blessed? Why do we almost seem cursed? One answer came to me from Hope, when he pointed out that WN's teaching of "deputy authority" was flawed. This answered so many questions for me. This could be called the "missing link." Our history is filled with the bad fruit of this errant concept, which seems to inundate all LSM thinking, yet we were taught that the source of this was M. E. Barber who "perfected" WN.

Hopefully, this new forum provides all the benefits of the old one, without the unnecessary and unceasing squabbles. One of the reasons I eventually stopped serving in the LC, was the inability to address "concerns" in that environment. I was "silenced" by new leadership appointed by Cleveland. I had to choose between staying in silence, or leaving and speaking up. The latter seemed more desirable, but the journey has been no less sad to me.

[George]

Thank you brother Ohio, for your sharing. The words “bullying” and “brutalized” just bothered me. The thought that entered my mind was how can loving brothers and sisters in the Lord with all good intentions come to this type of behavior toward others believers. But if we read the word we understand that the church is made up of unperfected Christians. Whether you are in LC or Baptist or whatever denominations, we can truly say that we all have sinned.

So, what are we to do? As we reading the OT/NT, we see so many examples of conflict within the church and the history of Israel, but is it safe to say that without conflict there is no growth. So now what?

Is this, a personal choice? Ok, I tired of dealing with this, so I’m out of here.

Is this our chance to continue our in Christ whether we stay or go.