Some saints, including some leading ones, may have a wrong concept concerning the exercise of authority based on cultural traditions and natural concepts, not the Word of God or the ministry in the Lord’s recovery. Improperly exercising authority misrepresents both the ministry’s teaching and the local churches as a whole. … Continue reading Love—The Basis and Power of Authority
Acts 15 and Matthew 18 show us a critical point concerning authority, namely that authority derives from the Lord’s presence. This has great significance in our practice of fellowship and prayer. Acts 15 is the unique record of a gathering of elders and co-workers regarding a problem troubling the churches; … Continue reading The Source of Authority—The Lord’s Presence
The Apostle Paul’s ministry shows us Christ as the center of God’s economy, the cross as the center of God’s operation in His economy, and the church, the Body of Christ, as the product of God’s economy (1 Cor. 1:23; Gal. 3:1; Eph. 3:8-10). Realizing this has profound implications for … Continue reading Christ, the Cross, and the Church
Marriage is a great matter in the Bible. The record of God’s restoration of His creation in Genesis 1 and 2 consummates with the marriage of one man, Adam, and one woman, Eve. The Scriptures also conclude with a marriage as the fulfillment of God’s eternal economy (Rev. 19:7; 21:9-11). … Continue reading Holding Marriage in Honor
The fellowship of life in the Body of Christ is a most precious and vital matter (1 Cor. 1:9; 2 Cor. 13:14; Acts 2:42; 1 John 1:1-7). We should grieve whenever a brother or sister loses that fellowship for whatever reason, whether it be the church’s discipline exercised on that … Continue reading Restoring Fellowship in the Body of Christ
A central goal of the Lord’s move in His recovery is to produce overcomers so that He can return to end this age and establish His kingdom (Rev. 12:10-11). If we aspire to be those who cooperate with the Lord for this purpose, we should pay attention to the kind … Continue reading The Kind of Person the Lord Can Use to Turn the Age
Public discourse in our society today is often characterized by extreme incivility and intemperance. The advent of the Internet and particularly social media has reinforced this trend. As those who have been purchased by the precious blood of Christ to partake of His holiness, we should resist this trend. Whether … Continue reading “Let Your Speech Be Always with Grace, Seasoned with Salt”
How should a believer evaluate whether the ministry in the Lord’s recovery—that is, the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and their co-workers who have continued to minister on the same line—or any ministry is part of the new covenant ministry revealed in the pages of the New Testament? … Continue reading Genuine Ministers of the New Covenant
When problems arise in the local churches, there is a tendency among some to ask, “If this ministry and the local churches are really a recovery of the Lord, how could such things happen?” To answer this question, we need to consider the record of the New Testament concerning the … Continue reading When Problems Arise in the Local Churches: Avoiding Two Errors
The sisters have a crucial role in the church life that is most highly valued. According to God’s arrangement, the sisters stand in a unique position to uphold God’s government as an anti-testimony to the rebellious disorder of the world. The sisters also have an irreplaceable role in bringing forth … Continue reading The Crucial Role of the Sisters in the Church Life
God’s desire is to head up all things in Christ (Eph. 1:10). In His plan the church as the Body takes the lead to be headed up in Christ by its members holding Him as the Head and growing up into Him in all things (4:15). Upholding the headship of … Continue reading Caring for Both the Headship of Christ and the Fellowship of the Body
Just as there is a definite distinction between Living Stream Ministry (LSM) and the local churches, there is also an important distinction between LSM and the ministry and the work in the recovery. In a broad sense the Bible uses the word ministry to refer to the service that God’s … Continue reading The Relationship of Living Stream Ministry to the Ministry and the Work
Recently the promotion of the independence, or autonomy, of a local church’s administration has reemerged. This mistaken concept is not new. For example, in the late 1980s some brothers pointed to earlier published statements referring to the administration of a local church being independent from that of other local churches … Continue reading No Thought of Independence in the Bible
