There has been much work, effort, and expense in the establishment of local testimonies and their maintenance over the years. Now some saints are older and often tired and discouraged. They may even be tempted to give up. Some assemblies are in peril of closing. The consequences: lost testimony to our Lord Jesus Christ; and the gospel light being extinguished. Should we not make an effort to keep these doors open?
This situation often exists in small towns or rural areas. Younger believers have moved to larger centers to find work, sometimes to better their lifestyle. I recently observed such an assembly while visiting a small town in Ontario. The saints there are all up in years; many are in poor health. The doors will soon be closing unless the Lord intervenes. “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain” (Rev. 3:2).
How to Keep the Doors Open
This picture could change if a young couple with children would move to the above assembly, and help keep the doors open. Dear young saints, if you would honor the Lord in such a way, he could give you the ability and means of earning a living in that area. “If any man serve Me, him will My Father honor” (Jn. 12:26). It’s wonderful to have the Lord working behind the scenes. He does that, you know.
There are many advantages to living in a small town: a slower pace of life, a lower cost of living (often 30% to 60% lower housing costs), less violence in the streets, often better schools. You can usually live five to ten minutes from work or from the assembly building, instead of commuting an hour or more in traffic, resulting in much loss of time and arriving home too exhausted to do anything for the Lord.
One of the delights, dear younger saint, of living in a small place is being needed and appreciated. Just to be at the meetings would be such a cheer to the saints, and all the while doing a work for the Lord. You would mature and develop in your Christian life, as well as learn to take responsibility. This is a very worthwhile ambition.
By way of contrast, in a large assembly, you might be more inclined to lead a lazy Christian life by just coasting along, never gaining any maturity or leadership–while many older and tired saints in smaller locations are crying out for help. Will you help these saints carry on, and keep the doors open?
The Challenge
Dear younger one, I challenge you: try visiting a small assembly near you, and you will be amazed how cheered the saints are for that visit. Surely you will return home happier than when you left. After a few visits, you will see how much need there is, and how easy it is to help in these smaller assemblies. Perhaps then you might be exercised to move there and be of permanent help. “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it” (Mt. 16:25).
My own brother spent more than 25 years in a large assembly without taking any responsibility or any part in the meetings. Now for the past 11 years he has been in a small assembly, where he has developed and taken responsibility in all aspects of the assembly. He is able to give meaningful ministry on some of the deeper subjects of scripture, such as the Feasts of Jehovah, the Levitical Offerings, etc., and is certainly helping to keep the doors open.
The Cost of Keeping the Doors Open
I would like to share with you some of my own experiences, trusting that the Lord may use them to be of encouragement to you. When we were first married, my wife had a contract to teach for another year in a New Brunswick city where there was only a small assembly. It had been my intent for us to remain there only for the year, and then return to farming as this was the only life I knew, and my father was giving me the farm. When, however, I was confronted with the need in this small assembly, I decided to stay and do what I could to keep the doors open. On occasion, a Lord’s day morning would find just one other sister with us to remember the Lord. The Lord drew very near at those times. There were only seven saints in the assembly at that time. Having been saved just two years, I felt I was very little help at first. However, as I studied the Scriptures, and was exercised about being more help, the Lord enabled me to share the burden of caring for the saints, and eventually to take responsibility in the leadership of the assembly, and after 15 years the Lord chose to move us on. At the present time, there are two testimonies in that city with a goodly number in each. “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed” (2 Tim 2:15).
“Did I get the farm?” you ask. No, but in looking back, I have no regrets, for the Lord blessed us, and had He not guided us there, that assembly would likely have closed its doors. Some of the saints were older, and some lived an hour away. The Lord could easily have brought someone else along to help, but I am thankful that He gave me the privilege of helping to keep the doors open.
At the judgment seat of Christ, my dear young brethren, will you be glad that you lived your lives as, and where you did, knowing that the Lord led you there?
Only one life, ’twill soon be past;
Only what’s done for Christ will last.