Local churches

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Christianity in China portal

The local churches (one-city, one-church) (Chinese: 地方教會) is a Christian sect based on the teachings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, and associated with the Living Stream Ministry publishing house.^[1][2] The sect's members see themselves as part of God's move to recover lost truths and experiences and practices from the Bible – part of what they sometimes call "the Lord's recovery". One of the defining features of the local churches is their adherence to their interpretation of the Bible that all of the Christians in a city or locality are in a local church. The sect consists of the Living Stream Ministry publishing house's officially recognized collection of local churches. Many of the churches incorporate and refer to themselves as "The Church in -insert-locality-" (eg. The Church in Corinth, The Church in Ephesus, and likewise).

The sect began in China some time after Watchman Nee (倪柝聲) became a Christian in 1920. Between 1920 and 1952 Watchman Nee established local churches throughout mainland China. Watchman Nee was imprisoned by the People's Republic of China in 1952. It is asserted by the Living Stream Ministry that before his imprisonment, Watchman Nee asked Witness Lee to go to Taiwan in 1948 in the event that the Communists took over so that their work would not be lost inside China. In 1962 Witness Lee moved to California. Local churches are now spread throughout the world: in the United States, the far East, Europe, Russia, South America, Africa and the Middle East.^[3]

The name "local churches"

The term local churches was originally used by Watchman Nee to describe Christian churches that form based upon the teaching of the ground of oneness, meeting in many localities;^[4] however, its use to refer to any individual Christian congregation in a city has become more popular in recent years. Wathcman Nee's version of the local church began in Foochow (福州), China c. 1922; and after the Communist takeover of China in 1949 was propagated outside of China by Nee's co-worker Witness Lee (李常受, 1905-1997). The local churches have deliberately avoided incorporation into a single entity, based on their belief that the Christian Church is not an organization, but rather a living spiritual organism.^[5] However, as is likely the case when any sect refuses or fails to name itself, the local churches have come to be labeled by outsiders as "The Local Church", or the "The Little Flock" ("小群"教會).^[6] The original "Little Flock" designation stems from a hymnal used by many of the local churches in China titled "Hymns for the Little Flock."^[7]

While the local churches are called "The Local Church" by outsiders, the churches repudiate this and any name or label used to designate them, as taking a name would cause them to practice "denominationalism", which the group is opposed to. The Christian members who meet as the local churches often believe that to "denominate" themselves by taking a name is tantamount to denying the name of Christ and committing spiritual fornication. Nee taught that all genuine Christian believers in their city comprise the local church in that city. ^[8] However, some assemblies label the meeting hall as, "The Church in _____", indicating that only they are the church in that city. So confusion arises in practice and that label raises the ire of some other Christian churches. Thus, not only to help dispel this confusion but also, all the more, to adhere to the proper scriptural understanding of a local church, some assemblies phrase the identifying sign with the expression "Meeting Hall [or meeting place] of the Church in _____". This indicates that the physical building at that address is not in fact the church itself but rather only a place where the church in that city gathers for corporate meetings (Acts 14:27; 1 Corinthians 14:23), the church itself being spiritual and organic in nature (Ephesians 2:21-22). It is said that that assembly meets "as the church for the church", that is, they gather (not only at that particular site but anywhere that is convenient) on behalf of all genuine believers in that city.

Outsiders, on the other hand, find it difficult to refer to a religious sect that has no official name and have given the local churches the moniker "The Local Church" for convenience and consistency of reference. Individual local churches are referred to by the name of their respective cities (e.g. "the church in San Francisco", "the church in Taipei" (台北市召會)). Those in the local churches insist that these are not official names, but refer to the New Testament model, pattern and practice of one church in one city (e.g. "the church in Jerusalem", "the church in Antioch"). Some churches have multiple assemblies in a single city, but while they may refer to different assemblies commonly as the church in (city name), each individual assembly location is referred to by their meeting hall (e.g. Hall 1 or Hall 2).^[9]

Chinese language lacks capitalization and plural form while Chinese terms of Christianity were all translated from other languages. It is, technically, more difficult for Chinese-speakers to refer to their churches. In the beginning the standard Mandarin term "church" (教會) was used. But in recent years, the original Greek term "ekklesia" (召會) which is a new Chinese word coined by themselves is being adopted. To strangers, many would just call their church buildings "Meeting Halls" (聚會所) or "Assembly Halls". Many members of the local churches do, however, refer to their sect as: the Lord's recovery (主的恢復) which they believe refers to God's move in time which produced the present practice of the local churches; the church life which refers to the corporate experience of enjoying Christ as the believers' life and living; the Church which refers only to "the one true Church", but often also to their particular practice of the local church as is revealed in the New Testament, specifically in Acts and the Epistles; and the local churches (plural) which is a description of how they see themselves.^[10]

