THE PRACTICE HANDBOOK FOR THE DISTRICT SERVING ONES

SERIES TWO
THE GOD-ORDAINED WAY AND VARIOUS KINDS OF MEETINGS

Message Thirteen
Preparing the Right Kind of Reading Material
for Different Meetings

Matt. 24:45   Who then is the faithful and prudent slave, whom the master has set over his household to give them food at the proper time?

2 Tim. 2:2     And the things which you have heard from me through many witnesses, these commit to faithful men, who will be competent to teach others also.

 

PREPARING THE RIGHT KIND OF READING MATERIAL

IN THE PRINCIPLE OF DISTRIBUTING FOOD
AT THE PROPER TIME

Distributing Food at the Proper Time

Matthew 24:45 says that the faithful and prudent slave distributes food to God’s children at the proper time. The meaning of distributing food to God’s children at the proper time is profound. It does not mean merely to distribute food according to the seasons but to distribute different kinds of food according to the varying needs. This is something that requires time and research. Suppose we meet a new one, and without any regard for his condition we begin to share with him about the seventy weeks in Daniel. It is true that we are speaking God’s word, but that kind of “distributing of food” does not nourish him. Instead, it kills him. God’s word is life, but if we do not use it in a proper way, it becomes a killing factor to others. It can spoil a person’s appetite; the taste to come to the meeting will be spoiled because what he has heard has not benefited him.

I may have exaggerated a little, but I want us to see the absolute necessity of preparing the right kind of reading material for different meetings. This is in the principle of distributing food according to the proper time. The advancement of the various kinds of meetings hinges on this very matter. Whether or not a meeting brings profit to a person, attracts him, or stirs up the desire within him to join depends fully on this matter. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 2, “Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 1: The Vision and Definite Steps for the Practice of the New Way,” msg. 11)

The Most Dangerous Thing Facing the Church
Being a Lack of Food

As full-time serving ones, we have more time, and we have received more perfecting in life and truth than most saints. If we cannot supply the ministry of the word, how can we expect other brothers and sisters to rise up and function? We can never shirk the responsibility of ministering the word. This responsibility is ours.

When I sit among the full-time serving ones in a meeting, I often feel sorrowful, not because they have done something offensive but because they have not given the saints food. Nevertheless, the full-time serving ones sit there and are peaceful, meeting after meeting. Inevitably, a question arises within me concerning whether their inward being is bright and sharp. If the apostle Paul were to observe such a situation, he would have said something. None of us should go to prayer meetings, bread-breaking meetings, and fellowship meetings and watch the time and the meeting go by tastelessly yet inwardly have no feeling. This is an indication that we have no eyes. If we were full of eyes, we would feel that this situation cannot continue.

The most dangerous thing facing the church at the present time is a lack of food. The saints are suffering from hunger, from famine. They are poor and weak. We cannot imagine the kind of problems such a situation will generate. This is a serious problem.

The Serving Ones Needing to Prepare Food for the Saints
and Supply Them with Food

We need to see that the great need in the church is to nourish the saints. Whenever the saints come to a meeting, they are coming to a feast in order to eat and receive a supply. As serving ones, we should consider what we are offering on the table and whether the food is sufficiently nutritious. We need to consider whether or not there is sufficient food and drink in the meeting. We must have feelings in regard to this matter. We cannot allow the meetings to continue in the present manner. We should not think that this is the elders’ or other people’s business. We should have the feeling that it is our responsibility if the saints are suffering from hunger.

The serving ones should prepare food for the saints and supply them with food. At present this is the greatest need. We need to learn how to supply food and how to seize the opportunity to use our time to prepare the food. If we do not know how to seize this opportunity, even if we had more time, we would not be able to meet the need of this famine. Our situation now is one of famine. In regard to the building up of the saints, the ministry of the word, visitation, and spiritual supply, we are in the midst of a famine. We are short in all these aspects. (CWWL, 1957, vol. 1, “The Ground of the Church and the Service of the Body,” msg. 9)

Preparing a Living Word for Each Kind of Meeting

This is a desperate, life or death situation. It is up to the elders, the helpers, and the co-workers in your locality. Come together to pray and find a way to get one or more persons charged to prepare messages, a living word for each kind of meeting. This would not be a hard thing if you have the heart to do it, because we have the groceries in all the messages of the ministry.

