The BIBLE is being disobeyed in "The Lord's Recovery"

Dear fellow believers,

I again am appealing to your conscience.

...if you are quiet when you ought to speak, you have sinned.

“If a person sins in hearing the utterance of an oath, and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of the matter—if he does not tell it, he bears guilt” (Leviticus 5:1). If you simply say, “It’s none of my business,” and keep silent when a criminal deed is done, or when a good man is criticized, you break the ninth commandment. (from Love Worth Finding, with Adrian Rogers: https://www.lwf.org/articles/9th-commandment-you-shall-not-bear-false-witness)

Three serious matters -- 1) immoral sins being commited by leaders and covered up rather than being publicly reproved, repented for, and forsaken; 2) financial corruption including lack of financial transparency; and 3) unaccountable, unquestionable "[deputy] authority" -- are ALL in violation of, disobedience to, GOD'S Word and are all being practiced in "The Lord's Recovery."

I grew up in "The Lord's Recovery" with the sincere belief that we are just Christians who love God and obey His Word. I don't know how many unbelievers and believers I have shared this testimony to. That is all my parents wanted, and that is all I every wanted and still want.

With a pure conscience, I can no longer say that of "The Lord's Recovery." Sadly, it may never have been true, but many of us just didn't know the truth behind the tightly sealed facade that has long protected "Deputy Authority" in this Christian group from answering to God's Word and to the consciences of their fellow believers.

If I am wrong, PLEASE fellowship with me and let me know where/how I am erring. If I am right, please don't dismiss me as being on the "wrong tree." I am not after being "right;" I am hungering and thirsting for RIGHTEOUSNESS and won't stop until, according to God's Word, I am satisfied.

Here are some points of practice which, in my experience and direct observation are not doing God's Word, and "...everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its collapse!” (Matt. 7:26-27):

1. I Timothy 5:20 - But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. Not confronting a brother who is sinning, for which there are multiple witnesses, but rather supporting that brother (providing financial, practical, spiritual, psychological, emotional support) who is in multiple leadership roles in the church and Fulltime Training in Anaheim while refusing to live with his wife, spreading lies about his wife, and breaking multiple laws in abusive behaviors toward his wife and children. [Simply dismissing that brother from a leadership role without properly dealing with the abuse of his wife and son does not amend/heal the situation, which has and should bother many saints' consciences.]

   
   

2. I Corintians 5:11 - But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister[a] but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. There are many examples of violating this portion of God's Word. I'll focus on one. The manager of the Living Stream Ministry in the 1970s-1990s is accurately described as most, if not all, of these things, but was kept in a high position of power and influence, punishing people who offended him. He was protected by his father (who adherents call "The Minister of the Age" and who refused to hear pleas to deal with his sinning son); loyal followers covered up that LSM manager's sexual immorality, while multiple witnesses and victims were ignored, silenced, shamed, lied to, moved to another location, never seen again by saints who knew and loved them... Again, time and silence do not amend or heal such a situation, which has and should bother ALL saints' consciences. Only obeying God's Word resolves such matters.

   
   

3. (Another violaltion of) I Timothy 5:20 - But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. Asenior co-worker's sexual immorality was not scripturally dealt with, and his family members who came forward were ignored and/or threatened that if they told anyone, God would curse their family. The problem was only "addressed" - but still covered up - when "the Lord's Recovery" was faced with the threat of an affair becoming public knowledge. The relative disappearance of that brother, very dear to many of us, along with time and silence, does not amend or heal the situation which caused much pain to the family and to Christ's Body, and bothers many saints' consciences.

   
   

4. You shall not circulate a false report (Exodus 23:1a). Publicly defaming, shaming, and bearing false witness against MANY of my brothers and sisters who, according to their consciences and in spite of the pattern of high-control tactics of excommunication and attacks, have spoken out about intolerable, unscriptural, sinful, unethical, and/or immoral practices. To not speak out would have been unscriptural, based on I Timothy 5:20 and Leviticus 5:1), yet for doing so, they have been labeled as rebellious and poisonous, "quarantined" (actually, ex-communicated forever), ridiculed and mocked, and/or called other names, with no attempt to resolve the matters over which they have expressed proper and godly concerns.

