In the small groups we should introduce the saints to spiritual books for their study and encourage them to fellowship mutually in the meetings. A small group can use one evening to read spiritual books and pray. About ten saints can gather together and use half the time to read and the other half to pray. A group can use two evenings to visit saints or preach the gospel. If we can practice this consistently, over a period of time we will see results.
The information concerning gospel friends does not have to be taken care of in a central location. This information should be taken care of by the small groups. We also need to consider certain matters such as baptisms. Such matters do not necessarily need to be done in the halls. Baptisms can be taken care of by the small groups. A small group can baptize its gospel friends who have received the Lord. In this way the church life is simplified.
We should make a new list of the saints who are in the meetings. Based on this list saints can be formed into groups. We should not designate one saint as the responsible one, because every saint is a responsible one. Even if twenty saints come together, every saint is responsible. These saints should take care of one another. They can preach the gospel together and edify one another; all the saints should be responsible.
Because there seems to be a hint of bureaucracy among us, no one should be assigned to be a leading one in a small group. Every saint should take the lead and take care of the group. If the saints do not take care of themselves, they will die. We need an atmosphere of mutual care. We must not let the districts administrate the small groups. Such an administration would annul the function of the saints. The more we try to administrate, the more problems there will be. We should eliminate any administration through the districts by letting the saints serve and take care of their activities.
When the saints meet on the Lord’s Day morning, it is the responsibility of the elders, the “fathers and mothers,” to give them something to eat. Do not control the saints; instead, feed them. The districts should not seek to control the saints. The oversight of the elders in the districts is a sufficient responsibility for the elders. The administration in a district must be reduced.
In a local church the responsibility of the elders is mainly in feeding and teaching. When the saints gather together on the Lord’s Day morning, the elders should give them food. The genuine administrative responsibility of the elders is to give food to the saints. If people are fed, there will be no problems. This principle also applies to the administration of a nation. If a nation is fed and satisfied, there will be no problems. Hence, we must feed and satisfy the saints. If the saints are not fed, our administration will bring in confusion. If the saints are fed, our administration will bring in order.
A hall that stresses only administration of outward matters is like a “cake not turned” (Hosea 7:8). Some may think that it is a risk to reduce the administrative involvement of the elders. We need to run this risk and see what happens. We should not feel a need to direct every matter in a group meeting. This will enable the function of the saints to be developed. If the saints in a small group are quarreling, we should not be quick to intervene with their quarreling. If a small group becomes desolate because of incessant quarreling, let it be so. Eventually, the Lord will open a door for the consecrated saints to address the real need of the group, and the quarreling will stop. Perhaps I am too much in my speaking, but I am greatly disturbed by the situation here. In my forty years of service, I have never seen such a situation where there is so much administration. It puts a “shackle” on the church life. We must remove the concept of having responsible ones in the groups. Let the saints meet and serve.
I believe that if there were less administration in a district, the saints would come forth to serve. Our situation can be compared to a family in which the elderly father and older siblings restrict the younger siblings from doing anything. Too much administration can cause the saints to lose the spirit to serve. I do have a basis for saying this. Many saints give up inwardly and no longer want to serve, because they were merely maintaining a façade. If we reduce the administration, the saints will be enlivened.
The elders and responsible ones must not shackle the saints; instead, they must supply the saints so that the saints come forth to serve. The saints need to be free in their spirit. According to the Bible, the co-workers and elders are raised up to meet a need. If they become a system or an organization to control and rule over the church, they should be removed.