Editor's note: Among Chinese Christians, there are many families with Christian faith. In the past a dozen years, I have met many second or even third generation Christians. They have more or less experienced the confusion and weakness in their faith, and even some later-generation Christians live in the Christian culture, rather than in a relationship with God. Recently, Christian Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, interviewed two or third generation believers, hoping that their sharing would provide new reflections and insights to church pastors.
My friend brother SG came to Christ when he was young. His family's faith in God began with his grandmother who was terminally ill and was cured in the trust of God. Then many members of the family began to believe in God. He thought that he laid a solid foundation for his faith since his childhood, but when he grew up, he gradually realized that the sermons and leadership of the church could no longer satisfy him. When he looked back on his past faith experience, he realized that he wanted to seek deeper truth.
SG said with emotion, "In the early 1990s, the rural churches preached all about repenting as Christians, honoring God and benefiting people. I'm not saying these are not important, but only these would make my faith powerless. So that's when I started to feel that my faith gradually became a religion only. Christianity is no longer a faith for me, but a religion. I have studied a lot and listened to the Bible many times since I was a child. After going to college and joining a campus evangelical fellowship, I not only studied God's words, but also received disciple training to serve the church, preach the gospel and love the soul. My understanding of faith began to be entirely renewed and transformed. It was the grace of God that restored my inner self from religious mode to a lively and vital relationship with God."
"It was faith that helps me discover the treasure of Christ and his words. The more I learned His words, the more convinced I felt that God's word are right. This is the rational acceptance of truth. I know that this wass good, but I personally had nothing to do with it. I was still kept away from the treasure. Through deep commitment and the process of serving the church, I updated my framework of personal faith, and began to realize that faith is so important in real service. Even though we cannot see the result of many things now, we still need to do it with faith. I realize that my faith in God has grown firmer," SG added.
Keywords: child Christian, rebellion, gratitude and trust
My friend MY is a Christian co-worker whose parents are both Christians. Before he became a Christian, he often heard the word of God from his parents, "Have joy at all times. Keep on with your prayers. In everything give praise: for this is the purpose of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This scripture wass often read by his family, but it had never caused any thoughts in his heart. At that time, he was cold hearted and did not know what gratitude was.
He witnessed with self-mockery, "I used to be foolish and arrogant, and stayed away from the embrace of grace. Like many other children born into Christian families, I grew up in the care of the church and brothers and sisters. When I entered the church as a child, many elders would enthusiastically send kind greetings to me, a child Christian. Several kind grandmothers never forgot to stuff some candy snacks into my trouser pocket. Without the appreciation of the happy life, I thought I deserved this love. Benefiting from my preacher father who has good relationships, I never cherished this precious grace. Entering my rebellious phase, I began to deny and doubt everything. ‘If it weren't for my father, I'm afraid no one in the church knew me!’”
He continued, "At that time, I began to make such assumptions about the brothers and sisters. Driven by ignorance, I gradually developed a rebellious ‘sense of alienation’ from the church that my family loved. As I grew up, I gradually had less expectation and freshness of the church, and ‘going to church’ was like ‘going to jail’ in my mind."
"In this way, I had had the opportunity to enjoy more grace of the Lord in the church, but I was driven by the devil Satan and isolated from it with an unprovoked and childish assumption. Although my family's edification left me no doubt about my faith, I had never received the truth once.As I entered the college and began to work, I gradually followed my own inclination in the secular world, and closed my heart in trial and frustration. I became more negative and dull. Even though I had a hard and rebellious heart, the Lord who is full of love and compassion had never forsaken me. I never thought that I could feel the family-like care and warmth in the church far away from my hometown, which turned over my life."
