LSM IS INVOLVED IN A LOT MORE THAN JUST PUBLISHING – DEVELOPING A CEMETERY TO FUND OTHER ACTIVITIES

LSM -- more than just A publisher – Developing brother Lee’s cemetery to fund other activities
The SPIN

Ron Kangas said on November 29, 2006: "LSM is strictly a publisher."

Benson Phillips said at LSM’s Washington D.C. conference, "The Living Stream Ministry is just a publisher." He went on to admonish an audience member, saying, "Brother, who told you LSM was anything more than a publisher?"

The FACTS

However, consider the following facts:

Internal Revenue Service tax records reveal that LSM loaned $4 million to Grace Terrace Memorial Association (GTMA) in 2001. The loan was to develop and operate the portion of Rose Hills Memorial Park where brother Witness Lee is buried. The initial start-up capital for GTMA was $4 million – exactly the amount of the LSM loan. Since 100% of the initial start-up capital for GTMA came from LSM, this cemetery is a wholly LSM-funded project. (See GTMA 2001 Tax return, Page 18).
LSM continues to back up this cemetry project financially. LSM's 2004 Tax return reveals LSM gave $149,000 to GTMA for "General Support."
Further, the "showroom" resides in LSM’s West La Palma Avenue complex.
IRS tax records indicate that GTMA is controlled by the Church in Cerritos, CA and run by a board of directors consisting of Abraham Ho (President); Paul Wu (Treasurer) and Gilbert Chang (Secretary).
GTMA Directors have links to LSM: Paul Wu heads the Taiwan Gospel Book Room, LSM’s Taiwan branch; Abraham Ho is a director & secretary of the LSM-funded Defence and Confirmation Project and Paul Wu belongs to the inner circle of "blending brothers," an exclusive group including 10 LSM Directors.
GTMA’s website indicates that its "primary goal…is to offer a high-quality, tranquil, and meaningful environment as a resting place for believers." The cemetery website also says: "No effort is being spared to create an environment that is consistent with the sanctification and dignity that are befitting the beloved saints of God."
Cemetery plots are being marketed to local church members using Witness Lee’s writings. The website reminds us that "Abraham…was not light concerning the burying place of his wife" and that "Abraham might have said, [to his deceased wife,] ‘Sarah...I have prepared the best bedroom for you in which you may rest as you wait for that day." (W. Lee, Life Study of Genesis, p. 784)
Prices range from $3,000 to $7,100 for a "Single Vault" depending on location. Or one can "buy in bulk" – 2, 4 & 6 person-capacity burial vaults cost $40,000, $72,000, and $88,000 (respectively). "Brother Lee’s Cemetery" has over 500 burial plots. At $20,000 per plot this will generate over $10M in revenues, a healthy return on an initial LSM-loan of $4M.
GTMA raised almost $2 million from the sale of cemetery plots between 2001 and 2004. This has increased GTMA’s gross assets from the initial $4 million in 2001 to $5.9 million in 2004. During this period, GTMA recorded a financial gain in the form of a $700,000 increase in net assets.

LSM Directors are on record as stating that "LSM is strictly a publisher." If so, why did LSM loan the entire start-up capital for "Brother Witness Lee’s Cemetery" project to GTMA? In addition to providing funds, the directors of GTMA have links to LSM. It is not unreasonable to ask: what do cemetery plots have to do with publishing?

Further Comments:

The use of the cemetery as a revenue generator is troubling. GTMA’s website notes "Grace Terrace Memorial Association is a registered non-profit organization, and any financial gain from the sale of burial plots is designated for the support of the Lord's work." Will the "financial gains" accrue to LSM and its affiliates for the Lord's work?

We note that GTMA President Abraham Ho is a paid Director-Secretary of DCP (See DCP 2004 Tax Record, Page 18). Given this link, will GTMA’s "financial gains" be used to fund DCP’s litigation?

Watchman Nee strongly taught the need to clearly differentiate between the local church and various kinds of work. In that regard, the control of GTMA by the church in Cerritos is troubling. IRS tax records tell us that, "The primary purpose of GTMA is to benefit, perform the functions of, or carry out the purposes of the Church in Cerritos." Moreover, "GTMA is operated, supervised and controlled by the Church in Cerritos." So where is the separation between GTMA (a work) and the local church in Cerritos?

Two further troubling points also arise. The first is a matter of truth – is there a scriptural basis for the "sanctification" promised by Grace Terrace? The cemetery claims to be "an environment consistent with the sanctification and dignity…befitting the beloved saints of God." Yet where does the New Testament connect sanctification with cemeteries? Where does the Bible suggest the "Lord’s recovery" needs its own cemetery so saints can be buried close to Brother Lee? Is this cemetery project about sanctification or superstition?

Second, why is Witness Lee’s ministry being used to market cemetery plots? Yes, Witness Lee wrote: Abraham "spent a large amount of money to purchase the burying place for Sarah, himself and his descendents." However, his application was not that we should spend a large amount of money to do the same! Neither was it that LSM should fund the development of expensive burying places. Rather, Witness Lee said: "If we have the light from the New Testament, we shall realize this indicates the expectation of resurrection." This LSM-funded cemetery project appears to apply Brother Lee’s ministry in a manner he never intended, with money-making in view.

Referenced Evidence

Grace Terrace 2004 Tax Return

Grace Terrace 2003 Tax Return

Grace Terrace 2002 Tax Return

Grace Terrace 2001 Tax Return

Living Stream 2004 Tax Return

Living Stream 2003 Tax Return

Living Stream 2002 Tax Return

Living Stream 2001 Tax Return

DCP 2004 Tax Return

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