Item Fifteen: Protect Important Work Personnel of All Sorts, Shielding Them From the Interference of the Outside World, and Keep Them Safe to Ensure the Various Important Items of Work Can Proceed in an Orderly Fashion

Where did we leave off last time in fellowshipping on the topic of the responsibilities of leaders and workers? (Last time, we mainly fellowshipped on the last three manifestations in the fourteenth responsibility of leaders and workers regarding discerning various types of people based on their humanity. These three manifestations are: being cowardly and suspicious, being inclined to court trouble, and having a complicated background.) We finished fellowshipping on the last three topics in the fourteenth responsibility of leaders and workers last time, so today we’ll fellowship on the fifteenth responsibility. What is the fifteenth responsibility? (“Item fifteen: Protect important work personnel of all sorts, shielding them from the interference of the outside world, and keep them safe to ensure the various important items of work can proceed in an orderly fashion.”) “Protect important work personnel of all sorts, shielding them from the interference of the outside world, and keep them safe.” This responsibility involves another aspect of the responsibilities of leaders and workers; it is also a specific item of work that leaders and workers must carry out well. What does this item of work pertain to? (It pertains to keeping God’s chosen people safe.) It involves issues of personal safety. Isn’t this topic frequently encountered in church work? Are you unfamiliar with this topic? (No.) This topic is not unfamiliar to Chinese brothers and sisters, because in the social environment of China, believers are persecuted and arrested, and they need safety guarantees in doing their duty and in all aspects of life. Therefore, this work falls within the scope of the responsibilities of leaders and workers; it is not something optional. Regardless of whether a country has religious freedom, properly arranging placements for personnel who do various important duties is a specific item of work that leaders and workers must undertake. The focus or specific requirements of this work may differ, but it basically all concerns whether the brothers and sisters can do their duties safely and securely, and whether the results of their duties can be ensured. So, do not neglect this work or consider it irrelevant to you because you live in a democratic country. Regardless of the governing system in the country in which you live or whether believers are persecuted there, this work falls within the scope of the responsibilities of leaders and workers; it is work that leaders and workers must carry out—no one is exempt, and it should not be regarded as “extra” work. Today, then, let’s fellowship on all the various issues involved in this topic.

The Scope of Important Work Personnel

First, let’s look at what is meant by “important work personnel of all sorts” mentioned in the fifteenth responsibility. Isn’t this a topic we should fellowship on? (Yes.) So, what does “important work personnel of all sorts” refer to? Let’s first establish the scope of the targets of this work. Who can speak to this? (Important work personnel of all sorts include brothers and sisters in video teams, film production teams, proofreading teams, and hymn teams, and those who do other important duties. Additionally, it includes some brothers and sisters who play key roles in various important items of work, as well as the supervisors of each team.) Who else would like to add on to this? (It also includes leaders and workers.) Leaders and workers must indeed be well protected. Who else? (There are also important personnel handling general affairs, such as finance personnel.) (And brothers and sisters who, because they believe in God and do duties, are wanted or have a police record also need protection.) This is another category, and it is a special group. Let’s summarize how many categories there are. The first category includes leaders and workers. The second category consists of personnel who are indispensable to the various items of work in God’s house, especially the team leaders and supervisors of various items of work and personnel with good caliber, spiritual understanding, and the ability to grasp principles and independently shoulder important work. There are many types of personnel handling various items of work, such as those in text-based work, hymn work, film production work, and so on, as well as those who preach the gospel, testify, or serve as gospel directors, among others. Additionally, this includes personnel handling the work of finance, safekeeping, and external affairs. These individuals play a supporting role in the church’s work and are indispensable; they are all included as part of the personnel handling various items of work. This is the second major category. The third major category includes those who engage in the dangerous work of the church. In particular, in countries with authoritarian regimes where there is no religious freedom, there are some extremely dangerous items of work, such as printing books, transporting books, safekeeping church assets, as well as hosting and arranging placements for personnel doing important duties. Who else is included? (There are also some general affairs personnel who convey information outside; the duties they do are also relatively dangerous.) These individuals are also considered to be engaged in dangerous work. However, these people are definitely not doing this work occasionally; rather, they specialize in carrying out these important and dangerous tasks, such as conveying information, distributing work arrangements, distributing all