OUR COMMITMENT FOR OVERSEA PROPAGATION

Message Five
Blending in Local Lifestyle and Managing Local Language

Scripture Reading:

1 Cor. 9:19~20    For though I am free from all, I have enslaved myself to all that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew in order that I might gain Jews; to those under  law, as under law (though I myself am not under law), that I might gain those under law.And to the Jews I became as a Jew in order that I might gain Jews.

Blending in Local Lifestyle

The Lord’s recovery is spreading worldwide. In the various countries where the recovery is growing—for example, in Japan, Korea, and Indonesia—there are ways of living different from ours. Certainly the Lord’s recovery cannot require the Japanese, Koreans, and Indonesians to have the same way of living. Our way of living greatly affects our way of meeting. For example, in Korea it is easy to have morning watch extremely early, even at 5:30. However, if this practice is imposed on Americans, it will cause serious difficulties.

The various ways of living are seen in the instruments used for eating. The Americans and Europeans use a knife and fork, the Chinese use chop sticks, and the Indonesians use their fingers. Who can say which way is best? Because this is a very delicate matter, we need to take care of the feelings of others. If you visit Indonesia or Taiwan, you should follow the custom of the people there. Likewise those from Indonesia and Taiwan should do the same when they visit the West. If we want to eliminate ordinances, this must be our practice.

Due to the improvements in transportation and communication, the people of the world are becoming intermingled more and more. This is under the sovereignty of the Lord so that He can have the new man, the proper church life which includes all different peoples. Therefore, concerning our way of life, we all must learn not to impose requirements on others and not to have any ordinances. (Life-Study of Ephesians, ch. 23)

Managing Local Language

We may have growth in life, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, fellowship with the Lord without any barrier, a good character, and constitution with truth; however, if we do not have a good command of language, this will be a shortcoming. When I say that we must have a good command of language, I am referring not only to foreign languages but also to our mother tongue. If we intend to speak for the Lord but do not have an adequate vocabulary, even if we have a great deal of knowledge within us, we will not be able to adequately express any of it. If this is the case, then everything that we have learned will be in vain. We often hear people say, “I know a lot, but I do not know how to say it. I really understand this matter, but I do not know how to explain it.” It is useless to say this. If you do not know how to say what you know, then whatever you say will be in vain, and even if you try to say something it will be as if you have not said anything. For this reason, we must have much learning with regard to language. (The Economy of God and the Mystery of the Transmission of the Divine Trinity, ch. 12)

If the Lord gives us a feeling to go to Africa, we should equip ourselves with the local language. Since English is the common language in Africa, we should be equipped with English. If the Lord wants to send us to Latin America, we must study Spanish. We should be equipped in the truth, in languages, and in general knowledge. We should also know the world situation. Then we will be able to go out and propagate. Today the Lord’s recovery is on all five continents of the world; the pioneers are already there, cutting the way for us. All we need to do is to send people to strengthen them and help propagate. It would be good if we had two to three hundred saints who can speak Spanish and who are ready to go and propagate in Central and South America. Central and South America are open to us, but we have no one to send. (The Vision, Living and Work of the Lord’s Serving Ones, ch. 14)