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It is impossible for those who are working for the Lord to work alone. They need co-workers. However, as soon as “co” is mentioned, we think of an organization. The cooperation among the schools in a university depends entirely on organization. A board of directors hires a president who then selects the heads of the departments and hires the staff. This is the organization of a university. A person who enters such an organization is clear about his position. He knows whether he is a department head, a teacher, or an office clerk. This is the principle in every business. It is the same with the government. There is a representative body with its councilmen, and there are administrative units with their respective officers.
We do not have organization in the work. This does not mean that everyone can do his own thing. We do not have an organization, but we still co-work. This is something that human culture and society do not have. The human body has no organization, yet all its members co-work every day. Each member knows its position and exercises its function for the body. No one member acts alone. This is the principle that we live by in the Body of Christ.
Now that we know the principle of the Body, we should apply it. Suppose a brother is burdened to go to the villages for the propagation. Whom should he fellowship with first? He does not need to seek someone who is far away. He should first fellowship with those who are serving with him. Then he should seek those who have the same burden in order to fellowship and pray with them. Without fellowship, he is not living in the Body. This is not a regulation; it is something spontaneous. When he is burdened for the propagation, he must first fellowship concerning his burden with the ones whom he serves with. He can tell them that he is burdened for the propagation, but he is not clear concerning where to go. Then they can pray with him or pray for him privately. After such fellowship, his business becomes their business, and they can pray together concerning his burden. This is where we should begin our fellowship.
Later, he can approach the elders whom he is close to and who render him help in the Body. This is not a regulation. He is not handing over his responsibility to an organization, nor is he bidding them farewell. This is fellowship in the spirit. Fellowship of life is altogether a matter in the Body. We do not go to the elders to ask for advice nor to receive an order, and the elders should not be political. We must all learn to live in the fellowship of the Body and speak in the spirit.
Here is a further illustration. Suppose the brother goes to a town for the propagation and labors for three weeks. However, he only encounters difficulties on every side. What should he do? It is more than likely that a person who begins laboring for the Lord will encounter such a situation. We should not expect that everything will be smooth when we labor. When we go out in a pioneering way, there will always be adverse circumstances because no one has paved the way for us. Should he pack up his bags and leave, or should he fast and pray? Suppose the Lord seemingly does not hear him; should he return to fellowship with the brothers? We must not forget that we are not alone. We serve in groups of two or three. Instead of going to someone far away, he should first fellowship with the two or three who are with him. Then if the work continues to fail, he can fellowship with the co-workers in his initial locality. This is the proper relationship that we should have with our fellow workers.
Suppose three saints go out for the propagation. After they pray and fellowship, one saint may want to do the children’s work, another may want to labor with the elderly saints, and the third may want to work with the young people and the young working saints. This way is not wrong as long as they have thorough fellowship.
Those who go out for the propagation must learn to be skilled in all areas. We should not say, “My gift is to preach the gospel, so the others should set up a platform and invite people so that I can give a good message.” We should never have such a thought. Rather, we should learn to do everything that is needed in order to carry out our burden. We can set up a platform, we can invite people, we can usher, and we can speak with the gospel friends. We are pioneers; therefore, we need to learn to be skilled in many areas. We should not seek to “specialize” in only one thing; rather, we should be able to do whatever is needed. We should be neither rigid nor stiff.
We should all be able to do the children’s work. It is good enough to gather some children together and teach them to sing a few songs. One does not have to be able to sing well. On the contrary, children like the older sisters who sing short songs off-key. When we go out to work, there should be nothing that we cannot do. If there is a need, we can give a message, or we can do the children’s work. We should not have opinions, and we should learn while we work.
Some of the older retired saints have finished their family obligations, are willing to serve full time, and are burdened for the propagation. Some younger saints can go with the older saints to propagate. An older sister can live with several young saints and be a companion to them. Such a situation would be very sweet and helpful. The older sister can invite the neighborhood children to come and sing songs. The young saints can distribute tracts. We need to receive this fellowship. Do not do things according to the natural concept. We have been influenced by degraded Christianity and limited by our fallen nature; hence, the Lord is limited. I have always endeavored to escape degraded Christianity. Even though Christianity does not like me, it cannot be denied that I have published a large number of books and that the Lord’s recovery is spreading through the whole world.
We must endeavor to know the Spirit, know life, and know the Body. We should also do our best to live in the spirit, in life, and in the Body. If we coordinate with three saints, we should fellowship with them. If we coordinate with thirty saints, we should fellowship with them. The more fellowship there is, the better. When we fellowship in this way, the Lord’s blessing will come in.
