The result of our study and experiment this year in Taipei has proven that the new way surely is the God-ordained way. First, we discovered that many high-rise and apartment managers are brothers who have not been meeting with us regularly. When we enter into a high-rise building or an apartment, we have to go through the manager to get his permission. If the manager is not a Christian, once he hears that you have come to preach the gospel, he may have a long face and ask you to leave, not welcoming you or paying attention to you. However, the Lord has confirmed His new way. When many of the managers heard that we were preaching the gospel, they immediately welcomed us and said, “Thank the Lord, I also am a brother. I just have not been coming to the meetings.” In this way, not only was the door opened, but he was also invisibly stirred up and recovered.
Second, in the recent twenty to thirty years, there have been a great number of people who were baptized in Taipei. Even though we have used computers to study the statistics, we still cannot determine exactly how many there have been. The number is close to one hundred thousand. Many among them were not meeting with us for a long time, but they were discovered again through the house-to-house visitation. They all welcomed us to come to their homes to start a home meeting. Third, we have also knocked on the doors of many believers who are in the denominations. They also love the Lord and pursue the Lord. Because of their desire for the truth, they were attracted by our practice of the new way, and they turned to the Lord’s recovery. Fourth, many unbelievers believed and were baptized. These results are of many aspects, yet they are linked together and closely interrelated. They all have had a great effect on the increase and spread of the Lord’s recovery. Therefore, according to the result of the study, we were able to draw a conclusion: The new way is surely the best way ordained by God. There is no better way than this.
We also have become clear that when we go out to knock on doors, we should bring not only the booklet The Mystery of Human Life but also some other books, such as the life-studies and the Recovery Version of the New Testament. As to which books to bring with you, you first need to pray. If you walk according to the spirit, you will realize that in your door-knocking you will often meet someone who is very pursuing. At this time, you may ask him to read a section of the footnotes in the Recovery Version or give him some literature. In this way, not only do we preach the gospel but we also use the opportunity to preach and spread the truth. Recently, some serving ones from the ministry office went out for fellowship and were resting in the mountains. While they were singing hymns and praying, an old retired woman who lived across the street heard them and came over to see them. She was happy to be gathered together with the Lord’s believers. She was also a believer who loved the Lord and was attending the Southern Baptist denomination. The sisters read to her a portion of the footnote concerning the five women in Jesus Christ’s genealogy in Matthew 1. After she listened, she said, “This book is wonderful. Where can I buy it?” The sisters then gave one to her. She was so happy and immediately said, “I will prepare a breakfast tomorrow; let us eat together.” The next day after they ate breakfast, right before they were about to leave she said, “I am the owner of this house. From now on whenever you want to come to the mountain, please give me a call. I will welcome your visitation.” This proves that the new way is truly the best way. Not only can it send out the gospel to save people, turn people back to the Lord, or search out the backsliding saints, but it also can send out the truths.
I hope that the saints in the Lord’s recovery will all accept the God-ordained new way. Perhaps you have just been newly saved, or perhaps you have been saved for a long while but have never been taught in this way. In any case, you all must admit that the most joyful thing on earth is to lead people to salvation. Luke 15 tells us that when a sinner repents, there is joy in heaven (v. 7). The Father also is happy (vv. 23-24, 32). Seriously speaking, there is no other thing that profits human society more than the preaching of the gospel. Whether in America or in Taiwan, the need of the whole society is the gospel. Because Taiwan has widespread wealth and much indulgence in pleasures, sins have multiplied. It is even more so in America; there is danger everywhere because sinful things abound. How can the Lord bless in this kind of sinful condition? The Christians are the most blessed people because they have received the redemption of the Lord Jesus by faith to enjoy His salvation. Christians are happiest when they preach the gospel to lead people to salvation, which even causes society to be blessed.
We also hope that in the Lord’s recovery there will be one full-timer out of every twenty people. Taipei is practicing this arrangement. There already are one thousand young people who have received this burden. We hope that the number could increase to two thousand five hundred. In this way in just one year, we will be able to gospelize the whole of Taiwan. There are schools and communities everywhere in America, so there is a greater need of full-timers to go out and work for the Lord. However, this move of gospelization is not only the full-timers’ responsibility; it is also the responsibility of every saint. Therefore, every saint should set aside at least two to three hours a week to go out to visit people. We will definitely see the fruit after a long period of practice.
On the other hand, in order to produce more full-timers, there is the need for more financial offerings. If indeed there will be two thousand five hundred full-timers in Taiwan, the churches’ expenditures will be huge. Hence, we each need to give a portion, putting forth not only our shoulders but also our material possessions. In Luke 16:9 the Lord Jesus said, “And I say to you, Make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.” You may forget what you offered in this age, but this amount is remembered in heaven. Even in eternity, those who have received help through your giving will never forget what you spent on them. They will do their best to repay you. This is the most blessed thing. This is not to say that we should pawn all our belongings or sell all of our possessions in order to have something to offer to the Lord. Rather, we need to give what we can according to what the Lord has given to each of us. Material things will eventually be consumed. Moreover, they can be used only in this age; they will never follow you or be there to welcome you in the eternal age. However, if you save up money for the purpose of the gospel, those people who are saved by it will welcome you in eternity. What a wise way of doing things!
If we all have such a heart, the Lord’s move will be blessed, our number will increase, and the spread will accelerate!