"In the subsequent study, the pastors and church co-workers supported and trusted me to be the monitor of the investigator class. Every day, I lead them to study the Bible together, and after the class every week, the pastor of the church would keep me stay to share my faith and witness, and never forget to inquire after my well-being. Today, when I look back on my life-turning experience, I find there are so many people and things that I need to be grateful for," Brother MY added.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
编者按：在中国基督徒群体中，有着很多基督信仰家族化的家庭。笔者在过去的十几年中，也遇见过很多基督徒信二代，信三代等等，他们或多或少都经历过信仰的迷茫和软弱 ，甚至有的信N代就是活在基督信仰的文化中，而不是活在与所信之神的关系中。笔者近日有幸与两位信三代的主内弟兄进行了交流和分享，盼望通过他们的分享，让更多教会牧者有新的反思与看见。
关键词——未得饱足、宗教徒、实践与更新
笔者的朋友SG弟兄是母胎信仰。他家族信仰上帝最开始是从他的姥姥开始的，当时姥姥身患绝症，因着信靠上帝，病得医治，家族里很多人因此信主。他认为小的时候算是打下了比较牢固的信仰的基础，但长大后，问题就开始慢慢的出来了：那时的他就已经逐渐地觉察到，教会所讲的内容和带领已经没有办法再满足他了。当他回顾过去的信仰经历才明白，其实他是很想要更深的去寻求真理。
SG感慨的说到：“90年代初的农村教会，整天讲是作为基督徒，我们需要悔改，我们需要荣神益人。我不是说这不重要，但是仅仅是这些让我的信仰变得没有力量。所以我也是从那时候开始，我觉得我的信仰，逐渐的宗教化，不再是信仰化。（==前句复制当summary））那基督教对于我而言呢，不再是信仰，而是成为了一门宗教，我是从小就学习了很多，听了很多很多的圣经。到了大学后，进入到大学生团契，不仅仅学习神的话语， 也得到事奉教会，传福音、爱灵魂的门徒训练，整个人对信仰的理解开始来到更新和蜕变。是神的恩典让我的里面重新从宗教模式恢复成为活泼有生命力的与神真实的建立了关系。”
“从前的信仰是发现了基督和他的话语这个宝藏，越是学习神的话语，越是确信神的话是对的。这是一种理性层面的接受真理，头脑知道这是好的，但是我个人并没有与这宝藏发生什么关系。我仍旧是我，宝藏仍然是宝藏。但是通过深度的委身和事奉教会的过程中，我个人的信仰的框架得到了更新，我开始认识到，我的信心在真实的事奉中变得那么重要。即便很多事情是当下看不到结果的，但依然需要带着相信的心去做的时候，我发现我对神的信心成长了。”SG补充道。
关键词——跟屁虫、叛逆、感恩与信靠
笔者的朋友MY弟兄，是一位主内工人。他的父母都是基督徒 ，在他未归主以前，他常听父母说一句神的话语“要常常喜乐，不住地祷告，凡事谢恩，因为这是神在耶稣基督里向你们所定的旨意。”这节家人时常读起的经文，从未在他的内心产生丝毫的波澜。那时的他内心冷漠，不知何为感恩。
他自嘲地见证到：“我曾是愚妄自傲，顽童远离恩典怀抱，与许多生在基督徒家庭的孩子一样，我从小也是沐浴在教会与弟兄姊妹的关怀中长大。小时候每次进入教会，许多长辈都会热情地向还是“跟屁虫”的我嘘寒问暖，几位慈祥的奶奶甚至总是不忘往我的裤兜里塞些糖果零食。也许是身在福中不知福，自认为“养尊处优”的我却认为这份爱是理所应得的，是沾了拥有好人缘的传道人父亲的光，更未对这珍贵的恩典珍惜半分。进入叛逆期，我开始对一切产生否定与怀疑，“要不是因为我父亲的缘故，恐怕教会里都没人认识我吧！”
“那时的我开始对弟兄姊妹产生如此臆断。在无知驱使下，我渐渐对家人所热爱的教会产生了逆反的“疏离感”，随着长大后对于教会的期待感与新鲜劲日益减退，“去教堂”在我心中成了“坐牢”一般的存在。”
MY继续说到：“就这样，本有机会在教会里享受更多主爱恩典的我，却被魔鬼撒旦驱使，以一种无端且幼稚的臆想与之隔绝。虽然家庭熏陶让我对信仰未曾怀疑，但也没有领受过一次真道。随着入学、就业，我逐渐在世俗中随波逐流，心门也在挫折与试炼中逐渐关闭，性格也变得愈发消极沉闷。即便是内心如此刚硬叛逆，满有慈爱怜悯的主也没有离弃我。不曾想到，在这座远离家乡的教会里，我却感受到了家人般的关爱与温暖，也让我的生命得以翻转。”
“在随后的慕道学习中，在牧师和教会同工的支持信任下，简陋不足的我有幸成为了慕道班的班长。每天带领慕道友共同学习经文，而每周课程结束后，教会的牧者又将我单独留下，交通信仰、分享见证，并时时不忘对我嘘寒问暖。时至今日，我常常在脑海中回顾自己生命翻转的经历，越来越发现，自己需要感恩的人和事有太多。” MY补充道。
基督徒信三代的迷失与归回
Editor's note: Among Chinese Christians, there are many families with Christian faith. In the past a dozen years, I have met many second or even third generation Christians. They have more or less experienced the confusion and weakness in their faith, and even some later-generation Christians live in the Christian culture, rather than in a relationship with God. Recently, Christian Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, interviewed two or third generation believers, hoping that their sharing would provide new reflections and insights to church pastors.
My friend brother SG came to Christ when he was young. His family's faith in God began with his grandmother who was terminally ill and was cured in the trust of God. Then many members of the family began to believe in God. He thought that he laid a solid foundation for his faith since his childhood, but when he grew up, he gradually realized that the sermons and leadership of the church could no longer satisfy him. When he looked back on his past faith experience, he realized that he wanted to seek deeper truth.
