Witness Lee and the local churches:
A Personal Testimony Refuted

6. Witness Lee and the local churches have no cult-like slavish devotion

This item corresponds to the usurpation of the will. A local church cult would cause the members to go against their will and become slaves to the group. Contrary to manipulating the members and causing them to have an abnormal devotional attachment to the group as slaves, Witness Lee and the local churches repeatedly emphasize the Body of Christ. Seeing the Body and knowing the Body causes the members to live with a view toward, consciousness of and care for the Body. Not slaves to the group or to any member taking the lead; rather, slaves of Christ, even the very members of His Body. This is not some kind of empty religion but the genuine spirituality of the Bible and clearly not a local church cult.

 The apostle Paul considered himself to be a slave of Christ.

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, a called apostle, separated unto the gospel of God (Romans 1:1). 

A slave, according to ancient custom and law, was one who was purchased by his master and over whom his master had absolute rights, even to the extent of terminating his life. Paul was such a slave of Christ.

… Paul's use of this term indicates that he was not a self-appointed apostle or one hired by the Lord; rather, he was one purchased to serve God and minister to His people, not in the natural life but in the regenerated life … - Witness Lee

For am I now trying to win the assent of men or of God? Or am I seeking to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a slave of Christ (Galatians 1:10).

Those in the Paul’s company also considered themselves to be slaves of Christ Jesus.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a slave of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God (Colosians 4:12).

Paul taught them that in working for and with the Lord they ought to serve as slaves.

But a slave of the Lord ought not to contend but be gentle toward all, apt to teach, bearing with wrong (2 Timothy 2:24).

In addition to Paul and his company, many other writers of the Bible considered themselves and all of the normal believers as slaves of the Lord (James 1;1, Jude 1:1, Revelation 1:1, Revelation 15:3, 19:10, 22:6 & 9). This is not slavish devotion to the group. It is not something fleshly, natural, or a local church cult but a proper spiritual condition of all the Lords followers. Out of their love for the Lord and consecration to Him they sacrifice or deny themselves to follow Him and shepherd their fellow believers (John 21:15).

 Witness Lee and the local churches teach people from the Bible to be consecrated to the Lord for His Body. By the definition we have been discussing it is common to observe slavish devotion by the members of a cult to the group and the leader. However, there is no such characteristic with Witness Lee and the local churches. They cannot be considered a cult. There is no local church cult.

Witness Lee    Local Churches    Positive References    church in Salt Lake City   

1. Home    2. No Cult Beliefs    3. No Cult Leader    4. No Cult Manipulation   

5. No Cult Emotions    6. No Cult Devotion    7. Praised by Accusers   

8. False and Slanderous    9. No Illusion of Superiority    10. Positive Testimonies