"To build a healthy church, pastors should correctly handle the word of truth, with the endeavors of believers and clergies to reach unity in the faith," said a megachurch pastor.
Zhang Zhongcheng, senior pastor of Chongyi Church, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, preached a sermon titled Christians’ Unity in The Faith, based on Ephesians 4:1-16.
The pastor said that the correct view of the church was based on the doctrine of the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
"Established by God, the church was bought by Jesus at a price, with the protection and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The church is God’s family consisting of Christians; the church is the body of Christ which believers make up; the church is the temple of the Holy Spirit who guides believers in their ways," Zhang stated. "There is one body and one Spirit…"(Ephesians 4:4)
Zhang explained that "one body" referred to the church and "one" did not mean that churches must conduct themselves in the exact same way. In fact, the sacraments of the churches differed from each other in several respects. Some baptized by immersion and others by sprinkling. In communion services, some churches used the grape juice that they made themselves, while others diluted the wine with water. Some opted to meet on Sundays, and others on Saturdays. Furthermore, some used the Chinese Union Version Bible, and others used the modern version instead.
"One" mainly referred to believing in the one true Lord, the master of the church. But many people did not have the faith in one God, as their actions consciously or unconsciously suggested that they believed in more than one God, and some even mistakenly regarded themselves as the Lord, the pastor added.
Rather than saying that God was a king and a judge, it was more appropriate to say that God was our father.
"The Christian view of God is founded on the love of the Father, just in the same way that the Lord’s Prayer begins with 'Our Father in heaven'. We must be clear that we live in a world that is created, ruled, protected by, and filled with God, who proceeds to lead, support, and live with us," Zhang urged.
"Christians’ gifts from God are different and do not need to be the same, as they originate from the riches of His grace, or from the rich God himself."
“Just like the human body, if we only had eyes but no feet how would we be able to walk? If we only had ears but no eyes, how would we be able to see? If we only had feet but no hands, how would we be able to grasp anything? God arranged a variety of ministries for His churches, thus the role that each church member carries out is different and unique. To fulfill its mission of building the body of Christ, the church requires different positions, distinct divisions, and many people with various gifts to equip God’s people for the works of service.”
Teaching remained the most urgent aspect of the church’s efforts to lead believers in living a life pleasing God.
Zhang stated, "In terms of teaching, we need the word of God, the pastor’s understanding, and the instructed and humble hearts of believers, which must be united as one. The pastor should ask God to lead his preaching, as the quality of the sermons and his understanding of the Bible could affect the lives of those who are listening."
"Martin Luther once said, 'If you preached the gospel in all aspects, but said nothing about problems of your time, then you have not proclaimed the gospel at all.' In certain respects, God’s words should be in tune with the changing times, as they are still relevant and applicable to our present and real lives," the pastor concluded.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
2021年8月8日，杭州基督教会崇一堂张忠成牧师，以新约以弗所书4章1- 16节经文，分享了基督徒要在真道上同归于一的主题。
正确的教会观是基础
通常我们所说的教会观，是建立在圣父、圣子、圣灵这三位一体的真理上。
教会是上帝设立的，是耶稣基督重价买赎回来的，也是被圣灵感动，保守，引导的。通常有三句话形容教会观：
第一，教会是神的家，信徒是家里的一员；第二，教会是基督的身体，信徒组成肢体；第三，教会是圣灵的殿，圣灵引导着信徒行事为人。
教会信仰的独一神
经中保罗说身体只有一个，而身体是指着教会而言的。“一个”，并不是指教会的外在、生活、形式上都要相同。其实教会的圣礼形式不都相同，有的教会是浸水洗礼，有的则是点水洗礼。在圣餐礼中，有的教会是用葡萄酒加水稀释一点，而有的教会用自己酿的葡萄汁。有的教会是礼拜天做礼拜的，有的是礼拜六做礼拜。有的教会用的是圣经和合本，有的教会读的可能是现代版的……
“一个”主要是指教会的信仰来说的，信仰一位主，信仰一位神，教会的主人是那位独一的上帝。可是很多人不是真的明白独一神的信仰。教会中信耶稣基督是唯一的主，而在信仰生活中，有的人会有意无意的表现出有多个神、多个主的样子，甚至一不小心把自己当成主了。
与其说上帝是君王，是审判者，不如说上帝是我们的父更贴切。因为基督教的上帝观是以天父的爱开始的，就像主祷文开始，我们在天上的父。我们要清楚，上帝会带领我们，支持我们，与我们同在，我们就住在一个上帝创造、上帝统治、上帝保护，上帝充满的世界中。
职分上的合一