However, you cannot simply pull out a message and apply it to a meeting. This does not work. The shoes will not fit the feet. You need to work, to labor. The messages are only the groceries. You cannot put groceries on the dining table for people to eat. You need to do the cooking. To invite someone to bring a meal to you is to rely upon fortune. It depends upon what he will bring. He may bring barbeque, yet one side may be raw. You yourself must go to the rich groceries, message after message, pick up some good points, and put them together to make a living message, short, brief, yet to the point. You must also train all the attendants to have the ability to use the message. This will be living, this will be enriching, and this will be very attractive.

In 2 Timothy 2:15 Paul says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman, cutting straight the word of the truth.” Cutting straight the word of the truth is the cooking. As an unashamed workman, you have to cut the word straight as in carpentry. When you pass on the word to others, you should not simply present the word as a whole. You have to cut it, that is, to cook it. If you expect to have a living church in your locality with prevailing home meetings, it is crucial for you to prepare a living message every week that will be very applicable, useful, and prevailing. Do not merely pick up a Life-study message and use the first paragraph on the page. That will not work. You cannot simply buy groceries and place them unprepared on the table. You need the cooking. This must be your labor as elders. Otherwise, you had better all resign and give place to others to let them come in to try. Do not remain there to delay the Lord. See whether others could do it, even if you have to use the young people. I have been considering to bring the young people into this work and let them try. If the first generation cannot do it, let the second generation do it. Even my grandchildren can do many things much better than I can. There is such a need to have the prevailing home meetings, but the key, the crucial point, is the preparation of a living message.

Having Different Meals to Feed Different People

I would not prepare such messages for all the churches and charge the churches to read the same message. Each of the many churches in this country needs a different kind of spiritual help each Lord’s Day. Different churches on different Lord’s Days need a different supply. You cannot serve the same kind of meal to everyone in a hospital. To those with stomach trouble you need to serve a certain kind of meal. For those with heart problems you need another kind of meal. You must have different meals to feed different people.

For a mother to serve the family by cooking is not an easy thing. My wife serves me every day. She has to decide every day what she should serve, what will be nutritious and easy to digest. The elders must pick up this responsibility. Otherwise, you should not expect to have a living church in your locality; it would be impossible. First Timothy 3:1 says, “If anyone aspires to the overseership, he desires a good work.” I encourage you all to aspire, but I condemn any kind of ambition without the sense of responsibility.

You must prepare a good message for the general meeting. To merely charge one person to do it is not adequate. It is too heavy for one to bear. The best way is for all the elders, the helpers, and the co-workers to work together to prepare a living message and charge a particular one to deliver this message in a living way. The way to deliver or present the message should be discussed and fellowshipped among those who prepare it. Be assured you will have a good message. This will edify you as the elders, the helpers, and the co-workers. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Elders’ Training, Book 8: The Life Pulse of the Lord’s Present Move,” ch. 4)

PREPARING THE RIGHT KIND OF READING MATERIAL
IN ALL OUR MEETINGS

In all our meetings we should emphasize the Lord’s Word. During the bread-breaking meeting we can choose some practical, concise, and meaty portions for everyone to pray-read and enjoy. We can then share and testify concerning these portions. This will satisfy the Lord and minister to our needs. For the prayer meeting we can choose some messages on service that open up the basic spiritual principles of service. In the home meetings there should be some short messages for edification besides the fellowship, prayer, hymns, and greetings. This will help to raise up the new believers. We do not like to see people come to our meetings without learning something of God’s Word or without God’s Word being ministered to them. We hope that in every meeting some word from the Lord is released and ministered to the brothers and sisters. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 2, “Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 1: The Vision and Definite Steps for the Practice of the New Way,” msg. 11)

The Home Meetings

I am quite concerned for our meetings, especially for the home meetings. I do not have a bit of confidence in someone’s speaking in each of the home meetings. Just for one gathering of every local church, the speaking has already been a hard problem. For your church to take care of one gathering with a proper message given has been and still is a problem. If you could not handle the speaking for one group so well, how will you be able to handle the speaking for many groups? This is why I do not have the confidence in this practice. I do have the confidence, however, in your laboring in the Word to learn how to prepare the messages, using all the groceries in our present, existing publications. If you are willing to do this and learn how to do this, you will enjoy a success.

