One Church - One City - Biblical?

[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Igzy

Take the truths you treasure and run with them. Find others and teach them what you believe. The Lord is not a respecter of persons or movements. He is able to produce children of Abraham from stones on the ground (Matt 3:9). There is nothing exclusively special about any subset of his kingdom. And to believe there is opens the door to serious problems. That's the folly of "the Recovery" in a nutshell. And it was that folly which actually thwarted whatever real good God wanted to do through Nee, Lee and their movement in the first place.

Originally Posted by Jo S

...rather than being a solution to it and as such ultimately distracting both sides from being reconciled to Christ. Shouldn't that be the goal?

And this brings us full-circle around to the foundational Nee-Lee teaching of "one city - one church". To my knowledge, neither Nee or Lee were criticized for this doctrine - that all true, genuine Christians within a given locality should be one with each other in the preaching of the Gospel, the teaching of the Word, baptizing new believers and the taking of the Lord's Table. The criticisms come from the hyper-exclusive claims to ecclesiastical legitimacy, and the haughty attitude that "we have all the riches, and the Lord is only recovering the church through our church group". This is to not mention the insanity of claiming that your group's apostle is to be considered as "the one minister for the age", "God's deputy authority and one oracle on earth" and whose personal ministry is to be considered as "the one ministry for the age" and "THE New Testament Ministry", etc.

Instead of sticking their chests out and proclaim that "WE ARE THE CHURCH IN ANYCITY!", Local Churchers would do well to just BEHAVE LIKE THEY ARE THE CHURCH IN ANYCITY. Brothers and sisters, the definition of a true local church in the scriptures is not in coded language. It is not hidden from us. It is there in the pages of the New Testament. It is there in the Gospels and in the teachings, sayings, parables and admonitions of the Lord Jesus. It is there in the Acts of the Apostles and in the description of the infant church. It is there in the pages of all the various epistles of Peter, Paul and John.

Yes, the ultimate, unwavering goal of the church should be to be reconciled to Christ, and to reconcile others to Christ. But the reconciling does not take place within the shut doors of a meeting hall, but rather in the hearts and minds of all the true believers who seek, and live their lives, that His Will be done down here on earth as it is in heaven.
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[ZNPaaneah]

Going back to the question -- "one Church -- One City -- Biblical?"

The context of course is the doctrine that WN and WL taught in the LC. I would say it is Biblical. Jesus said that when you are invited to a feast (we all have been invited to the Lord's table) that you should not take the most prominent seat lest a greater than thee arrives and the host (the Lord Jesus) has to ask you to give up your seat.

I would say that describes this doctrine very well. They place themselves at the head of the table, the arrogance was on display for all to see, it has been a humbling experience leaving the LC, but at least now I feel like I belong at the table with all of God's children.

Being humbled under the mighty hand of God is Biblical.

Dealing with Jezebel, Balaam, and false prophets is part of the process in the seven churches. Those in Philadelphia "do not need to go out anymore" indicating that they didn't get to Philadelphia directly but had to leave some of the fallen iterations. Leaving your first love is a common temptation to those in the church. All of these experiences are of the Lord and help perfect us. I am very thankful for my experience in the LC. I felt the Lord led me to the group and that the Lord led me out of the group.

[Jo S]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

And this brings us full-circle around to the foundational Nee-Lee teaching of "one city - one church". To my knowledge, neither Nee or Lee were criticized for this doctrine - that all true, genuine Christians within a given locality should be one with each other in the preaching of the Gospel, the teaching of the Word, baptizing new believers and the taking of the Lord's Table. The criticisms come from the hyper-exclusive claims to ecclesiastical legitimacy, and the haughty attitude that "we have all the riches, and the Lord is only recovering the church through our church group". This is to not mention the insanity of claiming that your group's apostle is to be considered as "the one minister for the age", "God's deputy authority and one oracle on earth" and whose personal ministry is to be considered as "the one ministry for the age" and "THE New Testament Ministry", etc.

Instead of sticking their chests out and proclaim that "WE ARE THE CHURCH IN ANYCITY!", Local Churchers would do well to just BEHAVE LIKE THEY ARE THE CHURCH IN ANYCITY. Brothers and sisters, the definition of a true local church in the scriptures is not in coded language. It is not hidden from us. It is there in the pages of the New Testament. It is there in the Gospels and in the teachings, sayings, parables and admonitions of the Lord Jesus. It is there in the Acts of the Apostles and in the description of the infant church. It is there in the pages of all the various epistles of Peter, Paul and John.

Yes, the ultimate, unwavering goal of the church should be to be reconciled to Christ, and to reconcile others to Christ. But the reconciling does not take place within the shut doors of a meeting hall, but rather in the hearts and minds of all the true believers who seek, and live their lives, that His Will be done down here on earth as it is in heaven.
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I have to admit, like Watchman Nee, I too have a great vision.

The Lord brought it to my attention again last night. This vision is nearest to my heart and I'd like to share it with you all.

It's one where finally, after tirelessly running this race, I'm resting at a table with all my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ in a fellowship that I've so been longing for. We're breaking bread together and drinking from the fruit of the vine. And Jesus is there. In this moment all the petty quarrelling, disagreements in doctrine, and sufferings we've caused each other are forgotten and no more and only the absolute peace and joy of our Lord remains.

Tears come to my eyes when I think about this day because it's not something that was imagined. It's real. It's already written!

The difference between my vision and Watchman Nee's is, this isn't actually my vision. It's Christ's vision given from my place at the Lord's table.

The LC's doctrine of locality isn't something that was ever envisioned by Christ. In Christ's vision there exists only one city, the New Jerusalem. And only there will his purified Church be gathered together at the end of this age. No precursors are required of us but to keep watch. And at a moment we will all be gathered from amongst the tares and caught up in the clouds to be with our Lord forever. So yes, eventually there will be "one church, one city" but not as the LC envisioned it to happen.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

Instead of sticking their chests out and proclaim that "WE ARE THE CHURCH IN ANYCITY!", Local Churchers would do well to just BEHAVE LIKE THEY ARE THE CHURCH IN ANYCITY.

Amen to that!