A History of the Lord’s Recovery in the U. S.(6)

68.  Churches in Europe Disassociate with LSM
Six months previously, in September 1988, John So and elders from nine churches in Europe wrote a letter to Witness Lee after approximately three years of struggle with LSM,

Dear brother Witness Lee,

It has come to our attention recently through several witnesses that gross immorality and some other sins mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:11 have been committed by your son Philip Lee (who is identified as your Ministry Office) on more than one occasion over a long period of time.  This deeply disturbs us.  It grieves us even more that you and some of your close co-workers were aware of the situation and yet not only tolerated it but covered it up.  What is worse is that, while this was happening, you and your co-workers were promoting and exalting him to the extent that he was able to intervene in the churches’ affairs in recent years.  The peak of this promotion was evident at your elders’ training in Taipei in June 1987.  Some of your co-workers were not only themselves under the influence and control of Philip Lee, but were also openly bringing elders and young people of many local churches to come under the same influence and control [of Philip Lee] in your name and for your sake.  The five brothers whom you and your Office sent to Europe in your place in May 1986 were trying to do the same here.  Our young people who went to your training in Taipei have also testified of the same.

Before God, before the brothers and sisters in the local churches, before the Christian public, and for the sake of the Lord’s testimony, we are compelled by our conscience to fully disassociate ourselves from such sins and behaviour in your work.

Bill Mallon had resigned in December of 1987 from the work (p. 15).

69.  Brothers Quarantined as Ringleaders
In March of 1990 John Ingalls, Bill Mallon, John So, and Joseph Fung were “quarantined” by 45 churches in California following brother Witness Lee’s recommendation in messages given to the elders and co-workers.  Churches in West Malaysia and Taiwan followed and virtually all the churches followed in the spirit of the “quarantine”.  These brothers had been singled out by Brother Lee as ringleaders of a conspiracy to overthrow him and were designated “leprous” and unfit for the church life. None of these brothers, however, felt that they were in a conspiracy, let alone be its ringleaders.  They felt that they were reacting and responding to a need in the recovery.  Each was impacted by the interfering actions of the LSM operation in their localities, beginning in Hong Kong with Joseph Fung in 1985.  In 1990 in The Fermentation of the Present Rebellion, Brother Lee denied Joseph Fung’s complaint of LSM interferences in Hong Kong, even though many complaints about LSM’s interfering tactics were to follow in ’86, ’87, ’88, and ’89.  Brother Lee was well aware of these complaints, saying privately, “I told Philip ten times not to interfere with the churches”.  Yet he condemned Joseph on this point, rather than admit his own failure to remove the stumbling block.

70. Pivotal Meeting for the Churches
Witness Lee not only failed to remove Philip Lee, who became a stumbling block to all four of the “quarantined” brothers, he also did not take the golden opportunity to restore the oneness among all the brothers at a pivotal gathering of elders.

In his second message of the elders’ meetings, Brother Lee spoke concerning our going on. After all our sessions and hours of fellowship with Brother Lee, we had hoped that he would take steps to clear up a number of things publicly. This was surely an excellent opportunity, a perfect forum, and an appropriate time. He did give a few principles for our going on which would be helpful if practiced. He did say, “It is altogether wise and profitable that we do not expect all the churches to be the same,” and, “Do not talk about who is for this or who is for that…We should not label ourselves or label others.” We were thankful to hear these comments and urgings. But we were deeply disappointed that he did not go much further. What he should have cleared up he covered up, e.g., problems regarding the LSM office and the FTTT training in Taipei. We hoped he would have repented for some things that had caused many problems, not just for allowing saints from the U.S. to attend the training in Taiwan. We surely would have respected him had he done this, and the situation could have been altogether different than it turned out.

(John Ingalls, Speaking the Truth in Love, 1990)
The four brothers were eventually “quarantined” in the recovery with no acknowledgments given of their sufferings with Witness Lee and Living Stream representatives. Their reaction to the interferences, manipulations, and usurpations of LSM became known as “the rebellion”. They themselves became known as “the rebellious ones” and “the leaders of the rebellion”.

He later condemned in FPR all the reporters of the divisive activity of Living Stream, ever urging church leaders “not to make an issue” of anything.  By so doing, the church leaders have kept their kind of “one accord”.  They have also kept to this day the shroud about them, created during those days of turmoil in the local churches.

Post-Turmoil  (1990 to 1997)

70.  Fermentation of the Present Rebellion
In 1990 The Fermentation of the Present Rebellion was printed based on messages given by Witness Lee that supposedly tell the story of a rebellion that occurred among the local churches in the late eighties.  The book, however, does not take into account the whole story, and conveniently leaves out valuable and insightful detail that would affect drastically the reader’s ability to understand what actually happened. Moreover, the pages of FPR are filled with error and misrepresentation of former leading ones and their motives and intentions, during a time of turmoil induced by LSM.

71.  Full-Time Training
Full-time trainings became the life-blood of the church life for many of the churches.  Young people attended the two-year trainings and were either sent back to their localities or out into a field of work for the Lord. A high percentage of them became quite useful to minister Christ and deposit the Word wherever they went, including gospel preaching and the raising up churches in other countries.  Their training and usefulness appear to bode well for the churches today and well into the future.  (This is on the positive side.)

72.  Vital Groups
In 1992, after seven years in the new way, Brother Lee began to speak about the need for vital groups.  He had been sharing about small group home meetings since 1984, but said that the churches were not coming into the reality of the home meetings that should constitute 80% of the church life.  Therefore, he was burdened to present in detail what it takes to raise up a proper and vital home meeting fellowship.  In 1996 he expanded on this fellowship that was a major burden he bore until his death in 1997.

73.  High Peak of the Divine Revelation
In 1994 Brother Lee took a remarkable step in introducing the high peak of the divine revelation concerning 1) God becoming a man that man could become God in life and nature but not in the Godhead, and 2) the New Jerusalem.  The first item was controversial even among many that had been in the church life for 25 or 30 years, in that initially they had problems adjusting to and then accepting such a concept.  The New Jerusalem, he taught, is the consummation, the final goal of God’s organic salvation in the Bible and our destination.  It is also the reason for God becoming man and for man becoming God in life and nature.  The New Jerusalem had become a major burden of his ministry till the end.

73.2  PSRP “Flow”
In 1996 in order to help the saints become more constituted with the ministry of Brother Lee a “flow” came in from Taipei which he encouraged all the churches to pick up. It was called PSRP, the practice of praying over a portion of the ministry; studying it; reciting it; and prophesying according to it. PSRP did not get off the ground as genuine flows like calling on the Lord, pray-reading, or migrations did.  PSRP was introduced on a world-wide scale in the same way that door-knocking was introduced, and all the churches were encouraged to participate.  There was no flow in either.  PSRP died, as door-knocking died.

Brother Lee once said, “Do not say, as if it were a mere slogan, ‘I am following the flow.’ The real flow is the Lord Himself. How wrong it is to stir up a movement! That is an insult to the Lord. It is an offense to Him. There must never be a movement among us in the Lord’s recovery. Do not use the word ‘flow’ as a cloak to disguise a movement. When some of you speak of the flow, you actually mean a movement. To create a movement and then to encourage others to follow it is to make a tremendous mistake” (The Spirit and the Body, p. 9, 1977).

Note:  Even though it might be said that every believer on the earth should be brought into the God-ordained way under the inclusive and extensive ministry of Witness Lee, it could not be said that the implementation of the new way in the churches was a flow.  It was a forceful push and an unethical organized movement to obtain an end at the cost of hundreds of casualties and division in the Body.  The narrow mindset adapted in the movement that oneness with Witness Lee and his ministry/leadership is automatically THE ONENESS in the Body of Christ has carried over till today.  The trumpet call for the ministry became a trumpet blast for the recovery, as the work and the church became mixed, indistinguishable, moving the churches into sectarianism as ministry churches.

74.  What the Recovery Needs
In 1997, the last year of his life and ministry, Witness Lee looked back over his life in the church and testified in an elders training that the result of his labor in the United States had not been satisfactory.  In fact, it had been “disappointing”.  He also testified that his work in both Taipei and the Philippines never brought “satisfactory results”, and that only one place had done so where he had labored — “Chefoo, my home town.”  He was locked in by the war then and could not leave to minister to the churches.  So, he gave his full attention to the needs in his locality.  He testified that due to the shepherding work and gospel preaching raised up in Chefoo among the saints a revival was brought in that lasted for ten years.  From the beginning of Brother Lee’s ministry in the United States clear to the end of it we heard relatively little about love.  Near the end of his ministry, from 1988 on, he did speak more concerning the need for love among the churches.  He said that even though the saints may enjoy and appreciate the high peak of the divine revelation, if love is absent they will be puffed up and not built up. He also stated that only love prevails and that “love is the most excellent way”.  He said it is the way to be an elder or a co-worker, and that it is the way to handle the saints. He proclaimed that it is the way to do everything and to be anything in the church life and that it is the way to conquer the degradation of the church.

75.  The Last Message
In the spring of 1997 Witness Lee gave his last message in an elders’ conference of Chinese elders and co-workers and took the opportunity to issue an apology to the Body of Christ.  He admitted to past mistakes and said that he had repented before the Lord in tears and that he was sorry to the whole Body of Christ, both in and outside the recovery.  He said that the leaders of the churches need to learn and that the eyes of the brothers and sisters need to be opened to receive people according to the Son of God and not deviate a bit from this path.

A Final Word

It is significant that brother Witness Lee would bring attention to his mistakes at the end of his life.  Although he did not specify what those mistakes were, we know that they were serious and that they affected the Body of Christ.  John Nelson Darby, toward the end of his life, also made a general confession of mistakes he made that affected the oneness of the Body among the assemblies that were under his ministry around the world.  As history has recorded Darby’s errors that led to division among the Brethren in the nineteenth century, the mistakes of Witness Lee have also been objectively recorded.  Both former leaders realized they did not always “receive people according to the Son of God”, but did indeed “deviate from the path”.

Hiding History in the Lord’s Recovery is a book for our learning today and for the churches in the future.  It provides great detail of our history in a balanced, thorough and fair way, along with documented evidences that we have not always been a people receiving others according to the Son of God.  In that final message by Brother Lee, he strongly encouraged saints and elders to study our history of mistakes, including his own.  The Hiding History book affords us a way to do just that, and to learn and to adjust any deviation from the path.

Please contact me for the book if you are a serious student of local church history. It will have references. I look forward to your fellowship and pursuit of oneness in the Body of Christ.

Steve Isitt
sisitt@msn.com
425-445-1732

A History of the Lord’s Recovery in the U. S.(5)

In Atlanta

54.  Bill Mallon Resigns from the Work
Bill Mallon was a long-time elder and co-worker, standing on the ground of oneness with the church in Atlanta and in one accord with the Southeast churches at the time LSM began its aggressive campaign that undermined Bill and instituted its agenda in that region that led to Bill’s resignation from the work.  He shared with Brother Lee in his resignation letter on December 16, 1987 that the Southeast brothers were willing to receive the LSM workers and work together with them, but that they were never given that opportunity, pointing out that the elders’ experience in the Southeast with LSM was not that of the oneness of fellowship in the Body of Christ but that of being intimidated and harassed by LSM workers to line up with the LSM office.  In Bill’s letter the subject of fellowship vs. central control was made reference to that Watchman Nee had warned about in The Normal Christian Church Life (ch. 7).  Witness Lee gave no response directly to Bill for this charge or for examples Bill gave concerning central control, but stated in The Fermentation of the Present Rebellion that “all these [examples] are groundless, unprovable, perverted, and slanderous accusations” (p. 67), which they were not.  There were many witnesses to support Bill’s word.

Concerns over Central Control
55.  Observations and Experience Result in Contact
Bill Mallon was not the only one with concerns about central control in the leadership in the recovery and at LSM. According to John Ingalls’ account, John So began to be concerned in 1986, Bill Mallon in the spring of 1987, and John Ingalls in the fall of 1987.  Brother Lee felt that since these three brothers all used the same term – central control – they must have consulted with one another or “conspired” with each other as ringleaders of a global conspiracy to overthrow him and his leadership.  Each of these brothers testify that this was far from the case, that eventually, as they had done for years, they had telephone contact, and the matters that were on their heart came out from their experience and observation of developments in the recovery. The matter of central control was an issue picked up by many concerned brothers during the late eighties turmoil who had the same registration within them as the three brothers.

56.  Brother Lee Reacts to Reports of Central Control
After the Irving training on January 7th, 1988 Brother Lee met with John Ingalls and Ken Unger and let them know that Benson and Ray had talked to him, along with another brother, Lin Rong.  Brother Lee was very upset about the reference to central control.  However, John honestly felt this was the case and that addressing this matter was getting to the core of the problem in the recovery.  The next evening Brother Lee met with John Ingalls, Al Knoch, Godfred Otuteye, and Ken Unger.  He strongly condemned them for not handling things properly, and was especially disturbed that the subject of Philip Lee’s misconduct was brought up with Benson and Ray and also with Lin Rong. He then stated that John Ingalls and the Anaheim elders were no longer useful to him to help deal with the misconduct in the LSM office or to deal with it as the church, declaring that they had disqualified themselves. The brothers were disturbed and disappointed with Brother Lee and his attitude and demeanor towards them. They felt there was hardness in his heart that made them feel it was hopeless to try to have any further fellowship.

57.  An Armed Husband Looks For Philip
In late December 1987 the husband of a sister who was violated by Philip Lee in the LSM office went looking for him one night armed with a gun.  He was very disturbed about what had happened to his wife and sought revenge. Although he had taken definite steps toward carrying out a grave act, he did not follow through.  In March 1988, after three months had elapsed, this affair also came to the ears of Dan Towle, who became greatly alarmed. By this time no action had been taken concerning Philip.

57.5  Philip’s Record at Taipei Training
The husband who sought revenge might have also heard from his wife as did others that in the Taipei training, she would clean up the whisky bottles and porn magazines in Philip’s office, being his secretary.  In spite of the corrupted state of Philip Lee, brothers still cow towed to him in their own weak and blind state.

57.6   Trainers Sober Up Philip
Further, brothers had to sober him up before trainings which he was to conduct in Brother Lee’s absence, while the latter was sick or working on the Chinese translation of the Recovery Version, which were most often the cases.

58.  One Hundred Days Since First Meeting
While together with Brother Lee for fellowship in March 1988, Brother Lee remarked to the brothers that it had been one hundred days since they had come to him on December 12, 1987 for fellowship about their concerns, saying that a day didn’t go by without him considering what to do, adding that he felt that he should not give in to any pressure exercised by the elders or the saints, especially regarding serious matters related to his son.  Brother Lee was to go another three and a half months before mounting pressures caused him to finally capitulate and terminate his son from employment at LSM.

59.  Autonomy and Federation
On June 29, 1988 during the summer training, Brother Lee shared on autonomy and federation, which had become major topics of his.  He felt that John Ingalls in his travels to various churches where he had been invited to speak was stressing the autonomy of the local church.  Brother Lee’s stress in those days was not on the autonomy of the local church that featured elders and their authority in the church, as had always been the teaching in the churches from the ministries of Brothers Nee and Lee. Brother Lee’s stress rather was on the local churches lining up with him, and the elders submitting to his leadership and ministry to build up the Body of Christ in every place.  Local churches were de-emphasized, along with the elderships and their responsibility to seek the Lord for His leading in their own locality.  Because of the emphasis on the churches lining up with Brother Lee and with his office, John Ingalls had spoken about the dangers of church affiliation or federation, which lead to central control and denominationalism.

60.  Administration Local, Communion Universal
On Thursday, August 25th, 1988, Brother Lee asked John Ingalls to come to his home for further fellowship.  In that time John tried to impress upon Brother Lee that he never used the word autonomy in his speaking. But in Brother Lee’s own publication, The Beliefs and Practices of the Local Churches, the word “autonomy” is used positively two times. John stated that he was burdened to speak about local administration together with universal fellowship (as we have in our hymn, #824, authored by Brother Lee and translated from Chinese: Administration local, each answering to the Lord; Communion universal, upheld in one accord.) Brother Lee responded that this was his teaching.  John agreed that it was indeed Brother Lee’s teaching. So what was wrong?  John later shared with the church in Anaheim at his resignation speech about going directly to the Lord for His leading in the church in order to have a local administration, and at the same time maintaining a proper fellowship with other saints and other churches.

61.  Godfred Speaks His Mind to Brother Lee
The next day, August 26, 1988 John Ingalls, Al Knoch, and Godfred Otuteye met with Brother Lee. Godfred asked Brother Lee if he had spoken anything against them recently and then reasoned with him about his speaking against autonomy, considering that a problem, yet when problems were brought to his attention by them, he didn’t address them. Godfred went on to earnestly say that the center of the church should be Christ, but that He had been replaced with Brother Lee and his ministry.  It seemed Godfred’s frank words had touched Brother Lee, who stated that he liked what Godfred said.  It was a hopeful time for the brothers, but at the end of the session they felt that no real progress was made.  After the meeting Godfred told the other two brothers that he wanted to leave the eldership and was fully disgusted with the whole situation.

62.  Sixteen Points
On August 28, 1988 Anaheim elders, John Ingalls, Al Knoch, and Godfred Otuteye held a special meeting with the church to share with them what was on their heart about the proper standing of the church.  They did this in the face of developments in the recovery that brought in a confused situation to many churches and they were thus burdened as elders in their locality to address specific points about truth and practice.  Their objective was to clarify the stand as the church in Anaheim and to bring all the saints back to the Lord Himself. Apologies were made for inordinate promotions and for succumbing to external pressures for the direction of the church rather than seeking the Lord’s leading.  Minoru Chen basically confirmed the brothers’ word, but held some reservation on points made about church practices.  He gave a strong supporting word to Godfred’s confession on behalf of the brothers about their improper relationship with the LSM office and he also wanted to disassociate with the office and its conduct, as the brothers did that evening.  He declared that there had indeed been an excessive amount of promotion that confused the saints and brought them into despair and the church into suffering. He asked the whole church for forgiveness for his part in the promotions.

64. Atlanta Conference
The month following the sixteen points fellowship in Anaheim, Brother Lee held a conference in Atlanta with two elders’ meetings also being held.  In the second elders’ meeting, he strongly defended his previous fellowship to the churches and declared that all those who didn’t follow him were “dropouts”. He spoke in a manner that was disturbing to a number of elders, putting himself on a high plane and them on a low plane, saying, none of them was qualified to fellowship with him.  He felt that the sixteen points’ fellowship in Anaheim was an attack on him, and he was re-asserting himself as the unique leader in the recovery against that fellowship and any and all “attacks”.

65.  Anaheim Stirrings Over Sixteen Points
Back in Anaheim there was controversy and unrest since the evening of the sixteen points fellowship. Some were happy about it; some were not. An immediate concern was that some saints became outspoken in church meetings about the need to deal with Philip Lee on the church side. (He had already been removed at LSM.)  Others objected to their speaking out about him publicly and in such detail.  On October 27 a group of five concerned brothers approached the Anaheim elders to register their displeasure about open displays of criticisms that were taking place in the meetings, and the same brothers, along with six other brothers and sisters later wrote a letter to the elders that was received on December 20, 1988, signed by these eleven saints.  At one point in their meeting a brother declared that they would not follow the leadership of the elders in their locality.  They viewed the sixteen points as bullets aimed at Brother Lee and his ministry.  Minoru Chen, who was there, strongly backed the concerned brothers’ position. It was found out that these concerned brothers had met with Brother Lee before addressing the elders.

66.  Outcome of Meeting with the Dissenting Ones
The view of John Ingalls, Al Knoch, and Godfred Otuteye was the same.  They felt that a system was now in place in the recovery with Brother Lee featured as the leader and his ministry as the leading.  They were naturally expected to cooperate with this leadership and not seek their own leading, and not be different in any way.  According to their spirit, though, they felt they were to stand against such a system and arrangement, not out of rebellion, but out of their sense of what was right according to God, and for their locality.  They endeavored to practice generality in Anaheim, but the intervening group of brothers represented a number of saints who did not appreciate the direction of their elders. It became clear to the brothers that their eldership was not respected and that it existed in name only.   They felt that it was a grievous situation that could not last much longer.

67.  Elders Resign
On Tuesday, March 14, 1989, John Ingalls, Godfred, and Al had fellowship and prayer during the morning and then lunch together. They determined that it was of no use to continue in their locality as elders, that their practice of generality would not be fully accepted, and would even be undermined with the objecting group and its support sources.  Thus on the Lord’s Day morning, March 19th, 1989 John announced their decision to withdraw from the eldership of the church.  Godfred had already withdrawn, but stayed in fellowship with John and Al.

A History of the Lord’s Recovery in the U. S.(4)

In Anaheim

37.  Resolving Serious Issues of a Tandem Leadership
John Ingalls was in the church in Anaheim with Witness Lee, Philip Lee, and the office of Living Stream in the same locality.  His book, Speaking the Truth in Love, about the events and concerns related to the local churches in the late eighties is unique, as it describes his many experiences with Brother Lee and Philip Lee in their virtual tandem leadership role. John Ingalls records frustrations from 1987 through 1989 as he and other brothers tried to resolve serious issues they had with Living Stream and Witness Lee.

37.  Talks With Bill Mallon and Godfred
In the fall of 1987 John Ingalls and Bill Mallon, two highly respected co-workers in the U. S., spent several days together discussing developments in the Lord’s recovery.  During that time Bill Mallon explained to John Ingalls how he had suffered that year in various ways by events that had taken place in the churches and in the work of LSM in the Southeast.

38.  Philip Lee’s Increased Involvement in the Churches
John came away from their talks with the deep impression that Philip Lee was becoming increasingly involved “in spiritual things concerning the Lord’s work, the churches, the elders, and the co-workers”.  This concerned John since Philip Lee was employed by his father to be the business manager of the Living Stream office and was “reportedly instructed to deal only with business affairs” and was “totally unqualified both in position and character to touch spiritual matters related to the work of the Lord and the churches”.  John naturally became alarmed and began to fear for the Lord’s testimony.

39.  More Serious Matters Concerning Philip
Upon his return to Anaheim, John sought out Godfred Otuteye who coordinated with Philip Lee in the Living Stream office. He asked him about Philip’s role, saying that he felt Philip was “being promoted and is going altogether too far in his involvement in the spiritual side of the work, greatly overstepping his position as a business manager”.
Godfred confirmed that the situation was very serious in that regard and had “seen and heard many things in the Living Stream office in recent months that were very serious and very wrong. Godfred fully agreed that Philip Lee’s involvement in the work was way out of line, but he indicated that there were more serious things than that, stating that “the whole situation is sick and corrupt”.

40. LSM Sister Reports Philip’s Misconduct
Just days after talking to Godfred a report came to John Ingalls about the moral misconduct of Philip Lee in the office of LSM.  A sister who held a prominent position at Living Stream and who had served there “sacrificially and faithfully” for many years testified to John that Philip had been violating her and other sisters over a long period of time and that she would endure him no longer.  Her intention was to resign, which John confirmed was indeed appropriate. John was shocked and taken aback by this report and contacted Godfred who said that he already knew it.

41. Others Contacted About Case
John Ingalls was quite concerned about this case, especially since ten years previously there had been reports of similar incidents in the LSM office about Philip Lee that were confirmed by several eye-witnesses.  He also felt that this immoral situation with Philip was more than a local matter since LSM was associated with churches all over the globe.   John, therefore, “believed it to be reasonable and advisable for a few prominent co-workers who were aware of the history of the case and who were respected by Brother Lee to approach him and inform him of the matter.”

42.  Brother Lee Says Hands Off His Son
In the case ten years previously, Gene Gruhler, an elder, asked Brother Lee what was going to be done about Philip. Brother Lee’s strong word to him was for the elders to keep their hands off, and that he would take care of his son. Philip continued, however, as the LSM manager to the dismay of the elders, including John Ingalls. John said that whenever Brother Lee was that strong on a matter, the elders knew they could do nothing. This was John’s background to dealing with reports about Philip ten years later. The Fermentation of the Present Rebellion was severely critical of John for contacting co-workers who were “aware of the history of the case”.

