I feel to clarify some of the issues I have addressed regarding "The Lord's Recovery" and would say that primarily my concerns relate to the leadership of "The Lord's Recovery." I'll do my best in 15 minutes or less to address these concerns in brief, in a live recording. #thelordsrecovery #thelocalchurch #witnesslee #watchmannee #blendedbrothers #livingstreamminnistry

In this video, I share an open letter by Andrea McArdle: www.mylocalchurchexperience.com/andrea-s-open-letter. Resources to which she refers are here: www.churchinhouston.org/category/audio/ livingtohim.com/2019/07/special-fellowship-at-the-2019-july-semiannual-training/ bit.ly/RKVindicationMessage bit.ly/JoFBPostLeavingRecovery #wetoo #churchabuse #thelordsrecovery #thelocalchurch #livingstreamministry #thechuchinhouston

In this video related to duplicity in both "evangelical Christianity" and "The Lord's Recovery" [that frequently speaks despisingly of "degraded Christianity"], I refer to this podcast that I just watched this evening: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3sOHi_ls6I&list=PLNtSl8pfmmAWgwPfjrDAP3CEsHrdO15Ej ("Podcasters Exposing Daystar TV Kicked Out By NRB") and to this LSM excerpt (Preaching the Gospel on the College Campuses" by Witness Lee: www.ministrysamples.org/excerpts/A-UNIVERSAL-LOVE.HTML). It seems that in both circles, there are some in power that will not tolerate believers who speak the truth about covered-up sins, though they may, to their faces, be nice, and though they teach about love. Meanwhile, I am shunned by most fellow believers in that group ("The Lord's Recovery"), including my own husband and his family, who have various leadership roles. They have treated me one way to my face, and a very different way when I am not there (based on many reports)... and I have not been included in any of their lives for years now... well, except for our relatives on my husband's biological dad's side. My husband's biological dad, Don Lang, is SO genuine, practical and unconditionally loving to us ALL (our nuclear family - my husband, me, our son and our daughter) with ONLY a heart for oneness and peace, if possible, but also our safety and well-being), and he and his family are dear believers considered "not in THE church" - an AWFUL concept in itself that prevails in "the Local Churches"/"The Lord's Recovery"... Genuine beleivers are not considered "in THE church" by most in TLR, though LSM publications and TLR members profess to receive all believers and not make distinctions. Again, duplicitous. #livingstreamministry #thelordsrecovery #thelocalchurch #roysreport #julieroys #duplicity #evangelicalindustrialcomplex

This video may or may not be worth your time. I am mainly holding accountable past recipients of emails I sent - almost 4 years ago - seeking help, and those recipients' fellow "co-workers" in "The Lord's Recovery". The abuse I wrote about continues to this day. In this video message, I address the responsible leaders in the Lord's Recovery ministry, emphasizing the importance of confession and recompense based on Watchman Nee's teachings, since you claim to follow HIM. I speak on behalf of many who have suffered the negligence and abuse of leaders in this group, in spite of countless pleas for help, for intervention, for change, for justice, for righteousness, for reconciliation, for oneness.... We offer proof for what you call "baseless accusations," while you blame us for lying, being people of death, being evil, though you specify no scriptural offense for which any of us can repent.... I share some of my personal experiences and challenges faced over the past recent years, mainly through reading a couple emails and texts previously sent to several of you (who are likely gathered at the Thanksgiving Conference in Atlanta this weekend). To these desperate emails I received minimal to no response from "responsible ones." Most responses from "responsible ones" which I have received to these and other pleas, in my perspective, constitute further abuse. Watchman Nee writes in Messages for Building Up New Believers, published by the Living Stream Ministry (bibleread.online/all-books-by-Watchman-Nee-and-Witness-Lee/book-messages-for-building-up-new-believers-vol-2-Watchman-Nee-read-online/22/): "In order to live under God’s light, we need a sensitive conscience, and in order for our conscience to remain sensitive, we need to continually condemn sin as sin. We need to confess to God, and we also need to make confessions and recompenses to man.... "If you remember that your brother has something against you, this means you have transgressed against him. Your transgression may or may not be in material things. Perhaps you have offended him by acting unrighteously towards him. The emphasis is not on material things but on that which sets others against you. "A new believer should realize that if he offends a person and does not apologize and ask for forgiveness, he is finished as soon as the offended party mentions his name and sighs before God. Whatever he offers to God will not be accepted. Whatever he prays will be turned down. We should not allow any brother or sister to sigh before God because of us. Once he or she sighs, we are finished before God. If we have done something wrong or if we have offended or hurt someone, the offended party need not accuse us before God. All he has to say before God is, “Oh! So-and-so...” or, for that matter, he just needs to utter an “Oh” and whatever we offer to God will be rejected. All he has to do is sigh a little because of us before God. We must not give any brother or sister the reason or the ground to sigh before God because of us. If we give him or her a reason to sigh, we will lose all our spiritual prospects and all our gifts to God will be annulled.... "If you are offering a gift at the altar and remember that your brother has anything against you or has any reason to sigh because of you, do not offer up your gift. If you want to offer to God, “First go and be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” God wants the gift, but you must first be reconciled to others. Those who are not reconciled to men will not be able to offer a gift to God. "Hopefully, the brothers and sisters will be thorough in the matter of confession and recompense. This is the way to maintain their purity. If anyone has transgressed against man, he should confess his sins to God on the one hand, and he must deal with the matter seriously with man on the other hand." Viewers, especially "responsible ones" in "The Lord's Recovery" are encouraged to reflect on the significance of taking responsibility for your part in the damage of my marriage and family, to consider your part in the all-too-common mistreatment of others (sisters and brothers in Christ, precious enough to be redeemed by His own blood), to confess, and to offer recompense for your wrongdoings, if the Lord shines on you that you had any part in abuse and/or sins that have hurt and/or are still hurting anyone. Many of us are sighing to God about you. #lordsrecovery #localchurch #localchurches #livingstreamministry

