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Question: After the full-time trainees finish the training, should they stay in Taipei or go back to their sending localities to serve?
Answer: Responsible brothers who originally served in other localities have come to Taipei to be trained for two years. During this period of time they obviously could not serve in their sending localities. From this standpoint, the churches in those localities have suffered some loss. At the same time they must hope that what these brothers have learned faithfully and properly in the training will be repaid in their localities after their return. Many big companies and hospitals have this practice; that is, they send employees to other places to learn through the exchange of experience. In this period of time the quality of medical care at the hospital may not be as good as before, or the quality of production in the factory may suffer, but these companies are willing to suffer this loss with the hope that those who are sent will learn higher skills and increase the production when they return. In this way what is initially lost will be compensated for later.
In fact, last summer we already considered whether we would let the brothers and sisters return to serve in their respective localities to compensate for the loss. At that time, however, tens of thousands of people had been gained through door-knocking in Taipei and were entrusted not only to the local saints but also to those who came for the training and had obtained permission from their sending localities to stay in Taipei to take care of the new ones. As a result, all the churches suffered loss; no one can deny this. Therefore, after studying this matter thoroughly, we hope that these trainees will return to their localities after the training. This is not only for the benefit of the sending localities, but I believe that it is profitable for all.
In our labor we not only need people, but we also need to use them properly. If everyone stays in Taipei but cannot be used properly, it is better for them to return to their sending localities. When they return to their sending localities to serve and coordinate in the church, they will surely be more profitable to the churches. This matter deserves our consideration.
Question: Three brothers bear responsibility in our locality, but since two went to Taipei for the training, only one remains. Can one or two brothers fill up this gap?
Answer: Of course, we first need to consider if there already is a suitable person who can fill the gap. Being an elder is a relative matter, not an absolute matter. For example, being a husband is also a relative matter. Some husbands sweep streets, and some are presidents. If every man was required to be a “president” in order to be qualified to be a husband, only one person in the whole country would be qualified to be a husband. This is the same in regard to the elders. Whether an elder is suitable depends upon those with whom he is matched; thus, it is a relative matter.
If we want to make a small table to hold a teacup, and we cannot find good material like teakwood, we may use softwood, and if we cannot find softwood, it is sufficient to use inferior wood. We simply need a small table so that when we drink tea, there is a place for us to put the cup. If we insist upon our consideration of materials and are unable to produce a small table, we have missed the point. It is the same in regard to our work for the Lord; we need to learn to use the materials that are available. This applies not only to our leading in the work but also to the brothers in all the churches in regard to arrangements and appointments. The churches are these brothers’ household, so they should fellowship and come up with an idea. For instance, when we encounter a situation in which two of the three responsible brothers temporarily leave to attend the training, we should carefully consider if we can use any of the available brothers. This matter depends upon our management, and it is our responsibility.
Question: If we need to appoint elders in the church, when is an appropriate time?
Answer: It is the apostles who appoint elders. A church may need two elders; thus, if the leading ones find two brothers who are fitting, they should motivate them a little. If the brothers have not grown “tall” enough, the leading ones should try to help them mature. This matter depends upon the motivation of the brothers in a locality. If their feeling is not to appoint elders but to temporarily ask some to function in the office without giving them a title, this also depends on the actual situation. We do not have a set law; our only consideration is to serve the Lord’s recovery and the churches well.
Question: Could you explain the function of the apostles?
Answer: According to the Bible, first, apostles should be able to preach the gospel, to preach the person and ministry of the Lord Jesus in its entirety, that is, thoroughly according to God’s plan, God’s economy. Second, the apostles should be able to establish churches. Some saints are able to save people through gospel preaching, but they are not able to establish churches. The apostles must be able to establish churches; to establish churches is not a simple matter. Third, the apostles must know the apostles’ teaching, just as a lawyer must know the nation’s constitution and all of its laws. When there is a problem in the church life, he must be able to solve the problem based on the apostles’ teaching in the New Testament. If a person is not able to do this, his qualification for apostleship is questionable; at most, he will be a very weak apostle.
For example, it is not acceptable for a lawyer to know the law only to a limited extent. He must know it thoroughly. Knowing the law thoroughly is even more important for justices because they judge matters related to the law. Their qualification is based on their thorough knowledge of the law. Similarly, in fulfilling his ministry, an apostle must be constituted with the apostles’ teaching and thoroughly know the truth. If there is any shortcoming in his knowledge of the truth, he will not be able to make proper judgments, and his judgment will not be accurate. This does not necessarily mean that he is not an apostle, but he is certainly not strong enough. Hence, in principle an apostle should be able to do three things: preach the complete gospel, establish local churches, and truly understand the apostles’ teaching. In Acts 2 three thousand people were saved and all of them continued steadfastly in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles (vv. 41-42). The apostles’ teaching is the fundamental truth in the New Testament.
Question: In our locality we have perfected a number of brothers and sisters who can be pillars. At this time, is it better for them to propagate in nearby towns and villages or stay in our locality? In some of the towns and villages, some older brothers have been meeting for quite a while, and they claim that a certain one is the responsible brother. How should we proceed in our further fellowship with them?