Some have taught that any fellowship or intervention by the apostles or any fellowship of concern from other local churches is improper interference in a church’s local administration; this has no basis in Scripture nor in the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. Some who promote this errant teaching … Continue reading Genuine Local Churches, Part 1 – Neither Autonomous nor Independent
The teaching of the autonomy of the local churches claims that apostles who touch the affairs of a local church improperly interfere in that church’s local administration. This error, which was covered in the first article in this series, is rooted in the mistaken thought that elders independently self-govern the … Continue reading Genuine Local Churches, Part 2 – Following the Teaching and Leading of the Apostles
Isaiah 28:13a contains an important principle in knowing the revelation of the Bible. It shows that any truth in the Bible cannot be understood from a single passage. As Witness Lee explained: It is mysterious and very meaningful that God has arranged His Word in this way. Isaiah 28:13 says … Continue reading Being Faithful to Our Brothers’ Complete Ministry Concerning the Practice of the Church (1)
A different teaching has recently been circulated that says that those who function as apostles have no standing to touch the administration of a local church. To buttress that claim the following quote from Brother Witness Lee’s Truth Messages is used: Do apostles have authority? According to my knowledge of … Continue reading Being Faithful to Our Brothers’ Complete Ministry Concerning the Practice of the Church (2)
Words have power. On the one hand, they are the means by which God has chosen to communicate His self-revelation, the Bible, to man (Heb. 1:1, 3; 2 Pet. 1:21), the means by which the Lord imparts His life into us (John 6:63), and the means by which the Lord’s … Continue reading On ‘Independent’ Administration
The Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread, and having given thanks, He broke it and said, This is My body, which is given for you; this do unto the remembrance of Me. Similarly also the cup after they had dined, saying, This cup … Continue reading Coming to the Lord’s Table
There is much talk in modern society concerning gender identity and sexual orientation. If we are going to represent the Lord as luminaries shining in a dark world (Phil. 2:15), it is important that we have a biblical understanding of God’s heart and His ways concerning these subjects. It is … Continue reading Concerning Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
Whenever we seek to understand a truth from the Bible, we must take care of the principle of “here a little, there a little” (Isa. 28:10) and of caring for, but not being limited to, the background of the words spoken. The principle of “here a little, there a little” … Continue reading A Historical Sketch of the Ministry’s Teaching on the Practice of the Church and Its Administration
The Lord’s Concept of Leadership Versus Man’s Concept In this three-part series we will examine the matter of leadership among the local churches in the Lord’s recovery and how it conforms to the pattern revealed in the Bible. Without some kind of leadership, it is impossible for any group of … Continue reading Leadership in the Lord’s Recovery, Part 1: The Lord’s Concept of Leadership versus Man’s Concept
In the previous article we saw that man’s concept of leadership and authority is directly opposite to the Lord’s concept. For the natural man leadership is an organizational, hierarchical, and prestigious matter. However, God does not sanction this kind of leadership among His people because all leadership and authority is … Continue reading Leadership in the Lord’s Recovery, Part 2: The Biblical Pattern of Leadership
As we have seen, God’s intention is that He, the unique source of authority, would lead His people directly. No person, organization, or system should usurp God’s leadership over His people, which is practically carried out by God’s speaking through those who faithfully bring His speaking to His people. In … Continue reading Leadership in the Lord’s Recovery, Part 3: Applying the Biblical Pattern of Leadership
The boundary of a local church is one of the basic principles upon which the practice of the Lord’s recovery is based. From the beginnings of the Lord’s recovery in China, it has been our practice to have one church with one eldership in a city. In 1934, after observing … Continue reading Concerning the Boundary of a Local Church
