i have been in the church life for decades, i know what you are struggling with, cause i have been beating myself up for many years, i tried hard to do "good" (according to my concept) & be a "good one," but at the end of the day, i failed miserably, Looking back ,i can see Gods wisdom , He causes everything work together to expose who i am, (yes, this is a long process ,i do have a lot of struggling, hurting from others or self afflicted wounds....my heart is heavy , confused, sad, speechless, but i refuse to leave the church life, bc i know that was the lie from Satan ) & i was constantly under the attack of the flaming darts. So I start to pray read the word ,bc i believe this is the only way to vs the flaming darts from the enemy . i dont know where i would be if i did not fight back with His word. i can testify that Gods saving power is in His word, i experience His mercy & compassion, like the rising sun visit me from on high.& i see myself in the light of God. what a wretched man that i am! its terrifying to know and accept myself in His light yet at the same time, a living hope, (the hope of glory )rises up within me thru this process, i realize that God is working Himself into me, He is making His home in my heart -( i heard about Eph.3:16-17 for a long time, but after "all these things", i have a little subj. experience of it,) the process is not pleasant, but it is necessary . otherwise i could not be an open vessel to receive His Grace and mercy. i really worship Him to give me this experience. u mentioned about being an overcomer is doing things for the Lord, but the source of all activities must be the Lord, anything , person, even spiritual thing replace Him will be failed. overcomers are people who simply love Him, even with a little power , we must love the Lord in order to have spiritual experience or bearing fruit , no one can enjoy the abundant of life if he doesn't love the Lord. Even our relationship with saints in the church life is base on the love in incorruptibility. Never center on doing things for the Lord . (Hymn: .give yourself to love the Lord, no other way is so prevailing, and no other way is so safe, so rich and so full of enjoyment. each morning we must rise up and say to Him, Lord Jesus i love you.)this is so true. May the Lord have mercy upon us,

Thank you, this videos means a lot to me🥹 I grew up in the local churches (Switzerland) and left at the age of 18.

Hi Ritz, thank you so much for your story. Thank you for discussing topics that are hard about the church. I left when I was young. It wasn’t easy at all. It was not a respectful and peaceful exit I was hoping for. I wish there were people like you around to show my I wasn’t alone on my journey. Thank you for truly understanding the challenges.

Thanks for sharing! If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck… 😂 yes, it’s a cult. Agreed that there is an extremely abundant life with God beyond the LC. Multiplied blessings for you and your house! ❤

Former “church kid” here. Got out as soon as I got my own car. I left with a blanket full of clothes 18 years ago. Saved myself. It’s amazing how many people don’t see it for what it is but it’s an insidious system of charm, manipulation, and programming. No one talks about this so thank you.

Thank you! I’m thankful I didn’t go further into that group than I did. It was only a few very confused years for me thankfully.. definitely faced severe depression, instability, and loss of identity after group bullying and slander by church kids and their parents and serving ones…… without any accountability or meaningful apology or amends. (Reaching out after a decade and acting like they couldn’t remember what they did with a half-apology isn’t accountability or integrity). Like all in life, not all was bad but overall a very difficult experience for me! My life would have never become what it is if I had remained under the spell and followed along with what was being done to me and said to me and about me behind closed doors especially given my heart for the group and the work at the time. I had to mourn those years and lost connections when I finally came to. I put in the work! I still do, just not in that way. I’m thankful I got away. I’m happy for you for finding God in yourself and being freed from the darkness, control, and abuse. It feels great to be liberated by the truth and to see through the lies and illusions and find love from within.

Thank you for speaking up for the LC church kids!

