“The crisis of Christians in this era is spiritual.”
Recently, Pastor Zhang in South China shared his thoughts on the current church. He pointed out, “What Christians need to repent most today is the unbelief in miracles and that the gospel is the power of God.”
He quoted the story of Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night, wondering why Jesus could perform miracles. Jesus could perform miracles because he lived in God’s kingdom. Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3) The pastor said, “And to be born again requires accepting the gift given by God, Jesus Christ.”
Spiritual crisis one: Christians seeking rationality and not believing in the supernatural
After listening to Jesus’ answer, Nicodemus thought of a natural way – being born from the womb. But the rebirth that Jesus spoke of was supernatural, “…unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5)
Pastor Zhang talked about the situation he observed that Christians understand their faith as natural and do not believe in the supernatural, and that is the major crisis for Christians today. “The church today has already lost to the world – when you feel that believing in Jesus is natural, you have already lost.” He gave one example, elaborating that Christian businessmen should not do business at all if they do not rely on God, because they cannot succeed. “Without God’s guidance, Christians cannot live out a testimony in a world that is full of greed.”
In recent years, the United States and some traditionally Christian European countries have been facing the impact of LGBT people, and they are morally opposing the LGBT.
“American society seems very free now, but the morality of American churches still remains. However, when American churches no longer pursue spirituality but morality, decay begins.”
Pastor Zhang believes that it is a deterioration of the relationship between man and God. “Pursuing morality as a standard, people even condemn God by asking, for example, why God killed the seven tribes of Canaan. In these doubts, it seems that the doubters are more loving than God!”
In a situation where faith has fallen into rationality and criticism, Pastor Zhang believes that “the first repentance that Christians need to do is to turn away from the unbelief in the supernatural. We not only need to believe in miracles but also live in miracles.”
“Christianity is very simple, requiring true repentance and acknowledgment of Jesus.”
Spiritual crisis two: Christians not believing that the gospel is the power of God
Pastor Zhang believes that when Christians cast their mindset on “the environment is difficult," they are in a spiritual crisis, and faith needs to return to the understanding that “the gospel is the power of God.” Compared to the hardships faced by many missionaries who came to China to spread the gospel, our current situation is relatively easier. 'In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood,' Pastor Zhang countered. 'Why could Paul preach the gospel regardless of everything, but now we feel overwhelmed by even the slightest difficulty?'
"This is because today's Christians have fallen into a spiritual crisis, no longer believing that the gospel is the power of God. Those who truly believe that the gospel is the power of God will still have hope in the midst of suffering. Just like the missionaries throughout the ages who, even in difficult circumstances and at the cost of their lives, still believed that the places they went to would rise and change because of the gospel, for the gospel is the power of God."
Apart from elaborating on the spiritual crisis, Pastor Zhang also gave opinions on some difficult situations in today’s church, believing that the hope of the church lies in Christians imitating the spirit of Jesus' incarnation and having their lives first filled with God’s love and Spirit.
Pastor Zhang pointed out the pains in Christians’ lives. “In today’s church, there are many who want to show themselves up in the pulpit, but very few who want to clean the toilets.”
Pastor Zhang holds that Christianity is about doing, and the Bible is a guide for us to live out a good model. He reflected on whether a blindly busy ministry would please God. He bluntly said, “Many Christians do many things and do not please God.” He sees many Christians being very busy serving in the church or ministries. “They think that tiring themselves out will please God, but this is wrong.”
“The world lets us be slaves, but many full-time church co-workers are no freer, living just like slaves.”
Pastor Zhang added that Christians need to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit to deal with these spiritual crises. Christians’ lives also need to be constantly filled with God’s love and the Holy Spirit. Serving comes second, and the essence of serving is to let people know God, who is the essence of love and life.
“Therefore, the spirituality of Christians is very important because every crisis is a test of the solidity of the faith foundation.”
- Translated by Charlie Li
“这个时代基督徒的危机是灵性危机。”
最近，华南地区一位张牧师分享了他对当下教会的思考。他指出：“当今基督徒最需要悔改的是不相信神迹，并且不再相信福音是上帝的大能。”
他引用尼哥底母夜里来找耶稣的故事，不解耶稣为何能行神迹，耶稣能行神迹是因为活在上帝的国中。耶稣说，“人若不重生就断不能进神的国。”牧师说道：“而重生需要接受上帝赐给的礼物耶稣基督。”
灵性危机一：基督徒掉入理性分析中，不相信超自然
尼哥底母听完耶稣的回答之后，他想到的是自然的方式- -从母腹中生出来。而耶稣说的重生是超自然的，“需要从圣灵重生。”
张牧师谈到观察教会时看到的境况，基督徒将信仰理解为自然的，不相信超自然，这就是当今基督徒的一大危机。“现在的教会面向世界已经输了-——当你觉得信耶稣的观念是自然的，你就已经输了。”他举了一些例子，比如，基督徒商人如果不依靠上帝，那么完全不用去做生意，因为赢不了。“若不是上帝带领，基督徒无法在充满贪婪的世界活出见证。”
美国以及一些欧洲老牌基督教信仰的国家，近来年面对LGBT冲击的情况，将焦点置于在道德上反对LGBT。
“现在的美国社会看似很自由，但美国教会的道德感还是有的。但是，当美国教会不再追求灵性，而是追求道德的时候，堕落就开始了。”
张牧师认为，这是人和上帝之间的关系的变质，“以追求道德为标准，人甚至谴责上帝，例如为什么要杀迦南7族？在这些质疑中，仿佛质疑的人比上帝更慈爱！”