The elders in a local church must deal with all kinds of issues, including complicated situations involving the saints. A great temptation the elders face is becoming entangled in determinations of right and wrong in disputes between saints. The proper function of the elders is to shepherd all the saints … Continue reading The Elders Avoiding Entanglement in Right and Wrong
Recently, a former co-worker accused the North American co-workers of drifting toward organization and hierarchy by allegedly giving serious consideration to centralizing ownership of the local churches’ meeting halls. This is a gross misrepresentation of what actually happened in a North American co-workers’ fellowship. Moreover, in spreading his false account, … Continue reading Serious Errors Made Concerning the Fellowship among the Co-workers
Concerning the practice of the church, certain basic principles need to be understood and kept in balance. Fundamentally, the church as the unique Body of Christ is one universally and includes every believer irrespective of time and space. Practically, this one universal Body of Christ is manifested in time and … Continue reading Receiving All Believers but Not Different Teachings
The Defense & Confirmation Project (DCP) was established to “defend and confirm the New Testament ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and the practice of the local churches.” This mission statement is based on Paul’s words in Philippians 1. In verse 7 he commended the Philippians, saying that “in … Continue reading Defense & Confirmation Project (DCP)
The New Testament presents the church as universally one in its existence and locally one in its manifestation (Eph. 1:22-23; Acts 13:1). Yet Christians today are divided among a plethora of denominations and local sects. Underlying these divisions are innumerable grounds advanced to justify their existence and separation from other … Continue reading Assailing the Ground of Oneness (7): The Identifying Characteristics of a Genuine Local Church and the Forbidden Grounds of Division According to the Scriptures
Some dear saints have been influenced by malicious claims that Living Stream Ministry (LSM), the Defense and Confirmation Project (DCP), or the co-workers “stole” meeting halls by suing churches. Neither LSM, nor DCP, nor the co-workers have initiated any legal action against any local church, much less laid claim to … Continue reading “Stealing” Meeting Halls?
If we want to be those who are practically part of God’s corporate warrior in Ephesians 6, we must learn how to quench the flaming darts of the enemy. Verse 16 speaks of “having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the … Continue reading Quenching the Flaming Darts of the Enemy
From time to time those who bear responsibility in the administration of a church must exercise a measure of discipline toward unruly members. The exercise of discipline takes as its goals restoring the erring members and protecting both the Lord’s testimony and the members of His Body. As with anything … Continue reading Properly Representing the Lord in the Exercise of Discipline
God desires to establish His kingdom on the earth through a group of people who stand against all forms of rebellion and come absolutely under His authority. Establishing God’s authority over the earth is a great matter in the Bible, but fallen men have miscast divine authority according to natural … Continue reading Authority and Fellowship
Obsession In the 1930s Brother Watchman Nee gave a word concerning “Obsession and God’s Light” (The Collected Works of Watchman Nee [CWWN], Vol. 36: Central Messages, 257-271). His speaking should help us discern dissenting speakings directed at the Lord’s recovery in general and at the leadership in His recovery in … Continue reading Obsession and Subjectivity
The book of Philippians shows us the great need that believers have in times of turmoil. The church in Philippi was a very good church that participated with the apostle Paul in the furtherance of the gospel (Phil. 1:5-7; 4:14-19). However, it had two problems—Judaizers who sought to bring the … Continue reading Magnifying Christ in the Midst of Turmoil
Every truth in the Bible has two sides that must be held in balance. This fact reflects the natural law in God’s creation, as Brother Witness Lee explained: According to the natural law in God’s creation, there is the law of balance. Nothing can exist without having two sides. For … Continue reading A Balanced View of the Elders’ Authority
The apostle Paul told Timothy, “For the time will come when they will not tolerate the healthy teaching; but according to their own lusts they will heap up to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and they will turn away their ear from the truth and will be turned aside to … Continue reading Should We Not Warn One Another?