In a recent video posted by "Scriptures and Sound Reasoning", Carlos Arzabe from the church in Atlanta/Christians on Campus answers particular questions. One of these questions is something like, "What do you say to people who say you are in a cult?" Carlos answers that he would like to know why they say this, and how they define cult. He also says he would like to know what they mean by that. If he is sincere, he will watch this response and we (Carlos and other leaders in "The Lord's Recovery" and I along with other former members with major concerns about this group) can have fellowship with one another regarding the definition of "cult" based on Steven Hassan's BITE model, and our experiences, observations, and data. If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another. Carlos says they don't hide anything. Therefore, we should be able to fellowship unhindered as members of the Body of Christ. I don't know what happened to Part I of Carlos' interview - I would really like to watch it. Here is a link to Part II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09Pxq8dgEgE&t=1s I based my definition of a cult on this short video by Illustrate to Educate, that I watched to get a quick summary for my response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWNN-VrLTgk. Much more thorough definitions are available, of course. Here are a couple more resources with definitions to which I subscribe: https://www.lalichcenter.org/what-is-a-cult/ and https://freedomofmind.com/cult-mind-control/bite-model-pdf-download/

During the "ITERO" ("International Training for Elders and Responsible Ones"), I hope there would be genuine searchings of heart related to the practices in "The Lord's Recovery" (TLR) that are contrary to the truth. One of those practices is the rejection and shunning of (former) members who speak the truth in love. Over years of abuse in the context of a group of Christians who exclusively identify as TLR on this earth, who believe they are followers of the exclusive "Ministry of the Age" - the teachings and interpretations of Scriptures spoken/written by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and published by Living Stream Ministry, I have experienced, witnessed, and become increasingly aware of systemic patterns of abuse throughout the history of this group. Abuse and love are incompatible. Love repairs, heals, seeks oneness, strives to restore and repair relationship with loved ones. Love communicates. A lover does not shut out the object of affection or seek to punish or threaten the object of genuine love. Mournfully and very damagingly, practices in TLR are opposite, though some of the group's "unquestionable" teachings seem to be aligned with Scripture regarding words of love. In this video, I share just a few excerpts from only a few books... there are nearly countless I could read from... that demonstrate inconsistency both in words and in practices within TLR, regarding the most critical indicator of faith: love. I also share a couple of examples of the contrast between practices and teachings. Again, there are innumerable examples I could give. I also thank Robert Taylor for posting a recent live recording (www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK4bbfmtklg), in which he addressed deceptive patterns. Love rejoices with the truth - it does not try to conceal the truth - a pattern Robert speaks about, among other concerns. Healing from wounds in which those who profess to love you actually abuse you and then punish you for speaking out about the pain and the abuse, my grief at times has been nearly unbearable. It still is sometimes. But speaking out - sharing our painful stories - is essential for healing. I listened to a podcast last night, a conversation between Anderson Cooper and Sara Bareilles about grief. A couple of quotes of Bareilles particularly resonated: "If we just continue to be brave enough to share the stories that we've lived through, the connection is a part of the medicine," and "The sharing of grief is essential. You actually won't move through it alone. You must find the courage to share it. And I think you'll be surprised to find how medicinal it is. The sharing." #livingstreamministry #thelocalchurch #lordsrecovery #watchmannee #witnesslee #spiritualabuse #love #thechurchinlosangeles #thechurchinla #itero