videos, films, or sermon recordings of God’s house, and so on. In authoritarian countries without religious freedom, leaders and workers must be clear about which of God’s chosen people are doing important duties and undertaking dangerous work. In short, these individuals are also one category of important work personnel, and leaders and workers must give special consideration to their safety; it cannot be overlooked. This is the third category. The fourth category is another indispensable group in church work. These individuals possess special skills and gifts, such as being adept at preaching the gospel, giving sermons, watering the church, or taking responsibility for organizing particular items of work. These individuals may be leaders and workers, supervisors for various items of work, or people engaged in dangerous work. Without such people, there would be a gap in the important work they handle, and no one else could fill their role. Therefore, these individuals should be protected, and their safety should be ensured. This is one category of people. Another category is those who, in countries where religions are persecuted, are wanted or have a police record due to their belief in God. Regardless of the scope of the warrant or the specific work they undertake within the church, as long as they are wanted because of their belief in God and for doing their duty, leaders and workers should find ways to protect them, arranging them to be placed in relatively safe locations to do their duty. Among all countries that persecute religious faith, China’s persecution is the most severe. In various provinces and regions across China, many people have been arrested or are wanted, unable to return home. There are some similar countries across the world and on every continent that persecute religious faith like China, and in these countries, there are also those who, due to having accepted Almighty God, face persecution and are unable to return home. For those who are persecuted and unable to return home, leaders and workers should arrange for them to be placed in the full-time duty church as quickly as possible. Leaders and workers should settle them in relatively safe environments according to local conditions so that they can do their duties. This is a priority item of work that must be done well. These individuals who have been arrested or are wanted form the fifth category of personnel in need of protection. There is another category among personnel who handle various items of important work that is special. These individuals may not currently be leaders or workers, nor engaged in dangerous work, but they have previously done many duties and their work has covered a wide range. They know of many host families and also know about some personnel doing important duties. Therefore, if such individuals were to be arrested, it would also bring disaster to the church’s work. These individuals should be referred to as “people in the know,” and they should also be included among the important work personnel of all sorts. Leaders and workers should ensure their safety, for the purpose of protecting the safety of all of God’s chosen people and ensuring that the church’s work can proceed normally. Some individuals in this category in particular are quite careless; they do not know to be cautious, and they don’t have much wisdom. They always tend to act out of enthusiasm, doing things recklessly outside. Having never been arrested or tortured, they are unaware of the danger involved and the potential consequences if something were to go wrong, much less do they understand what the severity of those consequences would be. Because they believe that they are just believing in God, not doing anything bad, they don’t fear anything. As a result, after working locally for a while, they may become quite known and come under government surveillance. Doesn’t that pose a danger? Once they are arrested, if they cannot withstand the interrogation by torture, they may become Judases, selling out the brothers and sisters. This would bring enormous losses to the church and implicate other brothers and sisters, putting them at risk of arrest and imprisonment, which would seriously impact the church’s various items of work. Therefore, the church should also prioritize the protection of such individuals. If no safe place can be found locally to hide them, they should be relocated to a relatively safe place elsewhere to do their duty. This is yet another category of people. Due to the special quality of their situation, leaders and workers need to arrange placements for them, so they are also included among the important work personnel of all sorts. How many categories of people are there in total? (Six categories. The first category is leaders and workers. The second is comprised of indispensable personnel who handle various items of work in God’s house; supervisors, team leaders, and gospel directors; and those who can shoulder work. The third category is personnel engaged in dangerous church work. The fourth is those with special skills and gifts. The fifth category consists of people with police records, those being hunted, and those who are wanted. And the sixth category is people in the know.) We have basically covered all the important personnel involved in various items of work, but there is one category to add on: If any brothers or sisters in the church, due to going out to do their duty, being arrested, or facing any other unexpected situation, are unable to care for their underage children, then leaders and workers should arrange for these children to be placed in a suitable household so that they have a means of living. This is also a special item of work. Although this item of work does not pertain to the