The story of Cain and Abel, the first two sons of Adam and Eve, establishes an important principle that the worship of God should not be according to man’s thought but according to God’s revelation (Gen. 4:3-8). Abel offered a lamb according to God’s revelation, but Cain offered the fruit … Continue reading Assailing the Ground of Oneness (5): God’s Choice versus Doing What Is Right in Our Own Eyes
Matthew 18:20 contains a wonderful promise: “For where two or three are gathered into My name, there am I in their midst.” However, some have misused this verse to discount the need for local churches established and built up on the proper ground. They claim that the gathering of two … Continue reading Assailing the Ground of Oneness (6): The Ground of the Church Being for the Building Up of the Body of Christ
Those who bear responsibility in the ministry, the work, and the churches in the Lord’s recovery have a biblically mandated responsibility to protect the flock (Acts 20:28-31; 1 Pet. 5:2; Titus 1:9). In performing that duty they may advise the saints not to read writings in print or on the … Continue reading Being Safeguarded by the Discernment in the Body
Because the Lord is continually advancing to carry out His economy, His people must advance with Him. Individuals are finite in terms of their lifespan and what experiences they can acquire of the Lord during their life. The lessons learned through precious experiences of Christ, the cross, and the Body … Continue reading A Harmonious Coordination between Generations to Advance God’s Move
After leading the children of Israel to the threshold of the good land, Moses recounted at length their history, including both negative and positive events, as well as God’s revelation of Himself through His laws and statutes. At the end of his speaking, Moses said, “I call heaven and earth … Continue reading Our Basic Choice
In recent years a myth has been spread on the Internet that the leadership in the Lord’s recovery has systematically concealed the “real” history of the local churches. Lacking firsthand knowledge of the events in question and the objectivity to differentiate evidence and conjecture, those who have propagated this myth … Continue reading Hiding History?
The Bible says that we are to forgive one another as God in Christ forgave us (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). This is a crucial factor in practicing the church life for the building up of the Body of Christ and thus merits our attention in these days. Practicing Forgiveness in … Continue reading Forgiveness and the Building Up of the Body of Christ
Many saints do not know the story behind the libel lawsuits filed in 1980 and 2001, and some may be troubled because they do not know the facts surrounding those actions. The following factual account provides a very broad historical sketch of what occurred based on publicly available documents, including … Continue reading Facts Concerning Three Libel Lawsuits
On three occasions, twice in 1980 and once in 2001, some of the local churches and others filed lawsuits to obtain relief from defamatory writings, all coming from the same source but disseminated nationally and even internationally. Some have wrongly claimed that these lawsuits were filed to silence critics of … Continue reading Lawsuits and the Scriptures
A few irresponsible individuals have recently brandished, as “proof” that the local churches are litigious, a discredited list of organizations purportedly sued or threatened with lawsuits for criticizing the local churches. The charge is deceptive. To accuse a person or organization of being litigious is to accuse them of being … Continue reading Are the Local Churches Litigious?
In 1 Timothy 1:3-4 the apostle Paul wrote to his young co-worker Timothy, saying, “Even as I exhorted you, when I was going into Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus in order that you might charge certain ones not to teach different things, nor to give heed to myths and unending … Continue reading God’s Economy, Different Teaching, and the Central Line of the Bible
Man is the pinnacle of God’s work in the old creation and as such is the most precious to God of all His creatures (Zech. 12:1). This is because God created man in a unique way. Of all the creatures, only man was created as a vessel with a spirit … Continue reading Preserving Human Life
From time to time a brother will trumpet the misguided notion that saints should read only the Bible, the “pure Word”, “untainted” by anyone’s interpretation. Some have used this notion as a ploy to entice the saints to reject the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee as “man’s interpretation.” … Continue reading Reading Only the “Pure Word” – A Dangerous and Unbiblical Notion
To say that once a church is established the apostles, that is, the leading co-workers, should never “interfere” in that church’s affairs is inconsistent with the Bible and with the whole body of the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. This crucial matter relates to God’s administration and therefore … Continue reading The Ongoing Relationship between the Apostles and the Local Churches
