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

It is important that we know the church as the local churches to be the expression of the one church of God (Rev. 1:11; 1 Cor. 10:32). The church has both a universal aspect and a local aspect. In the local aspect the church is expressed in many localities as many local churches. The one universal church expressed in many places on earth becomes the many local churches. The expression of the church in a locality is the local church in that particular locality.

The universal church as the Body of Christ is expressed through the local churches. The local churches, as the expressions of the one Body of Christ, are locally one. Without the local churches there would be no practicality and actuality of the universal church. The universal church is realized in the local churches.

(Witness Lee, Incarnation, 32)

The local churches are the many expressions in many localities of the one Body of Christ. The local churches, being the existence of the Body of Christ for its function, are the many expressions of the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ may exist in the heavens, but to express itself, it must become the local churches.

(Witness Lee, Brief Presentation, 30)

The Body of Christ is first mentioned in the New Testament in Romans 12. It is not mentioned in the four Gospels or in the Acts. But Romans takes the lead to use this extraordinary term the Body of Christ. The last five chapters in Romans begin in chapter twelve with the Body of Christ and conclude in chapter sixteen with the local churches for the fellowship and communication of the Body of Christ. Do not think that the local churches are one distinct side, and the Body of Christ is another distinct side. These two sides are one entity. They refer to the same thing. The Body of Christ is unique in the universe, but it needs an expression on the earth. These expressions on the earth are the local churches. The local churches are the Body of Christ, and the Body of Christ is the local churches.

(Witness Lee, CS of Romans, 4-5)

No doubt, in the New Testament the church as the Body of Christ has been fully revealed. Yet if you read through Acts and the Epistles to the last book of the New Testament, Revelation, you will see that the church is fully expressed in the local churches. In the last book of the Bible, what you see is not the church but the local churches. In Revelation 1:11 the apostle John heard a voice saying to him, “What you see write in a scroll and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” Here are seven churches in seven cities—one church for one city and one city with only one church. These are the local churches. Today the Lord is recovering the local churches.

(Witness Lee, High Gospel, 49-50)

During the period between 1921 and 1923, revival meetings were held to lead people to the Lord. At that time preaching the gospel was believed to be the unique work for God. But God opened my eyes to see that His purpose requires that those who have been saved by grace stand upon the ground of oneness in local churches to represent and maintain God’s testimony on earth. Some of my co-workers had different views of the truth concerning the church. But when I carefully studied the book of Acts, I realized that God’s wish is to establish local churches in every city. At that time the light shone upon me so clearly that I recognized that this is His purpose.

(Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 2, Vol. 26, 468-469)

The local churches are many in different localities (Rev. 1:11). The Body of Christ as the church, the unique universal church, is expressed through the local churches. It is impossible for the Body of Christ to be expressed without the local churches. The local churches, which are the expressions of the unique Body of Christ, are scattered on this earth in the localities where the local churches exist to express the Body of Christ.

(Witness Lee, Brief Presentation, 43-44)

The Scriptures clearly show us that in every locality the expression of the Body of Christ, that is, the local church, should be just one. There is no place in the Scriptures where there was more than one local church in any given city. If you are living in Los Angeles, you must be built up together with other believers in Los Angeles as the church in that locality. If you are in Tokyo, you must be built up with those who are saved in Tokyo as the church in that locality. As a Christian living in any locality, you must be built up with the other Christians in that locality as the unique local church there, which should be called the church in that place. The one that was built up in Jerusalem was called the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), and the one in Antioch was called the church in Antioch (Acts 13:1). In the same principle, the one in Los Angeles should be called the church in Los Angeles.

(Witness Lee, Ground of the Church, 9-10)

