Pastor Meng'en Li serves a church located in a southern city where the processing industry is the main industry. Church members have high mobility. In these years with the pandemic, Li has learned lessons on discipleship training, pastoring groups, and hybrid worship.
For discipleship training, Li tends to train more full-time workers to be church ministers. His thoughts changed in this process of serving migrant workers in factories for many years. “At first, I thought the church should train more full-time ministers, but later I thought it’s better to train more full-time workplace members to be (part-time) church ministers.”
He explained that when a church is small, church leaders should encourage believers who have their own job to serve rather than asking them to be full-time ministers. “I hope that believers can glorify God with their gifts and in their position. If the church is not big enough, I prefer to encourage more people who have their own job to serve.”
Li believes that the tithe of believers in the workplace can support full-time ministers in the church. “Some people are gifted in pastoral ministry, then we encourage them to leave their work and serve well; some people are gifted in making money, then we encourage them to make more money. In this way, all people get their reward from God.”
“If church pastors shepherd a group of people who only eat and go, then pastors will surely be exhausted and in lack. The church should cultivate disciples, not religious people. For Jewish communities, 12 adult men can establish a synagogue that can support a full-time rabbi. In the same way, the church won’t be too difficult in finance.”
Li has also changed his mind about pastoring groups. He tended to establish a big church, but later he realized the importance of small group ministry.
"Jesus said, where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them," He said, "church development demands more small groups and group leaders. A family has more than two or three people, and families should build their family altar and do family service well. In a family where both husband and wife believe in the Lord, the husband needs to take the responsibility of teaching. In this way, evangelism can be done effectively.”
Talking about gatherings, Li thought online gatherings are needed, but face-to-face gatherings cannot be ignored. In these years with the pandemic, more people found the importance of the internet. Li also found that, as a minister, he cannot stop learning. In this era, ministers are required to learn to use the internet better. “Unbelievers can do live broadcasts; ministers also should learn new technology.”
However, he noted that church leaders should see the limitations and drawbacks of online gatherings and pay attention to in-person gatherings.
"Because of the pandemic, most of gatherings went online, which should not be the main form of gathering in the future. On-site gathering is still necessary for believers."
He also shared his thoughts on whether the sacrament of communion can be celebrated online, his answer is no. “We still need to emphasize in-person gathering. If we just gather online, how shall we celebrate the sacrament of communion? Online gathering is a supplement not a substitute for on-site gathering.”
"Online gatherings can’t be limited by space and is convenient for instant communication. But they have shortcomings too. Gathering virtually creates a house with only pillars and no walls. " He explained his idea with an example: recently, many heretics contacted believers through church groups in online platforms, trying to tempt and win over many believers.
He continued, "If the church holds online gatherings only, believers may listen to sermons from various sources. Sometimes believers leave the church suddenly, and pastors do not the reason. This is one of the great drawbacks of online gatherings."
"In the past, the church did not hold online gatherings. When heretics came to disturb believers in the church, pastors could find them and drive them away. But now, the interference of heretics on the internet is inevitable." He said of a real case he encountered recently: "One believer here listens randomly on the internet and is confused by heresy to the point that he needs help and intercession."
"In addition, pastors cannot be lazy and neglect visiting believers and caring for them one by one because of online gatherings and online pastoring,” Li added,” if so, the result would be believers will decline in their sense of belonging to the church and hearts of reverence to faith.”
"The effectiveness of online gatherings and pastoring remains unknown, and it is different from having in-person gatherings. We should insist on in-person gatherings and the sacrament of communion."
- Translated by Katherine Guo
一位在南方一城市常年服事职场教会的李蒙恩牧师处在一个加工业较多的城市，教会也面临着信徒流动性很大的情况. 在疫情发生后的这几年，他在门徒训练、小组化牧养以及实地+线上聚会的模式上积累了经验和一些新思考。（ ==当summary）
一、鼓励和培养更多带职事奉的门徒
李蒙恩牧师在服事工厂打工群体上有多年的经历。在这个过程中，他的想法有很多的改变，“起初我们认为，教会应该培养更多全职事奉的工人才好，但是后面发现应该是培养很多带职的员工做教会的工人更好。”
他说到，当教会人数较少时，不是先强调全职同工而是鼓励职场的人带职服事。“我们希望弟兄姐妹能够跟着各自的恩赐在不同的位置上荣耀上帝。如果一个教会人数达不到一个程度的时候，我觉得可以鼓励更多人做带职事奉。
李牧师认为，带职的弟兄姐妹的十一奉献可以用来支持教会的全职事奉的工人。“有的人是在传牧上有恩赐的，我们就鼓励他放下赚钱的想法，好好事奉；有的人是有专业技能，那就鼓励他好好赚钱。这样在神面前，都有赏赐，都各得其所。”
“如果教会牧者，只是牧养一群吃饼得饱的人，教会牧者肯定会疲惫并有供应短缺的问题出现。我们教会培养的是门徒，而不是宗教徒。比如说，对于犹太人的社群而言，12个成年男性可以成立一个会堂，成立一个会堂可以支持一个全职的拉比。我觉得这样教会的开支不会太难。”
二、关于重视教会小组化的管理模式
李牧师之前的想法是想把教会做大做强。但这几年来，他的想法改变很多，放下了这样的想法，而是开始看重小组化牧养的模式。
“耶稣说过，你们无论在哪里，只要有2-3个人奉我的名聚会，我就在他们中间。”他说到，“教会发展需要多多建立小组，同时也需多多要建立小组长。一个家庭不止2-3个人，一个家庭里面可以很好地建立家庭祭坛做好家庭礼拜，这些都是非常必要的。夫妻都信主的家庭，丈夫需要建立教导的责任。这样传福音的事工也能做得很好。”
三，网络聚会需要，但不可忽视实地聚会
