THE NEED FOR SUITABLE MEETING HALLS
IN DIFFERENT PLACES
Furthermore, we need suitable meeting halls. Brother Miao said that he has been to many places and that nowhere is the meeting hall as bad as the one here in Shanghai. In the winter it is cold, and in the summer it is hot. When someone gives a message, the audience is spread out over seven or eight different places; the listeners cannot see the speaker, and in some places they cannot even hear the speaking. We have to build a meeting hall that can seat three thousand right from the start and that can hold another two thousand if we add another level to it later. In total, we need a place that can seat five thousand.
Many people have been stirred up in Nanking already. Hence, Nanking also needs a meeting hall. In addition, we have to consider how to maintain a strong message meeting in Nanking.
Foochow also needs a meeting hall. At present, the meeting hall in Foochow is very hot in summer, and the windows are on the roof. What the brothers and sisters have offered up in these days is not enough to take care of these three meeting halls alone.
THE NEED FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE MAGAZINES
Before the war, we published on an average eighteen thousand copies of The Christian every issue. At its peak, we were publishing twenty-one thousand copies. The publication of one magazine alone requires seven hundred million dollars. This is only one magazine. There are three other kinds of magazines. Do not think that it is a simple thing to put out a magazine. As far as an individual is concerned, it is an embarrassing thing to ask for money. But here we are not afraid of misunderstanding. Every month, we need a lot of money.
THE NEED OF THE TRAINING WITH THE HOSPITALITY
One other thing needs to be mentioned. Among us, some want to serve the Lord, but there is no place where they can receive any training. This is a shameful thing. In two places, brothers wanted to learn to serve the Lord and were sent to seminaries. At present, the brothers in all the places can surely learn something in their own church regarding how to take care of affairs and how to participate in the work. However, at the same time, they need some specific trainings. At present, we have two hundred mous [Chinese acre] of land in Kuling. There are some houses there, but the preparation work is only half complete; there are still many things that are not yet ready. This time when we had a few dozen co-workers meeting there, the hospitality became a problem. Some had to sleep in the hospital nearby like patients on hospital beds, because the hospitality was not adequate. This is too poor. We have to consolidate the hospitality before we can meet the need.
GRASPING THE BEST OPPORTUNITY
TO OFFER UP EVERYTHING FOR THE GOSPEL
Today, we have to offer up all our time for the gospel. Once I was at a meeting, and I asked the attendants if there were over fifty young people among them. I discovered that all of them were above middle-age and I could not go on with what I was going to say. Today, if we have six hundred young people raised up among us, we will be busy all day long. Hence, we are short of people. At the same time, we need a few hundred or even a few thousand brothers who are holding jobs to provide the support. If we do not do this, we will have no way to take care of the work. Today, our work has to be done in a corporate way. In the past, we thought that as long as we would find the full-time brothers and would commit to them the responsibility of the gospel work, all the problems would be solved. But this is not the way today. Today, we need to take care of the work together. No other period of time has been as easy as today for the gospel to go out. The opportunity for the gospel will be over in an instant. In Manchuria, only two places are left where the gospel can still be preached. Although North China has not yet fallen completely to the Communists, other than along a few railway lines, all the other places can no longer afford us the liberty to preach the gospel. These days, if there are people who are strong enough, and if we have enough money, we can bring three or five thousand people to the Lord in Foochow within a month. Today, once a person touches the gospel, he is saved. If we want to give our all, now is the best time. Once a person touches the gospel, he is subdued. Why are we not able to send out more people? In these days, we are eager to go on in a fast way. I hope that some would rise up from among us right away. I am not asking a little from you; I am asking everything from you. In the Lord’s word, there is no such thing as half-hearted Christians. If a man wants to serve God, he has to offer up everything. If there is a group of people who will rise up to truly offer up everything, the world will see the church. Unless we serve in this way, God will have no way to go on. If we want to serve, we have to be absolute. If we are not absolute, we may as well not serve. What God wants is everything. What the Lord requires is also everything. Today, all those who are in their jobs, in their occupations, in their schools, or in their homes have to offer up themselves. We need all the people and all the money to be spent on China. Today is the best opportunity for the gospel to be preached.
(Messages Given During the Resumption of Watchman Nee's Ministry (2 volume set), Chapter 72, by Watchman Nee/Witness Lee)
