THE FOURTH SERIES:
THE PATHWAY OF THE LORD’S RECOVERY
Crucial Principles in the Administration of the Church
Message Eight—The Serving Ones in the Church
Scriptures Reading: 1 Tim. 3:5; 6:2-4; 1 Pet. 5:1-3; 1 Cor. 12:28
I. The service and coordination of the co-workers and elders in the church—1 Tim. 3:5; 1 Pet. 5:1-2:(CWWL, 1965, vol.4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 16)
A. The service of the elders—Rom. 12:8; 1 Thes. 5:12; 1 Tim. 5:17: (CWWL, 1965, vol.4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 16)
1. Taking care of the church and bearing responsibility for the administration of the church—1 Tim. 3:5; 5:17a. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 2: Leading the Saints to Practice the New Way Ordained by the Lord, msg. 16)
2. Teaching and shepherding God’s people—5:17b; 1 Pet. 5:1-2. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 2: Leading the Saints to Practice the New Way Ordained by the Lord, msg. 16)
3. Bearing the responsibility for and serving in only one Locality—Acts 14:23a; Titus 1:5. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 2: Leading the Saints to Practice the New Way Ordained by the Lord, msg. 16)
4. Attending to some other useful ones to produce useful serving ones. (CWWL, 1965, vol.4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 16)
B. The service of the co-workers: (CWWL, 1965, vol.4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 16)
1. Laboring in spiritual matters in coordination with the elders to build up the church, the Body of Christ. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 2: Leading the Saints to Practice the New Way Ordained by the Lord, msg. 16)
2. Being like the five prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch—Acts 13:1. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 2: Leading the Saints to Practice the New Way Ordained by the Lord, msg. 16)
3. Being sent by the Lord to do a spiritual work in other places—vv. 2-3. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 2: Leading the Saints to Practice the New Way Ordained by the Lord, msg. 16)
4. Taking care of the needs of all the churches. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 2: Leading the Saints to Practice the New Way Ordained by the Lord, msg. 16)
C. The elders and co-workers need to have thorough prayer together, being learned in the truth and able to teach people and finding ways to perfect the saints: (CWWL, 1965, vol.4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 16)
1. Having long-term prayer; the more they pray, the stronger and more open they will be in spirit, the more they will be in harmony with one another, and the more they will be one in spirit; this is the genuine coordination. (CWWL, 1965, vol.4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 16)
2. Helping them in three ways: they should teach them to pray together and be blended in spirit, they should teach them to study the truth, and they should gradually give them opportunities to speak a message, preach the gospel, or speak a brief word in the district group meetings; after their speaking, the co-workers can give them critique. (CWWL, 1965, vol.4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 16)
3. The exercise of the spirit requires patience and the paying of a price; studying both the simpler and the deeper truths. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 16)
II. The relationship, responsibility, and learning of the co-workers and elders in the churches—1 Pet. 5:1-3: (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
A. After establishing a church and appointing elders for its administration, the apostles still are responsible for and having authority concerning the church. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
B. Because the church’s administration is not independent of the apostles, the elders need to administrate the local churches according to the leading of the apostles. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
C. The apostles lead, support, adjust, and build up the churches instead of controlling them—5:2-3. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
D. The appointment and reordering of elders is based upon the level of life, without a tenure of office. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
E. In the service everyone needs to be in spirit; there are not distinctions of position. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
F. The problems and learning among the elders and co-workers: (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
1. Respecting the arrangement of the senior brothers and not making independent decisions. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
2. Always turning to the spirit to be clear about our position and weight. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
3. The apostles appoint, helps, and supports the elders. (CWWL, 1965, vol. 4, The Way of the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 18)
III. The responsibility and service of the elders and deacons in the church—1 Tim. 6:2-4; 1 Cor. 12:28: (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 5: Concerning Various Aspects of Church Service, msg. 9)
A. The service of the deacons—visitation, taking care of miscellaneous matter. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 5: Concerning Various Aspects of Church Service, msg. 9)
B. The relationship between the elders and the deacons: (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 5: Concerning Various Aspects of Church Service, msg. 9)
1. Having no distinction of order or rank. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 5: Concerning Various Aspects of Church Service, msg. 9)
2. There are not bosses or subordinates. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 5: Concerning Various Aspects of Church Service, msg. 9)
3. Having responsibilities without rank; having different functions but being members one of another—Rom. 12:4-5. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 5: Concerning Various Aspects of Church Service, msg. 9)
IV. The church is the Body of Christ, and Christ is the one Head; in the Body no member can come forth to rule over other members; instead, the many members in the Body are coordinated, and each member operates according to its measure and function.—Eph. 1:23; 1 Cor. 12:14-22. (Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 5: Concerning Various Aspects of Church Service, msg. 8)