“Today, many pastors can talk the talk on stage while failing to be testimonies or role models for believers off stage. Pastors walking the walk are more important than preaching sermons," addressed an anonymous pastor from a city in East China.
Recently, when talking about the topic of the church’s role models, this pastor shared four stories that happened to the Christians around him in the past 30 years.
A layperson’s devotion in a rural church
Back in the rural church in my hometown, there is an elderly female believer whose family runs a business renting out tables, chairs, and kitchen utensils for banquets. One year, their business wasn’t as good as in previous years but picked up as the New Year approached. Her son cheered up, “We can have a comfortable New Year.” She immediately replied, “Don't even think about it. Our dedication to the church was too little in the first half of the year due to our low income. I need to make up for the previous lack as our income increased.” Though lacking education, biblical knowledge, or advanced theological teachings, this elderly female believer casts her love, fear, and dedication to God into her devotion to the church, which is not the teaching in the textbook.
The tithing of a couple who serves in the church full-time
A young couple who were full-time church staff had a total monthly salary of 2,000 yuan in the early years. However, out of worry about the young couple using up the money too soon, the pastor decided to pay 1,000 yuan first for their monthly living expenses, with the remaining half of each month saved and paid until they returned to their hometown for the New Year. At that time, the living expenses of 1,000 yuan a month were very limited, let alone the fact that they had a daughter. Regarding the tithing, they believed it should be dedicated to the Lord despite the struggles. The husband said, “Honestly, 100 yuan is not too much, but it was quite considerable for a family of three over a decade ago. It was hard to decide for the first time, but I gained more confidence when facing the test of money in the future as I overcame it for the first time.”
“How can I explain donating the 100 yuan that isn’t mine?”
Brother Xu, a theological student, received 100 yuan for assisting with the purchase of religious books for a believer in his hometown about 30 years ago, when life conditions were not very pleasant for the majority. On a Sunday, Xu visited his rural classmate, whose family was in poor condition. He felt moved to give this family 100 yuan that did not belong to him. As he struggled, a voice came to him: "Give it out, and I will pay you back fourfold." When he returned to the seminary the next day, he bumped into a pastor's wife, whom he knew. She quickly placed 200 yuan into Brother Xu's pocket and walked away. On his way to school on the third day, Xu noticed a person walking from a distance but couldn't identify him. He also put something in his pocket and left. It was another 200 yuan. This 400 yuan became his firsthand experience of God's faithfulness and mercy.
Selling popsicles and cattle to support ministry
Twenty years ago, the church in my hometown was planning to send a pastor to another province who could not afford the travel expenses at the time. A church pastor sold his family's only cattle for several hundred yuan and donated it for the pastor's travel expenses.
Another preacher, who planned to serve in Northeast China, sold popsicles to earn travel expenses as there was no salary for serving in the church. His wife and children farmed at home after he left, with nearly 100 believers helping farm the three acres of his family's land subsequently. When he returned, he saw that God had taken care of everything.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
“今天很多传道人可以在讲台上讲得头头是道，但他们却不一定是教会信徒心中的见证与榜样。比起讲道，牧者亲自践行所讲的道是更有生命力的。” 讲出这句感慨的牧者是一位来自华东某城市的牧者。
近日，笔者有幸与这位牧者一起交流一下关于教会中榜样的话题时，他把过去30年间发生在他自己身边的4个基督徒故事向笔者娓娓道来。
发生在家乡教会里一平信徒奉献的小事
"我农村老家的教会里，有一个老姊妹，平时她家是做宴会上出租桌子、椅子、锅碗瓢盆和炉灶的生意的，一年下来生意不如往年好，但是快要过年的时候，生意有所起色。她的儿子跟他的母亲说，我们可以过个像样的年了。这位老姊妹立马回复说：‘你想都不要想，今年咱们家上半年收入少，给教会奉献的太少了，这个收入过来后，我要把前面的亏欠都补上去才行。’ 可能这位老姊妹没有什么文化，也不会讲什么圣经课程和高深的神学教义，但是她对上帝的爱、敬畏与委身，落实在了她对教会的奉献上。这种东西是通过课本教不来的。
一对全职同工夫妇的十一奉献
一对年轻的全职同工夫妇，他们早些年在教会事奉的时候，夫妻两每月一共的薪资是2000元，但当时的牧者担心他们因为年轻把钱提早用完，就先给发1000元生活费，每月剩下的1000元过年回家钱一次给齐。当时他们还有一个女儿， 1000 块钱的生活费是非常节约的用才能够。关于十一奉献，他们也有挣扎，但他们认为这是应当给主的。那位弟兄说：“说实话 100 块钱的话，虽然钱不多，但是在十几年前对于三口之家还是很可观的。第一次突破的时候是很艰难的，但这一关我过了，我以后面对钱的考验，有了更多的信心。”
