1Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
The following is taken in part from a 1984 copy of the SCP
\n\t\t\t\tNewsletter. Please note that the source of this material has a
\n\t\t\t\tdecided (negative) bias against the Local Church.<\/p>\n
| Date<\/b><\/td>\n | Controversy With<\/b><\/td>\n | Controversy Over<\/b><\/td>\n | What The Local Church Did<\/b><\/td>\n | Outcome<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n| 1966<\/b><\/td>\n | Members of the Little Flock Church at Shuman | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tReservoir, Taiwan.<\/td>\n Church property. In this rural church, the elders | \n\t\t\t\t\t\twelcomed as Bible teachers persons previously \n\t\t\t\t\t\texcommunicated by Witness Lee in Taipei. A church split \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfollowed, and control of church property became an \n\t\t\t\t\t\tissue.<\/td>\n Followers of Witness Lee from out of town staged a | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsit-in in the church building and threatened to "take \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe next step" if the keys to the building were not \n\t\t\t\t\t\tgiven to them.<\/td>\n Approximately 90 church members reluctantly gave up | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe church property to approximately 10 of Lee's \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfollowers. [Note: Two out of the three persons listed on \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe title as owners of the building were sympathetic to \n\t\t\t\t\t\tWitness Lee].<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1971<\/b><\/td>\n | Believers in Church Assembly Hall, Hong Kong<\/td>\n | Ownership of church property on Observatory Road in | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tHong Kong. The church was split over this.<\/td>\n Church members sympathetic to Witness Lee filed a | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tlawsuit against other members.<\/td>\n Out of court settlement. Property went to followers | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tof Witness Lee.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1973<\/b><\/td>\n | Christian Literature Crusade. Fort Washington, PA.<\/td>\n | Alleged inaccuracies in The Ecclesiology of | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tWatchman Nee and Witness Lee<\/i> by James Mo-oi Cheung.<\/td>\n Threatened to sue Christian Literature Crusade.<\/td>\n | CLC recalled books, apologized to Witness Lee, | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tagreed not to publish revised edition.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1977<\/b><\/td>\n | Dr. Walter Martin, Founder and Director, Christian | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tResearch Institute. San Juan Capistrano, CA.<\/td>\n Criticism of Witness Lee and The Local Church in | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tpublic lectures.<\/td>\n Lawsuit threatened by The Local Church.<\/td>\n | Threat ignored. No legal action taken.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | 1977<\/b><\/td>\n | Maranatha Village. Santa Ana, CA.<\/td>\n | Sale of The Mind Benders<\/i>, a book critical of | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Local Church.<\/td>\n Requests made by men identifying themselves as Local | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tChurch members that Maranatha Village refrain from \n\t\t\t\t\t\tselling the book. Persons placed Local Church tracts in \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe books racks.<\/td>\n Store continued to sell the book. Employees removed | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tLocal Church tracts from book racks.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1978<\/b><\/td>\n | Believers in The Church in Denver. Denver, Colorado.<\/td>\n | Ownership of church property in Denver. The church | \n\t\t\t\t\t\twas split over this.<\/td>\n Church members sympathetic to Witness Lee filed a | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tlawsuit against other members.<\/td>\n Out of court settlement. Property went to Witness | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tLee's followers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1978<\/b><\/td>\n | Lighthouse Christian Store. Long Beach, CA<\/td>\n | Sale of The Mind Benders<\/i> in the store.<\/td>\n | Local Church members requested that the book be | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tremoved from the bookshelves.<\/td>\n Bookstore refused to remove the book from | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbookshelves.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1979<\/b><\/td>\n | Christian Herald Books, publisher. Dr. Ronald | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroth, author.