The Definitions of Leaders and Workers and the Reasons for Putting Them in Place

Next, let us discuss the second category: those who perform the duties of leaders and workers. Though few in number, such people play an important role in terms of the nature of their work. The duties of leaders and workers involve many truths too—more truths, even, than spreading the gospel. Why do I say this? These duties are very broad in scope. One aspect of these duties is the work of outwardly spreading the gospel, and the other is internally watering and supplying God’s chosen people, managing the church life well, as well as handling church matters and solving all sorts of problems. That is to say, leaders and workers must understand more truths, and stricter demands are made of them regarding certain principles of practice, and their relationship with God must be closer. Being a leader or worker involves practice and entry into various aspects of the truth, the paths that people take, as well as many other aspects. Compared to performing the duty of spreading the gospel, being a leader or worker is more closely related to life entry and also requires achieving dispositional change. This means that the various truths relating to how to do the work of leaders well are greater in number and scope. Yet no matter how many there are, they still fall under several main themes, so let’s go through them item-by-item, point-by-point, and you will gradually come to understand them. Let us start by talking about the definition of leaders and workers. Why is it necessary to define them? A definition is equivalent to positioning something, that is, it tells people the nature and scope of the responsibilities of these duties, as well as their titles—in other words, what to call them. By accurately defining these duties, people can gain mental clarity with regard to the standing that this category of people has in God’s mind, what He demands of them, and what requirements He has for their performance of these duties, what path they should take, and what principles they should practice. Regardless of whether they are young or old, of high and noble position, or of lowly and base position, and regardless of their background, in any case, God has required standards for such people. In other words, there are truths that people who perform such duties must understand; there are truth principles that they should grasp and practice, and there is a certain path they should follow. So, how are those chosen from among God’s followers to lead and work usually defined? What is the precise definition? What do people believe to be the definition? And what exact position do such people hold in the hearts of others? Is this not related to defining the identity and status of such people? What position does this group of people occupy in others’ hearts? Are they apostles? No. Are they disciples? They are not disciples, either. Is there anyone who calls them shepherds? (Yes.) Is “shepherds” a suitable title? (It is not.) Why is it not? (It’s the wrong position.) Are people capable of performing the role of shepherds? (No.) Since they are not apostles or disciples, and “shepherds” is not appropriate either, what exactly is the most suitable name for the people who perform these duties? What is the more apt term? (Watchmen.) Is “watchmen” suitable? I don’t see any difference between this title and “shepherds.” It is a grand-sounding name, but the work these people do is rather minor. None of these titles are suitable. So, based on the nature of the duties these people perform, what is a more apt name and definition? What are the principles for defining such people? The definition must match the nature of their work, as well as their identity and status, and it must be just right, and not too grand. If we defined these people as “apostles,” would that be too grandiose? (Yes.) Or, what about “watchmen”? (That’s even more grandiose.) Are you capable of watching over people? If not, you are not a watchman. What about “shepherds?” What does “shepherds” refer to? (People who tend to a flock.) It refers to people who tend to and watch over a flock of sheep. The name actually fits this group, just based on the nature of their work. However, given what people can shoulder these days, what they can achieve, and their corrupt dispositions, is the title “shepherds” suitable? (No.) It’s a little grandiose. They’re not capable of this, nor does it match the nature or scope of the work people do these days. Obviously, this title does not suit them. What, then, is the most suitable way to define this category of people? (As leaders and workers.) This phrase is relatively suitable.