43. No Action Again Taken By Brother Lee
Brother Lee again took no action after becoming aware through the brothers’ fellowship of the serious problems at LSM created by his son.  It would be months before Brother Lee finally removed Philip from his position as manager of LSM in July 1988, and he did so reluctantly and under great pressure from the saints and the elders.  Then the elders, who were also under pressure from the saints, eventually removed Philip from the church fellowship.  The subsequent eldership, including Ed Marks and Francis Ball, eventually reversed that excommunication, saying it was a wrong decision, as they embraced Philip at the behest of his father and restored him to “fellowship” in the church in 1993.  They even wrote an apologetic word to Philip for not signing a letter, informing him of their “gracious action”.  Philip had been offended and his father suggested they apologize.

44.  Preparation for Fellowship with Brother Lee
In the fall of 1987 John Ingalls came together with some of the brothers that he had close fellowship with through the years concerning the Lord’s work.  They all had the same registration within them that the church life had gone down in their localities and was very poor for the most part throughout the country in other localities. (Brother Lee’s assessment was similar, which he expressed many times.) The brothers sought out fellowship before the Lord to determine the reasons for this. This they did in preparation to have fellowship with Brother Lee, when he returned from Taipei.

45.  Conclusions About Condition of Churches
They came to the following conclusions about the spiritual condition of the churches.
1) the ministry was being too highly exalted and emphasized 2) There was an excessive emphasis on numbers 3) LSM was growing in influence and control with Philip Lee as the office, with whom all the churches were to be one 4) Aberrational speaking and activity in the full-time training in Taipei, the FTTT, which was being headed up by Philip Lee 5) Moral misconduct of Philip Lee in the LSM Office

46.  First Fellowship With Witness Lee
On December 12th, 1987, four brothers went to see Brother Lee after he had returned from Taipei. John Ingalls, Al Knoch, Godfred Otuteye, and Ken Unger represented many brothers as they opened their heart to Brother Lee about their concerns.  John Ingalls would have sixteen sessions of fellowship with Brother Lee, and Ken Unger twenty from this point over the next couple of years in their attempts to address the serious developments in the recovery. This first fellowship was encouraging, but in nearly all subsequent times of fellowship, they made little progress with Brother Lee, and Philip still held his position for months as manager of LSM.

49.  A Surprising Elders’ Meeting
On Monday, December 14, 1987 Brother Lee held an elders’ conference hoping to hear from the elders their positive reports about the new way.  Many were honest and open with him that discouragement, dissension, and division had developed in some localities and brothers were gravely concerned.  Brother Lee was not open to their fellowship in the Body; rather, he was offended by their honesty. He proceeded to push through, not only as “commander-in-chief” of the work, but also of the church.

50. Another Shocking Development
On the morning of December 19, 1987 before leaving for the training in Irving, John Ingalls again received a call from the LSM sister requesting to meet with John and Godfred. She shared in more detail Philip’s immoral behavior. This left the two elders “revulsed and in a daze”. They felt that Benson and Ray must know something about these matters and determined that they should be approached in Irving.

51.  Fellowship With Benson and Ray
That afternoon John Ingalls and Ken Unger flew to Irving. They had a time with Benson and Ray the next day and shared with them initially about their concerns that were non-related to the misconduct of Philip Lee in the LSM office.  They let them know what a huge mistake they were making in promoting and exalting the office and Philip Lee, starting in 1981. Benson and Ray disagreed. This response surprised and disappointed John and Ken, who then tried to impress them with the seriousness of the matter.

52.  Benson and Ray Refuse to Hear About Philip’s Misconduct
When these same four brothers came together again later that day, John brought up Philip’s misconduct in the office of LSM.  Benson and Ray, who were deeply involved with LSM, became angry and would not hear them, saying that this was a matter to be taken up by the church in Anaheim, not by them. John and Ken felt that the matter was more than a local church problem and should involve Benson and Ray who were the counterparts of Philip Lee in the LSM operation that touched all the churches.

53.  Benson and Ray Bring Report to Brother Lee
In the elders’ meeting that night it was evident that Benson and Ray had reported to Brother Lee all that John Ingalls and Ken Unger had shared with them.  He spoke on the same matters, vindicating himself strongly while rebuking those he thought were opposing, though not mentioning names.  John Ingalls felt that Brother Lee was out of line with the truth and was not presenting himself appropriately before the brothers.  A number of brothers were grieved, disturbed, and discouraged by his talk.

A History of the Lord’s Recovery in the U. S.(3)

In the Southeast

28. Workers Circumvent Fellowship With Elders
In 1986 the elders and co-workers in the Southeast were desirous and cooperative to take part in the new way, but LSM representatives began bypassing fellowship with the elders of the churches in order to establish LSM influence and a base for their operation in that region.

29.  LSM Purchases House and Installs a Brother
LSM purchased a house near a college campus and a brother was selected by the office to be a full time worker there, although the brother was not viewed by the leading ones in the churches to be ready for such responsibility. These steps taken by LSM were done without fellowship with the elders in that area.

30.  Pressure on Elders to Support the LSM Brother
At the Irving training LSM workers reprimanded the Southeast elders in front of video cameras for not financially supporting the LSM-installed brother and for not being one with the ministry.  The Southeast brothers were asked to write out $6,000 in checks for this brother’s personal debts and were pressured for monthly pledges for the brother.  Before this time no opportunity for fellowship had been given to the brothers to make them aware of “the need”.  The LSM-installed brother eventually proved to be an unsuitable worker but there were no apologies forthcoming from Living Stream.

31.  Turn Everything Over to the Office
Upon returning from the Taipei training a brother named Bob Ellis announced in a meeting of elders that Philip and Brother Lee had “big plans” for the Southeast and that it was imperative for them to give their cooperation to Philip and the office, and that Philip and Brother Lee needed evidence that the Southeast elders would fully cooperate with them.

Observation:  This is opposite Watchman Nee’s teaching, “When a co-worker is in a certain place, he has to cooperate with the local church in that place” (The Uniqueness of the Lord’s Recovery, 3).  In the experience of the churches in the Southeast, the elders were to cooperate with whatever Philip and LSM wanted.  This led to confusion and disaccord in these churches.

In Rosemead

32.  Prior To LSM Interventions
Prior to LSM interventions, the church in Rosemead had received a commendation from highly respected brother Abraham Chang, that he had “never seen any church among the churches with as much blessing by the Lord as the church in Rosemead for the genuine and sweet oneness and coordination there”.  He made this comment to Brother Lee after visiting churches throughout the U. S. in the early eighties.

33.  Elder Removed, Replaced With LSM Brother
In 1986 LSM was not happy with Don Hardy, an elder in Rosemead, because of his perceived lack of cooperation with the office for the new way.  As a result a committee of LSM brothers met with Don Hardy to carry out a directive from Philip Lee to remove him from the eldership in the church and from the work in the recovery. He was replaced with ardent LSM co-worker, Francis Ball, who was one of the brothers in the committee, as was Minoru Chen.  Don’s removal angered many of the saints in Rosemead, resulting in a growing mistrust of LSM.

34.  The Door-Knocking Movement
In 1986 the elders in Rosemead were happy, initially, to open the doors of their meeting hall for door-knocking fellowship and activities involving churches in the area. Some of the elders soon became demoralized, however, over the way the door-knocking activity was being carried out. Many of the saints were also discouraged.   No new ones were added and many of the local saints stopped attending regular church meetings.

35.  Francis Ball Not Approved of in Rosemead
Moreover, in 1986, most of the church was unhappy with Francis Ball, their new replacement elder, who came to Rosemead with an agenda to bring about total cooperation with Philip Lee, who worked together with Francis from behind the scenes.

36.  Division Comes In
Division resulted in Rosemead following 1) the unscriptural and unrighteous removal of Don Hardy  2) the door-knocking movement; and 3) the obtrusive nature of the ministry of Francis Ball, that damaged “the sweet oneness and coordination there” which resulted in his own dismissal from Rosemead, along with John Kwan’s.

A History of the Lord’s Recovery in the U. S.(2)

15.  Biannual Trainings
A significant turn in the recovery was made in 1974 with the introduction of trainings that were eventually held biannually in Anaheim. Brother Lee had the burden to establish the saints and the churches more in the truth of the word by going chapter by chapter through every book of the Bible.  He began with Romans. The full exposition of the Bible was accomplished in 1995. LSM charged each trainee $50. The first year there were actually three trainings, the second one being held in Washington, D. C. on the book of John. Irving, Texas held trainings for a while, then Anaheim alone began to hold the biannual trainings.

16.  Churches in Decline
The churches, however, had become stagnant for the most part, and the impact was gone. Several reasons have been cited officially for this by Brother Lee, such as, the migrations took place too soon; regions were being controlled by certain leaders; he, Brother Lee, failed to train the elders to care properly for the churches; the elders didn’t just pick up the burden to care for the churches, as they did at Elden.  The failure of Daystar, the luxury motor home business of Witness Lee’s, was not given as a major factor of the decline of the churches in the seventies.  Others look at it as the reason for the beginning of the decline of the churches. Perhaps a combination of factors needs to be strongly considered that Brother Lee did not do publicly: 1) the building, use, and ownership of the Anaheim meeting hall and the free labor that created the site to launch a business and make a family wealthy 2) the Daystar debacle 3) the lawsuits. All three of these matters utilized the saints with their time, energy, life, and money to accomplish goals for Brother Lee who had mixed motives and dual purposes.

16.5   Lawsuits
In the mid to late seventies legal action was taken against The Mindbenders and God-Men, two books that were laden with defamatory material against the local churches and Witness Lee.  Five years of litigation drained money, energy, and time from the saints and the churches, and being on the heels of Daystar, this ordeal contributed further to the churches’ decline.  Again, the use of the saints’ money was brought into question.  What began as an LSM issue that was to be kept separate from the churches, ultimately became a church burden, something Brother Lee had announced to elders in the beginning would not happen, that the Lord would not be pleased with this.  Churches were encouraged to make pledges and were reminded to carry them out.  Such actions took place on Sunday night after the Lord’s Table meetings in some localities.
LSM and the local churches “won” the two cases but gained a negative reputation in the Christian community for taking fellow believers to court and for their strategy of draining their opponent of their funds to the point of bankruptcy by outlasting them due to endless funding resources from the churches.  Their reputation has followed them to this day.

Observation:  In the current lawsuit (2003-2006) filed by LSM and many local churches, the book that is the object of their concern is not “laden” with defamatory material in the specific way the Mindbenders and God-Men were that poisoned public perception of the local churches and made it nearly impossible to make headway with a number of contacts and that caused concerned parents to pull their children out of the church and into de-programming sessions with professional counselors.  Today, there are only a few lines in an obscure book that form the basis for litigation over this book that seems to have comparatively harmless effect on the recovery that The Mindbenders and God-Men had.  LSM and the local churches have not “won” but lost in two appellate court decisions in Texas.  They are now on their way to the supreme court in Texas unless a settlement can be reached before then.  They are determined to get the appellate court’s ruling reversed, because that ruling has given a public impression that the cult label is legitimate.  If that ruling is not reversed, they have vowed to go all the way to the U. S. Supreme Court.
It is said they might be going to this extreme because of an increase of persecution to underground churches in China associated with LSM, due to the cult label given them in the book and legitimatized by a U. S. court of law. Whatever the reasoning, LSM and the local churches are criticized for using very expensive notable California lawyers, and for spending millions of dollars provided by the saints to affect their end, instead of taking care of an irreproachable testimony and trusting in the Lord’s sovereignty.  They also run the great risk of fallout from failure to “win” and the irreversible reputation as a “spiritual bully”, whether they “win” or “lose”.
At any rate their intense interest to the subject of defamation against them might give rise to the more important interest in the recovery of their own case of defamation against former co-workers that has been carefully documented and presented to them for fellowship and response.

17.  Ministry Astounding
Saints found Brother Lee’s ministry astounding on Revelation and Hebrews in the 1976 and 1977 trainings.  Each book required two trainings.

18.  Max Rappoport Rise and Fall
Max Rappoport found great favor with Brother Lee in the mid-seventies, who came to the home of Max and Sandee daily over a long period of time.  According to Max, he became like a son to Brother Lee and Brother Lee was like a father to him.  Brother Lee was concerned for the religious behavior of many of the elders in the recovery, and Max was encouraged by him to go out to “mess them up.”  Max did so in his natural man and caused damage to the churches. Word came to Brother Lee about his behavior and insults, such as his reference to life-studies as life-stuffies.  Max was soon gone and twice Sandee approached Brother Lee, telling him that Max wanted to meet with him to reconcile with him and the churches.  Brother Lee did not respond to her requests, or pleas, saying, “God is sovereign”, and he just let him go.  But there was a reason for this that was personal, as “blood became thicker than water”, according to Max.

19.  Max’s Undoing
In the late seventies apparently Brother Lee let Max go due to his behavior among the churches.  Actually, a major problem had come up between Max and Brother Lee concerning Philip Lee, Brother Lee’s second son, who had become the manager of Living Stream Ministry (formerly, Stream Publishers) around 1974. A report had come to the elders in Anaheim, that Philip was observed fondling a sister in the office of Living Stream (both married). Max took the responsibility to go to Brother Lee with this news and made a strong recommendation to Brother Lee that Philip should leave with his family and go back to Taiwan.  His recommendation did not meet with Brother Lee’s approval, and that day, according to Max, was the beginning of the end for him.  Because Philip and the sister continued to work together at LSM, the brothers were quite concerned as time went on,  and Max took it upon himself to get to the bottom of the story.  He went to lunch with Philip and confronted him on the matter, but Philip denied the report and became very angry to the point of nearly causing a fight in the restaurant. The elders then went to the sister and she tearfully admitted the report was true.

20.  Max Request for Reconciling Fellowship Bypassed
Brother Lee would later take the opportunity to let Max go, rather than have him in position in Anaheim to put pressure on him concerning his son or to possibly deal with his son directly at some point, as an elder of the church.  He passed up the opportunity to bring Max back to be reconciled to God and to the churches. Max much later repented to individual brothers for his mistakes that caused damage to them and to their localities.

21.  Benson Phillips and Ray Graver Campaign
In 1981 two brothers, Benson Philips and Ray Graver, who had helped stop Max Rappoport, became engaged in their own high profile work. Philip Lee had continued on as manager of the Living Stream Ministry without interruption to his service. The relationship between him and the churches became heightened when Benson Phillips and Ray Graver began a campaign to promote him as “the ministry office”, along with their promotion of Witness Lee and his ministry. Benson and Ray felt that the saints were indebted to Brother Lee for the ministry and needed to fulfill their “account” to him by becoming more supportive of the ministry in various ways, which included being one with Philip Lee and the office he represented. Brother Lee admitted later that their promotions of Philip were a mistake.  Some leaders (not Benson and Ray) repented publicly for their roles in promoting him (Minoru Chen was one).  Philip Lee’s record indeed was one of devastation in the recovery that helped lead the churches into turmoil and division. He far exceeded Max Rappoport in this regard.  No public repentance came forth from Brother Lee to all the churches for his responsibility in positioning these two questionable men in high positions of influence that enabled them to carry out work that was gravely detrimental to the churches and factors of widespread despair.
Note:  Max was a promising brother who the churches needed in his normal place in the Body.  Brother Lee publicly expressed regret that he did not take better care of him. (Yet, he also would not accept reconciling fellowship with him.)  Max was not political regarding Brother Lee’s son, as others have been, and would not have tolerated Philip Lee and his degenerate behavior a decade later in the office of Living Stream.

21.5  Standing Order for Book Sales
In the early eighties Philip Lee instituted the concept of having a standing order for books printed by LSM, which was continuously producing books that filled closets and bookshelves that to this day most have probably not been opened.  If a book came out, all those that signed up for standing order had to buy it. If four books came out, those books had to be purchased by those on standing order. Sales were booming!  Philip Lee, according to anyone’s description of him, including his father’s, was not a spiritual person.  He was not at LSM for the carrying out of God’s economy; he was there for carrying out a job that he exploited for selfish reasons and for the Lee name.  His previous “job” was that of selling Chinese wives to American men for the wives’ citizenship in the United States.

22.  The New Way
In 1984 while the trainings on the books of the Bible were in their tenth year, an extraordinary change took place in the recovery.  Brother Lee wanted to address the problem of stagnancy among the churches, beginning in the Far East.  It was a very serious problem to him that in many localities the saints had become complacent.  He was, therefore, burdened to take a turn and have a new way, which involved several matters and changes based much on Paul’s word to Timothy that God “desires all men to be saved and come to the full knowledge of the truth”.  He felt it was not enough for the saints to hear the messages, read them, and then place them on their shelves; he wanted the saints to become constituted with the truths and to ably speak them back to others, in church meetings and as the gospel.  Small group meetings were to become 80% of the church life where the truths could be dispensed, saints could be taught, new ones could hear the gospel, and all could be shepherded.  Prophesying in the larger gatherings could also be realized to a greater extent.

23.  The New Way Letter of Agreement
In 1986 Brother Lee said the key to the Lord’s new move was the one accord among the saints in all the churches.  If there could not be a good morale and one accord, there could be no move of the Lord.  Thus, he sounded a call to have an army of followers under him as the “commander-in-chief” while brothers responded by constructing and signing a paper stating their allegiance to him and to his ministry.  Brother Lee’s desire was to preserve and protect the churches from drifting into denominationalism by not taking his ministry seriously, a ministry fully unveiling God’s eternal purpose and economy.

In Europe

24.  LSM Seeks Europe Cooperation
In 1986 five brothers from LSM went to Stuttgart to hold a conference with the leading brothers in Europe for the expressed purpose of lining up John So and the European churches with the LSM office. This was so even to the extent of expecting the brothers in Europe to report all their activities to the office, to Philip Lee.  The brothers in Europe were perplexed by this, wondering why they should be expected to report their activities to a business office.  Their refusal to cooperate with such an expectation caused a problem to Philip Lee who consequently would make life very difficult for John So and churches in Europe who would not cooperate with him.

25.  LSM Effectively Terminates German Printing
LSM reacted by stopping the translation and printing process of the Verlag-der Strom in Stuttgart, which had been publishing LSM books and life-studies in the German language for years.  Camera-ready material was now to be sent to Anaheim.  When over 4000 pages were sent, there was no response from LSM for a year and a half, even after attempts were made to secure communication by letter and by travel to Anaheim.  The entire process was shut down due to LSM’s lack of cooperation and non-payment for material and labor to Strom.  Witness Lee finally tried to rescue the situation and paid Strom, but it was too late, the printers and translators had been forced to find other jobs.  The Strom publishing arm for LSM was soon after liquidated and ceased to exist.

26.  Chaos in Europe Created
In the summer of 1986 about twenty-five saints from England went to the Living Stream office in Irving to serve.  They were there for about two months, and when they came back they spoke negatively about John So and Stuttgart, repeating the things they heard at LSM.  Their negative speaking issued in a chaotic condition in Europe.

27.  Stuttgart Young People Disciplined
After attending a training in Taipei in which negative statements about John So and Stuttgart were spoken to the young people from Stuttgart, those Stuttgart young people then went to a training in Irving. On the way they stopped in Anaheim, expecting to receive hospitality before going on to Irving.  They were turned down, however, for no apparent reason, after Philip Lee heard about their arrival and request.  They had to board a plane again, and go on to Irving, where they were refused entrance to the training.  The next day they returned and still could not register, but were eventually issued special red tags and had to sit in a disciplinary section in the back. Becoming angry about the treatment they were receiving, they asked for an explanation for the discipline.  They were told to ask John So, who was perplexed also when he heard about it and could only attribute the treatment and condemning statements in the recent months to his refusal to line up with the ministry office in the way LSM expected.  (The reason they got into the training was because an angry German brother went to Brother Lee.  Philip, of course, created the problem for them, and Ray Graver, had done nothing to help to them.)

A History of the Lord’s Recovery in the U. S.(1)

A History of the Lord’s Recovery in the U. S.

1.  The Beginning of the Church Life
In 1962 the church life in the Lord’s recovery had already begun, but accelerated markedly with the arrival of brother Witness Lee who was fully charged and burdened by the Lord to minister the word of God in this country.  He testified that he came with a “particular commission to bring the Lord’s recovery to the top Christian country”.  The response to his ministry in the United States was immediate and many left secure jobs and moved long distances to partake of the church life in Los Angeles.

2.  The Catalyst for Coming to the U.S.
Although Brother Lee testified that he was commissioned by the Lord to come to the U. S., there were serious issues between him and churches in the Far East that were a catalyst for his coming here.  In the late fifties he had created a major problem to the church in Taipei through business failures involving investments from the saints, and his oldest son, Timothy, and he lost a lot of money.  This brought a financial crisis to the church in Taipei.  All the donations from the church members were used to pay the debt incurred, and still a large amount of money was owed.  Due to the desperate situation, Brother Lee coerced the elders to sell a piece of land belonging to the church in order to pay the debt. Because of that action many coworkers and church members were especially unhappy with the debacle.  That piece of land had been bought by the church to build a training center and a new meeting place.  Brother Lee knew that what he did was wrong and left for the West Coast of the United States in 1960.

After Brother Lee left Taiwan, the church coworkers formed two sides.  One side was Brother Lee’s strong followers, while the other group had questions about some of his activities.  Those two groups had a strong difference of opinion, which greatly affected the church life and made the work of the church difficult to carry out.  Eventually, some of the coworkers who were followers of Brother Lee asked him to come back to Taiwan to resolve differences.  In the summer of 1965, Brother Lee came back to Taipei.  He decided to get rid of those coworkers who disagreed with him.  Consequently, there were thousands of people who left the church.  At that time almost 30% of the regular members left, a most serious situation being that about 80-90% of the young members who were college students left the church.  Brother Lee’s action in 1965 has been referred to as a “cleansing massacre” to get the church to line up with him only.  Others feel that it was a necessary move.  At any rate Brother Lee came back to the U. S. and the saints in Taipei were left to pick up the pieces and begin to rebuild.

In other matters in the Far East, toward the end of the 1950’s co-workers in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia had serious differences with Brother Lee because of the absolute authority he exercised, which was hard for them to take.  Everything was dictated by him, and he would not take any input from others.  It was a “my way or the highway attitude”, according to one brother.
In addition some of the affluent church members were very unhappy about his handling of the financial matters.  This was due to the fact that a lot of the money had been contributed by them, and Brother Lee handled the finances according to his own thought.  The co-workers did not feel they could trust him anymore and because of the differences they had with him they split up.

As Brother Lee left Taiwan in 1960 for the U. S., the church work there was in serious disarray. Also the Philippines work was split off. The Philippines was very important to Brother Lee and several well-to-do church members supported the church there financially over the years. Manila, however, decided to sever relationships with Brother Lee totally in 1960.

(Concerning the Philippines and finances, Brother Lee was nearly arrested at the Manila airport for trying to smuggle a gold bar out of the country. He received a warning only, because of his good reputation in the country.)

3.  Brother Lee Admits to Mistakes
Even though it is not common to point to Brother Lee’s mistakes, he himself did so, saying, “I have made many mistakes; even some big mistakes” (Eph. L. S., p. 279, 1978).  When he came to the West Coast, Brother Lee knew about some mistakes he made in the Far East. To repeat, when Brother Lee left Taiwan to go to the U.S. in 1960, it was not really that he went there to open up a new land for the Lord’s recovery.  Rather, it was because of his own personal failure in Taiwan that he escaped to the U.S.  Originally, his stay in the U. S. was due to his strained relationships in Taipei and in other Far East churches.

4.  Brothers’ Request in L. A. and Problems in Taipei
In 1962 Brother Lee set up another business for Timothy, at the Seattle World’s Fair.  When the Fair was over Brother Lee desired to go back to Taipei but with the problems he had there and with the developments that were taking place in Los Angeles, he did not go back. The brothers in Los Angeles had asked him to give them a conference and out of those meetings they begged him to move to Los Angeles.  He did take up residence in
L. A., since he really could not go back to Taipei.

5.  Brother Lee Repents
Don Hardy felt that the reason Witness Lee had such impact in the U. S. in the sixties was because he had deeply repented of his wrongdoings and was a cleansed vessel to begin his rich ministry of the word in this country.  Paul Ma testified to the brothers that Brother Lee spent many hours of prayerful repenting while traveling with him in the early sixties in the U. S.  He was seen in the corner of a motel room praying “Lord, have mercy”, “Lord have mercy”, over and over for a long period of time.

