There are twelve points included in this item of our practice.
First, we are standing on the ground of the local church. This is a strong statement. We do not stand on the ground of any creed; we stand on the ground of locality, the ground of oneness of the local church.
Second, we are according to the principle of the local church. The principle of the local church is that the churches carry out their administration separately according to their locality, each being responsible to the Lord. The churches cannot form federations or have headquarters.
Third, we have the nature of the local church. Although the church is expressed locally, it is universal. Hence, even though the administration of the church is local and independent, the fellowship of the church is universal. The local church has fellowship with all the local gatherings that stand on the ground of the church. Hence, the nature of the local church is universal and is of the Body.
Fourth, we meet together. Our meeting together is by virtue of the nature of the fellowship of the church; hence, we emphasize meetings. Our worship, service, and work are carried out through meetings. Meetings can be regarded as our collective move and corporate living.
Fifth, we serve in coordination. We also emphasize coordinated service. We do not merely listen to sermons or conduct Sunday services; we also learn to serve. In the matter of service, we do not approve of independence or agree with individualism. Since the church is an assembly, a Body, the saints should coordinate together and have a coordinated service, the service of the Body (Eph. 4:12, 16).
Sixth, we live the proper life of the Body of Christ. By the Lord’s grace, we desire to live out the proper life of the Body of Christ on the ground of the church in order that the Body of Christ may be manifested as a reality among the churches in all the localities (Rom. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:27).
Seventh, we express the life of Christ. When we live out the life of the Body of Christ, the life of Christ is spontaneously expressed and flows out. This not only causes Christ to be expressed but also causes man to receive the supply of life.
Eighth, we bear the testimony of the church. The totality of the preceding seven points is the testimony of the church. This testimony involves being a witness of Christ (Acts 1:8). The church is a vessel that bears the testimony of Christ. All our gatherings in various localities are vessels bearing the testimony of Christ. The testimony we bear is not of any particular truth but of the Christ who incorporates the truth.
Ninth, we are being built together. We do not only emphasize individual spirituality, but even more we emphasize the building of the church in life. We emphasize individual edification so that we can be built together (Eph. 2:22; 1 Pet. 2:5). We believe that what God needs today is not many spiritual individuals but a built-up church. Therefore, it is only by being built together that we can meet God’s need.
Tenth, we are God’s dwelling place. God desires to gain a house on earth to be His dwelling place (1 Tim. 3:15; Eph. 2:22) so that He and all those who belong to Him can dwell in it. We are being built together in order to become God’s dwelling place so that God and His children can have a home, a dwelling place on earth.
Eleventh, we express God Himself. Our being built together in order to be God’s dwelling place not only affords God a place to dwell but also enables Him to express Himself. Our gatherings in every locality should express God and cause people to sense that God is among us (1 Cor. 14:25).
Twelfth, we are doing God’s will. We desire that God would grant us grace so that His will can be carried out in all the meetings of every locality (Matt. 6:10). We do not want human opinion to have any ground among us; our desire is to accomplish God’s will (Heb. 13:21).
I believe that we are all clear concerning these twelve points. These points cover the ground, the principle, the nature, the meeting, the coordination, the Body life, the expression of the life of Christ, the testimony of the church, the building, God’s dwelling place, God’s expression, and God’s will. We fully advocate these twelve points and emphasize them in a balanced way without bias or preference. Some in Christianity emphasize the matter of expressing Christ and living out the life of Christ but neglect the ground. Others emphasize the matter of the church having the Body life and the members not being independent or individualistic but neglect the principle and nature of the church. We do not want to be like this. The twelve points we have presented are comprehensive. We do not merely emphasize the ground while neglecting the expression of Christ, the testimony of the church, God’s will, and so forth. We should not and will not neglect these matters. If we have the ground but do not have the expression of Christ or the practical testimony of the church, we are no longer God’s dwelling place where He can be expressed and where His will can be accomplished. If this were so, our advocating would merely be empty, dead letters. Hence, we must have the Body life, the expression of Christ, and the testimony of the church. We must also be God’s dwelling place for His expression and the accomplishing of His will.
However, if we have a practical and proper desire for the Body life, the expression of Christ, the testimony of the church, and God’s dwelling place for His expression and the accomplishing of His will, the preceding points regarding the ground, the principle, the nature, the meeting, and the coordination of the church are indispensable. Without these preceding five points, it is difficult to have the subsequent seven points. We must have the proper ground upon which we gather; it must be in the principle of “one church, one city” with an independent, local administration; there must be the nature of the Body, the universal fellowship; and there must be the practice of meeting and coordination. When these five points are fulfilled, we can live the Body life by the Holy Spirit to express the life of Christ, bear the complete testimony of the church, and be God’s dwelling place, expressing God Himself and accomplishing His will. Thus, in our practice we must pay equal attention to these twelve points. What we practice in every locality is only these twelve points.