Search
The Lord’s recovery has been advancing in the divine revelation. We also need to advance in practice so that we match the revelation that the Lord has shown us. In particular, the co-workers should seek the Lord regarding how to be up to date with the age and how to have an effective work for the Lord.
God created the earth; hence, it cannot be changed by man. However, methods of transportation can change and have been advancing. In order to travel on the earth, mankind first invented wheels and then all kinds of vehicles, including the horse-drawn wagon, the bicycle, and the automobile. Today there are not only cars but also airplanes, and the manufacturing of airplanes is also improving. Likewise, the Bible has not changed in the past two thousand years, but our knowledge of the Bible is continually progressing. We cannot change the Bible, nor can we change the Lord’s way, but our knowledge of the Bible and how we carry out the Lord’s work should progress. If we still work in the way that we were trained twenty years ago, we will become outdated. If a military school teaches the same thing for twenty years, it will become outdated because strategies, tactics, and weapons change. Old knowledge can only serve as a foundation upon which we need to continue to study and advance.
Old knowledge can be useful and also harmful. Consider a young man who goes to a military school for training but who has never received a military education. His weakness is that he does not have a foundation in military knowledge, but his strength is that he can learn quickly because he is not limited by background knowledge. In contrast, a soldier who has received military education has a foundation of military knowledge. This is a strength, but if he insists on the old ways, his strength will become a weakness. However, if he does not insist on the old ways but uses this foundation as a means to learn new material, he can advance quickly.
By the Lord’s mercy, over the past years we have had some changes in our work for the Lord, but we are not resolute. We should be so resolute that we would willingly not hold on to the old foundation. It is difficult to completely let go of a foundation, but if we continue to rely on the old ways, they will become a hindrance to our moving forward.
The co-workers have not made a thorough turn. They still hold old concepts. When the age turns, whoever turns quickly will have the upper hand, and whoever turns slowly will fall behind. Because my mother received a modern education and had some knowledge of the modern age, she insisted that I learn English. My hometown was not a modern city. At that time whoever learned English was mocked as having a foreign accent. Later, however, it was acknowledged that those who speak better English have the upper hand. Those who can turn quickly and thoroughly with the age will have the upper hand.
The present situation indicates that the Lord has turned the age. Some of the younger generation have surpassed us in their abilities. When I listen to them speak for the Lord in the meetings, I feel that the older generation lacks their portion. According to Matthew 25, the producing of the gifts is related to ability. Verse 15 says, “To one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability.” Talents refers to spiritual gifts, and ability refers to natural capabilities. The gifts given to us by the Lord differ according to our natural capabilities. For example, if I am dumb, the Lord will not give me the gift of speaking, because I do not possess that ability. The Chinese have a saying: “There are only champion students but not champion teachers.” This means that a teacher who is not a champion should not think that his students cannot become champions. Champion students are often taught by teachers who are not champions. However, teachers with champion students should not become proud. Teachers have knowledge and common sense, but their students have talent. Teachers pass their knowledge and common sense to the students, and when the students begin to apply what they learn, their talent is manifested.
The age is turning, the Lord is moving, the church is turning, and the young adults are rising up. What should the co-workers do? The co-workers must recognize and know the times, the trend of the age. In other words, the co-workers must know themselves and their situation. More than twenty years ago the churches in Taiwan were in a beginning stage. The churches needed trained co-workers to help them, and the co-workers were able to help the churches. This was the case in Taiwan and in other places in Southeast Asia. However, the age has turned. The co-workers need to reconsider their situation and their function. I am afraid that some co-workers still have the concept that the churches should listen to them and accept their leading because they have been serving full time for many years. Such a concept might not have been a problem twenty years ago, but it will bring in conflicts today.
Those who are rising up today are better than we are in many ways. If the co-workers are not up to date, they will eventually create conflicts. This can be compared to insisting on teaching an airplane pilot how to ride a horse. The co-workers have the seniority, but it is no longer the age of riding horses; it is the age of jet planes. It is useless for co-workers to give old messages. Not everyone in the Lord’s recovery is prudent, but some in the younger generation are prudent and up to date with the age. If they are learning how to pilot an airplane, we should not teach them how to ride a horse.
The age is turning, and we must keep up with the age. If we continue to teach the doctrines that we learned in the past, we are not up to date with the age. What we learned in the past can only be a foundation. We must keep up with the Lord’s up-to-date way in order to perfect the young adults.
The co-workers should not lead the church themselves, nor should they replace the responsible brothers in the localities. If we know the Lord’s way, we would do our best to transfer everything to the younger saints. We should help them and perfect them. Eventually, they will be better than we are. We may have the experience of running a school, but if we hold that experience in our hand, the school will eventually close down. If the responsibility for running the school is transferred to some younger adults, the school will flourish. Students are happy when they are taught by younger adults. The young adults, however, must learn from the experiences of the older saints. We must perfect the younger saints, pass everything we have on to them, and let them do everything.