Thank you for sharing. You are genuine and speak from the heart. I remember around 1987 things started getting really weird in the Recovery. I would wake up in fear feeling I was trapped in a cult, but I would throw off those thoughts thinking they were of the Evil One. I was even an elder at the time. Slowly over a period of three years, I kept seeing and hearing things that troubled me. It took that long to get unbrainwashed. Then one day my wife and I got free. The straw that broke the camels back was when I saw Witness Lee stand up in the Pasadena conference in 1988 and speak evil against GH Lang and made a spiting action toward one of his books and then go on to say he was the only one, the oracle of God, the commander & chief, the deputy authority. There was only him, no one else. Then I saw in the elders trainings and meetings Witness Lee act fleshly and absolutely destroy others with his words. Then in the evening he would stand in front of the saints all nice. I knew then that he was not the man we thought he was. It broke my heart. Afterwards, I sensed the Lord tell me my devotion was mixed between Him and Lee and He was removing Lee from my devotion. I felt He said now I am to know Him apart from all the outward church, ministry stuff. It takes time to transition and rethink things. One of the first things was to know God as the Father instead of being an add on at the end of the Table. Blessings.

Thank you for having the courage to share your story. You are so right.

Wow, I grew up in this group and did all the things cause it made my mom happy but I never truly felt how those around me said they felt. So I never really felt like I fit in. I think it's important to stress that most of these people are just truly brainwashed and they are mostly good people. But I definitely agree with most of what you have said. Especially that part at the end. They always stressed to us how dating outside of the "Church Life" will just cause struggles and separate you from the Lord. It was frowned upon. It's really hard for me to fully separate myself just because I know so many people are good kind people that have become brainwashed by the teachings. I would say for the most part it is not the worst cult out there but it definitely works to separate you from the rest of the world. Most of my family is out now and my current bf and I also met through the meetings but we both felt the same way about all of it. We don't feel what everyone else feels. I would love to hear more of your experiences. I haven't heard of the terrible things that you have heard. I just know my experience.

I was in the church life from 2014-2019, and it’s a confusing experience cry because it really felt like I was part of this oh so special secret society that had all the answers. It could feel so euphoric. But I also was so mentally exhausted, drained, and hated myself because I compared myself to all the sisters that were so “perfect” in how they prayed, talked, and interacted with others. Probably the most insecure and depressed time of my life, and that’s saying a lot.

I grew up in this church from 1982-2000...my parents planted one of the churches. So happy i got out. Spent 17 years a hot mess....got saved 7 years ago...shortly after that i realized i grew up in a Christian cult like JWs or mormons. So happy im free from it all....i recently had to go to a funeral meeting at a local church...first time in 23 years being in one. My kids were so confused, my husband was so weirded out as we attend more spirit filled churches. I was sexually molested my a leading brother...he still attends im pretty sure. Sad i have 2 friends who still attend. One thinks im not a real Christian now because im not part of the LR. Thanks for speaking out. I hope you get to encounter the real Yeshua and be so free and at peace Sis.

I learn overcome negative circunstances rhanks to revelation got in the Church ....revelations that I never get anywhere else.....

Man I wish I can understand this group, I know people that started reading watchman nee books and just changed up, went to communal living, it came even to my baptist church, just overcome overcome overcome

I got involved with the LC back in 1969 in Los Angeles. Witness Lee used to come and speak often. From your testimony and reading the comments it sounds like it's even worse than when I was there.

I grew up as a church kid in this group. I sensed a bunch of red flags especially in my highschool years. They tried telling me that Myspace was evil and we should not use it. Also, I could not even talk to the girls in the group. Like they physically separated us. I just felt like something was off. Like I couldn't even watch a Harry Potter movie. The list goes on and on. Until I slowly started separating myself from them. All my family always tried to get me to go back. I go once in a while but I also am very cautious of what they try to teach me. I always analyze whatever teaching they try to teach. The constant amens also got pretty annoying. That I never practiced doing that. Inside my heart I knew something was off. I just think how people are controlled through fear is why so many people are inside that place and are just sheep. They cant think outside the box. Thanks for sharing this video.

I was in this group for about three or so years, I stopped kinda associating with them around 2020-2021 yet sometimes they still try to contact me. I joined at 18 when i was just starting out in college and was going through a bad breakup. they were there for me and it made me feel better about everything so i didn’t really think about it. Despite being there for a long time (and even being president of the club at my school) I never really acted the same way during the home or sunday meetings. I always found it to be kinda bizarre. But i mostly stayed for the food and the genuine kindness of the people. I can tell a lot of the “saints” mean well but don’t know any better, but some of the elders definitely are weird. They treat their kids like trash, limiting their freedom and acting like they’re their pets. I found out they’re a cult a couple years ago but i kept going and slowly started asking the people in my home group some questions and i had a feeling they knew what i was up to. But yeah, thanks for making this video, i’m starved for more videos and awareness on this group. We signed up so many students throughout the years and i regret it.

