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In this chapter we want to study the factors that have hindered our increase. In the beginning of the work in Taiwan there was a rapid increase in numbers, but after a period of time we seemed to have come to a stop, and no matter what we did, there was not much increase.
After spending time with the Lord and analyzing our situation, we are clearer concerning our situation. A primary problem has been that the co-workers do things themselves and have not been able to teach others. Suppose three brothers go to a new locality to serve. Since they have a heart for the Lord, new ones are gained. If the co-workers teach these new ones, raise them up, perfect them, and bring them into the service, the co-workers will gain some “apprentices.” It is regrettable, however, that we have neither learned to bring the saints into the service nor learned to perfect the saints. Instead, we do everything by ourselves and thus unconsciously replace the saints. As a result, the saints do not know how to function, and the responsible ones do everything.
The scope of what two or three people can do is limited. Hence, if we cannot teach and lead others, the work will come to a standstill. Then the Lord will have to lead the co-workers to another place where there are no saints, where the work has not reached. The co-workers can then gain new believers and labor until the work again comes to a standstill. At that time, they will have to move to yet another place.
If the co-workers do not move to a new location, there will be no possibility for increase, because the co-workers always work by themselves and do not bring others into function. A person can do only a limited amount of work. Although the other saints can also do a limited amount of work, it will be difficult for them if their function is not manifested. If we continue in this way, there is no way for the church in a locality to spread. Since we do not teach the new ones how to bring others into function, they will repeat our pattern of doing everything by themselves. After a period of time any work in their hands will also come to a standstill, and the church will not spread.
If we cannot bring others into the things that we do, we cannot teach them. If we cannot teach others, we cannot coordinate with others. These are the two main factors that frustrate the spread. Our inability to coordinate with others is not related to being at odds with them; rather, it is the consequence of not having a disposition and habit to coordinate. It is wrong to think that we can do everything and that we have no need of others. If the work assigns a second co-worker to serve in a local church, but the first co-worker still does all the work, the second co-worker will not be able to enter into the work. This deficiency is not the result of unwillingness on the part of the new co-worker. Nor is it related to any resentment toward the first co-worker. Rather, it is because the first co-worker cannot coordinate with another person; hence, the two cannot work together. In this case, each co-worker is a separate cord, and they cannot be twined into a twofold cord, much less a threefold cord (Eccl. 4:12). This limits the increase in a local church.
This is an example of not being able to teach others, not being able to work with others, and not being able to coordinate with others. As co-workers, we should be able to teach others and also to coordinate with them. A co-worker serving in a local church should be able to serve and also to teach others to serve. A skillful carpenter can produce something useful out of any type of wood. Similarly, a co-worker should be able to use any saint, no matter what their situation is in life. At the same time, he should be able to work with many other co-workers without any conflict. In his coordination with others, everyone should be able to function according to their portion.
If the Lord can open our eyes to see this matter and to have a fundamental turn, it will not be difficult for the churches to increase twofold in two years. However, if we cannot turn, we will not increase. We will only maintain the status quo because we will limit the work. Hence, we must have a radical and thorough turn. We must be able to teach others and coordinate with others. Whether or not we are capable, we must coordinate with others and serve together with the saints. If some are not capable, we need to learn how to teach the saints and coordinate with them. If we are capable, there is an even greater need to teach others and coordinate with them.
The co-workers who are limited in capacity should not give up. They should never give up. The co-workers who have some capacity must not look down on others. Even the most capable co-worker cannot bear up the entire work. We need to coordinate with others. Regardless of how capable a person is, he is unable to bear a church or even a district. In order to uphold a church, we must coordinate with others.
All the co-workers must change their concept and realize that everyone has some capacity. The co-workers who think that they are incapable must endeavor. If they cannot teach the saints, they should follow and learn from other co-workers. Those who are capable should teach the saints instead of doing the work alone. The co-workers should also perfect the saints, regardless of the saints’ ability. It is better for the saints to make mistakes than for them to be idle. In this way everyone will be given an opportunity to serve, and we will learn more. We learn when we do things, but we learn more when we teach others. If we do not teach others, our learning is incomplete. When we teach others, we are forced to consider things thoroughly. We may think that we know how to arrange the chairs, but it is not easy to teach another person to arrange the chairs. Teaching requires skill. We may be able to do something but be unable to teach another person to do it. When we are able to do something and are also able to teach others, we will be truly skilled. Teaching others will also cause us to be dealt with. If we have a strong personality or are peculiar, we will be dealt with when we teach others. It is difficult to successfully teach others without being dealt with. We must never say that a saint cannot be taught because he has no capacity.