The Collected Works of Watchman Nee [CWWN], vol. 22: The Assembly Life & The Prayer Ministry of the Church p. 30: The books of Timothy tell us, “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses” (1 Tim. 5:19, KJV). In this matter, we should pay … Continue reading Selected Ministry on the Apostles’ Ongoing Role in Established Churches
Much confusion and debate exist among Christians surrounding the definition, formation, purpose, and function of the church. In fact, the pattern of Christians meeting together in local churches is entirely consistent throughout the New Testament. Some critics admit that while the New Testament does portray local churches, this portrayal should … Continue reading Assailing the Ground of Oneness (1): The Genuine Ground of the Church According to the Teaching and Practice of the New Testament
In the New Testament the word for ministry means “service.” The unique New Testament ministry is a service in the form of a stewardship of grace that ministers Christ to people for the accomplishment of His purpose (2 Cor. 4:1, 12; 1 Tim. 1:12; Eph. 3:2; Col. 1:25; 2 Cor. … Continue reading The Relationship between Living Stream Ministry and the Local Churches
For decades some have opposed the teaching of the ministry in the Lord’s recovery over three vital categories of truth—the Triune God, God’s salvation in life, and the ground of the church. Much has been written to correct misrepresentations and to present the truth from the Bible concerning these three … Continue reading Three Foundational Truths and Why They Matter
One defining characteristic of the ministry in the Lord’s recovery is an absoluteness for the truth. If we are faithful to the Lord, we cannot compromise the truth. For that reason we can accept only what matches God’s intention as expressed in the Bible; we cannot accept manmade imitations or … Continue reading Our Attitude toward Ecumenism
This three-part article will address the relationship between those who meet in the local churches and fellow believers, the denominations and free groups to which they may belong, and their work. If we are not clear in these matters, we may be influenced by accusations that those in the recovery … Continue reading Our Attitude toward Other Christians and Their Work, Part 1: Maintaining the Oneness with Fellow Believers
In the first article of this series we saw the imperative of preserving the oneness of the Body of Christ and avoiding divisiveness on our part at all costs. Our attitude toward other believers, including those who do not meet with us in the local churches, should be one of … Continue reading Our Attitude toward Other Christians and Their Work, Part 2: The Vision of the Lord’s Recovery Being Contrary to Today’s Christianity
In addition to our attitude toward other Christians and toward the denominations (parts 1 and 2 of this series), we need to consider our attitude toward others’ work, and more specifically, toward the work that is being carried out today by the denominations, free groups, and parachurch organizations of Christianity. … Continue reading Our Attitude toward Other Christians and Their Work, Part 3: Not Entangling the Work of the Lord’s Recovery with Others’ Work
Ephesians 4 speaks of one Spirit and one Body and of our need to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace (vv. 3-6). Some Christians ask whether the oneness of the Spirit and of the Body mentioned in Ephesians 4 are not sufficient in themselves … Continue reading Assailing the Ground of Oneness (2): Diligently Keeping the Oneness Requiring a Local Ground
God has two complementary systems—a system of government and a system of grace— through which He accomplishes His eternal economy. A proper understanding of these two systems and how they interrelate yields great insight into the revelation of the Bible, the ways of God, and the nature of God’s salvation. … Continue reading God’s Government and God’s Grace
From the beginning of the church age reputable Bible teachers have recognized that many portions of the Scriptures, in addition to their literal meaning, also symbolize spiritual truths. Extracting the spiritual meaning from the literal words of the Bible is called allegorizing the Bible. Some people argue that it is … Continue reading Concerning Allegorizing the Bible
As the Lord’s lovers who seek to practice the church life according the way revealed by God in the New Testament, we should be people of vision, not idealists. The apostle Paul was such a person, a person who was captured by the heavenly vision of the transcendent God-man, the … Continue reading Being Overcomers with a Vision, Not Idealists with a Dream
Dispensational discipline refers to God’s discipline of His children in the next age. The New Testament shows that God judges His own children (1 Pet. 1:17; 4:17), and the Lord Jesus makes it abundantly clear that His followers will be rewarded or disciplined at His return (Rev. 22:12; Matt. 25:14-30). … Continue reading Dispensational Discipline
Some have accused Witness Lee of teaching that parts of the book of Psalms and the Epistle of James were not divinely inspired. This is a grievous accusation that, if true, constitutes a denial of one of the basic affirmations of Christian orthodoxy: that the Bible is the Word of … Continue reading Psalms, James, and the Divine Inspiration of the Bible
