If the saints in a group meeting sit silently, we should learn to be patient and not do anything. Even if it is difficult to endure the silence, we should never start anything; we should simply be in the meeting.
In 1937 I was invited to speak concerning the book of Hebrews at a training for preachers. At that time, they also invited me to join their meetings in various places. One time I asked, “When does your morning meeting begin?” They said, “We ask the saints to meet in the morning, but we do not say what time. All of our believers tend to trickle in one by one from nearby villages. We wait until they all arrive, and then we sound a bell and begin the meeting.” Afterward I went to join one of their morning meetings. It was one-thirty in the afternoon by the time everyone sat down. When I asked, “Why do these Western missionaries not teach people to keep the time?” I learned that these Western missionaries did not want to touch the matter of meeting on time because this would inhibit the believers from wanting to come to the meeting. In this matter I learned a lesson.
We are being trained to be on time, but when we go out to serve, we should always remember that the brothers and sisters have not been trained. We may be in a hurry and want to begin a meeting on time, but they are used to arriving late. This is a test to us. If we fail the test, the group meeting will fail.
Some may ask how can there be a meeting if everyone is late. We should be patient. Perhaps after six months, we can encourage the saints not to be late. We should wait until we are able to render this type of help. When the saints know us, they will appreciate the help. Therefore, we must not do anything in the way of organization; we must be organic.
We thank the Lord and rejoice to see that the majority of the full-time trainees are under thirty-five years of age. Hence, we must learn earnestly. This one or two years of training is a foundation for the trainees. It will be a great help when they serve the Lord in the future.
In 1932 I had been saved for seven years, and I was used by the Lord to establish a small church in my hometown. Later the Lord compelled me to give up my job and serve full time. Eventually, the Lord brought me to Shanghai. At that time I learned from Solomon to pray, “Lord, give me wisdom, that I may know how to go out and come in before Your people” (cf. 2 Chron. 1:10). I prayed in this way for several years. As I look back, I feel that the Lord has heard my prayer. The trainees should also pray, “Lord, I am still young and only beginning to learn to serve You. Give me wisdom so that I may know how to go out and come in before Your people.”
In 1 Timothy 3:15 Paul says, “If I delay, I write that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the house of God.” How to conduct oneself in the house of God means “how to behave and act in God’s house.” The three books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus clearly state how a serving one should conduct himself and how he should cultivate his character. The trainees need to study these books diligently.
There are several terms in these books that are worthy of attention: turning away (1 Tim. 6:20), avoid (2 Tim. 2:16; Titus 3:9), and flee (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22). We should study what things to turn away from, what things to avoid, and what things to flee from. In addition, we should depart from unrighteousness (v. 19), refuse a factious man (Titus 3:10), and refuse profane and old-womanish myths (1 Tim. 4:7). We should find and study such terms in these books. Then we will know which things to turn away from, which things to avoid, which things to depart from, and which things to refuse. When we flee, we must do it quickly. When we avoid something, we must stay a good distance from it. When we turn away, we must behave as if we were facing an oncoming car. If we do not turn away, we will be in a car accident. All of us should have the thoughts of fleeing, avoiding, and turning away.
These books also speak of the conscience: a pure conscience (3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3) and a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:5, 19). They speak of holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience (3:9), which mystery is God’s economy. We see from the Scriptures that the mystery of God is Christ (Col. 2:2), and the mystery of Christ is the church (Eph. 3:4). We need to have a pure conscience to hold the mystery of the faith. Our conscience is an indication of whether we are holding the mystery of the faith; hence, we need to conduct ourselves in order to have a pure conscience. Some people thrust their faith and conscience away and become shipwrecked regarding the faith (1 Tim. 1:19). All these are related to cultivating our character. We must study these books diligently.
Furthermore, we should not merely learn the truth and grow in life; we must also learn how to serve and how to be wise. Such matters cannot be learned in one or two days. If it requires one or two years to learn how to play basketball, it is even more necessary to practice in the matter of serving the Lord.