Nee on Service in the Local Church

Courtesy of my beautiful wife...

"Brothers and sisters, you can test yourself in the following way: If you are in a local church and your function has not been manifested, this proves that your living outwardly is not for the Lord and that your life inwardly is not yet freed from the self. This is a very specific test. I am not saying that you have a small function; I am saying that it does not seem to matter whether or not you are in the church. If your function is not manifested, you are not living for the Lord outwardly, and you are not yet broken by Him inwardly.

We must realize that in order for the Lord to preach the gospel, carry out His work, and fulfill His will on earth, He must work through His Body. The Lord’s will and way cannot be accomplished through one man. He cannot carry out His work through one man; He has to do it through the church."

(Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 2, Vol. 38, 508-510)