There are different kinds of elders. The first kind of elder is elders in position only; they are limited by both their time and the extent of their burden. This kind of elder wishes others would take care of things so that he would only need to sign his name. He is not concerned about how the work should proceed. Some co-workers prefer this kind of elder because the co-workers may do whatever they wish in that locality, and the co-workers are not bothered by anyone. The second kind of elders is those who are neither able nor willing to do things, but such elders often keep a tight hold on things in their hands. In this situation human temperament prevents the things in the church from being accomplished readily.
The third kind of elders is the elders who are capable and willing to do things; they give their energy, their time, and their all to the Lord. However, such elders also keep everything in their hands. They direct the saints and never delegate responsibilities to the saints. In other words, such elders know how to do things, but they do not know how to perfect and oversee the saints. In his book concerning church administration and church affairs, as well as in his training on the elders’ administration of the church, Brother Nee repeatedly said that elders are overseers and should not direct the saints to do things. The affairs of the church should be entrusted to the saints, and the elders should oversee, instruct, enlighten, and lead the saints (cf. The Normal Christian Church Life, pp. 46-49). Even though Brother Nee wrote these words, we are still short of this. For example, when co-workers go out to serve, in some places they cannot do much, because the elders have a tight hold on everything. This latter situation causes everyone to learn lessons.
By the Lord’s mercy, the co-workers in Taiwan have learned some lessons. They are unwilling to stir up trouble, and they are reserved and unwilling to voice their opinions when the elders are restrictive. The elders and co-workers seem to get along peacefully, but they lack the ability to coordinate together. Hence, the co-workers and the elders must have a clear understanding of their roles. If I were a co-worker serving in a locality, I would not care to be the “master of a domain” or to achieve something. I would only care to be accommodating, like glue that can be applied to any surface, like air that fills every space, or like water that seeps into every crack. I would not care for anything else. The co-workers must learn to this extent, and they must change to this extent. Moreover, the elders in every locality must oversee. We know that there are many affairs in a church, such as hospitality, ushering, cleaning, decorating, giving tithes, visiting, shepherding, teaching, and so forth. The elders should make a list of the services. The elders can also fellowship with the saints, train them, and hand the services over to them. The elders need only to oversee and teach. Then the entire church will be different.
The first thing a co-worker must observe in a locality is whether the elders function as elders and the deacons function as deacons. If the elders and deacons are proper in their function, the co-worker only needs to support the elders. If there is not a proper functioning among the elders and deacons, a co-worker should find ways to help establish the services of the church. Establishing the services does not mean that a co-worker needs to do everything himself. Rather, he should consider the things that need to be done, consider the saints who can carry out the services, and encourage the delegation of these services to the saints. He should think of ways for the saints to serve and should train them. In whatever he does, he should never replace the saints. The services should be entirely in the hands of the saints. He should also teach the saints how to lead others into the work. Such a work cannot be accomplished in one day. It may take a month for an area of service to be established and then another month for another area to be established.
We have seen people build houses. However, have you ever seen a mason, as he is building a house, build himself into a pillar and become a pillar in the house? If this happened, that pillar could never move, because if it moved, the entire building would collapse. No engineer or mason would do this. This is an extreme example; however, this is the situation among the co-workers. Some co-workers in the local church serve to the extent that they cannot leave that church; they cannot be moved. As a result of their lack of service, the brothers in one locality do not even know to purchase train tickets for visitors. This is a simple example, but it reveals the shortage in our coordination.
Some local churches always have co-workers. When one co-worker leaves, another comes, but no elders are produced. If the Lord removed the co-workers, those churches would collapse. In a certain district there has been a co-worker serving the young people. The day he leaves, the young people’s work will collapse. In this kind of so-called service, the co-workers have built themselves as material into the building. When they leave, the building will collapse. This is a fundamental problem among us.
A co-worker serving in a local church must learn to let the local saints take care of the church affairs. When some saints are not able to stand, he may help them by “cutting” a bit or “sawing off” a bit. Thus, the saints will be strengthened to support the structure. This kind of work is solid. With such a solid and strong structure, the pillars will be able to stand, even when the co-worker leaves to do other work. It is wrong for a co-worker to be completely occupied and tied down to a place. A co-worker must be free to go wherever there is a need. He should not give the saints the feeling that he is upholding the church in a locality, as if he were a big pillar. The saints must be the pillars in a locality, and a co-worker should go there only to support the saints on a temporary basis. When the co-worker is free to travel, he can direct his time and energy to other matters related to the work.
Presently, however, the co-workers often replace the elders and the deacons. This is not right. No matter what the circumstance is, the elders in a locality must accomplish some things, and they should delegate things to the deacons. For example, in every district there are saints serving in the business office. The elders can delegate many things to these saints and release the deacons to do other things. The deacons can distribute gospel tracts. They may contact one person in the morning and another person in the afternoon. If two people are saved in one day, there will be fourteen new ones gained in a week. The elders can arrange for two saints to cover the business office. These two saints can shepherd each other by reading the Bible or praying together. Then, depending on their capacity, more things can be delegated to them. Regrettably, the saints are not brought into function. The co-workers who want to accomplish something should first establish this matter. If there is a shortage of elders, the co-workers can train and perfect more elders. If there is a shortage of deacons, the co-workers can train some saints to be deacons. The key is to let the saints function. The elders should not be idle. They should teach the saints. This is the way that we should serve the church.