The Practice of the Vital Groups

Saturday, January 14, 2012

JANUARY 13--Baton Rouge to Tallahassee

Again this was a long drive. We left at 9AM and arrived at about 5PM. We lost an hour with the time change between time zones. We had supper at Aaron and Karis apartment (where we are staying). A number of new ones including ones from India, Hungary and from another country that I cannot spell. They have lots of international students. Some saints have a burden to gain these international students and build them up in vital groups and then send them back to their countries. (Note: There were 6 saints visiting for a long weekend from Austin)

After supper Bill Menton (visiting from Austin) and Carol and I went to visit some couples who wanted to have some fellowship about caring for the children. (In the past I was involved with the Full-time Training in Anaheim) and became familiar with what Brother Lee had to say about the children.) By our time together we realized how much we need to fellowship. The fellowship and prayer issues in the care and shepherding. We also realized how there is the need from more children's materials to use in the homes and in the corporate meeting based on the view conveyed in the new book that Living Stream published last year on the gaining of the second generation for the Lord's Recovery.

Two burdens Brother Lee had through the years was the need for us to help the children in their character. He used the illustration of the dye and the cloth. The quality of the cloth (humanity) determines how brightly the dye (the Lord as grace) shines out. Paul had a very high humanity and the highest education--thus the Lord shown out of him brightly after he received the Lord. Most people's character is formed by the time they are fifteen so we need to redeem those early years to help them in their humanity. We ourselves need to be a good pattern and also we can tell stories that present a good pattern to them. We saw the need to collect good stories to use with the children. Also Brother Lee was burden that we use our homes with our children. They have or will have many friends and classmates. By our using our homes in coordination with other saints (i.e. our vital group) we can gain their friends and classmates and their families. In this way they become the seeds of the gospel. Such a fruit-bearing life will help preserve both them and us a parents. If we don't bear fruit we will dry up and will be cut off from top enjoyment of the Lord, from our function, from the fellowship with the saints and eventually from God's economy (see John 15).

As some of  you know Steve lived in Tallahassee for nearly all of his first twenty years. On the way into town this time we stopped by our old house on 1535 Hickory and took a few pictures. Steve's parents now live in San Jose, CA .

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