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It is rather easy for the church to gain many new ones and reach a goal of increase, but it is more difficult to stabilize these new ones and bring them into the church life. It is possible to gain someone with just a little effort, but we may not be able to keep him with even ten times that effort. We may be able to gain one hundred people, but if we hope to bring them all into the church life, we need to spend at least ten times as much effort.
As a result of our studying and experimenting, we have found a direction. We have discovered from numerous testimonies that it is best to be selective in our door-knocking. This selectiveness has several aspects. First, we should begin by knocking on the doors of those whom we know, that is, our friends and relatives. Second, we should knock on the doors of the friends and relatives of the saints. Third, we should knock on the doors of the friends and relatives of the newly saved ones. Hence, we should begin with these various groups of friends and relatives. The elders and leading ones in all the churches should spend some time to arrange and organize a list of names so that the saints who knock on doors will not waste any time. At the same time, the new ones whom we bring in will be more stable. In the matter of door-knocking, we also need to be selective in regard to the districts we choose to labor in. We need to consider which districts we should labor in and how we should labor in them. This does not mean that the gospel of God is selective; rather, proper selection and preparation will provide a foundation for our work.
When we go out to gain people, we should not gain too many at one time. If we do this, we will not be able to shepherd them well. In the past we had activities that some called “blitzes” and “festivals.” They were necessary steps in the process of our study; however, after passing through a number of experiments, we learned that we do not need a “blitz” to gain people in a speedy way. If we beget too many children at one time, we will not be able to shepherd them well. For instance, if someone begets five or seven babies in one delivery, only one or two may survive; hence, we need to labor according to our capacity.
As far as the church is concerned, not everyone needs to knock on doors. It would be ideal if one-third, that is, one out of three, were able to knock on doors. Twenty to thirty percent of the brothers and sisters can knock on doors, not only for themselves but also for their companions, that is, for those who cannot go door-knocking. After gaining some people, they can then distribute these ones to those who are not able to go door-knocking and let them take care of the new ones. For example, if a brother gains five new ones in two weeks through door-knocking, he can take care of one and introduce the remaining four to other brothers and sisters. The first time he may need to knock on doors by himself, but after the second time, when he begins a home meeting, he can bring his companion along and introduce his companion to the new one, saying, “This is our brother. From now on, I hope that he will have more contact with you. Since I still have many things to take care of in the coming days, I have troubled him to share my burden.” After this kind of proper handover, the situation of taking care of people will be quite balanced. Every brother and sister will be able to care for one or two; it does not need to be many. If there are too many, we will not be able to take care of all of them.
A normal, or proper, brother or sister should at least come to the Lord’s table to remember the Lord and learn the truth every Lord’s Day. His or her meeting life should also include attending the prayer meeting on Tuesdays, preaching the gospel one evening a week or going to people’s homes for a home meeting, and attending a group meeting on another evening. We should be able to reach this standard in terms of meetings. As for those whom we have gained through door-knocking, besides the one or two under our personal care, we should give them into the care of other brothers and sisters. In principle, we should visit the new ones once a week. Moreover, according to what we have said earlier, if we exercise some selection in our door-knocking, it will not be that difficult for us to bring people to salvation. Perhaps after three or four months we will be able to bring them into the church life and introduce them to the brothers and sisters so that they may have some mutual fellowship. At this point we can go out again to gain more new ones through door-knocking. This can be likened to farmland in Taiwan that yields three times a year; we too may be able to have three harvests a year. The rate of increase will then be very high. Although not every one of us can go out to knock on doors, if thirty out of a hundred people in the church life are able and succeed in gaining a threefold increase, there will still be a one hundred percent increase overall.
Concerning our going out to visit people and to preach the gospel, there is still a need for further study; we not only need to develop the practice but also to find out the most effective ways. Up until this point, the best way is not to gain too many people at one time through door-knocking. In the past we sought to gain people with speed and in great numbers; however, not many survived. This was due to the lack of people to care for them. The result of the endeavor and practice of the churches is that we gained some experience and now realize that although it is easy to gain someone, it is difficult to retain him and even more difficult to bring him into the church life. Hence, we have studied the situation further and discovered that we should not gain too many too hastily; if we gain many without taking care of them, it is a waste of effort. Therefore, after we have gained some, we need to first take care of our capacity to shepherd them. Once we take care of this capacity, we can continue to gain more.