What is the cause of the emergence of the category of people who are leaders and workers? How did they emerge? On a grand scale, they are needed for God’s work; on a smaller scale, they are needed for the work of the church, they are needed by God’s chosen people. Regardless of their identity or status, and irrespective of the role they play, they are equal to ordinary members of God’s chosen people; their identity and status before God are the same. Though the term “leaders and workers” exists in the church, and though these individuals are “leaders” and “workers” who perform different duties than their brothers and sisters, their title of “created beings” before God is still the same; this identity will not change. The difference between leaders and workers and ordinary members of God’s chosen people is only a special characteristic in the duties they perform. This special characteristic shows principally in their leadership roles. For example, no matter how many people a church has, the leader is the head. So what role does this leader play among the members? They lead all of God’s chosen people in the church. So what effect do they have throughout the whole church? If this leader takes the wrong path, all those in the church will follow them down the wrong path, which will have a huge impact on all of God’s chosen people in the church. Take Paul for example. He led many of the churches he founded and God’s chosen people. When Paul went astray, the churches and God’s chosen people he led also went astray. So, when leaders take their own diverging path, they are not the only ones who are impacted, the churches and God’s chosen people they lead are impacted as well. If a leader is a right person, one who is walking the right path and pursues and practices the truth, then the people they lead will eat and drink God’s words normally and pursue the truth normally, and, at the same time, the leader’s life experience and progress will be visible to others, and will impact others. So, what is the correct path that a leader should walk? It is being able to lead others to an understanding of the truth and an entry into the truth, and to lead others before God. What is an incorrect path? It is to pursue status, fame, and gain, to frequently show off oneself and to bear witness to oneself, never bearing witness to God. What effect does this have on God’s chosen people? (It brings them before oneself.) They will stray far from God and come under this leader’s control. If you lead people to come before you, then you are leading them to come before a corrupt person, and you are leading them to come before Satan, not God. Only leading people to come before truth is leading them to come before God. Leaders and workers, no matter whether they walk the right path or the wrong one, have a direct influence on God’s chosen people. When they have yet to understand the truth, the majority of God’s chosen people follow blindly. The leader could be someone good, and they would follow them; the leader could be someone bad, and they would also follow them—they don’t differentiate. They follow as they are led, regardless of who the leader is. And so it is crucial that the churches choose good people to be their leaders. The path walked by each person who believes in God is directly related to the path walked by their leaders, and can to varying degrees be influenced by those leaders and workers. Let us begin by fellowshipping along these two lines on the various truths involved in the duties of leaders and workers—the correct path, on the one hand, and the incorrect path, on the other. Which of these two should we fellowship about first? (The incorrect path.) Why do you choose this? Is it better to discuss the correct path first, or the incorrect path? (The incorrect one.) Both are correct, actually—but which one we discuss first will have a different effect. If we start with discussing the incorrect path, people can discover more about the correct path within the incorrect path and also find out many passive and negative things or knowledge, which they can use to admonish themselves. They can derive something positive from this, and if we then go on to discuss the correct path, people will be able to comprehend what is positive on a deeper level and more rapidly. Basically, this approach is viable, and it is of benefit to people. Let us therefore begin by discussing the incorrect path.

The Techniques Antichrists Use to Control People

Once a person is selected as a leader or worker and has begun performing their duties, should they adopt a certain demeanor? Some ask, “What demeanor? Should they be mounting the clouds or commanding the wind and the rain?” Neither is correct. Although they should not be mounting the clouds or commanding the wind and the rain, and they certainly should not be shouting from the rooftops, as they are a corrupted human being with the corrupt disposition and essence of Satan, at such times every person does feel a thunderous force deep inside them. They all have lofty ambitions, and feel a drive to succeed in their career, to show off their skills, to make a splash, and to go all-out. Let us not discuss, for the moment, whether this sort of drive is right or wrong. When someone is selected as a leader or worker, they harbor very complex feelings deep inside of them. What do I mean by complex? Some believe it is not easy at all to get chosen as a leader, and although they are not sure if they can do a good job, and do not know what their future path will be, their inherent nature is such that they are very glad for this opportunity, very happy to accept this honorable responsibility and heavy burden. Also, deep down, they feel a bit self-satisfied and fortunate. What do they feel fortunate about? They believe, “I was chosen from among dozens of others—I must be quite stellar and capable. I must be better than ordinary people, and have better comprehension and more spiritual understanding than most. I have believed in god for many years, and I have expended and exerted a lot. The facts prove that I am qualified to take the lead in the church, guiding people in entering god’s words and understanding the truth. There are so many people who are cleverer, better-educated, and more articulate than me, so why was I chosen instead of them? It shows that I’m capable and have good humanity. This is the grace of god.” This is their internal monologue. “Grace of god” is tacked on