Your message is so well said, and I can tell you mean well when telling about your experience. I left the Recovery in 2019. I was also from Miami and am always shocked to hear about abuse in the church, but not surprised about it’s covert up.

This addresses main issue directly also, thanks so much for sharing. When I left the church I just resigned myself to "I'll be in the outer darkness, whatever". But even framing it like this has really harmed my walk with God, as I think that "why even bother, I won't be an overcomer anyways", and it has actually allowed me to justify to myself not even keeping a good relationship with the Lord. If this doctrine was not in my mind, it would not have created this defeatist attitude for me that's really hindered my spiritual growth. Thanks for sharing this, I really found this at the perfect time. May the Lord bless you and keep you sister. Our God is much greater than human concepts, human organizations and works always the best things for us.

hey, thanks for making this video. i've grown up in the lc ministry and currently questioning a lot of things and i really appreciate hearing your perspective and aligning it with things in my experience. i'm in college now but they have a college club here and most of the church folks that help with the club know my sister and family personally so i'm a little scared to, like, leave the bubble, it's like all i've ever known, you know? i always thought i was weird when they said if you went to college to never study religion, and how i didn't know about the cult accusations until i heard about them literally second hand from someone i go to college with. i really don't think my parents have friends outside of the church life and it worries me a lot. my sister is at the full time training right now and i feel like if i leave the church they'll all hate me. anyways i'm glad you got out and are happier now and i hope i can figure things out for myself

Thank you!!! I was always bothered by the overcomer thing too. So they say there’s only 144,00 that will make it!? As a little kid the math side of my brain would get so stressed out trying to figure out how many people were in the church and how insanely hard I would have to work to make it. It’s amazing to be free from all that dogma. All the best to you!!

Thank you for speaking out. I was I the local church in Vancouver in the seventies for about 4 years. The first red flag is when I brought a brother in the Lord to a few meetings. He was a very sad person who needed the love of other Christians. After several meetings the leading brother told me to not bring him again as "he was not good building material". Many other red flags appeared but somehow I wasn't discerning clearly what was really happening. I WAS SLOWLY...THEN QUICKLY LOSING THE ABILITY TO THINK FOR MYSELF!!! Thank God I left that placee. ..

My parents helped start the local church in Texas. It began in Denton TX and then really became big when everyone “migrated” to Houston. So much damage done to so many people. I left when I turned 18 back in 1980. Everything you are saying resonates so deeply with me. Stay strong!

It took me a while to get out but I did eventually. I can attest to the feeling of relief and of not feeling depressed all the time.

You are so great Sister for sharing 🎉

I am an outsider Christian and am unsettled by how little information there is about this cult. All of this stuff is very interesting. I hope one of you Ex LSM people make a documentary covering the history of all of this, and the heresy in the doctrine.

Thanks for speaking out. I also grew up in LC. There's so much harm being covered up by this group.

Maritza! Yes. Yes. Thank you. Im so glad you’ve found this freedom. And so sorry for any pain it’s caused you. I know this well. And Im here.

My friend told me the truth about the local church and told me to watch this video. His dad helped start the church. So thankful for my friend. I’m leaving

Thank you for sharing your testimony, sister.

Lord, make your home in my heart a little bit more today. That prayer every day will make you an overcomer. Lord, I love you. We always say: the overcomer is the one who falls seven times and gets up those seven times. Even if God Himself said that He is like a rich man who went far away and gave his good to His slaves expecting them to negotiate, He has given everything for us to fellowship with Him in His word. Every day He reminds us that he can come back to Him. I'm a church kid, also. And it makes me sad to see that some people didn't get it right enough to take care of young ones like you and me. As of my observations even amoung ourselves there's many who just don't get it, the teaching, who doesn't have the abilty to explain things, adress doubts, inner situations... fortunately I had the grace to have never experienced the things you say.... I don't even know what my point is... Just be open to the Lord, meet wherever is best for you.... but keep fellowship with Him always.

