About the Site Owner

Back to About

By Jacob Howard, Published 12/05/2019

View the Editor’s Notes, Updated 12/05/2019

I’m the site’s owner and admin, Jacob Howard. I make no money on this website, nor will I ever. I also won’t take donations to keep it running.


Some Quick Background

I met the Recovery in college, the Fall of 2011. As an actively seeking Christian, I was primed for finding a group of Christians who were serious about their faith.

The Recovery baited me with Jesus, the Bible, and talk of oneness of the church by means of the one Spirit of God. Then they started switching our devotion over to a man named Witness Lee, following him and his teachings only. Our “oneness” had nothing to do with God keeping us one; it was about Witness Lee.

I left the Recovery in 2017 for a few months, troubled by the clear deification of this man Witness Lee, but I eventually went back because I feared all of the discipline from God that the Recovery had convinced me was biblical.

Eventually, the Lord gave me the absolute clarity that I needed to leave the Recovery. My wife and I left in June/July of 2018, and we haven’t looked back.


Why This Website?

Still loving the people in the Recovery, my wife and I were weighed down with a heavy burden of helping others to leave. So right away I originally created thelordsrecovery.org (by the way, using .com and .net also redirect to the .org site).

I wrote the Thread, put together a bare-minimum website, and left it alone. I didn’t touch it for one year.

Then I hid myself from Christians, from all of social media, and from the Recovery. I moved out of state and told no one in the Recovery where I lived. I ignored this site and the compassion God had given me for people in the Recovery who still needed to leave.

Then God woke me up! I was nudged by the Spirit after a year to come back to this website and take it seriously. To keep ministering the truth. To still meet with God’s people. To grow in Christ.


A Little About Me

I’m a fallible man (arguably a child; I still have my Pokemon toys), and I have countless examples of times I have been wrong about something, specifically about biblical teaching. I’m always learning. Did I mention I’m learning? And I’m only interested in learning and growing, not pretending everything’s already been “recovered” by some other fallible man.

I love Jesus Christ. He is perfect in every way. He saved me by dying on the cross for my sins and resurrecting from the grave as the spotless Lamb of God! He’s forgiven me for my sins! I follow Him! He’s the only man I’ll ever give myself to!

Jesus is the Light. Only He has the truth; He is the truth. I’m learning to follow Him, and I’m growing in Him.

While I’ve got some things to say on here, don’t take my word for it. Take God’s.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
23 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Terry Risenhoover
Terry Risenhoover
4 years ago

I knew Witness Lee and several of his children. He was not the Minister of the age or an apostle, Virttually all of his teachings good and bad come from others. He was a seriously flawed man who made serious errors in his teachings and especially in his practices. The Word clearly teaches there is none righteous no not one. Not Lee, Not Nee and not me, May the Lord have mercy on all who are distracted away from Christ by the teachings of men.

Jacob Howard (Site Owner)
Admin

Thanks for sharing, Terry! Love your powerful statement about the Lord having mercy on all of us. We’re so easily distracted away! I most definitely need His mercy; I’m helpless without it.

Lead Guitar
Lead Guitar
2 years ago

Refer to the Recovery version or many of Lee’s publications not being his own ideas, yet no references,

“I am against the prophets who steal from one another words they attribute to Me.” Jer 23:30

Lead Guitar
Lead Guitar
2 years ago

———————————-

Elizabeth Early
Elizabeth Early
4 years ago

Is it possible to expand your list of ‘Christians on Campus’ to include other countries, not just in the US? There is a big facility owned by them in my town, and I wonder if they are having more success elsewhere in the world, fresh places where their former bungle-ups did not occur!!!

Jacob Howard (Site Owner)
Admin

Hey there, Elizabeth! Every item on that list, I and others have personally researched and validated to ensure it was Recovery-associated. Right now, we’re working through the Thread’s 5th item’s explanation; I’m working with my team of editors to ensure it’s concise, helpful, and accurate. That’s taking a while, but I’ve been getting tons of help on research and editing. It’s been a wild ride!

As soon as we’re done with that, we’re going to keep adding items to the list. I will need help validating clubs from other countries that use languages I can’t speak or read, but getting those non-USA clubs on that list would be *EXCELLENT* 🙂

Jacob Howard (Site Owner)
Admin

Elizabeth, another thing — other contributors to this site have been emailing me different research, edits, etc. If you happen to have any information regarding these clubs on hand, please feel free to email me at jacobhobsonhoward@gmail.com. I’ll take all the help I can get. Thank you!

