Editor's note: Following the previous four topics on how to cultivate a new generation of successors in the Chinese Church (see article one, article two, article three, and article four), a pastor in South China put forward the view that it is urgent to give young people more opportunities and positions in ministry.
Pastor Liu Xinghe (pseudonym for safety reasons) from South China shared his views and feelings with the Christian Times, a China Christian online newspaper.
Christian Times: How do you think the church is cultivating a new generation of spiritual leaders or the next generation of pastors and church leaders?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: I think a church’s selection of the new generation of leaders should not be based on their abilities and talents first, but on if this person is enthusiastic about evangelism.
Then the church needs to lead some young people to participate in the ministry, giving them opportunities for ministry. Discover talents in the process of serving and training, and then encourage them to study theology and receive more training.
Christian Times: What necessary factors do you think should be taken into account for choosing the successor who is after God’s heart? What kind of person do you think is a great choice?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: As for the selection criteria of the next generation of church leaders, I think the most important thing is not the academic qualifications and his talents, but the burden and enthusiasm of this person for soul salvation. For example, at that time, Charles Spurgeon found many young people with low academic qualifications and average abilities, but they were all enthusiastic about evangelizing. Later, these people continued to be trained and became a group that changed the Church of England. At that time, the mainstream thought and culture of the Church of England was that, when selecting church workers, it highlighted the basic requirements for academic qualifications and abilities. However, many people who were trained in that culture, I think, were not spiritual leaders, but the simply ordinary staff of the church.
If the successor is not burdened with the salvation of human souls, even if he is eloquent or spiritual, or takes part in a choir, etc. - he is blessed but not burdened with evangelism, so such a person cannot be called a leader.
At present, I haven’t seen such a suitable successor in our church. They are not enthusiastic about the gospel, and even though they have high education degrees and they believe in the Lord seriously, it is difficult for them to be successors.
Christian Times: What do you think is the significance of cultivating a new generation of leadership for the church in China?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: I think we should know how to cultivate influential successors, the church should especially focus on cultivating professionals. Such a person may not be a preacher, maybe a businessman in the workplace, but he can preach the gospel in his familiar field. He has insight and foresight into this society and can see the side that church pastors often can’t see. And he is doing well in business in society, so he must be influential and will have a driving force for evangelism.
Christian Times: How do you think church pastors in China can become more open-minded in training a new generation of successors? Or what should be done in the specific operation?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: Today, the church in China should be more inclusive and structured. I think that Christianity should not emphasize classification, such as theological arguments between different factions, but should be more inclusive in talks.
As long as we believe that Jesus is God’s only son and can be justified by believing in Jesus, then we are all children of God. We can accept him and do things together. At this time, we ask God to give us the touch of uniting with each other.
I think one thing that many churches do wrong now is to let many influential people in the workplace become elders and deacons in the church. Let them be trapped in administrative work and not exert their greatest influence. Lead people in their field and build more churches without their own influence. Churches have outward centrifugal force, so it is necessary to establish a larger church expansion system, which can allow them to develop and establish churches for different groups of people.
Christian Times: What do you think should be a healthy mode of cultivating and selecting the successor? What concepts or models do we need to update in Chinese churches?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: We actually need to learn from Islam, which originally started in the Arab region. Arabs go all over the world, even to Africa to do business. When they made money, they built a mosque in the local area and asked the imam to preside over the work. Then they also had economic influence in the local area. Finally, they turned all the local people into Muslims, and the country became Islamic. Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Malaysia, which were originally Malays, are now Islamic.
Today’s church does not make good use of the power of businessmen. We didn’t give them a sense of mission, and we didn’t give them the ability and vision to expand. Although we hold a church and a flock of sheep, we have no foresight. Today, the church needs a greater pattern and courage in employing and dispatching people.
In the long run, we still need to cultivate the next generation of Christians and establish an environment suitable for their growth. We should create more opportunities for the second generation of Christians to participate in the ministry, so that they can be touched and edified there. Because without that environment, they have no space and opportunity to be trained as a new generation of church leaders.
