What I have shared with you tonight is about the pureness and the focus. We do need to have the external things like good meetings, proper Bible teaching, and good gospel preaching. Without these, we cannot exist. Mrs. Penn-Lewis lacked these, and so did T. Austin-Sparks. Because of this shortage, history shows that their ministry did not last long in its practical reality. The denominations, on the other hand, have lasted just because of their organization and all these external things. I don’t say we have to follow them, but there is a principle. It was for this reason that Brother Nee, in spite of the sacrifice, took time to care for the external things. He learned by observing those who went before him and lacked these external things, so he did take care of them. At the same time, he told us of his hope that some brothers would be raised up to take care of matters like gospel preaching, new beginners, teachings, and practical church affairs. He regretted that there did not seem to be many among us who could replace him in this aspect.
Today it is the same. The external is still prevailing. We do not pay sufficient attention to the focus. There is a peril, a danger, that we may lose the vision of the Lord’s recovery.
It is true that, in spite of our weakness and of our not being up to the Lord’s standard, there is no other group of people who are so seeking. Not to say unbelievers, even other Christian groups are not as seeking and as sincere as we are. This is simply because of the Lord’s mercy. We are somewhat attempting to be pure, and we hate the impureness. Nonetheless, we are not absolute in this hatred.
I look to the Lord that the leading ones in the churches may see this focus and practice it. We must not allow other things to invade our daily life, nor must we allow any practice, good or not good, biblical or not biblical, to invade the church life. May every local church have only this focus, this practice, all the time. Even though the externals are necessary, may we not let them become our focus. Only one thing can be the proper focus of the church life, and that is Christ, Christ experienced by us all. Doctrines cannot be the focus. No doubt we have this doctrine already. I know you all understand it. But to understand the doctrine is one thing; to see the vision and be caught by it, and to practice it, is another matter.
I believe Brother Nee left this earth without much joy. He did not see much outcome of the vision he had seen. There was very little real expression on this earth of his ministry. If there were not such a little continuation as what we have now, perhaps the only outcome would be some of his writings published to serve Christianity. When I consider this, I am very much warned. What will be the outcome of today’s recovery?
The present spread of the gospel on mainland China I believe has been due to two things. First, it was due to the earnest prayers of many European and American brothers and sisters who went to China as missionaries. Of course, not all the missionaries were pure, nor did they all have a real burden. But some, like Hudson Taylor and others, did. I believe what is happening in China is an answer to the prayers they offered. Second, it is due also to the seed sown by the Lord in China through the recovery. Many of us prayed for the mainland, and the seed of the recovery was sown there.
Much of the present preaching there is shallow. Thus, our books that have been sent in have been used by the Lord; in fact, they have been very much used, because those new believers had nothing to feed on. When they received the books and Life-studies, they were fully satisfied. Of course, this is just the beginning.
We must endeavor to go on, to leave a real testimony. Every local church should be a genuine, pure lampstand. Today’s world is small. Whatever we are here will have an effect on China and elsewhere. The influence, the news, will reach them. We hope that they may receive some publications and even these messages. How the recovery goes in other places depends on what we are here.