church’s work, and it only arises from a special set of circumstances, leaders and workers must take responsibility for arranging suitable placements for these underage children. If they do not have suitable relatives, or if their relatives are nonbelievers and unwilling to take them in, then the church should accept them. The church should not only arrange a suitable host family for them but also assign brothers and sisters to be responsible for their care. Once a suitable placement has been arranged for them, if they believe in God, that is certainly ideal, and when they reach adulthood, they can do their duty in the church. If they do not believe in God, then when they reach adulthood and enter society, they will no longer be connected to the church, and our responsibility will be fulfilled. We will not need to concern ourselves with their matters beyond that point. Is this appropriate? (Yes.) Although this work does not involve the church’s various items of work, it should still be included within the scope of leaders and workers’ responsibilities. If there are children of those doing their duty in the church who need placements, unless leaders and workers are unaware of the situation, they cannot ignore it. If they know about it, they should ask questions, handle it, and take on this responsibility to arrange proper placements for them. Leaders and workers should ensure that the brothers and sisters doing their duty—especially those undertaking important work—are free from concern when it comes to this matter. Carrying out this item of work well is not difficult, is it? (No, it’s not.) There are at least six categories of important work personnel. The seventh category is extra, it represents a very special type of circumstance. The various personnel outlined in the first six categories may not all be present in every pastoral area or country. However, regardless of the country, protecting leaders and workers and those doing important duties is a crucial item of work. This is an item of work that all church leaders and workers must pay attention to, and it is a responsibility they must fulfill well.

Shielding Important Work Personnel From the Interference of the Outside World

I. Safety Requirements for Host Families

Now that we’ve clarified who the important work personnel are, let’s look at the specific work leaders and workers must do—namely, protecting important work personnel of all sorts, shielding them from the interference of the outside world, and keeping them safe. So, what specific work needs to be done to effectively shield them from the interference of the outside world, for leaders and workers to be considered as having fulfilled their responsibilities? When it comes to carrying out specific work, some leaders and workers feel they are in a quandary, scratching their heads and getting all hot and bothered, unsure of how to act. There is an important principle in arranging placements for these important work personnel: They must be shielded from the interference of the outside world to ensure their safety. Whether important work personnel are placed in the homes of brothers and sisters or in rented houses, the essential point is that their safety must be ensured. Ensuring their safety means shielding them from the interference of the outside world. So, what must leaders and workers do to shield them from the interference of the outside world? It requires arranging placements for those who are doing important duties in suitable locations. Let’s look at this from two aspects: One is the internal environment of the host family, and the other is the external environment. In terms of the internal environment, first, the host must be a genuine believer, willing to host, able to keep things confidential, act with caution, and deal with the outside world wisely. If any special situation arises, they should know how to respond to it; they should be able to handle and address it proactively rather than passively. Additionally, they should have a decent reputation locally, or perhaps some prestige and connections locally. Even if they lack influence, they should at the very least be people who keep to their proper place and live decent lives and who never court trouble or attract shady individuals to their home. They should not have friends who gather to play mahjong or drink. Additionally, their relations with the outside world and with their neighbors should be relatively normal. They should not be embroiled in any disputes over debts and they should not be in conflict with their neighbors. In other words, their home environment should be relatively quiet, the host should have uncomplicated relationships, and very few outsiders should be coming around to their house to cause disturbances, and so on—all aspects should be suitable. Furthermore, the host’s children or relatives should support their belief in God, or at least not oppose their hosting brothers and sisters, and certainly not go around talking about these things recklessly. Some may say, “It’s not easy to find a host family that meets all these criteria!” This is meant to refer to finding a relatively suitable place; absolute perfection isn’t required. At the very least, the living environment should be appropriate—quiet and free from outside interference—which fulfills the requirement of shielding important work personnel from the interference of the outside world. In some host families, although not every member of the family is a believer, the person hosting has prestige within the household and makes the decisions. Their nonbelieving children or relatives do not dare to interfere with their belief in God or their hosting of brothers and sisters; even if they disagree internally, they would not dare to share