6.  Witness Lee’s Main Burden
Brother Lee’s main spiritual burden in the U.S. was to reveal Christ as the life-giving Spirit with all His unsearchable riches. This burden began to be discharged in the first conference meetings held in the United States in 1962 in the home of Jim and Betty Reetzke.  The All-Inclusive Christ came out of that conference. His focus during the early years was on the experience of Christ as life for the building up of the church.

7.  Concern for Weakness in Brother Lee
In 1966 Samuel Chang revealed to a young prospective elder, Don Hardy, his serious concern for Brother Lee and a weakness in his character related to his son, Timothy, and all his seven children.  Don was exhorted to keep the matter covered much in prayer.  Samuel’s concern was well-founded given the record of the extent Brother Lee would go for his son, Timothy, at the expense of others and the church.  His word to Don portended for far more serious developments in the future with Timothy Lee and another son, Philip, who were made heads of businesses for Brother Lee, involving the saints.
What provoked Samuel Chang to speak to Don Hardy as he did was that the meeting place of the church in Los Angeles was being used by Brother Lee to store the stock of unsold expensive suits and shirts left over from his World’s Fair business with Timothy.  This was a source of irritation and concern to Samuel.

7.7.  Revival in Los Angeles
In 1969 a revival occurred in the church in Los Angeles that brought in a steady stream of new ones from L. A. and from all around the country, the number of church members growing to over 1000 saints.

8.  Migrations
In 1970 migrations went out to Seattle, Chicago, and Atlanta.

9.  More Migrations
In 1972 migrations went out to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Phoenix.

10.  A Spirit of Migration
In 1973 migrations went out to Minneapolis and Milwaukee. There was a spirit of migration in the recovery and the air was filled with much anticipation and hope as all the churches were “standing on the ground of oneness in the Lord” in their locality and for “the Lord’s recovery of the city and the earth”.  Conferences were held frequently around the country by Brother Lee, with only one essential message being given to the saints:  to eat and drink Christ for the building up of the church.  Life and building was the great theme in the local churches, and eating was “the way”.

11.  Reading Material and Impact
Reading material in the sixties and early seventies were the books, booklets and magazine that came from the Stream Publishers, such as The Glorious Church, Release of the Spirit, and Sit, Walk, Stand by Watchman Nee and The All-Inclusive Christ, God’s Economy, Vision of God’s Building, and Christ vs Religion by Witness Lee, which had great impact on those who read them.  The Stream magazine came out quarterly with rich, nourishing spiritual food for the saints to enjoy and to attract the seeking ones. The Generation was published by younger people for a seeking generation of young people across the country.

12.  Daystar Venture
In 1972 a luxury motor home business called Daystar was launched by Brother Lee for his son, Timothy, and also for the saints in the local churches to invest in. The business was presented as a way to pay for migrations and meeting halls and further the Lord’s purpose (while at the same time benefiting his profligate son immensely who was made the president of Daystar). The venture needed huge monetary investments from the saints.

12.5  Timothy Lee Life-Style
Timothy indulged himself in sinful living and boasted of having a woman in every major city in the world (and he was a married man at that).  On the Daystar project he was known to have had a prostitute stay with him at the living quarters near the plant in Taipei. Brothers were appalled, to say the least.  No action was taken by his father.

13.  Training Fees Used to Payoff Daystar Debt
In 1974 the Daystar business failed. The business plan had been poorly conceived; the motor home was too heavy; the interior was very expensive to build; and the gas crisis of 1973 was the final nail in the coffin to cause the business to fail and file for bankruptcy.  Many saints lost money, some forfeiting their life-savings and many becoming disillusioned to the point of leaving the church. Brother Lee found himself in a financial crisis because some of the saints wanted to sue him and the corporation. To help himself he asked Max Rappoport to make a request of the elders to ask the saints in their localities to waive Brother Lee’s debt to them. Many of them did so.  Max did so.  Ones who were quite angry and wanted their money back, typically, got paid. Philip Lee, another of Brother Lee’s sons, also helped out in the crisis by proposing that fees be charged to the saints who attended the two LSM semi-annual trainings, which some suspect were initially begun for the sake of raising money to pay off Daystar debt. Charging “donation” fees began to be practiced to the dismay of elders close to Brother Lee, who did not agree that money should be procured from the saints who came to the trainings to hear the word of God. But there was nothing they could do.  These funds were collected by LSM, not the church, and were indeed used to pay off Daystar debts, whether or not that was the primary reason to begin the trainings.

14.  Daystar Illegalities
When the Daystar corporation was set up, a way to sell shares to the saints was not properly established and was in violation of federal SEC regulations. Terry Risenhoover, a brother in the church in Oklahoma City at the time, and the Daystar accountant, told a brother of the illegal situation. When word of this got to James Barber, the lead elder in OKC, Terry was given the choice to repent or be excommunicated. He stayed with the truth and was excommunicated. These violations of the law could have brought criminal penalties to Witness Lee and others in the failed business.  Terry thought the violations were due to a cavalier attitude in the principals that “we are above the law” and also a matter of their ignorance about certain matters. An attorney brother conferred with Terry about the illegalities.
The treasurer, Max Rappoport, was asked by Philip Lee to make major changes to the tax information to be reported to IRS.  Max was amazed at this.

14.5  Anaheim Hall Built in Violations of Law and Discretion
In the early 1970’s land was secured for the building of the Anaheim meeting hall.  Saints gave money liberally for the project and morale was high.  Workers came from localities near and far. Both skilled and unskilled labor was given freely on weekends and after regular work days.  Some even left their employment to be full-time for the construction which went on seven days a week, many workers staying late into the night until the early mornings.

It began to be noticed that an attitude was present in the decision-making that “we are above the law”.  Questionings arose when the fire code and other code regulations were being violated, and when securing necessary permits were neglected, which were all being excused and reasoned away.  Only after repeated visits by inspectors and their threats of penalties were the steps taken to repair the defects they pointed out
All decisions during the building were made by only one person, Witness Lee.  The prevalent teaching and encouragement was to suppress all opinions because opinions were of the flesh, and those expressing opinions were labeled as fleshly or negative.  Skilled workmen had real concerns about cost and labor over some of Witness Lee’s indiscretionary moves, yet they were not to express their opinion.  Work was done and then re-done with a different twist, according to the whims of Brother Lee, which the brothers would not have cost-justified.  Of course, the money was not Brother Lee’s, nor was the time given to the work, his time.

The greatest indiscretion and injustice manifested itself upon the completion of the structure.  The entire building was deeded over to Stream Publishing a business entity, later to be renamed Living Stream Ministry.  The original intention of the building was to be for the church. But only after a period of time was a smaller fraction of the property given to the “church side”.  LSM even used the church premises for a book room, even though the LSM business was located right next door with many and varied books on display and available there.  Even after the building was supposedly completed, tearing down and constant renovations continued year after year.  There seemed to be no end to the demand for free labor to make constant changes of rooms and walls.  Walls that were torn down inspectors demanded to be reinstated to their original position after it was learned that the changes violated the building code.  All this extra, hard labor had to be freely done by “volunteers”.  Meetings of the church were often interrupted by the noise of hammers and sawing of wood during these “renovations”.  The work was carried on during the church meetings because the manager of the business, Philip Lee, who was thought by many to be an unsaved person, supervised this work and seldom attended any church meetings.  The small area granted to the “church meeting side” was encroached upon over and over to add to the “business” side until there were not enough rooms for the children’s meetings.  Some classes had to be held in the homes and apartments of the teachers or in the public park if the apartments or homes weren’t large enough.  Storage rooms for unsold stacks of literature were given priority over the rooms for the children.

The Living Stream Ministry did go on to become a multi-million dollar business that many fear and some attest made Witness Lee and the Lee family very wealthy.  What Daystar and other failed businesses did not accomplish, LSM did in bringing monetary riches to the Lee family, according to brothers who were closely associated with LSM.

14.7  Philip and Alcohol
In one of the rooms illegally sealed off from inspectors that later became the tape room, Philip Lee “partied” with young people with whom he sat and drank beer. A brother from Santa Ana in later years said that it was common knowledge in the late eighties that Philip had an alcohol problem. (See # 57.5)

14. 8  Migrations Stop
By 1974, the spirit and atmosphere of migration disappeared.

檢討地方教會在工作上的問題 – 國富著

檢討「地方教會」在工作上的問題

目錄
第一節　關於工作和財務上的弊端和混亂
第二節　「福音書房」的變質和藉以歛財的事蹟
第三節 「職事站」的演變和藉以歛財的手法
第四節　工作上領頭者的心理病症－「職事慾」
第五節　同工們的病症與過失

 