- Translated by Charlie Li
继前4次关于如何培养中国教会新一代接棒人的主题的分享，华南一牧师提出观点：亟需给年轻人更多事奉的机会和岗位。
一位来自华南的一位牧养经历和阅历丰富的刘星河牧者（化名），向一中国基督教网络报纸基督时报分享了他的看法以及感悟。
基督时报：您如何看教会在培养新一代属灵领袖，或者说下一代牧者、教会接棒人这个事情？
刘星河：我觉得教会对新一代接棒人的理解不应该先从他的能力和才干开始培养和选择。而是要先去看这个人是否有对传福音有热心。
然后教会需要带领一些年轻人参与事奉，给他们事奉的机会和岗位。在事奉和培训的过程发现人才， 然后再鼓励他们去读神学，接受更多的训练。
基督时报：对于如何选出合上帝心意的接棒人，您觉得要考虑到那些必要的因素呢？您觉得什么样的人事合神心意的接棒人呢？
刘星河：对教会下一代接棒人的选择标准，我觉得最重要的不是学历和他的才能，而是这个人有对灵魂得救的负担和热心。比如，司布真当时找到了很多学历不高、能力一般的年轻人，但是他们都对传福音有热心。后来这些人继续得到培养，成为了改变英国教会的一群力量。当时的英国教会主流思想和氛围是，教会招募工人的时候，提出对学历和能力各方面的基本要求。但是那样氛围里培养出来的人，我认为很多不是属灵的领袖，只能是教会的同工。
如果这个接棒人没有对人的灵魂得救有负担，即便他能说会道或者表现得很属灵、或者参加赞美诗班等等都很有恩赐，可是他对传福音没有负担，这样的人就不能称之为领袖。
目前，我还没看到我们教会有这样合适的接棒人出现。对福音不热心，即使他有很高的文化素质，他也信主很认真，但是他们就很难成为接棒人。
基督时报：您觉得培养新一代的领导力或者说新一代的教会接棒人对于中国教会的意义是什么呢？
刘星河：我觉得要懂得栽培有影响力的接棒人，尤其是教会要对职场人士重点栽培。这样的人可能不是传道人，也许是个职场的生意人，但他可以在他熟悉的领域传福音。他对这个社会有洞察力和远见的能力，可以看到教会牧者往往看不到的一面。而且他在社会上生意做得好，那么他一定有影响力，就会对传福音有推动力。
问：您觉得中国教会牧者在培养新一代接棒人的事情上怎样在观念上变得更加开阔？或者具体操作上应该要怎么做呢？
今天中国教会应该有更大的包容性和格局。我觉得，基督教不应该强调分门别类，例如不同派别之间相互在神学上的争吵，而是应该要更加包容和对话。
只要相信耶稣是上帝的独生子，因信耶稣得称为义，那么我们就都是上帝的儿女。我们就可以包容接纳他，一起来做事。这个时候我们就要求神给我们彼此联合的感动。
我觉得，现在许多教会做错一个事情，就是让许多职场有影响力的人在教会里做了长老和执事。让他们受困于行政事工之中，没有发挥他们最大的影响力。没有通过自身的影响力在他们的领域带领人过来，建立更多的教会。教会是有向外的离心力，需要建立更大的教会拓展体系，可以让他们去开拓和建立不同人群的教会。
问：您觉得一个健康的培养并选择接棒人的模式应该是怎样的呢？我们当下中国教会哪些观念或者模式需要更新呢？
答：我们其实需要向伊斯兰教学习，他们本来始于阿拉伯地区。阿拉伯人到世界各地，甚至到非洲去做生意。他们赚了钱，他就在当地建一个清真寺，请阿訇来主持工作。然后他也在当地有经济上的影响力，最后把当地人都变成穆斯林，国家就伊斯兰化。东南亚、印尼、马来西亚这些原本是马来人土著的人，现在伊斯兰化了。
今天的教会并没有好好地利用商人群体的力量。我们没有给他们使命感，没有给他们一种拓展的能力和异象。虽然我们就守住一个教堂，守住了群羊，但是没有远见。今天教会在用人和派遣方面，需要更大的格局和魄力。
从长远的角度来看，我们还是要从基督徒的下一代中展开培养，建立适合他们成长的环境。要多多创造让基督徒二代参与服事的机会和岗位，让他们在那里被感动和熏陶。因为没有那个环境的话，他都没有空间和机会被培养的成为新一代的教会接棒人。
话题•如何培养中国教会新一代接棒人?(五)| 亟需给年轻人更多事奉的机会和岗位
Editor's note: Following the previous four topics on how to cultivate a new generation of successors in the Chinese Church (see article one, article two, article three, and article four), a pastor in South China put forward the view that it is urgent to give young people more opportunities and positions in ministry.