In the Bible the words of three parties—God, Satan, and man—are very significant. As the Word of God, the Bible speaks forth God’s person, intent, and work. By His word He framed the universe (Heb. 11:3). When God came in the person of the Lord Jesus, His words were spirit … Continue reading Words That Spread Death and How to Stop Them
Some have claimed that questions are not allowed in the local churches. On the one hand, this should not be true in any local church. On the other hand, all the saints must discern between proper and improper questions and between questions and questionings. A proper question takes as its … Continue reading Questions versus Questionings
Who has the authority to appoint and remove elders? According to the New Testament, apostles, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, have the authority to appoint elders in the churches (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; Acts 20:28) and to remove elders when the need arises. If an elder becomes a problem, … Continue reading Questions and Answers about Apostles and Co-workers
Context and balance are critical to evaluating words fairly. Recently, a short excerpt from a message given by Brother Ron Kangas was mischaracterized as his demeaning his wife in front of thousands of people. This misrepresents Brother Ron’s attitude toward his own wife and toward marriage in general; moreover, it … Continue reading Twisting Ron Kangas’s Words
Some saints are troubled when turmoils happen. They feel that if the local churches are part of God’s move today and under His blessing, such things should not occur. This view, however, does not match the Bible, which records turmoil after turmoil among God’s people. The book of Numbers is … Continue reading Concerning Turmoils
“House churches,” in which believers meet in a house as a separate, independent unit of administration, are a popular means of circumventing the biblical pattern of keeping the oneness of the unique Body of Christ in local churches. A careful examination of Scripture shows that while a church may gather … Continue reading Assailing the Ground of Oneness (4): Are “House Churches” Biblical?
Some have argued that the church in Jerusalem was a regional church, that is, a single church that has jurisdiction over an area much broader than the boundary of a city. But how is this proposition arrived at? Does it accord with Scripture? And if not, why is it being … Continue reading Assailing the Ground of Oneness (3): Was the Church in Jerusalem a “Regional” Church?
In 1950, in a time of great social upheaval in China, Watchman Nee, in a series of messages for new believers, said, “Today the world is full of all kinds of problems. How will these problems be solved? What should be our attitude towards these problems?” (Messages for Building Up … Continue reading A Christian’s Attitude toward Reforming Society
In recent years many nations have been sharply divided over political controversies. As Christians, we should understand two key points related to government and politics. First, we should know what our attitude toward existing governments should be. Second, we should know what our attitude should be individually as Christians and … Continue reading A Christian’s Attitude toward Government and Politics
Based on the New Testament, Witness Lee taught that there is only one unique ministry. Some have twisted his teaching to slanderously claim that Witness Lee was referring to his own ministry. This is a gross mischaracterization. The One Ministry of the New Testament The word ministry means “service.” Properly … Continue reading The One Unique New Testament Ministry
A small but persistent group has propagated a false narrative that leading brothers who brought “concerns” to Brother Lee in the 1970s and 1980s were subsequently forced out of the Lord’s recovery for doing so. The facts of history tell a different story. 1970s – Max Rapoport In February 1978 … Continue reading Were Max Rapoport and John Ingalls “Forced Out”?
By misrepresenting Witness Lee’s teaching concerning Noah and his three sons, some have falsely claimed that he justified covering up gross sins, particularly if the sinning one occupies a position of authority. Any who appeal to his teaching on Noah and his sons to justify covering up gross sins are … Continue reading Covering, Not Covering Up
Developing, updating, and implementing policies to handle a variety of issues, including deterrence strategies and response practices related to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse or harassment, has been an ongoing process among the local churches. Similar efforts are ongoing among those who take the lead in extra-local work among the … Continue reading Handling Allegations of Abuse
Some falsely claim that the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee has replaced the Bible in the local churches. In making this claim, they set the ministry against the Bible, the Word of God, as if these two things are in rivalry with each other. They have created a … Continue reading Does the Ministry Replace the Bible?