I’m still in the recovery but I’ve seen cult like behaviors and types of thinking. Hard to explain without sounding like I’m bashing them. But I started out in one city where they were full of the spirit and Christ’s life. They were a very exercised locality in that they loved to exercise their spirit and it was genuine. They really loved the Lord and loved the spirit. And I think that is why they were so full of Christ But even at this locality they had some problems with church life culture we could call it. For instance they had a sort of unspoken dress code where the sisters all wore long dresses and they looked like Mennonites or Amish people. Like these long dresses from what seemed to be like the 1970s era. This was in the early 2000’s mind you. In a way it was kind of ok with me because I felt like they were separated from the world in a way through that and I felt like maybe that was part of why they had so much Christ and the spirit. And maybe that’s true but it also could be looked at as pretty weird too. I thought it was cute though in a way that they all dressed the same. But I’m sure some of them felt horrible that they couldn’t dress how they wanted to because possibly they felt fearful to not conform Also I remember when I was attending with them I went to a college retreat (not through the local church, but literally a college retreat through my college at the time) to a Mennonite camp near the city I lived in and they were separatists and they all dressed like how they dressed in the local church in my locality and the similarities between them and the local church was kind of eerie to me Anyway because of this unspoken dress code some of them ended up attacking my older brother because he had an earring and he ended up stoping going to the meetings. There was also a family of new ones who started meeting with them and they chastised the middle school children in the family for wearing jeans because it was “too worldly.” The whole family ended up not attending anymore because of that. Which is pretty brutal Then after college I moved to another city and the church in this new city was really like kind of silently judgey. I never felt like they had much Christ as a whole and I felt like there was some weird hierarchy for position going on. I always just figured they were snobs because the city in that locality was very high class and rich and many of the people were jerks While attending there I went to a brothers meeting onetime. Just a meeting specifically for adult brothers and the whole time the leading elder of this locality was just bashing this particular brother (who wasn’t in attendance) because this brother recently got a divorce. I actually knew who the guy was even though the elder didn’t specifically call him out by name, but I knew who he was referring to. And this brother was a really nice guy and I knew him and talked to him a lot but it just didn’t work out with he and his wife and his wife ended up remarrying but this brother seemed hurt idk. Idk if they were thinking about excommunicating him but the leading elder was bashing him so hard I just was stunned. I heard later on that this elder brother kicked his own son out of his house because the son was getting into drugs and the son ended up being homeless for some time, maybe years idk. I had never experienced anything like that, it seemed like nothing but the exercise of the flesh in a public way. Like a pep rally almost. The energy in that brothers meeting was certainly not the spirit. Because of that I think that I realized that what goes on with the brothers behind the scenes is different than what goes on with he regular church members. Whatever that means or whatever that entails is just different. I think it has to do with a certain type of hierarchy thinking which is unique to the recovery and unique only to the leading brothers. Not many are privy to this atmosphere because not many are elders or leading ones. And maybe it depends on the righteousness of the leading ones. I have met many leading ones who are very loving and kind, but I’ve also met more than a few who are cold, dry, aloof, and who seem like they don’t care. You could open up your deepest darkest most depressing experiences (and I have at times) and they are just as cold and dry or worse political with you as before Anyway I’ve since moved to another locality that has more Christ and it’s better but I can see some problems with the hierarchy and elder issues come in. I think there’s been a lot of damage in certain localities due to ambition for position and control and there is a lot of weird social climbing and position vying that goes on In my current locality the brothers are too young to be elders in my personal opinion. They lack growth in life, experience in life in general, and experience in Christ’s life, and they lack broadness of heart. There are older brothers who seem to have much more growth in life but they are not acting as elders apparently because they want to take it easy idk But these young brothers are not qualified in my opinion. My elderly mother who has been in the recovery longer than they’ve been alive wanted to sign up to a training at the local hall but she was a few days late for registration and they said no she couldn’t sign up. This is an example of being too lawful and being too lawful can kill the spirit of other members. Ironically in their prayer meetings they constantly pray for more training attendees. Which is counterintuitive to restricting my mom from joining just because she was late. To keep the oneness I swallowed my anger about that situation Even now just thinking about that hurts me and makes me upset despite having forgiven them for it. Because it’s just so unnecessary and strict. So because she wasn’t on time you kill her opportunity to gain Christ because of your narrow mindedness and inability to bend your strictness? Anyway she has since gotten sick and is now too sick to attend meetings even. So that was her last opportunity to attend a training and they squashed it due to their lawfulness Another example of lawfulness was when we had a female family member show interest in attending a home meeting. This was in another location, but she didn’t drive so she needed a ride. She is very pretty btw. Two young brothers came to pick her up to drive her to the meeting but they saw how pretty she was and became lawful with themselves and turned around and left because they didn’t want to fall into temptation with her. She simply just wanted to go to a meeting but these brothers were too strict and killed the chance. She has not ever joined a meeting since then which has hurt our family Even though I’ve been in my current locality for five years there’s no fruit here. The young people attend out of obligation to their strict parents. Not because they enjoy the spirit or are stirred up to love the Lord. Compare that with the first locality I was talking about and despite their separatist dress code they loved the Lord so much and were so exercised in their spirit that their enjoyment was contagious. You couldn’t be around these people and not sense the spirit’s presence and you couldn’t help but notice how much they were enjoying the Lord. This was infectious to the young people and many of them caught fire for the Lord in that locality