Deb
Deb
4 years ago

Thank you for this site! I’ve recently left the Recovery after joining in college and being part of it for 5 years. It took me almost a year to leave. In many ways I feel like I’m rediscovering myself and my walk with the Lord. I feel a little bit set adrift in some ways but I’m really enjoying being with other believers and ways of worship too!
You guys aren’t alone in this walk!

Jacob Howard (Site Owner)
Admin
Reply to  Deb

Deb, thank you for the encouragement! It’s nice to know others have been through what we’ve been through. It can certainly feel like it’s all isolating, but that’s obviously not true. I’m rediscovering my walk with the Lord, too, but it’s been *really* awesome so far 🙂 He’s been very kind and gentle with me, and getting into His Word with Him has been a lot of fun!

Guest
Guest
4 years ago

Thanks for you hard work on this thread. I too left the recovery once I started to notice a few things that didn’t align with scripture. I got saved in college a couple of months before I even joined Christians on Campus / Lords Recovery movement. I had read basically the entire New Testament with the exception of parts of Revelation (decided to read Old Testament first). I learned and grew in my faith purely from the Word of God and teachings from the Holy Spirit. Understood the core teaching of the Gospel; Jesus came to save a sinful humanity when he bled on the cross and rose again on the 3rd day. If anyone puts their full faith and trust on Christ’s finished work on the cross will be saved. After this journey as a new believer began, that’s when I stumbled upon a group of Christians on Campus here in Texas at the University of North Texas. I did my research based on their name and I was relieved they said they were a good Christian group on campus that focused on the word of God. There was no mention of Witness Lee or any Recovery movement. Also at this time I was a new believer in dire need for Christian friends because I had just repented of my old life and wanted to grow with other Christians. I joined the group, met great people and even signed up for their bible meetings. I did notice how different they prayed and read the Word of God compared to my church back home, but I brushed this off because I had not stumbled upon any doctrinal issue.

I think the first thing had me on alert was the leader of our group used a bible version called “Recovery Version”. It was interesting because I had never heard of it, it wasn’t even on my regular bible app. I brushed this off as well because there is other lots of Bible versions right? Anyways, another thing that put me on alert is the leader of the group once told that we need to get “saved more” I was very confused what he meant because Paul makes in Romans salvation comes through faith. Our works are simply a response to the grace God has showed us, but they are not a means to salvation.

Romans 10:9-10 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”. In simple understanding when one becomes a believer in Christ he becomes “born again” or born into the family of God. Scripture does not teach salvation as a process that has to happen over and over. I think he was confusing what sanctification meant. When one becomes a believer, the journey of sanctification (becoming holy) begins it’s completed when the Lord Jesus Christ returns and makes our lowly bodies perfect.. Anyways when he quoted to me a few verses and I brushed this issue off too.

I still believed they were a good Christian group and maybe we just didn’t understand each other on a few passages of scripture. I also knew that I was a new believer and was still learning. However, the biggest red flag came when we started to meet various places that they stayed. I once went to the house of the bible study leader, and noticed his wife also used the “Recover Version” bible. I was also invited to one of their elders place for dinner and noticed he used the same bible as well. Lastly, I went to were the other students who had been in the group a little longer than me stayed. They also used the same bible version. At this point I felt like the Holy Spirit was showing me a few things that I should take into consideration. I decided to download the Recovery Version bible on my phone and give it a read myself. I also searched up who rote this version of the bible, and that is when I stumbled upon the name Witness Lee. I read parts of the “Recovery Version” bible, and in Revelation inside this bible version I noticed on the footnotes this movement was claiming the rest of Christianity outside their movement was apostate? I was shocked to say the least. Back home my pastor for example preaches the full counsel of God, however I know as a believer he is not infallible he can make mistakes. But it is my pastors duty to correct himself and apologize to the congregation of anything he mentions that is contrary to scripture.