The principle is the same in regard to the natural law of reproduction given by God to human beings. A woman cannot give birth to a child today and deliver another child tomorrow or the day after. She needs to wait for at least nine months to deliver another baby. It is a great thing for a woman to give birth once a year. Moreover, it is rare for a woman to give birth twice within a single year. This is a natural law. If a woman delivered too many babies at the same time, she would not be able to raise them well. This is why God has provided human beings with a natural law that requires a woman to wait nine months to deliver another baby. We should learn from this law. After we gain some people through door-knocking, we need to wait three or four months, that is, until we have brought them into the church and handed them over to the church, before we go out to knock on more doors. If we have two or three harvests each year and everyone practices according to his personal environment, capacity, and situation, I believe this will help the church to increase.
We need to build up an atmosphere of going out to preach the gospel. After several decades we realize that no other way is more effective for gaining people. As long as we are willing to go out, pay the price, expend our energy, and spend the time to knock on doors, we will surely gain people. Moreover, the brothers and sisters do not need to labor all year long and go out every day to knock on doors; they can go out once every three or four months. Once they have gained some people, they should nourish them properly and then go out again to preach the gospel several months later. In this way they will build up an atmosphere of constant gospel preaching in the church. This does not mean, however, that we use only one way to preach the gospel. As in doing many other things, there are many ways to preach the gospel. For instance, there are often many routes one can take to get to a certain destination. Hence, in some localities we may go out to preach the gospel, and in other localities we may preach the gospel in the small groups; this also is powerful. In short, we need to decide which way to preach the gospel based on the condition and situation of our particular locality. There are many ways; hence, the churches should labor according to their capacity.
Before the change of system, we were lacking in matters such as gospel activities, shepherding people, and group meetings. This does not mean that since we currently have many activities, we can neglect the emphasis on life. The whole church still needs to pay attention to the matter of life; the elders and co-workers especially need to take the lead to pursue life and grow in life. John 15 shows that Christians need to bear fruit (vv. 2, 4-5, 8). Our going out to gain people is to bear fruit; fruit-bearing depends on the riches of life within, and the fruit is the issue of the outflow of the life within. It is difficult for us to be balanced before the Lord. We tend to either lean toward one side or the other. We are like a cake not turned (Hosea 7:8). We tend to bake only one side; thus, in the end one side is burned, and the other is still uncooked. This is improper. We must take care of both sides, turning to this side and to the other side. Hence, we need to pay attention to life and to work; we need to focus on the growth in life and on bearing abundant fruit. These two matters need to be balanced; we cannot focus only on one side. If we lean toward one side, we will surely suffer loss.
We also need adequate prayer. In the past we have been short in the matter of prayer; we did not have adequate prayer. For example, according to Genesis 2:5, once man tills the ground, God sends the rain. Today we have tilled the ground but there is little rain; this requires our prayer. Regarding this point, I have some special fellowship for the co-workers and full-timers. Since you have more time than the other saints, you should learn to spend more time to pray. The brothers and sisters serving full time do not have the same time constraints as the working saints. Though the working saints have the heart, it is difficult for them to find the time. Hence, the full-time serving brothers and sisters should learn to pray and must realize that prayer is the first crucial matter in the work. Every day you need to set aside a period of time to pray. You should aspire to have a prayer life.
The elders and co-workers should spend much time in prayer. No matter how busy we are and how little time we have, we need to endeavor to tell the Lord all the burdens within us and pray before Him. If possible, all the churches should have one day a week to fast and pray. If the brothers and sisters are strong enough physically, they can fast. If not, do not force them. The saints may fast for a meal or two or even a whole day. This will increase the brothers and sisters’ feeling and burden for prayer. According to our studies and experiments, the new way is right. Nevertheless, the principle in the Scriptures is that we should always pray. When we do not pray, it seems that God cannot do that much. Hence, we need to cooperate with God’s work through our prayer. In themselves, our studies, experiments, and various ways cannot help the saints’ feeling or strengthen their spirit; these matters require our prayer. Once we have prayer, we will need an outward practice. It is one thing to have the rain, but man still needs to till the ground. This is of two sides: we need to pray, and we also need to labor.
Our fellowship is not for the purpose of giving an order for all the churches to fast once a week. Rather, this matter depends upon the feeling of the responsible brothers. If these brothers have this burden, they can practice it in their locality. Some may not think that it is necessary to fast every week but will announce a fast as needs arise; this also is good. In short, we need to strengthen the prayer of the church. If we lack prayer, we will lack spiritual power. The source of spiritual power is prayer. When there is adequate prayer, power will come, and when there is adequate prayer, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be upon us. Hence, the church needs to strengthen the prayer.