Thank you for speaking out. I’m a church kid too and was in it for 21 years and always felt outcast and “rebellious” I now realize all the things I was told were negative things about me and damaging to the body are the things that actually saved me. I hope more people open their eyes and see that they are following the works of a dead man.

The fact that anyone feels as though they have to “leave” or “get out” is telling to me 😢

It makes me sad that these videos stopped.

Thanks for sharing your story

If you practice exercise your spirit you understand what is mean to overcome and let Christ live in you ,

I have absolutely zero regrets about leaving the church. My life outside the church has exceeded any expectations I could’ve had for myself. I’m so glad you’re enjoying your life now and have a burden lifted.

What’s amazing are all the former church kids coming together and letting the world know - What happened to us is not ok! We will not silence ourselves so this can continue. We will say what happened to us.

Heb 12:6-8 “For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives. It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom the father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all sons have become partakes, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” Matt 16:24-25 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his soul-life shall lose it; but whoever loses his soul-life for My sake shall find it”

My friend reported sexual abuse done to her and they said they would deal with it, but when she contacted them again, they didn't even know if the abuser was still in their position working with young people still. Instead of apologizing and making the effort to make sure everyone would be safe from the abuser, they lashed out at them, the victim. I hear things like this FAR too often. There needs to be some accountability in the LC. Honestly some of the elders have stepped over the line into criminal negligence.

I spent about 2 and a half years with this cult. At the beginning I was just glad that I had someone to guide me through being a christian. But there were always things I just felt were weird, wrong or inconsistent. I mever took too seriously to read their false prophet's stuff since I always saw it as illogical, but then I started learning what other denominations believed and saw they shared some stuff with others, but the others were "corrupt". They seem to believe basically what John MacArthur believes, but they'll never know that since they're so closed minded.

I’m sorry to see people invalidate your experience by telling you their own personal world view and beliefs. It’s gas-lighting and it’s all they know but it’s not right. I was raised in it too. Same experiences. I’ve had to do a lot of therapy to undo the indoctrination that my body and mind couldn’t be trusted. There’s so much I had to unlearn. They controlled us with fear. It’s not right. We don’t have to explain ourselves to them or anyone. You can trust yourself.

Thanks for sharing this. My childhood friend group and high school boyfriend were a part of LSM, so for over a decade I was in close contact with LSM. My experiences with LSM have been deeply traumatising (e.g. so many cover-ups, including within my own relationship; I was critiqued for going to college to study theology because it was "exercising my mind" when I should've been "exercising my spirit"; being seen as a threat because I spoke out against many of the harmful teachings of LSM, particularly in regards to the all-male leadership; I was repeatedly told I was separating my ex from the Lord because I wasn't in the Church Life and he was dating me.) There is so much shit there, and I hope that at some point there will be more public writing/a documentary on LSM. Thanks for speaking out- it takes tremendous courage.

