PRACTICAL STEPS FOR THE HOME MEETINGS (1)
First, Acts 2 says that immediately after the three thousand were saved on the day of Pentecost, they had meetings from house to house. They did not meet as small groups but met from house to house. Second, when we speak of meeting in a group, it seems as if the group can be either large or small, depending on our preference. But when we speak of meeting in a house, in a family, no one can increase or decrease the size of a house, a family, at will. Third, a home is the smallest corporate unit. If our promoting of a certain matter can reach the homes, we have done a thorough job. Therefore, we are not subdividing merely into small groups; we are subdividing with the home as a unit…We hope that every home will have a meeting, including the homes of the weak and inactive ones.
Someone may ask, “If a certain saint has stopped meeting, how can we have a meeting in his home?” It is because he has stopped meeting that we need to establish a meeting in his home, to “deliver” the meeting to his home. He has stopped meeting because he does not have a meeting at home. If there is a meeting in his home, naturally he will meet. For most of the saints, as long as a meeting is established in their homes, it will not be a problem for them to meet. Hence, the best way to recover a saint who has stopped meeting is to deliver the meeting to his home instead of asking him to come to a meeting. We need only to meet in his home once, and he will begin meeting again. Therefore, the problem with non-meeting saints is that we do not deliver the meetings to their homes. We bear the responsibility. I hope we will all have a change in concept. Instead of dragging the saints and forcing them to come to a meeting, we should bring the meeting to their homes. Suppose we invite someone to our home for a meal. If he cannot come, we should deliver the food to him so that he can at least taste the food. I cannot guarantee that the non-meeting saints will be revived immediately, but if the brothers and sisters are willing to coordinate with one another to deliver the meeting to the homes, at least there is a great possibility for them to begin meeting again. We must carry this out.
Another advantage of delivering meetings to the homes is that it solves family disputes. Perhaps a saint has stopped meeting for no reason other than family disputes. The longer he stays away from the meetings, the more serious the quarrels between him and his wife become, and the more he loses his heart to meet. A wife who has stopped meeting for eighteen years might have been crying out for help the entire time but has been unable to find any help. Suppose one day some of the saints bring the meeting to her home; as a result of their singing and praying with her, she is nourished and filled with joy. Then she might pray, “Lord, have mercy on us, and have mercy on my husband so that he could also enjoy You as I do.” Moreover, if this sister has not been meeting for eighteen years, her children must not have been meeting as well. Now through our bringing the meeting to her home, the children also are joyful to receive salvation. In this way we reap several benefits with a single action.
Twenty-five years ago the medical field in Taiwan practiced making house calls to give injections; now we need to practice to deliver meetings to the homes. If we deliver the meeting to the homes, not only will the inactive saints be recovered, but their friends and relatives will also be given a great opportunity to receive the gospel of the Lord’s salvation. If we are willing to practice this delivery of meetings to ten homes per week, I believe that at least five homes will be raised up…It is worthwhile to endeavor in this matter. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 2, “Crucial Words of Leading in the Lord’s Recovery, Book 1: The Vision and Definite Steps for the Practice of the New Way”, chp. 6, pp. 113-115)
The church in Zamboanga 