RECOVERING THE LITERATURE WORK
We also need a full recovery in our literature work. There are four magazines that need to be recovered. The first is The Christian, and we ask Brother Witness Lee to be responsible for it. The second is The Present Testimony, and we ask Brother Yu Cheng-hwa to be responsible for it. The third is The Glad Tidings, and we ask Brother Stephen Kaung to be responsible for it. The fourth is The Open Door, and I myself will be responsible for it. In addition, we need some gospel tracts, and we will ask Brother Chang Yu-chi to be responsible for them. There is urgent need in the publication of books, and the cost will run up to a few hundred millions or even a billion dollars.
THE WHOLE BODY SERVING
We expect to see the whole church rising up to preach the gospel, and all the brothers and sisters serving God together, rather than three or five people serving by themselves. The works that the church has to do are, first, the preaching of the gospel, which should not be the responsibility of those who are giving the messages only. The second is the gospel visitation, which is conducted in the homes. The third is the visitation of the new believers. The fourth is the perfecting of the new believers, and the fifth is the care for the poor.
A. Preaching the Gospel
1. Mobilizing All the Brothers and Sisters
The first kind of service is the preaching of the gospel. The brothers responsible for the preaching of the gospel should promote the gospel work in all the districts, schools, and in all the other places. These few brothers should not just be responsible for the preaching itself but should be responsible for mobilizing others to preach the gospel. Whether or not our work can be successful depends not only on how well the responsible brothers themselves are serving, but on how much the other brothers and sisters are serving. Today in Christianity, there are no priests; there are only pastors. But among us, we have to put all the one-talented ones to use. When all the one-talented ones rise up, we will have the church. If you replace their functions, you are wrong. The right thing to do is to help them along in their work.
2. Not Being Negligent,
and Not Being Covetous for Gains
At the same time, if you are a person who is not serious, and who is loose and irresponsible, you cannot serve God. Today, we cannot serve God in a careless or negligent way. I am not hired by the church; I am not receiving the church’s salary. I am not a hireling. I am here to serve God. As such, I cannot be negligent. Others may have to sleep on the floor in order to get their work done. I have to be more desperate than they are; I have to sleep under the floor. If a man cannot be negligent in serving the earthly things, how much more must he not be negligent in serving God? We are not here for money. To serve the Lord, we cannot ask anyone for anything, not even a bowl of rice. We serve because we love the Lord.
3. Everyone Participating
Every week we should have a gospel meeting, and every brother and sister should go and invite people to come to this meeting. This should be the responsibility of all the members. Never allow the brothers and sisters to develop the habit of asking what the meeting that night is about. If it is going to be a gospel meeting, do not let them say, "All right. I will go home and sleep." You have to say to such brothers, "No. Now that you realize that it is a gospel meeting, you have to rise up immediately, because you have a part in this meeting."
(Messages Given During the Resumption of Watchman Nee's Ministry (2 volume set), Chapter 70, by Watchman Nee/Witness Lee)
