“Often the atmosphere of our meetings is cloudy or foggy, and our meetings seem to have no focus or direction; consequently, the saints do not know where the meeting is going or how to direct the meeting. In such a case, someone must take the lead to exercise his spirit and break through the “fog.” This may be done by simply choosing a hymn or praying in a strong way in the spirit. This is something we need to learn to do. We need to realize that what the Lord can do among us and the extent to which He can work depend on our cooperation. If no one is willing to cooperate with the Lord to function in the meeting, the Lord will be unable to move, and the meeting will be empty. If we are truly open to the Lord, the Lord will do many things.”

(Basic Principles for the Church Meetings, ch. 1)

Day 412: Prayer for the saints to learn to function in the Lord’s table meeting in a coordinated way

Pray that the saints would learn to function in the Lord’s table meeting in a connected way, coordinating together like a team to pray, speak, and sing hymns and to praise and thank the Lord (Eph. 5:18b-20; Hymns, #867).

Eph. 5:18b-20—Be filled in spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and psalming with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father.

Hymns, #867:

As members of the Body
Christ we would manifest,
Each learning how to function
His fulness to express;
We would not be spectators
But each as members move,
None bringing death or damage
But each our profit prove.

As in a team we’d never
Act independently,
But in coordination,
Each would dependent be;
Not acting by our choosing
But following the flow,
Distraction never bringing,
The Spirit’s way we’d know.

On Christ we here would focus,
No other center make;
With Christ in sweet communion
His riches to partake.
He is our Head and content,
His Body we express;
Whate’er we do while meeting
Himself must manifest.

Built up in love together,
Not one would criticize;
To perfect one another,
We all would exercise.
Each one from self delivered,
The natural life forsakes;
In grace each trained in spirit
The Body-life partakes.

MINISTRY PORTION:
During the meeting we need to function in the way of coordination. Often in our meetings we are like a basketball team in which each person has his own basketball and plays his own game. On such a team no one cares for the other members, but each one is concerned solely with his own basketball. However, a proper basketball team uses only one ball and plays in a coordinated way. Likewise, in our meetings we must learn to function in a coordinated way as a team, using only one “ball.” For instance, if one brother begins the meeting by praying, another brother should follow by praying along the same line. Then a third one may choose an appropriate hymn, and after the hymn is sung, another saint may offer an explanation of the hymn. We should function in the meetings in the same way that a basketball team passes the basketball.

To meet and worship the Lord in this way requires training. In order to drive a car, we must be trained. We cannot say that we can drive simply because we have the human life, which has the capacity to drive. We need to practice driving. Only after many hours of practice can we properly drive a car. Similarly, we have been born again and have received the spiritual life that has the capacity to worship the Lord. However, it is not sufficient merely to have this life; we also need the practice. The reason we often come to the meetings empty-handed is that we do not practice preparing ourselves before the meeting. The reason our meetings are often poor is that we do not exercise our spirit to sense the atmosphere and to function in coordination. The more we practice these things, the more we will be accustomed to meeting in this way.

In order to function in a coordinated way, we first need to learn to pray. Functioning in coordination with others depends on the way we pray. Second, we need to familiarize ourselves with the hymns and know how to use them. After someone prays or speaks a word in the meeting, we may have the feeling to continue the burden by calling a hymn. To do this effectively, we must be able to find the hymn promptly. We need to realize that the hymns greatly affect the atmosphere of the meetings. A hymn can bring the meeting either up into the heavens or down into a deep pit. Thus, we need to learn to use the hymns in a proper way and at the proper time. (CWWL, 1964, vol. 3, “Basic Principles for the Church Meetings,” ch. 1, pp. 6-7)

“We need to learn how to enter into the particular atmosphere of each Lord’s table meeting and stay on one line. Once the meeting begins, we should sense the atmosphere and follow it. We should not have more than one beginning by trying to change the atmosphere or direction of a Lord’s table meeting well after it has begun. There should be a smooth transition from one hymn to the next. We should not take this word in a legal way, but we need to exercise our spirit and our mind with its function of understanding to recognize, enter into, discern, and taste the flavor and atmosphere of a meeting. This requires learning.

We should not call hymns and offer praises in a [Lord’s] table meeting according to our personal feeling but should follow the corporate flow and atmosphere. In a particular Lord’s table meeting, someone may call Hymns, #86, which is not high but is deep and tender. This hymn praises the Lord for His human living. Many Christians do not know how to enter into the feeling of such a hymn because they do not know how to appreciate and praise the Lord for His human living. There will be a lack of continuation if soon after we sing this hymn in a Lord’s table meeting, someone calls a hymn such as Hymns, #142, which begins, “Crown Him with many crowns.” After a hymn has been called, we should spend some time to taste and digest the hymn. At least four or five prayers of praise are needed to digest most hymns. The dishes in a feast are not served in rapid sequence; instead, there is time between each dish for enjoyment. To call a hymn with a different feeling soon after another one has been sung is to not sense the atmosphere but only take care of one’s personal feeling. Our hymn calling should build up a proper spirit of remembering the Lord in His presence. We all need to learn, but no one should be discouraged or take this fellowship as a legal regulation.”

(CWWL, vol. 1, 1979, Fellowship During Various Lord’s Day Meetings, ch. 5)

“In order to call the appropriate hymns in the table meeting, we need to learn to know the hymns first in their categories. The table of contents in our hymnal can help us with this, since it categorizes all the hymns. Then we need to read and even to study the contents of the hymns. We also need to find out the central thought, the focus, of each hymn. Finally, we need to know the hymns in their sensation and taste. Each hymn has its own sensation, so it has its own taste. When you know the hymns in these four aspects—in their categories, contents, focus, and sensation and taste—you know the hymns thoroughly.

We also need to learn how to apply the hymns at the appropriate time. Certain hymns are good for certain times in the meeting, so we have to know the hymns first and then apply them at the proper time.

Certain hymns are very good to start a section of the meeting. After a section of the meeting has been started, we may need another hymn to strengthen and enrich the started section. To strengthen and enrich what has been started is not so easy. Teamwork is involved here. One person starts, and all the others have to continue to strengthen and to enrich what has been started. Also, a hymn may be needed to prolong and uplift the same section. Here there is the need of skill. Something has been started and strengthened and enriched, but within a short time it may disappear. This is why we have to prolong it and uplift it.

Furthermore, to apply the hymns at the appropriate time, we need to follow the atmosphere of the meeting. If the atmosphere of the meeting is solemn, a hymn of joy, a rejoicing hymn, does not fit the atmosphere. Thus, calling a proper hymn at a proper time depends upon how much we can sense the atmosphere of the meeting.”

(Basic Lessons on Service, chapter 4)