上帝对每一个人的恩典不同，个人得到的必须不一样，应该不一样，也不需要一样。因为个人的恩赐本来就是来自于上帝丰富的恩典，或者说是来自于丰丰富富的上帝本身。
就像我们一个人身上的肢体，不可能全部是眼睛，全部是眼睛没有脚，那怎么行呢？全部是耳朵，没有眼睛肯定不行，全部是脚，没有手那也不行。教会对每一个肢体的分工也不同。上帝为了教会安排了很多事工，教会使命的完成需要不同的人不同的职位，是为了建立荣耀的教会。一定是需要有不同的恩赐、有不同的分工，成全圣徒、各尽其责，建立基督的身体，这个身体就是被基督救赎的教会。
真道上的合一
教会要追求让神喜悦的生活，在这个过程里面，教导是最迫切的问题 。
在教导上需要上帝的道本身，牧师的理解讲论，弟兄姊妹受教的心去谦卑领受。这三部分要很好的融合成一体才是完整的。因为牧师讲道的水平与对圣经理解，会影响到听的人，所以牧师要求主带领自己讲好道。
马丁路德曾经就讲过这样一句话，如果你在各方面传扬福音，但绝口不谈特别属于你那个时代的问题，那么你便完全没有传扬福音。
我们的信仰一定是面对我们的生活的，是现在的、是现实生活当中的，所以时代不同，神的话语也是有与时俱进的部分的。
教会的牧者需要按照正意分解正道，建立一个健康的教会。要在真道上同归于一，需要全教会的牧者、弟兄姊妹来传讲，来维护。
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/57403
杭州基督教会崇一堂 ：在真道上同归于一
"To build a healthy church, pastors should correctly handle the word of truth, with the endeavors of believers and clergies to reach unity in the faith," said a megachurch pastor.
Zhang Zhongcheng, senior pastor of Chongyi Church, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, preached a sermon titled Christians’ Unity in The Faith, based on Ephesians 4:1-16.
The pastor said that the correct view of the church was based on the doctrine of the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
"Established by God, the church was bought by Jesus at a price, with the protection and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The church is God’s family consisting of Christians; the church is the body of Christ which believers make up; the church is the temple of the Holy Spirit who guides believers in their ways," Zhang stated. "There is one body and one Spirit…"(Ephesians 4:4)
Zhang explained that "one body" referred to the church and "one" did not mean that churches must conduct themselves in the exact same way. In fact, the sacraments of the churches differed from each other in several respects. Some baptized by immersion and others by sprinkling. In communion services, some churches used the grape juice that they made themselves, while others diluted the wine with water. Some opted to meet on Sundays, and others on Saturdays. Furthermore, some used the Chinese Union Version Bible, and others used the modern version instead.
"One" mainly referred to believing in the one true Lord, the master of the church. But many people did not have the faith in one God, as their actions consciously or unconsciously suggested that they believed in more than one God, and some even mistakenly regarded themselves as the Lord, the pastor added.
Rather than saying that God was a king and a judge, it was more appropriate to say that God was our father.
"The Christian view of God is founded on the love of the Father, just in the same way that the Lord’s Prayer begins with 'Our Father in heaven'. We must be clear that we live in a world that is created, ruled, protected by, and filled with God, who proceeds to lead, support, and live with us," Zhang urged.
"Christians’ gifts from God are different and do not need to be the same, as they originate from the riches of His grace, or from the rich God himself."
“Just like the human body, if we only had eyes but no feet how would we be able to walk? If we only had ears but no eyes, how would we be able to see? If we only had feet but no hands, how would we be able to grasp anything? God arranged a variety of ministries for His churches, thus the role that each church member carries out is different and unique. To fulfill its mission of building the body of Christ, the church requires different positions, distinct divisions, and many people with various gifts to equip God’s people for the works of service.”
Teaching remained the most urgent aspect of the church’s efforts to lead believers in living a life pleasing God.
Zhang stated, "In terms of teaching, we need the word of God, the pastor’s understanding, and the instructed and humble hearts of believers, which must be united as one. The pastor should ask God to lead his preaching, as the quality of the sermons and his understanding of the Bible could affect the lives of those who are listening."
"Martin Luther once said, 'If you preached the gospel in all aspects, but said nothing about problems of your time, then you have not proclaimed the gospel at all.' In certain respects, God’s words should be in tune with the changing times, as they are still relevant and applicable to our present and real lives," the pastor concluded.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Megachurch Pastor: 'Healthy Church Should be Unity in the Faith'