this information to people outside the family. If something really does happen, they can even help provide protection. In this way, the brothers and sisters staying at this host home can also remain unaffected by the interference of the outside world. In some cases, the host is timid, being afraid that their children might expose their belief in God, that their neighbors might find out about their belief and report them, and especially that things might go south and they’ll get arrested. Once they start hosting brothers and sisters, they are on tenterhooks every day, unable to eat during the day or sleep at night, spending all day anxious and frightened, like a thief. Whenever they hear that something’s up, such as the government planning to check household registrations or government personnel coming to their home to do something under various pretexts, they become extremely afraid and constantly want the brothers and sisters to leave immediately so that they themselves won’t be implicated. When the brothers and sisters see this, they should immediately relocate, as such a place is not suitable for hosting; it may only be used as a temporary stop for a few days. If the host family’s children, relatives, or friends are evil people who, upon learning that the host is receiving believers, might come to disturb or even turn the brothers and sisters over to the police, then this is far too dangerous. Such a host family is not suitable for staying in. Some parents act like slaves before their children; they may say, “It’s fine, my children listen to me,” but in actuality, their children’s obedience depends on the situation. When their own interests are involved, the children won’t listen to them. Such a person would not dare let their children know that they are hosting brothers and sisters. If their children or relatives found out, they would certainly drive the brothers and sisters away, and the host would be unable to stop them—they don’t have the final say in their own household. Such a person is not suited for hosting; they may have the desire but lack the courage to host. Could a cowardly person really dare to host? If you cannot ensure the safety of the brothers and sisters, then you are not suited for this duty—you should not volunteer for it and you should not make empty promises to leaders and workers, nor should you accept this duty. If leaders and workers arrange placements for brothers and sisters in such a household for hosting, do you think it’s appropriate? (No.) It’s extremely inappropriate. Don’t send the brothers and sisters into the jaws of danger. It could be that the brothers and sisters were quite safe living elsewhere; if you arrange for them to be placed in this person’s home, where the children or relatives are nonbelievers and they could report them as soon as they discover believers are staying there, and thus endangering their lives, wouldn’t woe betide that host? If the host is willing to risk their life to protect the brothers and sisters in such situations and can effectively ensure their safety, and if they typically demonstrate considerable wisdom, then this host family may still be a suitable choice. However, if they cannot risk their life to protect the brothers and sisters, and, when the nonbelievers in their family threaten to report the brothers and sisters and hand them over to the police, they have no solution and can only shrink back like a turtle tucking its head into its shell, not protecting the brothers and sisters and just allowing the nonbelievers to turn them in, then this household is not suitable for hosting. If the brothers and sisters stay there temporarily for a few days, and then immediately relocate to a suitable place as soon as one is found, that is just barely tolerable. It would not be appropriate to stay long-term in such a home to do their duty. The host family must at least be able to protect the safety of the brothers and sisters—this is one requirement for a host family. For those doing their duty to avoid interference from the outside world, for one, their living environment must be suitable; additionally, the host’s own qualities must also be suitable in all regards—that is, they must be able to shield important work personnel from the interference of the outside world. Only if they are able to achieve this can leaders and workers arrange for important work personnel to be placed in their home. If the host has little faith and is incompetent and spineless, unable to have the final say in their own household, and any nonbelieving child or relative of theirs can come in and take charge over them, then this is quite troublesome. Such a place is absolutely unsuitable for hosting. Even if the house is large, with many rooms, a comfortable environment, and otherwise good conditions, it is still not suitable for hosting. A suitable living environment alone is not enough; the host must also be suitable. The key point here is that the host must first be able to ensure that the personnel doing their duties whom they are hosting are shielded from the interference of the outside world. Only then should the living environment be considered. A slightly less ideal environment is still acceptable—whether it’s a smaller space, limited internet, simpler food, or less convenient access to water. As long as the host is suitable, able to respond to danger when it arises, manage various complex situations, and especially properly handle any special circumstances that may arise to protect the safety of the brothers and sisters, then they are up to standard as a host. Our requirements for the living environment of a host family are not high; the most important thing is that it can ensure safety. There’s no need to go into details on this point.