<\/td>\n Mention of The Local Church in The Lure of the | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tCults<\/i> by Dr. Ronald Enroth.<\/td>\n Lawsuit threatened by The Local Church.<\/td>\n | Without consulting the author, the publisher removed | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tall references to The Local Church in a revised edition.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1979<\/b><\/td>\n | Nelson Publishers. Nashville, TN; Dr. Jack Sparks, | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tauthor.<\/td>\n The Mind Benders,<\/i> a book examining cults | \n\t\t\t\t\t\twhich included a chapter on The Local Church.<\/td>\n Filed four separate lawsuits simultaneously in | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tAnaheim, Dallas, Atlanta and Cleveland for $37 million.<\/td>\n Settled out of court with the publisher issuing a | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tretraction and ceasing distribution of the book - the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tauthor making no apology or retraction. Media reports \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthat The Local Church received $150,000 in settlement. \n\t\t\t\t\t\tEstimates are that over one million dollars was expended \n\t\t\t\t\t\tin litigation costs before settlement.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1979<\/b><\/td>\n | Daniel Smith, former missionary with China Inland | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tMission; pastor; Bible teacher. Vancouver, B.C., Canada<\/td>\n Comments critical of The Local Church in Pilgrim | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tof the Heavenly Way,<\/i> Smith's self-published \n\t\t\t\t\t\tautobiography.<\/td>\n The Local Church sent one of their leaders to Canada | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tasking that the book be retracted - "half threatening \n\t\t\t\t\t\tme," according to Smith.<\/td>\n Author rewrote 1 1\/2 pages of the book, pasting | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tpages of new text over the old. He was not contacted \n\t\t\t\t\t\tagain.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1979<\/b><\/td>\n | Schwengeler-Verlag, publishers. Switzerland. Neil T. | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tDuddy and Spiritual Counterfeits Project, authors. \n\t\t\t\t\t\tBerkeley, CA<\/td>\n Die Sonder Lehre Des Witness Lee Und Seiner | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tOrtsgemeinde,<\/i> a book examining The Local Church, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tpublished in the German language, written by SCP \n\t\t\t\t\t\tresearchers.<\/td>\n Filed lawsuit in a Swiss court to stop distribution | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tof the book.<\/td>\n Dismissed by Swiss court because improper plaintiff | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbrought suit. Appealed by The Local Church but dismissal \n\t\t\t\t\t\twas upheld by higher court.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1979<\/b><\/td>\n | Dr. James Bjornstad, author. Counterfeits at Your | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tDoor.<\/i> Regal Books, publisher. Glendale, CA.<\/td>\n Mention of The Local Church in Counterfeits at | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tYour Door.<\/i><\/td>\n Dr. Bjornstad was threatened with a lawsuit by Local | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tChurch elders who wanted the book taken off the market.<\/td>\n Threat ignored. No legal action taken.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | 1980<\/b><\/td>\n | Moody Press. Moody Bible Institute. George Sweeting, | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tpresident and editor-in-chief. Chicago, IL<\/td>\n The July\/August 1979 issue of Moody Monthly<\/i> | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tmagazine which briefly critiqued The Local Church in a \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfeature article, "A Catalogue of cults: Where they stand \n\t\t\t\t\t\ton the Deity of Christ." Prior to this, Local Church \n\t\t\t\t\t\tmembers had come onto the Moody Bible Institute campus \n\t\t\t\t\t\tshouting "Babylon is falling, Moody is crumbling, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tMoody's going to burn!"<\/td>\n Filed a $4.8 million lawsuit in Orange County, | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia against Moody Press, Moody Bible Institute, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tand George Sweeting.<\/td>\n Settled out of court. Moody Monthly<\/i> made no | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tretraction, but did agree to delete mention of The Local \n\t\t\t\t\t\tChurch in the reprint of the popular article.