Even though these young people began to undermine the work in Taiwan, I simply waited and prayed. Seven years went by before the issue was settled. At one point I told them frankly that I would follow the way of Christ and the church for eternity. I asked them to consider seriously what would happen if they would only take Christ, but neglect the church life. Furthermore, I told them that as children of light we should conduct ourselves in the light. I declared again that I would forever follow the way of Christ and the church as recovered through Brother Nee. Concerning this, I assured them that I would never change. I went on to tell them that if they preferred to leave the church life and follow their vision of “the full Christ,” I would not hinder them. On the contrary, they were certainly free to follow a way which they regarded as better. However, I told them that they should not remain with us pretending to be the same as we are when actually they were undermining the work. They claimed that they had no problem with the ground of the church, and they continued among us for seven years. All that time they were undermining the work in Taiwan.
In His sovereignty, the Lord brought me to this country and burdened me to start the ministry here. Certain of the leading ones in Taiwan wrote me regularly about the situation with the young brothers who were constantly undermining the work there. I answered them by referring to the words of the Lord Jesus in John 2:19: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” a reminder of a message I had given. In that message I said, “If this work on the island of Taiwan is something of man, it should be torn down. But if it is of the Lord, once it has been destroyed, the Lord will raise it up again in resurrection.” I encouraged the leading ones to be at peace. Eventually, the dissenting ones left the church life and the work in Taiwan. Shortly thereafter they were divided among themselves. They did not succeed in their attempt to destroy the church life.
Let me now relate several experiences through which we have passed in the Lord’s recovery in the United States. At one time a group of Christians who emphasize speaking in tongues wanted to join with us for the practice of the church life. On the one hand, we did not oppose tongues-speaking; on the other hand, we did not encourage it, and we were not willing for the meetings to be dominated by it. After a short period of time, this group left the church.
Others who were once among us recognized that the way of the church is true. However, their preference was for a native American apostle. When I learned of this, I said to myself, “Only the first group of apostles were native apostles, Jews who were apostles to Jews. But Paul became a foreign apostle, an apostle to the Gentiles.” To reject a foreigner and to accept only so-called native apostles violates the principle of the Body. The Body of Christ is universal. Nevertheless, we assured those who desired a native apostle that they were free to look for one and find one if they could. Hence, those who desired a native apostle also turned from the church life.
Another case involves a brother who was gifted in speaking. On one occasion he testified publicly that the Lord had told him to commit himself to the way of the recovery. After a certain time, he was distracted from the church life and came to believe that the church ground is too narrow. He had the concept that the recovery was merely something transplanted from China. Therefore, this brother also left the church life.
Yet another case concerns a certain brother who considered the denominations to be the field for our work. He claimed that if we offend those in the denominations, we shall lose the field of our work. This brother admitted that we were the church; however, he counselled us not to make such a statement. We replied that this can be compared to a woman not saying that she is the wife of a certain man. This brother’s goal was to bring believers into a halfway shelter for Christians who had left the denominations, but who had not come into the church life. Actually, this is to compromise the truth, to share the teachings about the Christian life but, out of fear, to hold back the truth concerning the church. This brother promotes the books by Brother Nee that do not concern the church, but neglects those books which are related to the church life. He also has turned away.
One brother was in the church life for several years. Then he declared that he had seen a so-called third line. He claimed that Brother Nee had seen the line of Jerusalem and the line of Antioch, but that he had come to see the line of Ephesus. Thus, he turned from the church life to practice this “third line.”
Another brother claimed that he knew the best way to practice the church life. According to him, the way to build a local church is with the children both from families in the church and of families in the neighborhood. I visited a Lord’s table meeting deliberately to see the situation in his locality. Even though very young children were allowed to partake of the bread, I did not say a critical word. However, I did tell the brother, “As the church, we are all-inclusive; we are not sectarian. Even if you wish to practice the church life according to your way, we do not oppose you. But please do not insist that you have found the best way or the unique way to build the church. Such insistence will be a cause of problems.” Eventually, this brother also turned away.
In recent years certain ambitious ones looked upon the Lord’s recovery as an opportunity for them to gain power. They realized that in the “field” of the recovery there were no “lions” or “tigers.” On the contrary, all the saints were “doves” and “lambs.” In other words, the saints in the Lord’s recovery seemed to be naive. Although these ambitious ones tried to gain power for themselves, they failed. They came to realize that the naive “doves” and “lambs” had someone standing with them, that it is God Himself who guards His glory in His recovery. Unable to do what they desired, these also left the church life.
My point in relating these facts of history is to say that we should not think that everyone who comes into the Lord’s recovery will remain. Because the church life is a test to all, a certain number eventually will turn away. However, we should not be disappointed by this. We should be encouraged just as Timothy was encouraged by Paul’s word. Yes, the way of the Lord’s recovery is a test and an exposure. But the recovery also proves that, although some turn away like Phygelus and Hermogenes, others like Onesiphorus stand firm. Today in His recovery the Lord has hundreds, even thousands, of such ones.
Paul’s desire was that the Lord would grant mercy to Onesiphorus both in the present and on “that day.” This indicates a double blessing: a blessing to the whole house of Onesiphorus in this age and blessing to Onesiphorus himself on the day of the Lord’s victorious appearing. Do you want to receive this double blessing of the Lord’s mercy? If so, then do not be a Phygelus or Hermogenes, but an Onesiphorus. When others turn away, stay with the apostle and his ministry.
After we went to Taipei from mainland China, we built a meeting hall that could accommodate about five hundred people. The first Lord’s Day after the building was completed, the new hall was filled, mainly with Christians who had fled the mainland. Realizing the situation of those in the audience, I spoke a frank word. I said, “In Christianity today there are different kinds of churches. Some of these churches will marry you; others will assist you with your medical problems; and still others will help you find employment. Some churches will give opportunities for those who are talented or wealthy. If you have certain abilities, they will give you a position. However, the church here does not afford you this kind of help. Furthermore, there are no positions to satisfy your ambition. If you want such things, you are in the wrong place. As the church here, we care only to preach the pure gospel, to teach the Bible, and to help people receive Christ, love Him, and grow in Him. We are not here for any earthly concern. We care for heavenly things. All those who are truly seeking these heavenly things please continue to meet with us. All the rest should go elsewhere to find the help you are seeking.” The next Lord’s Day more than half did not return. We realized that those who came back cared for the things of the Lord. Most of them have been gained for the Lord and are in the church life.
Once again I would say that in the Lord’s recovery we care only for Christ and the church. This is our battle cry. Our goal is not to help people with earthly pursuits, much less to satisfy their ambition for position. We are here to minister Christ for the church according to God’s eternal purpose. If you are seeking Christ and the church, then the church life is the place for you. Those who are seeking something other than Christ and the church will eventually realize that the church life is not the place for what they are seeking, and they will turn away.