Have Fellowship unto the Gospel for the Lord’s Move and Keep the Principle of Equality

It is a great thing for us to have fellowship unto the gospel, for we all are full-timers, those who serve the Lord with all we are and have; though we may have a job, we need to practice divine equality by supporting those who serve the Lord with their full time in the gospel and the truth.

The Lord is very wise; He doesn’t just call people to serve Him full time, but He also makes a provision for these ones to be supported by the saints whom they serve.

There’s such a thing as divine equality in God’s eyes, which is seen both in the Old and in the New Testament.

When God calls someone to serve Him full-time by dropping his job to be to the Lord in the gospel and teaching the truth, He is the provider, and He takes care of His serving ones.

Paul testified that, though he was in prison and was made sorrowful, he was rejoicing, and though he was seemingly poor, he was enriching man.

Material possessions are secondary, supplementary when we serve the Lord; as Matt. 6:33 says, if we seek God and His kingdom, He will add all other things, all the things that we need.

On one hand, we need to have a job and support ourselves and those who depend on us; on the other hand, we need to seek first the kingdom of God.

On one hand, we need to be proper human beings who are diligent to work and earn an income to supply our needs and the needs of our family. On the other hand, if the Lord calls us to serve Him full-time by dropping our job, we need to cast all our cares on Him, for it is He who provides for us.

Especially these days as we see the Lord moving toward Europe and in Europe to carry out His ultimate move and end this age, the Lord needs many who just give themselves not to have a career and climb up the ladder in society, but serve Him with their full time.

Blessed and beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news, and what a glorious thing it is to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the whole inhabited earth for a testimony, so that the end will come (Matt. 24:14)!

Yes, we do need to be proper human beings who work to care for our needs, but our trust is not in what we can do, what we work, and how much we earn, but in the Lord, for He is the One who provides for our needs.

The most glorious thing for a human being is to be a stepping stone for the Lord to use in His move; if even once in our lifetime God has a way to move through us, our life is meaningful and valuable in His eyes.

Our life is full of meaning whenever we contact the Lord, remain in the organic union with Him, and serve Him according to His leading.

Though we may work in a secular job and make money to support ourselves and give to the Lord and support those who serve full time, or we may serve the Lord with our full time, we all are full-timers, those called by the Lord to serve Him with all we are and have so that He may hasten His return, end this age, and bring in the age of the kingdom.

Keeping the Principle of Equality and Supporting those Serving Full-time to Indirectly Share in the Same Work

2 Cor. 8:14-15 speaks of the principle of equality in the eyes of God; some may have abundance at the present time while others may lack, but one’s abundance is to cover others’ lack, and later others’ abundance is for one’s lack.

Those who gather much should have no excess, and those who gather little should have no lack.

This is a principle seen both in the Old and in the New Testament; some in God’s people gather much and have excess, but they should give it to support those serving God full-time, so that there would be quality.

Equality means having everything in common, and there are different means to pratice this.

In Lev. 25:8-17 God ordained that no one from His people would sell their property forever, but that in the year of jubilee their property would return to them.

God’s way is to keep equality, for there’s the principle of equality in His kingdom and in the church. This is not communism or democracy – it is God’s principle of equality.

In 3 John 1:5-8 we are told to take care of and support those travelling full-time workers, and send them forward in a way that matches God, who is generous.

Those who serve the Lord with their full time carry out the work of the gospel and teach the truth, and we can participate in their work by supporting them.

We can indirectly share in the work that those who serve God full time do by supporting them.

They shouldn’t ask for help from those in the world but rather, the believers should support and undertake for the need of the brothers who work for God in the divine truth.

What a privilege it is to not only give to the Lord at least ten percent of what we earn, but also give to support those who serve the Lord full-time!

If we work on a job, it is not only for us to support ourselves and those depending on us; it is also to bring our tithes to God’s house and support those who serve Him full-time.

In the Old Testament, the Lord ordained a particular way for the Levites and the priests to be supported by the people of Israel as they served God full-time and ministered before Him and to His people.

If the people of Israel, however, did not bring their tithes to God’s house and did not bring the firstfruits to the house of God, if they did not bring their offerings to the house of God and did not have the three yearly feasts, the Levites and the priests would not be cared for, and they had to go and get a secular job.

Similarly in the church life today, God has ordained a way for those who serve Him with their full-time to be supported by the saints whom they serve, and it is an honor for us to give to support them.

This all should be done in fellowship and prayer before the Lord, not as a legal requirement or a law; in all such things, we should contact the Lord personally and learn to fellowship with the saints concerning the needs in the Lord’s work.

Sometimes the wife of a brother who serves full time may be able to support their husband, and even support other full-timers; this is a glorious thing, and it will be greatly blessed by the Lord.

What a blessing it is to plunder Egypt of its riches and use this mammon of unrighteousness to support those who serve God and perfect others for the building up of the Body of Christ!

