The Lord Answered my Prayer, Anonymous

I first came in contact with the local church in the fall of 1993 as I was entering my freshman year at the University of California in Irvine. As I packed and prepared myself to move to Irvine, I remember praying to the Lord a very strong prayer. I was tired of religion and all of my religious upbringing. My prayer consisted of complaints and murmurings regarding religion; I asked God to show me something different. About two months after praying in such a strong way, I met a group of people in Irvine who assembled as the church in Irvine. It has been five years since my initial contact with the local church and I can testify that God is the center of every gathering. In these five years, I have gained more of God than ever before.

In my experience with the local church there are three items that have impressed me the most. The first item deals with Christ being the center. In every gathering and fellowship among these people the center was Christ. What I mean by Christ being the center is that there's a great emphasis on knowing Christ and enjoying Him. This is in contrast to teaching about God and making the Bible a mere historical book. The people in the local church have Christ as the center in the gatherings and in their daily lives. I was impressed to see how these people lived out what they were enjoying and their “church gathering” had become part of their daily living. The second item that impressed me was the oneness among the local churches around the nation. I visited many local churches in Southern California, New York, Puerto Rico, Washington, and New Mexico. During my summer and winter breaks in college, I and a group of friends would travel and visit other local churches. Every local church I went to had the same atmosphere and spirit. The love and pursuit for Christ was the same. I always felt like I was in Irvine with the same group of people. Lastly, being with the local churches for five years, I've been impressed with the love and care I have received. The people I met and interacted with provided practical help during my college years and they always encouraged me to go on with the Lord. I realize that their care and love are an issue of having Christ as the center. When we change our focus, our entire Christian life changes.

A Vast Gold-Mine

I would compare the ministries of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee to a vast gold-mine. I have read books written by these brothers and have also had the privilege of being under Witness Lee's direct speaking before he passed away. In my reading and listening to the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee I'm always led to love and experience more of the riches of Christ. Consequently, this ministry goes beyond salvation from sins and it reaches my daily living. The salvation from sins holds great weight for every believer, but it is only the beginning of the Christian life.

The more I read the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, the more I realize that as a believer I need to be constituted with the truths of the Bible and to enter into these truths. These truths are not just for my understanding, but for my experience.