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Additional Local Church Quotes by Witness and Watchman Nee
B. Looking Up the Verses and the Hymns and Explaining the Terms
There are many things to do while sitting next to gospel friends. You have to help them find the verses when the Scripture is quoted in a message. If the speaker mentions a word or term that requires explanation, you have to explain it to your friend softly. You have to pick up what the speaker misses. Your voice must not be loud. Speak softly but clearly. A brother once preached the gospel to a big audience. He began by saying, “You all know the story of the Israelites coming out of Egypt.” Another brother went over to him and said, “These people do not know who the Israelites are; nor do they know anything about Egypt.” This shows us that it is best for the speaking brother to avoid words that unbelievers do not understand. At the same time, the brothers and sisters who are sitting in the audience should help fill up the lack. If they come across this situation, they should explain to the gospel friends immediately and in a very simple way that the Israelites are Jews, that Egypt is a country, and that the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, but later they came out of Egypt. Explain these things to your friends in a simple way.
You must also look up the hymns for your friends. Many hymns have chorus lines that need to be repeated. You must help your friends repeat these lines.
C. Paying Attention to Your Friends’ Response and Praying for Them
You have to be watchful before the Lord concerning your friends’ response. If you feel that the response of the one sitting beside you is not good during the preaching, you can pray in secret, saying, “Lord, soften his heart.” If you feel that he is proud, you can pray, “Lord, break his pride.” The success of a gospel meeting in the church depends on the condition of all the brothers and sisters. If all the brothers and sisters attend the gospel meeting and if all participate in the work together, there will be a free way for the gospel to spread. You must pay attention to the new ones and observe their response to the message. These are the ones you have brought to the meeting; you know their condition. Your eyes must be fixed on them, and you must pray for them, saying, “Lord, move his heart and make him understand. Lord, touch him. Take away his pride so that he can hear and receive Your word.” Sometimes you may feel that the brothers on the podium should say certain things. You may feel that they should talk about certain subjects. You can pray, “Lord, cause the brother to speak such a word to meet this man’s need.” Many times the brother on the podium will say the very words that you have prayed for, as if he has heard your petition. It is important for you to take care of the ones beside you by praying for them.
D. Helping Them to Receive the Lord
Once you feel that they are touched by the message, you should help them to receive the Lord. You have to usher the word of the Lord into their hearts by prayer. You have to carry God’s word to them and capture their heart by praying, “Lord, let him hear this word. Lord, let this word hit him hard. Lord, let this word shine so that he may see.”
When the speaker starts “pulling in the net,” that is, sounding the call, we must encourage them to respond, saying, “Please do not miss this opportunity. I hope you will receive the Lord.” We must give them a push when we see that they are touched but are hesitating. Since Satan is doing his best to hold them back, it is wrong for us to shy away from pushing them. Satan works in men’s hearts to hinder them from receiving the Lord, while we are trying to push them to believe from their heart. In the gospel meeting we need to help our friends receive salvation. When the brother at the podium invites people to receive the Lord, we have to observe our friends’ reactions closely. If they are touched at all, we have to do our part by saying, “You should believe and receive the Lord now. If you do not receive, you will suffer in eternity.” Our tone should be serious and sober. This will have an effect on them.
Please remember one principle: In trying to save people, do not analyze whether or not they will be saved. Do not analyze whether or not they are predestinated by God. Our hearts and minds should be set on their receiving salvation. We have to bring them to the Lord and not let them go until they are saved.
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