LESSONS ON THE GOD-ORDAINED WAY

Lesson Eleven

Building Up the Habit of Contacting People (2)

Scripture Reading:

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and I set you that you should go forth and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give you.

Col. 1:28 Whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man full-grown in Christ;

Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Phil. 1:8-9 For God is my witness how I long after you all in the inward parts of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and all discernment,

Col. 4:2-4 Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving, Praying at the same time for us also, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ (because of which also I am bound), That I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.

I. Going out to visit people weekly—John 15:5, 16:

A. Going out to visit people is a part of our daily Christian life—John 15:5, 16:

1. Living a regular life and budgeting our time for going out to visit people.

2. Setting a definite goal and bearing remaining fruit—John 15:16.

B. Reaching people by going to where they are—Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 10:3-6, 19:5.

C. The law of effective contact—Col. 4:2-4; 1 John 1:7, Acts 4:31, 2 Tim. 4:2:

1. Praying—1 Thes. 5:17; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2-4.

2. Confessing—1 John 1:7.

3. Dealing with sins—v.8-9.

4. Being filled with the Holy Spirit—Eph. 5:18.

5. Exercising to continue steadfastly—Acts 2:46; Col. 4:2.

D. Following the law of multiplying, taking care of the principle of life:

1. The right procedure of multiplying is firstly preaching the gospel and secondly through small groups.

2. The utilization of a natural and worldly method is against the principle of the spiritual life.

3. Today we need to care for the goal as well as the method; the goal is to multiply, and the method is life.

E. Certain steps for the whole church to rise up to practice—1 Pet. 2:9; Rom. 12:1:

1. The elders’ leadership and stirring-up action—Acts 20:27, 32, 35.

2. The saints’ determination and consecration —Rom. 12:1:

a. Presenting our bodies to God as living sacrifices—Eph. 5:1-2.

b. Praying and being revived—Hab. 3:2.

c. Going to visit sinners on definite days—Eph. 5:16.

d. Exercising persistence, patience, and faith—1 Thess. 1:3.

3. The churches’ participation and prayer—1 Tim. 2:1-4.

II. Using the telephone to contact people—Col. 1:28:

A. We all must learn to use the telephone wisely; the telephone can be very useful.

B. We should use the telephone as much as we can; it is altogether a profit to call people by telephone.

C. We should begin to build up a habit to contact people by using the telephone.

D. We also can have morning revival with others over the telephone.

III. Contacting people before and after the church meetings—Acts 20:7-12:

A. Contacting people before and after the meetings is very important; if we contact people after a message, the results would be twice as great as our present results.

B. Learning to do our best to contact people—Luke 15:3-7.

IV. Some practical instructions for contacting people —Rom. 13:13-14; Phil. 1:8-9:

A. Learning to behave ourselves properly—Rom. 13:13.

B. Learning never to argue or debate with people—Phil. 2:14-15.

C. In contacting people it is always a help to make appointments.

D. The right time to ask someone to pray with us.

E. Learning not to spend your time in vain.

F. Always pray for your contacts—Phil. 1:8-9.

 

Excerpts from the ministry:

GOING OUT TO VISIT PEOPLE WEEKLY

Living a Regular Life and Budgeting Our Time
for Going Out to Visit People

This God-ordained way of preaching the gospel as a part of our Christian life is very workable. It depends upon whether we would take it and whether we have heard the Lord’s word spoken to us. His word to us is that we should abide in Him that we may bring forth fruit that He may be expressed and enlarged. For the Lord to give us such a charge is the greatest love. If the president of the United States would charge you to represent him, how would you feel? Such a charge would make you feel very dignified. His charge to you would be an expression of his love toward you. You would not tell him you are too busy or simply not interested in representing him.

Since I have been speaking concerning the God-ordained way for the past five years, many helpful matters have been discovered. But who among us would care to see the God-ordained way carried out? In the United States, God has arranged the situation for His children to live a proper life according to His Word, but most of God’s children in this country have abused God’s arrangement. Many Americans need to work only eight hours a day, leaving at least two to three hours in the evening free for them to do other things. Many are also free two days each weekend. Seeing how much free time we have, could we not separate just two or three hours during two of these days each week? Many of us can do this. If we live a regular life and budget our time, we can easily separate two periods of two or three hours each for fruit-bearing. This is the keeping of the commandment of the One who loves us, who has exalted us to such an extent that we can be His expression.

