List of Dialogues

The teaching of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee concerning the proper standing of a local church.

What the Apostle Peter and Athanasius say about deification.

Witness Lee’s teaching of deification is actual a biblical view.

Witness Lee and the local churches “are bringing a correction to a problem within Western evangelicalism” concerning the Trinity.

How the “open letter” signers got it wrong.

The benefits of pray-reading as a means of nourishing and equipping believers with the Word of God (Eph. 6:17-18; Jer. 15:16).

All prophesying (1 Cor. 14:26, 31) for mutual building up.

Hank comments on his realization that the local churches have “something to offer Western Christianity.

Meeting believers who suffered persecution because of the writings of apologetics ministries in the West.

How dialogue changed Elliot Miller’s view of the local churches.

The importance of dialogue and how dialogue led Elliot Miller to reassess the local churches.

The countercult community’s error in rejecting Dr. J. Gordon Melton’s Open Letter.

The importance of context in understanding others’ teachings.

Doing discernment ministry properly and the consequences of statements made in error.

Concluding that the teaching of Witness Lee and the local churches is “well within Christian orthodoxy.”

On seeing “authentic New Testament Christianity” in action in his visits to local churches in various parts of the world.

On hearing “stirring affirmations” of the faith from representatives of Living Stream Ministry and the local churches.

As a result of a thorough study, Fuller Theological Seminary issued a statement endorsing the orthodoxy of the faith of the local churches and stating that critics of the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee had “greatly distorted their teachings.”

The Christian Research Institute published videos to accompany excerpts from radio broadcasts of Hank Hanegraaff, the Bible Answer Man, discussing the findings of the Christian Research Institute’s six-year primary research projects into the local churches and the ministry of Witness Lee.

In December 2009, the Christian Research Institute (CRI) published an edition of its Christian Research Journal dedicated to CRI’s reassessment of the local churches and the ministry of Witness Lee. This reassessment caused CRI to withdraw its earlier criticisms and endorse the local churches as “genuine New Testament Christianity.”

Voices of Confirmation contains the testimonies of leading evangelicals who, through direct study and contact, have come to appreciate the local churches and the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee.

A series of excerpts from radio broadcasts of Hank Hanegraaff, the Bible Answer Man, discussing the findings of the Christian Research Institute’s six-year primary research projects into the local churches and the ministry of Witness Lee.

Hank Hanegraaff, President of Christian Research Institute, and Elliot Miller, Editor-in-Chief of the Christian Research Journal discuss the importance of proper research and apologetics methods, the serious consequences of careless scholarship, and how dialogue changed their perceptions of the local churches.

Hank Hanegraaff, President of Christian Research Institute, and Elliot Miller, Editor-in-Chief of the Christian Research Journal discuss practices they observed in the local churches that would benefit the entire Body of Christ, including the practice of all prophesying for mutual building up according to 1 Corinthians 14 and the practice of pray-reading the Word of God to nourish and equip the believers.

Elliot Miller, Editor-in-Chief of the Christian Research Journal, and Hank Hanegraaff, President of Christian Research Institute talk about deficiencies in the scholarship and biblical understanding of Christian leaders who signed a 2007 open letter criticizing the ministry of Witness Lee and the local churches.

Elliot Miller, Editor-in-Chief of the Christian Research Journal, describes his experience of meeting members of the local churches in China and witnessing the strong move of the gospel and the bright testimony of “some very dedicated disciples of Christ.”

Hank Hanegraaff, President of Christian Research Institute; Elliot Miller, Editor-in-Chief of the Christian Research Journal, and Gretchen Passantino, director of Answers in Action talk about their conclusions after a six-year primary research project into the teachings of Witness Lee and the practice of the local churches.

This 2009 book contains a statement prepared by the LSM editorial section addressing key issues in dialogues with a panel of Fuller Theological Seminary professors regarding the Trinity, the Person of Christ, God’s full salvation, and the genuine ground of oneness. It also contains a copy of the Fuller panel’s conclusions from their study.

This 2008 book contains statements from Hank Hanegraaff, President of Christian Research Institute; Gretchen Passantino, director of Answers in Action; and Fuller Theological Seminary that attest to the orthodoxy of the teaching and practice of the local churches.

Although the local churches have always been willing to dialogue with responsible apologists and theologians, it was not until 2003 that this openness bore significant fruit. This article gives a brief history of the dialogues that have ensued since that time.

Since 2003 representatives of Living Stream Ministry and the local churches have engaged in dialogue with Hank Hanegraaff and his staff at Christian Research Institute. This dialogue has resulted in a complete reversal of CRI’s earlier criticism of the local churches and the ministry of Witness Lee.