II. Requirements for the Environment at the Site of the Residence

For the external environment surrounding the host family’s residence, whether it is safe is the first thing that the leaders and workers must consider. Regardless of the conditions of the host family or whether the residence is a brother’s or sister’s house or a rented house, it is necessary to consider whether the external environment of the residence is safe; this is the most important point. First of all, it is only suitable if this host family’s belief in God is not well-known and there are no records about their belief at the Public Security Bureau. If, in the past, when the brothers and sisters gathered there, the neighbors would report this to the government, and the government is already aware that this family frequently has gatherings with strangers, then this location is not suitable for hosting. If renting, it is also not suitable to rent the house of such a family. This is one aspect. Additionally, in some places, public security is poor, with frequent incidents of robbery, murder, and other various cases. The residents are also relatively complicated individuals, and police often go there to check household registrations and ID cards, and investigate criminal suspects, among other things. Tell Me, if you stayed in such a place, wouldn’t you frequently suffer from interference? (Yes.) Such places are also not suitable for living. The police come knocking every few days, saying that there has been a theft or murder nearby and asking for cooperation in the investigation, telling people to report immediately if they see the perpetrator. The police always come knocking on doors under the pretext of all sorts of excuses, claiming to be investigating cases, but in actuality, they are checking for outsiders and strangers—more precisely, they are looking for people who believe in God. Would you feel any sense of security staying at such a host home? (No.) Without a doubt, you would be on tenterhooks all day long. Even though these criminal incidents outside have nothing to do with the host family, you still wouldn’t feel at ease. Living in such an environment often makes you feel that your personal safety is under threat. Who knows if one day the police, upon seeing the brothers and sisters, might start questioning these strangers, and end up arresting them. Wouldn’t you say this is a frightening situation? (Yes.) Additionally, most Chinese people lack an awareness of security; as soon as they hear someone knocking, they open the door, and they also typically don’t lock their doors, which easily leads to incidents. In Western countries with freedom and democracy, private residences are considered private domains. If an outsider enters a private domain without permission, it is considered illegal, and the people living there will call the police. The intruder is then held legally responsible. Therefore, if a stranger knocks, you don’t have to open the door—you can refuse. Even if someone has scheduled a visit with you, if you aren’t ready or have changed your mind, you still don’t have to open the door; you can reschedule with them. People in Western countries have this right, they have this legal awareness. However, Chinese people lack this legal awareness. Whenever they hear a knock on the door, they hurry to open it. This shows a lack of vigilance, a lack of self-protection awareness, and an unfamiliarity with related laws. It is because China is a dictatorship, with one-party rule placed above the law, that its legal system is just a facade. The great red dragon acts with total disregard for law and order in China, recklessly committing misdeeds, and the people have no human rights whatsoever. Chinese people don’t pay attention to human rights, nor have they developed a sense of abiding by disciplinary regulations and complying with the law; in particular, they lack self-protection awareness, and most people don’t know to use the law to protect themselves. As a result, there is no guarantee of safety. In summary, in any place with poor public security, residents with complicated backgrounds and identities, frequent inspections, or frequent incidents of various criminal cases, it is easy for people to be affected by the interference of the outside world. Such a place is not suitable for staying in. This is a public security factor to consider when arranging accommodations for important work personnel.