The writings of Witness Lee troubled me, especially when I run into his teachings of “One City, One Church”. Up to this day I still find it complicated and confusing, and Paul never taught or emphasized such teachings. It should not even be something worth affecting ones salvation. However, it felt like holding a different belief would make you an apostate. I also struggled to understand some of their teachings regarding the Trinity and their repetition in calling upon the name of the Lord. However, most importantly is that I came to find out that their entire organization and movement was founded by a man, but they never told me any of this when I joined. I wanted believe maybe they don’t affiliate themselves with Witness Lee? Or worse, maybe they didn’t tell me because they knew I would do my research? I decided to go ask the leader of our bible study, and he basically came clean and told me they are affiliated with the Living Stream Ministries which to my understanding is the Lords Recovery movement. I showed him things that I was troubled with but he was prepared to answer anything I had. I came to understand I was not the first person who had problems with their movement. I met up with them two more times to discuss why I was leaving. They tried to convince me to stay, but I had already made my mind to leave since I already had a church back home that preached the Gospel. After only 2-4 months with them I left and never looked back. They were nice, and honestly kind to me, but I felt it was deceptive to not tell me the truth about their entire ministry. I left in peace, but I am still concerned about all the people who are still there.

Jacob Howard (Site Owner)
Admin
Reply to  Guest

Thank you for sharing this! I’m very glad the Lord gave you the discernment to notice what you did. It doesn’t make any sense for Recovery members to have to deceptively hide their full ministry. If it’s as valuable as they believe it to be, it shouldn’t be hidden. And that is very telling.

rick
rick
10 months ago
Reply to  Guest

Romans 5:10 we need to be saved much more

Fellow Christian
Fellow Christian
3 years ago

Amen, our vertical relationship with the Triune God is of the utmost importance. How goes your horizontal relationship Jacob?

Jacob Howard (Site Owner)
Admin

If by horizontal fellowship you’re referring to how I relate to God through His people in His Church, it’s awkward during this time of COVID and continually needs improvement, but my horizontal relationship with God has been awesome.

I’ve got a few close brothers in Christ I meet with regularly, and I’ve been meeting on Sundays with congregations to find a core group that I can fellowship with.

And, on top of that, I’ve had family in town, and they love the Lord! So I’ve been truly blessed 😉 Thanks for asking!

Confused Christian
Confused Christian
2 years ago

I was brought into the recovery in 2008 while my life was going through transition. I was initially uneasy but the members were so kind and genuine. They also had that article from CRI that helped me rationalize that it was OK. However, I have had concerns… Everyone has been kind to me but…. I don’t know how to explain it. The level of regard for the ministry bothers me. I’m certainly not a Bible scholar and I also know that no one is going to be perfect but there are a few things that have stood out- for example, everyone saying that they can’t understand the Bible without the ministry but the Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit is our teacher. That’s just one example. It is very confusing for me to understand the motives behind it being a cult, though? Could they be just misguided believers? I was going through another transition and at the same time, I read the open letter from Jo that had been circulating the internet. It shocked me and substantiated my fears and so I left about a year and a half ago. It was sad and I have grieved. Some knew that I left after reading it and no one really reached out much once they found out. There are times that I’ve considered going back only because I have felt lost and confused. Today even I was considering it but then I received an email about John Ingall’s and when I read his document I became even more alarmed. I miss having Christian fellowship but I have a hard time trusting anyone. It scares me to think that I was part of a cult and that I brought my best friend and she might still be in it (she barely even texts me since I’ve left)??? It makes me feel sick and scared and anxious. What are we supposed to do now? How do we go on in our walk with the Lord with others??? Thanks for this website, I’m eager to read more and hopefully find a sense of community.

Jacob Howard (Site Owner)
Admin

I know exactly what you’re going through. We just moved back to Arkansas and are trying to find a church home. There is definitely much to be wary about, but we feel the conviction to gather with believers who let Jesus Christ alone be their Head. Don’t give up. Praying for you! Email me at jacobhobsonhoward@gmail.com. Dissension welcome, and nothing will offend me!

David Vizzi
David Vizzi
2 years ago

Thank you. All I can say is thank you. I am in college and have been a part of this organization for the last three years. And it’s funny, because even one Google search about the Lord’s Recovery will show you everything you need to convince you to get out. But they conditioned me, even if subtly and indirectly, to not question anything they say. But I almost accidentally stumbled upon your site and I just read so many of the concerns you listed and said to each one “Wow, come to think of it, that’s pretty true.” My decision to leave is somewhat recent and I still have a year left of college, not to mention that most of my college friends are in the LR or the Christians on Campus club, so I feel a little lost right now. But I’m glad that I’m at least back on the journey to a more normal life, and more importantly, on my way to really loving the Lord in the best way I can. Thank you for caring enough to publish this page and help those still stuck, because I believe it just saved me from so much.

