The fifth point of our service is to attend the district meetings for the building up of the church (1 Cor. 14:26). Before and after the meetings, we should contact the new attendants and the other believers. I have noticed this lack among most brothers and sisters in the meetings. The reason for this is that no one has the habit of contacting people before and after meetings. We do not have to sit down that quickly before the meeting. We can wait at the door for the brothers and sisters to come. No matter who we see, we can spend a few minutes talking to them. After the meeting, we do not need to leave right away. Find someone to talk to. It is always beneficial for believers to contact each other. Spontaneously, there is the visitation, the shepherding, and the teaching. Next, we have to practice functioning in the meetings by testifying or prophesying. We must also practice our voice and our use of time. When we speak in public, we have to speak aloud. At the same time, the speaker should measure his time well. Three to five minutes is good enough. Do not speak too long. Lastly, learn to follow the flow of a meeting, and learn to take care of others’ feeling. Every meeting has its flow. Do not talk about the north when others are talking about the south. When you speak, you should care for the flow and for the feeling of others.
The last point in our service is the building up of the Body of Christ. This is very important. This matter cannot be realized in the meetings of Christianity. It can only be realized in the practice of the new way. In the new way, no one is monopolizing. Everyone has a chance. Nothing is according to arrangement. Everything is by the organic way and follows the leading of the spirit. For example, according to your plan, you may have every Friday set aside for going out. But this Monday, while you are praying and contacting the Lord, He may give you a leading to visit your cousin that very evening. This is to be organic. We should not have dead services that come from arrangements. Rather, we should have living services that come from being organic. We should bypass arrangements and serve and act organically. Christianity talks about organization and arrangements. But the new way requires that we serve organically. All the brothers and sisters should be led by the Lord daily. In this way, everyone will be built up organically. We will not be building up an organized congregation, but we will be building up the Body of Christ.
Moreover, we should not emphasize work, but should pay attention to supplying Christ, life, and the spirit. Most Christianity activities emphasize work. But we have to learn not to emphasize work. Rather we should emphasize the supplying of Christ, life, and the spirit. For example, a brother may come to fellowship with you. He may mention to you his family problems, that his wife is giving him a hard time. You should not exhort him to be patient, forbearing, or yielding. This is not Christ. You can share with him a testimony, or help him to read some verses. You may say something like this to him: “Brother, today, the Lord Jesus is in you. He is a living Lord, and He is with you all the time. You need to contact Him in the morning. When you see your wife losing her temper, you should begin to fellowship with the Lord within to receive His supply. We all need the filling of the Spirit. We have no way to overcome our problems. But when the Spirit fills us, nothing else will matter anymore.” When you fellowship with him this way, you are supplying Christ to him. You are also supplying the Spirit to him. By this, he will grow in life.
As a further step, in order to help others learn to serve and work in an organic way, we have to grow together with the saints in the life of Christ, being fitted and knit together to be built up into the Body of Christ. This is based upon the words of Ephesians chapter four. We are not merely coming together for a meeting or to build up a congregation, but are growing together into the Body of Christ. This is the building up of His Body. We should boast only in the gaining, perfecting, helping and building up of people. By this the all-inclusive Christ will have an unlimited and unceasing increase and spread.
(A message given by Brother Witness Lee in Taipei on June 5, 1988)
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