On the other hand, the Bible encourages us to support the full-time workers. Third John 5-8 tells us we need to take care of, support, and send the traveling full-time workers forward on their way in a way that matches God, who is generous. If we support the full-timers, we are participating, sharing in, their work for the truth, and we become “fellow workers in the truth” (v. 8). We are not directly taking part of the full-time work, but we are indirectly sharing the same work. The believers ought to support and undertake for the need of the brothers who work for God in His divine truth and who take nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore, if you do not have the burden to be full-time, you should make more money for the Lord’s interest. Do not work merely to support yourself, but also to support the full-time workers. Even the wives whose husbands are full-time workers could work to support their husbands and other full-timers if possible. This will be greatly blessed by the Lord.
Many of the saints in the church in Philippi were not full-time workers, but they had fellowship with Paul in the furtherance of the gospel by supplying Paul’s daily needs. Paul told the Philippians “that in the beginning of the gospel, when I went out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the account of giving and receiving but you only; for even in Thessalonica you sent both once and again to my need. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit which increases to your account. But I have all things and abound; I have been filled, receiving from Epaphroditus the things from you, a fragrant odor, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God” (Phil. 4:15-18). It is by this way that the Philippians shared in the preaching of Paul’s ministry. They gave much support to Paul financially (4:10, 15, 16) to further the preaching of the gospel and the spreading of the gospel.
In Luke 16 the Lord Jesus tells us that we should be the prudent stewards to use the present money of unrighteousness to make friends for ourselves (v. 9). When we give to support the full-time workers for the furtherance of the spreading of the Lord’s truth, many will be saved. These saved ones will become our friends in the coming kingdom age. In the age to come many who were saved through our giving will welcome us into the eternal tabernacles. It would be so good if we all had many welcomers to receive us into the eternal tabernacles.
The Lord Jesus concludes His fellowship regarding the prudent steward in Luke 16 by saying that no steward can serve two lords. “You cannot serve God and mammon” (16:13). We all have to receive this fellowship not only as a teaching but also as a warning. Thank the Lord if He has given you a high education and a high position with a very good opportunity to make a lot of money. This is really the Lord’s mercy, but be careful how you use this money. You may not be in the proper environment or have the burden or gift to be full-time to preach the gospel, teach the truth, and minister life to others; yet you may have an ability, by the Lord’s sovereignty, to make a lot of money. This money needs to be spent in the Lord’s interest.
To hire people by organizations or to raise funds under a certain kind of central control is altogether man’s doing, replacing God as the Master. We cannot take this way, but we have to take the biblical way. I believe the fellowship in this chapter can provide us with a sketch of the New Testament revelation of God’s economy in material things concerning our service to the Lord.
Now we need to practice according to what is revealed in the Bible. A number of saints should rise up to go out as full-timers. The rest of us should rise up to go to our neighbors, friends, relatives, and colleagues. At the same time, we need to make money, not to be rich and not only for our living but also for the support of the full-time workers going out. This is the biblical way.
Since we are against organization and human control, we must ask how we are going to distribute all the gifts given by the saints for the support of the full-time workers. In 1958 I went to Toronto, Canada, to see the People’s Church. I was told that for every twenty members in their congregation, they sent out one missionary. Their building and furniture were very old because they saved nearly every cent for sending out missionaries. I believe that one full-time worker out of twenty saints is a good principle for us to follow. In the Old Testament one tribe out of twelve became full-time—the tribe of Levi. One out of twelve Israelites was a full-time worker. Among the one hundred twenty in Acts, at least twelve were full-time workers. This is one out of ten in the principle of tithing. One out of twenty is five percent. We believers at least should give one tenth of our income to the Lord in the principle of the Old Testament. Five percent of our income should be given to support full-time workers.
If we mean business with the Lord for the spreading of all the truths He has shown us, we all have to bear the burden to give five percent of our income purely, solely, and definitely separate for the full-time workers’ support. Every time you give to the Lord through the church, five percent of your income should be given to the Lord to support full-time workers for His propagation. Every church that has at least twenty members should practice this. A church smaller than twenty may still have one or two among them who are burdened to be full-time. Suppose a church can only support one full-timer, but two among them are burdened and qualified to be full-time. One of these two should not be told to go back and get a job. Some churches may have twenty members with no full-time workers. Then their five percent can be given to a church that has an extra number of full-time workers. This is done not by organization but by fellowship.
I hope all the churches will begin to practice this regardless of whether or not they have full-time workers and regardless of how many workers they have. The leading ones should fellowship with the saints concerning giving five percent of their income for the full-time workers. Then the church should set up a separate account for the support of full-timers whether it has a full-timer or not. The funds in this account will eventually be useful. The Lord desires many full-time workers for His present move. Within 1986 I expect that all the churches in the United States would have between four and five hundred full-time workers.
If a church of one hundred saints only has three full-time workers, they should have an extra supply for two other full-time workers. Through fellowship with the other churches, they will be able to realize where there are places with full-time workers who need support. We all need to pray and seek the Lord’s leading regarding this matter. There should only be a principle set up with no regulation. The church needs to take care of the principle of setting aside five percent of the offerings for the full-time workers. But this does not exclude the saints from giving to the full-timers directly.
Among so many candidates for full-time work, a few should be encouraged to go back to their jobs because they are not so suitable, so profitable, for being full-time. Mainly they do not have the gift to teach and to preach, but they are very good in business. The full-timers also need a high education to preach and teach the truths on the college campuses. If someone has not gotten his college degree, even though he may be qualified, he should be encouraged to go back to finish college or to do a job. Then this person could make more money to help the Lord’s work. This will not be controlled by anyone but will be observed and realized by the church in each locality. If you feel that you should go full-time, fellowship with the leading ones in your locality and with all the other full-time workers. By fellowshipping you will find out how the Lord is leading you. The leading co-workers will help in the training of the full-time workers.
I recently received a letter from a brother who told me that he did not have the way to serve the Lord full-time, but that he had the deep conviction and desire to be the same as the ones who were able. He said that he was ready to pour out with whatever material supply was needed and closed his letter with this statement: “A partner with you in the Lord’s recovery.” This letter was very encouraging to me.
The principle according to the New Testament is this—we trust in God. We do not control or take the way of organization, but leave the matter of support completely in the Lord’s hands. We do not control the saints but do our best to help them, to train them, and to tell them the truth.
When Brother Nee was young and serving the Lord full-time, he lived in poverty, not receiving that much support. In 1948 we had a conference in Shanghai and Brother Nee stood up to say that he eventually started a business because nearly two hundred co-workers died of tuberculosis due to their lack of food supply. When he said this he wept and all of us wept in the meeting. In China every widow who remarried would be despised. He said that his going into business was like a widow remarrying, but that he did this not for himself but for his children.
Today the United States and Taiwan are rich countries and there is no need for us to suffer the way we did in China. The saints’ incomes are more than adequate for the full-time workers’ support. We would not organize anything or put anything in our control. Instead we leave the whole matter to the Lord. We have to pray that the Lord would bless the United States and use it for His ultimate move. Meanwhile, we should be faithful to Him in doing our jobs, not for a higher standard of living, not for bigger homes or bigger cars, but for the advancement, the furtherance, of the gospel.