   
   

   Here is a short clip of slandering a brother who for nearly 25 years has been seeking to clear up misrepresentations of multiple precious brothers, much of whose portions we were not able to enjoy for decades, due to false reports. Ron Kangas, who is speaking in this recording, has never even met Steve Isitt. He has not answered multiple requests for fellowship about legitimate concerns. Yet he shares with leading brothers representing churches in another continent:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Cx0LWMMGM.

   In this or another clip, Ron states that Steve will be a man of death until he dies. This is not a spirit of love or restoration.

   
   

   To date (last I checked), Ron Kangas has never even spoken with Steve Isitt. Not even once.

   
   

From https://www.lwf.org/articles/9th-commandment-you-shall-not-bear-false-witness:

These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Of the seven things that God hates, two of them deal with breaking the ninth commandment: “You shall not bear false witness.”

If you have made a practice of lying, the Bible says plainly that “you are of your Father the devil” (John 8:44)

“All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8b).

5. Not following Matthew 5:23-24 - So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. There are many believers who have expressed offenses that they desire to clear up, but they are treated by those in the lead in "the Lord's Recovery" ...well, refer to point #4 above.

   
   

6. Disobeying Galatians 6:1 - Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Instead of practicing this verse, in "the Lord's Recovery" believers who try to address some serious transgressions, who are not transgressing, are excommunicated with no intention to restore them, and many sinning leading brothers are treated with impunity and/or as if they could never transgress or fall into temptation... and generally, no one is permitted to speak up if they witness this. Anyone who seeks to clear up transgressions commited by those in "high" (in itself problematic) leadership roles will likely be excommunicated for rebelling against "Deputy Authority."

   
   

7. ...but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach (Matthew 23:3). Many leaders in "The Lord's Recovery" do not practice what is preached, such as the generality of the church, not distinguishing between believers who meet "with us" and those who don't, the oneness of all believers, "no high" nor "lowly" members in the Body, the clearance of the past, engaging in thorough fellowship, keeping short accounts, being reconciled quickly with "opponents," not forming parties, not being affiliated to any special ministry, not serving mammon or loving money, forgiving....

   
   

   The list could go on for a very long time... I could read "shepherdingwords.com" and just give examples of how such words are violated in the practices of those in leadership in "The Lord's Recovery."

   
   

8. Not pursuing peace with brothers and sisters: Strive for peace with everyone (Heb. 12:14); ...eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).

   
   

9. Keep your lives free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5) and Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely (Luke 3:14); in "The Lord's Recovery" there is much financial corruption, including:

1. Lord's Recovery brothers paying CRI ("Christian Research Institute") over $600,000 before their special edition "We Were Wrong" was released.

2. Financially supporting a brother in leadership (I mention one case, but there are likely many) who is abusing his wife (including refusing to support her financially), and then eventually stopping all support based on the wife's reports, while never ensuring the wife is safe and adequately cared for, though she continues to be financially abused.

3. Violating laws in business practices and prioritizing paying off people who threaten to sue.

4. Forcing Christians into bankruptcy (with saints' donations) through lawsuits, though at least some of fellow believers' accusations had/have veracity.

5. "Donations" from (often very poor) believers (some being fees for Christian gatherings, trainings, etc.) making some in leadership roles very wealthy, to the degree of their being able to leave multiple properties to their progeny, in spite of their own failed business ventures through which other believers lost their life savings.

6. Lack of transparency globally, related to properties, income and expenditures of non-profit corporations.

7. Much more corruption related to the love of money... God knows...

10. Not loving [ALL] the brothers WITHOUT partiality. Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,”and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10) AND... If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism [or, partiality], you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. (James 2:8-9)

I list these matters with much sorrow.

Imagine, brothers and sisters, a group of believers who truly keep the oneness of the Spirit, who keep short accounts, who are reconciled quickly with one another, who give no place to the Devil, who confess and forsake their sins, who love one another in deed and truth, without favoritism, warmly, with brotherly love....

Imagine Philadelphia...

Revelation 3:8, to the church in Philadelphia, the holy and true One says, "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name."

To be Philadephia, we must keep His Word. After all, the goal of the charge is love.... (1 Tim 1:5) and love is the fulfillment of God's law (Romans 13:10).

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