Some with cursory knowledge have wrongly associated The Church of Almighty God (CAG), commonly known as Eastern Lightning, with the local churches and the ministry of Witness Lee. This misunderstanding derives from ignorance of the differences in their teaching and a superficial knowledge of history. Teaching Witness Lee affirms, while … Continue reading Concerning the Church of Almighty God/Eastern Lightning
Some have asserted that the saints in the Lord’s recovery merely follow men—Brothers Watchman Nee and Witness Lee—rather than God. This claim denigrates the saints, who are said to exalt Brother Lee above the headship of Christ, and it falsely accuses Brother Lee of seeking a personal following. However, the … Continue reading Following the Vision or Following a Man
The ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee focuses on God’s New Testament economy. This matches the focus of the apostles’ teaching in the New Testament (Acts 2:42; 1 Tim. 1:3-4). God’s purpose in His economy is to produce the Body of Christ through His full salvation, which includes the … Continue reading Our Attitude toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help
Because the church is composed of redeemed sinners who are in the process of transformation, it is inevitable that there will be problems among the saints. No one can say that they no longer have sin or that they have been transformed to the extent that their flesh, self, or … Continue reading The Proper Way to Deal with Problems in the Church
The local churches in the Lord’s recovery function according to the principles of the Body of Christ as an organism, not as a hierarchical organization as some have mistakenly claimed. We should not confuse the proper organic order of the Body with worldly hierarchical organizations. To say that the church … Continue reading Concerning Hierarchy and Organization
The church in Houston has issued a statement to correct factual errors and misrepresentations that have recently arisen concerning an event that occurred there: THE CHURCH IN HOUSTON September 10, 2019 On behalf of the church in Houston, we are compelled to correct factual errors and misrepresentations in a recent … Continue reading A Response from the Church in Houston
Spiritual Authority, a book translated and published by Stephen Kaung, became popular among Western believers in the early 1970s. Since then it has been misused by some to assert themselves as authorities and criticized by others who blame it for such abuse. Both the misuse and the criticism miss the … Continue reading Spiritual Authority and Its Misuse
On a couple of occasions spurious and egregious allegations surfaced tarring Witness Lee by associating him with racist justifications of slavery based on his interpretation of Noah’s cursing of the descendants of Ham (Gen. 9:25). There are at least three problems with this criticism: Witness Lee’s interpretation of this prophecy … Continue reading A Specious Claim of Racism
Because the matter of deputy authority has been misrepresented and maligned, the following questions and answers seek to clarify what it is, what it is not, and the principles that govern it. Is deputy authority biblical? Deputy authority is not only biblical; it is a vital part of the divine … Continue reading Some Questions and Answers Regarding Deputy Authority
The churches in the New Testament were established by and continued in the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). The apostles’ teaching brought them into the apostles’ fellowship, which was the unique fellowship of the Body of Christ in and with the Triune God (1 Cor. 1:9; 1 John 1:3). Only one … Continue reading Concerning Having One Publication Work
Some on social media have used a short out-of-context excerpt from Witness Lee’s Life-study of First Peter, omitting both context and balance, to support a spurious claim that he denigrates women. These sources begin with a sentence from the middle of a paragraph in his message that says, “Therefore, as … Continue reading Concerning the Ministry’s Attitude toward Sisters
The term the minister of the age in reference to Brothers Watchman Nee and Witness Lee does not imply that we hold them to be infallible. Rather, it means that we acknowledge them as particular vessels used by the Lord to advance the recovery of the truths in the Bible. … Continue reading The Minister of the Age, Not Infallibility
Daystar Motor Homes was established in January 1972 to generate funds to support full-time workers and build church meeting halls. Throughout the United States and overseas many were seeking help in practicing the New Testament pattern of the local church. Witness Lee had observed Watchman Nee using profits from a … Continue reading Facts Concerning Daystar Motor Homes
Max Rapoport, an elder in the church in Anaheim, walked out of a meeting on August 13, 1978, and never returned. Although he had been informed six months earlier that Rapoport was attempting to undermine his ministry and foment a “revolution,” Witness Lee took no action publicly or privately toward … Continue reading Facts Concerning Statements Attributed to Max Rapoport
Readers of a self-published book by Lily Hsu that accuses Watchman Nee of immoral activities should know the story behind the book. Lily Hsu was a new serving one among the young people in the church in Shanghai in the early 1950s with little direct knowledge of the things she … Continue reading Facts Concerning Lily Hsu