at the end, but in fact their true thoughts and true understanding are in the first part of what they said. They think, “Even though I didn’t compete or fight for this, I was still chosen. And what should I do now? I can’t let everyone down, I must go all out!” And how do they go all out? Their first day on the job, they call the supervisors of each group together for a gathering, and they have a certain demeanor and energy about them. What kind of energy? They act swiftly and decisively, and mean what they say, eager to make an impressive start. First, they try to show everyone how capable they are, then they try to get people to discern and forsake their predecessor. They say: “Today, let us first spend some time dissecting my predecessor, for example, the ways in which he constrained people, which aspects of the work he was flawed or negligent in, and so on—we can fellowship about all of these things. When we have finished fellowshipping, and you have clear discernment of the previous leader, are able to forsake him, are no longer constrained by him, and no longer long for him, you can then be considered as possessing understanding, and as being loyal and submissive to god. In today’s gathering we will start by criticizing the previous false leader and antichrist. Let us expose him.” In response, everyone says that they have already fellowshipped about this, and discerned that the predecessor was a false leader and antichrist, so there is nothing for them to expose. But these new leaders do not agree, and they start singling people out and getting them to fellowship. Some people’s fellowship is not to their liking, so they ask one of the brothers and sisters who was closest to the former leader to expose and dissect him, but after hearing this fellowship, these new leaders think, “This person doesn’t have discernment of my predecessor, and they haven’t forsaken him either. It seems as if he still has a place in this person’s heart. That won’t do at all; today I must think of a way to completely expose my predecessor.” After that, they call on somebody who was on the worst terms with the previous leader to get up and expose him. Once that person has exposed the previous leader, they are satisfied, and think that this person is worthy of cultivation. And what do they want to cultivate? They want to cultivate an accomplice, to cultivate their own forces. This is how the first gathering goes. And can they achieve their goal after this gathering? Not so thoroughly, or so quickly. What are they plotting in their hearts? “Nothing is more inscrutable than the human heart, and nothing is more sinister. I have to ascertain what each person thinks of my predecessor, and I must be clear on what they think of me, whether they know about my past, and whether they know the ins and outs about me, and ultimately show them all that I am not to be messed with. But I have to select my methods and tactics carefully. I can’t expose my intentions; I have to conceal them.” And where do these thoughts, methods of work, and motives all come from? Their satanic nature. Do you have such manifestations? The day you were selected as leaders or workers, you may have started off by warning yourselves to not take the wrong path, to not walk the path of false leaders and antichrists. You may have told yourselves that you must let go of status, and not work for the sake of your own fame, gain, or status, or be led by desire while you work, and instead work hard to do your duties, and be loyal to God. Yet, as time passes, there are those who cannot help themselves, and as soon as they speak or act their goal becomes very clear—they immediately try to consolidate their own status and win over people’s hearts. As soon as someone reveals the slightest hint of dissatisfaction or defiance, it irks them, and though they may not openly exclude or attack the person, deep down they feel very repulsed by them. How do they manifest this feeling of repulsion? (They ignore that person.) Ignoring them is a quiet manifestation, so what specific actions does the repulsion involve? For example, they seat the people they like facing them at gatherings, and they find a reason to seat the people they don’t like off to the side. Is this an attack? (Yes.) This is the start of their attack. They are taking action, are they not? (Yes.) Actions are more serious and severe than words or thoughts. Why are they more severe? Thinking something but not acting on it—this derives from one’s mind and thoughts. But as soon as there is action, it becomes a fact. When it becomes behavior, it is not merely the corrupt disposition of Satan but an evil deed. After people are chosen to be leaders, they bring their own wishes, aspirations, and ideals to the work they do and the duties they perform. But what is a shared manifestation that all humans who possess Satan’s corrupt disposition have? What do they all have in common? They try to seize power and consolidate their own status. By what means do they try to seize power? Firstly, they observe in groups who is trying to curry favor with them and draw close to them. Then, they actively get closer to those people, and, whether through flattery or through offering small favors, they create underhand connections and ingratiate themselves with them, so that these people—with whom they have shared preferences, interests, ambitions, or same natures—become their die-hard followers, and join forces with them. And what is their goal in making these people join forces with them? To consolidate their status and expand the scope of their forces. Once they gain power, it is not only a matter of them having the final say, and that’s it—they also want to get more people to follow them, support them, and speak on their behalf, so that even when they say something wrong, do bad things, or attack and restrict people, there will still be those who do as they say and approve of them. This is their goal. Then, if the Above discovers their problems and replaces them one day, there will still be people who do their utmost to speak on their behalf, who come to their defense, and try to protect their reputation. And what method are they using for these actions of theirs to achieve this kind of outcome? Winning over people’s hearts. They use the method of winning over people’s hearts in order to consolidate their status and expand the scope of their forces. This is one of the methods by which antichrists seize power.

