Why the Members of a Vital Group Must Be Disciples of Christ?
Preface
According to the Lord's commission in Matthew 28:19, making disciples is not merely bringing people to salvation but constituting them with Christ. Based on the revelation of
the Scriptures and the ministry of Witness Lee, the members of a vital group
are not merely zealous believers; they are
those who have been constituted through Christ's God-man living, His
all-inclusive death, and His life-imparting
resurrection. Therefore, the foundation of a
vital group is not activity but discipleship; not organization but constitution; not work
but the reproduction of Christ.
|
Item |
Why the Members of a Vital Group
Must Be Disciples of Christ? |
|
Meaning |
The
constituents of a vital group are those who have been constituted with Christ
and transformed into His disciples. |
|
Reason |
God's economy
is not
merely to gain believers but to gain disciples who reproduce and express Christ. |
|
The Lord's Pattern |
The Lord spent
three and a half years constituting His disciples by living with them. |
|
Process of Constitution |
Seeing Christ's
human living → Experiencing His death → Receiving His resurrection life → Living a God-man life. |
|
Central Revelation |
A disciple is
one who lives the divine life within a human life. |
|
Spiritual Principle |
Not merely imitating Christ but
allowing Christ to live through us. |
|
Illustration 1 |
An apprentice
learning from a master by daily living together. |
|
Illustration 2 |
Branches
abiding in the vine and bearing fruit naturally. |
|
Illustration 3 |
A mold shaping
vessels; Christ's living shapes His disciples. |
|
Christ's First Stage |
Constituting
disciples through His God-man living. |
|
Christ's Second Stage |
Constituting
disciples through His all-inclusive death. |
|
Christ's Third Stage |
Constituting
disciples
through His life-imparting resurrection. |
|
Result |
Believers
become living disciples who express Christ. |
|
Source of Vitality |
The operation
of the indwelling Spirit. |
|
Nature of a Vital Group |
A gathering of
constituted disciples. |
|
Purpose |
The building up
of the Body of Christ and the fulfillment of God's economy. |
|
Relationship |
Christ's living
→ Christ's death → Christ's
resurrection → Disciples → Vital persons → Vital
groups → The church → The Body of Christ. |
|
Key Scriptures |
Matthew 5:1 The
disciples gathered to the Lord Matthew 28:19 Make
disciples of all the nations John 20:22 The Lord
breathed Himself into the disciples Galatians 2:20 Christ
lives in me Romans 1:4 Declared the Son
of God in resurrection Romans 8:29 The
Firstborn among many brothers Acts 13:33 Resurrection
producing God's many sons 1 Corinthians 15:45 The
last Adam became the life-giving Spirit John 12:24 One grain
producing many grains Hebrews 2:10 Bringing
many sons into glory |
Biblical
Examples
|
Example |
Constitution
Process |
Result |
|
Peter |
Followed the
Lord for 3½ years and experienced the cross and resurrection |
Became a bold
witness at Pentecost |
|
John |
Observed the
Lord's God-man living |
Became the
apostle of life |
|
James |
Was transformed
through the Lord's training |
Became a pillar
in the church |
|
Andrew |
Followed and learned from the Lord |
Became one who
brought people to Christ |
|
Paul |
Saw the
heavenly vision and experienced Christ's death and resurrection |
Lived
"Christ lives in me" |
Practical
Application Today
|
Area |
Practice |
|
Contacting
the Lord |
Have a daily
morning revival and fellowship with the Lord |
|
Observing
Christ |
Read the
Gospels to behold His God-man living |
|
Experiencing
the Cross |
Deny the self and reject the natural life |
|
Living in
the Spirit |
Follow the
inner anointing and the indwelling Spirit |
|
Receiving
Constitution |
Allow the Word
to operate within |
|
Vital Group
Living |
Practice mutual
shepherding and mutual perfecting |
|
Bearing Fruit |
Produce
disciples rather
than merely converts |
The
Ministry Burden
|
Burden |
Explanation |
|
Not workers but constituted persons |
The focus is on
being constituted with Christ |
|
Not organizing groups |
But producing vital persons |
|
Not teaching doctrines merely |
But ministering
life |
|
Not cultivating natural ability |
But reproducing
the God-man living |
|
Not merely increasing numbers |
But increasing
disciples |
Prophesying
Meeting Guidelines
|
Item |
Content |
|
Revelation |
A vital group
begins with discipleship, not organization |
|
Experience |
Daily
experience Christ's living, death, and resurrection |
|
Application |
Live the
God-man life in family, work, and church life |
|
Burden |
Minister Christ
so others may become disciples |
|
Building Up |
Vital groups
are units for Christ's multiplication and increase |
One-Sentence
Prophecy
A vital group is not composed of naturally zealous believers but of
disciples constituted through Christ's God-man living, His all-inclusive death,
and His life-imparting resurrection, living the
divine life in humanity for His multiplication and expression.
Conclusion
The key to a vital group is not methods, programs, or
organization but the constitution of disciples. The
Lord constituted Peter, John, James, and Andrew
through His living, death, and resurrection.
Today He continues this work through the indwelling Spirit. As we deny our
natural life and live by the divine life, we become
vital persons; when many such persons come together, a genuine vital group is
produced for the building up of the Body of Christ.
Ultimate
Conclusion
|
Item |
Revelation |
|
Disciple |
A reproduction
of Christ produced through His living, death, and resurrection |
|
Vital Person |
The practical
expression of a constituted disciple |
|
Vital Group |
A corporate
expression of vital persons |
|
Church |
The enlargement
of the vital groups |
|
Body of
Christ |
The reality
produced through the church life |
|
New
Jerusalem |
The ultimate
consummation of Christ's reproduction and God's economy |
God's goal is not merely to gain believers but to gain disciples; not merely
disciples but vital persons; not merely vital persons but vital
groups; not merely vital groups but the Body of Christ; and
ultimately the New Jerusalem as the corporate
expression of the processed and consummated
Triune God mingled with His redeemed people.
*Please refer to the 2026
Memorial Day Special Conference theme: The Urgent Need for a New Revival, Part
One: Cooperating with the Lord to Bring a New Revival to End This Generation.