Beginning last October, everyone has been endeavoring in one accord, yet after laboring for half a year, we have not seen a rich result from the new way. Nevertheless, compared to the old way, the new way is more profitable. Why has the result of the new way not been so abundant? It is because there is a lack of rain, that is, a lack of the Holy Spirit and of the power of the Holy Spirit. In brief, our prayer is lacking; hence, we must pray. We desire that the elders go to the districts to promote and encourage this matter. Not only should a fast be announced to the elderly brothers and sisters who have retired, but they should be exhorted to always have the burden to fast and pray for the church.
Concerning this matter, I would like to give you some additional fellowship. Recently, I contacted a doctor, who told me that it is very healthy to skip a meal once a week. In the New Testament the Pharisees fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12). This surely has to do with the principle of the repetitive cycle of our physical body. It is absolutely beneficial to our body that we fast one day a week, skipping at least one meal, if not all three meals. Fasting not only enables the digestive system to rest properly but also enables the blood circulation to be cleansed. Hence, we should not be afraid to fast. It does not hurt to fast once or twice a week; rather, it is beneficial.
Those who have digestive ailments or a heart condition should not fast. We need to take care of our bodies. For the brothers and sisters with these conditions, their health is first, not prayer. As for the healthy saints, I hope that they will receive more burden. In the past in a training for elderly saints, we found that the elderly sisters were very strong in the matter of prayer; hence, they should promote the matter of prayer. The church needs to strengthen the prayer; it would not be too much if the amount of prayer were increased five times more than our current amount.
In the future we may announce a fast and encourage prayer on Tuesday afternoon before the evening prayer meeting. Then when we come together in the evening, we can continue to pray. The churches all over the globe, especially the churches in Taiwan, have not paid enough attention to the prayer meeting in the past few decades. This is reflected by the number of attendants in the meeting. The ratio of people attending the prayer meeting is too low, and this needs to be adjusted through much encouragement so that the brothers and sisters pay more attention to the prayer meeting and thus come to the prayer meeting. In this way the number attending will increase. The weight of the prayer of all the churches needs to be greatly increased. We need to see that the extent to which we pray is the extent to which God works. When we pray, God works.
We also need to pray for many small churches that need workers who have the heart, who are more gifted, and whose functions are more manifested to visit them and meet with them once a month or once every two months; this will be a great help to them. At present, we are very short in this aspect, because over half of our gifted co-workers stay permanently in one locality. There should be some adjustment in this practice; that is, the co-workers do not need to stay in a fixed place to take care of the church there. They can visit and strengthen other places for three or five weeks. This is definitely profitable. If our co-workers take turns to go out in this way, the help that the small churches receive will be immeasurable. I hope that all the brothers and sisters, especially the co-workers, will pray for this matter.
All the responsible brothers in the churches must take the lead to learn to speak in the meetings. To speak in the meetings is different from our ordinary speaking. Perhaps a certain church may have only ten or twenty people in the meeting, and thus a person does not need to speak loudly in order to be heard; nevertheless, if a person speaks in an ordinary way, the feeling of the spirit will be weakened. If we learn how to speak in the meeting, we will be able to strengthen the release of the spirit. To speak in the meeting, we not only need to lift up our voice but we also need to increase our volume; that is, our throat needs to be clear so that our voice will be loud and our volume will be weighty. Words that bear a weighty tone can easily touch people. An ordinary speaking, even with touching words, does not move people, because both the volume and the voice are inadequate. We all need to learn how to speak in the meetings.
Many people testify that if the young people who meet with us joined a debate competition at school, they would be the top ones because they practice speaking in the meetings. The Chinese family upbringing, generally speaking, does not train children to speak; nevertheless, the young people who have been meeting with us for some time do have this practice. Hence, they have an advantage over those who have not yet practiced at school. To practice speaking is widely beneficial.