第一節　關於工作和財務上的弊端與混亂
「地方教會」見證的工作，從一九二○年代開始，迄今不到七十年的歷史。在中國大陸時期，其工作和財務上的情形究竟如何，我們不是很清楚。那時正值開創時期，又正值戰亂時代，財務上的窮困是可想而知的，在工作上彼此間似乎也並沒有建立起任何關係。到一九四八年正準備建立某種制度時，大陸就被共黨統治了，一切都隨之消失。這四十多年來，無論台灣或美國，在工作上和工作財務上的實行，都是出於這個所謂「工頭」的主意和手法。
自從到台灣後，在「地方教會」中間，有些不成文的規定：
每個全時間的同工，都自己在主面前憑信心生活，沒有人負他的責任
每個同工的工作場所（地方）由總工頭或地區工頭調度，同工必須無條件接受。
聖徒奉獻的指名個人包，通常均交由指名個人支配。
奉獻為「主工作」未指名的奉獻款，立專戶保管，由總工頭統籌調度分配。
這些規定初看起來似無不妥，其實弊端甚多很不合理；尤其在工頭存心有問題時。因此經過若干年的時間，在這些工作原則下，就發展出後面許多不正常的現象：
恩賜上較不顯明（即話語、口才、工作才幹、生命經歷、事奉經驗比較幼嫩或不很成熟）的所謂小同工，都分派到非常邊遠或人少的地方去。他們過著開荒披荊斬棘極其艱難和缺欠的生活。他們真是墾荒者，要從「無中生有」。傳福音、看望、照顧、牧養、教導、成全，各種服事無所不包，作的都是最基礎的工作。並且他們常常每隔一段時間就像走馬燈似的，總是在不斷的調動中，生怕他們在一個地方「生根立基」。因此他們從一地到另一地、又一地，他們真是客旅，是寄居的，是沒有根的。他們不能留在一地享受他們勞苦的功效。他們的妻子兒女當然也隨著他們一同遷徙，兒女的教育總在搬遷中要犧牲些。在大同工，尤其是總工頭的面前，他們永遠是挨罵，受責備，被定罪的一群，他們只配稱為「無用的僕人」。由於他們一直在作園丁的工作，因此很難發展培養出一種在大庭廣眾之下能呼風喚雨，令人看了、聽了而羨慕的「恩賜」和「功用」出來。因此他們沒有什麼名聲，少有人知道他們，顧到他們，也少有人重視他們。然而，實際上，許多「地方教會」是他們勞苦開拓出來的，許多聖徒是他們用福音生養培育出來的，許多服事的人是他們多年教導成全的。他們是真正作工並要對工作負責任的。
恩賜較顯著的同工，分派在人數較多的城鎮或地方，生活上雖不像前一種那樣艱難，但所作的工和他們一樣。他們比較有機會發展培養出某種在眾人面前顯明的恩賜和功用。他們的服事可能會漸漸有特色，然而他們在大同工特別是總工頭面前挨罵也是免不了的。並且他們的服事也像走馬燈，要常常被調來調去，也要對工作的成敗負責。但因調動的關係，亦不可能建立「地盤」。
很有恩賜的大同工，他們經常固定在很大的教會，或在那一地區最重要的地方。他們並不作許多基層的工作，他們的主要工作乃是管理支配調度該地區內同工和安排地區的各地方的長老，以及到各地講道或開特會。由於他們不常調動而又在一地區掌權，久而久之，就形成了他們工作上的「地盤」。除了本地區的各教會外，由於他們的口才和恩賜，更有許多別地區的教會邀請他們去開特會。因此，他們愈來愈會講，愈來愈能講，也愈來愈喜歡講。他們週遊各方的機會愈來愈多；週遊又往往帶進收入，所以他們收入愈來愈豐富，並且深得各處聖徒的眾望。然而他們居留在「當地」的日子是不連續的。在他們停留的日子裡，除了「管理」和開特會之外，乃是休息，休養和為下一次出遊作準備。他們並不負多少實際照顧、牧養和成全建造的責任。
總工頭當然就更不一樣了。他願意定居在那裡就可以定居在那裡，是不受任何限制的。但他總是定在人多之地，其他常到之處總有他的「行宮」。他在那裡，那裡的教會就得完全與他配合，教會的正常聚會要隨他更動，或謂特會，或謂訓練。他講什麼別人都得阿們，並且要把所服事的聖徒都帶到他面前，由他訓由他練。而所有曾參加過他特會或訓練的聖徒，從此以後都成為「他工作的成果」；因為唯有他是眾望所歸的，又是獨尊的。他不對任何地方負實際的責任。所以若有任何的過錯和失敗，很明顯都是別人的尤其是那些無用的小同工的，因此他們該罵該被定罪；他是總工頭，義不容辭該由他來責罵他們。若有任何興旺和成果，很明顯是因為他的特會和訓練「吸引」了人來，這些功勞都當仁不讓的歸給他自己「話語的職事」。
每逢特會的時候，眾聖徒總會特別敬奉那些「為主」說話施教的人；擺上的個人包特別多，這些自然都歸於那帶特會的人；當然訓練的情形也一樣。所以大同工和總工頭只要身體健康情形許可，每年總要花許多時間到各處去走動走動。他走動的時候常駐的教會要為他預備旅費，邀請的教會當然更不可少。若不走動，則他自己必也要在常駐之地經常開特會和訓練。外面看來為主工作何等辛勞，骨子裡常常為利所動，其好處是不足為外人道的。知道的人都是食髓知味的人就由他知道，不知道的人最好永遠不讓他們知道。至於那些特會和訓練是否對於教會的建造有真正的益處或價值，則根本不予檢討。愈到後來愈不是為建造而只為歛財。
總工頭在特會或訓練中，經常帶領為「主工作」的開展而奉獻。有心的聖徒認為既是「為主的工作」，就不惜將多年的積蓄，省吃儉用的心血，盡力繼續不斷的擺上；聖徒中富有的，奉獻的數字自然也就更大。這些為主的「工作款」就都控制在總工頭的手下。所謂的「工作款」，根據歷年來向眾聖徒的交通，主要包括三方面：
為著眾同工生活上的需要；例如一九五○年代初期在台灣，有一百多位全時間的同工分到各地去作工。聖徒對他們當然很有負擔，但不可能都知道他們的姓名；海外的聖徒，尤其有幾位菲律賓較富有的，對他們也都非常關心顧念，因此在交通中，他們都將這些顧念和關心，包在「為主工作用」的奉獻裡或交在總工頭的手中。他們以為他會誠誠實實並忠心的分給他們；眾聖徒對「工作款」多年來都有這種概念。
為著各地購建會所的需要。同工和聖徒們在各地傳福音，帶領人歸主後，當然就會進一步帶他們聚會。人少的時候可以在聖徒家中，人逐漸增多，就不是普通家庭容納得下，因此就急切有會所的需要。幾十個人要為著將來上百人的會所購建，當然是件吃力的事；初期總是需要大教會的幫助。但是大教會裡有心願的聖徒，不可能每個都對各地的情形瞭解，工頭要大家將心願都擺在「工作款」裡，由領頭的同工看各地實際情形供應出去，當然是順理成章的事。眾聖徒對於屬靈上的領頭人，最初那會有什麼懷疑，他們都是採取信託的態度。這是「工作款」的第二概念。
為著成全培養服事的人在訓練和設備上的需要。信徒增加，教會增多，各地自然會有更多有心志事奉主服事教會的人興起來。對於這些聖徒無論是教會，無論是先進的同工，都應該對他們提供進一步的屬靈和事奉上的訓練和教育。為著這方面的需要，接待的房舍，施教的場所和設備，乃至生活上的供應，都得籌備。這是「工作款」的第三個概念。
在向璩聖徒的交通上，「工作款」既是如此涵意，在運用支配上就應該照此原則而行；然而事實上卻有很大的出入。
首先，「工作款」在總工頭的嚴密控制下，有了不正常的累積。本來應該照著各地同工生活上的需要，合適甚至應該比較充裕的供應給他們；但事實是按所設定的一種極低標準供應出去；以致同工們從「工作款」所收到的，僅僅是一種象徵性的供應。他這樣分出去一點點，一面封住他們的口，叫他們不能說沒有收到，同時也障住眾聖徒的眼目。由於「工作款」的帳目從來不公開，除了極少數一、二位或二、三位之外，誰也不知究竟進帳多少出帳多少。另一面由於前面所說的第一項不成文規定，同工們心中實在沒有指望得著這一份，所以當他們接受到象徵性的供應時，他們真是感恩不已，他們一點不知道他們實際上受到了工頭的剝削和欺壓。這正是阿摩斯八章五節的情形「出用小升斗，收用大戥子，用詭詐的天平欺哄人。」而「工作款」在大量進帳小量流出的情形下，很不正常的累積了起來。
其次，「工作款」被工頭很不正當的支配、運用和侵佔。累積起來的大額「工作款」，若是都用在幫助各地購建會所或成全訓練人的用處上，原則上還情有可原、說得過去。然而他對這兩方面實際上也控制得很緊：有一小部分是如此支配了，這樣對眾聖徒表面上有了交代；其實，大額的資金是交由他兒子去做生意。這種支配法只有最領頭的極少幾位同工知道，他說服了他們同意他作那種不正常的運用；理由是叫他兒子去作生意，將來可賺進更多的錢來為著主的工作。那幾位領頭的同工竟然不管靈中的良心的感覺不妥與不安，也完全不管這種運用聖徒的奉獻款的不義與不法，竟礙於情面接受了他欺哄的話而同意了。（這實際上已經構成了「挪用公款」之罪，同意他的人是從犯。）
結果，「工作款」就在「工頭」的私人生意中完全賠光了。以「主的工作」來掩護營私牟利，是聖經中我們的主最厭惡的假冒為善的行為，是我們的神最忌恨的邪惡行徑。這樣的行為怎會有祝福，怎能不虧蝕精光？除非我們的神不是公義的真神。不僅「工作款」賠光，並且還負了一大筆債。這就是一九六○年左右的故事。紙包不住火，這件事被更多的同工和聖徒知道了。因此有些同工提出了質問，有的聖徒極為憤怒，尤其是菲律賓幾位在工作上曾大筆擺上的聖徒。這個事實就更加深了一九六○年代左右，台灣和菲律賓工作上混亂和分裂的原因。
因著負債，迫使出賣工作上其他的地產抵債。一九五○年代初期由於聖徒傳福音的負擔火熱，使台灣全島的福音興旺。有一位聖徒曾奉獻了十萬元新台幣開辦「福音診所」藉以傳福音。當時十萬元是一筆很大的數字。那時在台北和平東路三會所旁購置了一棟三層樓建築物，並購置各種醫療設備之後僅花掉五萬元，剩餘的五萬元在南京西路四會所隔壁另購了一層作發展福音之用。幾年後有商人看中四會地址，高價收購；會所部份移至現在四會所新址，而福音用屋部份所得價款，則用以購買了南京東路四段靠現今七會所處的一塊七千餘坪的空地。預備將來可以供作發展福音，建立訓練中心，同工退休所，甚至興建大會所之用。這筆地產原來完全與前面「工作款」無關。工頭將「工作款」賠光之後，知道有這筆地產，就迫使其他幾位領頭的同工，又變賣這塊地產幫他還債。這幾位同工竟然又答應了！他們又再次不惜犧牲掉「教會的」，「聖徒的」，「主福音工作的」財產來為著這一位以「建造教會」為名營私牟利建造自己的工頭。（其實他前面的「挪用公款」，已因不能歸還，而變成「侵吞公款」了；現在更加一等乃是「盜賣公產」；而那幾位領頭同工的答應，也成了「圖利他人」的共犯）。
把羞恥當榮耀的誇張和狡辯。工頭因著前敘案件的發展，已經良心洞穿；若是他即刻悔改，公開道歉認罪，求眾聖徒眾同工的赦免，或許良心還有補救的機會。然而他卻走向抹殺良心，掩飾狡辯之路。在台北的全台事奉聚會中竟然反而公開為自己誇張狡辯。他說「工作款」是主交在他手裡的，他有權隨自己的意思處理，他就是把它丟在太平洋裡，你們也無權過問。他因為良心已經破產，所以敢大言不慚的將羞恥當榮耀而如此誇張和狡辯。「工作款」是公款，是眾聖徒所奉獻專為發展主的工作用的，你是一個屬靈上領頭的人，因此眾聖徒信託你，讓你作適當的支配應用。你只可以在「主工作」的範圍內運用，你無權越此界限。越此界限而未事先徵得聖徒的同意和諒解，即為不義與不法。你說你即使把它丟到太平洋裡去，別人也無權過問。這完全是無恥又無賴的蠻橫撒野。他不只一次這樣說，一九六五年他回台對付那幾位同工時，又再次強調他這種說法。眾聖徒口同工們竟沒有任何人反應，地方教會的同工和聖徒已中毒而逐漸痲痺了，因為他們已逐漸失去分辨是非好歹、義與不義的能力了。
良心破產之後的「教訓」。從一九六○年代之後，這個工頭所釋放的信息和所帶領的實行與工作，都帶著良心破產的痕跡。所以他的信息只有在一九六○年之前的才比較純淨而無大害。一九六○年之後所說的，基本上因為他的靈和心都已不正，因此裡面都有攙雜的毒素；而且愈到後來，由於良心已經破壞，其所說出來的話，就愈過愈離譜，不僅有嚴重的病毒，而且變得邪惡。這些帶著嚴重「病毒」的教訓，使「地方教會」變質離譜。
財務上的不義作風成了別人的榜樣。工頭在財務上的不義作風，除了對「工作款」的支配不義不法之外，對於聖徒交在他個人手中的奉獻款也不義。由於他是個領頭的工人，有些富有的聖徒，因為不願意他們的奉獻被眾聖徒知道（太六：1－4），因此特別私下親自交在工頭手中，為著主的工作使用，免得張揚出去。這完全是出於一種對神的敬畏和真誠，和對工頭的信託和尊重。另一方面因為眾聖徒看他在教會中領頭說話，便將許多奉獻款交在他的手中。其目的一面是顧到他和他家人生活的正當需要，另一面是託他將多餘的部份，為著主的工作和福音，或聖徒同工的需要分配出去。這種錢他是不能當作私人的存款積蓄起來，更不能私下拿去作生意的。這些錢是不能當作私人的錢，放進自己的口袋。一個屬靈的領頭人若是對這一點都不認識，見財就起私意，那他就絕不是屬靈的，而是屬瑪門的。若是他真想賺錢，應該名正言順的去從商做生意，不應該在教會中欺騙聖徒。新約中有兩班很好的屬靈領袖的榜樣：
行傳四辛當耶路撒冷的聖徒將田產房屋賣了，將價銀都放在使徒彼得或的翰腳前時，他們沒有當作他們的私有放進自己的口袋，他們也沒有私自運用，他們只是轉手，照著別的聖徒所需雨的分給各人（徒四34－35）。後來財物實在太多，他們也不自己經營，也不找自己的親人經管，他們乃是要眾聖徒在他們當中「選出」有好名聲，被聖靈充滿，智慧充足的聖徒來共同經管分配的服事（徒六：3）。
使徒保羅受各教會眾聖徒之託，要他把捐項送到耶路撒冷的聖徒去時，他不是全數多多益善的私自收進來，然後隨意送一點出去意思意思就算了；反正聖徒不查帳，也沒有帳，由他愛怎樣辦就怎樣辦。他乃是「留心行光明的事，不但在主面前，就在人面前也是這樣」（林後八章16－23）。如果當時的使徒彼得、約翰以及巴拿巴、保羅等人像我們中間的這個工頭一樣，基督早就煙消雲散了，新約廿七卷也不會存在，「教會」的名詞根本不會在歷史上出現。然而，這個工頭處理財物的不義榜樣，後來卻被別人效法了去，一直在「地方教會」中行之多年。
自從我進入「工作」中以及台北教會長老的責任之後，便發現這個「工作」在這個工頭的領導下，已經陷入財務上極大不義的陷阱中很久了：
對同工供給上的不義：當時台灣的法定最低工資為三千六百元，而工作上對同工的供給只有三千元。有配偶的多加一千，多一個小孩加五百。一個四口之家每月五千元，而社會上的平均消費水準是一萬多元。由此可見同工們在生活上的拮据與艱難。是聖徒的奉獻不足負擔不起嗎？不是，而是領頭的同工們學了工頭的榜樣成習，鬆不開手，收進來的錢，就是捨不得分出去；工作上剋扣了他們的「工錢」。聖徒的奉獻被「工作款」吸收了，聖徒為同工們的奉獻既包在「工作款」裡，當然指名給個人的奉獻就少了。許多同工經過多年生活上的煎熬，他們能忍受，但他們不能犧牲孩子們的教育，他們相繼的一一離開工作，再去就業；同工從一九七○年以後一直減少。是不義的供給制度把他們逼走了，也把主的祝福逼掉了。
對「工作款」不義不法的移轉：眾聖徒為工作所奉獻的，以及各教會每月交給工作的（每月經常收入的十分之一）工作款，總是收入的要比支出的多，因此也逐漸累積。過了一段時間數額相當大了，總工頭知道了就會來信或電話，說工作上急需用款，要領頭的同工把結餘的工作款匯給他，或移轉給他所指定的人（某個兒子）。這一兩位領頭同工就會毫不猶疑的照辦，以表示他們的「效忠」。他們對於這樣不義不法的作為，已經習以為常，完全麻木得沒有感覺了。他們刻薄了眾多同工來圖利這個工頭，卻一點沒有罪惡感。
對於工作上的財產不義不法的變賣移轉：早在一九四八年倪弟兄曾打發一位弟兄攜帶美金五萬元到台灣來投資並購置房產供台灣福音工作上方需要。留下一棟房子交給台北的同工們使用。這就是台北教會最早在上海路的會所。後來改建為供同工住宿的林森南路二段的公寓。一九七八年還有八戶公寓供同工住宿。後來工頭又來信要錢，指定將八戶公寓出售，將價款匯寄給他，而領頭同工竟然也照辦，甚至要當時居住其中的一位老年同工之寡婦自覓住處搬家。她在當時能到那裡去呢？其實當時住在八戶公寓中的人誰不知道那是倪弟兄留下為台灣工作用的產業，工頭有什麼權處分支配？領頭的同工又有什麼權變賣？然而聖徒們都不願意把事情鬧開，因此有些聖徒就自己出錢買下了。有一位弟兄實在看不過去，獨自出錢買下那一戶讓那位年老的同工寡婦繼續住下去。這個工頭的不仁不義，貪婪無厭已經很明顯的暴露了出來。那些錢他又拿去交給他兒子花費了。而領頭的同工們竟都協同他變賣侵占。當時若他們不答應，他是無法得逞的。然而他們卻以效忠軍閥頭頭的愚忠，出賣了同工和聖徒的權益以及主工作的仁義，來討好他們所認定的「主子」。他們若是靈裡清明敏銳一點，早就該認出他是個不折不扣的「盜賊」；他一直在做偷竊（聖徒的奉獻）、殺害（有異議的同工）、毀壞（教會的建造和見證）的工作。
對於福音開展款不義的扣留和支配：一九七七年特會之後，有近百位在職青年聖徒紛紛響應到各鄉鎮去開展廣傳福音。各教會及眾聖徒紛紛在財物上支助。當時領頭同工要大家不必自行個別照顧，而特別成立福音開展小組，統收統支的為著各地開展聖徒的需要，因此奉獻款大量湧進開展專戶。領頭同工又效法工頭的不義作風，「大量流進，小量流出」，使開展專戶大額累積。到一九七八年美國Max事件爆發，工頭發令勒住開展活動，台灣的領頭同工也不分青紅皂白的遵命停止台灣福音開展，並凍結福音開展專戶的支用，且對那些已經移民到各鄉鎮的聖徒立刻停止支助，陷人們於進退兩難之中。他們的手法與工頭的不義已經出如一轍。他們不知道這完全是盜賊的作風。後來結餘的一百八十多萬開展款，東挪西用的支配掉了。這種不負責任，不忠不信，不仁不義的人作領頭，工作怎能不衰退、荒涼、低沉呢！說起來真令人嘆息頓腳！這都是從工頭所結出來的糜爛果子。
在美國初期的新策略：工頭負債逃到美國之後，他的作風有些改變。初期因人生地不熟，白人的性格還摸不清楚，因此步步謹慎；他不敢號召同工，不敢為工作鼓吹，也不敢限制別人工作，在財務的處理上，更是戰戰兢兢，小心翼翼的。但他心中念念不忘做生意和營私發財的意願。他想：像他這樣聰明的人，親自做生意一定成功；上次是因為他兒子沒有眼光，闖出來的禍。他因為自己有「經營」的慾望，所以他講出「神的經營」來。那曉得這個題目就是一個彎曲邪惡的題目，他自己沾沾自喜的以為是亮光。美國聖徒也被唬住了，以為是「大先知」，那曾料到這乃是巴蘭的題目，乃是迷惑人心的命題，讓聽者、讀者以為神也是一個營私牟利，功利主義，唯利是圖，不講仁義道德的奸商惡賈性格。他先把迷惑性的教訓說在前面。
在教會中推廣「經營」，訛詐了許多聖徒的資金：一九七二年左右正是美國的工作剛開始興旺之際，他已摸透了這些美國聖徒的性情。他發現他們比台灣更單純，更天真，更容易相信他的話，因此他開始推動他經營的計劃。首先說服了幾位領頭的同工，然後竟公然地在主日聚會中以圖表、數字吹噓他的發財計劃，並以他的屬靈份量保證只會成功不會失敗，誘惑許多聖徒上鉤，惟獨大多數華語聖徒帶著疑惑的眼神聽他、看他，那些眼神似乎看穿了他良心的破洞，使他不安，因此他討厭恨惡那些華語聖徒。他用盡各種惡毒字眼詆毀他們，巴不得他們不再出現在聚會中，使他更能「自由釋放」的鼓吹他經營的夢囈。他還差遣那幾位領頭的英語同工，到美加各地的教會，去勸誘聖徒投資、貸款，甚至三、五元的捐款都要，訛詐了許多聖徒的資金。他這種作風不敢行在台灣或東南亞，他完全是欺負英語聖徒的單純老實和天真。當時不僅成立一個晨星公司（據說同時還成立了兩個附屬公司，進行套匯和避稅的勾當），並且要許多聖徒免費幫助設計，畫施工圖等，但是一等到公司可以開始營運，真正要進行內部組織時，他就把那些同工和聖徒都踢開了，而由他自己擔任董事長，兒子擔任總經理，帳務就完全密封了。由此可見其存心之黑暗和陰私，結果我們的主在環境上證明他真正屬靈的分量乃是「赤身露體的」；當年中東戰爭爆發，石油價格暴漲，他的產品滯銷，不久之後就賠個精光。賠本之後，他又顯出他賴債的本領和品格，他從來不曾公開認罪，他的良心還能不麻木嗎？從這種情況以後所產生出來的「生命讀經」還能不蘊藏著許多彎曲虛假詭詐的病毒嗎？在「讀經」的外衣下，裡面正躲藏著「貪婪邪惡的生命」。
以「生命讀經」的訓練，強暴霸佔和相歛眾教會：第二次生意失敗，並沒有使他悔改。一九七四年開始「生命訓練」。他發現聖徒是健忘的，他闖了那樣大的禍，沒有認罪道歉，只是厚著臉皮若無其事的講了幾篇令信徒聽了興奮的道，他們就把前事忘得一乾二淨。他二兒子看在眼裡心生一計，聖徒既如此好說話，想要錢何不就直截了當的向他們要就是了。他聽了也認為是妙計，立即接受，從此產生了收費的訓練，設立「職事站」，找老實的同工掛名，以合法掩護不法，以二兒子和他媳婦擔任經理和會計，管理一切財務和帳務。十餘年下來帳務是黑暗的，財務是陰私的。他自己想盡各種辦法將「生命讀經」向眾教會強暴的推銷，霸佔充斥各種聚會，多方詐歛眾聖徒，使得眾教會這十餘年下來，除了他那邪惡的「生命讀經」之外，什麼都沒有了；以致「地方教會」完全黑暗化了，而他自己和職事站則完全瑪門化了。他多年癡想的發財夢，終於藉「生命訓練」和職事站達到了。飲水思源，所以他要高舉他兒子，敬拜他兒子，這是他「職事」的最高峰。可憐「地方教會」就這樣文大片大片的蹧蹋了、愚弄了、破壞了、分裂了，他卻一點不珍惜；他父子還要聯合起來，運用所有的影響力，盡可能的掠奪他們可以掠奪的教會財產，和聖徒的奉獻與財富。
藉「職事站」掠奪侵占地方教會的財產和眾聖徒的奉獻。自一九七四年成立「職事站」以來，工頭父子就聯手想盡一切辦法，利用各種機會，一步一步有計劃的不斷用詭詐的手段，巧取豪奪侵占了眾聖徒和眾教會的奉獻與公產。首先於一九七五年，由於美國各地方教會的人數加多，為著全美性的特會和訓練，需要一個屬於「地方教會」自己的大會所，免得每次眾聖徒的聚集都要向別人租借場地，極不方便。因此在眾同工及眾教會領頭聖徒們的交通下，決定同心合意的興建安那翰大會所，因此發動了各地聖徒與教會的奉獻和出力。當時各地聖徒熱烈響應，除盡力在錢財上奉獻之外，許多聖徒更由美加各地，輪番請假到安那翰做工。後來不僅購地建造了大會所，同時也購地建造了接待處和兩戶供同工使用的住宅。但是等到一九七六年完工登記產權時，工頭卻以許多理由藉「職事站」占有了絕大部分產權。其處置極其荒謬不合常情又不合真理：
先就兩戶住宅來說：當時會計劃建造這兩戶住宅本身就很奇怪。等建好之後，更奇怪的是由工頭叔子各佔一戶。照常情，那時他兒子既不是同工，對美國眾教會更毫無貢獻，甚至連聚會都不正常，行為放浪，抽菸喝酒打牌玩樂無所不來，怎會輪到他佔用一戶呢？即使以「職事站」而論，英格斯（JOHN INGLLS）弟兄為創辦人之一，是董事會的秘書，又是英文詩歌的主編，「恢復版」經文的主譯；在同工中是美國最資深領頭的，論聲望，恩賜以及對美國眾教會的貢獻，比工頭有過之而無不及；洛杉磯教會也是由他在一九六二年五月開始的，工頭於十一月才由西雅圖搬下來加入。無論從那一方面說，都輪不到他兒子，即使有人在他面前拍馬奉承討好他和兒子，若是這個被認為在「屬靈上」領導的工頭，在他良心中有一分尊重眾聖徒和眾教會的感覺，懂得一點在神面前的公義，他都應該說話，堅決反對並阻止讓他兒子住進去。因為他兒子搬進去，不僅顯明他兒子不義更顯明他不義，眾聖徒是尊重他而建住宅讓他住，眾聖徒怎會願意為他兒子建住宅呢？他難道對這種最淺顯的義與不義也分辨不出來嗎？然而他竟不管義與不義，竟由他父子各霸占一戶住下。這一件事充分證明他父子之見利忘義、「強橫霸道」。
