Question: Sometimes in a meeting a new one will ask a question that is peculiar or bring up a subject that is not so proper. How do you respond to them in a sensitive way so as not to insult or offend them?
Answer: This is one thing that you all have to learn. If someone brings up a subject that is not so proper, you must turn that improper matter to something good. You can turn the whole situation simply by talking about something good. You do not need to argue with them, but should try to calm down any turmoil in the meeting.
Question: In one group meeting, there are some who have the tendency to “keep the ball.” The meeting is like a game, and we all should be passing the “ball” to one another. But some would hoard the “ball” and ramble on and on, speaking something natural. As a result, the meeting suffers. However, they are young in the Lord and somewhat sensitive, so we are afraid we may offend them if we cut them off. How can such a situation be handled properly?
Answer: First of all, not many homes have this kind of problem. Some homes may be very difficult, but in general we have to believe that most of the homes will be very good. If there is such a problem in one of your group meetings, the first thing you can do is to ignore it. If you rebuke them, they will fight back. Then the meeting becomes a fighting meeting. Most in the meeting are quite good, so let the good ones “play with the ball.” Try not to let the “ball” get into the hands of these troubling ones. In this time of turmoil, there are some troubling ones in the church life, but not that many. We encourage those that want to go on to “play ball” in the proper way. Eventually, the atmosphere will change in your place.
No turmoil lasts forever. I have never seen a typhoon that lasted for one month. The typhoon comes; the typhoon goes. You do not need to worry. Just be at peace and be joyful. Sometimes we all have to say, “Hallelujah, no storm remains forever.” I am glad that I am not in the storm. When the storm goes away, I will stay. Do not join the storm. If you join the storm, when it is gone, you will also be gone. Whoever is in the storm will not stay.
My ministry has lasted through fifty-seven years, since 1932. I can testify that within these fifty-seven years I have seen many storms. Eventually, I learned that no storm ever lasts very long. Storms do not alarm me; I know them very well. It seems that each new storm makes a lot of noise, however, to me that is not noise but music. I do not need to be bothered because every storm that comes will also go away. Wherever you are, do not be bothered; the storm will pass.
Question: When the new ones come into the group meeting, they become so rigid and stiff. We have tried to do different things to break up this kind of atmosphere. Can you give us some fellowship concerning this situation?
Answer: You do not need to do anything different. If you will practice according to this way, the new ones will be released. I am not concerned for the new ones, but I am a little concerned for the old ones. When all the older saints come into the meeting, their appearance and gesture may cause the new ones to be bound. If you are bound, surely they will also be bound. In a home, all the little brothers and sisters follow the older ones. If you “play ball,” the new ones will never stay bound, but will join in with you to play. When you come to the group meeting, if you all function livingly and actively, the new ones may be subdued for half an hour, but after that they will say, “Praise the Lord!” and “Amen!” If you never say, “Amen,” they will never know to say, “Amen.” If you want them to “play ball,” you have to “play ball.” Then they will join you. A child learns to speak English simply by hearing, but the immigrants that come to this country have to learn by being taught. We are somewhat like the immigrants learning a new language. After one or two years, we will be able to speak this new language properly. This is why I have to spend so much time to turn us from the old way to the new way. For this we need much practice.
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