In church life, we frequently notice believers who enthusiastically participate in activities and services but then suddenly stop attending.
Some churches turn a blind eye to such a situation, but some immediately smell a rat and arrange for church workers to visit and check. Some lost believers are found back, and even a life is saved from death.
There are quite some elderly people living alone in China who are very lonely in their later years, with their children rarely visiting them. When falling ill, those lonely elderly even cannot get timely treatments because there is no one around.
A Christian woman, who had lived alone for decades, got sick once and was unable to go to the hospital for treatment due to her inconvenient legs. So she spent several days in bed, barely eating. The believers in her church noted that this elderly believer had not recently attended church, so they visited her home, where they discovered the dying elderly. The church co-workers sent her to the hospital on time, and the doctor said that if it had been one day later, her life would not have been saved. After some treatment, the Christian woman was healed. Afterward, her family contacted the church staff to express their gratitude. They had previously been rather indifferent to their beliefs; however, the incident prompted them to become more involved in attending services.
Some believers refuse to attend church because of their weakness in faith. Visitation is helpful to get them back. For example, there was a Christian woman who experienced psychological issues as a result of work and romantic difficulties, making her unwilling to attend church. When her church co-workers became aware of her prolonged absence from the church, they visited her. The believer eventually returned to the church under the loving care of the church staff. She also admitted that she was really weak at the time, full of despair about life. Fortunately, co-workers from her church came to visit and comfort her in time.
In addition, there was a Christian woman who did not come to church for a while owing to struggling in church conflicts. After some church co-workers found out, they immediately went to see her and helped her solve her situation. As her heart was reopened, she returned to the church and continued to serve. She testified that if she had not received timely visits and love from the church, she would have left.
Visitation is an essential ministry in the church, and it can at times save both physical and spiritual lives. Therefore, if we observe that the believers around us have suddenly vanished from our sight, we should visit them and show our concern.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
在教会当中，我们常能发现一种现象。有些弟兄姐妹非常热心地参加教会活动与事奉，可是忽然他们却不来教会了。
对于这种情况，有的教会采取了熟视无睹的方式，但有的教会马上意识到问题，安排同工去探访了解实际情况。有些流失的信徒就此被找回，甚至还挽救了一条生命。
中国有大量的独居老人，晚年时都孤苦伶仃，子女很少去看望他们。生病时也因为身边没有人而延误了治疗。
有位女信徒独居了几十年，一次患病，因为腿脚不便无法到医院治疗。于是她在床上躺了好几天，没吃什么东西。可教会的基督徒发现这位老信徒最近都没来礼拜，于是就去她家探访，发现了奄奄一息的老人。同工们及时把她送到了医院，医生感慨到，如果再晚一天，老人就无法挽救了。经过一段时间的治疗，老人身体康复了。事后其家属找到教会的同工，表示感谢。他们此前都对信仰十分冷淡，但通过这件事参加礼拜变得积极了。
而有的信徒则是因为信仰软弱而不愿来教会。而通过探访，则可能让他们回归。比如有位女信徒因为在职场、恋爱遭遇不顺，出现了心理问题，不愿再回到教堂。教会的同工看到她有段时间没有来教会了，就到她家里探访，最终该信徒在同工们的关爱下又回到了教会。而她也称，当时确实特别软弱，对生活都充满了绝望，可幸好教会的同工及时来看望安慰。
此外还有一位女基督徒因为教会矛盾无法走出来，有段时间都没来教会。一些同工发现后，立刻到她家探访，帮助解决了矛盾。该基督徒的心结打开后，回到教会中热心事奉。她见证说，假如不是教会同工及时探访和爱心，她可能就离开教会了。
教会的探访是非常重要的事工，有时甚至会挽救他人的生命。因此当我们发现身边的肢体忽然从视野中消失，那么最好能够去探访、关心下。
探访“失联”的信徒
In church life, we frequently notice believers who enthusiastically participate in activities and services but then suddenly stop attending.
Some churches turn a blind eye to such a situation, but some immediately smell a rat and arrange for church workers to visit and check. Some lost believers are found back, and even a life is saved from death.
There are quite some elderly people living alone in China who are very lonely in their later years, with their children rarely visiting them. When falling ill, those lonely elderly even cannot get timely treatments because there is no one around.
A Christian woman, who had lived alone for decades, got sick once and was unable to go to the hospital for treatment due to her inconvenient legs. So she spent several days in bed, barely eating. The believers in her church noted that this elderly believer had not recently attended church, so they visited her home, where they discovered the dying elderly. The church co-workers sent her to the hospital on time, and the doctor said that if it had been one day later, her life would not have been saved. After some treatment, the Christian woman was healed. Afterward, her family contacted the church staff to express their gratitude. They had previously been rather indifferent to their beliefs; however, the incident prompted them to become more involved in attending services.
Some believers refuse to attend church because of their weakness in faith. Visitation is helpful to get them back. For example, there was a Christian woman who experienced psychological issues as a result of work and romantic difficulties, making her unwilling to attend church. When her church co-workers became aware of her prolonged absence from the church, they visited her. The believer eventually returned to the church under the loving care of the church staff. She also admitted that she was really weak at the time, full of despair about life. Fortunately, co-workers from her church came to visit and comfort her in time.
In addition, there was a Christian woman who did not come to church for a while owing to struggling in church conflicts. After some church co-workers found out, they immediately went to see her and helped her solve her situation. As her heart was reopened, she returned to the church and continued to serve. She testified that if she had not received timely visits and love from the church, she would have left.
Visitation is an essential ministry in the church, and it can at times save both physical and spiritual lives. Therefore, if we observe that the believers around us have suddenly vanished from our sight, we should visit them and show our concern.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Visit to Save the 'Lost'
