My Views and Stance on The Recovery

[Truth]

Hi All,

I've been around this forum for awhile, but never made any formal introductions. So here I go. I won't be able to talk about my history and my views all in one sitting, so it will take a few rounds.

First of all, I want to stay anonymous for reasons that will be apparent later. Unfortunately, this means my story will not be as detailed as I would like it to be. However my purpose in writing is not to tell you my history (that is just to provide some background), it is to tell you all currently where I stand with regards to the "The Lord's Recovery" (which you may or may not agree with).

I was born in the far East to parents who were already in the church life. I won't even tell you whether I am a brother or a sister. It will help readers to be more neutral when reading my story and thoughts about The Recovery. Our family moved to the mid-west area when I was still quite young. So for all of my childhood up until I attended the FTTA, I grew up under the ministry of Titus Chu and the mid-west full-time leading brothers. I was positive and absolute towards both LSM and Titus. When I graduated from the training, I served full-time a few years before going back to work. I did not experience the heat of the turmoil in the Great Lakes area, because at the time I had already moved away. However, I had close friends who were in it. Not too long ago, I stumbled onto this forum and read some of the scandal involving Witness Lee, and recently Watchman Nee. I was horrified and sad, but not surprised. This answered my long-time question as why the Recovery has been fruitless for so many years, even though our old members always raved about how wonderful the church life was in the 60's and 70's.

Today, I am still a member of the local churches, even though I disagree with The Recovery system and some of the teachings of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee. I am not a rank-and-file member deeply involved with the activities of LSM, however I am moderately involved with activities in my locality. I love the brothers and sisters here even though some of them have been in the church life for over 20 years. As Lee said of the Catholic Church, I will say of Lee's own church "we love the people but not the system". I love the saints in the recovery, but I hate the system. This has been a great struggle to me recently. For now, I am staying here because the Lord hasn't yet led me to go anywhere else. I enjoy the fellowship with the saints here. However, I will only speak from the Bible and Lee/Nee's ministry only if I find it beneficial. I refuse to be a parrot, repeating senseless words of a man whom many believe to be the minister of the age. I don't see the Recovery as the only true church. I don't see Nee and Lee as the Minister of the Age. However, I do see the LSM churches as one of the many churches out there in Christianity with many problems. In fact, I think The Recovery going down that route. They have taken many actions to be accepted by mainstream Christianity. I also regard Nee and Lee as one of the *many* preachers out there with their own set of problems. No church is perfect and no minister is perfect. I am not making excuse for anyone, but I don't believe the talk about this church being evil and that we need to leave it. If one day the Lord leads me to leave and join another group, I will without questions.

For now, I am content here by the Lord's mercy and arrangement. Because what I believe in a kind of middle ground (ie. I am not for LSM churches, neither am I against it), I face all kinds of challenges. But the Lord has been merciful to supply me with His strength. I will end here for now. Feel free to ask questions, confirm and agree, or disagree and debate. After all, that is what this forum is for.