The Local Churches, When-Yen Tein

I have grown up meeting with the local church. I was baptized in the church in Hsin-Chiu, Taiwan on July 12, 1971. Afterward I finished high school, college, and my military service. I came to the United States, got my Ph.D., got married and raised children. Throughout all these phases of life the Lord has kept me in His mercy and in the church. As I look back, the things that are of earthly glory have all faded away with time. All that remains are the days I lived in the presence of the Lord, for that issues in the glorious hope, the heavenly country (Hebrews 11:16). In those days I thanked the Lord that He led me to follow the footsteps of the flock (Song of Songs 1:8) and to read the books of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee which have been a ministry of life to me. Because of their faithfulness to uncover the higher truths of the Bible as the Lord's servants, I can have the foretaste of the glory of the Kingdom of God. Now Watchman Nee and Witness Lee have both gone to be with the Lord, having finished their course (2 Timothy 4:8). But through their ministry, the Lord has shown me the mystery of the ages (Ephesians 3:9).

I have realized that the church is made up of all His believers everywhere and holds Christ as the head (Colossians 2:19). In my personal experience, I left my parents' home more than twenty years ago. I visit my parents for two or three weeks every year and I keep in contact with them over the phone. Still, whenever I think of my parents, who are over eighty years old, I feel my lack in not being able to live near them. However, since I have learned that the Body of Christ is made up of all His believers everywhere I realize that I am united with my parents in the Body of Christ. The topic we study in the church in Houston is also being studied in the church in Tai-Chung, Taiwan. In the church in Houston several older brothers and sisters feed and nourish me with the words of life, and I take care of practical matters for them. In the same way, the brothers and sisters in Tai-Chung have cared for and joined my parents in mutual encouragement in this heavenly journey. Even though I cannot see all the brothers and sisters on this earth daily, my spirit witnesses that all the local churches on this earth are part of the one body for the building up of the Body of Christ in one accord. My parents and I are in, the Body of Christ, the spiritual family.

There is a hymn that says:

We're gathered here, O Lord as Thy one Body

Though we be many, yet we all are one.

We share Thy life and own that we are members,

And thus within, in life we all are one.

There is one Body in this universe,

And we express it here on earth;

We stand as one in each locality

For all to see, for all to see. (Hymns #1107 v1 and chorus)