[Oregon]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Whenever I considered how difficult (well nigh impossible) it would be for one large modern city to contain just one church and be administered by just one presbytery, I was always pointed to Taipei, as working proof that the one city, one church model was extremely applicable and workable in our day. Not only so, but the explosive and vibrant economy of Taiwan was living proof of the Lord's blessing on "the ministry."

Since I had never been there, and who was I to question the blessing of God, I stopped questioning and started "believing." Then, to my surprise, I learned in the mid-80's that Taipei was dead, aging, lifeless, and in great need of a training to overhaul the church there. Also, in one meeting, the existing eldership was replaced by 80 young serving ones.

Obviously the "model" had not worked out very well. In fact, it appeared a dismal failure, in need of a "laboratory" to try to find something, anything, some new thing to help out. They had been doing all the "right things" for decades, and look what happened to them.

This is why I have become a little weary when anyone claims to have a "better mousetrap." Sure it's easy to condemn apparent shortcomings in the whole of Christendom. Condemnation is easy to teach and easy to learn, just ask a recovering "judgaholic." I would estimate that up to eighty percent of the "sales job" for "one city - one church" came not from the Bible, but from the elitist and exclusive desire to be "God's best."

Hi Ohio,

Firstly I will state publicly that I appeciate your friendly manner. Secondly I will quote a statement from WL which I heard him say numerous times....."I didn't just come down from the moon this morning".

I am fully aware of the situation in Taipei and have been for many years. And I will simply say that human failure will never be a justifiable ground to promote something contrary to what is recorded in God's Word.