Question: What is the proper way to meet for saints who live in small cities near a larger city with an established church?
Answer: The principle we have practiced for many years has been that the saints living in the smaller cities initially meet with the church in the larger city. Then as the number of saints in a smaller locality gradually increases, we encourage them to have home meetings in their locality for prayer and fellowship. As they continue to grow, they eventually begin to have the Lord’s table and become the church in that locality. Once they begin to meet as the church in that locality, they have the same standing as the church in the larger locality. There are no higher or lower churches; rather, all are on the same level. Eventually, there may be one larger church in a central city and perhaps ten or fifteen smaller churches in the surrounding small cities. In such a situation, all are local churches and are on the same level. There is no head church. In this way, the churches are prevented from becoming an organization, which would lead to hierarchy and insult the headship of Christ.
Question: What is the best way to study the Bible?
Answer: Brother Watchman Nee often said that we need to have two copies of the Bible: a clean copy without any marks in it to use in the morning for nourishment and another copy for writing notes. It is best to use a large Bible with wide margins during our times of reading and studying. When we gain new understanding and see new light, we should write notes in the margins. The way of being nourished in the morning and the way of reading a few chapters later in the day are common; they should be practiced by all the saints. However, some who truly love the Bible also need to study the Bible book by book. To do this, we first need to pray concerning which book to study. Then, besides our times of coming to the word for nourishment and to read a few chapters, we need to spend time to study whichever book the Lord leads us to study.
To study a book of the Bible word by word, we need an interlinear version to find the accurate meaning of every Greek or Hebrew word. Then while studying the meaning of each word, we should try to expound each verse, explaining or interpreting it. This is the way to study a verse efficiently. We should study a book verse by verse until we finish the whole book. Then we can go through the book again to study its main topics or subjects. After studying one subject, word, or topic, finding cross-references in other books and comparing other portions of the Word, we should find and study other subjects in the book. Such topical studies will help us to dig into the depths of a book. By spending time to study in these two ways, we will fully enter into a book. Through the past twenty centuries many different ways have been used to study the Bible, the greatest of all books. Among the many ways to study the Bible, the most general and effective ways are the ways I have mentioned.
To study a book of the Bible word by word and according to different topics, we need the help of reference books such as Greek and Hebrew lexicons and concordances. The best two concordances are Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible and Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words is a great help to us. Wuest’s Expanded Translation, the Amplified Bible, and Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament also are helpful. Furthermore, the Life-study messages are a great help to understand any book. If we use all the reference books and the Life-studies, we will gain a thorough, all-inclusive view of any book in the Bible. Every book of the Bible will become transparent to us.
Question: What other Christian books are beneficial to read?
Answer: All the books by Brother Watchman Nee and by me are healthy and helpful in life and truth. Besides these, there are other good books, such as Andrew Murray’s The Holiest of All on Hebrews and W. H. Griffith Thomas’s Commentary on Romans, the top exposition on Romans. These can help us to some extent if we have the time to read them.
Question: When we spend time to study the Word, what is the best way to release all these riches so that we do not store up an excess of riches?
Answer: When we spend time to study the Word, we will accumulate much knowledge. However, we need to remember that we must have Christ and the church as the governing vision. Otherwise, the more biblical knowledge we pick up, the more trouble we will make for the church. If our knowledge of the Bible is controlled and governed by the great mystery, Christ and the church, then our Bible knowledge will strengthen our vision, will be used properly, and will not damage the church life. Without the governing vision of Christ and the church, our biblical knowledge may become a damaging factor.
It is doubtful that we can accumulate an excess of riches from the Bible. If we try to share something, we will probably realize that we are not very rich. If we do not try to buy anything, we may think that a hundred dollars is a large sum of money. However, if we shop at a department store, we will see that a hundred dollars is very little. We do not need to purposely seek opportunities to release our riches. We only need to live Christ, grow Christ, and produce Christ. Then the Lord will lead us concerning where, when, and what to share to others. If we decide to visit other Christian groups to release our riches, we are making ourselves the lord. We have no right to make such a decision. Instead, we should pray, “Lord, I am Your servant. I live You, grow You, and produce You. Lord, whatever I do must be under Your command. If You do not direct me, I will not speak to anyone.” If the Lord leads us to speak to a certain person, we should simply follow His leading. When we speak to others under the Lord’s leading, whatever we need will come not only out of our accumulated knowledge of the Bible but also from the Lord’s instant supply. The Lord will instantly supply the words we need for such a living contact. This is the proper way to contact others. We do not need to make a decision to contact someone. If we simply live day by day in the Lord’s presence, He will lead us. In this way we respect His headship.
Question: Is it important to memorize verses from the Bible?
Answer: I am not against memorization, but the best and most helpful way to enter into the Word is not to memorize but to study. We should not memorize a verse without ever studying it. We need to study the meaning of each verse.