What a glory it is to not use our finances and excess for uplifting our lifestyle, eat more expensive food, dine at fancy restaurants, get the latest fashion, get a more cool car, or save it in our bank account, but to give it to the Lord and support those who serve Him full time!

Lord Jesus, we love You and we want to participate in the work of perfecting the saints, raising up and building up the churches, and teaching the truth to edify the new ones. We give ourselves to You with all we are and have, Lord, and we want to be functioning and building members of the Body. May we do well to send forward, support, and take care of those who serve God with their full time, so that we may become fellow workers in the truth. Amen, Lord, we want to have fellowship unto the gospel and practice the principle of equality in the church life, caring for the needs of and supporting those who serve God with their full-time!

Having Fellowship unto the Gospel for the Furtherance of the Lord’s Move on the Earth

It is such a great thing to have fellowship unto the gospel with the saints in the church life!

In Phil. 1:3-6 we see that Paul was so thankful to the Lord upon all his remembrance of the saints in Phillipi, for they made him joyful by having fellowship unto the furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now.

He was confident that the good work which God has begun in them, He will also complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

The saints in Phillipi did not only receive the word of God and became believers with the help of Paul, but they also had fellowship unto the gospel by ministering to the needs of the apostle.

Similarly today in the church life, we need to see that some saints are called by the Lord to serve Him full time; they drop their job, their profession, and their business, and they serve God with their full time.

Not all do this, but it would be good that at least one in ten saints would do this, in fellowship with the Lord and in the fellowship of the Body; in this way, the saints will be cared for, the gospel would advance, and the practical needs in the church will be taken care of.

Those who serve God by working on a job, however, need to “plunder Egypt” of its gold as the Israelites did (Exo. 11:2-3; 12:35-36) and give the gold to the house of God for the building up of the house and the support of those serving full-time.

Those who drop their job, profession, or business for the preaching and teaching of the gospel truth need something to live on; we should not force these ones, by not supplying their needs, to go back to work to support themselves.

Paul had to go back to doing tents in Acts 18:1-3 to minister to his needs and to the needs of his co-workers; this was a shame to the saints, who did not support him.

May we all learn to have fellowship unto the gospel for the furtherance of the Lord’s move, and may we function in the way that God has ordained for us.

If we are called to serve God by remaining in our secular job, we should make more money in a righteous way to give for the needs in God’s house and to support those serving full-time.

Every saint in the church life has a function, whether they work full-time or serve God with their full time.

We can all have fellowship unto the gospel by praying, giving, and serving full-time, depending on the Lord’s calling and leading.

To fellowship unto the gospel is to fellowship unto the furtherance of the gospel; it is to fellowship in the Body and in the local church concerning the furtherance of the Lord’s move.

The Lord is moving today to preach the gospel, establish churches, edify the new ones, and perfect the saints so that the saints would do the work of the ministry for the building up of the Body of Christ (Eph. 4).

We may think we’re so busy with work and family matters, but we need to realize we all are full-timers serving the Lord, whether we keep our job or drop our job.

So we all can have fellowship unto the gospel for the furtherance of God’s move.

Those who remain in their jobs and do business can give the Lord their time, their energy, their tithe, and something extra to support those who serve full-time by dropping their job; in this way, they participate indirectly in the full-timers’ service.

Lord Jesus, we want to have fellowship unto the gospel with the saints so that we may participate in the furtherance of the Lord’s move! Amen, what a privilege it is to participate in what the Lord is doing today. We give ourselves to You, dear Lord, to live to You in all things and to have fellowship unto the gospel. We want to have nothing in excess but give it all to You for the furtherance of Your move on earth today. Amen, Lord, we want to function in our capacity and according to our ability so that the gospel may be preached, the kingdom of God may increase, the church may be built up, and all the saints may be perfected to function in their measure for the building up of the Body!

References and Hymns on this Topic

• Sources of inspiration: the Word of God, my enjoyment in the ministry, and portions from, The Way to Practice the Lord’s Present Move, ch. 5 (by Witness Lee), as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Material offerings and the Lord’s Move Today, week 4, entitled, Material Offerings for the Lord’s Move.
• Hymns on this topic:
  – Take my silver and my gold; / Not a mite would I withhold; / Take my intellect, and use / Every power as Thou shalt choose, / Every power as Thou shalt choose. (Hymns #445)
  – In our ministry and service, / From the Body, our supply; / If detached and isolated, / Out of function we will die. / Serve and work within the Body, / Never independently; / As the members of the Body, / Functioning relatedly. (Hymns #913)
  – Ours is a fellowship in the gospel / Since we received the Lord; / We’re for the furtherance of the gospel, / Spreading to all His Word. / For its defense and strong confirmation / We all partake of grace— / He who began this work will perfect it / Till we shall see His face. (Hymns #1295)