In this 2nd video of the evening, I explore differences between smear campaigns and whistleblowing, and how accusing a whistleblower for conducting a smear campaign is a form of blame-shifting. I read a bit from www.thehaguepsychologist.nl/what-is-blame-shifting-escaping-responsibility/ and also mention some points and a quote by Alice Walker, from this TEDMed Talk, "Why do whistleblowers risk speaking out?" by Adam Waytz: www.tedmed.com/talks/show?id=734333.

I read some excerpts from this book, Traumatized Church (S. McKnight & A. Gibson, 2026) and relate it just a little bit to my own experience and observations in "The Lord's Recovery"/Living Stream-affiliated "Local Churches." The video would have become extremely long if I more thoroughly made connections between this book's content and Living Stream-affiliated "Local Churches" - hopefully through fellowship among many who are seeking help and healing, such connections could be made. #livingstreamministry #localchurches #livingstream #thelocalchurch #traumatizedchurch

I visited a dear couple today, who lost a son to an untimely death, who had been abused by a responsible brother in "The Lord's Recovery." I gained such precious nourishment from my time with them, as well as more clarity as to patterns of abuse in this group. I have been also following the repentance of some leaders of Bethel Church, who admitted some of their complicity in a cover-up culture that needs to be addressed. I reflected on the possibility of such admissions and repentance ever being made by the "Blended Brothers" in "The Lord's Recovery".... no matter how many of us victims speak out and how much evidence there is of destruction. Sadly, unless those brothers would be willing to disavow a lof of the teachings published by Living Stream Ministry, such repentance would not be possible, because the teachings of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee explicitly require a covering up of the sins of leaders, and the absolute authority of those leaders.... which perpetuates a culture of abuse and unaccountability. #thelocalchurch #livingstreamministry #witnesslee #watchmannee #thelordsrecovery #coverupculture #spiritualabuse

Recently some of us have started to meet using Zoom, and it is such a precious taste of Ekklesia... I catch myself wishing we could gather every day or every evening, and realize that such a sense is because I am a sheep. Sheep flock. They aren't designed to be alone. When sheep sense danger, they naturally seek to be even tighter together. We are sheep. Some of us have experienced and are experiencing danger. And we have a Good Shepherd. Jesus is in our midst when we gather, even as just two or three. Sheep flock together. A family cares for its members. A Head and its Body care for the members and the oneness.... The metaphors of believers, and the Greek word for church - Ekklesia, clearly express our need for one another, and to be together. The cruelty of the common practices of leaders and members in "The Local Church"/"The Lord's Recovery" to shun, reject, control, dominate, and exclude are completely contrary to the nature of sheep, body parts, family members, and followers of Jesus. Some of us have felt isolated after no longer being welcomed or comfortable in "The [Local] Church"/"The Lord's Recovery" in which we were raised or with which we identified for years. But we aren't meant to be alone. We need one another. I want to encourage you to meet, even if over the phone, with another believer. If you have experienced abuse in a Christian group, finding a fellow survivor who understands the nuances of at least some of your story is invaluable. You are welcome to join a zoom call I may host, if you are healing from toxic patterns in "The Lord's Recovery"/"The local church," if your time and situation allow... where we fellowship and share in truth and love. Feel free to email me at ruthewise@gmail.com if you are interested in participating toward mutual healing. #thelocalchurch #livingstreamministry #witnesslee #watchmannee #spiritualabuse #lordsrecovery #cultrecovery #cultawareness #thelordsrecovery

These were 2 questions I got when I was in the Northwest, through FB messenger, from a dear brother in the Philippines who said he doesn't understand why I am "opposing the Lord's recovery", and after I replied that I am not opposing the Lord's recovery. I wrote: "I am opposing abuse and lies under the guise of spirituality. I love God and all believers - those who call themselves the Lord's recovery and those who don't. Thanks for reaching out. We are in one spiritual warfare, not against flesh and blood." His response was the questions in the title of this video, and this video is my attempt at answering, although to do so thoroughly and adequately is actually not possible, due to time constraints and due to the fact that I am only privy to a miniscule fraction of the abuse and lies. #thelocalchurch #livingstreamministry #thelordsrecovery #witnesslee