For the small gatherings it is better to prepare some living messages consecutively, week after week. These messages should be according to the present need of your local church. You need to consider what the best word would be to take care of the present need in your locality. Also, the ones who are going to take care of the home meetings should be trained and should learn how to be flexible. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Elders’ Training, Book 8: The Life Pulse of the Lord’s Present Move,” ch. 5)

Every Meeting Needing a Short Portion of the Ministry

Every meeting needs only a short portion of the ministry as the material for the home meeting. For example, the book The Living Needed for Building Up the Small Group Meetings is very good material. The first chapter speaks of “A Living That Is out of the Holy Spirit and through the Human Spirit” The elders can choose four or five pages as the content for the home meetings and ask the brothers and sisters to read the material on their own before the meting. They can then read it together in the meeting. The saints do not come to the home meetings to listen to a message; they come to read a message together. When we read, we should not be formal. We must all exercise our spirit. Then we will absorb all the nutrients in the message.

Preparing Simple, Home- Cooked, Healthy “Meals”
for the Home Meetings, Not Big “Feasts

The elders and co-workers in the localities cannot merely speak about the home meetings without giving the saints material to read in the meeting. In a meeting hall of three hundred people two or three full-time brothers can spend time to pray and seek the Lord in order to prepare material for the home meetings. We have many books that can be used. Inviting a famous person to speak does not necessarily make the meetings richer or more enlightening than reading material from our publications. Why should we give up the supply that we have? Why do we not use the material that is already prepared? Our problem is that the brothers and sisters are used to the big meetings, not the home meetings, and the elders and co-workers are not used to leading the home meetings. The best material for the home meetings is the Life-studies. The elders and co-workers must learn how to prepare simple, home- cooked, healthy “meals” for the home meetings, not big “feasts. If we can prepare material for three hundred sixty-five days and distribute it to the saints, they will have nourishing food to eat when they gather in their meetings. The result will be that everyone will have a good appetite, and they will be nourished. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Three Crucial Matters for the Increase and Building Up of the Church—Begetting, Nourishing, and Teaching,” msg. 2)

Carefully Selecting the Proper Material
for the Home Meetings

We must carefully select the proper material for the home meetings. We need to spend an adequate amount of time to pray thoroughly, to observe the condition of the brothers and sisters, and to understand the need of all the homes and the groups. We need to know their conditions, and then we should search out the suitable material from our publications. A mother, in preparing a meal for the family, should consider the condition of all the members of the family. Sometimes one member of the family is sick, and she needs to prepare special food for that one. Sometimes the season changes, and she needs to shop for the proper kind of food. All this takes research as well as common knowledge.

We cannot be nonchalant in the kind of material we use for the home meetings. It is not that as soon as we have a new book, we automatically pass it on to the homes and the groups for their study. This can be compared to a mother going to the market and buying a cartload of watermelons simply because the melons are fresh and inexpensive. If she does that, some who have ulcers will end up in a worse predicament. We may say, “This is too difficult. Who can do this?” Even if this is difficult, we still must do it. If the co-workers and the elders do not do it, it will be harder for the other brothers and sisters to do it. If we make the effort to learn, sooner or later we will pick up the way. The most important thing is to take this matter seriously. We must meet the need of men in a solid way. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 2, “Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 1: The Vision and Definite Steps for the Practice of the New Way,” msg. 11)

Providing the Proper Material for the Supply of Life

Every time we have a home meeting, we must provide the proper material for the supply of life. We must all learn to use such material. Do not be legal or inflexible in using the material. At times we may come to deep and lofty points. Depending on the actual need, we may want to skip over some of these points or cover them in a brief way. Any Scripture reference listed at the beginning of a lesson or chapter should be pray-read. Ultimately, we still need the supply of the Lord’s word for spiritual nourishment. If we do this, the meetings will become living. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 2, “Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 1: The Vision and Definite Steps for the Practice of the New Way,” msg. 12)

The Group meetings

Exercising Diligently to Prepare Material

In the fellowship meeting of a small group, we must always have the Lord’s word; otherwise, there is no focus. We are not experienced enough to speak without preparation; therefore, we need to prepare the material. We cannot find material that is as complete as the Recovery Version and the Life-study messages. However, we do not need to be a tape recorder and mechanically recite what is in the books. Rather, we should be chefs that use the material in the books to prepare a delicious dish. We even do not need to buy groceries, because all the material is found in the footnotes of the Recovery Version and in the Life-studies. We only need to study to determine what portions in the Life-study should be used in the meeting.