Thank you for being brave!

God bless you

Will I lose salvation if I decide to leave this church? How true is my salvation if I got baptized in this church? These are my biggest fears

No where in the word of God does it state that believers will be placed in “outer darkness” because they are not ready. It’s never sat well with me because it is what that Catholic Church refer to as purgatory which is false doctrine.

Can you please, please do a video on Proper separation as a kid? I grew up with it. You know Separation with boys and girls growing up. I feel that we had to go threw that and by the time we went grew up it was like being Thrown to the wolves, not knowing how to act around the opposite sex. We are told that after we grow up and go threw full time training they will teach you how to date. You need to know how to be around the o. Sex when your young NOT when your older.

I was 8 when we came in the Church in Houston in 73.

I was never in the Local Church movement. My brother and sister in law were in it for about 20 years, but they left. My big beef against that group was their litigious nature. They took their critics to court and shook them down for money. I had a huge problem with that. Anyway, I'm only wondering about one thing. You mentioned divine punishment. Do you believe that Hell is eternal? Because Jesus clearly taught us that it is.

Thank you for sharing your experience. My dad was an elder and made many mistakes but I know he believed he was following the Lord- even when the church 100% came before spending time with his three kids, going to their games, etc. Almost every vacation we ever took centered around a church event. Sadly, my dad truly believed in spiritual authority and never stood up to a controlling and likely sociopathic fellow elder- who was so bad the leaders eventually kicked him out. I can’t help but think of the trauma that would have been avoided if my dad had stood up to him. My dad worked full time for a wealthy person in the LC, and practically full time as an elder- without pay. He was without a doubt overworked and he died at 46 from a heart attack. He was hardly overweight and had been going to the gym- I can’t imagine how stress was not a factor in his death. I’ve seen so much trauma from this group, unethical influence techniques, and many behaviors that qualify a group as being a cult. The mental gymnastics you have to inflict on yourself to submit to many of these unqualified and delusional male leaders seems impossibly toxic and opposite of what feels healthy. Those self appointed speakers for God are in such a bubble-they don’t have a clue about what real leadership is. They are just sheepdogs keeping the herds in line. And life IS extremely hard after leaving bc they indoctrinated us so much in learned helplessness and dependency. It’s not Satan coming to get us. It’s the fact that many of us were emotionally stunted and unprepared for the real world. But she is right, those men are not God. “They replaced God with those guys.” My life is infinitely better without the local church teachings and misguided practices. If you are questioning, please use your God given intelligence and look up something called the BITE model. Learn what unethical influence is. Steve Hassan is a good resource- www.freedomofmind.com Just remember it’s a red flag when those in power tell you not to read other sources bc it’s poisonous. Remember that it’s in their best interest for you to do that, bc it gives corrupt leaders less accountability and less work covering up even more. Truth can always stand up to scrutiny. If you’re considering leaving, just look around at the older members. Is there anyone you’d really like to be like? Truly? What role models are there, especially for women? This extreme forced submission of women towards men is extremely unhealthy. The ones who aren’t abusing it have no idea how awful it is for the ones being abused. But the culture doesn’t allow for advocacy bc somehow standing up for what is right is “death.” Leaving is hard but I promise, it’s worth it. Just get away for 6 months and you’ll start to feel better. Listen to your body, your body knows.

I was in this ministry since 2006 in Ethiopia. But I think this ministry is not good ministry. I now studying bible in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic as the bible written first. I refused LSM materials. I find rest now. And I study bible alone and i do not add any additional material.

So relatable, I was in this group for about 4 years because all the people I was close with. This group is definitely a cult. After leaving my life has improved tremendously and ironically I feel like I’ve actually gotten closer to God

So many cover-ups. So much abuse. I'm thankful I'm out and my son will never experience this group.

