CONTINUING OUR STUDY AND IMPROVEMENT
From now on, once every week we will have a study of the new way for its improvement. I hope that in every session of study we can draw a conclusion according to which you can all go and experiment again. Then perhaps the results achieved will be manifested. The main points of our study will be: Are the methods of the new way convenient? Are they economical in time, in energy, and in monetary expenditures?
According to my observations, at present we can draw several conclusions. First, although the time of our research has not been very long, visiting by door-knocking has definitely been proven to be an effective way. Second, if we want to proceed in the new way, the primary thing we need to learn is to deal with ourselves seriously that our inner condition may be proper. For example, do you have enough prayer? Are your sins completely dealt with? Do you have the infilling of the Holy Spirit? Is your spirit uplifted and released when you go out? All the other outward conditions are secondary, and they can be taken care of gradually. The first thing is that your person must be right. This means that your prayer must be sufficient and thorough, your sins must be dealt with thoroughly and completely, and your spirit has to be filled and saturated by the Holy Spirit so that your inner being is completely open, released, rich, and overflowing. Once this kind of spirit comes out, it can produce all kinds of effects; when it touches people, it can cause them to be open and released.
Third, when you visit people by door-knocking, do not think that it will be smooth and easy. On the contrary, you have to realize that there surely will be some difficulties. Someone said that he knocked on thirty to forty doors and none of them opened, so immediately he was disheartened. But I would say that you should not be discouraged because according to our reports, on the average only one in fifty doors we knock on opens up. Someone who researched business advertising said that if there is a two-percent response from the advertisements mailed out, the expenses will be recovered, and if there is a three-percent response, then there will be a profit. I also did a little research the door-knocking by the Mormons and the Jehovah Witnesses and found out that they get one open door only after knocking on hundreds and thousands of doors. Therefore, when you go door-knocking, you must have a proper attitude: An unopened door is not discouraging but rather a normal thing. You must be prepared that people are not going to open their doors. If everyone would open the door and were all predestinated by God, then would it be necessary for us to labor in this matter? I believe that God did not predestinate that many people. However, we also should not say that since God has not predestinated so many, we do not have to labor so much. This is not right. Whether or not God has predestinated a certain one, we do not know, but we must go and knock on the doors to visit people so that those who have been predestinated by God can be found. Therefore, do not be distracted by the fact that people do not open their doors.
Fourth, door-knocking requires certain skills. We need to know what to say when we meet someone and how to converse with him. We must study and learn this. The most important point is that you must avoid aimless speaking and learn to cope with all kinds of situations by remaining calm. Whether or not you are welcomed, you must always find a way to “promote your sales.” If someone would not open the door to invite you in but would speak to you only at the door, then you should take the opportunity to show him The Mystery of Human Life. Perhaps in one minute you will be able to gain him. Someone may say that he does not have time or that he believes in another religion, but do not pay attention to his excuse. You simply must try to seize an opportunity to show him your “merchandise.”
Fifth, according to Acts 1:8, the principle of door-knocking is to go from close by to far away; we must not give up the nearby ones for the faraway ones. As you are serving in the various meeting halls, you should first knock on all the doors in the neighborhood of the meeting hall. If you have a good plan, you will save effort and expense.
Sixth, you must always remember that your work must not be affected by the results. When the result is good, of course you can be happy, but do not be too happy. When the result is bad, you must not be affected and become discouraged. When you go to work, you definitely must have a goal, that is, to bring the Triune God to people, to bring the new believers into the church life, and to perfect them to get into the truth. You must have an accurate view of this goal and hold on to it firmly.
(The Revelation and Vision of God, Chapter 9, by Witness Lee)