The effectiveness of the co-workers’ work is related to perfecting the younger saints. The co-workers have been working for the Lord for many years. They should consider whether their work is effective. Whatever does not match the age will not be effective. For this reason we need to turn. If we turn, our work will be effective.
We should not merely hold on to old principles. These principles are not wrong, but holding on to these principles is not sufficient. There are many situations that need to be adjusted and overturned. For example, if the elders in a locality are eighty years old, there is a desperate need to perfect younger saints. In this situation the co-workers should recommend several younger saints and spend two to three months to perfect them so that they may progress. After a few more months these younger saints might become elders. The co-workers who do this know how to work, and they are for “the perfecting of the saints” (Eph. 4:12).
The co-workers should not hold things in their hands. For instance, the co-workers should not handle everything related to hospitality. Rather, they should hand over things related to hospitality to the local saints. The co-workers should always stand in the position of perfecting and helping others, not taking their place or replacing them. The handling of the details of the international conference held in Taipei was a great move in this direction. It is wonderful that the co-workers handed all the practical responsibilities to the younger saints. The co-workers were in the background; they only supported and guided the younger saints. This is the way for the co-workers to achieve something and to develop the function of the younger saints. A country that can bring everyone into function will be strong. Likewise, in the church we should let the younger saints develop their ability and function. If all the affairs in the church in Taipei are handled by a few elderly co-workers, the function of the younger saints in the church in Taipei will be wasted rather than developed.
If a locality does not have that many younger saints, those who are seventeen or eighteen years old can be brought into function. Some might feel that these ones are too young. However, whether they are young depends on the situation at the time. Suppose a grandfather and father in a family both pass away, and the eldest son is only seventeen years old. Although he is only seventeen years old, he must rise up to take care of things. If an uncle feels that the son is too young and takes care of everything for him, the uncle is replacing him, not helping him. If we do not know how to perfect the younger saints in the churches, we do not know how to work. As long as someone can be perfected in a locality, we should help him and let him function. After a period of time he will rise up.
While perfecting the younger saints to function in the churches, the co-workers can tell them what to pay attention to and give some tips regarding any shortage. After a short period the younger saints will be perfected. If the younger saints must get approval for every decision, even small ones, nothing will be accomplished. If the co-workers are very cautious in considering everything, matters will be delayed. Time is of the essence in carrying things out. A war may be lost because a decision is one minute late, and a war may be won because a decision is one minute early. Food can burn if it is left to cook for just one extra minute. Therefore, the co-workers should not control anything. Instead, they should perfect everyone to take the initiative in order to produce the next generation for the Lord.
Having a high spiritual life and a deep knowledge of life does not mean that our work will be effective. However, an effective work requires a high spiritual life and a deep knowledge of life. An effective work also requires much learning. In 1953, while I was conducting a training in Taipei, I said, “If you do not know how to conduct yourself, you will not know how to do things, and if you do not know how to do things, you will not know how to do a work.” Hence, we must also learn how to conduct ourselves and how to do things. If we do not know how to conduct ourselves and how to do things, we will not be able to carry out any work. As long as we are willing to learn and to change, we will still be useful to the Lord.
The co-workers must see that the age has turned. If we do not turn, we will have a fundamental problem. In our practice, however, we also need to consider how much we can perfect and whether those whom we are serving need our perfecting. We have entered into the age of perfecting. We can no longer do a replacing work; we must do a perfecting work. Our problem is that we do not know how to perfect others. It is not sufficient for a co-worker to be faithful in the Lord’s work and diligent in his conduct. We do not know how to work if a saint can pass through our hand without being perfected. If we do not perfect others, our work will not be effective no matter how much time and effort we spend.
In this age those who can perfect others know how to work. Hence, our usefulness in a locality depends on whether those whom we are serving need our perfecting. If they do not need our perfecting, we should go somewhere else. If a brother can teach only junior high school and the local people are all in high school, there is no use for him to stay there. He should go somewhere else. If he is an expert in teaching junior-high students and he goes to a place where the children are all in elementary school, he will be successful. This example shows how to work. Suppose a brother does not know his ability or the level of the saints he is serving in a locality. Suppose he can teach only “junior high school,” but he is assigned to work with “high-school students.” He may spend much time serving, but he is wasting himself and delaying others. This shows that he does not know how to work. Knowing how to work involves knowing ourselves, knowing our circumstances, and recognizing the times. Hence, the co-workers must evaluate what they can do and consider the saints whom they can help. This is the way to perfect others.
The co-workers are still holding on to old things. We should overturn this situation so that we can perfect more saints. Perfecting the saints does not mean that we will no longer need to do anything. On the contrary, we should do more, and we can do more. We should distribute responsibilities to others and at the same time teach, perfect, and equip them. Consequently, the number of functioning saints will grow.
