Additional Quotes about the Local Church by Witness Lee and Watchman Nee

The church also has different aspects. The church is the unique, one, universal church. In practice, however, the church is expressed as the local churches. Therefore, the New Testament speaks of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), the church in Antioch (13:1), and the church in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2). Revelation 1:11 speaks of the seven churches in Asia--in Ephesus, in Smyrna, in Pergamos, in Thyatira, in Sardis, in Philadelphia, and in Laodicea. In practice these are many churches, but all the local churches are the one, unique church. The church has the local aspect, and it also has the universal aspect. Locally, the churches are many. Universally, the churches are one. The church is the unique Body of Christ, and this one Body is expressed in many localities as the local churches.

(Witness Lee, Five Emphases, 41)

As we were praying, I was reminded that the book of Romans consummates with the local churches (16:1, 4-5, 16, 23). In the last chapter of that book, there is a promise from God to the local churches, that is, that God will crush Satan under the feet of the local churches (v. 20). We need to stand on this promise and believe that our God, the God of peace, will surely crush Satan under our feet.

(Witness Lee, Eldership (2), 34)

In order for a local church to be strong, living, reliable, and stable, the elders must be able to govern and administer....In the New Testament, not only do we have examples, but we have the definite teaching as well. First Corinthians talks about the matter of excommunication. This is a matter of administration. First Timothy chapter three says clearly that the elders are those who take care of, or manage the church. First Corinthians chapter twelve says that God appoints in the church apostles, prophets, and other kinds of people, including one kind that is for administration. Romans chapter twelve says that those who lead should do so in diligence. The management and administration here speak of government.

(Witness Lee, Elders' Management, 18)

Can you find a verse in the New Testament telling us that the church is in the heavens? You cannot. But we do have the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), the church in Antioch (Acts 13:1), the church at Cenchrea (Rom. 16:1), the church in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2), and the church in so many other cities. They are the local churches. Eventually at the end of the New Testament, in the book of Revelation, we have a picture of seven churches in seven cities. It is so clear. The practical expression of the church must be local. We need to see this....In the Bible, we find the principle of one church for each city--no more, no less. In the entire New Testament this principle is never violated. Whenever a church in a certain city is mentioned, it is always in the singular number. Whenever reference is made to the churches, in the plural number, it is always in relation to an area or district which is larger than a city, such as a province.

(Witness Lee, Vision of the Church, 7, 9)

Oh! I cannot say too much about this matter. I can only say that I very much enjoy reading Acts 13: “Now there were in Antioch, in the local church, prophets and teachers....And as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for Me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them'' (vv. 1-2). Such is the work of the New Testament.

(Watchman Nee, Ministering, 86)

In all these aspects the all-inclusive Spirit, as the life-giving Spirit, gives, imparts, dispenses, and distributes the divine life into the believers. This becomes the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ for the believers to live Christ and magnify Christ (Phil. 1:19-21) and to practice the church life as unveiled in the last five chapters of Romans concerning the Body of Christ and the local churches. This is evidenced by Romans 14:17, which says that the righteousness, peace, and joy of such an all-inclusive Spirit are the reality of the kingdom of God in the church life.

(Witness Lee, CS of Romans, 149)

The local church includes all the local believers at a certain time and in a certain place. It is limited to time and place. It can be counted. This is why we see expressions in the Bible such as the “church'' (Acts 9:31), the “seven churches'' (Rev. 1:4), and the “churches'' (1 Cor. 11:16; 14:33)....Paul said that the Corinthian believers were the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27). This means that the local church represents the Body of Christ. The local church should represent the universal church.

(Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 2, Vol. 43, 572)

Main

Universal

Local

Bibliography

Links