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A History of the Lords Recovery

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A History of the Lords Recovery CONFERENCECONFERENCE IN FARMINGTON IN POWELL, HILLS, OHIO MICHIGAN MayMay 12,13, 20072007 Message One A History of the Lord’s Recovery (1) I. The producing of the church: A. Purposed by God in eternity past—Eph. 3:9-11. B. Revealed in time—Matt. 16:18; Eph. 3:3-6. C. Produced in the resurrection of Christ—1 Pet. 1:3. D. Formed on the day of Pentecost—Acts 2:1-4. II. The spreading of the church: A. To Samaria—Acts 8:1-25. B. To Ethiopia—Acts 8:26-39. C. To Antioch—Acts 11:19-26. D. To Asia Minor—Acts 13—14. E. To Europe—Acts 16:6—18:22. III. The desolation of the church: A. Divisions—1 Cor. 1:11-12; 3:3-4. B. False apostles, fierce wolves, and perverted men—2 Cor. 11:13; Rev. 2:2; Acts 20:29-30. C. Heretical doctrines and forsaking the teaching of the apostles—2 John 9; 1 John 4:3; 2:22; 1 Cor. 15:12; 2 Tim. 1:15. D. Idolatry and spiritual fornication—Rev. 2:20. E. Hindrances from the Jewish religion, Greek culture, and Roman politics. IV. The transmutation of the organization and administration of the church: A. Unified organization and hierarchy. B. Errors in truth concerning baptism and salvation. C. A mediatorial class—Rev 2:15. D. The union of the church and politics. E. The formation of the Roman Catholic Church. F. The Greek Church. G. The Protestant churches—Rev. 3:1-6. V. The recovery of the church (16 th —19 th century): A. The Reformation led by Martin Luther (1483-1546). B. Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531). C. Kaspar von Schwenckfeld (1489-1561). D. William Farel (1489-1565). E. John Calvin (1509-1564). F. The Anabaptists. G. William Tyndale (1494-1536). H. The Puritans. I. George Fox (1624-1691). J. John Bunyan (1628-1688). K. The Mystics: 1. Madame Guyon (1648-1717). 2. Father Fenelon (1651-1715). 3. Brother Lawrence (1605-1691). 4. William Law (1686-1761). L. The Moravian brothers—Count Zinzendorf (1700-1760). M. John Wesley (1703-1791). N. Charles Wesley (1707-1771). O. George Whitefield (1714-1770). P. The British Brethren: 1. A. N. Groves (1795-1853). 2. J. N. Darby (1800-1882). 3. J. G. Bellett (1795-1864). 4. George Müller (1805-1898). 5. C. H. Mackintosh (1820-1896). 6. William Kelly (1821-1906). 7. G. H. Pember (1837-1910). 8. Andrew Miller (1810-1883). Q. Robert Govett (1813-1901). R. D. M. Panton (1870-1955). S. The evangelical Christians: 1. Charles Finney (1792-1875). 2. Hudson Taylor (1832-1905). 3. C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892). 4. D. L. Moody (1837-1899). 5. A. B. Simpson (1843-1919). T. The pentecostal Christians. U. The inner life movement: 1. Hannah Whitall Smith (1832-1911). 2. Andrew Murray (1828-1917). 3. Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927). 4. Evan Roberts (1878-1951). 5. T. Austin-Sparks (1888-1971). VI. The present recovery of the Lord (20 th century): A. The history of the Lord’s move in China: 1. A seed prepared by God—Margaret E. Barber (1866-1930). 2. Watchman Nee (1903-1972)—“The Bible is our only standard. We are not afraid to preach the pure word of the Bible, even if men oppose; but if it is not the word of the Bible, we could never agree even if everyone approved of it.” The Christian , Issue 1, 1925. 3. A chronicle of Brother Watchman Nee (see Attachment 1). 4. A short introduction in memory of Brother Watchman Nee (see Attachment 2). B. The history of the Lord’s move in China, Taiwan, and the United States through Brother Witness Lee (see Attachment 3). Attachment 1 A Chronicle of Brother Watchman Nee 1903 Born in Fukien, China. 1920 Saved in April and called to serve the Lord at the same time. 1921 Saw the truth concerning baptism and was baptized simultaneously with his mother in Yangchi Village of Mawei by Margaret Barber. 1922 Saw the truth concerning bread-breaking, started to break bread with Leland Wang and his wife in Foochow; began to preach the truth concerning salvation; also saw the problem of denominations, left the denomination where he used to belong, and began to establish local churches. 1923 Started the publication of The Present Testimony ; later the magazine was discontinued (publication was resumed in 1928). 1924 Traveled to Hangchow to preach the gospel in May; invited with his mother to visit Sitiawan, Malaysia, in November. 1925 Started the publication of The Christian, a total of twenty-four issues having been put out by 1927; revisited Malaysia and established the first church in Southeast Asia. 1926 Set up meetings in Amoy, Tung-an, and nearby places as a beginning of the work in south Fukien; invited by Ruth Lee and Cheng Chi-kwei to visit Nanking and helped the latter in translating Scofield’s Bible Correspondence Course; invited by Brother Weigh Kwang-hsi to preach the gospel in the University of Nanking as a start of the work in Nanking; decided to write The Spiritual Man in November. 