Answer: We should consider two factors in regard to whether we should ask saints to stay in our locality to labor or send them out to propagate. As far as manpower is concerned, we need to consider where it is more profitable to labor. If it is more profitable to labor in your locality, they should stay to labor there; if it is more profitable to labor elsewhere, then they should go elsewhere to labor. Like farmers, we should go where the rain is. In some places there may be a drought for a whole year; thus, there is no need for us to farm there. This is based upon a principle in Genesis 2:5; that is, no rain came because there was no man to work the ground. The growth of plants depended upon the principle that some needed to work the ground.
Based upon this principle some should be sent from our locality to the surrounding villages, but if there is not much fruit or growth because of the lack of rain, we should stop. A farmer knows that he needs to labor on the fields that grow and leave the fields that do not grow; once the rain comes and the land is watered, he will begin to plow another field. This is the direction we should follow.
When people begin to meet, sometimes elders are spontaneously produced. When we go to help them, we need to observe their situation accurately. Are the elders who have been produced spontaneously the proper ones? Are there other brothers with more experience than them? If this is the case, we will have to try our best to lead them so that the more experienced ones will rise up and bear the responsibility. This will lead to a greater and better result. However, this matter is difficult to carry out; hence, we must be very careful.
Moreover, there is no set rule or dead regulation governing this matter; rather, it is based on the facts, the benefits, and the leading according to the actual environment. In a locality there may be two or three brothers who are already elders, yet there may be two or three with more experience; however, due to the situation of the church and the particular environment, a change may lead to something negative and produce a poor result; in this situation it is better not to make any change. Instead, simply go along with the situation and help them based upon the actual situation with the hope that one day God will perfect the elders and raise them up.
We have invited close to eighty trainees, who are neither elders nor co-workers, to join the training for elders and co-workers. At the same time we have also accepted some from various localities who are learning to be elders. I hope that these ones will not think that their coming here means that they are elders; hence, they should not give people the impression that they are being trained and invited to the elders’ training because they will soon be appointed to be elders. This simply is not true. Our purpose in inviting these ones is so that many more young brothers will know the importance of the elders, the need for elders, because as Paul said, “If anyone aspires to the overseership, he desires a good work” (1 Tim. 3:1). Whether or not these ones eventually become elders depends upon their future performance.
No one should think that because he has been invited, he is an elder. Becoming an elder depends on future performance and the manifestation in their environment. Nevertheless, we deeply hope that after hearing such a word and seeing God’s need, the younger generation will pray, “O Lord, have mercy on me. For Your use I want to have the portion of being an elder and bearing responsibility in Your recovery.” If there are six hundred elders who can be sent out two by two to serve in different places, over three hundred churches will be raised up immediately. We believe that if two proper elders, who have some learning, know the truth, and hold God’s people in their bosom and bear them upon their shoulders, are sent out, they will certainly raise up a church no matter where they go.
Our problem today is basically that the elders in the local churches are weak. If the elders were strong and rich in spiritual matters, we would have had much increase in these twenty years. In Taipei we have ten thousand saints as a foundation; although we have such great capital, we have not made a profit in twenty years; this is inexcusable. We are here not to reprimand anyone but with the hope that we all will be on the alert and know our real situation and lack.
This lack is mainly due to two groups of people: the elders and the co-workers. If the condition of an existing church is poor, the elders bear more of the responsibility. If the elders are strong and rich in spiritual matters, the church will surely yield rich fruit, and it will not be without increase for twenty years. Moreover, the population in Taiwan is increasing, the economy is thriving, and every aspect is progressing; only the church is an exception. It is not right for every aspect of society to be advancing while the church stands still. If the entire society was going backward and the population was decreasing, there might be an excuse for the lack of increase in the church, because basic qualities are lacking. However, in these twenty-some years, the development of Taiwan has become well-known throughout the world. At the same time the conditions for the advance of the church are more than favorable; nevertheless, if the church is still unable to advance, the responsibility lies entirely upon the elders and co-workers.
For this reason we need to come together to study and see God’s need from the view of God’s economy. We should never think that since we serve full time and have some experience in the Lord’s work, we are co-workers. In fact, this is not worth anything. If we have some value, it is because our heart is truly set on the Lord, and we are willing to do something for Him. I hope that the young people can see this point clearly. There is no position among us; if someone desires to seek a position among us, he has come to the wrong place. There is no future among us; if some here are planning for their future, they have come to the wrong place. We have neither position nor future. All we have is God’s economy.
The Lord has given us many messages on the cross for the purpose that we would daily live under the shadow of the cross and put our soul-life to death. As such people we have no future. We daily live in death and put our soul-life to death. We know that while man seeks to live, Christians need to die. On the one hand, we have lost our future and are without any future. On the other hand, we have a future, a future that is full of glory. If we are not for the Lord’s church, our being on earth is without meaning. Many who have heard my experience know that I should have died many years ago, but the Lord has allowed me to continue to live for more than twenty years; therefore, I would like all the young people to see the Lord’s way clearly, receive a burden from the Lord, and be used by Him to release His riches and grace. Today in the local churches the Lord needs two groups of people — the co-workers and the elders. The church needs these two groups of people. I hope that we all are clear concerning this point and learn to present ourselves and pray to the Lord: “Lord, I want to be a co-worker or an elder.”
