In the arranging of these business affairs, the managing ones need to continue to have ideas. Now that a church is raised up, what kind of activities should it have? In which direction should it develop? They need to bring all these matters before the Lord, to pray and to look to Him. But ideas are merely the beginning; when a decision is to be made, you still need to follow the same principle; you need to ask a few brothers and sisters to come and discuss. You may say to them: "Brothers, these days I have a sense before the Lord that just to have prayer meetings and the Lord's table meetings are not adequate. We still do not know the Bible well enough, nor are we very clear about the truths. We should consider whether we need to have a Bible study meeting." It is in this way that you make a decision about a Bible study meeting, or maybe even an additional message meeting.

Perhaps after not too long a time, because of the Lord's presence, the number in your meeting gradually increases. There is not enough room for everyone; people begin to sit outside in the courtyard. By that time, you as a leading one need to come up with some ideas immediately. Perhaps you can pray to the Lord, saying, "Lord, is the brother's living room no longer adequate for our meeting? Should we rent a meeting hall or buy a piece of land to build a meeting hall ourselves?" After you have prayed this way to the Lord, you should still apply the same principle in making your decision. You need to ask the elderly saints to come together and talk about it. During the conversation, the Holy Spirit will show you whether you should rent a place or buy a piece of land, or whether you should rent while at the same time you look for land on which to build a hall. After you have become clear and have arrived at a decision, at the next Lord's table meeting you can make the announcement. If you can always keep this principle and follow the Holy Spirit to come up with ideas, it will be the most beautiful thing.

In managing the church, one of the worst things that can happen to the elders is to be unable to follow the Holy Spirit to come up with ideas. The reason that a person cannot catch up with the leading of the Holy Spirit is due either to his laziness or to his fear of problems. Sometimes a brother who loves the Lord may come to you and say, "Brother, look! Our meeting now has more than seventy people. I am afraid that this living room is not adequate." But you reply, saying, "Brother, you still have to go to teach, and I still have to go to work. Why don't we just let things get by like that!" In the New Testament, the symbol of the Holy Spirit is a dove, not a tiger. If you are just a little fearful of problems, the Holy Spirit will fly away. But if you would joyfully pray, saying, "Lord, even if I have to sleep a little less and labor a little more, I am still willing; here is a need: should we prepare a meeting hall or not?" right away you will have a feeling within urging you. If you will then invite some spiritual brothers and sisters to fellowship together, to sense the feeling of the Holy Spirit, to allow the Holy Spirit to exercise His authority, and to endeavor in this way, the Holy Spirit will take you on. If you would endeavor according to the Holy Spirit, He will come all the time to look for you.

In this endeavoring, the Holy Spirit may come to you one day and show you that among the one hundred or so brothers and sisters, a good number of families have children. Should there not be a children's meeting for them? You will then go again before the Lord to pray, and within you there will be the urging again. Still you need to follow the same principle to make a decision. Once you have a children's meeting, the location becomes a problem; the chairs and the responsible ones also become problems. As soon as you have an idea, right away many troubles come along.