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1980<\/b><\/td>\n | Mr. Salem Kirban, author. Salem Kirban, Inc., | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tpublisher. Huntingdon Valley, PA<\/td>\n A chapter on The Local Church in Satan's Angels | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tExposed<\/i> by Salem Kirban.<\/td>\n Representatives of The Local Church visited Salem | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tKirban, asking him to omit the chapter in subsequent \n\t\t\t\t\t\teditions, reminding him that they were suing Thomas \n\t\t\t\t\t\tNelson over The Mind Benders.<\/i><\/td>\n Chapter on The Local Church was omitted from | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsubsequent editions. Nothing further was heard from The \n\t\t\t\t\t\tLocal Church.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1980<\/b><\/td>\n | Eternity<\/i> magazine. Philadelphia, PA; Dr. | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tRonald Enroth, author.<\/td>\n Mention of Witness Lee in an article entitled "The | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tPower Abusers" by Dr. Enroth, Eternity,<\/i> October, \n\t\t\t\t\t\t1979.<\/td>\n Four Local Church elders visited Eternity<\/i> | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tofficials and raised the possibility of legal action if \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcertain demands were not met.<\/td>\n As a result of this coercive action, The Local | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tChurch was allowed to place a statement in the October \n\t\t\t\t\t\t1980 issue of Eternity<\/i> explaining their faith and \n\t\t\t\t\t\tpractices.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1980<\/b><\/td>\n | Media Spotlight Ministries, Santa Ana, CA<\/td>\n | Critique of The Local Church in Media Spotlight<\/i> | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tmagazine, Vol. 3, No. 2 (April - July, 1980)<\/td>\n Lawsuit threatened by The Local Church.<\/td>\n | Threat ignored. Editor and publisher Al Dager | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcontinued to comment on the group in a later issue. No \n\t\t\t\t\t\tlegal action taken.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1980<\/b><\/td>\n | Neil T. Duddy and the Spiritual Counterfeits | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tProject, authors. Berkeley, CA; Schwengeler-Verlag, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tpublishers. Switzerland<\/td>\n Die Sonder Lehre Des Witness Lee Und Seiner | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tOrtsgemeinde,<\/i> a book examining The Local Church, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tpublished in the German language, written by SCP \n\t\t\t\t\t\tresearchers.<\/td>\n Lawsuit filed by The Local Church in Oakland, | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia. (Note: a similar lawsuit against SCP was \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfiled earlier in Switzerland).<\/td>\n SCP forced into bankruptcy. Resulted in a default | \n\t\t\t\t\t\truling against SCP.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 1981<\/b><\/td>\n | A Christian book distribution firm. New Zealand.<\/td>\n | Distribution of The Mind Benders,<\/i> a book | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcriticizing The Local church.<\/td>\n Lawsuit threatened by The Local Church.<\/td>\n | Reported in New Zealand Truth<\/i> newspaper, 23 | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tJune 1981, page 10. Outcome unknown.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n October, 1983<\/b><\/td>\n | InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) chapter at | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSan Francisco State University. San Francisco, CA<\/td>\n Criticism of the local church on campus. A student | \n\t\t\t\t\t\tleader in the IVCF chapter at SF State conducted a \n\t\t\t\t\t\tseminar on cults for students. In the one session \n\t\t\t\t\t\texamining the local churches, the student leader \n\t\t\t\t\t\treferred to the group as a cult. Approximately five \n\t\t\t\t\t\tstudents attended the session - and approximately six \n\t\t\t\t\t\tlocal church members sat in to observe.<\/td>\n Christian Students, a local church campus | \n\t\t\t\t\t\torganization, charged IVCF with spreading false \n\t\t\t\t\t\taccusations and rumors about them based on The \n\t\t\t\t\t\tGod-Men,<\/i> which is published by InterVarsity Press. \n\t\t\t\t\t\tNotices were placed by The Christian Students in two \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcampus newspapers announcing four public meetings in \n\t\t\t\t\t\twhich they would detail their grievances.<\/td>\n Unknown.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n | [@more@]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 1Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? The following is taken in part from a 1984 copy of the SCP Newsletter. Please note that the … Continue reading |