在这种信仰陷入了理性和分析的境况下，张牧师认为“基督徒第一个要悔改的心是不相信超自然。我们不仅要相信神迹奇事，而且要活在神迹中。”
“基督信仰很简单，需要真的悔改，承认耶稣。”
灵性危机二：基督徒不相信福音是上帝的大能
张牧师认为，在基督徒陷入一种“环境很难”的想法中时，这是灵性危机，信心需要回归到“福音本是神的大能”。
除了基督徒灵性的危机，在谈及当今教会的一些艰难处境时，张牧师认为，教会的出路在于基督徒要效法耶稣的道成肉身，并且生命被上帝的爱和上帝的灵先充满。
张牧师指出基督徒生命中的痛点，“今天的教会，想在讲台露脸的很多，但是打扫厕所的不多。”
张牧师认为，基督教是行动的，圣经是让我们活出美好样式的指南，并反思了盲目忙碌的事工是否讨上帝的喜悦。他直白地说：“很多基督徒做很多事情也不讨神的喜悦。”他看到很多基督徒在教会或事工中很忙碌的事奉。“自己以为累死神会喜悦，但这是错的。”
“这个世界叫我们成为奴隶，但很多全职到教会事奉的人，还是奴隶，活的和奴仆一样。”
张牧师认为，基督徒要过一个被圣灵充满的生活，来应对这些灵性危机。基督徒的生命也是需要常常被上帝的爱、被圣灵充满，其次才是服事，并且服事的本质也是为了让人认识上帝，上帝才是爱和生命的本体。
“所以，基督徒的灵性非常重要，因为每一次危机考验都是对根基的考验。”
华南一牧者：这个时代基督徒的危机，是深刻的灵性危机
“The crisis of Christians in this era is spiritual.”
Recently, Pastor Zhang in South China shared his thoughts on the current church. He pointed out, “What Christians need to repent most today is the unbelief in miracles and that the gospel is the power of God.”
He quoted the story of Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night, wondering why Jesus could perform miracles. Jesus could perform miracles because he lived in God’s kingdom. Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3) The pastor said, “And to be born again requires accepting the gift given by God, Jesus Christ.”
Spiritual crisis one: Christians seeking rationality and not believing in the supernatural
After listening to Jesus’ answer, Nicodemus thought of a natural way – being born from the womb. But the rebirth that Jesus spoke of was supernatural, “…unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5)
Pastor Zhang talked about the situation he observed that Christians understand their faith as natural and do not believe in the supernatural, and that is the major crisis for Christians today. “The church today has already lost to the world – when you feel that believing in Jesus is natural, you have already lost.” He gave one example, elaborating that Christian businessmen should not do business at all if they do not rely on God, because they cannot succeed. “Without God’s guidance, Christians cannot live out a testimony in a world that is full of greed.”
In recent years, the United States and some traditionally Christian European countries have been facing the impact of LGBT people, and they are morally opposing the LGBT.
“American society seems very free now, but the morality of American churches still remains. However, when American churches no longer pursue spirituality but morality, decay begins.”
Pastor Zhang believes that it is a deterioration of the relationship between man and God. “Pursuing morality as a standard, people even condemn God by asking, for example, why God killed the seven tribes of Canaan. In these doubts, it seems that the doubters are more loving than God!”
In a situation where faith has fallen into rationality and criticism, Pastor Zhang believes that “the first repentance that Christians need to do is to turn away from the unbelief in the supernatural. We not only need to believe in miracles but also live in miracles.”
“Christianity is very simple, requiring true repentance and acknowledgment of Jesus.”
Spiritual crisis two: Christians not believing that the gospel is the power of God
Pastor Zhang believes that when Christians cast their mindset on “the environment is difficult," they are in a spiritual crisis, and faith needs to return to the understanding that “the gospel is the power of God.” Compared to the hardships faced by many missionaries who came to China to spread the gospel, our current situation is relatively easier. 'In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood,' Pastor Zhang countered. 'Why could Paul preach the gospel regardless of everything, but now we feel overwhelmed by even the slightest difficulty?'
"This is because today's Christians have fallen into a spiritual crisis, no longer believing that the gospel is the power of God. Those who truly believe that the gospel is the power of God will still have hope in the midst of suffering. Just like the missionaries throughout the ages who, even in difficult circumstances and at the cost of their lives, still believed that the places they went to would rise and change because of the gospel, for the gospel is the power of God."
Apart from elaborating on the spiritual crisis, Pastor Zhang also gave opinions on some difficult situations in today’s church, believing that the hope of the church lies in Christians imitating the spirit of Jesus' incarnation and having their lives first filled with God’s love and Spirit.
Pastor Zhang pointed out the pains in Christians’ lives. “In today’s church, there are many who want to show themselves up in the pulpit, but very few who want to clean the toilets.”
Pastor Zhang holds that Christianity is about doing, and the Bible is a guide for us to live out a good model. He reflected on whether a blindly busy ministry would please God. He bluntly said, “Many Christians do many things and do not please God.” He sees many Christians being very busy serving in the church or ministries. “They think that tiring themselves out will please God, but this is wrong.”
“The world lets us be slaves, but many full-time church co-workers are no freer, living just like slaves.”
Pastor Zhang added that Christians need to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit to deal with these spiritual crises. Christians’ lives also need to be constantly filled with God’s love and the Holy Spirit. Serving comes second, and the essence of serving is to let people know God, who is the essence of love and life.
“Therefore, the spirituality of Christians is very important because every crisis is a test of the solidity of the faith foundation.”
- Translated by Charlie Li
Pastor: The Era of Christians’ Deeply Spiritual Crisis