There are different ways to teach. For example, a Chinese mother teaches her child in a way that is different from an American mother. I know a Chinese family with three daughters. Because the mother felt that none of her daughters knew how to do house chores, she did all the chores. American families are different. From an early age the children learn to do chores. As soon as a child learns to walk, his parents teach him to do chores. From generation to generation they have taught their children in this way. Chinese parents do not know how to teach their children, because they themselves were not taught. In the United States children do chores from their youth. The children are taught to bring in the newspaper. As the children grow older, they are taught to water the flowers. Initially, the children may make a mess in the garden. After a few times, however, they find the proper way to water the flowers. By the time the children are seven or eight years old, they are taught to sweep the floor or to vacuum. The children are even taught how to set the table for a meal. They place napkins, plates, and knives and forks on the table. In other words, the children all have chores to do.
In some homes the mother has to go to work in the morning, so she leaves a note for her children, telling them what to do. For example, she tells them to wash up, eat breakfast, get dressed, and go to school. When the mother returns home in the evening, she will check to see that the children did as they were told. The children are taught in this way from an early age. Washing the dishes is another example. After dinner there are usually many dishes. The mother will prepare soapy water and let an older child wash the plates, forks, and knives. A younger child is responsible for drying them. Another child must put everything in its designated place. According to their ages, the children are assigned tasks. Every child is assigned a specific job. This saves time and is very orderly. The children do their tasks without any noise or confusion. This kind of training is very good. American parents know how to do things, and they know how to teach their children. In contrast, Chinese parents do not teach their children and often rebuke the children for making mistakes. Our work bears the same flavor. We must have a thorough turn. Beginning from the simplest things, we must teach the saints. We must have a change.
Some brothers said that the situation would change if we lead the saints to pray and have a revival. This method may be useful for a short time, but it will not be useful in the long run. Many Christians have revival meetings; however, after the revival, the excitement ends. Eventually, the saints still do not know how to do things. We do not have a great need for a revival, because we all love the Lord and contact Him daily. Instead of praying for a revival, we need to learn how to teach others. Our learning depends on whether we are willing to make an effort. We must learn from the American families so that we can do things and also teach others.
We need to change our concept, be willing to learn, and be patient. We need to teach others to do what we do. Then many saints will be raised up as apprentices. The first ones whom the co-workers should teach are the elders. The elders may be older and may consider themselves to be qualified and experienced, but they may also admit that they do not know how to perfect the saints. They have been meeting and discussing church affairs for many years. Nevertheless, not many elders know how to bring the saints into the service, because the elders did not learn in this way. The co-workers should teach the elders. The co-workers must spend the time to teach the elders until the elders can do things better than the co-workers, but the elders must be willing to be taught. The co-workers should teach and perfect the elders and the saints to fulfill their respective functions.
A local church is under the administration of the elders, and it receives teaching and shepherding from the elders. For this reason, the elders should endeavor to bear the responsibility of administrating, teaching, and shepherding. Administrating is relatively easy, but shepherding is not easy, because it includes supplying the word, visiting the saints, and contacting people. There are many things for the elders to do. Some elders are very busy with their jobs and attend numerous meetings; hence, they often have the heart but do not have the strength to shepherd the saints. Some elders are older; they are in their sixties or seventies. According to the standard in the world, this is the age for retirement. Their strength is fading, and it is not easy for them to learn new things. These are two problems: the elders who have jobs are entangled, and the elders who are older are short of energy and stamina. The elders who are between thirty and forty are able to learn new things. If we want a church to spread, we must have elders who serve full time and elders who are trained.
The elders need to endeavor in shepherding and teaching. We have studied the Bible many times and have found that a local church should not depend on the co-workers. The early churches relied on the elders. This is not our situation or the situation in the denominations. We rely too much on the co-workers. A family cannot depend on a professional cook to prepare its daily meals. A family depends on the parents for meals. The elders must endeavor to learn to do things, and they must also learn to teach the saints. Otherwise, we will remain in our present situation. Without the co-workers teaching the elders and the elders teaching the saints, it will be difficult for us to have a breakthrough. We must change our system and change our concept. We must teach and train the saints in order for them to be useful. Otherwise, no matter how much we preach the gospel, it will be difficult for us to gain the increase.