不僅如此，本來眾聖徒奉獻建造的住宅，是為著顧念工人的生活和服事上的方便，而提供給他們使用的。許多基督徒團體建會堂時亦建工人的住宅，但住宅的產權與會堂的產權，均同樣列為教會之公有財產。某工人在此服事時，由他使用，他若離去由新來的工人服事，住宅就由新來的工人使用。而這一對工頭父子不僅占用了兩戶住宅，竟然進一步要求將產權過戶到他們的名下，侵占了這兩戶公產據為私有。當時眾聖徒在奉獻時，並未明說建住宅「贈與」工頭；眾聖徒和眾教會更不知所建住宅竟「贈與」他兒子。若是他們早知道，他們肯將財物擺出來嗎？他這種行為豈不正類似以利的兒子，搶奪和藐視眾聖徒的祭物（奉獻）（撒上二12－17）！這分明是一種有計劃的欺詐和強占，一種「化公為私」的卑鄙詭詐手腕。
由這兩方面，足以證明他們以建造大會所為名，利機策動建住宅，進一步策動建兩戶，建成之後，父子雙雙各霸占一戶居住，然後要求轉移產權，將公產侵占化為私有。這一連串的事情發展並非偶然，乃是心中早有預謀而逐步演成的結果。
次就安那翰大會所來說。當初興建大會所的目的，乃在便於眾聖徒的聚集，使「教會的聚會」免於受制予別人；讓神所賜給教會有恩賜的人，都更有機會和場所來同時服事許多人。眾聖徒在主名下的聚集就是「教會的聚集」，所以對大會所的需要，乃是一種「教會的需要」。當眾聖徒分散在各地時，他們是主在各地的見證；當各地的聖徒都來到一地聚集時，他們乃是一個身體，並不分彼此。既然經眾聖徒交通，今後各地可能一同來到安那翰聚集的機會很多，因此共同為安那翰的教會興建一個大會所乃是理所當然的事。這個會所一面是為著常住安那翰的聖徒，一面也是為著今後臨時來到安那翰的聖徒。所以安那翰的會所不僅是屬於常住安那翰聖徒的，同時也是屬於臨時或以後去到安那翰聖徒的。其實不僅安那翰如此，任何一個地方教會的會所，都應該是這樣既屬於常住當地之聖徒，同時也屬於任何臨時去到該地之聖徒。換言之，所有地方教會之會所都是屬於眾聖徒的，並不分住在此地或住在彼地。從另一角度來說，所有地方教會的會所都是屬於主、屬於神的，任何屬主的人和神的兒女都有分。既然如此，各地的聖徒和教會為著任何一地的教會興建會所而奉獻，也是應該而值得鼓勵的。那麼，為什麼各地聖徒和教會為安那翰興建的會所，就不能歸於安那翰教會而必需歸於「職事站」？在「地方教會」的異象之下，教會才需要會所。「職事站」只是一個工作的組織，它不需要會所，也不應該擁有會所。若「職事站」真正是為主工作的話，也應該奉獻出錢財來，一同為建造地方教會的會所來效力，而不是事後詭詐的竊據侵占地方教會會所的產權。將大會所和接待處的產權登記在「職事站」的名下，是絕對不符合異象、真理和眾聖徒與眾教會奉獻之心願的。
再說，眾聖徒「為主工作」的奉獻，為什麼都要交給「職事站」而不就由教會管理支配呢？教會才是基督的身體，有資格代表基督在地上接受眾聖徒的「奉獻」，又代表基督管理和支配這些奉獻資產的用途。「職事站」不過是一個人為的組織，它沒有資格接受聖徒的「奉獻」（最多只能接受人的捐助），它更沒有地位和資格來代表基督管理或支配聖徒的「奉獻」。老實說，今天地上「為主工作」的組織和團體多的是，其中許多人的態度和存心比「職事站」要清潔正直得多。譬如「基甸會」送聖經，他們名正言順的募了許多捐款，誠誠實實的印聖經，免費分送。又如「救世軍」為著濟貧，他們就去募了許多東西誠誠實實白白的分送出去。而惟有「職事站」的「工作」是最不誠實，最彎曲詭詐又貪婪的。眾聖徒「為主工作」的奉獻憑什麼理由要歸給它，而不交給教會而由教會來支配？老實說，照地方教會中聖徒們的共同異象，所有「為主工作」而奉獻的財產，都應該歸屬於「教會」的名下，所有不動產之產權，都應該登記於教會的名下才屬正當，因為惟有「教會」才是主基督的「工作」目標。將安那翰大會所和接待處的產權，竊據在「職事站」名下，然後把「職事站」轉化為「私人廚房」，這分明是預謀而邪惡的侵占行為。
藉私營會所破壞「教會」的見證並侵吞眾聖徒的經常奉獻。本來，一個工人要盡他從主所受的「職事」，有教會的會所供其使用也就夠了，然而他為什麼要處心積慮的為自己的「職事」弄個私有的會所呢？這其中問題並不單純。會所列在教會的名下，本是天經地義的事，每個主的僕人都可以藉此服事眾聖徒，傳揚主的福音，教會也得以自由受主的引導來運用，使聖徒得造就，福音被廣傳，教會得建造。若將會所列在某一工人的「職事」之下，就必然排斥了別人的職事，限制了教會和聖徒的使用。若是每個為主作工的工人，都為自己建立一個「自我中心」的會所，基督合一的見證還能存在嗎？從前對於每一個宗派、公會各自建立「宗派性會堂」，都被工頭定為「分裂基督身體」的罪惡。如今他自己卻以偷天換日的手段，將眾聖徒奉獻建造的會所，據為獨自所專用，其對「基督身體」的破壞分裂豈不比宗派更甚千百倍嗎？一個宗派所興建的會堂，至少還屬宗派中信徒所共有，同宗同派的同工都能公開使用；而「職事站」竊據的大會所，是強烈排他和自崇的，比任何宗派更狹窄，完全變成了他的私產受他一人所主宰。這種為自己建立會堂的人，分明是想專一高舉自己，建造自己的野心家。他的心目中那裡有教會？他完全背離「異象」！結果眾聖徒奉獻建造了大會所，而「教會」卻仍沒有可以隨主聖靈引導自由運用的大會所。過去他曾一再定罪別人建宗派性會堂，而自己卻巧取豪奪的搞「私人會堂」。以前脫離宗派的信徒，不知不覺被他騙進了屬人的私會。這豈不正應驗了使徒彼得在其後書二章的指責：「曉得義路，竟背棄了傳給他的聖命…狗所吐的他轉過來又喫，豬洗淨了又回到泥裡去輥，這話在他身上正合式。」（彼後二21－22）。
然而，為什麼這個「工頭」要處心積慮的弄到一個屬自己的大會所呢？說穿了，完全是為了一個利字，為著瑪門的「經營」。他知道特會或訓練若在教會的會所裡進行，聖徒的奉獻大部分會歸於「教會」。但是若在他自己的會所裡進行，所有的奉獻就全都歸於他自己或「職事站」。這個差別太大了。為什麼那些年特會、訓練那樣頻繁，要南加州的眾聖徒被於奔命，每逢假期就有特會，平常要把南加州的華語工作，違返教會原則的統歸於「職事站」，每主日在「職事站」大會所進行；並行會中有意無意的總要講些、唱些：「你們赴會不能空手」，好像是屬靈的，其實寄子裡全是屬瑪門的。這十幾年來在「職事站」會所的奉獻款究竟有多少，那裡去了，可曾有過任何清楚的交代？你以為他那些信息和講道是屬靈的嗎？主知道背地裡全是為利販賣神的道，是這個時代中道道地地的「巴蘭教訓」；在那裡傳的「福音」也成了「巴蘭的福音」，還可能結出什麼好果子來嗎？遲早要敗壞許多人的信心，羞辱主耶穌的見證。若是眾聖徒的奉獻相當於舊約時代的「祭物」，那去「職事站」會所而作的「奉獻」，則正是變成了供奉「偶像」的祭物。他分明是以一個私人會所，來偷竊眾聖徒的奉獻。聖徒們，冷靜的想一想啊，這是何等嚴重的錯誤呀！怪不得保羅一再強調貪財為萬惡之根；貪婪就與拜偶像一樣。（提前六10弗五5、西三5）我們中間這四十年來的歷史正印證了這話是真的！整個「地方教會」見證的墮落離譜和敗壞就從「職事站」的建立開始，從安那翰大會所被「職事站」侵占竊據之後而加速惡化，使現在各地的「召會」都墮落成了「祭偶像之會」，他們以買他的書來供奉他。我無意辱罵各地的聖徒，我的負擔祇是喚醒眾聖徒要清明，不要隨便被人牽著鼻子走邪路。
一九八三年他又藉「職事站」侵佔掠奪了眾聖徒眾教會奉獻興建的德州歐文會所。他食髓知味之後，貪婪的慾望愈來愈大。一九八八年他想侵吞台北三會所訓練中心十一戶公寓的產權，沒有得逞，他就在一九八九年十月以「借款」名義訛詐了台北教會五千多萬元新台幣，折合美金兩百萬元。美國加州喜端都教會的會所，剛建成不久就在產權登記上，變相的吃掉了，喜端都的聖徒可能都還不知道。目前他虎視眈眈的垂涎每一個地方的會所，只要那裡「長老」肯做傀儡，他就會利用他們把那裡的會所，藉「職事站」名義吃掉。何等邪惡貪婪的「職事」和「職事站」啊！至於他藉「職事站」歛財的其他手段，留待下節再述。
山頭主義的控制把持作風盛行。經過四十年的時間，在工頭的營私和控制的誤導下，整個地方教會的局面和見證都扭曲成一片畸型怪狀的形像，比一些正派的公會或宗派團體更關閉狹窄而黑暗。尤其是美國地區的「地方教會」早在十多年前，就已明顯的出現了「山頭主義」和類似民國初年中國大陸的軍閥割據局面；許多關心「主的見證」發展的人，早在憂慮談論這種不正常的現象。其實一九七七、七八年Max奉命率領一班人，到各地區去摘那些類似鬥爭的聚會撤換一些長老，就是工頭想藉以削弱那些他所認為「勢力坐大」而又不夠聽話的「山頭」，並要進一步擴大和加強他「獨一大山頭」控制力的策略。「山頭主義」就是由前面所說的「工作地盤」所衍生出來的現象。由於在一個地區各個城市教會的長老或負責人，都是由那地區領頭同工挑選、設立或安插的人承當。他們養成了一種習慣，凡重大的事都請示他的意見，接受他的「指導」；因此他們所服事的「地方教會」實際上都是在他的直接或間接控制和影響之下，他成了那個地區的「山頭」。任何主的僕人或工人，若要到那個地區的地方教會去服事或作工的話，必須先得到「山頭」的首肯或認同；若不然，那些所、謂的「地方教會」或地方聚會就不會向他打開。若是有人不小心打開了，那個負責人或長老，可能立刻會受到「山頭」的質問甚或責備，搞不好，他或他們自己可能都會列在「山頭」的排斥之列。山頭們將他們對教會和聚會的轄制和控制，美其名為「監督」、「看守」、「保護」。在這種山頭主義之下，小山頭之上有大山頭，大山頭之上有「獨大山頭」；此外還有一些獨立的小山頭。
這種光景正像舊約以色列人墮落混亂的情形，他們在大小山崗各有自己所尊崇侍奉的偶像，表面上他們都說侍奉敬拜神，而實際上他們完全受到人的控制和操縱。這些大小「山頭」就像那些山崗，他們都造成了「教會」見證的混亂、分裂和失落。在他們控制下的聚會，就是一個人手掌權的會，聖靈的主權受到了僭越，聖徒敬拜上心靈的自由受到人的轄制，神所興起的僕人更不能照著主所啟示的負擔去各服事神的兒女。
在山頭主義的情形下，各「地方教會」實際上都是控制在少數幾個人，甚至一、二個人手中，遠不如公會和宗派，當然更不如猶太教的會堂和天主教。因為公會和宗派各地的聚會至少對於他們本會或本宗本派的人是竭誠歡迎、敞開、珍賞和照顧的；他們所設防的對象乃是不同路的人。至於猶太人的會堂向著他們猶太人和他們中間的拉比更是完全敞開，相惜相顧而一體的，他們根本不管同路不同路，只要不在他們所認為的大原則上有所抵觸。他們彼此之間幾乎完全不設防。新約聖經中就給我們看見這一幅圖畫，如今他們仍然如此。然而「地方教會」在山頭主義下，不僅不會接納別宗別派的人，甚至同為「地方教會」的人也不一定彼此接納，當然更談不上什麼彼此珍賞、顧念和一體了。在山頭主義下的接納完全取決於山頭個人的喜好厭惡，或與山頭之間的利害關係。在相同「陣線」的會熱切接納；不同「陣線」的一看見他來聚會，負責聚會的人立刻提心吊膽。實際上各地的聚會幾乎都把持在幾個山頭作風的人手中。
這種光景與一九七○年以前的情形完全不同。那時，各地的教會真是在一個身體的交通和感覺裡。你若旅行從一地到另一地訪問，你真會體驗到賓至如歸的甜美；你會感覺到每一個地方的教會好像一樣都是你的家。你若是一個同工，所到之處無論是大地方或小地方，你會發現各處的聖徒都非常珍貴和寶貴你的學習和經歷，都巴不得分享你的豐富和負擔；使你感覺到你的呼召實在是主為著祂身體的共同需要而發出的，你不是只屬於某一地，你乃是主在各處的見證都需要的。每一次的訪問都會成為你莫大的鼓舞，使你目標更明確，動力愈充足。然而從一九七○年功利主義帶進工作中之後，山頭作風開始衍生發展，至一九七五年左右已逐漸成型，如今已蔓延至大大小小各個地方。山頭們早已使得身體的見證四分五裂，殘破不堪了。這些都是「工頭」留下來的敗壞果子。
以號召「全時間」來欺哄單純老實的信徒，充當「職事」和「職事站」的奴工，而踐踏他們。他為達到目的經常不擇手段。一九八五年為了推動他的五年福音化台灣的運動，需要大批人力，他接受了幾個奸小的計謀，要全球各地教會都多多產生「全時間」工人；各教會應按經常聚會人數，每二十人供養一個「全時間」工人。一面他竭力呼籲有心的信徒放下職業全時間服事，一面他要全時間的人都參加他的「訓練」。一時之間許多單純老實的信徒，都紛紛辭去職業，跑到台北或安那翰去接受他的全時間訓練。他們生活上的供應卻由各地教會按月匯款給「職事站」統一支配。「職事站」以中間商的身份從中賺取每個人頭的佣金（例如各教會要為從他們那裡出來的「全時間」者，或分攤負擔的「全時間」者，每人每月提供兩百伍拾元美金，而「職事站」實際上為每一個「全時間」者花費的食宿費用不到一百伍拾元，其他的部分就算繳給「職事」和「職事站」的「學費」和佣金）。這真是一個一箭雙鵰的奸計－錢由各地教會出，人卻由他使用。
名為訓練，其實他並不真心好好成全他們，他僅利用這些人來搞所謂「新路」，要他們去叩門，建立家聚會。曾經一度在台北召集了高達一千多人供其驅使，替他作「奴工」，希望搞一點名堂來，結果除了一堆空洞的數字和表功大會（一場無聊的秀） 之外，並沒有剩下什麼；反而導致美國本土的教會，由於大批聖徒這樣東奔西走搞得四分五裂、七零八落。被利用從美國前往台灣受訓的全時間者，回來之後大多數都有上當之感。有的各自離散了，有的因為喪失職業、家庭破裂而消沉下去了；「職事」和「職事站」只把他們一解散什麼責任都不負。這許多單純老實的信徒，就在這樣的欺哄中被踐踏和破壞了。其中有一個信徒更作見證說，他在安那翰的訓練期間，由於他有油漆工的專長，結果被派去專司油漆工作。最初是油漆會所和接待處，後來要他去油漆一棟又一棟的公寓。起先他沒很在意，但他愈漆愈覺得奇怪，那些公寓為何都住的是外邦人（非信徒）？打聽之下原來這些都是李家所擁有的私產，他這才醒悟過來自己上當了。他全時間是要學習事奉教會，李家父子卻利用他來免費為他們油漆出租公寓，並且還要他原來所在的教會負擔他的生活；許多時候為了趕工甚至不要他參加訓練聚會，還告訴他「實際的作工就是最好訓練」的大道理。地方教會中許多單純的青年信徒，因工頭這種不負責任的態度，而浪費了他們一兩年的寶貴時間，同時更嚴重的是踐踏和殘害了他們對主的信心，以及對教會的愛心。他這種利用青年人，不惜犧牲別人子弟，來為他打天下的作風，只有一九六五年中共文化大革命時期的毛頭可與之相比，怪不得他的幫手稱這些「全時間」為「藍衛兵」。純粹以不負責任的態度利用踐踏那些單純老實的「全時間」信徒。
自從他一九六○年因遠東的債務而躲避到美國之後，由於將遠東眾教會的「工作款」都虧空掉，無從向遠東尤其是台灣的「全時間」同工們交代，因此在美國的工作發展過程中，多年來他一直不敢再公開提「全時間」事奉的事；他把這個問題都留給聖徒自己和各教會去自行決定。因為他怕他的話引起責任。這次（一九八五年）他一開始先把財務責任推給了各地教會，然後他就放心的利用他們，以為他再也沒有什麼責任了。在他的觀念裡跟本沒有道義的層次，他這樣把人召了來而沒有真實的給人成全，使許多信徒蹧蹋了一兩年時間，可能對他們一生後面的道路都產生極不利的影響。他明白他有道義上的責任嗎？他這樣不惜犧牲別人的利用年輕人，對教會的下一代會產生多大的損失，他考慮過嗎？他的心態只有一句話可以形容，就是「無毒不丈夫」！為了達到他的「目的」，損人損教會在所不惜。經過他這兩三年的「全時間」訓練之後，美國各地的許多英語聚會破產了；熱呼呼踴躍報名去參加訓練的人，大多數回美之後，就從地方教會中消失了。像達拉斯，杭廷頓灘、聖荷西…等地原有一兩百聖徒的，現在只有三四十人了。
用金錢收買糊塗的工人充當「職事」和「職事站」的保鑣。目前他的工作已經瀕臨土崩瓦解的邊緣，他現在正在作最後的掙扎。大部份存心光明正直的同工，看見他這幾年的言行作為而明白他的真面目之後，都與他分道揚鑣；更有甚者乃站起來揭發他的悖謬。他沒有勇氣認罪悔改；而他現在又有的是錢，為了自保，這一兩年就以高價收買那些經不起金錢誘惑的工人，作仇「保鑣」和「話筒」。那些現今在他身邊的工人難道都不知道他的不義，不知道他早已背離異象嗎？這是不可思議的！而他們如今仍然甘願做他工具，為他做惡漢到處去趕人，為他作話筒到處去傳話，又為他傳播許多邪道歪論，難道他們真是失了靈性和理性嗎？不是的，可能有些勝不過金錢的誘力，被他每月的高價收買了。也可能有些等他們真的清楚了，他們會立刻反過去指責他。唉！可憐的「老先知」！可憐的「貪婪職事」！他能真正安心享用他那些貪來的錢財嗎？只怕那些錢財要逐漸開始吃他的肉了！
他不喜歡雅各書，因為雅各強調信徒行為上的稱義（雅二14－26）。然而雅各書仍是新約的一部份，神話語的一部份，因此每句話都有非常的分量；無論他喜歡與不喜歡，神的靈仍要印證。雅各有一段警戒的話看來一定會應驗在他們父子身上。這就是：雅各書第五章一至四節：「嗐，你們這些富足人哪！應當哭泣、號咷，因為將有苦難臨到你們身上。你們的財物壞了，衣服也被蟲子咬了。你們的金銀都長了鏽。那鏽要證明你們的不是，又要喫你們的肉，如同火燒。你們在這末世，只知積儹錢財。工人給你們收割莊稼，你們虧欠他們的工錢；這工錢有聲音呼叫；並且那收割之人的冤聲，已經入了萬軍之主的耳了。」
我為他前面的年日悲哀！我盼望他們趁早悔改！
總而言之，這四十年來，在這個工頭的領導下，「地方教會」的工作已經千奇百怪，荒謬偏差得一塌糊塗了；在工作的財務上更是混亂邪惡得不成樣子；他已經把倪弟兄當初興起來的工作，扭曲到死胡同裡去了。「地方教會」已經成為基督徒中的一個大笑柄，醜陋不堪；尤其「工頭」更是臭聞千里，連提起來都令人羞愧！親愛的同工們啊！這個工作會發展成這種情形，你我多年容讓他，是否都有責任？
第二節　「福音書房」的變質和藉以歛財的事蹟
在文字工作上又有許多故事。論到「福音書房」，最早乃是倪弟兄和李淵如姊妹一同在上海建立，為著在文字服事神的兒女和各地的教會。在中國大陸時除了出版倪弟兄的著作和信息之外，也出版別的同工的著作和譯作。例如俞成華弟兄的著作：「進入神生命的道路」，譯作：麥敦諾師母的「神救贖的計劃」，蓋恩夫人的「簡易祈禱法」、「蓋恩夫人的信」，勞倫斯的「與神同在」，慕安得烈的「敬拜的祕訣」、「交通的祕訣」…等等。可見，上海的福音書房並不只是倪弟兄「個人職事」的書房。他的度量是大的，他盼望藉書房文字的服事，將歷代聖徒的寶貴豐富都以中文陳列在華語信徒的面前。他一點沒有狹窄的意念只想傳播他自己，否則他不會為書房取名為「福音」。他大可以取名為「柝聲書房」，然而他放棄「柝聲」而取「福音」，可知他全心全意在「福音」。由於這種存心，所以他巴不得所有在語文上有造詣，在屬靈上有學習有認識的同工和聖徒都能為福音的文字工作效力。因此他需要李淵如姊妹的同工，也需要俞成華和其他弟兄的配搭；後來這個去台灣的「工頭」也曾經在上海福音的工作上有分過。我不相信當時倪弟兄是在利用那些人來建立「他的職事」，我也不相信倪弟兄曾經利用書房來賺過一文錢來為著他的生活，或在他的心中曾有過一絲意念，盼望將來書房的發展，成為他個人或家庭的「所得」來源，世世代代的「養生之道」。
這個「工頭」到台灣開工之後，不久也著手文字工作，成立了「台灣福音書房」，一面出「話語職事」期刊（一九五一年七月開始），一面出上海福音書房出過的書。一九五一年倪弟兄最後一次到香港，和海外的同工們有一次交通，曾題到書房的文字服事。那時除了上海、台灣的福音書房之外，在香港教會的同工也設立了書室，主女也是出版上海福音書房的書。當時倪弟兄並沒有責備台灣和香港的工頭為什麼「盜用」他書房的「版權」，反而是樂觀其成，並且和同工們商定了一個共同原則：今後這三書房和書室，所有的版權互相無條件通用。即任何一書房出版的書，其他兩書房無須徵得同意，可以逕行翻印出版發行。上海的書房主要以大陸地區為對象，台灣的書房針對台灣地區，香港則針對海外各地。當時工頭們都阿們，非常高興，認為這是推廣文字服事的上策，彼此毫無私心，全意為著福音的傳播。其實當時台灣和香港的書房在文字儲備上都一無所有，但上海的書房已有不少出版物，然而倪弟兄作了一個很好榜樣，把版權完全送給台灣和香港了。台灣福音書房頭幾年出的書，可以說幾乎全是上海出過的。換言之，台灣福音書房全是靠上海起家的，所以它初期的性質和風格也相當開放。當時出版的那些書，不僅為「地方教會」中的信徒所珍愛需要，也是整個基督教中的信徒所寶愛重視，因此銷售量不差，很為書房累積了些運用資金。那時又有一位弟兄看見主對文字工作的祝福，就奉獻了一筆資金在一會所前的空地上蓋造了一幢兩層樓的木造房子，樓上作教會長老室，樓下供書房使用。後來在一九七○年代初，由於木造樓房已陳舊且不敷使用，台北教會就將其拆除而重建為現在的五層建築，讓書房可以使用的面積得以擴充。
這個「工頭」一再宣稱台灣福音書房完全是他「獨資」建立的事業。關於他所謂的「獨資」，也有說明的必要，免得後人誤以為他真的拿出過多少資金來建立書房。在一九四九年底或一九五○年初，凡要出版書籍銷售，必須向內政部和經濟部辦理出版事業登記。在登記的時候要書明「資本額」和出資人。照當時的規定，事業的最低登記資本額可能不得少於新台幣一百元。那時許多事業都是按最低資本額登記的。一九七一年筆者參加台灣工商事業普查工作，看見許多書局和出版事業在一九五○年代登記的，資本額都只有幾百元。而且所謂的登記資本額只登記數目，並不一定是「出資額」，而繳給內政部或經濟部的不過幾元手續費而已。當時登記的書房出資人可能是工頭的名字，登記的資本額一定不會高出最低限多遠，而實際的出資人和出資額則恐怕只有主才知道。很明顯的，當時印書可能需要一筆墊款，當書賣出一部分之後，墊款即可收回。那時台灣的聖徒固然不多，也不很富有，但印書的墊款我相信還並不難籌。只要一兩本書賣出之後，即可有剩餘作為以後印書的墊款了。再者，一頭一再自稱是倪弟兄打發去台灣的，我們也信這話有幾分真實。若是倪弟兄打發他，照倪弟兄的性格和擔當，豈會讓他隻身帶著全家空空而去？按倪弟兄那時的力量，起碼也會交給他好幾千美金作生活和工作資金吧！再不然，「工頭」離開山東煙台到上海工作，我相信他去上海之前，可能真的囊中如洗，然而他在上海服事兩三年，我不相信上海的聖徒們會虧欠「他」。他全家離開上海去台灣的時候，豈不比他去上海之前，囊中要豐裕得多嗎？這些富餘難道不是主藉聖徒的手交給他的嗎？在這些富餘中拿一點作印書墊款，就可以作為以後年年藉書房歛財的理由嗎？由前所述可知，台灣福音書房的建立，固然是他所主持，有他的一份貢獻；但又何只他一人而已？其他聖徒有錢出錢、有力出力的又豈可抹煞！他們所為何來？豈不都是為著主為著教會，一同盡力配合？他們以為他也是為著主為著教會的，那知道他骨子裡是為著自己呢？別人出錢出力都是奉獻，惟獨他出錢出力是「投資」，以後要永永遠遠世世代代的百倍、千倍、萬倍甚至萬萬倍的回收！
