Follow-up Shepherding: Raipur with the Saints

An elderly brother who is in his mid seventies has been studying and enjoying the ministry books which he got through a Christian festival in a nearby town. Since he touched the ministry through the books, he has been teaching all the believers under his care. He not introduced the books, but he also taught the ministry in a way of shepherding. In fact, he studied and translated The Economy of God into his local language and taught from house to house for one year. Though he and the believers with him have been practising the church life according to the vision they have seen so far, and they practised it faithfully. We just came to witness and confirm what the Lord has been doing in this city Raipur.

As the saints came together we fellowshipped on the basic practises of a Christian life by breathing, eating and drinking the Lord by calling upon the Lord's Name, pray-reading His word, prayer and fellowship. The burden was from the Lord, and later they testified that it was their urgent need. Though they knew the truth concerning the church, they lack in the practical experiences and enjoyments of the Lord. Truth and life must be balanced and should go hand in hand.

On the Lord's day, we carefully considered before the Lord and had fellowship among ourselves and also with the leading brothers concerning the bread breaking meeting. Then, we were clear that their standing was not on any divisive ground. Therefore, we participated in the bread breaking meeting which they have been partaking regularly. 

Before the bread breaking meeting, we had a session on the gospel, and then ministered on the significance of the Lord's Table Meeting with the bread and the wine, and the warning attached to it.

Matthew 26:26-29And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body. And He took a cup and gave thanks, and He gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you, For this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I shall by no means drink of this product of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of My Father.

After ministering on the significance of the bread and the wine, we also emphasized on the warning associated with it; the need to discern the body. The break must represent the Lord's body broken for the believers to partake of in oneness as remembrance to the Lord by eating and drinking Him, and declaring His victorious death until He would come again in the kingdom.

1 Corinthians 11:24-29And having given thanks, He broke it and said, This is My body, which is given for you; this do unto the remembrance of Me. Similarly also the cup after they had dined, saying, This cup is the new covenant established in My blood; this do, as often as you drink it, unto the remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you declare the Lord’s death until He comes. So then whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself, and in this way let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not discern the body.

The same day evening more brothers and sisters, who could not join us in the morning session, came for fellowship. As the Lord led us, we fellowship on the truth concerning serving the Lord.

The Lord saved us from the enemies to serve the Him! Luke 1:74

To grant us that we, having been delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear. 

The Lord saved us from idolatry to serve the Him! 1 Thessalonians 1:9

For they themselves report concerning us what kind of entrance we had toward you and how you turned to God from the idols to serve a living and true God. 

The Lord saved us and purified us with His blood to serve Him!  Hebrews 9:14

How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

Therefore, as saved ones, we must be serving the Lord. All saved ones must serve the Lord. Then, we also ministered from the life of Moses, the way to serve God: By the supply of God's divine life, trusting and depending on Him alone without any confidence in ourself nor in the things in the world. 

The next day we all enjoyed a time of morning revival, showing them practically how to come to the Lord in pray-reading the word of God. The saints are being recovered and they wanted to receive the Holy Word for Morning Revival for their daily pursuit and nourishment. Thus, our burden for this time was released and we look to the Lord for our next meeting. 

May the Lord recover the church in Raipur into the oneness and fellowship of the Body of Christ.