Hymn  824

Scripture Reading:

2 Tim. 1:13-14     Hold a pattern of the healthy words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

2 Tim. 3:16-17  All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

THE AUTHENTICITY OF LOCAL CHURCH FAITH AFFIRMED AND APPRECIATED
BY MANY PROMINENT CHRISTIAN SCHOLARS WORLDWIDE

  1. The conclusion of Fuller Theological Seminary that the teachings and practices of the local churches and its members represent the genuine, historical, biblical Christian faith in every essential aspect. In regard to their teaching and testimony concerning God, the Trinity, the person and work of Christ, the Bible, salvation, and the oneness and unity of the Church, the Body of Christ, we found them to be unequivocally orthodox.  Consequently, we are easily and comfortably able to receive them as genuine believers and fellow members of the Body of Christ, and unreservedly recommends that all Christian believers likewise extend to them the right hand of fellowship. (Fuller Theological Seminary – One of the largest multidenominational seminaries in the world.)
  2. The local churches are an authentic expression of New Testament Christianity. Moreover, as a group forged in the cauldron of persecution, it has much to offer Western Christianity. In sum, along with Christians from a broad range of persuasions, the local churches are dedicated to both proper doctrine (orthodoxy) and proper practice (orthopraxy). As such, they march by the maxim, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity.” (Hank Hanegraaff, the President of Christian Research Institute, the largest apologetics ministry in the world.)
  3. The brief statement of faith that the “local churches” and Living Stream Ministry (LSM) have prepared for this response to the “Open Letter to the Leadership of Living Stream Ministry and the ‘Local Churches’” published in 2007. I find it to be thoroughly consistent with historic, orthodox Christian theology in all of its affirmations. Indeed, it is far more explicit and astute in its orthodoxy than what one normally encounters in statements of faith. (Elliot Miller, the Chief Editor of Christian Research Journal.)
  4. The Local Church stands in the tradition of evangelical Christianity, of the Protestant emphasis on biblical authority, of the great Christian mystics’ and pietists’ concern for the inner life, of the millennia-old expectation of a new age, and of born-again, experiential religion. (Edwin S. Gaustad, Professor of History and Religious Studies at the University of California, Riverside)
  5. I continue to pray that the larger evangelical community in this country and elsewhere will come to realize that the deep biblical commitments and Christian orthodoxy of our influential Chinese brothers/teachers [Watchman Nee and Witness Lee] should be appreciated rather than maligned. (Peter Kuzmic, the foremost evangelical scholar in Eastern Europe)

 

Links:

1. A Brief Affirmation of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yGNE03X9Ac

2. Christian Students – is it a cult? Hank Hanegraaff answers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ6GUTbkHkE&feature=youtu.be

3. Voices of Confirmation Concerning Watchman Nee, Witness Lee & the Local Churches:

http://www.contendingforthefaith.org/eBooks/Voices%20of%20Confirmation.pdf

4. We were wrong PDF:

http://www.equip.org/christian-research-journal/we-were-wrong-2/

5. An open letter:

http://an-open-letter.org/