In this message we will continue to fellowship concerning the practice of the group meeting. First we must consider how we should come to a group meeting and how we should enter into a group meeting. We should not come to the group meeting in a religious way. We should come in a normal and spontaneous way. We may sing if we come alone, or we may fellowship if we come with another. It is always good to come speaking, either to the Lord or to one another. If we wait until we come to the meeting to sing or speak, that is religious. We all have to learn to do this naturally and spontaneously.
Then when we enter the meeting, we can sing, pray, or simply praise the Lord. It is better not to ask about others, but if we are burdened, we should pray for them. We should not have anything foreign or religious in the group meeting; we must be in spirit and in life. Then when another comes in, he can simply join us in whatever we are doing. Whether we are singing or praying, he can easily join our singing or say “Amen” to our prayer. In this way the group meeting has begun. Then as others come, they may also come speaking or singing.
Everything must be done in a natural, or normal, way. There are many ways to practice the group meeting. You may have heard that a certain brother has just had an automobile accident. When you come to the meeting, you may say, “Brothers and sisters, Brother John has been in an automobile accident.” This is fellowship. Then some will spontaneously intercede for this brother. In the group meeting, singing, fellowship, and interceding should all come forth in a normal and spontaneous way.
First, the group meeting must take care of the proper fellowship. Many things should have happened since the group meeting the previous week. Therefore, when we come together, we should fellowship with each other. This kind of fellowship can spontaneously turn to intercession for one another. Then following intercession, we may have some mutual care. After praying for the brother who has had the automobile accident, someone may know if he is at home or in the hospital. Then immediately some may go to visit him. This is shepherding. Along with the shepherding, we may need to render some help. We should consider this brother’s family and the financial situation. Some sisters may want to go to visit his wife and children. All these things can be done in a very spontaneous way. In the group meeting, we have to take care of fellowship, intercession, mutual care, and shepherding.
By the mutual fellowship, we can know one another’s situation and consider one another. In Hebrews 10:24-25 there are three important words concerning the group meeting. Verse 24 says that we should “consider one another for inciting to love and good works.” To “consider” implies fellowship. If we do not fellowship, how can we consider one another? The next word is “inciting.” This considering should issue in our inciting one another to love and good works. Then in verse 25, we are to be those “exhorting” one another. We should not take these three words-consider, inciting, and exhorting-as a doctrine, but we should immediately practice these things in our group meetings. If we consider one another, we will surely have something to fellowship when we come together. This kind of fellowship will spontaneously usher the meeting into intercession. This prayer for one another will bring us into a mutual care for one another. Then, the mutual care leads to shepherding, and the shepherding leads to the rendering of help, whether it be spiritual, practical, or material. Through these practices, our group meeting will thoroughly cover the needs of the saints.
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