Rom. 16:17 - Now I exhort you, brothers, to mark those who make divisions and causes of stumbling contrary to the teaching which you have learned, and turn away from them.

2 Tim. 2:25 - In meekness correcting those who oppose, if perhaps God may give them repentance unto the full knowledge of the truth.

Note 83 - Expansion of Dong Yu Lan's Work in Europe

Brother Dong's consideration of Europe:

Dong Yu Lan, Regional Conference in São Paulo, Brazil, August 24, 2008, Message 2:

All the Latin-language-speaking countries in Europe have been commissioned to us by the Lord for our work. Thank the Lord. We have also been spreading and propagating. For example, how many churches are there in Spain? Four?

Click the icon to listen to an excerpt from the audio of this message.

Dong Yu Lan, Daily Food: The Organic Ministry of John, Week 1, Lord's Day:

This river has reached almost half of Africa. Hallelujah! There is still another half that remains and we hope to take all of Africa by 2010. Europe is now being conquered. We will go wherever there is "the Macedonian call" in order to fulfill God's eternal will, that is, to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it!

Dong Yu Lan, Daily Food: God's Life and Nature – The Epistles of Peter, Week 10, Lord's Day:

...Presently, many saints are in Europe for the work of the spread. They are helping people to be saved and are encouraging them to be in the sanctuary and in the Holy of Holies in order to be measured.

Dong Yu Lan, Daily Food: The Organic Study of John's Writings, Week 4, Lord's Day:

Recently we went to Europe. Why are we so burdened for this continent? It is because we have seen in Matthew 24 that there will be a great tribulation for three and a half years, and there it will be more intense. One of our goals is to bring all the children of God to the Holy of Holies, that is, to their spirit, and also allow the unbelievers to receive the gospel of grace as well as the gospel of the kingdom.

Dong Yu Lan, Daily Food: The Organic Ministry of John, Week 7, Monday:

Another thing we mentioned was regarding the place that will be most affected by the great tribulation, located at the head of the dragon: western Europe. We are concerned for Europe because there are many Christians there. Some saints from among us have picked up the burden, beginning from Portugal, and are reaching into other countries. They are reaching Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and also have contacts on Paris, France. The work in Europe is to help more and more people be measured with the reed and also kept in the sanctuary (Rev. 11:1). May the Lord use the measuring reed to take possession of them!

Of course, the Lord wants to measure the sanctuary, but the problem is, how many people are in it, praying before the altar? Many Christians are still in the outer court. They have been saved, but they have not entered into the Holy Place in order to serve. Because of this, we have the burden to go to Europe also to help them to be brought to the spirit and to live in the Holy of Holies. In this way they will be able to offer prayers before the incense altar. The great tribulation is about to come there, and, naturally, every kind of fear and terror will take hold of them. But wherever the reed measures they will be protected.

In October 2008 a brother sent a broadcast e-mail announcing the establishment of a Web site to coordinate activities related to Brother Dong's independent work in Europe.

With joy we would like to announce the launching of a site developed in coordination with the brothers that coordinate the Lord's work in Europe: www.expansaoestudoetrabalho.com. This site was developed with a view to support the saints whom the Lord will stir up to go and serve in Europe (full time or part time) through their professional or academic activities. (E-mail from Bruno Frossard, disseminated by jovensdasigrejas@yahoogrupos.com.br on October 17, 2008).

(This site was active at one time but appears to be so no longer.)

Examples of problems:

Germany, Switzerland, and Italy:

Po-Yi Liu and Tim Klimmek, letter, October 30, 2007:

We are writing concerning the work of Dong Yu Lan carried out by his workers in Germany, Switzerland and Italy and the effects this work has had on the churches in this area, most of which precede the Brazilian work. Sadly, the characteristics of this work have been manifested in four main ways. Their work is characterized by:

  • A lack of fellowship on the part of the Brazilian workers with the co-workers and churches in Europe which were established through much fellowship and were known to the saints in Europe.
  • Meetings held by the Brazilian workers that conflict or compete with established annual conferences in Europe.
  • Frequent public speaking by Dong Yu Lan's workers against the co-workers in Europe and elsewhere and criticisms of the ministry of the age.
  • A sense of confusion and concern among the European saints resulting from the words and actions of Brother Dong's workers and their work.
  • Click on the icon at right to view the document. 