“这100元不是我的，我奉献了，我回去怎么跟人交代？”
大约30年前，那时候大家生活条件都很差，一位徐弟兄，他还在神学院里读书。当时他家乡的一个姐妹给他100元，拜托他能够给买些信仰类的书籍。有一个主日，徐弟兄去探访他的一个家在农村处境凄惨的同学，他就有感动想将不属于自己的100元奉献给这个家庭。在挣扎的过程中，他听到了一个声音说：“拿出来给他，我必4倍还你。”第二天，他回到神学院的教学楼，一个他熟悉的师母和擦肩，她立马向徐弟兄的口袋里面塞了200元钱就走了。第三天上学的路上，徐弟兄远处走来一个人，是谁也看不清楚。他也向他的口袋里面塞了一个东西就跑了。他一看又是 200 块钱。这成为他对信实有怜悯的上帝的第一手经历。
卖冰棍，卖牛，也要支持传道
20年前，有一次，我老家教会要打发传道人去外省事奉教会，当时传道人太穷了，连出去的路费也没有。有一个教会牧者把家里的牛卖了几百块钱奉献给传道人当路费。
有一个传道人他计划去东北外省事奉，因为那个时候教会是没有工资的，他夏天卖冰棍攒够了路费出去的。他出去后，家里面老婆带着孩子在家里种地。后来他家整个三亩多地去了将近 100 个信徒帮忙种地，等他回来的时候，发现一切都被上帝照顾得无微不至。
华东一牧者分享的四则真实小故事：踏实行道是老一辈基督徒留给今日教会的财富
“Today, many pastors can talk the talk on stage while failing to be testimonies or role models for believers off stage. Pastors walking the walk are more important than preaching sermons," addressed an anonymous pastor from a city in East China.
Recently, when talking about the topic of the church’s role models, this pastor shared four stories that happened to the Christians around him in the past 30 years.
A layperson’s devotion in a rural church
Back in the rural church in my hometown, there is an elderly female believer whose family runs a business renting out tables, chairs, and kitchen utensils for banquets. One year, their business wasn’t as good as in previous years but picked up as the New Year approached. Her son cheered up, “We can have a comfortable New Year.” She immediately replied, “Don't even think about it. Our dedication to the church was too little in the first half of the year due to our low income. I need to make up for the previous lack as our income increased.” Though lacking education, biblical knowledge, or advanced theological teachings, this elderly female believer casts her love, fear, and dedication to God into her devotion to the church, which is not the teaching in the textbook.
The tithing of a couple who serves in the church full-time
A young couple who were full-time church staff had a total monthly salary of 2,000 yuan in the early years. However, out of worry about the young couple using up the money too soon, the pastor decided to pay 1,000 yuan first for their monthly living expenses, with the remaining half of each month saved and paid until they returned to their hometown for the New Year. At that time, the living expenses of 1,000 yuan a month were very limited, let alone the fact that they had a daughter. Regarding the tithing, they believed it should be dedicated to the Lord despite the struggles. The husband said, “Honestly, 100 yuan is not too much, but it was quite considerable for a family of three over a decade ago. It was hard to decide for the first time, but I gained more confidence when facing the test of money in the future as I overcame it for the first time.”
“How can I explain donating the 100 yuan that isn’t mine?”
Brother Xu, a theological student, received 100 yuan for assisting with the purchase of religious books for a believer in his hometown about 30 years ago, when life conditions were not very pleasant for the majority. On a Sunday, Xu visited his rural classmate, whose family was in poor condition. He felt moved to give this family 100 yuan that did not belong to him. As he struggled, a voice came to him: "Give it out, and I will pay you back fourfold." When he returned to the seminary the next day, he bumped into a pastor's wife, whom he knew. She quickly placed 200 yuan into Brother Xu's pocket and walked away. On his way to school on the third day, Xu noticed a person walking from a distance but couldn't identify him. He also put something in his pocket and left. It was another 200 yuan. This 400 yuan became his firsthand experience of God's faithfulness and mercy.
Selling popsicles and cattle to support ministry
Twenty years ago, the church in my hometown was planning to send a pastor to another province who could not afford the travel expenses at the time. A church pastor sold his family's only cattle for several hundred yuan and donated it for the pastor's travel expenses.
Another preacher, who planned to serve in Northeast China, sold popsicles to earn travel expenses as there was no salary for serving in the church. His wife and children farmed at home after he left, with nearly 100 believers helping farm the three acres of his family's land subsequently. When he returned, he saw that God had taken care of everything.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Four Stories: Practicing Scriptures is Treasure From Older Generation Christians