When it comes to the techniques that antichrists use to consolidate their status, the first one is winning over people’s hearts and the second is attacking and excluding dissenters. Winning over people’s hearts means that they use the method of winning over people on those who curry favor with them, who draw close to them, who trust them, and who follow them no matter if they are right or wrong. Attacking and excluding dissenters means that they view as enemies all those who understand the truth, and who can consequently discern them, refrain from following them, and keep away from them. They treat these people as nails in their eyes and thorns in their sides, and the technique they use on these people is to attack and exclude them. For example, say that an antichrist notices that every time they fellowship, people are very enthusiastic, with some taking notes or recording them on a tape recorder. There is only one young sister who never takes notes or speaks up. So, they think to themselves: “Does she have a problem with me? Or does she think that I don’t fellowship well? What’s more, every time I arrive, other people greet me and nod to me in a friendly way, pouring water for me and offering me a seat, but she’s never treated me like that. It looks as if she isn’t yielding to me—I have to think of a way and find an opportunity to teach her a lesson! What kind of opportunity should I look for? I’ll arrange for her to go handle something that she’s certain to do a poor job at—that will give me a reason to lecture her. This is my best chance to get her to yield to me.” Subsequently, they arrange for this sister to go work somewhere dangerous. They think: “I’ll get her to go and spread the gospel to an old religious pastor, one who is a bit lecherous and does not accept the truth. Let’s see if she can convert him. What will she have to say for herself if she can’t? If she doesn’t yield to me, I’ll send her away!” Then, they proceed to say to her: “Right now most of the other brothers and sisters think very highly of you. You’ve believed in god for many years, and you understand many truths. There is a religious pastor who knows the Bible well, and you’re the one who is best suited to go and spread the gospel to him.” When the sister meets the pastor, the pastor sees that she is young and beautiful, and takes a liking to her—he even takes some liberties with her. After she returns, the sister says she does not want to go back again, to which the antichrist replies: “The church has assigned you to spread the gospel to him. This is your duty, you must go!” Hearing this, the sister has no choice but to obey, and as a result she cries after each visit. This leader is capable of doing such things in order to attack and retaliate against others. What kind of person is this? An evil one. If they were a woman, would they go in this kind of situation? (No.) Absolutely not. They would avoid it more than anyone. They see who displeases them, who is easy to pick on, who does not yield to them and does not curry favor with them, and then find opportunities to scheme against these people and get revenge on them. Tell Me, when someone has bad and evil intentions, are they not capable of doing all kinds of horrible things? And how do these bad, evil intentions come about? One of the chief reasons is that their nature essence is too bad and malicious, and another is that they do not have a God-fearing heart. When people do not possess God-fearing hearts, there is nothing that they do not dare do; they won’t just harm other people, they can even do things like judging and selling out God—harming people is a piece of cake for them. They will not think it’s a big deal no matter how much they harm other people; they have no sympathy for others and are very malicious at their core. And what was the goal of this antichrist when they pushed this young sister toward the fiery pit? They did not do this to spread the gospel and gain people; it was just to torment her. What kind of people do they torment? If it is someone who complies with them and obeys them, will they torment them? No, they will not. So why was the sister subjected to such treatment? (Because she did not yield to them.) Because she did not yield to them, did not curry favor with them, do as they said, or treat them as a big deal, and disdained them instead, she was treated like this and harmed as a result. When antichrists harm people in this way, how will those who are small in stature and do not understand the truth generally react? They will think to themselves: “Local officials have more control than state officials. Right now, we are under this person’s control, so we should do as they say and go wherever they tell us to. However other people act toward them, that is how we should act toward them. We must integrate with the group. We should curry favor with them in the same way that other people do, and we should do it better and more attentively than others. Only then can we keep this leader off our backs. This leader isn’t easy to serve—we shouldn’t mess with them!” And is this not precisely the outcome that the antichrist wants to see? (Yes.) In this, they have achieved their goal. Is this not the same as the technique that Satan uses to abuse people? (It is.) What does this show? That their actions represent Satan. They have become an outlet for and representative of Satan; they act on behalf of it. Is doing a duty in that way the true performance of a duty? Is it serving God? (No.) Such leaders are not fit to be called leaders—they are evil people and Satans.