The only way out of our present situation is for the co-workers and elders to change their concept and begin teaching the saints how to do things by giving them responsibilities. Then the elders who are older will not be so tired, because they will not be required to do as much; they will teach others and delegate many things to the younger saints. This is the way that we must take. This is also the basic problem that we must resolve. The co-workers must learn how to teach others, and the elders must be willing to learn so that they also can teach others. This is the need in Taipei and also in Kaohsiung. The elders and co-workers can only do so much. We must be willing to ask the saints to come and help so that we will be able to carry out the burden of increase.
My burden is that the co-workers and elders must give some of their burdens to others. Regardless of how hard they work, the co-workers and elders can bear only so much. Hence, they must raise up the saints to be useful. If the co-workers and elders have a change of concept, it will be easy to change the situation; otherwise, the work will come to a stop, and we will have problems.
Suppose that in a locality there are three elders who truly love the Lord and are irreproachable. However, they are not willing to allocate responsibilities to the saints or bring others into the service. All the responsibilities in that local church are on their shoulders. The more these elders serve, the more experienced they become, and the eldership becomes a lifelong occupation; that is, they occupy a “position” of being elders. In this situation there is no possibility for new elders to be raised up. Even though these elders love and fear the Lord, are irreproachable, attend the meetings regularly, and are faithful and responsible in taking care of the church affairs, they can do only so much. They must be willing to share the burden and perfect the saints.
Since the three elders have been serving for many years, their local church becomes their territory, even though they do not make this claim consciously. As a result, any co-worker who goes there to serve must do things the way that the elders direct. This means that the elders limit the co-workers. Any co-worker who goes there will be restricted and immobilized. The young saints in that local church will not be raised up and will not gain experience. Although the young ones love the Lord and are in their twenties, they will seem rash and reckless. They will be under the direction of the elders, who regard them as unsuitable to do anything but accept the elders’ directions. Thus, the young saints will leave, and new elders will not be raised up. Under this situation, such a local church does not have a future. The three elders love the Lord, tithe more than ten percent, are in every meeting, and bear all the responsibilities in the church. They are busy serving God with a conscience void of offense, and the Lord has kept them faithful for twenty years; they have made no mistakes. Nonetheless, as a result of their service, the local church is dead. There is no way for the local church to increase. This is our basic problem.
The co-workers first need to learn and then teach. They must learn to teach the saints. Without this change, our work will stop. We will have no way to spread unless the Lord changes our environment by sending us to another island to do a pioneering work. That would give us the possibility of a fresh start to begin the work from scratch. If we do not change our way, we will not learn something new; rather, we will keep the old things and have only old people. The co-workers and elders will occupy their “positions.” They will serve for many years, loving the Lord and being irreproachable, but they will be unable to bring other saints into the service. Since there is no clear word in the Bible concerning the retirement of elders, and the elders love the Lord and have no desire to retire, no one asks them to retire. As a result, if other saints are not brought into the service, the elders will, according to a Chinese saying, “occupy the nest but not lay any eggs.” This will cause problems.
Even though the elders are good, they are unable to bring others into service and cannot teach others. In such a situation a co-worker would be of little help. Although the elders do not make mistakes or commit any sin, the church will not increase, and the second generation will be lost. Hence, we must change our concept. In a family it does not matter how much a grandfather is able to do, he must teach the next generation and let the younger ones bear the responsibility of the family. If we do not change our concept and our system, we will reach a point where we can no longer grow.
In the churches in Taiwan many saints have been baptized, many have been recovered, and the saints are in one accord. This is very good. Nevertheless, there is no increase in the number of saints. After studying this situation, we believe the basic problem is that the responsible saints are good but are unwilling to change and to teach other saints until everyone is brought into function. We must change this trend. The elders must change, and the co-workers must change; everyone must change. Then there will be more saints who can serve in the churches. Furthermore, it will not matter where the co-workers go; whether they stay in one place or go to a new place for the spread, the churches will not suffer any loss.
Without a change we will not be able to undertake the work in large cities. In other words, we will not be able to establish a large church. At most we will produce churches that are as large as the church in Taipei currently is. The co-workers and elders cannot handle more than that. We can produce a local church with two to three thousand saints, but we do not have the capacity to do more than this. In order to increase our capacity, we must change our way. Our capacity should not be limited to what we can do. We must use the younger saints and encourage them to serve. The increase in capacity of a local church depends on the younger saints. We must therefore maximize our use of the younger saints. Although there is no basis for elders retiring, in principle the older elders should be willing to reduce their responsibilities and bring the next generation, the middle-age saints, into the service according to their function.
