Bill Freeman

Testing123 · 07-21-2008, 02:18 PM

Bill Freeman has been one of the most prominent of former Local Church leaders in recent times. Like others before and after, he has gone on to perpetuate his own version of "Local Church Lite," bringing to some of Witness Lee's theology his own trademark twist - including a penchant for Greek grammar, a heavy focus on church history and familiarity with historical Christian writings, an emphasis on community (including communal living), and a particularly mystical/subjective/introspective approach to the Christian life.

Freeman started out in the late 1960's in Yorba Linda, California, and later spearheaded the beginnings of the LC in Seattle. The imprint of his influence on the LCs in the whole Northwest of the USA was longstanding, and, to a certain extent, continues today. Very many of those in leadership positions in the LCs there would have been under Freeman's direct influence until the mid to late 1980s. At that time, Freeman and his wife left Seattle with a large segment of the Seattle congregation to begin a new group in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Before having separated from the LC and moving to Arizona, Freeman had been a prominent "co-worker" and apologist for Witness Lee and those churches associated with him. In the 1970s, LSM published two apologetics works by Freeman - one on mingling, the other on the Trinity. In the 1980s, Freeman began publishing works under his own imprint Northwest Christian Publications that were circulated among LC members. In Arizona, this publishing organization was transitioned to a new company known as Ministry Publications. At one time, both in Washington and Arizona, Freeman produced a daily radio program and a magazine (now defunct) known as The Christian. Freeman's closest associate was his son-in-law, Kirk Eland.

During the Arizona years, Freeman and his group attracted, for a time, other prominent ex-LC leaders seeking "Local Church Lite," including the likes of Bill Mallon (who relocated to Scottsdale) and Ransford Ackah, who brought the churches in Ghana into close coordination with Freeman and his associates.

However, over the years, old problems began to resurface among the group, particularly allegations that Freeman's wife, Patsy, was responsible for orchestrating the divorces of dozens of members from among the congregation. In 1999, following a protracted dispute, Patsy Freeman left her husband with a large segment of the Scottsdale congregation to Lake Oswego, WA. Scottsdale's ties with her husband were then severed, and two years later, Freeman himself moved to Moses Lake, WA, the site of a longstanding "independent" LC.

Eventually, Bill and Patsy Freeman reunited and, along with several of their most loyal followers, relocated to Spokane, WA with the apparent intention of a new attempt at "Local Church Lite." In a recent video, Bill Freeman can be seen preaching in (what appears to be) a private residence, using a text-only edition of the Recovery Version of the New Testament. The move to Spokane (2005-2006) was not without controversy. Numerous investigative articles were written by a local student-run newspaper after ten or more houses were purchased by group members.

Hope this is a good starting point. It's an important, interesting, and unfortunate topic.

Links

Ministry of the Word - Freeman's website

Rick Ross: The Freeman Group

Apologetics Index: Bill and Patsy Freeman

07-21-2008, 02:18 PM	#1
Testing123 Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 36	Bill Freeman Bill Freeman has been one of the most prominent of former Local Church leaders in recent times. Like others before and after, he has gone on to perpetuate his own version of "Local Church Lite," bringing to some of Witness Lee's theology his own trademark twist - including a penchant for Greek grammar, a heavy focus on church history and familiarity with historical Christian writings, an emphasis on community (including communal living), and a particularly mystical/subjective/introspective approach to the Christian life. Freeman started out in the late 1960's in Yorba Linda, California, and later spearheaded the beginnings of the LC in Seattle. The imprint of his influence on the LCs in the whole Northwest of the USA was longstanding, and, to a certain extent, continues today. Very many of those in leadership positions in the LCs there would have been under Freeman's direct influence until the mid to late 1980s. At that time, Freeman and his wife left Seattle with a large segment of the Seattle congregation to begin a new group in Scottsdale, Arizona. Before having separated from the LC and moving to Arizona, Freeman had been a prominent "co-worker" and apologist for Witness Lee and those churches associated with him. In the 1970s, LSM published two apologetics works by Freeman - one on mingling, the other on the Trinity. In the 1980s, Freeman began publishing works under his own imprint Northwest Christian Publications that were circulated among LC members. In Arizona, this publishing organization was transitioned to a new company known as Ministry Publications. At one time, both in Washington and Arizona, Freeman produced a daily radio program and a magazine (now defunct) known as The Christian. Freeman's closest associate was his son-in-law, Kirk Eland. During the Arizona years, Freeman and his group attracted, for a time, other prominent ex-LC leaders seeking "Local Church Lite," including the likes of Bill Mallon (who relocated to Scottsdale) and Ransford Ackah, who brought the churches in Ghana into close coordination with Freeman and his associates. However, over the years, old problems began to resurface among the group, particularly allegations that Freeman's wife, Patsy, was responsible for orchestrating the divorces of dozens of members from among the congregation. In 1999, following a protracted dispute, Patsy Freeman left her husband with a large segment of the Scottsdale congregation to Lake Oswego, WA. Scottsdale's ties with her husband were then severed, and two years later, Freeman himself moved to Moses Lake, WA, the site of a longstanding "independent" LC. Eventually, Bill and Patsy Freeman reunited and, along with several of their most loyal followers, relocated to Spokane, WA with the apparent intention of a new attempt at "Local Church Lite." In a recent video, Bill Freeman can be seen preaching in (what appears to be) a private residence, using a text-only edition of the Recovery Version of the New Testament. The move to Spokane (2005-2006) was not without controversy. Numerous investigative articles were written by a local student-run newspaper after ten or more houses were purchased by group members. Hope this is a good starting point. It's an important, interesting, and unfortunate topic. Links Ministry of the Word - Freeman's website Rick Ross: The Freeman Group Apologetics Index: Bill and Patsy Freeman