While I do agree with most of what you said, there are a few things the bible clearly disagrees with you. Im not part of the "Recovery', Im actually watching this to help my dad to not follow down the path of a stern denomination. That said the bible does say "God chastises the ones he loves", so our sin while on earth is punished at times, so we learn from our sins and grow as Christians. This is part of sanctification, not salvation or "the millennial reign" as what seems the recovery taught. The next thing was the part of the flesh. The bible is clear that the flesh in the fallen world AT ITS BEST is "filthy rags" to God. As Christ said "who is good?, there is only one who does good." But I commend you for leaving a man created system and pray this experience brings you closer to God as I see it as a step in the right direction.

Hello I am a child of God saved by Grace and Faith alone. I'm sorry you have gone through and so many have gone through with religion. I was invited to a Living Stream Ministry meeting in November and have visited since. I understand how you feel. And I also know that every brother and sister in christ who visit a local church of any believe system are sincere in their believe regarding Christ. They truly want to follow God's will. I must pray for anyone who follows men blindly. Things are changing quickly for the sake of every believer who has come to the Lord and have been made children of God by Faith in Christ and Faith alone. We have been reconciled with God through Christ once and for all. The Almighty God is our Abba, Father now. His love is perfect and unconditional. Never ending. We can come boldly to His throne of Grace in our time of need. The only work that our Father wants from us is to never stop trusting and believing in Jesus. The one who fulfilled the Law for us and paid for all our sins once and for all. There is therefore no more condemnation for those who are in Christ. And we are in Christ because we believed.

Thank you for posting this! You said it so well! Leaving was the BEST decision and life is so so so much better, God is bigger, church is more authentic and friends are more genuine outside the cult!! (It took me like 3 years after leaving to comfortably call it a cult and realize that yes it is a cult.. the brainwashing is real😅🤦‍♀️). Lots of love to my people still in, but I hope they get out! :)

I need more information

This is so sad. May God bless you.

I'm someone who grew up in the local-church ministry right now I'm around 17 years old and have been an atheist for at least 3+ years now. My personal experiences with the church especially the people have been mostly positive although I do disagree heavily with some parts of the theology. At least in my area, I don't think the church is very problematic and does not cross into the cult territory.

Pope Gregory XVI: ' “But later even more care was required when the Lutherans and Calvinists dared to oppose the changeless doctrine of the faith with an almost incredible variety of errors. They left no means untried to deceive the faithful with perverse explanations of the sacred books…” ' (Inter Paecipuas #4, May 8, 1844)

The south-american branch of that group is even harder to detect due to their efforts in mimetizing among the hillsong type churches

It took me a while to get out of dead "Christianity," but I'm so thankful for the Lord bringing me into life and reality found in the local church

4:31 this

Stop following religion....FOLLOW JESUS!

The elders will persecute you as well, a really bad group. So called Lords recovery, it’s Witness Lee’s recovery. Elders can do whatever they want.

I left the LC for good in '10, only rarely going to meetings the last three years I was in due to work, and then my own realizations of how full of shit the LC is. I grew up in the church in Seattle, experienced the "storm" in the '80s, where half the church left, following Bill Freeman... and there was some other stuff too... I was in 6th grade when it happened, '86. No dating, no secular music, forced to pray, forced to call of the lord, forced to dress a certain way, wear my hair a certain way, my "self" is evil, etc. control by fear, do this or else, don't take a philosophy class, don't play in a band, don't this, don't that, you're just an evil lustful man. I have since taken the view that we all are born with abilities, biological desires(sexuality), a mind with which to reason; that I refuse to keep treating myself like I am disgusting and sinful because of my bisexuality, humanist views, and disdain for authority. Anyone that denies they have lustful thoughts when they see someone they find really attractive is a liar of the highest order, to themselves and to the world at large. There's much more I can say, but I have stuff to get to.