Pastor Liu Xinghe (pseudonym for safety reasons) from South China shared his views and feelings with the Christian Times, a China Christian online newspaper.
Christian Times: How do you think the church is cultivating a new generation of spiritual leaders or the next generation of pastors and church leaders?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: I think a church’s selection of the new generation of leaders should not be based on their abilities and talents first, but on if this person is enthusiastic about evangelism.
Then the church needs to lead some young people to participate in the ministry, giving them opportunities for ministry. Discover talents in the process of serving and training, and then encourage them to study theology and receive more training.
Christian Times: What necessary factors do you think should be taken into account for choosing the successor who is after God’s heart? What kind of person do you think is a great choice?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: As for the selection criteria of the next generation of church leaders, I think the most important thing is not the academic qualifications and his talents, but the burden and enthusiasm of this person for soul salvation. For example, at that time, Charles Spurgeon found many young people with low academic qualifications and average abilities, but they were all enthusiastic about evangelizing. Later, these people continued to be trained and became a group that changed the Church of England. At that time, the mainstream thought and culture of the Church of England was that, when selecting church workers, it highlighted the basic requirements for academic qualifications and abilities. However, many people who were trained in that culture, I think, were not spiritual leaders, but the simply ordinary staff of the church.
If the successor is not burdened with the salvation of human souls, even if he is eloquent or spiritual, or takes part in a choir, etc. - he is blessed but not burdened with evangelism, so such a person cannot be called a leader.
At present, I haven’t seen such a suitable successor in our church. They are not enthusiastic about the gospel, and even though they have high education degrees and they believe in the Lord seriously, it is difficult for them to be successors.
Christian Times: What do you think is the significance of cultivating a new generation of leadership for the church in China?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: I think we should know how to cultivate influential successors, the church should especially focus on cultivating professionals. Such a person may not be a preacher, maybe a businessman in the workplace, but he can preach the gospel in his familiar field. He has insight and foresight into this society and can see the side that church pastors often can’t see. And he is doing well in business in society, so he must be influential and will have a driving force for evangelism.
Christian Times: How do you think church pastors in China can become more open-minded in training a new generation of successors? Or what should be done in the specific operation?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: Today, the church in China should be more inclusive and structured. I think that Christianity should not emphasize classification, such as theological arguments between different factions, but should be more inclusive in talks.
As long as we believe that Jesus is God’s only son and can be justified by believing in Jesus, then we are all children of God. We can accept him and do things together. At this time, we ask God to give us the touch of uniting with each other.
I think one thing that many churches do wrong now is to let many influential people in the workplace become elders and deacons in the church. Let them be trapped in administrative work and not exert their greatest influence. Lead people in their field and build more churches without their own influence. Churches have outward centrifugal force, so it is necessary to establish a larger church expansion system, which can allow them to develop and establish churches for different groups of people.
Christian Times: What do you think should be a healthy mode of cultivating and selecting the successor? What concepts or models do we need to update in Chinese churches?
Pastor Liu Xinghe: We actually need to learn from Islam, which originally started in the Arab region. Arabs go all over the world, even to Africa to do business. When they made money, they built a mosque in the local area and asked the imam to preside over the work. Then they also had economic influence in the local area. Finally, they turned all the local people into Muslims, and the country became Islamic. Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Malaysia, which were originally Malays, are now Islamic.
Today’s church does not make good use of the power of businessmen. We didn’t give them a sense of mission, and we didn’t give them the ability and vision to expand. Although we hold a church and a flock of sheep, we have no foresight. Today, the church needs a greater pattern and courage in employing and dispatching people.
In the long run, we still need to cultivate the next generation of Christians and establish an environment suitable for their growth. We should create more opportunities for the second generation of Christians to participate in the ministry, so that they can be touched and edified there. Because without that environment, they have no space and opportunity to be trained as a new generation of church leaders.
- Translated by Charlie Li
Topic: An Urgent Need to Give Young People More Opportunities to Serve