1927 The church in Shanghai was raised up under his ministry and the Shanghai Gospel Book Room was formally established. 1928 Led the first overcomer conference in Shanghai, the subject being “The Eternal Purpose of God and the Victory of Christ;” The Spiritual Man was published in the summer. 1929 Began to publish Notes on Scriptural Messages in April, a total of forty-four issues have been published up to 1933; published Hymns of the Little Flock at the end of the year. 1931 Led the second overcomer conference it Shanghai in October, the subject being “The New Covenant” and “The Wisdom of God”. 1932 Visited Chefoo in June, facilitating the raising up of the church there. 1933 Visited Europe, going to London via France to visit the Brethren assemblies and also met with T. Austin-Sparks, D.M. Panton, and George Cutting; also visited Vancouver and New York, and spoke to believers in the Brethren assembly in New York; published Collection of Newsletters towards the end of the year. 1934 Led the third overcomer conference on “Christ being the Centrality and Universality of God” and “The Overcomers of God” in January; led the fourth overcomer conference in Hangchow on “How to be an Overcomer” and “Spiritual Warfare” in October. 1936 Constructed a training center in Chenru, Shanghai. 1937 Released messages later published in English as The Normal Christian Church Life in the Shanghai co-workers' meeting; visited Manila in July; visited Singapore, and Sitiawan and Penang in Malaysia in September; The Open Door was published; spoke again on The Normal Christian Church Life in Hangkow. 1938 Attended the Keswick Convention with Brother Austin-Sparks and was asked to offer a prayer at the beginning of a meeting in July. 1939 Attended the Keswick Convention again; rented a place in Yu-hwa Village, Shanghai, for a training after his return to China. 1942 Forced to suspend his ministry for a period of six years owing to the storm related to his involvement in a pharmaceutical company in Shanghai. 1948 His ministry was resumed and this brought in a revival in the church in Shanghai; the first training in Kuling was conducted in June. 1949 The second training in Kuling was conducted. 1950 Visited the churches in Hong Kong, Amoy, and Foochow. 1952 Imprisoned for the Lord. 1972 Taken by the Lord in confinement at the age of seventy. (Excerpt from A Presentation of the Lord’s Recovery, Taiwan Gospel Bookroom, pp. 43-44) Attachment 2 A SHORT INTRODUCTION IN MEMORY OF BROTHER WATCHMAN NEE (Excerpt from The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, Vol. 1, pp. xxvii-xxxvi) According to the revelation of the Bible and the confirmation in history, in every age God has had His special work on earth among His created people, and for the accomplishment of this special work, He has raised up special men, chosen and perfected by Him to meet this special need. During this century, as the gospel of God went to the East along with Western culture, hundreds and thou- sands of Western missionaries responded to God's commission and went to China, a land of ancient culture, and gave everything they had for the gospel of God. Not a few among them excelled in achievements, spiritually as well as literarily, yet not many were able to proclaim the economy of God and the mystery of Christ clearly and fully. Against this background, at the turn of this century, while China was being transformed from a nation under imperialistic control to a democratic nation, from among the young generation infused with Western culture and literature, God suddenly raised up one person by the name of Nee Shu-tsu (called Watchman Nee after his conversion) to fulfill His mission of the age. After Brother Nee was saved, he was cared for and nurtured by the Lord Himself and became, even in his youth, exceptional and outstanding in biblical exposition and spiritual teaching. These teachings were warmly welcomed by the lovers and seekers of the Lord in China and produced a heartfelt response and following among many young believers. Yet at the same time, they startled many Chinese and Western leaders in Chinese Christianity and stirred up some antagonism and opposition. Brother Nee diligently studied the Bible and received help from the important biblical exposi- tional writings of the past two thousand years. He was acquainted with the letter of the scriptural doctrines, but much more, he was familiar with the principles, the spiritual significances, the very life within the scriptural truths, and the spirit of the Bible.
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