As soon as antichrists become leaders, the first thing they do is try to win over people’s hearts, to make people believe them, trust them, and support them. When their status is secure, they begin to become abnormal. To protect their status and power, they begin to attack and exclude dissenters. Toward dissenters—particularly toward people who pursue the truth—they’ll try anything, using steady, precise and unrelenting methods to suppress and attack them, to torment them. Only when they have brought down and vilified anyone who threatens their status do they feel at ease. Every antichrist is like this. What is their aim in using these myriad tactics to win over and suppress people? Their goal is to gain power, to consolidate their status, to mislead and control people. What do their intentions and motives represent? They wish to establish their own, independent kingdom, they want to stand against God. Such an essence is even more grievous than a corrupt disposition: The ambitions and treacherous schemes of Satan have been completely exposed. This is not solely a problem of the revealing of a corrupt disposition. For example, when people are a little arrogant and self-righteous, or are sometimes a bit deceitful and mendacious, these are merely the revelations of a corrupt disposition. Everything antichrists do, meanwhile, is in order to win over people’s hearts, to attack and exclude dissenters, to consolidate their status, to seize power, and to control people. What is the nature of these actions? Are they practicing the truth? Are they leading God’s chosen people in entering God’s words and coming before God? (No.) So what are they doing? They are vying with God for His chosen people, competing for people’s hearts, and trying to set up their own, independent kingdom. Who should have a place in people’s hearts? God should have a place. But everything the antichrists do is precisely the opposite of this. They do not allow God or the truth to have a place in people’s hearts; instead, they want man, the leader that they are, and Satan to have a place in people’s hearts. As soon as they discover that they do not have a place in someone’s heart, that this person does not treat them like a leader, they are extremely disgruntled, and will probably try to suppress them and torment them. Everything the antichrists do and say revolves around their status and reputation, and is meant to make people think highly of them, to make people envy and worship them—even to make people fear them. They want to make God’s chosen people treat them like God, thinking, “No matter what church I’m in, people must listen to me, they must take their cues from me. No matter who reports what problem to the above, it must go through me, they are only allowed to make reports to me, and not directly to the above. If anyone says ‘no’ to me, I’ll punish them, so that everyone who sees me feels fear, trepidation, and shivers in their heart. What’s more, if I give an order or assert something, no one must dare to disagree; whatever I say, people must fall in line with it. They must listen to me absolutely, they must obey me in all things, and I must be the one calling the shots there.” This is precisely the tone with which antichrists speak, this is the voice of antichrists, this is how antichrists try to lord over the churches. If God’s chosen people do as they say and obey them, do such churches not become the kingdoms of the antichrists? They say, “The work arrangements issued by the above have to be checked over by me, I must take responsibility for you, I must be the one who analyzes right and wrong, the outcome must be decided by me. You don’t have enough stature, and you are not sufficiently qualified. I am the leader of the church and everything is up to me.” Aren’t the people who say these things not being extremely pompous? They truly are so arrogant that they lack any reason! Are they not trying to establish their own, independent kingdom? What kind of people are liable to try to create their own kingdom? Are they not bona fide antichrists? Is not everything antichrists say and do in order to protect their own status? Are they not trying to mislead and control people? Why are they called antichrists? What is the meaning of “anti”? It means antithetic and hatred. It means hostility toward Christ, hostility toward the truth, and hostility toward God. What does “hostility” mean? It means standing on the opposite side, treating you like an enemy, as if one is filled with a great and profound hatred; it means to be in diametric opposition to you. Such is the mentality with which antichrists approach God. What attitude do