If we do not have a breakthrough in this matter, the work in Taiwan will hit a barrier. No matter how much more we work, we will merely maintain our present situation. This is our capacity. Without fresh troops, an army has no way to win a battle. Likewise, we cannot spread unless we bring in both new saints and younger saints. However, this does not mean that we should have a revolution and ask all the senior elders to retire. If the system does not change, even if we appoint new elders, our situation will remain the same. This is not a revolution related to leadership but a change in our system of leading. Those who are serving now should continue to serve, but new manpower must be added. We need to produce new serving ones by teaching other saints and asking them to serve with us.
The districts have the same situation as the local churches. Every district resembles a small territory. The responsible brothers for a district try their best to take care of everything in the district. However, they are somewhat indifferent to matters pertaining to the whole church, since that is not their territory. This is the situation of some families. A son may be capable and keep his room tidy, but he does not care if the rest of the house is messy. It seems as if we care only for our districts; we do not care for the needs of the church. This is our situation.
In recent years the number of saints in district one has decreased instead of increasing. Moreover, there are fewer serving ones. We must study this situation and find the cause of the problem in order to improve. In the past there were many serving ones in district one. Fewer serving ones means that the saints are not functioning; instead, only the responsible ones in the district are functioning. If our situation is normal, the responsible ones will not be the only ones functioning; all the saints will be functioning. This is what we are lacking today. If we can serve to the extent that every saint bears some responsibility, our situation will change.
In a church as large as the church in Taipei, the elders should bear the responsibility of supplying the saints with a message twice a week in the districts. All the other items of service can be carried out in the districts. The responsibility of giving a message to feed the saints should not be borne by the responsible brothers in the districts. The elders should endeavor to have a word with which to supply the church. The elders should not interfere with the other activities in the districts but should let the districts develop spontaneously. The saints should be trained to participate in all kinds of services and be allowed to bear responsibility. Otherwise, it is not easy for a church this large to function. If everything is directed by the elders, the church will be limited, and many useful saints will not be utilized. If the Lord were to scatter twenty-five hundred saints to fifty new places, there would be fifty saints in each place. I believe that after a short time there would be five hundred saints in each place. If fifty saints go to Japan, in three to five years there will be five hundred saints. However, if we remain here for another five years, I am afraid that we will still have twenty-five hundred saints because that is our capacity. Hence, unless we have the right view and are willing to change our concept and our system so that every saint fulfills his function, we will not be able to multiply to ten thousand or, much less, twenty thousand saints.
I hope that the senior elders have prepared some younger saints to receive the “baton.” Otherwise, when the elders retire, their church will collapse. The co-workers should also be prepared for this problem. They must begin to train and perfect new elders in local churches where there are no elders. In the local churches where the elders are older and limited, the co-workers should begin to train and perfect new elders who can gradually take over the work of the elders. If the co-workers do not perfect a group of younger elders, there will be a lack in the service of the elders. The co-workers should serve with other saints in order to teach and perfect the saints. Then it will be possible for us to multiply and increase.
Our present need is to change our concept and our system. We must learn to serve and how to serve with others. This responsibility lies first with the co-workers and then with the elders. We have fellowshipped concerning this in the past, but in our practice we continued in our habit and disposition. As a result, useful saints have not been raised up. We must remember not to replace the saints but rather to bring them into the service with us. We should learn to serve, know how to serve, and also teach others to serve. This is contrary to our habit. As human beings, we tend to avoid difficult things and do what is easy. It is easier for water to flow downstream. Our habit has been to take the easy way. Indeed, it is not easy to teach others to do things. Now the co-workers must learn to teach others to serve.
It is relatively easy for co-workers to give attractive messages, but they must spend time to prepare a message that will touch the saints. It is not difficult for a co-worker who is eloquent, knows the Bible, and has spiritual experience to give an attractive message. However, a co-worker who wants to touch the listeners must spend time to learn. The co-workers must learn to give a message that hits the target. Without experience and learning, they should not expect their speaking to penetrate the inner being of the saints. A person with experience must study how to present a message that not only penetrates the heart but also constrains the saints. The saints need to be constrained. Once they are constrained, something will come forth. If there is no constraining, nothing will come forth.
