Recovery Video: Witness Lee’s “Ministry” Solves All Church Problems

Wow, wow, wowwww!!! 😱🤦🏼‍♀️ I have not seen this video before, thank you for putting it up. This cultic teaching was the very foundation of my life growing up in the recovery, of course, but hearing it so clearly said by a leading brother, now that I’m out, is truly shocking: it sounds so very cultish!!! And completely anti-Biblical. I think this clip will be all I need to show current members I speak with, who constantly tell me, “All we have and teach is the Word of God”, and “We stand on God’s Word alone.” But what was spoken here of the answers and wisdom found in God’s Word? Nothing because, according to Witness Lee and the leading brothers, all the wisdom of their god is found in the words of Witness Lee alone. Such deception! May God have mercy!!!

Jacob,

The video you are showing is just a personal experience and testimony of a leading believer in one local church. His personal experience does not represent all the believers of the Lord’s Recovery. In his testimony in the video, I did not hear him saying that he did not need Christ, etc. as you said. I can see that he was excited about what the ministry could do to him personally and to other believers as he believed, no more, no less. What he said is not a prophecy, nor a promise, nor a covenant, nor a commandment, etc. It was merely his personal testimony in a church meeting. The main point of his personal testimony was only about the church matters that he did not define in the local church he met. My understanding about Witness Lee’s ministry is that his teachings are mostly related to the Lord’s interest on this earth and the spiritual well-being of the believers in the Lord’s Recovery. Lee was basically a preacher, a Bible teacher, a trainer, and a book publisher. All he knew and talked about publicly was mostly spiritual matters rather than worldly matters. So, when Ted Williams was talking about “all the problems in the church” in the video, I think he was talking about mostly spiritual problems that he knew although he used the word “all problems.” I can see that Ted Williams was confident to tell all that Lee’s ministry could help solve all spiritual problems of a local church as Lee’s ministry talks a lot about the crucified Christ as the solution to the problems of a local church, same as the apostle Paul did in 1 Corinthians. Apostle Paul says he know nothing but the crucified Christ, who uniquely could be the solution to all the spiritual problems of the church in Corinth. It would be very helpful also to watch the entire context of the video to see and understand what the message or fellowship they were talking about to have a clue about what the “all problems” referring to in that particular meeting. If the fellowship of the meeting talked about the crucified Christ as the unique solutions to all the spiritual problems of the church in Corinth, then Ted Williams’ personal testimony was simply an echoing of what Paul did in his local church via Lee’s ministry which also talks about the crucified Christ and His cross as the solution of all the spiritual problems of a local church.

I watched many preaching sermons by John McArthur on Youtube. Many of his congregation of the Grace Community Church praised him and respected him highly in public. His followers buy and read his books and audio tapes, and participate in his many conferences, etc. in addition to attending and listening to his weekly sermons. I believe some of the younger believers also were called by him and his co-workers to attend his seminary under his ministry. I read his Study Bible, his Bible Handbook, his commentary on Revelation, and several other books by him. I honestly believe that McArthur is a good preacher and a faithful servant of the Lord, and I would praise the Lord for his services to his congregation. His congregation generally think of him highly and get excited about his preaching. Every now and then, McArthur would hold Q&A sessions to answer ALL questions from his congregation about all their problems, mostly, I agreed being spiritual problems rather than worldly problems. Many of his followers were satisficed with their problems solved by their minister McArthur. With my understanding of McArthur’ ministry and his teachings as a whole for several years without prejudice or bias in one way or another, I would not accuse McArthur’s followers to have forsaken Christ and followed one man’s ministry, and urge them to leave the Grace Community Church and McArthur’s ministry. I would not label them as a cult either.

Jacob, my sense toward your website is that you tend to selectively pick up some speaking by Witness Lee or a certain believer meeting in a local church that you don’t like or disagree to begin your accusations and attacks toward another Christian or Christian group. Your interpretation and thinking of what you read and watched in a video seems with much bias and prejudice. The Biblical verses that you cited to support your opinion are very good verses in the Bible themselves. But disappointedly, they were all wrongly applied according to your misunderstanding of what you read or watched in a video.

Maybe the below Christian Research Journal with the title “We Were Wrong” can help clarify or explain to some if not all of your misunderstanding about Lee’s ministry and the practices of the local churches in the Lord’s Recovery. Download it, and try to read the entire issue of the journal without pre-determined bias or prejudice in a week or so. I know it would be a little hard for you to do that after having devoted so much time and effort in your website to persuade others to fully accept your view. Just follow your heart, Jacob! Amen.

http://www.equip.org/PDF/EnglishOpt.pdf

In Christ,

Stanley