Don’t look into it. Don’t get into your mind. It’s just negative talk. This is the work of the enemy. This is just divisive speech. It will poison you. It is of the flesh. It is dangerous. It is death. You don’t need such things. You don’t need garbage in your life.
Anyone who has been in The Lord’s Recovery for any significant amount of time must surely be familiar with such words. Whenever there is controversy or strife, there is a good chance you will hear these words repeated several times by several people. The “co-workers,” the elders, the full-timers, and other saints will seemingly be of one mind in their speech. But what exactly are they referring to?
They are referring to the testimony of those who have been hurt by The Lord’s Recovery. It is the testimony of those who have found fault in the teachings of Witness Lee and, subsequently, the particular teachings, doctrines, and practices of the denomination known as The Lord’s Recovery (a.k.a. “The Local Churches”). You may know them by a particular name in a particular city. The Church in Anaheim. The Church in Boston. The Church in Irving. The Church in San Antonio. If you find a church with such a name that is devoted to the teachings of Witness Lee, you have likely found The Lord’s Recovery.
Whether you are in it or have left it or have never encountered it, this website aims to catalog as much information as possible regarding the history of conflict within and without The Lord’s Recovery. For those who are in it, this is an opportunity to see both sides of each story and put it into earnest prayer. For those who have left, this is an opportunity to realize that you are not alone. You are not alone in your concerns and fears and the pain of isolation. You are not the only one who was afraid to speak up and express themselves due to being seen as “negative” and “fleshy” and “in your mind” and “divisive.” Either way, this may be painful. For those who are in it, this may reek of “death” because it will include testimonies from those who speak against the doctrines and practices found in Witness Lee’s writings and in The Lord’s Recovery. For those who are not in it anymore, this is just as likely to bring you some peace as it is to reopen old wounds. For those who have never had any experiences with The Lord’s Recovery, this will certainly be a very odd chance encounter.
My hope is to provide as much information as possible regarding several events and conflicts throughout the history of the Local Churches. I hope to bring the words spoken against this denomination as well as the words this group has spoken in its own defense. During my time in The Lord’s Recovery, I found that the leaders would often point us to the defenses they or other groups would present so eagerly to prove that they were not nefarious while they would almost always paint the other side as agents of Satan who do not deserve to be heard. As far as they were concerned, the only possible reason someone would speak against the Local Churches is because they “took it out of context” and only wished to speak against God and destroy what he has built. It was always just another disgruntled soul who was out to “get” them and call them a cult. We were not to heed their words or consider their testimony. It was never a genuine experience with legitimate doctrinal, emotional, psychological, and spiritual concerns.
Those real concerns and experiences will be shared here as long as I am able. Then, perhaps, we will be better able to judge a righteous judgement. May the Lord give us understanding through his commands. May his word be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. May he give us strength to keep his righteous judgements. Though we be afflicted, he will be our strength, according to what he has spoken. May he accept the offerings of our lips and teach us his judgements, for our lives are in his hands.
Sincerely, A Curious Fellow
The Curious Fellows 