The concept of overcomers is not a local church invention. It is said many times in the book of revelation. Every church among the 7 had certain overcomers who overcame the deception. (Rev 2.7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:26, 3:5, 3:12, 3:21) and summarised the characteristics of an overcomer in Rev 12:11. The local church members know that to overcome is by the blood of Christ and because of their testimony and they loved not their soul-life even unto death. God is all loving but there is judgement coming (Great white throne). I say this not to instil fear in others but it’s what the Bible says or unless you throw the Bible away, this idea that all loving God cannot punish his children is not Christian. While this person says that lots of practices going on which is evil, cannot name one particular practice that is unbiblical in the church. What truth is it that you know which is supported by the word of God? These are the last days, and the man child (Rev 12:5) is going to be born, who are nothing but the first fruits or the overcomers which will then usher the speedy judgment on the devil. And guess what the devil will try to do? Mock the concept of overcomers and speak hate and division against the church to impede the bringing forth of the man child. Every local church saints can clearly see this. They take no offence against this person, because they know the power and principalities working behind it. No one will respond to this person and I am speaking out because I am not from the local church but had followed the local church for years. She said that the brothers are covering up some crimes. Did she just acted as another person trying to cover up the crimes? Is she also not a party to the cover up, because she too is not exposing the names and exact circumstances of crime and criminal. She even is covering up the crimes against young ones in her family by not exposing their names to the law to stop the gross injustice. It is not new for the local church to deal with the name-cult. Satan is trying to attack this church for ages. The local church if it is not growing doesn’t mean it isn’t purposeful and meaningful, but on the contrary affirms it because broad is the way to hell and narrow is the path to righteousness. I am just encouraged by this person to grow more closer to God and more appreciative of the church and the word of God.

I am concerned for you!! For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8‭-‬9 ESV It sounds to me in your video and in your comments and responses you are hurting!! I am so sorry to hear of your divorce! Please remember God is not like us, His thoughts and ways are so above us. When you said I as a parent would never punish like.... but you are not God. In His word, He clearly says there will be an account given for every word spoken...and He is talking to believers! Now weather the church life version of the millenuim is right or not, your reasoning is so very dangerous! What is next, if I was God I would not punish people who are trying to do good with hell! Your logic is a slippery slope. Is divorce OK since we fell out of love, if I was God I 😮would want people to be happy? Is love love? Can a man be a women? Remember it is His world, His way, and His plan!! Please do not take this as adversarial, as you leave the church life remember God desires to have a ever deeping relationship with you through the Spirit in Jesus!! He can heal your hurts and scars and bring you into a ever more wonderful relationship with Him.

This LC movement is similar in many ways to Jehova’s witnesses. A lot of control, ans subtle manipulation of scripture to trick followers. My hope is that all those who leave find a scripturally sound Church that they can call home. I only spent about a year there as an adult, who was a new believer. I quickly saw through it all, and left for a “denomination” which the LC members frown upon. I also saw a number of men who failed to launch in that Church, never married, under or not employed at all. It’s a bizarre environment.

No religion.

From my experience, being in a very insular, anti-life group like this is the equivalent of burying your talents in the ground out of the fear of God as a hard master. The gravest sin is to come to the end of your life, never having had the courage to live it.

I've listened to your reasons and I myself am not attached to any religious group. But I am a Christian and what I gathered from your story convinces me that you are following something far more deceitful, your own opinion. I do not agree that any book should be the centerpiece in any congregation except for the bible. That is how truth should be measured. Now, if you do not agree with the bible then God does not command anything else to be done. It simply commands to show you as much love as possible and let you go your own way. After all, God will judge us all. So, when you are following your own ideas, opinions and beliefs, you are doing exactly the same thing. The only difference is that you have just taken the place of Witness Lee or Watchman Nee and created your own beliefs rather than search out God's word and arrive at a conclusion one way or the other. Why should you reject God because of someone's portrayal of God? And, what's more important, if there will be a resurrection and judgement, why should you miss out because of what someone else believes? You must search out the truth for yourself.

Well, just love the Lord and pray. Do not make a task to accomplish stuff.

Listening to this is bad... Ritz saids anything to get views on KZfaq.

You brought out from the church kids but you didn't something know about the Lord and the church your not a church kids your wandering kids.

That relief you feel is backsliding.

Thank you for speaking out. I was I the local church in Vancouver in the seventies for about 4 years. The first red flag is when I brought a brother in the Lord to a few meetings. He was a very sad person who needed the love of other Christians. After several meetings the leading brother told me to not bring him again as "he was not good building material". Many other red flags appeared but somehow I wasn't discerning clearly what was really happening. I WAS SLOWLY...THEN QUICKLY LOSING THE ABILITY TO THINK FOR MYSELF!!! Thank God I left that placee