Shepherding, Leading, Trusting, Living Out
The first time I saw Brother Wu was in the early summer of 2003, when I had just come to California to be perfected and to learn to serve. Once, at the Cerritos meeting hall, fellowshipping about the gospel coordination in Southern California, I noticed a brother sitting across from me who seemed to be asleep. When the matters had basically been fellowshipped, this brother opened his eyes, and when a responsible brother asked whether he had anything to fellowship, his first words were: "Your fellowship hasn't grasped the key point yet!" I was so startled I nearly jumped up: who is this? How can he speak like that? He stood up and first pointed out, "You haven't yet confirmed the basic number; how can the related service be arranged? You have to prepare meals—for how many people?" As soon as I heard it I thought, right! Brother Wu began to call by name the brothers of the various churches present: "Your church's number is such-and-such, so you should be able to bring this many people; you are farther away, so it's better to rent a big bus to come…"—and with such an arrangement, in no long time, everything was settled.
He was tall and big, directing with composure; I felt he had quite the bearing of a great general. After the meeting ended, I asked Brother Zhang, who led us in service, who that brother like a "great general" was, and how he could be so clear even while sleeping. Hearing my observation, Brother Zhang laughed heartily and told me, this is Brother Paul Wu. For quite a long time afterward, whenever I saw Brother Wu again, the thought "General Wu" would surface within me.
In early 2014, I began to take part in visiting the young people propagating in the various countries of Asia. The first time I fellowshipped personally with elder Brother Yucheng, he said that those young people in the midst of propagating needed care and strengthening, and he wanted me to visit them more. I felt very nervous, because I did not know how to meet their needs. In different countries, with different backgrounds, cultures, and coordination, to gain and shepherd people and raise up churches was very difficult; I had not even been to those places, so how could I help those young people? Brother Wu comforted me, saying, "No problem, relax! When you go, what you have to do is spend money, treat people to meals, make the young people happy, and have them welcome you to come again." I had never met a responsible brother who sent people out like this! Treat people to meals, make them happy—this I should be able to do! With no pressure in my heart, I went happily.
This period of service was the strongest stretch of my personally experiencing the Lord's living leading. Many times, because of the need to shepherd, I got up at three or four in the morning to pray, and the Holy Spirit also spoke many times, leading concretely and meeting needs—this experience was extremely precious. In the past, serving under the brothers' leading, I only needed to follow simply. Gradually I also came to know that I myself needed to seek the Lord's living leading, trusting that the Lord has living leading in everything.
Recently I heard Brother Yucheng fellowship in Taiwan about the burden for overseas propagation; on the one hand he said, "It's very easy to go out—just go"; on the other hand he said, "Actually it's also very hard!" Listening to him speak, I both laughed and shed tears: Brother Wu, you knew everything; you "coaxed" me into going! Looking back, without Brother Wu's comfort I probably would have found it hard to settle my heart. Isaiah 30:15 says, "In returning and rest you will be saved; in quietness and in trust will be your strength." The brother, with his wisdom, enabled me to go forth boldly—this was extremely crucial.
After that, each year I had several times to report and fellowship with elder Brother Yucheng, and I had two strongest impressions: a wise foreman, and a dear elder brother. His clarity in service, his accurate settling of cases, and his sense of the big picture made me marvel beyond detailed telling.
In contact with elder Brother Yucheng, the greatest feeling was relaxation, no pressure, yet truly being able to receive enlightenment and practical help. What moved me most was his detailed care for me personally. When I first began to travel through Asia, in one fellowship of several brothers, when it was mentioned whether to move my home to Asia, elder Brother Yucheng immediately rejected it, saying, "The children are still in school; we must care for them—there's no need to move." His saying this surprised me and warmed my heart. Afterward, every time after discussing service, he would care about my family and the needs of my living, again and again shepherding my soul.
Hebrews says that the Lord Jesus calls us brothers and is not ashamed (2:11), and that the Lord, in everything being made like us, was for releasing us, delivering us, and helping us (2:15-18), so as to be our High Priest, and to be our Captain; He sympathizes with us and wants us only to come forward with boldness, that we may receive mercy and find grace and receive timely help. Because of my contact with elder Brother Yucheng, I came to realize that the Lord Jesus, being our elder brother, is full of intimacy and care toward us, and truly need not be feared; rather, everything is for helping us, perfecting us, and making us complete.
Our elder Brother Yucheng lived out the Lord's grace, so that the glory of His grace was praised. Praise the Lord!