Hebrews 10:33 says that we are “being made a spectacle.” The church is a spectacle, or a show, for all to see. It is impossible to avoid criticism or praise. But I hope that we can carry out this exhibition well, and that we can meet in a proper way that will make people feel good and comfortable. Such a meeting will be an edification to people. For this, speaking in the meeting is the best opportunity to practice speaking for the Lord. I feel that the brothers and sisters should seize this opportunity, not just to shout and yell as we did formerly, but rather, to practice speaking the Lord’s word. Whenever you practice speaking for the Lord in the meeting, it is best that you speak for only three minutes. At most you should not exceed five minutes. If you still have something to say, sit down first. Then speak after another one has finished speaking. In your speaking you should practice speaking in a manner that is concise, simple, and to the point. This is a good opportunity to practice. I hope that you would do your best to carry this out.
Following this, let us take a look at the group meetings. As early as thirty years ago we realized the importance of the group meetings. The greatest usefulness of a group meeting is to bring in relatedness. A group meeting can keep people, uphold people, and relate people. No meeting can be as practical as a group meeting in communicating with and blending together the brothers and sisters. The home meetings consist basically of family members with, at most, a few friends and relatives. And the district meetings have forty to fifty people, and do not afford as much opportunity for contact. But the group meetings have at most a dozen people. The opportunity for contact is great, and all are close to one another and see one another every week. This makes it easy to have the sense of being members one of another. We all know that no member of the body can be alone or isolated. The more the members of the body fellowship and mingle together, the healthier the body will be. This is like the constant physical exercise of a man improving his blood circulation. In the same way, in the group meetings where the number is not big, the members can easily contact and fellowship with one another, and be mingled together. Once there is the mingling, many problems are solved. Human relationships are delicate. If people are too far apart, it is easy for misunderstandings to occur; but if they are too close, it is easy to have problems. The best way is to have contact, yet with discretion. The group meeting has just such a function.
In the past we already knew that to keep the saved ones, we had to bring them into the small groups. Now in taking the new way, after three years of study, we are more clear concerning this point. From now on, our practice will consist of the home meetings on the small scale, and the district meetings on the large scale. Between the home meetings and the district meetings are the group meetings. The home meetings are the foundation. If there has not been a meeting in a brother’s or sister’s home for a while, this eventually will become a weak point, a leak, not only to the brother himself, but to the church as well. For the church to be strong, it is best for all the brothers and sisters to have home meetings. For the district meeting, however, we have made the decision that the basic number is fifty. Once the number exceeds eighty, it should be divided into two districts. Meanwhile, between the homes and the district must be the groups. Without the groups, there will not be any link, nor any means to uphold the brothers and sisters.
According to our experience, among the three kinds of meetings—the home meetings, the group meetings, and the district meetings—the most difficult one to have is the group meeting. The district meeting has at least thirty to forty people; it is not that difficult to take care of. But the group meeting has at most a dozen people; it is not that easy. Thirty years ago, we depended very much on the small groups. Looking back, I feel that the small groups then were not properly arranged. They were not like gardens, but rather like wild fields. Some small groups would not subdivide, even though their number reached more than a hundred. As far as I am concerned, I did not gain any experience from the former small groups. Therefore, how to have a group meeting is still a difficult problem to me. Many among you have attended three terms of training, have worked in the communities for a year and a half, and have experienced much. I would like to listen to your fellowship.