「書房」的變質不僅在財務方面，在出版發行方面亦然。剛設立的頭幾年，所出版的幾乎全是上海福音書房所出過的書，以倪弟兄的為主，也包括俞弟兄以及其他弟兄的譯作。工頭自己的東西，大多是當時所講的，刊登在「話語職事」期刊上。那時「話語職事」也不僅僅只刊登他自己的東西，也包括其他同工所寫、所譯的，例如教會歷史，屬靈人傳記，慕安得烈的「基督的靈」等。這表示那時的工頭還相當開明，對於同工的態度還有某種程度的敞開和尊重。從一九五三年全時間同工訓練之後，由他所講過的信息才逐漸整理出書籍來。自此以後，書房出版發行的作風明顯的改變。為了突顯他自己的「職事」，他就愈過愈少刊登別人的作品；「話語職事」在一九五六年之後，幾乎青一色是他的信息和談話記錄。一期「話語職事」篇幅有限，最多可刊登長篇的講道記錄四、五篇，他說話的機會很多，每月出一期那利刊載呢！就這樣，他就成了「話語職事」中的「獨一職事」；他的獨一職事是建立在強烈的排他基礎上。同樣的，書房後來所出的書也僅限於他的講道專輯，再看不見別人的文字了。並且從此以後若有任何同工有文字出版，都會犯了他的大忌，會被定罪有「野心」遭到排斥。曾有一度，藉口倪弟兄在中國大陸，也不再出倪的書籍。後來有別的聖徒另行出版，很有銷售量，他發現不能喪失這種賺錢機會，因此又趕快搶著出。「書房」變得既狹窄又瑪門化了。
說他藉書房「歛財」，一點也沒有冤枉他，現略略舉證：
最早為台灣的「工作」和「福音書房」管帳的乃是馬葵春弟兄，他是和張晤晨弟兄乘同一艘輪船由上海到台灣的。馬弟兄曾在倪弟兄協助其弟弟經營的「生化藥廠」中管理會計多年，其向著主和為人之忠誠，弟兄們有目共睹。因此在一九四九年八月台灣的「工作」開始時，就請他擔任會計，管理「工作」的帳務；後來「書房」登記成立，書房的會計和帳務也兼由他管理。從這一點看，當初成立書房時，工頭的私心還並不那樣嚴重，還算是以「福音工作」為前提，並沒有把它當作私人的營利事業，只把它當作「工作」的一部分，故它的財務和帳務均由馬弟兄管理。但也由此可見當時的登記費用，出資開銷和印書的墊款都是由「工作款」支付的。後來書房跛行的書日有進款，同時「話語職事」的讀者有捐贈，就都成為書房的收入。馬弟兄管理「工作」和「書房」的帳，直到一九六七年左右離開「地方教會」為止。馬弟兄在這條路上事奉主服事聖徒多年，在生命和經歷上是很有學習的人，在「工作」上也是極深入內情的同工，卻為什麼要離開呢？主要的原因有二：其一是為了一九六五年工頭將幾位同工開革掉，他很不以為然，認為那是真正違反「教會之路」原則的，這種排除「異己」的作法完全是狹窄宗派結黨之靈的表現；其二他看透了這個工頭在錢財上的不義作風，他不認為在這個工頭領導下的「工作」會結出義的果子來，留在裡面不過是助紂為虐被他利用的工具罷了。如今馬弟兄夫婦都住在美國加州橙縣，離安那翰不遠，若是要他們作證，一九六七年以前「工作」和「書房」財務上的故事都會真相大白，就可以知道究竟那些年間工頭「投資」了多少，回收了多少以及侵占、消耗和變賣吞蝕了多少。恐怕那個倍數是無法估計的，因為他出資的分母可能是個零呀！
接續馬弟兄管帳的同工是張振弟兄。原來張弟兄從一九四九年到台北之後，就一直在總執事室服事，馬弟兄管「工作」和「書房」的帳，而張弟兄則管「教會」的帳，對工作和教會所發生的事當然都非常清楚。他們在同一間辦公室，相對而坐，都是同工，又都是長老，交通自甚密切；「工作」、「書房」和「教會」對他們來說乃是一體的。他們看見同工們中間的分裂、工頭財務上的混亂，聖徒們心血奉獻的財產被侵占盜賣，他們能不難過，印象會不深刻嗎？馬弟兄離開後，張弟兄當然更難過，但他對「教會」還存一些指望，因此繼續服事下去，並且接了大部分馬弟兄的服事，直到一九七六年離開台北來美為止。張弟兄夫婦現都住在洛杉磯。聖徒們不妨請他們作作證，究竟工頭在財務上私不私，義不私？從一九六○年工頭來美之後，到一九七六年張弟兄離開前，曾將多少台北教會和台灣眾教會聖徒的奉獻直接、間接交給工頭，又曾將多少聖徒的奉獻款匯給他，而他竟然在大庭廣眾面前說，他在美國工作從來沒有得到台北和台灣眾教會一文錢的幫助和支持！他知道這些同工絕不忍心當眾揭穿他的謊言。單從「書房」每年他拿去的「盈餘」會是小數目嗎？不妨把「帳簿」翻開來看看，當然不是翻那本報給稅捐機關的「報表」，而是翻那本真正的帳，他以各種名義從書房所取的款項絕不在少數。
一九七六年方開啟弟兄從省政府建設廳副廳長退休，應兩位張弟兄之請，主持福音書房的業務，負責整頓工作，建立正常的事業制度，並辦理財團法人登記。為此事工頭頗為不快，因為正常的財團法人制度對他是個限制。後來方弟兄過世，由電力公司退休的王學錦弟兄接任。王弟兄在台北教會總執事室與張振弟兄配搭多年，台北教會的財團法人登記手續，和台北教會之所有不動產產權之清理和登記都是他費了好一段時間才完成的。他到書房後繼續方弟兄未完成的兩大工作：財務和財團法人法制均趨正常。即使如此，王弟兄實際上仍然非常顧到工頭的「私人利益」，以合法的方式將可以給工頭的錢儘量給他。照規定財團法人的盈餘是不能分配的，王弟兄煞費苦心的找出支付「版權費」（一般稱為版稅）的路，正正當當的支付款項給他。凡是以工頭之名所出的書，按訂價支付百分之十五的「版權費」；因此每年書房付給他的錢從一九七八年開始，總在好幾百萬元新台幣，而且逐年增加。然而工頭不以此為滿足，他要求提高「版稅」率，後來凡是「生命讀經」的「版稅」竟高達百分之三十五。聖徒們想想看：當時訂價一本薄薄的「生命讀經」為六元，百分之三十五約合二元。當時那些單行本的「生命讀經」很少「地方教會」之外的人士買，絕大部分都是賣給「地方教會」的聖徒每本四元。在四元之中，他個人就要要抽二元，剩下的二元要作書房的印刷費、紙張成本、裝訂費、翻譯、繕寫、校稿以及各項管理、發行的人事費用。前三項成本費用（指印刷、紙張、裝訂）都是付給外人，照市場價格少不了；能省的就是翻譯之後的各項費用，而這些人都是聖徒，又經常加班，拿極低的待遇也沒有怨言。他們那裡知道他們是在被工頭厲害的利用和剝削，而教會和聖徒並未蒙任何 益處，反而遭到破壞和殘害呢？從一九八○年之後，書房每年付給工頭的「版稅」總計約在新台幣千萬元以上。可是工頭仍不知足，認為書價還太便宜了，要求書房一再調整價格。王弟兄愈服事心裡愈難過，一九八三年他就以身體不佳的理由辭職了。王弟兄已於前兩年病逝，但王師母仍健在，請王師母作證看看，王弟兄末後幾年的心情，特別是對書房的心情是怎樣的呢？
對書房的業務和管理方面非常有經歷又深入的，還有一人，乃是朱建華弟兄。他於一九六○年代就被書房去服事，對書房的內幕應可如數家珍，可以作公正的證人。那時住在士林的（並不是第十一會所，一九六七年台北升格為院轄市，行政區域擴大，士林、北投、景美、木柵、南港、內湖六區才併入台北市）吳進雄弟兄，也到書房服事了好多年。他既排版，又整書庫，書房一點沒有好好照顧他，給他的待遇極差，他結婚之後妻子懷孕，以他的收入實在不能養家。結果因為搬重書傷了脊椎，弟兄們勸他趕快離開，他實在迫不得已，好像背叛主似的去另找職業；以他的專長很快就找到高兩三倍待遇的工作。舉此一例證，可知書房是如何苛待其中服事的聖徒。若是書房收入少，付不起工作人員的薪資，他們心甘情願的為推廣福音文字的傳播，也還值得，有其意義；但若領頭的人利用他們的愛心而欺壓他們，甚至剝削他們，以達成圖利自己獲取暴利的行為，那他就太卑鄙可惡了。吳弟兄的事例，我在一九六七年左右看見之後，心中就很不以為然，但那時並不清楚有人藉書房圖利，只覺得書房的經營政策不對，不該虧待那些甘心去服事的人。到一九八三年我才確實的發現，書房不合理的極苛刻政策乃是工頭圖取暴利的必然結果。他知道不知道他每年從書房收取的「版稅」實際上乃是聖徒的「青春血汗」？當他把那些錢給他自己兒女花用時，他知不知道那些聖徒們也是別人的兒女，同時也是「神的兒女」？世人開書局發財，他們還生財有道，取之有道，並且對他們那些員工還要給之有道。而這位「屬靈」的工頭，則是取之無道（道德的道），給之更無道。一九八二年六月「錄影訓練服事中心」有一位全時間服事的姊妹，她是惟一支薪的，那時付給她的待遇在社會上還算中下，然而書房的經理都不及她，其他的人就更不用說了。後來吳有成接掌責任，擬將該姊妹之薪資降至與書房員工平等，就曾有人明白的告訴他：「問題不是該姊妹所得太高，而是整個書房待遇低得不合理，應該整個調整提高。」不久之後，吳有成擔任了書房經理，書房待遇稍有調整。許多人以為是「二公子」恩惠無量，工頭恩寵，他們那裡知道，把他們全體全年所得薪資統統加起來，還趕不上工頭的「版稅」二分之一呢！而且從那以後，他們的待遇只象徵性的增加，但工頭的「版稅」卻成幾何級數的增加呢！在書房工作多年的人對此都比我知道得更多。恐懼就是因為這些事朱建華弟兄太清楚了，所以留他不得；這是「老人」的可惡之處。所以工頭喜歡以「新人」取代
「老人」。教會的服事如此，書房更是如此。「新人」因為不明白他的底細，容易讓他擺佈上當；待他們看清楚後就是該淘汰的「老人」了。
一九八三年藉著王學錦弟兄辭職，張湘澤弟兄中風，張晤晨弟兄不敢管事，工頭父子安插吳有成接掌書房經理，從此之後書房完全淪為向聖徒搾歛錢財的工具。一九八五年以前還不敢明目張膽。一九八五年間，在原來台北教會的長老們相繼離開之後，工頭父子坐鎮書房演「盜賊雙簧」；老子在台上唱「屬靈的」，兒子在底下搞「瑪門的」，一個吹，一個就配合著歛財。我們再看看他們這幾年的作為：
工頭說要全球長老和全時間訓練，兒子就下定標準在每一個參加訓練的人身上收費多少元，扣除各種支出後，圖利幾千元。從一九八六年至一九八八年止，參加訓練之聖徒總在一萬二千人次以上，職事站（在台灣就是「書房」）從中每人圖利約一百美元以上，合計（保守估計）約二百萬美元。而且這些絕不記在書房的帳上，當然也不在美國的「職事站」帳上。這叫吃「空缺」。這筆帳無處可查，查也無從查起。
工頭說要叩門傳福音，兒子就規劃製服夾克和領帶。每一套新台幣五百元，不要一套，單項也是五百元，不買的不許參加叩門。總計台灣和海外出售量在萬套以上，每套成本不需二百元，此項淨賺三百萬元以上。這也不會列在書房的帳上，當然也不列在美國的「職事站」帳上，那裡去了？這只算他父子的一點小外快而已。
工頭說訓練要擴充台北三會所訓練中心的接待容量，因此各地教會均普遍報告，並且通知美加各地將聖徒奉獻彙總「職事站」轉交台北教會。後來「職事站」所彙集的款項均據為職事站所有。一九八九年工頭就根據此筆款項，要求台北教會將三會所新購之十一戶公寓移轉給他們父子，後因財團法人之不動產產權不得私自移轉，工頭乃以「借款」方式訛詐了台北教會現金新台幣伍千多萬元，折合美金二百萬元。（比美國「職事站」的帳面還要多五十萬美元。）
工頭說各地教會都要使用「恢復版」聖經，兒子就將「恢復版」每本單價高訂為新台幣三千元，預約一千八百元，算是六折優待聖徒。這兩年總共賣出了中文版三萬多本，以平均二千元計算，合計在六千萬元以上。「版稅」三分之一，若按訂價可以匯出新台幣三千萬元以上；若按實收，工頭的收入亦在二千萬元以上。這還僅僅是「恢復版」一項而已，其他「版稅」還不在內。聖徒由此可見他為什麼極力要各地聖徒使用「恢復版」，他為什麼極力推崇兒子最能執行他的「職事」。「恢復版」的本錢不過二百元左右（以三萬本計），他高訂價碼為三千元，竟達近十五倍的毛利，就世人來說，這種訂價都高得離譜，完全是一種敲詐。如果是一本社會上發行的書，書評家一定會公開撻伐，說他這種書商是不仁不義的貪婪之徒，而這個工頭竟戴著屬靈的面具來敲詐老實的信徒。這個中文版可以道道地地的稱為「敲詐版」。由此可知他所謂的「恢復」乃是恢復到墮落和敗壞貪婪裡去了。他每一個註解的下面都包含虛假。親愛的聖徒們哪！讀「註解聖經」要注意先「讀其人」，若是出賣主耶穌的猶大未吊死，反而寫了一卷「猶大福音」，你是否要去買來當「聖經」讀呢？他豈不是真使徒，是主親自設立的，跟在主身邊三年半，他所寫的一定有許多真實東西，你要接受他的東西當「聖經」嗎？
說到「恢復版」我要補充兩點：第一、英文版中的經文是以英格斯弟兄為主譯者而重譯的，工頭不過是掛名沾光，真正的版權應屬英格斯以及其他二位弟兄所有，但工頭收取那樣多「版稅」，究竟分給了他們多少，抑或是獨合了？第二、中文版是根據英文版而譯成的，是書房中的一群聖徒翻譯的，工頭只是最後的審訂者。在中文版中他竊奪了一切名銜，完全是一種欺騙行為，為的是要獨佔全部的「版稅」。他是要名要利不要義。
工頭要參加訓練的人多讀他的信息和「生命讀經」。書房早就準備好發行「話語職事」和「生命讀經」的合訂精裝本，也是一樣定價奇高，藉機又大夫敲榨一番。這兩套書都是舊書新印，成本極低。結果發行了好幾千套，他名正言順的「版稅」又有一兩千萬元。另外書房的盈餘，他們會老老實實留在帳上嗎？以他們的作風會老實嗎？在作帳上有些項目以多報少，有些項目以少報多，很容易就把盈餘沖銷掉了。而如今台灣的外匯市場和股票市場都很發達，資金要流向何方非常方便。他們真以為人不知鬼不覺，他們心目中還有真正的神嗎？可惜那些熱呼呼參加全時間訓練的青年人，還以為當代的「獨一職事」會如何成全他們；他的「成全」就是推銷他獲取高「版稅」的書。反倒是這些人要了父母的錢來成全他父子的慾望！
從一九八五年將主日聚會改為「讀書聚會」後，書房出的每本書都會推到讀書聚會去，而使它成為發行量在萬冊以上的「暢銷書」，如此的版稅極為可觀。然而最近兩三年，實在沒有什麼新東西，出不了新書，而舊書也都新印過了，怎麼辦呢？就發展出「晨興聖言」的策略（李氏的註解和生命讀經也都聖了，何等狂妄！何等僭越！），將「恢復版」和以前的信息拼湊成每月一本的東西，可以月月都推銷一本，不斷的收入，不斷的「版稅」。他推行這種「聚會」是真正為著聖徒信心的長進和真理的明白嗎？是真正為著教會的建造和一的見證嗎？，還是為著推銷那些炒冷飯的書和他不斷的「版稅」收入呢？各地教會的長老們哪，為什麼不把這許多事實帶到主面前去好好省察省察呢？要知道你們這樣定規「教會的聚會」，不僅是把眾聖徒（羊群）帶到剪毛人的手下，讓他們被剝奪了；更是將聖靈的主權和基督的見證消滅了。為什麼要讓眾聖徒都被他們父子愚弄呢？從一九八五年到現在，已經整整五年過去了，台灣沒有福音化，各地的見證沒有加強，全面「地方教會」的見證和互相關係，完全被破壞了，同工們和眾聖徒因為他而四分五製，他兒子被安那翰教會定罪開除了，他自己也被德國璩教會公開定罪和切斷關係了；他們父子的錯謬已極明顯。這五年來他們藉「書房」或「職事站」以各種名目，在台灣從聖徒和教會身上榨歛的錢財最少也在新台幣數億元之上，而且這種情況還在繼續。他所有的「屬靈帶領」，背後都配合了一雙瑪門的手在作祟；不單有他兒子的一隻，更有他自己的一隻，若沒有他的一隻，他兒子那隻是伸不進去的。有其父才有其子，千萬不能上當以為當他兒子那隻手不見了，就一切平安無事了。只要他父親的手在，他兒子的手就可以化裝成任何另外一隻手伸進去。聖徒要謹慎，教會的長老更當留心。根除禍亂的上策，就是斷開所有與這雙手有關係的東西，將：「恢復版」、「生命讀經」、「晨興聖言」、「真理課程」、「人生奧秘」以及其他有關的取代品都扔到一邊去。原原本本的回到純淨的「聖經」上去，回到主自己的面光中去，回到自己純良的心靈中去，主的話就會向你們打開，主的面光更會向你們顯明，神的靈不僅會引導你個人，更會帶領祝福你們的聚會。千萬不要再繼續活在工頭的「俘虜營」中作向他「討飯」吃的人！也不要使你們的聚會成為工頭「俘虜營」的聚會。願主賜恩給那些清心尋求祂的人！
本來，在現代社會中，法律上允許民間依法成立公益性的財團法人組織，乃是尊重人民善良之目的。對於這種非營利性的組織給予許多免稅和管理上的優惠，尤其是對基督徒的教會，書房或慈善機構一向都管理比較鬆弛，因為政府知道這一類的團體自律性較強，比較誠信可靠。老實說，在社會上也只有那些最邪惡、最假冒為善的偽君子，才會藉成立這種非營利的財團法人來逃稅、圖利或舞弊；稍微有些道義、有些良心的人都不會動這一方面的腦筋，他們只捐獻，拿出自己的錢財去貢獻一份有益眾人的事。然而，我們的工頭父子卻以此組織多方在聖徒身上圖利、舞弊和營私，其道德水準之低由此可見一班。這是「地方教會」工作上的不幸！
第三節　「職事站」的演變和藉以歛財的手法
一九六二年五月，英格斯夫婦、張宜倫夫婦二十餘位聖徒脫離西摩蘭的聚會，在洛杉磯開始了地方立場的聚會。七月間曾邀李氏前去特會。當年年底李氏從西雅圖遷居洛杉磯參加他們的聚會，並與他們一同作工。
由於英格斯英文造詣甚佳，從一九六三年開始李氏與他合作，編譯英文詩歌本，至一九六七年完成。為著文字工作上的推廣，同時他們合組成立財團法人水流出版社，出任「水流」雜誌。由李氏任董事長，英格斯任秘書，張亦倫任財務，張亦倫師母擔任執行經理（初創時入不敷出，經理才由外人當）。出版的內容都是李氏所講的信息，英格斯花許多功夫整理修飾。由於出版的文字水準相當高，因此對工作極為有利，吸引許多讀者慕道，前來參加聚會和進入地方教會。
一九七四李氏之子「老二」發現「生命訓練」是一條生財之路，建議其父另立財團法人「水流職事站」。組織上仍由李氏任董事長，名義上英格斯任秘書，張宜倫任財務，但實際上卻指派其子「老二」擔任執行經理，其一媳婦管會計出納。這已是存心有計劃的將「職事站」私人企業化。除他們外還有兩位任董事：一是李氏妻，一是法蘭西保爾。表面上英格斯、張宜倫都參與組織，其實兩位弟兄只是在每年向政府年度報備的文件上簽名而已。這給眾聖徒一種錯覺，以為這個組織，是領頭弟兄們共同負責來推動工作發展的，因此眾聖徒、眾教會都被蒙在鼓裡，甚至當時連英格斯和張宜倫二位弟兄也不疑有他。
一九七五年決定在安那翰覓地蓋大會所，便於容納更多聖徒參加訓練。各地眾聖徒費盡心力，拼上財力，建成大會所，接待處和住宅兩幢。在產權登記時，除會所四分之一歸安那翰教會外，其餘全都歸「職事站」。任誰在當時也不會想到，眾聖徒、眾教會那樣興高采烈的拼上擺上，於一九七六年完工所產生的結果乃是李氏今後藉以賺取眾聖徒、眾教會的錢財和奉獻款的營壘。李氏以此掩護，使他父子在今後若干年的所得大為增加。他們真是發了聖徒和教會的財，並且他們的住宅和各種費用還免稅哩！
一九七七年李氏將水流出版社併入水流職事站，使事權更加統一在李氏父子的掌握之下。原來水流出版社負責雜誌和文字書籍的出版，「水流職事站」負責錄影錄音和生命訓練。合併之後，李氏指派「老二」擔任總經理總攬一切。老二取得此一地位後便逐漸操弄權勢，藉管制出版物的供應與否，要挾各地教會長老或負責弟兄接受其吩咐，向其低頭。後來發生好幾起糾紛，即因某些地方教會之長老或領頭同工不吃他那套，老二就籍故停止若干教會書籍的供應，意圖迫使長老離開或向其賠罪，如西雅圖、香港等地。而每遇這類事件，李氏均為其子撐腰，他不僅不約束其子之無理取鬧，並且加壓力迫使對方讓步。李氏之存心和真面目因此逐漸顯露。當年五月以後在沒有預告之下，終止「水流」雜誌的繼續發行。許多屬靈文字的雜誌是因財力不繼，或因發行者能力中斷，或因新出版物取代而終止，但「水流雜誌」乃因轉變態度而停止。以前的態度是盼望推廣「真理」，從此以後的政策是每篇文字都必需「牟利」。這可以說是頭一次暴露了「職事」和「職事站」的真正存心和目標，乃是以「牟利」為中心。
一九八四年因張宜倫弟兄去世，水流職事站的董事會改組 ，張弟兄遺缺李氏指定由老二正式遞補；董事會五名董事為：李氏、蔻格斯、李氏妻、法蘭西和老二。五票李家己佔三票。「職事站」正式完成了私有化、家庭化的手續，所以從此以後李氏放膽公開說「職事站」是他的「私人廚房」。過去他雖然早已實際上把「職事站」私有化，但表面上還要應付英格斯，張宜倫和法蘭西三人。他們畢竟是外人，而且佔了多數。雖然李氏知道他們都很信任他，但那時他還不敢太囂張，因為怕萬一露出馬腳，三票對二票，是可以攆他下台的；他們的橡皮章還是重要的。現在情勢改觀，他已經無所顧忌了。所以說起話來也大膽了，以前需要謹慎的，現在可以完全放肆了，好不痛快。如今他若要換那兩個橡皮章，隨時都可以做到。
一九八八年八月，由於英格斯在安那翰教會公開交通了教會的立場十六點（後來蒐集在「真理的號角」中）。李氏對英格斯大為不滿。因此他召集董事會時，以董事長的身份忽然提案，下年度由法蘭西擔任秘書，班森菲力普擔任財務。言下之意，顯然是要將英格斯剔除。事先毫無通知，更不用說諮商了。李氏這種手段真是「屬天的」，人間都難得一聞。英格斯是他在美國一開始就配搭，超過二十五年以上的所謂「同工」，且是財團法人的創始人之一。現在究竟法蘭西和班森能蓋多久的橡皮圖章呢？這就要看他們如何伺候李氏家族而定了。這就是「職事站」私有化的過程。面對這樣的「職事」和「職事站」，眾教會和眾聖徒該怎麼辦呢？還是不要摸是非，任由它繼續發展下去嗎？
李氏在財務處理上的特徵是絕對保密，絕不公開。「職事站」成立以來接受了多少奉獻款，這些款項怎樣支配，從未向眾教會眾聖徒公開過。年度會計報表都是要英格斯和張宜倫弟兄在他辦公室當場立即簽名，若是他們多看幾眼，他都會臉露不悅，認為他們不信任他。弟兄們怕得罪他，也都養成習慣不敢多看，免得觸犯他。他利用聖徒們怕得罪他的心理，將這些財務資科保密了十幾年之久，但他從來不怕得罪任何聖徒。因為無論是你得罪他，或他得罪你，了不起都是你走路。因為「教會」是他的。「工作」是他的，「會所」也是他的；雖然是聖徒奉獻的，但奉獻之後都變成他的了。
前不久美國「讚美上帝」電視台（PTL Praise Lord Television）發起人巴克（Jim Baker）被聯邦檢察官起訴，其侵佔公款和詐欺，陪審團裁定有罪，宣判的刑期高達四十五年。檢察官在結辯時說：「巴克是說話半真半假的世界級大師。他向大眾說謊，用半真半假的話操縱人心。他利用自己的地位積聚權力和財富」。地方教會的首領正是這樣。比較起來，巴克的錯誤是使PTL完全制度化了，財務帳目又都讓聖徒管理，所以欺詐侵佔證據確鑿，無可辯駁；而李氏這「獨一職事」的經營妙策乃是使「職事站」表面制度化（指登記）。這樣一面可以省稅，一面免啟人疑竇。但實際上財務和帳務都家庭化，證據不致落入別人手中，也不必擔心「侵佔」或「詐欺」。眾聖徒和眾教會反正都是願者上勾，因此檢察官所說巴克不能做的事，他都可以做。「職事」和「職事站」裡面的奧秘不知道要比PTL超過多少倍。真是奧秘的「職事」和「職事站」，這些年它的標誌張貼在各處「地方教會」的會所和聖徒家裡，真是有莫大的「榮耀」啊！主再來的時候，只要看見那個標誌，就知道那人是跟誰的。眾聖徒啊！到如今還能不儆醒，不清醒嗎？
一九八九年十一月底，於感恩節召集特會，會中李氏特別安排金某報告「職事站」的管理和財務，好像很公開似的，其實完全是李氏的障眼術，再次欺哄眾聖徒。因為既沒有公佈董事會成員名單，也沒有告訴大眾誰主管業務、財務和帳務，更沒有允許聖徒去查看帳目，對以前十多年的帳更是毫無交待。其中一段報告說，目前職事站有二十四位全時間工作者，每月薪資達到十多萬美金。言下之意一面報告了財務，一面表示沒有什麼隱私。這完全是騙小孩子的花招。公開財務不是那樣簡單，必須允許聖徒查帳。若是有人去查，可能就會發現他們所報告的每月薪資果然高達十多萬元，但一看細目，就會發現其中將近二十人的薪資總和不過二、三萬元，而另外有兩三個人的給付卻高達六、七萬元，這特殊的兩三個人每人所得幾乎都要比那二十人的總和更多；你再看這兩三人的姓名，絕不會在他李氏家門之外。別忘了，李氏是商科畢業，又在西人洋行裡當過幾年差，這種帳務技巧是最起碼的門道呀！這些都是不犯法的，領取高薪的人只要報稅就好了。若是一個「屬靈的領導」者只在設法躲過法律的追究上打轉，那他的義充其量不過是「粉飾的墳墓」。這是主耶穌責備那些假冒為善的文士和法利賽人說的，他在人前，外面顯出公義來，裡面卻裝滿了假善和不法的事。（太廿三27－28）。一個衣冠楚楚的老年人，雖然不一定有本事、有膽量去劫銀行（這是套用他一九八九年感恩節特會中的說法），卻可以用一種欺騙的技倆搶劫眾聖徒和眾教會。中國俗語說的「知人知面不知心」的文明強盜，正是主耶穌所責備假冒為善的「屬靈領導者」。
