Category: God’s Government, Authority, and Leadership
God’s desire is to head up all things in Christ (Eph. 1:10). In His plan the church as the Body takes the lead to be headed up in Christ by its members holding … Continue reading Caring for Both the Headship of Christ and the Fellowship of the Body
Recently the promotion of the independence, or autonomy, of a local church’s administration has reemerged. This mistaken concept is not new. For example, in the late 1980s some brothers pointed to earlier published … Continue reading No Thought of Independence in the Bible
Some have taught that any fellowship or intervention by the apostles or any fellowship of concern from other local churches is improper interference in a church’s local administration; this has no basis in … Continue reading Genuine Local Churches, Part 1 – Neither Autonomous nor Independent
The teaching of the autonomy of the local churches claims that apostles who touch the affairs of a local church improperly interfere in that church’s local administration. This error, which was covered in … Continue reading Genuine Local Churches, Part 2 – Following the Teaching and Leading of the Apostles
Isaiah 28:13a contains an important principle in knowing the revelation of the Bible. It shows that any truth in the Bible cannot be understood from a single passage. As Witness Lee explained: It … Continue reading Being Faithful to Our Brothers’ Complete Ministry Concerning the Practice of the Church (1)
A different teaching has recently been circulated that says that those who function as apostles have no standing to touch the administration of a local church. To buttress that claim the following quote … Continue reading Being Faithful to Our Brothers’ Complete Ministry Concerning the Practice of the Church (2)
Words have power. On the one hand, they are the means by which God has chosen to communicate His self-revelation, the Bible, to man (Heb. 1:1, 3; 2 Pet. 1:21), the means by … Continue reading On ‘Independent’ Administration
Whenever we seek to understand a truth from the Bible, we must take care of the principle of “here a little, there a little” (Isa. 28:10) and of caring for, but not being … Continue reading A Historical Sketch of the Ministry’s Teaching on the Practice of the Church and Its Administration
The Lord’s Concept of Leadership Versus Man’s Concept In this three-part series we will examine the matter of leadership among the local churches in the Lord’s recovery and how it conforms to the … Continue reading Leadership in the Lord’s Recovery, Part 1: The Lord’s Concept of Leadership versus Man’s Concept
In the previous article we saw that man’s concept of leadership and authority is directly opposite to the Lord’s concept. For the natural man leadership is an organizational, hierarchical, and prestigious matter. However, … Continue reading Leadership in the Lord’s Recovery, Part 2: The Biblical Pattern of Leadership
As we have seen, God’s intention is that He, the unique source of authority, would lead His people directly. No person, organization, or system should usurp God’s leadership over His people, which … Continue reading Leadership in the Lord’s Recovery, Part 3: Applying the Biblical Pattern of Leadership
The elders in a local church must deal with all kinds of issues, including complicated situations involving the saints. A great temptation the elders face is becoming entangled in determinations of right and … Continue reading The Elders Avoiding Entanglement in Right and Wrong
From time to time those who bear responsibility in the administration of a church must exercise a measure of discipline toward unruly members. The exercise of discipline takes as its goals restoring the … Continue reading Properly Representing the Lord in the Exercise of Discipline
God desires to establish His kingdom on the earth through a group of people who stand against all forms of rebellion and come absolutely under His authority. Establishing God’s authority over the earth … Continue reading Authority and Fellowship
Every truth in the Bible has two sides that must be held in balance. This fact reflects the natural law in God’s creation, as Brother Witness Lee explained: According to the natural law … Continue reading A Balanced View of the Elders’ Authority
God has two complementary systems—a system of government and a system of grace— through which He accomplishes His eternal economy. A proper understanding of these two systems and how they interrelate yields great … Continue reading God’s Government and God’s Grace
Who has the authority to appoint and remove elders? According to the New Testament, apostles, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, have the authority to appoint elders in the churches (Acts 14:23; Titus … Continue reading Questions and Answers about Apostles and Co-workers
By misrepresenting Witness Lee’s teaching concerning Noah and his three sons, some have falsely claimed that he justified covering up gross sins, particularly if the sinning one occupies a position of authority. Any … Continue reading Covering, Not Covering Up
Spiritual Authority, a book translated and published by Stephen Kaung, became popular among Western believers in the early 1970s. Since then it has been misused by some to assert themselves as authorities and … Continue reading Spiritual Authority and Its Misuse
Because the matter of deputy authority has been misrepresented and maligned, the following questions and answers seek to clarify what it is, what it is not, and the principles that govern it. Is … Continue reading Some Questions and Answers Regarding Deputy Authority