Dong Yu Lan's main workers in Europe—Joao Antonelli and Cesar Antonelli along with Salomon Ma—began speaking at conferences in Stuttgart. Two Brazilian workers—Robinson and Alex Kemmer—moved to Germany and began to speak negatively concerning the ministry in the Lord's recovery. They have scheduled conferences in Lörrach that conflicted with regularly scheduled European conferences and invited saints from local churches in German-speaking regions to attend. They tried to get the saints in Stuttgart to drop their use of The Holy Word for Morning Revival and use Daily Food instead. Due to unrest caused by their work, Brother Dong's workers stated that they would not work in Stuttgart and that they would have only one more conference in Lörrach, yet the conferences in Lörrach continue to this day. In a regional blending conference in November of 2006, Robinson Kemmer spoke against the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, calling it "dead, dead, dead." The (Source: Letter from Po-Yi Liu and Tim Klimmek, October 30, 2007; Letter of warning to the churches in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, April 2, 2009)

Spain:

According to a letter dated November 1, 2007, from the leading brothers in Madrid, Fernando Aguera, a worker of Dong Yu Lan:

  1. Distributed Dong Yu Lan's literature in Madrid, even after agreeing with the leading brothers not to do so.
  2. Traveled with others throughout Spain to distribute Brother Dong's literature to the churches and caused much confusion. This happened in Barcelona, Cordova, Huelva, Malaga, Valencia, and Valladolid. Fernando and his companions criticized LSM and opposed the principle of being restricted in one publication work in at least one church (Huelva).
  3. Told the brothers in Madrid that his work was approved by Joe Davis. In fact, the brothers in Madrid had a letter from Joe Davis to Salomon Ma and Joao Antonelli dated July 19, 2006, expressing surprise and concern over the Brazilians' independent work.

In 2007, Fernando Aguera moved to Barcelona. He and another worker, Gustavo, started their work there and began to have a separate "table" meeting in Barcelona without fellowship with or consideration of the existing saints. The precise timing of the start of this second "table" is unclear, but it was after saints in Barcelona who were in fellowship with the churches throughout Spain had already begun having the table. Fernando still lived in Madrid on February 14, 2007, when he met with the leading brothers there (Letter from David Martinez, Hector Aponte, and Cristaldo Ceveriano, November 1, 2007). Fernando moved to Barcelona sometime after that meeting and could not have started the meetings in Barcelona until even later. On June 18, 2007, Fernando was warned about the possibility of conducting an "illegal" table during a visit by Sherman Robertson, Victor Molina, and Paul Hon. The warning was based upon Fernando's disregard of the existing saints in Barcelona when he began the "table" there (Letter from Sherman Robertson, Victor Molina, and Paul Hon, October 30, 2007). The "table" established by Brother Dong's work continues apart from the church in Barcelona (E-mail from Hector Aponte, Update on Spain, April 25, 2008).

Fernando Aguera has also established independent meetings for Brother Dong's work in Madrid (E-mail from Hector Aponte, Update on Spain, April 25, 2008). This was done despite the fact that Fernando was fully aware of the church in Madrid. He also knew that the brothers in Madrid opposed his former independent activities there (Letter from David Martinez, Hector Aponte, and Cristaldo Ceveriano, November 1, 2007). Although it has been suggested that they have a separate meeting hall and may have started a separate "table" in Madrid, this has not been confirmed. In a phone conversation, Fernando claimed that he only maintained an apartment in a suburb (technically outside of Madrid) to meet with and "shepherd" the saints. (E-mail from Hector Aponte, Update on Spain, April 25, 2008; E-mail from Hector Aponte, Re: Update on Spain, April 29, 2008). Reports have also been received that Dong Yu Lan's workers established a "table" meeting in Madrid, even though there was already a church there.

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