或許很多老實受蒙騙的信徒，真的想像不到可以用來歛財的手法究竟有那些，並且有多麼嚴重，金額有多麼龐大。為了使聖徒有些概念，在此略舉大端說明：
指名奉獻包：這是最名正言順的個人收入。前面已經說過，一個在教會中領頭說話的人，眾聖徒若有指名奉獻的話，最不會虧待這樣的人。訪是在教會服事過開奉獻箱的人，都知道每當特會或集中訓練聚會後，開出來的「主講者」個人包總是一大堆。尤其有些愛財的「屬靈人」，只要他的個人包收入少了，他就總會在講台上有意無意的說些話，使聽眾知道有虧於他了。這套手法是「工頭」的拿手好戲，（他有個徒弟也特擅此道）。他對這一方面早有經驗，所以「地方教會」的不成文規定才會有這樣一條（指名奉獻包）。表面上說好像是憑信心生活，其實是靠一張嘴生活。一個真正憑信心生活的人，應該知道他的擔當和他的責任，一個在屬靈上領頭說活者更當如此。若是一個所謂的「屬靈領袖」在錢財上不乾淨的話，單靠他一張嘴皮子到各處去開特會或訓練，一年的收入足夠他全家正常的生活（當然不包括做生意賠本）三、五年。若是有些富有的聖徒從他們的財富裡拿出一部分來擺上一個包，那更夠他生活好幾十年，甚至一輩子。我認識一位全時間服事的弟兄，從他交出的那天起，就為自己和他的家定了一個收支標準（每年略有調整）：收到的照顧低於標準的部分，照帶職業時的習摜擺上該擺的奉獻；收到的數字超過標準的部分，則完全當作「主的款」處理，那不是自己可隨便私用的。這是一個憑信心生活的全時間同工起碼的認識。如果工頭這四十年來有這樣的態度，我相信今天的「地方教會」不會這樣烏煙瘴氣。這四十年來，他究竟收到多少供應，他自己心裡當然有數。這其中還有許多聖徒把他當作「工頭」而將「工作款」交在他手中的部分，這些都是沒有帳的，完全在乎他的存心和良心，要把它當私錢就是私錢，要把它當公錢也就是公錢。老實說對一個真正事奉神和服事教會的「工人」來說，凡經過聖徒之手而來到的全是公錢。公錢就應該奉交由別人管，只有私錢才由自己或親人管；很明顯地，對於「地方教會」的工頭而言，只要聖徒交到他手中的都變成了私錢。我們不必去猜測究竟有多少，這四十年來的累積總額，至少也夠他全家子子孫孫正常的生活好幾輩子罷。
未指名奉獻或一般奉獻：若是在教會的會所中，這些奉獻款當然歸屬於「教會」的收入帳上；但在「職事」的「私營」會所裡就自然歸屬於「職事」或「職事站」。「工頭」處心積慮的弄一個私用會所，其主要目的即在於此。若是只為「話語的職事」，會所歸「教會」管一點也沒有妨礙，尤其對他還會有什麼限制嗎？若是他還認為有限制而使他不能盡「職事」的話，則其他同工受的限制豈不比他多千百倍，人家還能盡職事作工嗎？主耶穌在地上的時候沒有自己的會所，使徒們如彼得、約翰、保羅也都沒有自己的會所，教皇也沒有自己的教堂，古今中外正統的基督徒團體中，也沒有那個屬靈的領頭人有自己的會所，只有在異端教派中，有許多假先知假使徒為自己建立了廟堂，並且有一班他自己所差派的人去專門負責收納老實善男信女的貢獻或祭儀。在現代的社會中，他們這些廟堂也會成立財團法人，因為非如此他們不能存在，而他們成立財團法人仍舊可以「合法」歛財。這種戲法完全在乎他們怎樣變。現金收入可以不登帳或少登帳，直接納入私人口袋，所以這種帳一定要親人或親信自管，只要不留憑證就萬無一失。所有抬頭支票收入就規規距距登帳，反正帳上也不能太少太難看。只要是收進了這個自己人控制的組織，要變成私人所有多的是名目和辦法，只是多費些手續或將來多繳些稅而已。總之，一個私有會所可以很容易的將聖徒奉獻給「教會」的錢，變相的化為給「職事」的錢。許多信徒就是這樣左右手不分，他們那裡管什麼「教會」或「職事」有何不同，他們只要把錢一投進去就心安理得了。尤其是中國信徒更是如此，看見每個「偶像」都燒香叩頭，他們根本不管什麼真理不真理，何況根據工頭的說法，「談真理」叫作「講是非」，是會受咒詛、長大痲瘋的，還是不聞不問的好，就由他去罷。誰能估計這十五年來「職事站」變相侵占了「教會」多少財產和聖徒多少奉獻款，總數當在五百萬美元以上。這原來都該是「教會」的資產，如今都成了「私會」和私人的資產。存心要「建造教會」的一班信徒，竟被人利用來建造了一個最彎曲的私會。這是一個何等的騙局！也是一個何等令人羞愧的諷刺！
以董事長、總經理和財務經理的職位支領高薪：這是理所當然的，而且是法律所允許的。「牛在場上踹穀的時候，不可堵住它的嘴」。連聖經都這樣說，難道還有什麼不對嗎？是不是看了眼紅呢？不是的！今天世界上拿高薪的人多得是，我們都不會眼紅，他們父子媳婦與別人相比也不過小巫見大巫而已。但問題是，教會並非世界。若是他一家人自己去投資去作生意，然後自家人當老闆，作董事長、總經理，管財務又管帳，每人愛支多少薪就支多少薪，這完全是他們自家的事，我們才懶得去理會。然而他們不是。他所謂的「私人廚房」從上到下，裡裡外外，一石一木一根釘子全都是聖徒們擺出來的。當初交通就是為著主，為著教會，後來改為為著「他個人職事」的，這是何等一種無賴！就算「職事站」是一個財團法人，一個非營利的組織，它也應該是一個「公眾的財團」，眾聖徒的「公司」，其財務和管理難道不要向公眾公開，受公眾監督，各級主持人或負責人不要向公眾負責而任由他們營私胡來嗎？老實說以他們父子的作風，連擔任一家公眾公司主持人的資格都不夠；「公德」的水準差得太遠！他們敢把他們這十幾年來支領的薪資公佈嗎？同時，敢把其他在「職事站」工作的人所支領的薪資也一同公佈嗎？只要把那些數字一比較，就可以知道他們是如何「吃」「職事站」，又如何「啃」弟兄姊妹了。你會發現他們對待聖徒比世界上最刻薄的老闆還更刻薄，而他們卻根本不是「出」資本的人，而是吸聖徒心血的高所得者。
在出版物上收取高「版稅」：信息出版書籍有「版稅」，出錄音帶、錄影帶也有「版稅」。「版稅」就是出版物著作的版權收入。出版物賣得愈多，版稅收入就愈多。所以他要眾聖徒都讀「生命讀經」，各教會主日都要講「生命讀經」，這樣聖徒們買「生命讀經」的份數就會增多。到後來乾脆把主日聚會都改成讀書聚會，這樣更是一網打盡，使每個在「地方教會」聚會的聖徒都非各買一本不可，使人人都要向他「納稅」。印的份量愈多，每本的單位成本愈低，因此在同樣訂價之下，版稅稅率就可以提高。例如在台灣福音書房，有一段時間書藉的版稅稅率為百分之十五，「生命讀經」單行本的稅率則高達百分之三十五；因為書籍的銷量少，「生命讀經」的銷量多。弟兄姊妹買的數量愈多，每個人要向他納的稅就愈高。何等有智慧的「版稅職事」！錄音帶和錄影帶也是一樣的要收版稅，一卷空白錄音帶的成本最多三角美金（批購更廉），卻賣三點五元美金，大部分的勞工都是聖徒的義工，其他的費用攤不了多少，因此每卷錄音帶的版稅可以達到二元美金以上。「版稅」是消化「職事站」餘錢的最好出路。經過「版稅」的處理，「職事站」可以永遠不會有盈餘，甚至可以化盈為虧，可以叫聖徒更多「奉獻」來貼補虧空。這樣的處理完全是「合法」的，只要他報個人所得稅就是了。怪不得有一年總見他在講台上抱怨美國的所得稅太重了。本來一個正常的傳道人相當多的所得是免稅的，但支領高薪和收取大額「版稅」的人就不能不繳稅了，所以他很心疼呀！「職事站」能公開坦白的公佈他歷年來收取的「版稅」金額嗎？相信會把眾聖徒嚇一大跳。這還不包括從台灣福音書房和其他地方收取的呢！
高額的出場費收入：在美國的「名嘴」演講都是要錢的。他們每出場一次就好像明星「作秀」一樣，都要出場費的。因此參加演講會經常都要買入場券才能進去。「生命訓練」的繳費辦法就是向那些「名嘴」演講會學來的。你以為他每次訓練和特會都是白講的嗎？聖徒那知道他每次出場要領多少出場費呢！每一場特會或訓練付一萬美金並不算多，因為社會上還有更高的價碼，只要收入報了所得稅就是絕對「合法」的。「職事站」付給他出場費，還不是羊毛出在「群羊」身上，由兒子將「職事站」的存在轉到老子的帳上去就是了。這是他為什麼推崇他這個兒子的主要原因之一。真是會為他想點子弄錢呀！這種出場費也是消化「職事站」餘錢的好路子之一。若是「職事站」肯把這項歷年的帳向眾聖徒公開，一定也會令大眾大開眼界，認識他是當代最會出賣恩賜，最會為利販賣神之道的「職事」了。比較起來，他去台北還是吃虧了，因為這兩三年他在台北開特會的每次出場費只有新台幣伍千元，當然聖徒的個人指名包不包括在內。他把那些當作是對他額外的「償錢」或「小費」。
各地召會（他洋洋得意的新名詞）攤派的每月「職事費」：兩三年前「職事站」派人到各地找召會負責弟兄，要他們按當地聚會人數，每月繳納某一定金額給「職事」作「跟隨費」；每個召會少則三、五百美金，多則一、二千美金不等。這個總數加起來究竟有多少，當然只有他自己清楚。很奇怪的是，他已經每年每月有那樣多收入了，他全家就是吃到主再來也吃不完，而他還要這樣向教會要錢，究竟是為了誰又為什麼呢！人心的慾望是個無底洞，一旦他貪婪之慾發作了，他是大大小小都要統吃的！他根本不管什麼仁義道德，怪不得他所講的「生命」是反仁義道德、反修養的，因為在「他的生命裡」壓根兒就不喜歡這些品性，否則他也不會在年邁之際還會做出這許多「絕」事來。是因為年紀大而糊塗了嗎？不是的，這許多事正顯明了他的本性。他的「教訓」把他自己「恢復」到求救前的光景去了。可以說他自己就是他所謂的「生命變化論」的註腳。他究竟傳的是什麼「生命」，從他自己的行事為人就顯明了出來。
一個自命為憑信心生活全時間作基督耶穌「奴僕」的人，竟利用別人對他的信任，藉他服事的影響力對眾聖徒和眾教會同時進行這六方面的歛財手法：收指名個人包，收一般奉獻款，領高薪，收取高「版稅」，收出場費，收教會攤派費；其要錢的肚量是何等大喲！聖徒和教會不應該虧負任何忠心勞苦服事教會的工人，他們在屬靈的事上，為眾人效力，眾聖徒理當在愛裡照顧到他們和他們兒女生活與教育上的正當需要，不使他們為生活太多的分心。他們的兒女長大成人了就應該讓他們自己獨立生活，像別人的兒女一樣，不應該繼續累著教會。聖徒和教會不應該讓同工在生活需要上受煎熬，也不應該對同工生活上的照顧重這個輕那個，總要盡力作到均平，按各人的家庭實際情形來照顧他們。這樣的照顧要作得好，也很不容易。另一方面，也要特別留心有些貪婪不法的工人，藉著屬靈的事在眾聖徒和眾教會中間大肆歛財，作事奉瑪門的工作。他們乃是披著羊皮的狼，表面上說的是一套，黑暗中作的是另一套，他們歛財的結果，將不僅使聖徒和教會遭到財物的損失，更嚴重的是會殘害了許多信徒的信心和破壞玷污了教會的見證，甚至拆毀了神的建造，燒滅了神的園地。今天「地方教會」正是遭到了這樣的禍害。因為有這樣存心的工人，從他散發出來的「教訓」或「真理」，裡面定會充滿了似是而非的邪惡病毒，這絕不是一般信徒所能分辨出來的；必定要等到災害嚴重，傷害與破壞浩大之後，才能引起專家的注意，經過非常仔細的檢驗之後，才能找出禍亂的原因，那時病毒已深入人心，有的已經病入膏肓，要想對症下藥醫治都已經非常難了。這就是今日「地方教會」中的光景；尤其是台灣和美西一帶，由於多年受其直接影響最大，病情也最深。
老實說，一個「憑信心」生活的工人，在他接受了聖徒擺上的「個人包」之後，他所有服事的結果都該完完全全歸給教會了，他不應該再有自己的主張和權利。換言之，即使由他所講的「信息」整理出來的書籍有「版權」的話，「版稅」的收入也不該再歸給他，而應該歸給「教會」，因為眾聖徒就是教會，眾聖徒擺上的就是教會供給他的。老實說，藉販賣「屬靈書籍」賺取「版稅」乃是最可恥的「欺騙」行為。若是這個工人心中有一點義的感覺和成分，他都不應該既受了「個人包」，又再收「版稅」、「薪資」、「出場費」和「職事費」，這種多種重複收款，一物六賣的作風，除了世界上的騙子之外，那一種正當行業中會有這種情形呢！一個在教會中間服事的人，接受兩重的供應都不一定很合適，而今卻處心積慮的為自己建立一重又一重的強征暴斂，現在已經累積到六重了。這就叫「常受」。一次的服事需要一重又一重的接受報酬；並且活得愈長，拿的愈多。
前面六項還是「小吃」的手法，雖然吃的金額總數並不小。另外還有一些「大吃」的手法，信徒也應該知道和瞭解，因為這都是活生生的教育，是眾聖徒和眾教會繳了很貴很貴的「學費」才領受到的「功課」。
蓋大會所的產權轉移：任何一個地方建造大會所，當然都不只是為著本地的聖徒而已，通常都兼而為著地區性的眾聖徒聚集，因此興建這樣的大會所，需要各地的聖徒共襄盛舉，各地教會協奉獻。這樣的會所和相關工程完成之後，「職事站」就擅自出來代表各地的聖徒和教會主張所完成工程的權益。當地的教會知道本地聖徒的奉獻只佔總數的一部分，就無話可說，因此乃拱手讓「職事站」占有全部工程的大部分產權，甚至全部產權。安那翰大會所、接待處和兩戶住宅，就是這樣被不明不白的侵占去了；安那翰教會只有會所部分的四分之一產權。後來德州歐文大會所更是全部被「職事站」吃掉了。其實，「職事站」並無權代表各地聖徒和各地教會主張任何權益，聖徒奉獻為著主在安那翰的教會所興建的會所和其他工程，當然都是屬於安那翰教會的。他們的奉獻完全是出於在主裡和在基督身體裡的彼此相愛和彼此相顧，也是為著神在各地見證的顯出。而如今這種聖徒和教會之間的愛心，被這個「職事」所掠奪了，神在地上的見證也被它強暴了。各地眾聖徒都奉獻了，然而當地眾聖徒的聚會反而寄生在一個私會的屋簷之下。這是一個什麼體統？經由此一手法，所吞噬的教會財產，現在價值伍百萬美金以上。
藉代轉各地的奉獻款而自肥：各地因著聚會的興起，相繼需要建購各地的會所；這種交通在教會之間隨著地方教會的增加是非常頻繁的。經常「職事」就以一種關懷的姿態在長老聚會或事奉交通中，要各地的教會將關心的奉獻款匯交「職事站」彙總轉交當地的教會，免得當地的教會在忙於各項購建工作之際，還要花許多功夫處理各教會寄給他們的匯款。這種交通非常動聽。那知道當各教會將匯款給「職事站」之後，「職事站」就入了它的帳，算是各地贈給它的。再從它帳上出來的時候，就算它的錢了，它可能以一小部分作贈與，大部分則作貸款或投資，在產權上要求「持分」。它藉這種代轉的方式自肥，一面又可以沖銷「職當站」年度會計帳面上的「盈餘」，障住監督財團法人主管機關的眼目，以為它作了許多「捐贈」的事。何等的「聰明」作法！台北三會所訓練中心購置的十一戶公寓，當時就是因為「職當站」代轉了美加眾教會眾聖徒的奉獻款數十餘萬元美金，而提出它產權的主張。一九八九年底也就藉此向台北教會敲詐了五千萬元新台幣的「借款」（折合美金二百餘萬元）。其他隱藏的案例究竟有多少，只有查細帳目才能清楚。
以小魚釣大魚方式取得各地會所產權：近些年來各地購建新會所，「職事站」除以代轉方式將各地委託代轉金額自肥之外，它另一高招乃是藉其提供之少部分資金，換取整個會所的產權。例如美國南加州喜瑞都的會所，於一九八五年興建，建造之土地早幾年已由當地聖徒奉獻購妥。在興建過程中，大部分工程費用也均由當地聖徒奉獻，後來職事站也表示支持而提供了一筆金額。等到工程完成後，「職事站」就要求該教會的負擔弟兄，將會所產權登記於「職事站」名下；後因怕引起聖徒注意與非議，乃將會所登記於安那翰教會名下，以交換原來安那翰教會名下的四分之一產權。喜瑞都的教會就因為接受了那一小筆金額，而將整個會所的產權斷送給「職事站」了。一九八五年在台北教會購買林口大會所預定地時，也曾預伏此一小動作。在購地款三千餘萬元新台幣推動眾聖徒奉獻時，「福音書房」（在台灣的職事站）提供三百萬元，後來作交易產權登記時，它就提出對產權十分之一「持分」的要求。後來那塊地是禁建的死地，它才將資金提回，產權全部歸給台北教會。若不然，等大會所完成後，說不定又以安那翰大會所模式將產權全部歸化為「職事站」所有，因為台北教會的大會所蓋到外縣的林口鄉去，這在「真理」上如何說得通？這豈不是最好的伏筆嗎？各地教會提供給「職事站」的錢，都被當作奉獻給它的贈與；而「職事站」提供給各地教會的錢，絕大部分都帶有「投資」的性質，將來都要連本帶利的收回，那怕那筆資金原來只是各地教會委託代轉的資金。「職事站」已逐漸像是在眾地方教會中間的「轉帳投資公司」。若讓它多運作一段時間，遲早各地教會的會所產權都會轉到它的帳上，那時各地教會都要向「職事站」租會所，而他子孫就可靠收租金來養生了。多卑鄙的打算！
綜合以上所論，我們可以清楚的知道，所謂的「職事站」原本成立之時的目的，乃為共同推廣「真理」和福音文字而效力；其中一紙一筆均為聖徒所共同奉獻，所有工作均為聖徒所分工合作承擔，毫無牟利的目的。隨著工作的開展，聖徒人數之加多，李氏之私心開始作祟；俟其發起之生意（晨星公司）失敗，「生命讀經」開始之後，其二子混入「職事站」，便逐漸使「職事站」的性質和目的轉變了。這種轉變是在其父子合謀之下逐步進行的。「職事站」的一木一石、一根釘子、每一分現金，實際上原都是眾聖徒眾教會為著主的見證所奉獻的。他們先以「職事站」侵占了大會所的產權，繼而使「職事站」私有和家族化，然後以「職事站」所侵占的建築和設備作工具，在眾聖徒和眾教會中間歛財。這十五年以來，他們家族藉以發了財，然而「地方教會」的見證則完全被破壞了，許多聖徒也被殘害了。
第四節　工作上領頭者的心理病症－「職事慾」
今天，「地方教會」中的情形會演變成這個樣子，其主要原因乃在於四十年來的領導人，一直都在「雙慾症」的發作和支配之下。這雙慾症乃是由「職事慾」和「發財慾」所合成。對於發財慾在前面已稍作交代。至於「職事慾」乃是一種盼望自己被眾聖徒所獨尊或高舉的一種慾望。實際上這是一種屬靈偶像慾。此一病症的由來和結果是這樣的：
當初在中國大陸時期，西教士們一面將福音傳到中國來，一面也自然而然將他們各宗各派的背景帶來。因此使得中國信徒的派別比世界上任何國家更混雜、更令人眼花撩亂。歐洲的國家都比較單純。像德國主要的路德會，法國意大利主要是天主教，荷蘭比利時算是新教國家，卻以喀爾文派和浸信會為大宗，英格蘭以安立甘會為主體，蘇格蘭以長老會為盛。當時美國和加拿大因為歐洲移民的關係是宗派比較多的，但他們各宗各派的信徒，多為群居性質；換言之，一個地區多半只有一個會，只有大城市宗派多些。而當時到中國來傳福音的差會團體卻有歐美的各宗各派，並且還有聖徒自組專門到中國來傳福音的團體，像內地會即其中之一。倪弟兄是在這種混亂的情形下，在聖經中看見了教會的地方界限。他認為只有這一個立場能夠使已經分散分裂的神兒女們，又重新「合一」；他並沒有意思要自立一個以地方為名義的「地方教會」宗派。倪弟兄因著這種看見和負擔，在他的行動和工作上有某些原則上的堅持，因此令人看來他好像有些獨立特行；再加上倪弟兄在語言上又有一種很獨特的威力和說服力，使人覺得他滿有主的同在，自然對他所說的心悅誠服。然而很不幸地，倪弟兄這些特點，被有些跟隨他的人看在眼裡，非常羨慕倪弟兄的「威風」，巴望自己有一天也成為那一種人，因此在說話和工作上，也就自然而然的往樹立那一種模樣的方向發展。這就是所謂的「職事慾」－一種「獨尊職事」的慾望之病。
一個事奉主的工人，一旦有了這種「職事慾」和觀念，他就會有以下的病態：一、他難以與人並肩合作配搭，因為他總想凌駕於別人之上，要別人完全服他聽他，尊他為大，否則一定鬧翻，分道揚鑣。二、他容不下不同的意見。他希望看見的是一呼百諾，若有人不應諾，或是提出了不同的看法，他很容易就認為那人是在反對他，與他作對，使他難堪。對他來說，無所謂「善意」的意見，所有的意見都是反對的惡意。因此他所說的道理和實行，就是「絕對的真理」和「唯一的路」；是只能接受，不容討論的（至少在內部是如此，對外則無可奈何）。三、他排斥有恩賜，特別是有話語恩賜的人；因為在教會的事奉中，話語的恩賜最容易得著人心。同時任何一種恩賜的顯明，都會形成對他「職事」的威脅。四、他不會也不願意真正地培養人材。因為真正的人才遲早會成為他「職事」的威脅。是一個大麻煩，所以他只願意訓練幹部。幹部就是他說什麼就幹什麼的人，他們不必知道許多真理，只要聽得懂他的吩咐，能夠死心蹋地的作他要他們所估的事就好了。五、他對人對同工不會誠懇。在他的下意識裡，總得一面提防人，一面要顯出「職事」的特殊，因此在對人的態度和言語行為上，總是讓人覺得他胸有城府、心機深沉。他對人好的時候會好得出奇，壞的時候會壞得離譜。並且他喜怒無常，令人難以捉摸。六、他對被認為有異議，或他認為礙事他不需要的同工和聖徒是極端殘酷的。他會利用他所能運用的權勢當中最狠毒的方式和言語來對付他們。若是在十五世紀以前，他有實權在手中的話，必定執行「順我者生，逆我者亡」的手段。他認為自己就是神的「代表」。凡不與他相合的，就是與他為敵的；與他為敵也就是與神為敵的，就必須給他以嚴厲的處分，甚至毀滅。他愈過愈趨向於「自我偶像化」。他喜歡別人說逢迎諂媚的話，對批評他的人則恨之入骨。他把 「背叛」一詞用在對他不順或不服的人身上，而不是用在對主不順服者的身上。
在「地方教會」這四十年的歷史中，曾明顯地感染此一「職事慾」症而第一個發作出來，以致「地方教會」受過極大虧損的人，乃是一九八二年在南韓工作的王某人。後來王某去世，這病卻傳染給他的接班人李某和南韓「地方教會」的聖徒們。當時兩位張弟兄（晤晨、湘澤兄長）費了許多功夫都難以治癒他們。後來李某到美國來參加訓練時，總算柀李氏鎮住了；因為他發現王的師傅（李氏）果然比王更強。至於他的病是否痊癒或根治了，就不得而知，只有留待時間顯明了。那時張湘澤兄長就是因為南韓的事件多跑了好幾趟南韓和美國，過份疲勞，那年夏天又陪同晤晨兄長老去印尼帶領東南亞同工長老聚會，就在會中中風而失明了。
另一個明顯感染「職事慾」症的人是朱氏。他的症狀在台北曾三次發作。一九七三年、一九八○年和一九八三年都有相當規模的發作。惟因當時他還沒有取得領頭的獨霸地位，因此每次發作均被別人壓制下去了。至今這種病症仍然隱藏在他裡面，並且支配著他工作的路線和為人的態度。近兩年來，他極力表示支持李氏，很使李氏又敢頑梗剛硬起來，要不然他（李）早在一九八八年底就軟下去了。由於朱氏替他撐腰，特意在克里夫蘭區替他搭台子，請他開特會，使他錯覺地認為即使「東窗事發」，仍有些死心蹋地的人總會圍繞著他的；因此他放棄了俯伏認罪悔改蒙憐憫的路，揀選了「寧可我負眾人，不可有人負我」的頑梗到底、一不作二不休的態度。其實朱氏的作法和態度，是想換取李氏將台灣的工作交給他，這樣他再回台灣就能實現滿足他的「職事慾」了。李氏對這一點早已心裡有數，知道這是他（李）手言扣著朱氏的一張王牌。所以現在這兩個害同樣「職事慾症」的人，一面正是惺惺相惜，一面也正在彼此利用。
然而，前面二人（王氏與朱氏）的「職事慾」乃是從他們師傅身上感染過去的。他們的病情還是比較浮淺的，別人很容易辨識出來。他們發作得快，發作時來勢兇猛，而實際上還是比較好治療。（當然要根治也不容易，除非有主特別的恩典，以特強的Ｘ光照射才有可能。）教會歷史上，使徒雅各和約翰兄弟是最早得此症者，因主的恩典和光照而醫治好了。後來我們在使徒行傳，從來沒有看見使徒雅各在任何地方強出頭，自我誇張自我標榜，或主宰控制支配的情形，反而在第十二章他成了第一個被殺害殉道的使徒。使徒約翰雖然在十二使徒中是最後一個離開人世的，我們從他晚年的福音、書信和啟示錄中，可以觸摸著他的靈是何等柔和、謙卑、正直、光明和充滿了愛與關懷。這與他當初蒙召時的「雷子」性情完全不同了。最後他在啟示錄，說到自己的話：「我約翰就是你們的弟兄，和你們在耶穌的患難國度、忍耐一同有份的」（啟一9）。他用沒有絲毫盼望要高居在眾聖徒之上的「慾望」。從他的口吻裡似乎他認為他能同作「弟兄」，同眾聖徒「一同有份」他就覺得心滿意足，感到莫大的榮耀了。何等樣的真使徒、真正主耶穌基督僕人的靈！