It takes a great deal of effort to perfect others. Some co-workers do not care much about others. They like to work by themselves. They may say that it is sufficient to know how to work. They do not care how others take care of the work. It is not easy to serve with five or six brothers. We must make an effort. In order to serve with them, we must understand their situations and accommodate their schedules. We also need to consider how to correct them and guide them. Hence, it is not easy to teach others. Teaching others requires much effort and time. It seems that we spend less time and energy to do things by ourselves. However, if we continue in this way, the work will not have results, and we will not have descendants. Our present way is easy, not difficult. A mother who wants to educate her children must spend time and exert some effort. If she is not willing to spend time and exert some effort, it will be difficult for her to keep her children on the right track. Educating one’s children requires more than just a few days of work.
There are more than sixty co-workers in the work; however, not many of them know how to perfect the saints, nor are they willing to put in the time and the effort. Some co-workers’ functions have not been fully manifested in the work, because they are not willing to put in much effort. The co-workers must begin to look to the younger saints, choose two or three who are suitable to be elders, and spend time to work on them and perfect them. However, there are only a few co-workers who can do this kind of work. The co-workers are mainly doing an ordinary work, even though they are busy. It is not difficult to be busy, but those who are serious in leading the saints will surely have a difficult time. We must change our concept. We should not say that the saints have no capacity. The problem is that we are short in perfecting them. If we will do a perfecting work, their capabilities will be brought forth. Without a perfecting work, no capacity can be developed in the saints. The capacity in the saints cannot come forth without perfecting. They must be perfected to do more than attend meetings, listen to messages, and help take care of some business affairs. These matters cannot draw out the interest and capacity of the saints. If we would be useful to the Lord and are concerned for His house, we must be desperate in our endeavoring. We must be those who care for nothing but the producing of useful saints. If we endeavor and work in this way every day, it will stir up the interest of the saints.
Here is a practical example. During the years that I served in the church in Chefoo, I devoted my attention, my heart, and my time to the church. My home was next door to the meeting hall. Every morning I went to the hall at eight and worked on various things. I went home at noon for lunch and a brief rest and then returned to the hall. Before the evening meeting I went home for dinner, after which I returned to the meeting hall and stayed there until ten o’clock at night. I did this seven days a week without any holidays. Nevertheless, none of the church affairs were in my hand. During the Sino-Japanese War, I was arrested and put into prison. After my release from prison, I contracted a serious illness. I was bedridden for more than a year in Chefoo, and later I left Chefoo. I was able to leave because nothing was in my hand. There was nothing for me to hand over to anyone.
During that time one brother was a deacon, and another brother was learning to be an elder. Every day we were together to work on the saints and do things. Therefore, we were able to perfect the saints and produce some useful ones. Every Monday, beginning from eight in the morning, we trained the saints who did visitations, and sometimes the training would last until three o’clock in the afternoon. Three groups of saints did visitations: elders, deacons, and co-workers. We came together with these saints, not to discuss things but to study how to visit the other saints. For example, a co-worker would say that he was burdened for a brother who met with us but was having problems. We would then study the situation of the brother to know how best to handle it. We also considered who would be the most suitable person to handle the situation. This meeting lasted from eight in the morning until three in the afternoon. These elders, deacons, and co-workers received practical perfecting.
There was a brother in the church in Chefoo who was the director of a hospital run by the Presbyterian denomination. He had a heart for the Lord and occasionally came to the meetings, but he had not yet taken this way. We had a burden for him and considered when to visit him, how to visit him, who should visit him, and what to say to him. We considered all these matters. During that time we learned much concerning how to visit the saints, and the Lord’s presence was with us in that training.
One brother had a burden for this director and visited him often. On two different occasions the brother suggested that we visit the director, but we did not feel that it was the right time. After a period of time he suggested that we visit the director again, and we all responded positively and felt to visit the director that afternoon. This time of fellowship was wonderful, and we saw the practical operation of the Holy Spirit in our fellowship concerning the saints. We also decided who should go. Everyone felt that two brothers and I should go. I had never contacted the director before, but the fellowship was that I should be one of the brothers to visit him.
