I left the Local Church After Reading the Real Church History

[Truthseeker]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

Great observation! T. Austin Sparks certainly pointed out shortcomings in Christendom, but I never get the sense from him that he's setting himself up as something superior. (and BTW - Sparks certainly had books published during that time, which is certainly not lightweight stuff!)

What a prideful trap we all fell in back then . . . hard to believe it now! I remember the elation and freedom I felt when the Lord directed me to some books by John Piper. I was so happy in spirit that someone else outside the LC could write things about being seriously in love with God and about how we were meant to be enjoying Him daily! I had been in a really deep despair because I knew I didn't want to return to the LC, but I thought there was nothing else out there of genuine spiritual value. God led me through that despair to find Piper's "Desiring God." Through that book I was led into fellowship with some ex-LCers nearby.

Yeah, Books of T. Austin Sparks are very rich in divine revealation but he was despised by Lee because of ground of oneness controversies. Lee insisted to pratice his one church per city. When Sparks seeked to correct Lee, it was Lee who turned his back from Sparks and despised him since then.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

Yeah, Books of T. Austin Sparks are very rich in divine revealation but he was despised by Lee because of ground of oneness controversies. Lee insisted to pratice his one church per city. When Sparks seeked to correct Lee, it was Lee who turned his back from Sparks and despised him since then.

Actually Lee never really practiced the one church one city (OCOC) doctrine. There are endless stories about him and his minions violating OCOC teachings with their divisive practices. Lee only used this OCOC doctrine on TASparks in order to create a wedge between them, and have a weapon to condemn TAS.

This was never so evident to me as when Lee's Blendeds came into the Midwest, dividing all the true LC's, who had long stood on the "local ground" of oneness, and filed lawsuits against them to steal their meeting halls.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Actually Lee never really practiced the one church one city (OCOC) doctrine. There are endless stories about him and his minions violating OCOC teachings with their divisive practices. Lee only used this OCOC doctrine on TASparks in order to create a wedge between them, and have a weapon to condemn TAS.

This was never so evident to me as when Lee's Blendeds came into the Midwest, dividing all the true LC's, who had long stood on the "local ground" of oneness, and filed lawsuits against them to steal their meeting halls.

That's an interesting interpretation regarding TAS & WL . . . never heard it stated like that before. And do you mean Lee violated the OCOC because he violated their autonomy via central control?

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

That's an interesting interpretation regarding TAS & WL . . . never heard it stated like that before. And do you mean Lee violated the OCOC because he violated their autonomy via central control?

Many stories of that over the years.

Many more stories of existing non-LSM LC's being overtaken by operatives from LSM.

WL never respected the boundaries of a LC or its eldership.