In the United States there is a pastor who is educated, eloquent, and capable. He has been taking the lead and overseeing a group for more than twenty years. Because the number of people in that group grew from forty to around four thousand, he is considered to be a successful pastor. However, the Lord is not leading us to take the way of attracting people by personal gifts but to take the way of perfecting the saints. The Lord led me to go to the United States more than ten years ago. More than thirty local churches have been raised up, and there are over six thousand saints. No matter how capable I am, I cannot take care of all the local churches by myself. Our way is to perfect many saints to function in each local church. The six thousand saints do not have the same function, because everyone has different natural abilities. When we perfect them, their function will be manifested. If we let a seed grow, its form will be manifested. When it grows, we will know whether it is a peach, a plum, or an almond tree.
As the co-workers are considering before the Lord how to go on in the future, they should evaluate their ability and consider the level of the saints whom they are serving. If no place needs us, we can open up virgin land. On the active side of the Lord’s work, there is a need for propagation, but there is no need to “put icing on a cake.” We should not serve a dish of steamed fish after everyone at a feast has been satisfied. The steamed fish may be good, but it is unnecessary due to the timing. It would be better to take the “fish” to a place where it is needed. Likewise, if a local church does not have a need, it is unnecessary for a co-worker to stay there. He should go to a place that has a need. If no place has a need, then he should open up virgin land. There are still many places that are waiting to be opened up. All the co-workers should learn how to perfect and how to propagate. Appointing elders and perfecting them is for the Lord’s propagation, because the younger saints will carry out the work when they rise up. Propagation comes out of perfecting.
The work of the co-workers should be based on the following points. First, we must see that the age of replacing is over. This is the age of perfecting. Second, we need to consider how many people we can perfect and whether the saints we are serving need our perfecting. If a place does not have a need, we should not stay there. We should go to a place that needs our perfecting. Third, the Lord’s work and propagation are needed even if all the existing localities are blessed and not in need of our perfecting. There is still a need to open up virgin land. This is propagation. Therefore, the co-workers must bury the concept and practice of replacing others. This fundamental issue must be resolved so that we may consider how many people we can perfect and whether the saints we are serving need our perfecting. If we are unable to perfect others or the saints have advanced beyond our ability, we should go somewhere else. If no locality has a need, we should go to open up virgin land and start from scratch.
This is the age of the new man. We can no longer do a work that is limited to one place. Such a work no longer matches the age. Those in the Lord’s work must produce a living impact that is not limited to a locality or a group of saints. Under God’s sovereignty the emphasis in the world is on blending. Hence, we should not do an independent work. We are not working for ourselves but for the Lord’s recovery. May we all contribute to the Lord’s recovery. The co-workers need to soberly consider these points before the Lord.
When the co-workers go to different places, we must pay attention to the new saints. Gradually, the saints will manifest their gift, and we should learn how to cultivate and perfect these saints. We should lead these ones and give them responsibilities according to the level of their growth in life. After working in such a way for a few years, these saints may rise up and do what we do. When they are all perfected, we can do other things. Otherwise, we will be doing the same thing for twenty years. Everything will still be under our control, and the saints will need to report everything to us. We should not be like that capable pastor in the United States, who worked for more than ten years only to establish one large, strong group. It would be better if those few thousand people could produce thirty or more local churches. Then everyone could function. The fundamental principle is that we must let the younger saints rise up.
Question: When this generation of co-workers was raised up, there were already forty local churches in Taiwan. These co-workers were cultivated in the churches or taught under the leading of the senior co-workers; hence, they do not have the experience of opening up virgin land. This is their aspiration, but they do not know how to open up virgin land.
Answer: We may not know how to do something, but we can learn while doing. We learn by doing. Riding a bicycle is an example. Even if we are not taught how to ride a bicycle, if we have a bicycle and ride it, we will know how to ride a bicycle after a few days. Of course, if no one teaches us, we will fall many times. Nevertheless, even if we fall, we will know how to ride a bicycle. There is no set way to open up virgin land. The way that I say to do it may work if I do it, but it might not work if you do it. Furthermore, when I do it, I may do something different because of the situation. The key is to receive a burden. If the localities do not need our perfecting, we need to be ambitious before the Lord to open up virgin land. We should be willing to spend a number of years to bring forth a few people.
Someone may go to a small locality with churches nearby. As long as he remains in fellowship, he will spontaneously receive a supply from the nearby churches. He will be connected to the nearby churches, and all the churches in Taiwan will pray for him and may even send a supply to his locality. He does not need to wait for the co-workers to hold a conference and assign someone to join him. Such a practice involves too much of the human will. The co-workers should live a life of prayer before the Lord to receive a burden from Him.
This does not mean that the co-workers should stop caring for the saints and venture out on their own. This is individualistic. When some co-workers open up virgin land, the nearby churches should immediately join in by praying for them and supplying them practically; this is a proper situation. The other co-workers in Taiwan should also join in by remembering them in prayer. It is not improper for the work to arrange things by determining who goes where and by requesting material offerings from the local churches for the work, but this is rigid and inorganic.