The Bible says that there is only one church. The church which Paul was in is the same church that we are in. The church that we are in is the same church that the apostle John, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and all regenerated persons are in. The church in the Bible is not separated by time, locality, or race. There is only one church, which exists at all times and in all places. There are not two churches. The Bible only recognizes one Body of Christ and never recognizes two, because there is only one Head. Although there are many members in the Bible, the Body is singular. Therefore, all saved persons past and present, here and elsewhere constitute one church and one Body. If this is the case, why are there “churches” in different places? Since Ephesians mentions one Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God, why does the Bible mention churches also? Is this not a contradiction? Why is it that, on the one hand, there is only one Body, but on the other hand, there are many churches? This shows us that there are different views in the Bible concerning the Body of Christ and the local churches. Strictly speaking, there is only one church, in the same way that there is only one Body of Christ. However, in each locality, there may be as many as three to five thousand believers, or there may be as few as two or three, as described in Matthew 18. As long as there is a group of believers meeting together in a city or a town, that group of believers constitutes the church in that city or town. Therefore, in the original language, the Bible clearly shows us that the church is “the church in such-and-such place.” The word in indicates that there is only one church, which is scattered and sojourning in different places. The Bible calls the meeting of those who sojourn and meet together in one place a local church; it serves as a miniature representation of the unique church."

(Witness Lee, Pray-Reading, 55-56)

He pointed out that the church is constituted of all those who believe into Christ and who belong to Christ. On the one hand, this church is universal, and on the other hand, it is local. On the universal side, the church is both God’s house and the Body of Christ in the universe. On the local side, the church is the local manifestation of the house of God and the Body of Christ. These local manifestations are the many local churches which together form the one unique church in the universe.

In order to exist among mankind, this church is scattered over all the earth to become the many separate local churches. Each one has its elders for administration and its deacons for service. In business affairs the churches are independent and separate, but in life and nature they are still one universal Body, receiving the same apostles’ teaching, maintaining the one apostles’ fellowship, and bearing the one testimony for Christ for the accomplishment of God’s one plan (economy).

Such a church is composed outwardly of the many saints called out by God from the world, but inwardly it is the result of the Triune God working Himself into and growing out of the believers in Christ. Hence, it is a living organism; it is absolutely not a religious organization in the society, much less a lifeless material building.

(Witness Lee, LS of Genesis, xxxiv-xxxv)

The second aspect of the church is the local aspect. In each locality there should be an expression of the Body of Christ (Acts 8:1; 1 Cor. 1:2; Rev. 1:11). This expression of the Body in a locality is the local church. The universal aspect of the church is revealed in the book of Ephesians, while the local aspect of the church is unfolded practically in the book of Revelation. In chapters 2 and 3 there are seven churches in seven cities, one church in each city. We all must see the one Body, and we must also see the local churches. We must see the universal aspect of the Body, and we must also see the local aspect of the church, the local churches. In every locality the church must be one as the local church.

To see the local churches we must be in our spirit (Rev. 1:10-12). Do not exercise your mind. The more you exercise your mind, the more you will be confused. We need to be in our spirit, and we need to be out of our self. We must be away from the present situation, away from today’s culture and religion. We must be away from everything else and be in our spirit. Then we will see not only the church but also the churches.

(Witness Lee, Young People, 25-26)

The four main items revealed in God’s divine revelation are God, Christ, the church, and the local churches. When we have the local churches, we have the church. Then we have Christ and God. This is because God is in Christ, Christ is in the church, and the reality and practicality of the church are in the local churches. If we want to find God, we must come to Christ. In order to find Christ, we must come to the church, and the reality and practicality of the church are in the local churches. Thus, if you are for the local churches, you are for everything. If you have the local church, you have the church; if you have the church, you have Christ; and if you have Christ, you have God. We all should declare, “Praise the Lord! I am in the local churches!"

In order to grow in life, we must know the local church. The local churches are the real expression of the church; the church is the real expression of Christ; and Christ is the real expression of God. In other words, God is expressed through Christ, Christ is expressed through the church, and the church is expressed through the local churches. People may talk about the universal church, but have they ever contacted it? What we can contact is the local church. Some might say that when we speak too much about the local church, we make the heavenly church earthly. But we must be clear that the local churches are the real expression of the heavenly church on the earth.

(Witness Lee, Christ as Life, 8-9)

When Paul wrote to a group of believers in Corinth, he said, “Now you are the body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:27). The Body of Christ is not only universal; it is also local. Every local church is the manifestation of the Body of Christ in that locality. All of the riches of Christ are vested in the local church. The authority of the Head is vested in the local expression of the Body. Apostles and elders in the local church are representative members of the Body, but they are not the Body. The entire company of believers in a locality, not just a section of the believers, constitutes the church in that locality. The church is not one member; it represents the whole Body in a locality. Hence, when we touch the local church, we touch the Body. Participating in the fellowship of the local church is participating in the fellowship of the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is not something abstract or unfathomable; the Body of Christ is manifested in the local churches. Anyone who wants to live in the Body in a practical way has to be in the local churches. He should fellowship with the local saints, be edified in the local church, and be built up together in mutuality.