There must be a beginning point. We must be very definite in our going out to preach the gospel. We must make a budget. We should not be uncertain in any point. Furthermore, we should not have an unrealistically large budget. If we try to go out every day, we will probably fail. For the long run, it is probably best to go out just two days each week. This is a more practical budget for those brothers and sisters who must work at a regular job and for the sisters who have families to care for at home. Set your budget to go out twice a week during two set days, each time for two or three hours. Do it regularly, constantly, and definitely, unless you are too ill to go out. Disregard your emotions and just go out. Budget yourself in this way. (The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, pp. 55-56)

Setting a Definite Goal and Bearing Remaining Fruit

In our contacting of people, we should not expect to have a quick result. Rather, we should set a definite goal with a strong determination to gain at least one remaining fruit yearly, with inexhaustible patience and unceasing intercession. In 1986 and 1987 thousands of people were saved and baptized in a quick way in Taipei and Orange County, but not many of them have remained to become living members of Christ. In recent years, because we still expected a quick result and did not see that kind of result, many of us became discouraged and dormant regarding the contacting of people. This shows that we do not have the proper concept concerning the way to gain the increase.

We need to see and practice the way of fruit-bearing revealed in John 15. The real fruit-bearing in the Christian life is just like the vine. The vine does not bear fruit every day or many times a year. The vine bears fruit only once a year and only in a particular season. The fruit-bearing by the vine is both yearly and seasonal. As the living branches of Christ, the true vine, we should bear remaining fruit once a year.

According to John 15:16, we have been chosen by the Lord and set by Him to go forth and bear remaining fruit. Fruit-bearing is our destiny, and to bear remaining fruit every year must be our definite goal with a strong determination. However, in order to do this, we must not be loose or idle. Before the season for fruit-bearing comes, the vine tree is not idle. On the contrary, it is producing the fruit.

We need to live a certain kind of life. First, we need to abide in the Lord through unceasing prayer in intimate fellowship with Him (vv. 4-5). To abide in the Lord is to live in the Lord under all kinds of suffering. The vine suffers for many months before the season comes to bear fruit. Like the vine, we should expect to bear fruit only in season and through much suffering. Second, in order to bear remaining fruit, we need to labor diligently and pray desperately and unceasingly. We should exercise ourselves to always have two or three persons under our care so that one of these could be remaining fruit at the end of a year. As we labor on these people, we should not be anxious or be in a hurry concerning their progress. Instead, as we labor on them, we should enjoy Christ as our inexhaustible patience. We must keep in mind that the vital groups need to gain the proper increase through much prayer and labor. As we pray for people, we should not be discouraged or disappointed but should have the full assurance that at the proper time the Lord will answer our prayer and fulfill His word to us. If we live properly prior to the season of fruit-bearing, we can be assured that at the end of every year we will have one or two as remaining fruit. This is the God-ordained way of fruit-bearing. May the Lord carry this out fully in all the vital groups. (1993 Blending Conference Messages Concerning the Lord’s Recovery and Our Present Need, pp. 152-153)

Reaching People By Going to Where They Are

The God-ordained way to preach the gospel is by every believer going to visit people to preach the gospel to them personally and directly. The New Testament charges us to “go!” (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15). We must go to reach people by visiting them where they are. To visit people for the gospel preaching is not merely to knock on doors; it is to reach people where they are. The Lord Jesus Himself went to reach people (Matt. 4:18-22; 9:9; John 4:1-42), and He also sent the twelve to do the same (Luke 9:1-6). Then He sent seventy to go into every city and place to find the homes of the sons of peace (Luke 10:1, 4-5). Physically speaking, as one person, the Lord could not go to many villages to visit that many people, so He sent the seventy to do this visiting work. (The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, p. 62)

