[Toledo]

I always find the derogatory comments on this site regarding the ground of oneness or the ground of locality to be strange. It is as though none of you ever met with a local church, or ever understood the meaning of the oneness there.

My understanding of the ground of locality is simple enough: we are one with every born again believer in our locality. Actually, we are one with every born again believer throughout all time and space -- from Pentecost to the Rapture, and all across the earth. We are just as one with the Apostle Paul as we are with our own spiritual companion. However, the ground of locality makes this oneness practical: we are able to fellowship with any believer we meet, whether or not they agree with us or meet with us, and we are to start right in the city where we live.

The ground of locality takes the onus off the other guy (he doesn't agree with me...!), and puts it squarely on our own shoulders: "As much as lieth with you, be at peace with all men" ~Romans 12:18. It also give me a way to open up my heart to every believer everywhere, whether he prays like me, or looks like me, or reads the Bible the same as me.

It is not (and was never) a matter of agreement in doctrine, practice, vocabulary, or terms. It is (and always has been) a simple matter of the divine life: God is our father and we are all brothers.

I have many children, both sons and daughters. When they were growing up in my house it was not unusual for them to have disagreements, arguments (and even the occasional fist fight). However, despite any disagreement, argument (or fist fight) they were (and still are) all my children, and they were (and still are) brothers and sisters, related in the life received from their parents.

You may, of course, feel free to mock the ground of oneness, or the ground of locality (or whatever term you may choose to use). I think the LSM has given God's enemy ample ground to accuse them (and us by association with them). However, all your mocking and accusations do not take away one whit from the very life of God Himself that has given new birth to every believer, and has made us all wholly one in Him.

Much of our struggle in these days has to do with baby and bathwater decisions. What do we keep? What do we throw away? I do not believe that every experience of Christ for the past 35 years has gone for naught. That doesn't seem like the sort of Christ I have come to know.

However, if there is a profit to be found out of the years of struggle, where do we begin to look? Do we really want to throw out EVERY teaching of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee? What about their teachings on the blood of Christ, or on the divinity of Christ? Where do you want to draw the line?

I have found that the matter of locality has set me utterly free from denominational Christianity (including that of the LSM churches). Thus, in my locality we are beholden to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself personally. We do not receive (nor have we ever received) marching orders from any other locality or headquarters. We are free to receive spiritual help through the speaking or writings of any believer, and though we may fellowship and commiserate with other local churches, we are free to follow the Lord and to seek out fellowship with any Christian we may meet.