We have already covered the new way in the objective aspect of the truth. Concerning the subjective aspect of practice, the first item is preaching the gospel. Every saved one is willing to preach the gospel. Among us we paid attention to this matter from the very beginning. However, in the recent ten years, from 1975 to 1984, we cannot deny that the effect of our gospel preaching was not that great. We in the Lord’s recovery must bear this responsibility.
In 1949, the Lord’s recovery went overseas. Under my leadership, the recovery first reached Taiwan, then Southeast Asia, then Japan, and finally the Western world. I personally experienced and witnessed the spread of the Lord’s recovery. By 1975, within twenty-six years, the number had increased considerably. Just take Taiwan as an example: the number increased from four or five hundred to over forty thousand. It was exactly a one hundredfold increase. But in the ten-year period from 1975 to 1984, there was nearly no increase; the number was at a standstill. I started working in the United States in 1962. After thirteen years, the number had increased from one or two hundred to over ten thousand. Although the increase cannot be considered rapid, it was still somewhat comforting. However, in the last ten years, the number has hardly increased. It was first the situation of Taiwan, then that of the United States, which burdened me very much. Concerning Canada, the brothers there have worked for nearly twenty years, but the number now is still not quite one thousand. Regarding Europe, there were originally only a few people. After 1971, some brothers went there, and the door of the Lord’s recovery was opened. In 1984, of the number in all of Europe, Germany had the greatest number, followed by Switzerland and England. Then there were other countries including France, Italy, and Denmark. The total number did not exceed eight hundred. Concerning Australia and New Zealand, I went there in 1971. By 1984, the total number of the two places was not more than three hundred. Speaking of Africa, as early as 1971, the brothers there had very good fellowship with us, and they began to have a testimony of the Lord in Ghana. Up until now, they have already spread to five or six other countries in Africa. The total number exceeds one thousand, but it is still not very satisfactory. In South America, only Brazil had some increase. Up until 1984, the number was not more than two thousand people. In Central and South America, a total of more than twenty countries, the number still did not exceed ten thousand.
I place this matter before you; if you had a genuine concern and foresight for the interest of the Lord’s recovery, how would you feel? When I saw this situation in 1984, I was already eighty years old. I believe that I had received the Lord’s special grace and mercy, that I had already reached the age of a strong person as spoken of in the Bible (Psa. 90:10). You may say that what I have now is an extra life given to me by the Lord. When I was contemplating the Lord’s recovery on the earth, besides not knowing how to give account when I meet the Lord, I even felt that I could not give account to my former co-worker Brother Nee when I meet him. He had brought us this way and had rendered me the greatest help and a considerable commission. We had worked for so many years; yet, in spite of the fact that there are churches in the five continents, we are at a standstill as far as increase is concerned. How can this not distress me? It does not make me happy to consider the United States; to think of Taiwan, my heart breaks. I had labored here for over ten years, and had accumulated quite a spiritual heritage for so many who love the Lord; yet after you have worked here for twenty more years, you have come to such a result. When I returned three years ago, I came with an aching heart. And as I considered North America, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia, they were not an encouragement to me. I do not feel there is anything to be proud of at all; rather, I feel the time is late, and my remaining years are few. We co-workers in every locality should all prostrate ourselves before the Lord, confess our uselessness, and also ask the Lord for His mercy.
I am one who is bearing a heavy burden, and one who speaks honestly and means business. I am not elevating myself nor am I proud. I am not deceiving myself. According to my knowledge, just in the Philippines and Singapore, there are some large congregations other than ours. In Seoul, Korea alone, there is a congregation with a membership of a few hundred thousand. Although we have churches all over the different continents and countries, as far as the number is concerned, we have hardly anything worth talking about. Therefore, when I returned in 1984 to change the system, the main message was on the increase and spread of the church. This started the practice of gospel preaching by door-knocking.