The Law Of Effective Contact

Praying, Confessing, Dealing with Sins,
and Being Filled with the Holy Spirit

When we go door knocking in the community and campuses, we must know how to do it. First, every time before we go out, we must have adequate and thorough prayers until we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Once we turn to our spirit and pray to the Lord, our inner being will be enlightened; we will sense many things that are improper, as if we have come to a mirror and see our real situation. At that time, we have to confess our sins; the more we confess the better. This will cause us to deal with our sins. Until we have nothing more to confess, this is the time we are filled with the Holy Spirit. When all of our trespasses and sins have been emptied out, the Holy Spirit will fill our entire being. Then we will have the boldness to go door knocking.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is like breathing. Breathing is a continuous matter. If we hold our breath for three minutes, we will die. Hence, every time we go to visit people, we first have to pray earnestly. Even though we had prayed yesterday, for our going out today we still have to pray again and come before the Lord for His shining. In our daily walk in the world we are always being defiled; thus, we need to be cleansed again and again. This may be likened to washing our hands. Although I do not usually do the cleaning at home and try my best not to touch anything dirty, I still have to wash my hands seven to eight times a day. In the same way, no matter how thoroughly you prayed and confessed to the Lord yesterday, you still have to pray thoroughly today before you go out to visit people and bring the Lord to them. You cannot save this time. You must pay the price for this. If we are serious in this matter, we will realize that it is not enough to spend merely three to five minutes to do it.

This is a definite rule: to pray until you are being filled with the Holy Spirit, you need the shining, and you need to confess your sins. The more we are quiet before the Lord, the more we are open toward the Lord, the more sense we would have within. When sense is the Lord’s speaking to us, it is the Lord’s shining. The Lord speaks to us by the sense we have. This sense becomes more and more clear, and there is more and more shining, we then see our mistakes. We need to confess and deal with the sins that we sense by the Lord’s shining one by one. Maybe you feel that the Lord is shining on you for you to see that your countenance toward your wife this morning was not right: So you immediately confess to the Lord, and the Lord says, “Now that you have confessed your sin, you need to go to your wife to apologize.” This puts you in a difficult position. If you stop here and do not go and apologize, you are finished. Under this kind of circumstance, it would not be effective for you to go door knocking. But amazingly, if you do go and apologize, then come again before the Lord, you will immediately be filled with the Holy Spirit. You will feel the air going through within. Your going out door knocking this time will be smooth. This is not a coincidence; rather, this is the spiritual law. If you have any knots within you that you cannot be freed from, how are you going to free others? If you are not even saved, how are you to save others? In other words, we need to first let the Lord save us to the uttermost until we are freed, then when we go out door knocking, we can save others. We might be able to be pretentious with other matters or persons, but we cannot be pretentious in this matter. One can tell by looking at the fruit. I hope that we would seriously exercise this matter before the Lord.

To pray, to confess sins, to deal with sins, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit will result in the boldness and the confidence. If you go out door knocking and have not prayed, your legs will be shaking, and you will not have power in your speaking. But thorough prayer, confessing of sins, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, not only you would have the boldness when door knocking, you would also have the confidence that the person you are visiting will be saved. If you have not been filled with the Holy Spirit, you might not even be able to speak a word out of your mouth. Once you are filled with the Holy Spirit, not only you have the power of speaking, you also have the authority over his salvation. If you say that he will be saved, he will be saved; if you say that he will not be saved, you wait a while, and he will not be saved. This is the effectiveness of prayer, confessing of sins, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. (Rising Up to Preach the Gospel (Chinese), pp. 87-89)

Exercising to Continue Steadfastly

Perhaps we cannot go out for door knocking every day, but there is one thing we can do: we can spend two to three hours each week for door knocking. We should not only visit those whom we know but also those whom we do not know. We should knock on all the doors in the district in which we live. Do not worry or be anxious. As long as we are willing to do it, we will be successful. (Rising Up to Preach the Gospel (Chinese), pp. 93-94)

Follow The Law Of Multiplying,
Taking Care Of The Principle Of Life

The Right Procedure of Multiplying Is Firstly Preaching the Gospel
and Secondly through Small Groups

What is the proper procedure of propagation? First, we should endeavor to preach the gospel; second, we should propagate through the small groups. If you do only these two things and not take the worldly ways, you will have the propagation and increase.