疫情发生后，人们更加发现网络的重要性，李牧师也是在这个过程中发现作为传道人要不停止的学习，当下这个时代需要传道人更好得学习使用网络。“那些不信主的都用网络做直播带货，传道人自己本身也要学习。”
但是，他也表示，需要看到线上聚会的有限性和弊端，教会应该要重视实地聚会，特殊情况除外。
“我们现在因为疫情的缘故，大多数是做网络聚会，但是这个不应该成为日后聚会的主体形式，弟兄姐妹还是要做实地聚会的。”
他也谈到当前云圣餐引起的争论，他的看法还是认为圣餐需要实地。“我们还是要强调实地聚会，如果只是网络聚会，那么圣餐怎么办？网络聚会是实地聚会的辅助，而不能取代实地聚会。”
“网络聚会优势在于不受地理空间的限制，方便即时通讯。但缺点也很大，网络聚会就像只有柱子，没有围墙的房子。”他举例说，近期就有很多异端通过网络的平台找教会群私下加信徒，诱惑和拉拢很多弟兄姐妹。
“如果教会只是网络聚会，教会的信徒可能两边的讲道都去听，有的时候离他们突然离开了教会，教会牧者都不知道是什么原因，这就是网络聚会的很大的弊端之一。”
“以前没有网络，异端的人来实地搅扰了，牧者发现后把他们撵走，现在网络上的聚会异端的搅扰是防不胜防的。”他说到最近遇到的一个真实的案例：“我们这一个信徒在网络上胡乱听道，被异端混乱了，最后他需要被帮助和代祷。”
“另外，作为传道人，不能变得懒惰，不要觉得有了网络聚会和牧养，我就不用探访信徒，不用挨个去走访讲道。”李牧师继续提醒说：“这样下去，导致的问题是弟兄姐妹对教会的归属感和信仰的敬畏之心都会衰退。”
“网络聚会和牧养到底效果好不好，谁也不知道。它跟实体聚会还是有差异的。我们还是坚持要做实体聚会，坚持做圣餐礼。”
对话|华南一牧者谈后疫情时代职场教会牧养三点经验
Pastor Meng'en Li serves a church located in a southern city where the processing industry is the main industry. Church members have high mobility. In these years with the pandemic, Li has learned lessons on discipleship training, pastoring groups, and hybrid worship.
For discipleship training, Li tends to train more full-time workers to be church ministers. His thoughts changed in this process of serving migrant workers in factories for many years. “At first, I thought the church should train more full-time ministers, but later I thought it’s better to train more full-time workplace members to be (part-time) church ministers.”
He explained that when a church is small, church leaders should encourage believers who have their own job to serve rather than asking them to be full-time ministers. “I hope that believers can glorify God with their gifts and in their position. If the church is not big enough, I prefer to encourage more people who have their own job to serve.”
Li believes that the tithe of believers in the workplace can support full-time ministers in the church. “Some people are gifted in pastoral ministry, then we encourage them to leave their work and serve well; some people are gifted in making money, then we encourage them to make more money. In this way, all people get their reward from God.”
“If church pastors shepherd a group of people who only eat and go, then pastors will surely be exhausted and in lack. The church should cultivate disciples, not religious people. For Jewish communities, 12 adult men can establish a synagogue that can support a full-time rabbi. In the same way, the church won’t be too difficult in finance.”
Li has also changed his mind about pastoring groups. He tended to establish a big church, but later he realized the importance of small group ministry.
"Jesus said, where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them," He said, "church development demands more small groups and group leaders. A family has more than two or three people, and families should build their family altar and do family service well. In a family where both husband and wife believe in the Lord, the husband needs to take the responsibility of teaching. In this way, evangelism can be done effectively.”
Talking about gatherings, Li thought online gatherings are needed, but face-to-face gatherings cannot be ignored. In these years with the pandemic, more people found the importance of the internet. Li also found that, as a minister, he cannot stop learning. In this era, ministers are required to learn to use the internet better. “Unbelievers can do live broadcasts; ministers also should learn new technology.”
However, he noted that church leaders should see the limitations and drawbacks of online gatherings and pay attention to in-person gatherings.
"Because of the pandemic, most of gatherings went online, which should not be the main form of gathering in the future. On-site gathering is still necessary for believers."
He also shared his thoughts on whether the sacrament of communion can be celebrated online, his answer is no. “We still need to emphasize in-person gathering. If we just gather online, how shall we celebrate the sacrament of communion? Online gathering is a supplement not a substitute for on-site gathering.”
"Online gatherings can’t be limited by space and is convenient for instant communication. But they have shortcomings too. Gathering virtually creates a house with only pillars and no walls. " He explained his idea with an example: recently, many heretics contacted believers through church groups in online platforms, trying to tempt and win over many believers.
He continued, "If the church holds online gatherings only, believers may listen to sermons from various sources. Sometimes believers leave the church suddenly, and pastors do not the reason. This is one of the great drawbacks of online gatherings."
"In the past, the church did not hold online gatherings. When heretics came to disturb believers in the church, pastors could find them and drive them away. But now, the interference of heretics on the internet is inevitable." He said of a real case he encountered recently: "One believer here listens randomly on the internet and is confused by heresy to the point that he needs help and intercession."
"In addition, pastors cannot be lazy and neglect visiting believers and caring for them one by one because of online gatherings and online pastoring,” Li added,” if so, the result would be believers will decline in their sense of belonging to the church and hearts of reverence to faith.”
"The effectiveness of online gatherings and pastoring remains unknown, and it is different from having in-person gatherings. We should insist on in-person gatherings and the sacrament of communion."
- Translated by Katherine Guo
Dialogue: Three Lessons a Pastor in South China Learned in the Post-Pandemic Era