(Watchman Nee, Mystery of Christ, 61)

The sixth major item of the divine revelation in the Bible concerns the Body of Christ, which is the church of God (Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 10:32). According to the revelation and pattern seen in the New Testament, the church is the gathering of the believers in Christ, who are called out from the world. This gathering, on the one hand, is the house of the living God (1 Tim. 3:15) for God to dwell in to accomplish His will according to His desire for His good pleasure. On the other hand, it is the organic Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23) for Him to have a counterpart that is organically united with Him to be His expression. Such a church as the house of God and also the Body of Christ is unique in the universe, yet it is manifested and expressed in many different localities on the earth to be the many local churches. The fellowship in life of this church, whether universally or locally, is unique.

(Witness Lee, Issue of the Union, 80-81)

We meet on the ground of the church as the local expression of the universal Body of Christ. Christ does not have many bodies. He has only one Body, but this one Body is expressed in many localities. The local churches standing on the ground of oneness are the local expressions of the unique, universal Body of Christ.

(Witness Lee, Satanic Chaos, 119)

We also need to know the Body in practice. Locality as the church ground of a local church separates the church in existence but does not divide the church in essence. The existence of the churches is separated, but their essence is inseparable. The saints who live in Atlanta and those who live in Anaheim cannot come together always as one church. This is impossible. For the sake of existence, the local churches are separate. The saints who live in Atlanta have to be the church there, and the brothers and sisters in Anaheim have to be the church here. This is a separation for the purpose of existence, but this has nothing to do with the essence. The church in Atlanta, the church in Anaheim, and all the local churches are one Body in essence. Essentially, we are still just one Body on the entire globe. Our thought needs to be revolutionized. We should consider our local church as a part of the Body of Christ.

(Witness Lee, Further Consideration, 15-16)

The Body of Christ is first the church, the congregation, the gathering, the assembly, of the called-out ones. This is the meaning of the Greek word ekklesia. The church appears in many cities to be the local churches as the many local expressions of the one church on the earth, without any division of nationalities, races, and social ranks (Acts 8:1; 13:1; Rev. 1:11). When I came to the United States and saw that there were so-called white churches and black churches, I was shocked. When I was a young man, I wondered how the Church of England could be in my hometown in mainland China. On the other hand, in the Chinese community in Southern California there is a Taiwanese church. What a shame it is for Christians to be divided in such ways! The Body of Christ has no nationality, no race, and no social rank.

(Witness Lee, Practical Way, 59)

In the same principle, the church in the whole universe is one. So in any place, in any locality, if there is some expression of the church, that expression must be one. If we want to be in the proper way to practice the church, we must first remember that the church in the whole universe is one. So if we are going to express the church in any place, we must be one. In any locality there must be only one local church as a living expression of the Body of Christ. If there is more than one, that means division has taken place.…If you go to Tokyo, there is no need for you to inquire about what American embassy you should attend. But today when people go to a city, they ask about what church they should attend. There are many different kinds of churches today. This means divisions have occurred.…There should not be many different churches in one locality, that is, many different expressions of the Body of Christ in one city. In one city, there should be only one expression of the one Body of Christ.

(Witness Lee, Life and Way, 102)

According to the revelation and pattern of the New Testament, the church is the gathering of the believers in Christ who have been called out from the world by God. Such a gathering is considered, on the one hand, the house of the living God (1 Tim. 3:15) for Him to dwell in and to carry out His will according to His desire and for His pleasure, and, on the other hand, the organic Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23) for Him to have a counterpart in the organic union with Him for His expression. This church is the new man as God’s new creation (Col. 3:10; Gal. 6:15). Such a church, as both the house of God and the Body of Christ, is universally one to appear and be expressed on the earth in many localities as many local churches. The fellowship in life of this church is uniquely one, both universally and locally.

