This time during the Asia elders’ and co-workers’ meeting, besides the elders and co-workers on the whole island plus those from overseas churches, we have two hundred eighty full-time brothers and sisters who are here as participants. Approximately two hundred among them are involved in the gospel outreach work. The other eighty are trainees. Since January of last year, four groups have moved out to the villages for the spread of the gospel, and sixty-one churches have been raised up, bringing in approximately two thousand remaining fruit. In the past, the item which was most attacked was the Full-time Training. But today by looking at the manifested result, you can see for yourself whether that was something outward or something intrinsic. At present, doors are opened to the Lord’s recovery in all six continents of the world. Mainly they were opened through our publications and through the video and audio tapes of messages. In places like Mexico, Central America, and South America, it is not the opening of city after city, but the opening of whole continents. The need is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. Even Africa and India in Asia are also opened up, not to mention many other places. Even if we had many more people, they would not be able to meet the demand. We are truly short of manpower. In southern California alone, we are unable to meet the need.
For this reason, we have to continue with this training. Now the ones sent out from here are welcomed everywhere they go. They are very effective. Especially now that the Chinese-speaking meetings are springing up everywhere abroad like green shoots after the rainy season, the potential is very great.
However, there is still one thing which causes my heart to ache very much. From the time the Lord’s recovery moved from the mainland to overseas, that is, since 1949 when we came to Taiwan, it has been forty years already. Our standard and quality is still not high enough. Some places are still at the kindergarten stage; they are merely maintaining a minimum testimony. The Lord’s recovery on earth is involved in a work of education. We should be continually uplifted and deepened in truth and life. During the recent storm, I was generally aware of the criticisms in all the places. Please pardon me and give me the liberty to be a fool and to speak the words of a fool. I have no intention to rebuke anyone. I only ask you to remove your doubts and to throw them all away. These doubts are not only hurting others but are even the more hurting yourselves. I speak this word so that you will remove your doubts. The Lord’s recovery has absolutely no problem. If there is any doubt in you, I beg you to leave that behind. There is no problem in the Lord’s recovery. There is no problem in Taipei, and there is no problem in the United States. We have already said this clearly in the book The Fermentation of the Present Rebellion.
I have spoken all these words not for myself, but for you who have come from afar. You have sacrificed your time, your energy, and your money. You have laid aside your jobs and families to come here. I am very grateful for this. If you still have some doubts in you, they are unnecessary. There is nothing to worry about. The Lord’s truth is still among us. The Lord’s recovery has no problem. Hence, please take this frank little fellowship in love. I pray that the Lord would be merciful to me and also to you, that from today we would not speak much concerning this matter. I also hope that you would not discuss this matter behind our back anymore. Let the past be past. Forget the things that are behind, and press forward to the things that are before, so that we can all go on together.
(The Mysteries in God's New Testament Economy, Chapter 0, by Witness Lee)