At present, the entire church is learning to speak, and the responsible brothers are even taking the lead to speak. When a responsible brother speaks, he needs to bear in mind that speaking in the meetings is different from speaking at home or in any other setting. A brother’s speaking in the meeting must be living and loud enough for people to hear; hence, his voice must be loud and his tone weighty. At the same time, he should not speak too fast, because people may not be able to keep up with him; rather, he should speak slowly with good intonation so that his speaking is soothing to people’s ears. We all need to bear this burden and responsibility. Even in a meeting of only eight to ten people, we should not neglect this matter. When we speak, all the brothers and sisters are listening and learning. If they learn well, when they stand up to speak for the Lord, they will also speak well. In this way the speaking in the meetings will become weightier.
This is crucial in the normal building up of the church. In other words, all the churches need to pay attention to the matter of speaking. Once the skill of speaking is improved, the amount of speaking in all the localities will be increased. If our speaking cannot be heard, understood, or taken in by people, it is the same as not speaking. If we can speak properly and people can hear us and take in our words, this will make a big difference. At the same time, we need to see that the responsible brothers in all the churches are patterns in speaking; every time they stand up to speak, everyone is learning. Therefore, not only do we need to speak in the meetings, but we also need to speak in a way that people can hear so that the moving power can come out, and the Spirit can work accordingly. If some take the lead regarding these points, it will be very helpful in our regular meetings.
Learning to speak is especially important in regard to the practice of the new way. It does not focus on one man speaking but on everyone speaking. Everyone should learn to speak. Pastors and preachers in Christianity also receive training concerning how to speak. They have a class on evangelism that teaches them how to practice speaking. In Christianity, however, it is sufficient to have only one man speak, but among us, we want everyone to speak. Therefore, we want to help all the brothers and sisters practice to open their mouth and use the proper gestures, tone, and volume in their speaking. I believe that learning these practices is not too difficult and will definitely be of much benefit.
Some local churches have a large number of elderly saints, and the leading ones in these localities hope that they can all speak and function; this may not be easy for the elderly saints. We need to be patient with them and wait for them. In a sense, we are climbing a mountain. The younger ones certainly will be in the front, but the older ones may not be able to keep pace. At such times, the younger ones need to exercise patience to wait for the older ones. In carrying out the new way, we should not force people, expect too much, or want to achieve enormous success with the first try. The elderly saints are not young in age, and it is impossible for them to be like the young people; therefore, we need to take it slowly and not be too hasty. Rather, we need to work in a slow and steady way. Do not expect an instant success. A quick success often implies a quick failure. A slow success, on the contrary, lasts longer. There is an ancient Chinese saying: “He who advances with haste will retreat with haste.” This means that quick progress often results in a quick withdrawal; in contrast, a steady progress that occurs little by little is the most secure. If we spend five years to put the new way into practice in Taiwan, we will greatly please the Lord.
The trainees among us pass through four terms of training, that is, two years. However, not a single program in the secular system of education is able to perfect a talent within two years. Elementary school usually takes six years, junior high school takes three years, high school also takes three years, college requires another four years, and in order to get a masters degree, graduate school takes an additional two years. If someone has the ability, he may receive a doctorate degree after even more years. This demonstrates that there is no program of study in the world that is able to perfect someone within two years. We should never expect that after four terms of training, the trainees will be specialists.
Although two years of study cannot produce specialists, there is still a great difference between those who have passed through two years of the training and those who have not. Even if someone has finished only four years of elementary-school education, he is still very different from one who has never been to school and is illiterate. We should not seek to advance quickly in the new way; rather, we need to take care of people’s actual situation.
The young people learn fast no matter what the subject matter is. In reference to climbing a mountain, although they may be able to reach a peak within thirty minutes, they should not leave the older ones behind. Instead, they need to take care of the older ones. When older people try to climb a mountain, they may need to rest for ten minutes after walking for five minutes. Young people are able to walk fast without any rest, whereas older people need to walk and sit. They may not reach the peak in half a day; however, sooner or later they will arrive. The situation with the church is the same. I hope that the responsible brothers in all the churches will exercise patience to lead the saints positively, continuing in the new way but not being too hasty. They should believe that the new way will eventually succeed.
In 1937 Brother Nee spoke of the need to change the big meeting on the Lord’s Day morning, a meeting in which one person spoke and everyone else listened. Nevertheless, he also said that the habit that needed to be changed was deeply and firmly constituted into the saints and that it would be difficult to overthrow. To overthrow this habit requires that everyone push in one accord. I still remember clearly that he used the word push. He said that slowly but surely this deeply and firmly rooted habit within us will be overturned. I believe that as long as the brothers and sisters go on faithfully and patiently, the old system on the island of Taiwan will be completely overthrown within five years.