可是「職事慾」的病原體在李氏裡面至少隱藏發展了四十多年。是否他到台灣之前就早已害此症呢？甚至他一九四○年代回到煙台工作時，就已經有此慾潛伏在裡面呢？我們暫不作定論。但自他到台灣之後，知道倪弟兄陷於中國大陸，他那種「職事慾」的症狀已經是非常明顯的。一九五四和一九五六年與史佰克接觸後，更加深了他發展那種慾望的傾向。從此以後，他的工作、講道和對教會的帶領，以及人事的安排都是受「職事慾」和「發財慾」兩大因素的交互支配和控制。「老二」之所以能得勢，乃因「知父莫若子」；從多年的家庭生活和毫無隱飾的家庭談話中，他深知他心裡真正想的是什麼，要的是什麼，看重的是什麼，看輕的是什麼。所以他從來不參加聚會，也不必聽他父親在台上說些什麼，但他做一些事、提一些議、立刻就能滿足他父親的慾望，摸著他父親的心窩。同時，「老二」之不看重教會，輕看聖徒和長老同工，也正是反映了他父親的真正心態。被「職事慾」和「發財慾」抓住的人，是絕對不會尊重教會和尊重聖徒的。因為其慾望就是要駕臨於眾教會和眾聖徒之上，為要從中取利。一種病症害四十多年，甚至五十多年的人，是很難醫治更難根治的。當然在我們的主並沒有難成的事，也沒有不可能的事。但是有病的人是否肯承認有病是一回事，是否肯就醫又是一回事；因此我們的主說「有病的人才用得著醫生」。然而，無可諱言的，他的「雙慾症」卻是害慘了眾地方教會和聖徒達三、四十年之久。
他身上帶著雙慾病原體而領導「地方教會」四十年之久，他的教訓、帶領、作風、手段和方法，也都帶著病原體，已經傳染到許多同工和長老身上去了。而那種帶著病毒的教訓，更是深入到地方教會的眾聖徒裡面。很多人因為自覺恩賜不足，因此對於「職事慾」似有一種免疫性。然而稍有些恩賜的人，或在工作上，或在教會中領頭了，他們對於一同搭配，或一同服事的同工和聖徒，就會自然而然的顯出李氏那種工作的領導作風與手段來。這是今天「地方教會」中很不正常的另一個潛伏因素。尤其各地區領頭的人和大教會的領頭長老，特別具有這種作風的傾向。這也難怪，因為他們都是跟李氏學的；而他們的作風和手段以後又影響到新興起來的人。如果這種症狀不在主面前根治，澈底消除，遲早那個區域的工作或那個教會的情形要走向不和諧，走向痲痺，走向分裂和混亂；並且成全不出什麼人來，更談不上教會的建造。李氏四十多年的領導，實在沒有為「地方教會」留下什麼好東西和好榜樣來；而留下的「病毒」和「後遺症」卻絕不是三、五年甚至十年可以清除乾淨的。更何況領頭的人是否肯承認自己也是多少帶著一些感染性的症狀，願意到主面前去求光照醫治，也是一個問題；即使有心求光照醫治，通常也不是一次就見效的，將來還有再發的可能，還得以後不斷地接受光照和治療才行。
老實說，職事慾和發財慾都是「己慾」的衍生體。一個服事主的人去建立他的「職事」，就是去建立他的「己」，到頭來他必定會成為撒但的俘虜，或成為破壞殘害基督身體的劊子手。經過這麼多慘痛的教訓，願聖徒們尤其是同工們都能受警惕，從而對 「職事慾」永遠免疫。
第五節　同工們的病症與過失
「地方教會」演變到今日這種奇形怪狀混亂分裂的情形，除了其領頭人要負最大責任外，同工們也要負相當的責任。工頭的基本難處是罹患了前節所說的「雙慾症」－「職事慾」與「發財慾」，以至其教訓和工作均趨向於變質與腐敗。同工們的基本難處則是罹患了另一種嚴重的病症－「話語恩賜崇拜症」。在同工們的下意識裡認為：愈有話語恩賜，能把神的話傳講得打動人心的，就愈是「屬靈人」。從而認為此人乃是神的「代表權柄」，是事奉中的「權威」，因此凡事請教他，唯他命令是從，且多方推崇他，敬仰他，簡直把他當成偶像。由於同工患了這種病，經過他們的服事和教導，就把這種病症也傳染給眾聖徒。歷經長時期的潛伏傳染蔓延與發展，到了今天，在「地方教會」中的信徒，幾乎個個都或多或少的感染了這種「話語恩賜崇拜症」。由這種病症而日漸產生后後的症狀：
第一、輕看或抹煞了其他的恩賜
由於過分看重話語的恩賜，相對地就輕看了其他各種恩賜。最初是蔑視或貶抑那些「神奇的」的恩賜，例如：說方言，翻方言，辨別靈諸，神醫，行異能等等；後來進一步連一些非神奇的正常恩賜，例如：施捨的，憐憫人的，幫助人的，傳福音的等，也都被貶抑甚至排斥了，最後乾脆以「話語的職事」來統一控制了一切其他的恩賜，並且又將話語的恩賜完全歸一於一個人之下。演變至今，對於各種恩賜形成了新的定義，例如：先知變成了申述「職事」之言者；教師變成了教導「職事」之話的；勸化的變成了勸人與「職事」和「職事站」配合的；執事乃是執行「職事」的吩咐；治理的乃是為「職事」和「職事站」收錢的…這種只重視所謂的「話語職事」的結果，無形中對別種恩賜和具有該種恩賜的聖徒與同工，產生了排斥和迫害，以致許多種有益於教會見證和建造的恩賜，都從教會中逐漸萎縮或消失了，使得教會愈過愈變得狹窄、貧窮、荒涼和畸形。
早期（一九七五年以前）在台灣的地方教會中，還能夠見到多種恩賜共存共榮，例如：傳福音的、醫病的、趕鬼的、說靈語的、唱靈歌的、施捨的、憐憫人的等等，但自一九七五年實施讀「生命讀經」之後，這一切都消失了。在這之前，即使「話語」的恩賜一項，也有許許多多不同的型態：有慷慨激昂型的，有慢條斯理型的，有聲淚俱下型的，有聲嘶力竭型的，有能使人痛哭悔改的，有能使人戰兢恐懼的，有能使人興奮歡暢的，有能使人如歇水邊的，有能使人靈魂甦醒的，有能使人如臥青草地的，有能使人心清路正的，有能使人愛人如己的…可謂多姿多采極其豐富，但自一九七五年之後，這些不同話語恩賜的人都從地方教會消失了，只剩下那一張狂妄的「獨一出口」。一九八五年以後，所謂的「地方教會」中更只剩下他（李氏）高版稅的書供人反覆念誦而已。
本來，為著基督身體的見證和教會的建造，聖靈將許許多多不同的恩賜賞給人，賜給教會。在使徒保羅的書信中，如：羅馬書十二章，林前十二章，以弗所四章，所列舉的恩賜至少包括：智慧的言語、知識的言語、信心、醫病、行異能、作先知說話、辨別諸靈、說方言、翻方言、執事、教導、勸化、傳福音、牧養、施捨、幫助人、治理、憐憫人等十八項。這些仍不過是舉例說明而已，實際上沒有列舉出來的一定更多，甚至不計其數。這正如身體上各個肢體均有不同的功用一樣。
在平常的說話中，一個人對某一複雜事物所能列舉出來的，為數一定有限，並且是其犖犖大者且往往是概括性的，例如保羅所列舉的「手」，它就包括了五根不同的手指、手掌、手腕、手肘和手臂等等肢體。同樣地，僅僅「智慧的言語」這一項恩賜，所包含的內容有多廣多闊多高多深，有誰能獨自測透獨自壟斷？除非他是主自己。能夠獨自具有的呢？由此可見，重看其一而貶斥其他，或者認為某人能獨自統括其一者，乃是瞎眼無知的病態表現。在「地方教會」中，領頭的李氏自己瞎眼，同工們也瞎眼，害得許多信徒也跟著瞎眼，結果都一同掉進坑中去了。若是同工們不瞎眼，李氏要往坑中鑽，同工們還能拉他一把救他一命，絕不致於使眾聖徒眾教會都陷入黑暗的泥淖深坑中去。
第二、以話語恩賜為「權威」來代替聖靈的主權
由於同工們都迷信「話語的恩賜」是代表一切屬靈的豐富，因此就把愈會說話，愈能說話打動人的人，當作神的「代言人」，當作「權威」，當作神的「代表權柄」，因此在事奉上，只要可能，凡事都去請示「權威」的指引，喜歡請問他「如何辦」。同工和聖徒們沒有看清楚，「話語」不過是許多恩賜中的一種，身體要得著養分固然需要藉著「口」，但要做事行路乃是要藉著「眼目」和「手腳」的配合；凡事順服元首的指揮即可，用不著「口」插嘴。同工們忽略了自己是活在新約的救恩時代，主已經賜給我們獨一的保惠師，就是真理的聖靈，住在我們裡面，永遠與我們同在。祂才是我們的元首。祂要將一切的事指教引導我們。當同工和長老們凡事去請示一個外在的「權威」時，實際上乃是委屈了「內住聖靈」的主權和地位。有些有話語恩賜的人，他知道自己的職分，持守自己的分寸，對於別人向他「話」外的請教，不敢多言也不願多言，倒還不致於引人誤入岐途。但絕大部分的「出口」通常都經不起這種試探，難免為人家提供自出的餿主意，而引人走岔了路，造成許多麻煩且僭越了聖靈的主權。最可怕的，乃是有些頗有恩賜的「出口」，他喜歡說誇大的話，更好管閒事，對每一方面都發表意見，即使他自己完全不明實情、不內行，也可以說得活靈活現，煞有介事，使人誤信他為「權威」，讓他為他們作出許多重要抉擇，重大定奪。這種人最容易造成嚴重錯誤，甚至鑄成教會和眾聖徒的災害和禍患。這種人的服事，因為越過了自己職分的範圍，最容易淪為仇敵的俘虜，撒旦的僕役，藉他作出破壞神建造的工作，拆毀主基督的見證。
教會的事奉一旦落到這種凡事請示「權威」，或受「權威」指使支配的網羅裡，聖靈的主權就不復存在了，自然聖靈的祝福也隨之消失。儘管人手可以弄出轟轟烈烈的表象，但其效果一定不會長久，轉眼煙消雲散，留下來的不過是一團混亂。多年來，「地方教會」中的許多實行，都是這樣以李氏的話為依歸，因為他被同工長老們視為「獨一的職事」。例如：
他說要停止那四位同工的事奉，結果就沒有一個地方的教會或會所敢再接受他們進入事奉，逼得他們只好出去另謀發展，另行開闢事奉的路。（因為他們不信他是真正的「權威」。他們也果然能繼續事奉他們的主，今天他們的光景都很好）
他說要拆除台北教會的家排事奉體系，結果整個事奉體系就在一夜之間解體了。從此斷誤了許多聖徒事奉的路，各地教會為之癱瘓了許多年。同工長老在一九八四年之前，明知李氏錯誤，卻沒人敢提重建家排之議，直到他自己用提出為止。
他說主日聚會要交通「生命讀經」，不許再講別的。十餘年之久「生命讀經」幾乎已把「地方教會」中的聖徒都噎死了，許多同工都荒廢得生了蛆，就沒有任何「地方教會」敢放棄「生命讀經」。當時台南教會曾好幾年不肯使用「生命讀經」，就被台灣的同工和眾教會孤立了起來，直到迫其就範為止。台北教會於一九八二年底稍微變點花樣，以強調聖徒生活的方式講說，立刻就在一九八三年初李氏帶領的國際長老訓練中遭到厲害的辱罵。
多年以來，同工和聖徒們都已經習慣於在李氏的淫威下「事奉」。聖靈若引導同工和長老們在各地教會做些什麼，若不是李氏所「阿們」的，他們就不敢做。反之，李氏指示各地教會什麼，則儘管聖靈「禁止」或「不許」，許多同工和長老還是會不顧良心，硬著頭皮幹下去；名之為與「職事合一」，表明「效忠」唯恐不及。在這些「地方教會」中，實際上早已都是宗李氏為教主，要求聖靈為僕役來效力罷了。同工和眾聖徒早已被據到「巴比倫」去服事偶像；甚至眾聖徒擺上的「奉獻款」和購買「職事站」或「福音書房」書籍的錢財，已經把李氏父子鑄成為「金牛犢」了；他們都還不自知哩！這是何等可憐的病態光景！
第三、以「權威的話」取代「真理」
經過李氏處心積慮的經營，長期下來，還留在「地方召會」中的同工和聖徒，已經把李氏「權威」的話當唯一的真理。他怎樣說，他們就怎樣信。他們整年都在他的話中打轉。從一九七五年以後，許多同工就以讀「生命讀經」來代替對聖經真理的直接追求，以消化李氏的話來取代直接到聖經純淨的話中去尋求真理的啟示與光照。同工們不敢在他的解經之外參考其他的解經書來加以平衡，也不敢正視李氏解經的殘缺、偏差、彎曲和錯誤。因此地方教會中的同工們沒有多少真理上的真正見識和進步，多年一直被李氏牽著鼻子跑（有不願被牽的，早就被迫離開了）。對今天「地方召會」的許多同工和聖徒來說，他們已在李氏和真理之間打上了等號；李氏就是他們的「真理」。他們絕不會相信李氏曾撒過謊，他們也不敢相信李氏會多次行騙。他們真理的基礎不是真正立在主話上。一般說來，「地方教會」中的聖徒，在讀經和讀屬靈書報上所花的時間和功夫，比別的基督徒團體中的信徒可能都要多些，可是幾十年下來，地方教會中的同工和聖徒在真理上的認識進步卻不多，甚至許多人愈過愈糊塗，因為他們的觀念和認識在隨著李氏的變質腐敗而淪於退步和混亂的情形。尤其他們近幾年所讀的東西，都是有毒、有偏差，存心不正的產品，不僅沒有引導他們真正認識真理，反而給他們注入了許歪理邪論。如今「召會」中的人，天天都圍著李氏的話打圈子，真像瞎驢被拴套在磨石上推磨一般，他們天天捧著他的書為他推磨，其實老早就從真理中迷失了。李氏父子藉著他們納的版稅已經大發其財，而同工與聖徒們卻毫無所覺。這種病態就好像是抽鴉片的人，已經到了渾然無覺，失去分辨能力，又欲罷不能的地步了。
第四、以聽從權威的話代替順服主（尊重良心）
新約之下的聖徒，在地上的生活和行事為人，應以順服主為原則。而主則以外在聖經的話和內住聖靈的話來引導我們，並且以洗淨的天良（良心）作我們的順服的指標。地方教會的同工卻接受了另一種教導，叫他們聽從權威的話，即順服所謂「代表權柄」的話，來代替順服主。李氏特別為此建立了系列理論來欺哄這些缺乏真理根基，沒有新約啟示的同工和聖徒們來俯首聽從他「權威的話」。他這系列理論包括：「代表權柄論」、「獨一職事論」、「獨一出口論」、「含受詛咒論」、「米利暗痲痺論」、「可拉滅亡論」（背叛論）、「使徒制憲論」、「教會統一論」以及「使徒特權論」。其實這些論調，在靈明心清的人只要一聽一看，立刻就能察覺都是些假冒的邪說歪理，與新約的啟示不合，與主耶穌和使徒們的教訓相背。提出這些理論的人，分明是謬用舊約中的典故藉以建立權勢，掩蓋罪惡，恐嚇徒眾，予取予求的收復聖徒和控制教會。我相信許多同工靈中早已有所察覺，知道其背後的詭詐和邪惡。他們本該儆醒的探出其中的隱情，揭發內中的黑幕，使聖徒和教會得蒙保護，使作惡者受懲治而悔改。然而他們卻不如此，怕得罪人，不怕得罪神，聽從「代表的權柄」，反而不順從神，逆著良心的感覺去為虎作倀，為惡者傳播那些邪惡的歪論，欺哄老實而糊塗的信徒，使主的見證蒙受極大的虧損。他們以為是「代表權柄」犯罪作惡，將來主會對他算帳；他們不知道聽從作惡者，為作惡者效力就是與惡人同夥，在惡人的罪上有分。背棄良心就是背棄主，這才是真正的「背叛」。聽從神不能聽從人才是正當的。同工們這種委屈良心，帶著眾聖徒跟著人跑的「事奉」，完全是一種自欺欺人的病態；使自己失格，也使主的教會失格。
第五、以「權威」取代「異象」
在「地方教會」中，雖然多年來一直強調我們的異象乃是「基督與教會」，事實上卻沒有幾位同工認識其真正的意義究竟何在。因此「基督與教會」不過是口號而已，在實際的事奉上既不尊重基督之靈在教會中引導的元首地位，又不尊重基督身體中眾肢體的感覺。同工們和長老們在教會中之所作所為所講所說，總是以李氏之定規為依歸。凡不以為然者，均被視為「消極分子」，能不被孤立逼迫的，已算是對他寬大為懷；許多激進的同工長老，會毫不猶豫的對「消極分子」直截了當的下逐客令。這種情形在美國的「召會」中最常見，他們根本不懂「基督與教會」的異象，他們的顢頇異象乃是李╳╳。
在台灣這種情形比較不常見，只有極幼稚的人才會犯這樣的錯誤。但是台灣的同工，有另一面的大難處，就是他們會彎曲，並且彎曲得可怕。他們事奉的原則是不怕得罪主，不怕虧負眾聖徒，不怕損害眾教會，只怕得罪李氏。尤其多年領頭之同工，為了不開罪李氏，甚至為李氏做出傷天害理的事：掩護其濫用侵占眾聖徒之奉獻款，替他盜賣聖徒奉獻的福音資產，為他編造謊言掩飾其貪婪侵占的惡行等等，均在所不惜，並且臉無愧色，良心似也止感歉疚。他們明知李氏許多的不是和邪惡，對於教會和眾聖徒造成莫大的傷害，對於主的見證造成了極大的虧損，然而他們卻仍可以昧著良心到處去為李氏粉飾太平，欺哄聖徒，討好李氏以保住其多年不墜的地位。表面上說他們之所以如此是為保守「合一」，他們以為主的見證是靠他們的「不義」保住的；其實他們骨子裡是另有所圖，為了保住權位，寧願犧牲教會，慷眾聖徒之慨，而圖利李氏。他們的異象決不是「基督與教會」。他們認為他們之所以能在今天的地位上「事奉」完全是李氏所賜的，所以他們的「異象」道道地地是李╳╳。另有一些在其中苟全之同工，雖然良心中早已明知李氏之不義不法和貪婪無道，表面上卻裝作諱莫如深的樣子，只敢私下與知己詳談密論，都不敢直言直諫；他們心存一種很不正常之想法，說李氏年事已高，來日無多，看他能夠橫行到幾時，於是便以坐待其斃的陽奉陰違心態，在進行所謂的「事奉」。他們的病態已經發展到了何等可悲的地步！他們為什麼不存心盼望他有生之年仍有悔改歸正的機會呢！他們以李氏為「異象」，卻不是一個光明的異象。
第六、為權威建立了龐大的無形權勢和系統
同工們在各教會服事聖徒時，由於多年來都是極力推崇李氏（帶人讀他的書，聽他的信息，鼓勵人參加他的特會和訓練；在交通和談話中更是李氏說這樣、李氏說那樣），無形中在許多單純老實信徒的心目裡，已把他立為「地方教會」中的權威和偶像；久而久之就形成了一股龐大的無形權勢和系統，使眾聖徒和眾教會都在這無形的權勢影響之下，受到他的控制和支配。這就是李氏對「地方教會」有呼風喚雨勢力的緣故。這種情形在正派的基督徒團體中已不復見，祇有天主教的教皇尚還保有；但是教皇仍須受「樞機會議」的節制。而李氏近年在地方教會中卻毫無節制，一任他所為欲為；他說東，眾同工長老就帶著教會往東，他說西，眾同工長老就帶著大家都在西。習以為常之後，李氏和眾聖徒就都以為這樣是理所當然的。這就難怪李氏會幻覺他自己就是今日的「摩西」，而信徒們也的確認為他是今日的「摩西」。這種情形完成是同工們多年服事所造成的。他們把信徒和眾教會都服事到一個人身上去，根本違背了真理和異象。他們為他樹立起龐大牢固的無形權勢和系統，使他一人可以在眾地方教會中翻雲覆雨，使地方教會的見證變成為「基督加李氏」；表面上還是傳揚基督，實際上完全受李氏所主宰控制和霸占。這是同工們在「地方教會」推崇權威所演變出來的另一嚴重病態。同工們把這一個工人過份凸顯的結果，而使他發展成一種擴散性的「癌細胞」，對身體形成了一種邪惡的權勢系統，使整個「身體」陷入一種難以醫治的嚴重病態。
第七、為擁護權威而造成敵對、迫害和分裂
若是李氏為人正直，存心清潔，以他話語的恩賜所樹立起來的權威和勢力若不予濫用，也許在他有生之年還不致於造成嚴重問題（這好比是「良心的」瘤），許多問題或許要等他去世後若干年才會逐漸浮現出來。其實，在，新約時代，只有主耶穌自己才是今日的摩西、約書亞、亞倫、大衛王和所羅門，這都是新約聖經中明明的啟示。李氏絕不能與這些人相比，更不能相提並論。所終開始之後，沒有人再配作這種相比或並論。這包括所有的使徒。他們從沒有一人在其著作或書信中這樣自比、自喻過。李氏在他許多話語中作這種自比、自喻的暗示，充分證明他的心思早已偏於邪了；而許多同工大聖徒會相信他這些話，並為他大肆傳播，又再次的證明他們浮淺無知而被李氏愚弄了。
以李氏的情形而論，他連「使徒」的職分也配不上，因為無論台灣、菲律賓、美國、沒有一處的地方教會是也自己去興起來的，別的地方就更不用說了。（台北、馬尼拉、洛杉磯－安那翰這三處的教會都是先有人去建立的）。李氏不過是「傳道人」之一，是今日主在地上無數僕人中的一個而已。況且其私德欠佳，心術不正，慾念無窮，對名、利、財、勢無所不要，無所不取，其所言所行，時而徇私，時而偏離正道，因此引起同工和聖徒們中間的爭議。本來遇到這種情形，所有的同工們都應該取一種公正持平的態度來交通。在真理上的問題，同工們應該認真從主的話裡，一同尋求、研究、討論（包括辯論），達到一種共識，而建立持平健全的講論和教訓，像當初使徒和長老們在耶路撒冷為割禮問題的交通討論一樣（使徒行傳十五章）。在實際行為上的問題，同工和長老們則應該作公正、公平、公開的審斷，要當事人和相關人，都把事情的真相交代清楚，眾人在主面前尋求判斷，對該定罪的定罪，該責備的責備，該赦免的赦免，不該定罪的還以清白，像當初耶路撒冷的教會對使徒彼得到哥尼流家中傳福音的案子，（使徒行傳十一章）。
然而「地方教會」的許多同工們，卻不分青紅皂白，不探究真理與是非，竟盲目表態「效忠」權威，擁護「權威」，使李氏屢屢有機可乘，嫁禍別人，利用他竊有的龐大勢力，讓他對異議者進行強烈的排斥和迫害，使許多不以為然的人，起而對抗，因此造成同工、聖徒和教會之間歷次的對立、怨仇、混亂和分裂。事實上，「地方教會」這四十年來，歷次的混亂和分裂，都是由李氏不當的行徑、言論和作為所引起。無論一九六○年代台灣工作上的分裂，一九六○年馬尼拉事件，一九七二年香港事件，一九七八年麥克司事件，一九八七年羅斯密事件，一九八八年安那翰事件，一九八九年杭廷頓灘事件，乃至於進入一九九零年的巨大風暴都是由李氏一人而起。而且每次事情發生時，李氏均利用他無形的權勢迫害了許多同工和聖徒，而許多以李氏為異象的同工和信徒則正是他的幫兇，是他所利用打擊別人的工具。如果同工們能不盲目的站在他那邊，而真是靈明心清的，在態度上公正持平、深明大義、追根究底的、保持超然客觀立場，相信李氏的醜惡面目早在一九六零年代就被揭發，早就應該受到懲誡而使他改邪歸正了；也不致釀成歷次分裂混亂，造成同工、聖徒和教會的莫大犧牲和虧損。許多同工們那種顢頇迂腐，只知盲從瞎隨的擁護「權威」，以致是非不明、黑白不分被人利用來對付殘害同作肢體清心正直的同工和聖徒，破壞身體的見證，卻仍然以為自己在「事奉主」。這乃是那種「話語恩賜崇拜症」中，最致命的病態發展。真是最可悲、最令人慨歎的！
總之，同工們罹患的病症，不僅使本身的事奉失職、失理、失態、失格和變質，並且也做了李氏的幫兇、或為他利用的工具，以致原本存心為服事身體成全聖徒的工人，卻做了殘害肢體拆毀教會的兇手，鑄成了一次又一次的錯誤，馴至今日混亂分裂的局面。若不是同工們助紂為虐，單憑李氏父子，他們是興不起大風，激不起大浪來的。如今，同工們該是醒悟的時候了！該在主面前蒙光照澈底悔改，求主赦免我們的愚昧無知，叫我們得蒙醫治，把我們從錯謬的路途帶回到正路上，好使我們能真正在愛中一同尋回那些受傷失落的肢體，重新整頓「地方教會」的見證，剔亮將滅的燈光，作主合一的見證。難道我們還要繼續讓李氏這個作惡的「豺狼」，牽著鼻子走；繼續供其驅使奴役，直到把「地方教會」的見證搞得「家破人亡」嗎？或是要等神的憤怒發作，嚴厲公義的審判興起，不再給眾人悔改的機會呢？神是輕慢不得的。同工們哪！我們的錯已經犯得夠多了，已經不能再錯下去了，還是在主面前清醒的三思吧！
綜合以上各節所論，可見過去四十年來，「地方教會」的工作，很不幸的竟是在這樣的工頭領導下而發展。既以權勢名利為導向，工作上的作風和型態，自被扭曲得極為畸型而殘缺。以致工頭佔盡便宜，集權勢名利於一身；且產生地盤現象和山頭主義，使「地方教會」徒具虛名，其褊狹與排斥之本質，較之公會宗派猶有過之。尤其工頭在財務上之私心與貪婪，更是造成「地方教會」工作與見證上的變質。其父子聯手藉「書房」與「職事站」以整個「地方教會」之聖徒為其歛財禁臠，手段之詭詐花巧，實在令人嘆為觀止。這是混亂分裂之最根本原因。而同工們罹患對話語恩賜者之崇拜，亦為助長工頭惡勢力坐大，使「見證」淪喪之另一項癥結。明此數端，我輩能不憂戚？如果「地方教會」之工作思欲重振，能不作澈底檢討、整頓和醫治？