It has been said, as a response to why someone advocating for me had been stonewalled by a senior coworker, that I am "in close association with Jo Casteel." I have never spoken with Jo, that I know of, and sent her a FB message a couple of years ago, to which she never responded. But as I read her letter, I realize how much Jo put into the 28 pages that she labored on and posted as an open letter; she and her late husband had much clarity about unconscionable matters that are commonplace in the community in which she and I both were raised. In this video, I only read the first 7 of 28 pages that comprise Jo's open letter. I am full of gratitude to Jo for her courage to address many matters that MUST be addressed if believers with whom we associated are to know the truth about a system of error, that traps dear, sincere believers who do not want to practice anything unscriptural, but who also may be exposed to practices and teachings that they cannot reconcile with God's word or their consciences. I recorded this after I wrote this blog: www.inconvenientruth.com/post/she-s-in-close-association-with-jo-casteel Here is a page that leads to Jo's letter and other resources: www.mylocalchurchexperience.com/jo-casteel-s-open-letter #lordsrecovery #localchurch #livingstreamministry

Firstly, I apologize that the first 13 minutes or so, my volume is not as good as after that. The booklet "In the Wake of the New Way" was intended to open concerns with leaders in "The Lord's Recovery" so that a bridge could be provided for those who had become disheartened and "left" their Christian community due to factors addressed in this book by Steve Isitt. Instead of opening fellowship as intended, the author was disfellowshipped from "the local churches," is required to apologize for and recant point by point every item mentioned therein (and probably now every other item he continued to address in later writings and compilations). The author has been banned from his church community for nearly 25 years now. As the church, we are charged to judge matters within the church. I read the first pages of this book, so that members of the church can righteously judge if such writing and compilation warrants the excommunication of a sincere believer and lover of Jesus and of the church. #livingstreamministry #thelordsrecovery #thelocalchurch

In this video, I draw a parallel between my personal, dismantled family's situation and the dismantling (since members have been unrighteously excommunicated with no pathway provided to them to restoration) of a church community in which I was raised. For over 6 years, in a desperate and acute way, I have been seeking righteousness in my marriage and nuclear family. Those raised in this family, my children, are being adversely affected - beyond words. For decades brothers and sisters, fellow members of the Body of Christ, have been seeking righteousness in our church community. Those raised in this community are being adversely affected - beyond words. Until there is closure (repair and healing, or righteous dealing with clear judgement), the young ones will keep being hurt, stumbled, immeasurably. I am making yet another plea, trying to draw as simple an analogy as possible between my family situation and church situation, both rife with unrighteousness and chaos that needs to be properly addressed. God's principle is that such matters should be resolved quickly. Please don't keep delaying. Matt. 5:25, Amplified Version - Come to terms quickly [at the earliest opportunity] with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way [to court], so that your opponent does not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you are thrown into prison. Matt. 18:6 - But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better (more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea. #livingstreamministry #thelocalchurch #thelocalchurches #thelordsrecovery

In this video I read a bit more from Dr. Lily Hsu's book about her memories from Shanghai Christian Assembly, especially her description of effects (on her and on others) of learning of Watchman Nee's covered up sins. These sins were largely covered up due to his teachings on "authority and submission" that guarded him, as a self-proclaimed deputy authority, from being scripturally accountable to other members of the Body of Christ, without impunity. Watchman Nee taught his followers to submit to him, and that submission means cutting off your head... so no believer was allowed to address genuine concerns or confront him about his sins, his interpretation of scriptures, etc. (Nee, CWWN Vol. 57, ch. 24, sec. 3). And this attitude and such teachings still remain in "The Lord's Recovery" with damaging but accepted practices. The covering up of sins can be more stumbling than the sins themselves. To this day, so many sins are still covered up by leaders in "The Lord's Recovery" - continuing the same pattern that stumbled many early believers who followed Watchman Nee in China. We should learn from history, repent, and not keep repeating the same errors. We are not stumbled by the fact that King David sinned - because he repented. We are comforted to know that all of us, even King David, a man after God's heart, are sinners, and that all, even an adulterer and a murderer, can repent and be forgiven. But not confessing and forsaking sins is a different matter. And condemning people who speak the truth, shunning and ostracizing them and calling them leprous, etc. only makes the issues more serious, because then the healing fellowship in the light is cut off, and the life-supply hindered among the members. Eventually, ALL will be known. Mark 4:22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. Luke 8:17 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. 1 Timothy 5:25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. Matthew 10:26–33 Have no fear... for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Reference: Hsu, L. M. and Dana Roberts (2013). My Unforgettable Memories: Watchman Nee and Shanghai Local Church. #watchmannee #livingstreamministry #localchurches #thelocalchurch For those who dispute the validity/veracity of the book from which I mainly read in this video, please read: blendedbody.com/LilyHsu/DanaRoberts2013.png. Here is part: "Dr. Hsu's book is the story of Nee by those 'left behind.' In my research I discovered works in Chinese, even a diary by Wang Ming Dao, expressing deep disappointments with Nee's real life. Because of my prior research Dr. Hsu asked me to work on an English, privately published edition of her Memoirs (Why self-published? In the past, Nee's Local Church movement in America has used the power of law suits against publishers to suppress any disagreement.) Because of the serious allegations she made I went to Shanghai in 2006 and talked to people who knew Nee. They confirm what Dr. Hsu wrote. Thus far the reviews of the book have been written by people who know very little about the Shanghai church after 1949 (One reviewer hadn't even read the book). Nee is not the hero, but she tells us about others who served God in China. Some even died for their faith. Without her book they are known by a few friends and by God."