people like this, who hate God, have toward the truth? Are they able to love the truth? Are they able to accept the truth? Definitely not. Therefore, people who stand in opposition to God are people who hate the truth. The number one thing that is exhibited in them is an aversion toward the truth and hatred of the truth. As soon as they hear the truth or the words of God, there is hatred in their hearts, and when anyone reads the words of God to them, an expression of anger and rage appears on their faces, just like when the words of God are read to a demon when people are spreading the gospel. In their hearts, people who are averse toward the truth and hate the truth feel the utmost aversion toward God’s words and the truth, theirs is an attitude of resistance, and they even go so far as to hate anyone who reads God’s words to them or fellowships the truth to them, they even treat that person as an enemy. They feel extreme aversion toward various truths, and toward positive things. All the truths such as submitting to God, loyally doing one’s duties, being an honest person, seeking the truth in all things, and so on—do they have a little bit of subjective yearning or love? No, not in the slightest. Therefore, given this sort of nature essence that they have, they are already standing in direct opposition to God and the truth. Without a doubt, such people do not, deep down, love the truth or any positive thing; deep down, they even feel averse toward the truth and hate it. For example, people in positions of leadership have to be able to accept the differing opinions of their brothers and sisters, they must be able to open themselves up and lay themselves bare to the brothers and sisters, and be able to accept their reproach, and they must not assert their status. What would an antichrist say of all of these correct ways of practicing? They would say, “If I listened to the brothers’ and sisters’ opinions, then would I still be a leader? Would I still have status and prestige? If I have no prestige, then what work can I do?” This is precisely the kind of disposition possessed by an antichrist; they do not accept the truth in even the most minute way, and the more correct a way of practice is, the more they resist it. They do not accept that acting according to principle is practicing the truth. What do they think that practicing the truth is? They think that they must use plotting, tricks, and violence on everyone, rather than relying on the words of God, the truth, and love. Their every means and path is wicked. All this is wholly representative of the nature essence of the antichrists. The motives, opinions, views, and intentions that they often reveal are all dispositions of aversion to and hatred of the truth, which is the nature essence of the antichrists. What, then, does it mean to stand in opposition to the truth and to God? It means hating the truth and positive things. For example, when somebody says, “As a created being, one should fulfill the duty of a created being. No matter what God might say, people should submit, for we are created beings,” how does an antichrist think? “Submit? It’s not untrue that I am a created being, but when it comes to submitting, that depends on the situation. First and foremost, there has to be some benefit in it for me, I mustn’t be put at a disadvantage, and my interests have to come first. If there are rewards or great blessings to be gained, then I can submit, but without rewards and without a destination, why must I submit? I cannot submit.” This is an attitude of not accepting the truth. Their submission to God is conditional, and if their conditions are not met, not only do they not submit, they are also liable to push back against and resist God. For example, God asks that people be honest, but these antichrists believe that only fools try to be honest, and that clever people do not try to be honest. What is the essence of such an attitude? It is hatred of the truth. Such is the essence of antichrists, and their essence determines what path they walk, and the path they walk determines everything they do. When antichrists have the nature essence of hatred of the truth and of God, what kinds of things are they liable to do? They are liable to try and win over people’s hearts, attack and exclude dissenters, and torment people. The aim they are trying to achieve in doing these things is to wield power, to control God’s chosen people, and to set up their own, independent kingdom. Of this there is no doubt. Any person who, once they have status, is incapable of absolute submission to God, and is not able to follow God or pursue the truth, is an antichrist.