The living environment for those who are doing their duty must be carefully selected; it is best to avoid bustling urban areas and dangerous locations. Which places are we referring to as bustling urban areas? These include places such as those near railways, highways, intersections, and markets. Especially along major railway lines, where countless trains pass each day, and the floors of nearby houses shake with each passing train. In such an environment, it is wholly impossible to find peace while doing one’s duty. Additionally, some people who have spent years doing their duty away from home live with constant anxiety, and their hearts are not in the best condition, making it even less suitable for them to live in such places. If certain work requires a quiet environment, such as recording work or text-based work, there must at least be no noise interference, and safety must also be ensured—this would be ideal. If there is no absolutely safe place, a relatively safe place must be found. In this case, a bit of noise is acceptable, and we shouldn’t set the requirements too high; as long as the living environment is safe, it will suffice. Additionally, if the house is located in a major traffic area, such as near traffic lights or an intersection, there will be countless pedestrians and vehicles passing by each day. Such a house is exposed to the view of numerous passersby, and with a casual glance, people passing by can easily see those inside. Especially when the lights are on at night, the situation inside the house is clearly visible. Would you say such a house is still acceptable for staying in? Is this environment suitable? (No, it’s not.) It is indeed not suitable. People staying in such a place frequently suffer from interference, often seeing strangers observing them. When their eyes meet those of a stranger, they get startled, feeling uneasy every day, constantly sensing they’re being watched—who knows if someone is behind it, directing and controlling things. Do you think one could feel at ease living in such an environment? Also, some houses are of poor quality with bad soundproofing, so when speaking loudly or playing hymns inside, people outside can hear everything. Additionally, some houses are located at the highest point in the community, in which case they are not only prone to lightning strikes but also allow the surrounding neighbors to see the brothers and sisters whenever they step outside. It’s inconvenient for them to even occasionally open a window for ventilation or to cool down; the windows must remain tightly closed with the curtains drawn, so no light ever gets in, and going outside to move around is even more inconvenient. There is constant worry about being observed and noticed by people outside. Although the brothers and sisters don’t come and go all at once, each time someone enters or leaves, people outside can see clearly. In the end, they will have a general idea of how many strangers live in this house. Would you say that people’s safety can still be ensured staying here? (No, it cannot.) Some people think, “Most of the time we are doing our duty indoors, and even if we go outside, we take turns and don’t go out all at once. By practicing in this way, the surrounding neighbors won’t be aware of anything.” But even if you go out in turns, it will still cause trouble if someone notices that you are a stranger. Many nonbelievers don’t lead very nice lives themselves but take particular pleasure in observing and prying into other people’s affairs. Some may even use binoculars to spy on you, watching what you do inside. If they discover that believers are gathering, they rush to report it to the government for a reward. Once such a person has set their sights on you, isn’t this a dangerous situation? (Yes.) Once they’ve set their sights on you, can anything good come of it? You’ll certainly end up being arrested! No matter the country or region, there’s never any shortage of busybodies. Even if they don’t earn a penny for monitoring you, they’re more than willing to do it—they would even pay out of pocket and delay their own work to spend time keeping watch. And if there’s a reward for reporting you, they’ll be even more eager to do so. Especially in a dictatorship like China, there are too many people monitoring those who believe in God. Because they are averse to the truth and feel aversion toward those who believe in God, as soon as they discover believers interacting together or gathering, they report it. If there’s a reward for reporting, they find tireless satisfaction in doing so. Doesn’t this easily bring trouble to the church? (Yes.) If you are being interfered with in this way, isn’t it because the leaders and workers didn’t arrange placements well? If the location and environment for placing important work personnel are unsuitable because the leaders and workers didn’t consider things thoroughly, these are the consequences that result. If the place where one lives draws too much attention, it can easily lead to things going wrong. Once something goes wrong and only then you realize that this place is not suitable for staying in, it’s already too late. Therefore, selecting a suitable living location for those doing their duty is also a key task, and poor selection can easily lead to danger.