We should not criticize others; rather, we should be strict with ourselves. We cannot carry out the law and at the same time violate the principle of life. In the matter of propagation and increase, we might have carried out the right law but violated the law of the spiritual life. The result is like Lot’s—the children are born but cannot enter into the holy congregation, and they have also been condemned. In the past, many evangelists have saved thousands and millions of people; but in principle, those that were born were probably “Moabites” and “Ammonites,” who cannot enter the holy congregation of Jehovah. Today we have to carry out the law of propagation that God has ordained, but we also have to care for the principle of the spiritual life. Therefore, we need to be those who are orthodox. Our way should be correct, which is to endeavor to have the small groups. This is how we are different from Christianity. (Vessels Useful to the Lord (Chinese), pp. 134-135)

The Utilization of a Natural and Worldly Method Is
Against the Principle of the Spiritual Life

Other groups of Christians use natural and worldly ways to attract people. They use the ways of being social, of rock music, and of choirs with colorful robes. They use these ways to gain people, but we cannot use these ways. When people get saved and come into our meeting, they hear the pure word of God. We shared recently that the goal of Psalm 8 is to join the earth to the heavens and to bring down the heavens to the earth, making the earth and the heavens one. Someone hearing this may wonder what this has to do with his personal benefit and self-interest. But in our ministry we do not speak much concerning man’s personal benefit. We speak and have spoken Christ in every message year after year. I am so thankful to the Lord that many of us in His recovery are still eager to hear the things concerning Christ as the centrality and universality of God’s economy for His heart’s desire. I say again that this teaching is on another planet. Because of this, we cannot expect to have too high a rate in our increase. (The Christian Life, p. 58)

Today We Need to Care for the Goal As Well As the Method;
the Goal Is to Multiply, and the Method Is Life

Today we need to take care of the goal as well as the method; the goal is to multiply, and the method is life. I believe when we take care of the method and follow the law of multiplying, we will surely have the increase. Thirty years ago we took care of these two matters and the right result followed. Thirty years later we are still in the law of life, not loving the world, not touching sin, dutifully breaking the bread and praying regularly. Yet in the work, we do not follow the law of multiplying, not laboring to work out the small groups. We just wait and are idle and then the increase stops. Therefore, today we not only need to take care of the principle of the spiritual life, but also need to follow the law of multiplying. We cannot beget children by way of lawlessness and incest. We should beget children, and it is necessary, but we should not neglect the method and abandon the principle of the spiritual life. The way of the Lord’s recovery is broad and the future of the recovery is bright. I believe the Lord’s recovery may spread to all the continents under the principle of life with its restrictions. This will prepare a way for the Lord to have His bride and come back. (Vessels Useful to the Lord (Chinese), pp. 136-137)

Certain Steps For The Whole Church To Rise Up To Practice

The Elders’ Leadership and Stirring-Up Action

The first definite step needed for practicing the New Testament priesthood of the gospel depends on the eldership. The elders in every local church should exercise their leadership in preaching the gospel. As the New Testament priests of the gospel, they have to preach the gospel, and they have to stir up a gospel preaching atmosphere in their local church. The elders must take the lead to create such an atmosphere so that their church can be a gospel preaching church according to God’s ordained way. All the elders need to forget about the old way and pick up the new way. They should go out by themselves to practice the New Testament priesthood of the gospel. (The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, pp. 24-25)

The Saints’ Determination and Consecration

Presenting Our Bodies to God As Living Sacrifices

The saints need to make a determination and consecration. We must all make a strong determination that we will practice our God-given New Testament priesthood. Because of our determination, we have to consecrate ourselves, to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1). The best way to exercise and to practice is to preach the gospel to our close relatives—to our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. By doing this we will learn. (The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, p. 25)

Praying and Being Revived

Then we have to pray desperately. In our prayer, the Lord will shine over us. We will be exposed under His shining, and we will see all our failures, defects, and imperfections. We can then make a thorough confession and be revived by the Lord. We should not remain in our present passive situation. We must be aggressive and take the initiative in the spiritual life. (The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, p. 25)

Going to Visit Sinners on Definite Days

After being revived through our prayer, we must go to visit sinners on definite days to redeem our time. We must set aside a certain day and time each week and only use it for our priesthood of the gospel. We should not say that we have no time. As long as we have time to do other things, we surely have time to visit sinners. (The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, p. 25)

Exercising Persistence, Patience, and Faith

Then we must exercise persistence, patience, and faith. If we do not gain anyone in one year, we must thank the Lord that He has given us another year. We must be persistent. We still have to preach the gospel. If we speak Christ to others week after week, we will surely gain someone. Eventually, we will reach the goal. We all must exercise in the gospel with persistence, patience, and faith. (The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, pp. 25-26)

The Churches’ Participation and Prayer

To practice the New Testament priesthood of the gospel requires the churches’ participation and prayer. The churches should participate in the saints’ labor of visiting sinners with the gospel. The churches should also have prayer meetings to pray desperately for this. It is a great matter for the church to participate in and pray for the saving of sinners. (The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, p. 26)