The footnotes of the Recovery Version and the Life-study messages are in our hands. There is no stipulation that we can use only one message; we simply need to pray concerning which paragraphs to use. From a message of fifteen pages, we might select only three pages to read in the meeting. As we fellowship with the saints, we can explain certain portions. In this way the message becomes living, full of light, and full of the life supply. If every small group would pursue and enter into the truth in this way, it will be easier for the elders to lead the church, and the church will advance. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 2, “The Proper Aggressiveness of the Lord’s Serving Ones,” msg. 5)

Giving Them the Proper Portions

Once we gain some new ones, we need to study to find the way to take care of them. I have been considering what materials would be the best to use in the group meetings to teach people. We have both Life Lessons and Truth Lessons. Although these lessons are very well written, I feel that they are not so suitable, because they may be too much for the new ones to digest. Even The Holy Word for Morning Revival may not be suitable for the new ones in the group meetings. It is not good to feed people too much food; we need to give them the proper portions. In Hebrews 5:12-14 Paul mentions two kinds of food: milk and solid food. We should not attempt to nourish a child with solid food. Hence, we need someone to labor in order to write some suitable materials for the group meetings that will nourish the new ones with milk. In order to have the profitable teaching and fellowship in the group meetings, some materials that can serve as a guideline are needed. I hope that some of the brothers will be raised up by the Lord to compose some proper writings for the group meetings.

It is not adequate to prepare lessons for just one year and then repeat them year after year. After a group finishes a series of lessons, they will need a way to continue. In addition, new ones will be brought in continually. We will need a way to teach them also. The matter of human education has been studied by mankind for six thousand years. Today nearly the entire world has adopted the same kind of educational system. However, the way of human education cannot be applied directly to the church life. Therefore, we need to study to find a proper way to teach the truth in the group meetings. (CWWL, 1991-1992, vol. 3, “Fellowship Concerning the Urgent Need of the Vital Groups,” msg. 4)

Releasing the Light from the Truth and 

Supplying the Riches of Life in Every Meeting

Suppose we use the Life-study of Romans. The content is rich and inexhaustible, but when we release the light from the truth and supply the riches of life in the small group, we do not have to present every point. As long as there is some light and some of the riches of life are supplied, our goal is achieved. We do not need to learn the entire book of Romans as if we were a theologian. The food that we need is in the Life-study of Romans. We can select portions from the Life-study for the saints to read. Even if the saints do not understand the Epistle to the Romans, as they continue to attend the meetings, they will be enlightened and supplied with life from the riches in the book of Romans. In this way, the goal of the small group meeting will be attained. This brief instruction requires our practice. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 2, “The Proper Aggressiveness of the Lord’s Serving Ones,” msg. 5)

The Lord’s Table Meetings

The Lord’s table meetings should not be longer than one hour. The remaining half hour can be used to read a life-nourishing message. According to my observation, even though we spend the time after remembering the Lord to share our testimonies, there is not much enjoyment. Many people do not speak in the meetings because they are afraid that if they speak, they will expose their condition. This gives those who do not care about being exposed the opportunity to speak in every meeting. However, their speaking is not short; they speak for a long time and ruin everyone’s appetite for the meeting. The responsible brothers are afraid of offending those who speak long and do not say anything to them; thus, everyone must endure their speaking. From now on, after breaking bread, those who have something of content should share it. After their sharing, we will read a life-nourishing message together. No one should speak carelessly on matters that are unrelated to the topic of the message. We must ensure that every time the brothers and sisters come to the meeting, they enjoy fellowship with the Lord and are supplied with life. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Three Crucial Matters for the Increase and Building Up of the Church—Begetting, Nourishing, and Teaching,” msg. 2)

Half an Hour Being Spared in the Meeting
to Speak a Short, Nourishing Message

For the Lord’s table meeting it would be good to select some good messages on life and on the life supply according to your study and memory. I call these nourishing messages to bring in a certain amount of nourishment to all the dear saints who come to remember the Lord. After the remembrance rendered to the Lord, half an hour can be spared in the meeting to speak a short, nourishing message. I believe that everyone will receive the nourishment. I have gone to some Lord’s table meetings where this was practiced, and I must testify that I received much nourishment. Therefore, I have the assurance that this can nourish people. I did not speak anything. I sat there and listened to the speaking of those two or three pages, and I got fully nourished. I have the assurance that no one who speaks something could render such a good, brief, crucial, and important word to the saints. These messages can be composed of selected excerpts from our publications. This is the line of nourishment for the Lord’s table. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Elders’ Training, Book 8: The Life Pulse of the Lord’s Present Move,” msg. 5)

Needing Something Solid to Feed the Attendants

You need to prepare a message for the end of the Lord’s table to nourish the attendants. They will not receive much if they only take the bread, drink the wine, and have some spiritual prayers. You need to feed them something solid with a living message. Simply take half an hour, and leave some time for them to share. Without such a solid message there will only be the sharing of the saints. They will tire of doing this week after week. Every Lord’s Day at the end of the table meeting, we need something solid to feed the attendants. This will attract them to come back.

