THE FOURTH SERIES:
THE PATHWAY OF THE LORD’S RECOVERY
Crucial Principles in the Administration of the Church
Message Thirteen—The Key to the Increase in the Church—the Vital Groups
Scripture Reading: S.S. 1:2-4; Acts 2:46-47; Rom. 15:16
I. The vital group is the life line of the God-ordained way; as long as we have not touched the group meetings, we have hardly begun to practice the God-ordained way—Acts 2:46-47. (2000 ITEROF, Evening sessions, msg. 2)
II. The three particular enemies today—deadness, lukewarm, and bareness—Rev. 3:1-2, 14-16; John 15:2: (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, msg. 2)
A. The deadness of Sardis—Rev. 3:1-2. (2000 ITEROF, Evening sessions, msg. 2)
B. The lukewarm of Laodicea—vv. 14-16. (2000 ITEROF, Evening sessions, msg. 2)
C. The bareness of the degenerating believers—John 15:2a. (2000 ITEROF, Evening sessions, msg. 2)
D. We all have to hate deadness, lukewarm, and bareness; we must seek to be vitalized in desperation, considering this to be a matter of life or death; we must carry out the practice of the vital groups in desperation. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, msg. 2)
III. The start of the vital groups—S.S. 1:2-4; John 15:2-5: (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, msg. 8)
A. The vital groups cannot be formed in an organizational way. (1993 Blending Conference Messages concerning the Lord’s Recovery and Our Present Need, msg. 7)
B. The vital groups are produced only by a saint who dedicates everything in desperation, and is absolutely for the increase of the Lord’s Recovery: (1993 Blending Conference Messages concerning the Lord’s Recovery and Our Present Need, msg. 7)
1. The vital groups begin with a vitalized saint; we need to pray to the Lord, “Oh, Lord, make me vitalized! Make me active to move! I want to be the factor for the increase of the Lord’s Recovery.” (1993 Blending Conference Messages concerning the Lord’s Recovery and Our Present Need, msg. 7)
2. To be vitalized—Rev. 2:4-5; 1 John 1:9; Rev. 3:2-3: (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, msg. 1)
a. We first must have a thorough fellowship with the Lord. (Fellowship Concerning the Urgent Need of the Vital Groups, msg. 24)
b. We must be stirred up in the first love for the Lord through repenting prayers—Rev. 2:4-5; 2 Cor. 5:14-15. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, msg. 1)
c. We must make a thorough confession to the Lord—1 John 1:9; 3:2-3. (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, msg. 1)
C. Such a saint in desperation can organically seek the vital companions by the Lord’s leading to produce a vital group: (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
1. You have to pray, “Lord, give me someone as a companion, or send someone to me. O, Lord, You lead me, and bring me into contact with the one whom You choose.” (The Training and the Practice of the Vital Groups, msg. 8)
2. An intimate and thorough fellowship cause us to be blended together. (1993 Blending Conference Messages concerning the Lord’s Recovery and Our Present Need, msg. 7)
D. They should pick up the burden and take actions to contact people, sinners or Christians: (1993 Blending Conference Messages concerning the Lord’s Recovery and Our Present Need, msg. 7)
1. They should care for two or three persons regularly. (1993 Blending Conference Messages concerning the Lord’s Recovery and Our Present Need, msg. 7)
2. They should not expect to bear fruits quickly, but should set definite goal to determine to gain at least one remaining fruit every year. (1993 Blending Conference Messages concerning the Lord’s Recovery and Our Present Need, msg. 7)
IV. The practice of the vital groups—Rom. 15:16; 1 Thes. 2:7; John 21:15-17: (The Vital Groups, msg. 1)
A. As a laboring priest of the gospel of God—Rom. 15:16. (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
B. Learning to cherish people in the humanity of Jesus—Luke 4:18-19; 1 Thes. 2:7: (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
1. This is the first thing to contact people in the vital groups. (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
2. To cherish people is to make them happy, to comfort them, to make them feel that you are pleasant to them, easy to be contacted in everything and in every way, as Jesus did—Eph. 5:29. (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
C. Learning to nourish people in the divinity of Christ—Eph. 5:29; John 21:15-17: (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
1. Feeding people with the unsearchable riches of Christ in His full ministry in three stages. (The Vital Groups, msg. 13)
2. Nourishing people not only by speaking with mouth, but also by promoting the ministry books. (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
D. Love is the most excellent way—1 Cor. 12:31b: (The Vital Groups, msg. 8)
1. Love prevails; without love, all shall be in vain no matter how much we have shepherded and taught. (The Vital Groups, msg. 8)
2. Love is the most excellent way for us to be anything and to do anything for the building up of the Body of Christ. (The Vital Groups, msg. 8)
V. The increase of the vital groups—Acts 2:47; Eph. 4:12-13: (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
A. The purpose of the vital groups is for the increase, perfecting, and building up of the church—John 15:16; Acts 2:46-47; Eph. 4:12. (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
B. A vital group can be divided into two vital groups as there are ten members in one vital group; you need to teach each of the two groups the same things as you have done to them. (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)
C. Thus, the vital groups can live the normal church life, overcoming the degradation of the church to constitute the Body of Christ for the consummation of the New Jerusalem—Eph. 4:12-13, 16. (1998 ITEROS, msg. 5)