We have already seen that the Spirit, the Word, singing, and prayer are the four crucial elements of the meetings. The meetings of the Christians are all related to these four matters. When you have these, the meetings spontaneously become living. The first two of the four are nouns, while the latter two are from verbs. We have the Spirit and the Word of the Lord, and in the meetings we must exercise to sing and to pray. I do not sing very well, but I like to sing because it fills me with feeling and enjoyment. When I sing, “In tenderness He sought me, / Weary and sick with sin,” the feeling is so sweet. This was exactly my condition sixty-one years ago. I was weary and sick with sin, gambling, watching Chinese opera, and playing soccer to the extent that I could go without meals. At that very time, “In tenderness He sought me, / Weary and sick with sin, / And on His shoulders brought me / Into His flock again.” Therefore, every time I sang this song, I was full of sentiment. Sometimes I would even be moved to tears and would pray with a grateful heart, “Lord, I truly praise You. Formerly I was in a dunghill, and I was a vile sinner, but You delivered me out of that situation. You even gave me the ministry of Your word. I am truly unworthy.” I praised Him while weeping before Him.
Specifically, the Word is the sixty-six books of the Bible. We realize from experience that for us to have the Word, we must conscientiously study the truth and then use the truth to teach. In every home meeting, we need to present some items of the truth to the new believers for fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, or even longer. How do we do this? We have many booklets, mostly extracts from the Life-study of Romans, and we have four volumes of the new Life Lessons, which are very suitable for newly baptized ones to read. We can read the first lesson, “Knowing That You Are Saved,” with the new one for him to become clear that he is saved and thus be confirmed in his faith. We do not need to finish the entire booklet with him at once—perhaps half would be sufficient—and then tell him, “Brother, when I leave, you can continue reading the other half with your wife and your children. I will leave with you two or three more booklets. When you have time, you can read them also.” Then the next time you visit him, you can read another lesson. This is the way to teach the truth.
However, do not have a set way. Perhaps after a few lessons, you can stop and switch to other booklets. We should have read all of the booklets with titles such as “The Law of the Spirit of Life,” “The Three Laws in Romans Seven,” “Christ Living in Me,” “The Triune God and the Tripartite Man,” and “How to Receive the Processed Triune God.” All of these titles are very attractive. Each time we go to a home meeting, we should bring seven or eight of these, and depending on the situation, pick one out for the new one to read. In this way, he will receive the truth and have the deep impression that, since we have booklet after booklet of uncommon titles, we are not a simple group of Christians. Once he reads them seriously, the truth will get into him.
Moreover, the most important thing we should always have with us is the Recovery Version of the Bible, so that when needed, we can read a section of the Word and the footnotes with him. Once he hears it and reads it, he will be captured, able to know Christ in an accurate way, and understand the grace of God and the salvation of Christ. Spontaneously he will be drawn to receive the truth. Then not only will he welcome you to his home, but he also will desire that you come more often. After a period of time, he will become perfected to the point that you can take him a step further into Truth Lessons. The contents of Truth Lessons are not as easy as that of the booklets. The lessons are not only well edited and complete but are also rather extraordinary. Hence, when we are about to teach, we need to spend some time in preparation to find an appropriate way to help the new one get into them easily.
One matter we need to take heed to is that when we first start to meet with a new one in the home meetings, we must not rush to speak about the church. This is because it is a complicated matter, not easy to understand or to get into. The new one has just been saved; we should not trouble him with this matter but first establish him by using the new Life Lessons. Wait until he has some knowledge of the truth and a foundation in the Word; then take him on a step further. As we speak, we should exercise wisdom. Do not speak directly about the church, but rather indirectly tell him of the joy we have in our daily church life, giving him an inkling that will motivate him to be drawn to the church life. Even if the new one were to ask you first, “What is the church life?”, still do not say too much. Rather, according to his condition, take him on slowly. If you say too much, he may not be able to understand. As the saying goes, “Haste makes waste.” This means it is best to do things slowly and not be in a rush. If within a month you cannot speak to a new one about the truth concerning the church, then wait for half a year. If you still cannot do it in half a year, then wait for one or two years. You must wait for the opportune time to unveil the truth to him little by little.
All the elders in the churches desire that the number of saints in their church meetings would increase more and more. Now in every meeting hall there are full-time serving ones. However, some elders complain that although the full-timers daily report good news of baptizing so many, to this day not a single new one can be seen, and the numbers in the meetings are actually diminishing rather than increasing. Even the full-timers have disappeared; their presence is not visible in the meetings, yet they must be financially supported. Regarding this matter, I would say, be patient and at rest. All farmers know that sowing is not a swift matter. The seeds originally piled in the house can be used to make noodles and bread to last two to three months, but once they are sown, they are gone. However, do not worry; the seeds sown in the fall, after passing through a winter and a spring, produce a rich harvest in May. Therefore, do not say that the seeds that you spent money for and have sown are gone. Just be patient for half a year to a year, and you will see the harvest.
Right now, the new way is still in the experimental stage. About ten thousand have been baptized, with at least one-third becoming remaining fruit. However, these will not become remaining fruit in only one day or even in one year. The outcome of the harvest depends upon how much effort we expend. The sowing work itself requires much labor—here a home, there a home, until very many homes in Taipei are gained and baptized. However, to have the harvest, we need to continue to nourish the new ones with the Word as milk and to perfect them with the truth.
Nevertheless, even if a new one does not take the way of the church, do not be concerned. He is at least saved and has received some perfection in the truth. Meanwhile we ourselves surely must live the church life. In our talk, action, and expression there needs to be the outflow of the rich enjoyment of our church life and of the blessings and benefit that we receive from being in the church life. As we talk to the new one about the church, we should motivate him to incline toward this direction. Once there is the inclination, there is the aspiration. However, do not force him. Rather, let him say, “I hope that one day I can go to a meeting with you to live the church life.” When he says this, do not be overly excited and say, “Wonderful! I have been waiting for this for two years.” This is the most foolish response. You should follow up by asking him, “We have many meetings: the prayer meeting, the Lord’s table meeting, the ministry meeting, and the gospel meeting. Which one of these would you like to attend?” Let him choose; do not initiate to choose for him. If you choose for him, then if he goes and finds it tasteless, he will murmur against you.
We should take people on little by little in this way. Whatever is done needs to be in wisdom and according to the spirit. Always seize the opportunity to enlighten the new one. For example, if he chooses the Lord’s table meeting, then you should first tell him the meaning of breaking the bread, the significance of the bread and the cup, and the meaning of the Lord’s table. In this way, he will receive the appropriate help so that when he comes to the table meeting, he can enter into it right away. He will taste the Lord’s death and resurrection and will enjoy the riches of the Lord. He will be fully satisfied, and not only will he long to come again, but he will also go back to promote it to his family members and bring them with him.