Monday, January 08, 2007
Open Letter to Local Church Cult
An important open letter was recently released to the leadership of Living Stream Ministry and the "Local Churches," a cult began by Witness Lee. Over 60 evangelical Christian scholars and ministry leaders from seven nations have signed this letter. Here is its introduction:
(HT: Jeff Downs)
Living Stream Ministry and the "local churches" (also known as The Lord's Recovery), both founded by the late Witness Lee, have been involved for decades in legal and theological controversies with noted Christian institutions and leaders. In light of this history of litigation and conflict, we the undersigned make this public appeal.
Because the following statements by Witness Lee appear to contradict or compromise essential doctrines of the Christian faith, we respectfully call on the leadership of Living Stream Ministry and the "local churches" to disavow and cease to publish these and similar declarations.
(HT: Jeff Downs)
Labels: Apologetics
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6 Comments:
Noteworthy signers of the "open letter" include:
* Ronald B. Allen, Th.D.
Senior Professor of Bible Exposition, Dallas Theological Seminary (Dallas, TX)
* E. Calvin Beisner, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Historical Theology and Social Ethics, Knox Seminary (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
* James Bjornstad, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy, Cedarville University (Cedarville, OH)
* Darrell L. Bock, Ph.D.
Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary (Dallas, TX)
* Ronald M. Enroth, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology, Westmont College (Santa Barbara, CA)
* Norman L. Geisler, Ph.D.
Dean, Southern Evangelical Seminary (Matthews, NC)
* Alan W. Gomes, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Theology, Talbot School of Theology (La Mirada, CA)
* H. Wayne House, Th.D., J.D.
Distinguished Research Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies, Faith Evangelical Seminary (Tacoma, WA)
* Kevin Alan Lewis, J.D.
Assistant Professor of Theology and Law, Talbot School of Theology (La Mirada, CA)
* Paul R. Martin, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center (Albany, OH)
* John Warwick Montgomery, Ph.D., Th.D., LL.D.
Barrister-at-Law, England and Wales; Member of the California, District of Columbia, Virginia, Washington State and U.S. Supreme Court Bars; Inscrit au Barreau de Paris, France; Professor Emeritus of Law and Humanities, University of Bedfordshire, England
* Paige Patterson, Ph.D.
President, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Ft. Worth, TX)
* Earl D. Radmacher, Th.D.
President Emeritus and Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology Emeritus, Western Seminary (Portland, OR)
* Ron Rhodes, Th.D.
President, Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries (Frisco, TX)
* R. Philip Roberts, Ph.D.
President, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Kansas City, MO)
* Alvin J. Schmidt, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Illinois College (Jacksonville, IL); former Professor and Dean of Graduate Studies, Concordia Theological Seminary (Ft. Wayne, IN)
* James R. White, Th.D.
Adjunct Professor, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary; President, Alpha and Omega Ministries (Phoenix, AZ)
The local churches and Living Stream Ministry have published an initial response to this letter. See: http://lctestimony.org/ResponseToOpenLetter.html
Not all the local churches endorse the response of "Living Stream Ministry" to the 60 Scholars' Open Letter. In particular a group of believers from various local churches in the Great Lakes area of N America have posted their own response on the "concernedbrothers.com" website.It can be acessed at:
http://www.concernedbrothers.com/Evangelical%20Scholars/60ScholarsResponseToFinalVersionForFJ.pdf
"Not all the local churches endorse the response of "Living Stream Ministry" to the 60 Scholars' Open Letter." well, these local churches are, around 15 local churches, basically found in the Great Lakes area. Those following bro.Titus Chu closely, quarantined by the workers for his divisive works. There are 300 local churches in the US endorses LSM response to the 60 Scholars' Open letter. so also the 4000 local churches outside US supports LSM response. since they want to take that way its up to them.
we all say amen to what LSM did. i believe all the leading brothers in more than 4000 churches in 6 continents are one in these move. this so called concerned brothers are composed of workers and serving brothers closely identify and following bro. Titus Chu, serving in cleveland area and great lakes area. they can do whatever they want. they have the freedom to do it for they have created, already, there own work and ministry. The local churches and Living Stream Ministry have published an initial response to this letter. See: http://lctestimony.org/ResponseToOpenLetter.html
While I commend you for your objectivity in posting the links to both Living Stream Ministry and to witnesslee.org, it might be more appropriate to post the link to the direct response to the letter you noted. It is http://lctestimony.org/ResponseToOpenLetter.html. Have you read it? The same site also posts the findings of Fuller Theological Seminary after their extensive dialogue with representatives of both the local churches and LSM.
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