Since I started responding, I am having a hard time sleeping, with so much more to share... so I'll just share a bit more here, and provide references/links for any resources I mention in this video. I am continuing to address questions and comments on a recent video I posted, specifically about my mentioning a teaching in "The Lord's Recovery" about "overcoming"/The Overcomers. I read from this resource in this video: http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/lc.html. Here is a website (https://helpersofyourjoy.org/) for the dear believers I met with in San Juan Capistrano earlier this year, who interpret the Bible through a lens of 2 programs, one for Israel (which abounds with prophecy in the Old Testament fulfilled in the New Testament) and one for "the church, the Body of Christ" - which only Paul speaks of, which was a mystery that had been hidden throughout the ages.... (There is so much more I could say about this. It is worth learning and considering and applying, as the Spirit leads.) #livingstreamministry #witnesslee #watchmannee #thelocalchurch #thelocalchurches #thelordsrecovery #helpersofyourjoy

In my most recent video, responding to an interview of Carlos Arzabe on the channel "Scriptures and Sound Reasoning", I mentioned the doctrine of "Overcomers" as taught in Living Stream Ministry publications is unscriptural. I received some comments related to that, and deeply want to thoroughly respond. This task, though, is daunting, so I will start this evening, and perhaps post several videos responding to the comments. The influence of the teachings concerning "Overcomers" (by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee) on those who identify as "The Lord's Recovery" cannot be overstated. It is a doctrine of high control, fear, and twisting of scriptures, based on my experience and observation. In this episode, I will try to explain this teaching/interpretation by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. I will also begin to share about their unscripturality, based on many resources. Hopefully, through the course of multiple episodes, I will adequately address the comments of recent viewers. Here is the resource I mentioned in this video, by Steve Amato, that I highly recommend anyone concerned about or interested in this topic to read: http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/lc.html#overcomers ...or, another link, in case the first one is problematic: http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/lc.html. Here is the source of Witness Lee's teachings from which I read: https://bibleread.online/all-books-by-Watchman-Nee-and-Witness-Lee/book-how-to-be-a-co-worker-and-an-elder-and-how-to-fulfill-their-obligations-Witness-Lee-read-online/3/ #livingstreamministry #livingstream #overcomers #watchmannee #witnesslee #localchurches #thelocalchurch #thelordsrecovery #lordsrecovery

Feel free to contact Asher @ asherkosoof32@gmail.com

I listened to an interview today (www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkWKhjk2Uag&t=12s) of about 7 minutes in length, and was deeply provoked and grieved, partly because what he said is unscriptural, and partly because this brother in Christ, Rich Yardley, has been instrumental in the dissolution of my marriage. There have been times when my husband and I almost worked through things together, and Rich could have helped to facilitate that reconciliation, but instead chose to reject fellowship from older brothers caring for me, who were burdened to aid the keeping of the oneness of our marriage and family. Rich chose to fund, at least in part, the legal expenses of my marriage's demise. I comment here on nearly everything Rich said in his interview. #thelocalchurch #thelordsrecovery #witnesslee #watchmannee #livingstreamministry #thelocalchurches #spiritualabuse #mota #ministeroftheage

A short teaser of the docu-series in the making. Again, I welcome any help and all perspectives, so that the truth can be transparently, accurately and engagingly presented. If you are interested in helping, please email inconvenientruthteam@gmail.com; our growing team will try to follow up within a week of your email.