USING THE TELEPHONE TO CONTACT PEOPLE

We All Must Learn to Use the Telephone Wisely;
the Telephone Can Be Very Useful

We all must learn to use the telephone wisely. The telephone can be very useful. Today there are some telephone salesmen who make over a million dollars a year. They are constantly calling people, one after another. We can use the telephone to make appointments with people to talk to them about Christ. We may even use the telephone book to call people. Simply pick a name and call: “Sir, I got your name from the phone book. I am a Christian who loves the Lord Jesus and would like to talk to you for a short time.” Most would reject you, but maybe three out of a hundred would receive you. Then you can visit these three. (The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, p. 67)

We Should Use the Telephone As Much As We Can;
It Is Altogether a Profit to Call People by Telephone

Today under the Lord’s sovereignty we have modern conveniences. The telephone is one of these. We should use the telephone as much as we can for the Lord’s interest. It is altogether a profit to call people by telephone. If possible, we may make two or three phone calls a day to the persons for whom we are concerned. The telephone may also be used for morning watch. Our calling people, however, should be done in a warm way from the Lord. (Elders’ Training Book 11, The Eldership and the God-ordained Way (3), p. 46)

We Should Begin to Build Up a Habit to Contact People
By Using the Telephone

I would propose that from tomorrow morning you begin to contact people by using the telephone. Before you drive away from your home, you can make at least one phone call to someone. This will begin to build you up with a habit to contact people, to know people, and to become interested in people.

We also need to contact people before and after the church meetings, especially the Lord’s Day morning meeting. This can be the best time for us to contact people. On Saturday we could call a certain brother and say to him, “Brother, I have seen you quite often, but I have not had a time to talk with you. How about we come to the meeting tomorrow half an hour earlier to have some fellowship for about twenty minutes?” This kind of contact with the saints helps a lot. (The Training and Practice of the Vital Groups, p. 72)

Having Morning Revival with Others over the Telephone

In addition to calling on the name of the Lord, we should tell them that we, the Christians, not only have to pray, but must read the Bible as well. For this reason, we need to teach them how to pray-read the Lord’s word. After this, we should start having a morning revival time with them the next morning. We should ask them to get up fifteen minutes earlier than usual and make an appointment to have morning revival with them over the telephone. In addition, we should ask them to start reading a chapter of the New Testament every night before they go to bed, starting from that very same evening. We can ask them to start from the book of Romans or from 1 Corinthians. This will not only assure them of having a good sleep, but will give them much long-term benefit. (The Vision of the Divine Dispensing and Guidelines for the Practice of the New Way, p. 24)

CONTACTING PEOPLE BEFORE AND AFTER THE CHURCH MEETINGS

If We Contact People after a Message, the Results Would Be
Twice As Great As Our Present Results

Another important thing to do is to contact people before and after the meetings. After a message, if we would go and talk to the people, the results would be twice as great as our present results. But if we merely preach without contacting people, the results will be half as great, and our words are liable to be empty and impractical. Only when we contact others do we know where they are. A doctor cannot prescribe medicine just by listening to some reports about a patient. He must have personal contact with the patient and talk to him before he can write out a prescription. (A Timely Trumpeting and the Present Need, p. 58)

Learning to Do Our Best to Contact People

I hope that all the co-workers and elders would learn to do their best to contact people. Even if they are very busy, they should still contact people. If you contact one person a day, in a year you will have contacted 365 persons. If a church has three elders and each contacts people every day, in a year’s time they will be able to contact all the saints many times. The effect of this is much higher than giving many messages. Today there are many brothers and sisters who need help. Hence, we have to do our best to contact them, to be concerned and care for them in love, and to strive to help and shepherd them.

