Category: Local Church
If you are puzzled about the Christian Research Institute's defense of the
Local Church movement, which theologically is a
cult of Christianity, you're not alone.
CRI's whitewashing of the movement undermines and contradicts its own mission statement, and in doing so the organization has sacrificed its credibility as both a discernment- and countercult ministry.
Dr. Norman Geisler and Dr. Ron Rhodes have published a response that shows why CRI will have to use the phrase "We Were Wrong" again...
With its stance on the Local Church -- which could be seen as whitewashing a cult of Christianity -- the Christian Research Institute (CRI) descends deeper into error and controversy
Five Christian apologists evaluate the teachings of Witness Lee and The Local Church
Research resources on the Local Chuch, Local Churches, Lord's Recovery and Living Stream Ministry - theologically a cult of Christianity.
"Cult watchers" Hank Hanegraaff -- the controversial president of the Christian Research Institute -- and Gretchen Passantino -- wife of the late Bob Passantino, with whom she founded an apologetics ministry -- have reiterated their support for the Local Church, a movement widely considered to be -- theologically -- a cult of Christianity.
Most Christians view the Local Church (known to followers as "Lord's Recovery") as, theologically, a cult of Christianity. Nevertheless, two well-known Christian apologists have in recent years changed their views, and now attempt to persuade Christians that the movement is compatible with orthodox Christianity.
It is therefore good to take another look at Local Church quotes regarding the Godhead -- an essential doctrine on which the movement views differ from those of biblical Christianity.
E. Calvin Beisner, Associate Professor of Historical Theology and Social Ethics at Knox Theological Seminary, responds to the recent publication of a press release by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association on behalf of Living Stream Ministry and the Local Churches.
Living Stream Ministry and its so-called 'local churches' remain defiantly convinced that their unbiblical lawsuit against Christians was correct. Its legal loss is a victory for free speech in general, and for those who criticize the movement in specific.
The Local Church -- theologically a cult of Christianity -- has lost its final appeal against the dismissal of its lawsuit against Harvest House Publishers and authors John Ankerberg and John Weldon.
Recently four Christians lent their support to the Local Church -- a cult of Christianity -- in its defamation lawsuit against two Christian authors. Here, in their own words, are their reasons for doing so.
On February 16, 2007, the Texas Supreme Court denied a petition for rehearing that was submitted by the Local Church and Living Stream Ministry in their $136 million defamation lawsuit against Harvest House Publishers and authors John Ankerberg and John Weldon.
On December 1, 2006, the Texas Supreme Court denied review of the Local Church and Living Stream Ministry's $136 million libel lawsuit against Harvest House Publishers and authors John Ankerberg and John Weldon. At issue in the case was the book Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions (ECNR), which The Local Church claimed was defamatory of them.
Dr. Norman Geisler files a Friend of the Court brief against review of the Texas Court decision regarding the Local Church.
Should Christians file friend of the court briefs on behalf of cults of Christianity?
Why the Local Church was included in the Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions.