Something wonderful indeed took place that day. The assistant to the director was also a brother. When we came to the hospital, this assistant told us that we had come at the right time because the director had a dream the night before in which he saw me drawing a picture of an ear on a blackboard. The director was deeply impressed by this dream, and all morning long he considered the dream and hoped that the Lord would send Brother Lee to him. So when the assistant told him that two brothers and I were there to visit him, he was excited. When we met him, he told us of his dream. Based on Job, I explained that our ears were made to listen to God’s words (33:16). We all realized that the Lord had sent me to open the director’s ear so that he might hear the Lord’s words. The next Lord’s Day he came to participate in the table meeting. The meeting was filled with praises, and the atmosphere was very high. In that meeting the brother had a turn, and he has taken this way ever since then.
The elders and co-workers need to spend time and make an effort to perfect the saints. It is convenient to do things by ourselves, but mothers know that patience and time are needed to teach children to do things. The effort we make is not in vain, because apprentices are produced, and the saints are perfected. Regrettably, we have not been willing to take this way. We always look for a quick and easy way and avoid the difficult aspect of the work. Most of us take the easy way. Some do not know how to teach others, because they themselves never learned. It takes time and effort to teach; it also takes time and effort to learn. We are not desperate to have a spirit of learning, and as a result, we have learned things in a shallow way. In order to learn, we must study. It is easy to perform routine tasks, but specialized tasks require learning. Our specialized task is to learn how to work with the saints.
Working with the saints is not easy. The co-workers have been serving together for many years and are able to give messages on any topic. However, in order to give a message that touches the saints, they must make an effort. This principle applies to everything we do. A person who is casual in running a business will not make any profit. In order to make a profit, he must make an effort. The co-workers are serving diligently but with little result. If they want results, they must resolve to learn and make an effort to teach others. When the co-workers can perfect the saints to be elders or deacons, there will be results.
Furthermore, we must not allow our disposition to prejudice us toward others. This is a problem that is very damaging. It is a great problem for a co-worker to like one type of saint and dislike another type of saint. We should not like or dislike anyone. We must transcend our personal feelings, and we must spend time to observe the saints. It is wrong for us to like a saint who suits our disposition. If I do not like talkative people, I can easily like a saint who does not speak much, whether or not he functions. However, there may be a talkative saint who does not suit my disposition but whose function has been manifested. Which saint should I spend time to perfect? I should perfect both. One of the co-workers often said that there is no one for him to perfect. Actually, there are saints whom he can work on, but they just are not according to his disposition. He thinks that they are not qualified; therefore, he puts them aside and will not perfect them. This is a basic problem among the co-workers.
Perfecting the saints and producing useful ones are the responsibility of both the co-workers and the elders. The co-workers, the elders, and the responsible ones in the districts and the other serving saints must not be afraid of the trouble or difficulties involved in perfecting the saints. They must also transcend their feelings by teaching and accommodating the saints. Without such a spirit we can do nothing. It is wrong to think that no one is useful. Wherever we are, we must work to the extent that even the saints who seemingly have no capacity become useful. We must make use of every kind of material; we must perfect the saints. We must coordinate, use the environment, and produce useful saints.
In some places the co-workers and elders are capable, but they work as though the saints cannot be perfected. This is a big problem. We must not allow such a situation to continue. We should let the saints serve. Some of these saints will even do a better job than what we have done. It is intolerable for us to hold the saints down. In particular, the co-workers and elders should never be so careless as to hold the saints down. Even if we are capable, we should train others and not hold them down. In the work and in the church we are not measured by whether or not we are capable; we are measured by how many useful ones we are able to produce. The standard of success does not depend on our ability to do a certain thing. The standard is determined by how many useful ones we can produce. My ability to serve is not the standard; the standard is whether I can perfect another saint to do better than me. This requires that we learn our lessons.
The work and the church are progressing very slowly because we do not serve with the saints in order to teach them. Furthermore, we seldom coordinate with others. Those who have some capacity are passive, and they yield to others. The position of the senior elders and the co-workers is not the important issue. Our concept must be changed, and the system must be changed. The senior elders will continue to serve as elders, but they should not limit or hinder the other saints. Moreover, the middle-aged saints should be brought into the eldership to assist the senior elders. This would be very good. We must not keep things in our hand. We must be willing to hand things over to other saints and to teach them. Then those who are younger will be raised up by the Lord to be useful. Concerning this point, our concept must change, and our system must change. This is not just a matter of having a new way of doing things. It is altogether a matter of changing our concept. When both the co-workers and the elders begin to perfect the saints, our coordination will become effective. May the Lord have mercy on us.
