A Plague Upon Denominationalism!

[aron]

For the sake of continuing the discussion, suppose I'm a believer in Millville who wants to gather with others of the same faith. "Do not forsake the assembling together", right? Now, where do I go?

Not to the Millville Baptist Church, as they've taken a name other than Jesus Christ. Same with the Millville Lutheran Church and Millville Presbyterian Church. Notice that I don't care for their condition or situation, whether they have faith or love one another or care for the Bible. No, they have denominated themselves.

Okay, what about the Millville Christian Assembly? They seem like nice folks. Earnest, sincere. No, that's a name, too. ( I guess). How about the Millville Bible Chapel? Or the Pratts Corner Christian Fellowship down on Jerry Road? No, those are all names. They're all denominated & thus divided.

Turns out the only way to serve God in this age, and enter into His will, is to be non-named lovers of Jesus, affiliated with the ministries of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. Because if you're non-named and still unaffiliated, you're a 'free group', useless to the Body at best. No, the only way to go on positively is to not take a name, but also to affiliate with the ministry of the age.
_________________________
The above is my take on the LSM position. I guess folks like testallthings agree the first part, except maybe not the affiliating with a named (!!!) ministry.

What I sense emanating from LSM is a desire to dominate the assembly, the 'loves to be first' noted 3 John 1:9, causing the LSM to start with the presumption that all others are in darkness, and need to be brought in line. The Bible becomes a bit player, to be waved in support and otherwise ignored (see, e.g., footnotes on 'fallen' and 'natural' and 'mixed' scriptures). Thus the tortuous gospel of localism and centralised control of Nee and Lee emerges, self-constructed delusion and bound for yet more disarray.

[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by aron

For the sake of continuing the discussion, suppose I'm a believer in Millville who wants to gather with others of the same faith. "Do not forsake the assembling together", right? Now, where do I go?

Not to the Millville Baptist Church, as they've taken a name other than Jesus Christ. Same with the Millville Lutheran Church and Millville Presbyterian Church. Notice that I don't care for their condition or situation, whether they have faith or love one another or care for the Bible. No, they have denominated themselves.

Okay, what about the Millville Christian Assembly? They seem like nice folks. Earnest, sincere. No, that's a name, too. ( I guess). How about the Millville Bible Chapel? Or the Pratts Corner Christian Fellowship down on Jerry Road? No, those are all names. They're all denominated & thus divided.

Turns out the only way to serve God in this age, and enter into His will, is to be non-named lovers of Jesus, affiliated with the ministries of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. Because if you're non-named and still unaffiliated, you're a 'free group', useless to the Body at best. No, the only way to go on positively is to not take a name, but also to affiliate with the ministry of the age.
_________________________
The above is my take on the LSM position. I guess folks like testallthings agree the first part, except maybe not the affiliating with a named (!!!) ministry.

What I sense emanating from LSM is a desire to dominate the assembly, the 'loves to be first' noted 3 John 1:9, causing the LSM to start with the presumption that all others are in darkness, and need to be brought in line. The Bible becomes a bit player, to be waved in support and otherwise ignored (see, e.g., footnotes on 'fallen' and 'natural' and 'mixed' scriptures). Thus the tortuous gospel of localism and centralised control of Nee and Lee emerges, self-constructed delusion and bound for yet more disarray.

Aron,

You've basically paraphrased Watchman Nee in his book the Normal Christian Church Life. The situation was that newly converted believers who did not want to join a denomination had no where else to go.

Suppose they want to find the genuine local church in the city. Because they have read the bible and found that in the bible times there was only "the church". But instead they find they have 20 different denominations (or 20 "churches") to choose from. Which one is the genuine local church they should join? They might decide to visit each different ones on alternating weeks. Or they might resign themselves to the fact there is no genuine local church, and settle for one of the 20.

[aron]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

. Or they might resign themselves to the fact there is no genuine local church, and settle for one of the 20.

Yes, and now they get a genuine local church, tightly controlled by - sorry, affiliated with - a publishing house in Southern California. So genuine! So local!

[OBW]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

Suppose they want to find the genuine local church in the city.

The answer is simple. Join an assembly. They are all genuine.

[testallthings]

Originally Posted by aron

For the sake of continuing the discussion, suppose I'm a believer in Millville who wants to gather with others of the same faith. "Do not forsake the assembling together", right? Now, where do I go?

Not to the Millville Baptist Church, as they've taken a name other than Jesus Christ. Same with the Millville Lutheran Church and Millville Presbyterian Church. Notice that I don't care for their condition or situation, whether they have faith or love one another or care for the Bible. No, they have denominated themselves.

Okay, what about the Millville Christian Assembly? They seem like nice folks. Earnest, sincere. No, that's a name, too. ( I guess). How about the Millville Bible Chapel? Or the Pratts Corner Christian Fellowship down on Jerry Road? No, those are all names. They're all denominated & thus divided.

Turns out the only way to serve God in this age, and enter into His will, is to be non-named lovers of Jesus, affiliated with the ministries of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. Because if you're non-named and still unaffiliated, you're a 'free group', useless to the Body at best. No, the only way to go on positively is to not take a name, but also to affiliate with the ministry of the age.
_________________________
The above is my take on the LSM position. I guess folks like testallthings agree the first part, except maybe not the affiliating with a named (!!!) ministry.

What I sense emanating from LSM is a desire to dominate the assembly, the 'loves to be first' noted 3 John 1:9, causing the LSM to start with the presumption that all others are in darkness, and need to be brought in line. The Bible becomes a bit player, to be waved in support and otherwise ignored (see, e.g., footnotes on 'fallen' and 'natural' and 'mixed' scriptures). Thus the tortuous gospel of localism and centralised control of Nee and Lee emerges, self-constructed delusion and bound for yet more disarray.

For the sake of furthering the discussion let me clarify the purpose of this thread. What I was hoping for was a discussion about denominations. Are they OK? Are they wrong?

To use an imperfect illustration, for example, it is like discussing the benefits and risks of drinking coffee. Imagine someone complaining that tea is worst than coffee, or that those who drink tea look down on those who drink coffee. This would be irrelevant to the discussion.

Or imagine doctors trying to come up with a diagnose of a patient and without completing all their tests someone complains about a certain treatment that would harm the patient.

So far, it seems to me that only OBW has shared his point of view about some benefits of having different denominations. Let's continue to analyze the question.

[aron]

Originally Posted by testallthings

. . it seems to me that only OBW has shared his point of view about some benefits of having different denominations. Let's continue to analyze the question.

I've already mentioned on this thread the benefit of a name on the outside of the building: you'll at least have some clue as to the theology taught within.

Do you think the Baptists or Lutherans would evangelize China by proclaiming that the age of the word was over & it's now the age of the spirit? Or, it's now the age of small potatoes? The no-name church became a cover for an ignorant and superstitious oriental satrapy. The DYL and TC variants show the same despotic ethos. The children further prove the parent, of what sort it is.

Again, oriental superstition isn't inferior to western, but let's not pretend it's divine. Tens of thousands of us were fooled into thinking that WL, DYL, TC brought them God, free from fallen human culture. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Don't criticise the Big Boss; in China you can lose your job 40 years after Mao's death merely if you criticise him. Ring any bells, here?