(Witness Lee, Crucial Points, 19)

First Corinthians 1:10 says: “Now I beseech you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same things…” To whom does you refer? It refers to the Christians at Corinth, the brothers at Corinth. “…and that there be no divisions among you…” Again, you refers to the Christians at Corinth. “…but that you be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion.” This also refers to the Christians in Corinth. Here we see one thing: If the unity of the Body spoken of in the Bible is not expressed in a locality, it is not practical. It is easy to say, “We love all the children of God, except the one next door! The children of God are one, including Paul and all those who are not yet born, except a few brothers here in Shanghai!” This is impractical as well as self-deceptive. We cannot talk about the unity of the Body and say that we are one with everyone except with the few brothers who live together with us in the same place! According to Paul, the minimum requirement for speaking of unity is in the context of the local church. If the Christians in Corinth want to talk about the unity of the Body, they should not talk about it in Rome or talk about it in Jerusalem, but talk about it in Corinth. If we do not talk about it in Corinth, it is useless. We are deceiving ourselves. Suppose I live in Shanghai, but I do not get along with the brothers in Shanghai. However, I get along quite well with the brothers in Nanking. This is useless, and I am deceiving myself. The unity of the Body required by the Scriptures has a minimum boundary requirement, which is the locality. The brothers in Corinth must be one with the brothers in Corinth. If they are not one in Corinth, all their words just deceive others.

(Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 3, Vol. 56, 360)

The organic Body is undivided and it is also indivisible (1 Cor. 1:13a). It is not autonomous. This unique Body of Christ is expressed in many local churches (Rev. 1:11) in the divine oneness as it is with the Triune God (John 17:11, 21, 23) and in the divine nature, element, essence, expression, function, and testimony. There are many churches, yet they have one divine nature, one divine element, one divine essence, one divine expression, one divine function, and one divine testimony because they are one Body. This is why I say that our troubles are due to not seeing the Body. If we have seen the Body, there will be no problem.

(Witness Lee, Issue of the Dispensing, 93-94)

The local churches are many in different localities (Rev. 1:11). The Body of Christ as the church, the unique universal church, is expressed through the local churches. It is impossible for the Body of Christ to be expressed without the local churches. The local churches, which are the expressions of the unique Body of Christ, are scattered on this earth in the localities where the local churches exist to express the Body of Christ.

(Witness Lee, Eldership (2), 121-122)

When Christ was on earth He referred to the church two times—in Matthew 16 and Matthew 18. In the first instance, He referred to the universal church, and in the second instance, He referred to the local church. In speaking of the authority of the local church, He said, “If he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you just like the Gentile and the tax collector” (18:17). This verse shows us that the authority of the church is derived from its representation of Christ. Christ has given His authority to the church and authorized the church to execute His will on earth.…The local church, being the local expression of the Body of Christ, has the headship of Christ and, therefore, can know the mind of Christ, which is always communicated to His Body. The local church declares the headship of Christ. “Truly I say to you, Whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven” (v. 18).

(Watchman Nee, Mystery of Christ, 61-62)

The Body of Christ is universal, including all the local churches. So if we are continually in the process of growing, we will be built together in our locality, and all the local churches will be built together as one. This does not mean that all the local churches have to be organized into one. Although the churches are local in their administration, they are all the parts of the Body of Christ, and every local church is a local expression of the Body of Christ.

(Witness Lee, Growth of Christ, 61)

In the practice of the church, although the unique church of God is expressed as the many local churches throughout the whole globe, the churches are still the unique universal Body of Christ and should not be divided into sects or denominations (1 Cor. 10:16-17).

(Witness Lee, Issue of the Union, 86)

The Head of the church gave many gifted persons to function in shepherding for the building up of His Body, but the Body is manifested in the local churches. The Body is universal and abstract, but the churches are located and substantial. In the local churches, the elders as the local shepherds are needed. The local shepherds are more practical. Christ as the Head of the church charged the apostles, the universal shepherds, to appoint some local elders to take care of the located churches.

(Witness Lee, Vital Groups, 63)

Romans tells us how the Triune God, in His consummation as the Spirit of life, makes sinners the sons of God who become the living members of the Body of Christ. These members, who form the Body of Christ, have been regenerated and possess God’s divine life and God’s divine nature.…These members are put together into a Body to express Christ, and this Body is manifested in many localities as the local churches.

(Witness Lee, NT Economy, 129-130)

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