Jacob Howard (Site Owner)
Admin
Reply to  David Vizzi

David,

You’re most certainly welcome! It brings me joy to hear this website helped you. I thank God you found it!

It’s hard to know motive and intent, but my personal belief is that most of these people are just regurgitating the same lies, honestly believing they are in the right movement and doing the right things. I believe at least most of these people to just be misguided. I believe that’s what I was. But that misguidance is neither an excuse nor justification.

I was very depressed when I left because I had given up all of my community for the Recovery. So when I left the Recovery, I had no one else. I had graduated and made no other connections. My encouragement to you is to fight to spend time with other believers outside of the Recovery, especially while you’re still in college. It’ll give you the chance to build some community outside of the vacuum of the Recovery.

Feel free to email me at jacobhobsonhoward@gmail.com any time. Praying for you!

Henry
Henry
2 years ago

You should consider reaching out to the “Cultish” podcast. They’ve discussed groups as intense as the Manson family and as “tame” as Oneness pentecostals (which the Lord’s Recovery would be closer to). They seem to truly care about outreach and the facts and not sensationalizing things. Just a thought!

Todd Fishkind
Todd Fishkind
2 years ago
Reply to  Henry

Hi Henry – I think it’s a good idea. Of course, ever being mindful of libel laws, because the “RecoverY’ is a litigative monster. Having said that, I’d say go for it, if one is so led.

Bobbi Bonner
Bobbi Bonner
2 years ago

Thank you for this website! I am always searching for TRUTH, and when I see how easily we can be deceived it really disturbs me. I saw the offer for the free New Testament Recovery Version I was immediately curious about several things. I ordered it so that I could research it and what it was teaching people. (Suspicious of deception because it’s only the New Testament, and why wouldn’t you give away the entire Bible if you are winning souls to Christ??)

Research on this is tedious. The publishing company is Living Stream Ministry, but I could not find out much detail about them in my searches. I did notice that they touted themselves as the publishers of Watchman Nee’s books. I have the book by Watchman Nee entitled Spiritual Authority, and the publishers is Christian Fellowship Publishers. I was thoroughly confused. I smelled a rat but couldn’t find details.

Reading your testimony helped me tremendously, so thank you!! I’m still researching but you shed some light in many things.

I do still want to know how the people in Living Stream Ministry hijacked (or now lays claim to) Watchman Nee’s writings. Can you help me out here?? I have this one book of his (Spiritual Authority) and ordered another, but I’m still researching him as well. I know that the Set-Apart (Holy) Spirit within us will teach us and help with discernment. I would like your opinion on how his writings line up with Scripture… if you see any d red flags with Watchman Nee’s writings.

Thank you for your time!

Lead Guitar
Lead Guitar
2 years ago

The Recovery isn’t recovering anything. None of Lee’s exegesis is essential for salvation. Yet many in the Recovery claim they have “higher truths”.

I Cor 3:1-8 alone debunks following a single teacher in Christianity. The Recovery elevates a man well beyond scripture’s guidance on how to esteem them. Leadership doing this 25, 30, even 50 years seriously lack discretion. It is, literally, keeping an intermediary between believers and Christ Himself. And, scripture states judgment is not kind to those doing so. The Recovery is, at minimum, a sect – explicitly not acceptable in scripture.

It’s a ministry of “synonym theology”, e.g. “economy of God” is really the “Kingdom of God” with a Lee twist to it. The latter is, by far, more established in scripture and lacks nothing Lee says with respect to the former. In fact, the latter is more expansive. There are more, space not permitting.

They also claim their seven headquarters-delivered assemblies are delivering “God’s up-to-date speaking”. This further establishes intermediaries between believers and Christ Himself. There should be EXPLICIT guidance to Christ, but EVERYTHING is through a Lee publication.

You don’t buy the Lee Kool-Aid? Then, watch associations and fellowship with you drop off. This moves it from sect to cult (unless you don’t really care. However, anyone in the Recovery long is very impressionable, thus will suffer for the relationship severances.

It’s a sect at minimum. And, in practice a cult.

It’s full of members who have no personal testimony with the Lord yet there for decades. They all parrot Lee statements, many in the same vocal tone and inflection as if they’re robots.

The Lord meets people where they’re at. He’s taught me some things through it, but then was real sharp to get out of it.

Lead Guitar
Lead Guitar
2 years ago
Reply to  Lead Guitar

Last comment, history shows what happens with groups following charismatic leaders. None of them turn out well.