In all the churches, the greatest need today is not the management of affairs, nor the preaching of messages, but the feeding and teaching of the saints one by one. …This way of teaching has the element of feeding with it. It is not just teaching, but feeding as well. Teaching of this kind is much more effective than preaching a sermon. For this reason, you must learn how to care for people, how to contact people, how to visit and shepherd people, and even how to teach people face-to face. This will produce great and lasting effects. Outwardly, we will not have the facade of a big meeting to show off, but actually, hundreds and thousands will be cared for. (Timely Trumpeting and the Present Need, pp. 58-59)

SOME PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTACTING PEOPLE

First, we must pick up the burden and make a definite resolution to contact people. We must build ourselves up with a new habit to contact people. In the bank, in the supermarket, on the street, and everywhere we need to practice contacting people until it becomes our habit. Probably a number of us have found out that we are not used to contacting people. When we see people approaching us on the street, we may turn away from them. Instead, we should always grasp the opportunity to talk to people. We should always keep gospel tracts in our pocket so that we can give them to the ones whom we contact. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, pp. 80-81)

Learning to Behave Ourselves Properly

When we go to visit people, we must learn to behave ourselves properly. Before going out to visit people, we must make sure that we dress properly to have a proper appearance. We need to be adjusted by the Lord in the way that we talk and in our gestures so that we can reach people. We should not be loose in anything. Contacting people properly is not an easy thing.

Always wait till your contact opens up. It is always a help to listen to him. Eventually, you can let him know that you are a Christian, not a preacher, and that you love the Lord Jesus. Always wait to see how he would respond to you. You may find out that it would be appropriate to read a few paragraphs from the booklet The Mystery of Human Life with him. Or you may feel it is better to give him the tract entitled God. You should get yourself acquainted with the contents of these gospel tracts so that you can impart them into the new ones. We need to learn much in order to be effective in taking care of people. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, p. 81)

Learning Never to Argue or Debate with People

Also, you should learn never to argue or debate with people. Argument and debate never work out anything. On the other hand, you should not agree with people too quickly nor should you agree with whatever they say. Otherwise, they may think that you are a “yes man.” You have to show people your carefulness. When you are not loose and careless, this will add weight to your speaking. Otherwise, the other party may consider that your speaking is a light word with no gravity, no weight. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, p. 81)

In Contacting People It Is Always a Help to Make Appointments

In contacting people it is always a help to make appointments. But this does not mean that we should contact people only by making appointments. We should talk to people at any time. The Lord Himself is the factor, the reason, and the purpose for us to go out to contact people. He will honor our doing, and today He is the Spirit within us. When we go to contact people, we have to believe that the Lord is going with us. Our speaking is His speaking. We speak Him into people. We should never forget to minister Christ to others. We should never forget to pass on God, the living God, to people. Even if we just speak with someone for one minute, we should still minister Christ and pass on God to him. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, p. 82)

The Right Time to Ask Someone to Pray with Us

One more critical thing for us to learn is the right time to ask someone to pray with us. This can be compared to cooking food. You have to know what time to stop cooking. Otherwise, what you cook can be spoiled by being either raw or overdone. All good cooks know when to stop their cooking. After one big gospel meeting, D. L. Moody contacted a person who was an unbeliever. At the critical moment of time when the person was about to pray, another person came in. It was raining outside and this person came in with an umbrella. A noise was made with the umbrella which distracted the other person. After that disturbance, the person would not pray to receive the Lord. This shows how important it is to pray with people at the right time. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, p. 82)

Learning Not to Spend Your Time in Vain

You also have to learn not to spend your time in vain. When you contact people, you should always discern whether or not you should make this person a constant contact. To invite people to dinner is good, but you should not do this too quickly or too early. After a number of contacts you may realize that the time is ripe for you to invite someone to your house or for you to be invited by him. All of your contact with people should not be carried out in a light or loose way. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, p. 83)

Always Pray for Your Contacts

Furthermore, you should always pray for your contacts. Do not say that you do not have the time. Even if you are really busy, you can still pray while you are walking out the door, “Lord, help me today to meet the proper person.” As you are driving to work you can continue to pray. This is the real prayer, not the routine prayer. Surely it is good to have a set time to pray, but praying while you are walking out the door or driving to work in your car may be even more effective. Wherever you are, you can pray. Remember all your contacts before the Lord, and pray for them. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, p. 83)

References: The Exercise and Practice of the God-ordained Way, Msgs. 3, 6, 7; 1993 Blending Conference Messages Concerning the Lord’s Recovery and Our Present Need, Msg. 7; Rising Up to Preach the Gospel (Chinese), ch. 5; Vessels Useful to the Lord (Chinese), chs. 5, 8; The Christian Life, ch. 5; Elders’ Training Book 11, The Eldership and the God-ordained Way (3), ch. 5; The Vision of the Divine Dispensing and Guidelines for the Practice of the New Way, ch. 2; A Timely Trumpeting and the Present Need, ch. 4. The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, Msgs. 6, 7.