The Prayer Meeting

It is the same with the prayer meeting. This is why the prayer meeting is reducing in size. When we met in Elden hall, from ninety to one hundred percent of the saints were in the prayer meeting. Now less than one-fourth attend many of the church prayer meetings. I have attended some meetings and counted the number. If out of two hundred saints forty would be in the prayer meeting, some would be excited. This is the poor situation. You should not blame them for not coming. Their coming is somewhat in vain. They come simply to hear some repeated prayers. Every week they nearly pray the same thing. Although the words may be different, in principle, the prayers are always the same. Who would want to attend this meeting? (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Elders’ Training, Book 8: The Life Pulse of the Lord’s Present Move,” msg. 4)

Encouraging the Brothers and Sisters
to Attend the Prayer Meetings

We must encourage the brothers and sisters to attend the prayer meetings. After the prayer meetings we can spend half an hour to fellowship about the spiritual principles of serving, how to follow the Lord’s leading, how to serve people, or how to take care of the meetings. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Three Crucial Matters for the Increase and Building Up of the Church—Begetting, Nourishing, and Teaching,” msg. 2)

Taking Half an Hour to Speak the Spiritual Principles
of the Lord’s Service

Then you should also select some spiritual messages from our publications on another line—the spiritual principles of the Lord’s service. At the end of each prayer meeting take half an hour to speak a short article on the spiritual principles of the Lord’s service. Do not despise small things. For the long run this will be very profitable. The saints will receive enlightenment through the speaking of some messages on the spiritual principles of the Lord’s service every week. Those who attend the Lord’s table will also receive some nourishing messages week by week throughout the year. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Elders’ Training, Book 8: The Life Pulse of the Lord’s Present Move,” msg. 5)

There will then be three meetings every week in which we read messages—home meetings, bread-breaking meetings, and prayer meetings. In one year we will read more than one hundred fifty messages. In this way we will have nourishing and teaching. We must not emphasize the big meetings any longer. On the contrary, we must emphasize the home meetings. Then the function of the home meetings will be manifested, and people will be successfully brought to salvation, cared for, and supported. Furthermore, on the Lord’s Day morning we should go over Truth Lessons in separate classes. The classes can be divided according to the level of the spiritual education of the saints. In this way every person in this large family will be healthy and strong. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Three Crucial Matters for the Increase and Building Up of the Church—Begetting, Nourishing, and Teaching,” msg. 2)

Surely Having a Success
If You Spend Much Time to Prepare the Materials

For the home meetings, the Lord’s table, and the prayer meeting, we need to cook a living message. …We need to labor in the Word. I cannot eat for you, and there is no shortcut way to get the spiritual food into your being. The elders need to come together with some helpers and some full-timers to get into all the publications and prepare material for the meetings.

You need to get into all the messages and digest all the portions. Out of your digestion you can make a message. This is the best and most prevailing way. Use your time and do your best to labor. You may not have that much time, but use what time you have, trying your best to do something. It is much more prevailing if you digest portions of the written ministry and then put these excerpts together to make a message.

Materials should be prepared for all the different meetings of the church. By the Lord’s mercy He has given us many messages and has opened up the entire New Testament to us. I do not mean that He has opened up the New Testament to us in the fullest way. I still believe that the Lord will show us more and more in the future, but thank Him that He has really opened up His word in the New Testament to us. Many publications are here for you to labor on. It is easy for you to pick up the “groceries” that you feel fit your present need. You can select some groceries to cook a proper meal for your church at any time according to the condition or situation of the church in your locality. If you would do this and if you know how to do it, you will surely have a success. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Elders’ Training, Book 8: The Life Pulse of the Lord’s Present Move,” msg. 5) 

 

Discussion:

1.    How to know the needs in different meetings in the church?

2.    What are the available materials?

3.    How to search for proper materials and organize them?