Meetings

According to Watchman Nee a local church should have at least four types of meetings: the Lord's Table meeting, the Bible study meeting, the gospel preaching meeting and the prayer meeting.^[11]

Lord's Table Meeting (Sunday Service)

At the "Lord's Table meeting or Lord's Day meeting"^[12] the unleavened bread is broken and wine or grape juice is shared while the attendees sing and pray and share their enjoyment of Christ.^[13].^{[citation needed]}

Bible study meeting

Each local church holds Bible study meetings once or twice each week.^[14] These may take place in private homes. The topic of study may be a Biblical passage, book, or subject. Some times a few selected verses, Recovery Version footnotes, or portions of a Living Stream Ministry publication are pray-read^[15]. Members share their enjoyment of Christ, Biblical truths, and their experience supporting the subject being covered. Writings from other Christian writings not published by the Living Stream Ministry are discouraged due to a lack of clarity, oneness with the ministry and possible "poisonous" influences in their writings.

Gospel meeting

Unbelievers in the community are invited to attend gospel meetings by church members who sometimes hand out printed invitations while going 'door-to-door'. The church members are encouraged to join the gospel meetings^[16] to share their testimonies, sing hymns, and invite people to "call on the name of the Lord" and be baptized. Gospel meetings may not be held on a weekly basis.^{[citation needed]}

The prayer meeting

Sometimes a local church may have a separate weekly meeting to pray. However some local churches consider all meetings as meetings in which they pray or pray-read.^{[citation needed]}

The Lord's Day morning meeting

Some confusion arises with regard to the Lord's Day morning meeting. Due to the practice of "going to church" on Sunday morning, many local churches practice having a meeting for ministering the Word on Sunday morning. This meeting however is not strictly speaking a "church meeting" but rather a "ministry meeting", that is, the responsibility and content of this meeting is determined and carried out by the co-workers rather than the church elders, the difference being somewhat superficial and confusing because in many cases they are one and the same.^[17]

Church Polity

Ecclesiastical polity generally follows in the line of presbytery with key differences in the appointment of elders and their relationships among congregations. Teaching that only apostles appoint an elder is emphasized by the group, based upon their interpreted beliefs of teachings of the Apostle Paul in the first century.^[18] As the congregations follow the expositions of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, details of Local Church ecclesiastical polity can be found in writings such as Further Talks on the Church Life, The Normal Christian Church Life, and Authority and Submission among others written by Watchman Nee.

Semi-annual international trainings for “Elders and Responsible Ones” are hosted by The Living Stream Ministry. The objective of these trainings are to facilitate coordination between co-workers and elders as well as to provide specific ministry considered to be vital to the advancement of the spiritual life of the individuals participating as well as their respective congregations. As with all trainings attendees must agree not to disagree as a prerequisite to attendance. In studying the history of different movements in church history,^[19] the local church's polity has been influenced mostly from the practice and government of the Plymouth Brethren in style and expression.^{[citation needed]}

Practices

The beliefs, practices and worship of the local churches follow the puritan form, and in their relatively short history have experienced turbulences (positive and negative) similar to those that have passed through Puritanism since the Protestant reformation.

Baptism

A baptism may be held after the 'Lord's Table Meeting' (Sunday service) or gospel meetings. The place of baptism depends: you can do it in a lake; you can do it in a pool; or simply in a bathtub. Candidates, those who profess faith in Christ, are immersed. Apparently there are no age restrictions (though infant baptism is not practiced). Some members have been baptised repeatedly if they feel "oldness" creeping in. ^[20]

The role of women in the church

Women are accepted both in the church ministry and also to full participation in church worship. Female members take part in prophesying, prayers, testimonies, singing, and communion with their head covered with a doily. Female members do not lead meetings when a male member is present who is qualified for the same role. Also, female members do not teach over the congregation with authority.^[21] In the Recovery Version, the translation generally used by the believers in the local churches, one footnote for 1 Corinthians 14:34 reads:^[22]

"According to 1 Corinthians 11:5, women may prophesy (both in public and meetings), that is, (mainly) speak for the Lord and speak forth the Lord with their head covered, and Acts 2:17, 18 and 21:9 confirm that women did prophesy. However, they must do this under the covering of the brothers, because they are charged here to be subject. But 1 Tim 2:12 says that women are not permitted to teach, that is, teach as authorities (there, teaching is related to the exercising of authority), so as to define doctrine. Hence, according to the New Testament principle, for women not to be permitted to speak in the church meetings means that women are not permitted to teach with authority in relation to the defining of doctrine."

Controversy

References

See also

Christianity portal

• Watchman Nee
• Witness Lee
• Living Stream Ministry
• Recovery Version of the Bible
• Bibles for America

External links

• Official site
• Concerned Brothers Events & Perspectives Regarding Local Churches
• Hiding History in the Lord's Recovery Examiniation of the movement's history
• Making Straight the Way of the Lord Writings Addressing Crucial Issues in the Local Churches