In the church which was in Antioch, there were five prophets and teachers who were built into the church. The guidance from the Holy Spirit came to them as representatives of the church (Acts 13:2). Verse 3 says that three of them sent out Barnabas and Saul, but verse 4 says that Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. This proves that the three were one with the Spirit in the Lord's move, and the Spirit honored their sending as His. They were one with the Spirit and had the Spirit's leading because they were built into the church.

You all need to be built together in the church. Then in the church you will get the guidance, and from the church you will go out, not to do some mere preaching work but to produce and establish the local churches. The two sent ones, Paul and Barnabas, went out to preach the gospel, but their preaching was for the producing and establishing of the local churches. Wherever they went, they preached. Wherever they preached, a local church was established in that locality. So the Bible tells us that Paul and Barnabas, on their return journey, appointed elders in every church (Acts 14:23). They went out from the church, the work they did was for the church, and eventually they came back to the church in Antioch (v. 26). Remember that their work was "from the church, for the church, and back to the church." With them everything was for the church. Their work was not separate, independent, or isolated from the church. In Acts 13 and 14 church always means the local church. Acts 13:1 says the prophets and teachers were "in Antioch, in the local church," and 14:23 speaks of "every church," that is, every local church.

Today's Christian preachers may talk a lot about the church, yet they do not have a local church. Do not just talk about the church in theory. You need to be in a practical, definite church. There may be much discussion about the church, the Body life, the Body ministry, the New Testament church, but where is it? We need to pray, "O Lord, help us to have the proper church life and to be so definite and practical in the church life."

Without the church life we are finished. As long as the members of our physical body remain in our body, they are beautiful and useful. But when they are isolated, they become terrifying and useless. My two eyes are beautiful as long as they remain in my body. But if they were isolated from my body, they would become ugly and terrifying. When you shake hands with me, you feel so good about my hand. But suppose my hand is isolated from my body and is presented to you. Regardless of how bold you are, you would be terrified. Even a little nose which is useful for breathing becomes useless and frightening if it is separated from the body. Many dear Christians today could be really useful members, but they have become "terrifying" because they are isolated from the Body. Many dear Christians consider themselves so wonderful and marvelous, yet they do not realize that they are terrifying due to their isolation.

Throughout the past years I heard numerous testimonies from different people saying that the most inspiring thing they saw and the deepest impression they received of the church in Los Angeles was the oneness. Only the oneness can convince people that the church is real. How we thank the Lord for so many young people who have been caught by the Lord in this evil age. You have a heart toward the Lord and have the intention to be used by the Lord. This is really good. But before you go and disciple others, you need to be built up together.