SG said with emotion, "In the early 1990s, the rural churches preached all about repenting as Christians, honoring God and benefiting people. I'm not saying these are not important, but only these would make my faith powerless. So that's when I started to feel that my faith gradually became a religion only. Christianity is no longer a faith for me, but a religion. I have studied a lot and listened to the Bible many times since I was a child. After going to college and joining a campus evangelical fellowship, I not only studied God's words, but also received disciple training to serve the church, preach the gospel and love the soul. My understanding of faith began to be entirely renewed and transformed. It was the grace of God that restored my inner self from religious mode to a lively and vital relationship with God."
"It was faith that helps me discover the treasure of Christ and his words. The more I learned His words, the more convinced I felt that God's word are right. This is the rational acceptance of truth. I know that this wass good, but I personally had nothing to do with it. I was still kept away from the treasure. Through deep commitment and the process of serving the church, I updated my framework of personal faith, and began to realize that faith is so important in real service. Even though we cannot see the result of many things now, we still need to do it with faith. I realize that my faith in God has grown firmer," SG added.
Keywords: child Christian, rebellion, gratitude and trust
My friend MY is a Christian co-worker whose parents are both Christians. Before he became a Christian, he often heard the word of God from his parents, "Have joy at all times. Keep on with your prayers. In everything give praise: for this is the purpose of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This scripture wass often read by his family, but it had never caused any thoughts in his heart. At that time, he was cold hearted and did not know what gratitude was.
He witnessed with self-mockery, "I used to be foolish and arrogant, and stayed away from the embrace of grace. Like many other children born into Christian families, I grew up in the care of the church and brothers and sisters. When I entered the church as a child, many elders would enthusiastically send kind greetings to me, a child Christian. Several kind grandmothers never forgot to stuff some candy snacks into my trouser pocket. Without the appreciation of the happy life, I thought I deserved this love. Benefiting from my preacher father who has good relationships, I never cherished this precious grace. Entering my rebellious phase, I began to deny and doubt everything. ‘If it weren't for my father, I'm afraid no one in the church knew me!’”
He continued, "At that time, I began to make such assumptions about the brothers and sisters. Driven by ignorance, I gradually developed a rebellious ‘sense of alienation’ from the church that my family loved. As I grew up, I gradually had less expectation and freshness of the church, and ‘going to church’ was like ‘going to jail’ in my mind."
"In this way, I had had the opportunity to enjoy more grace of the Lord in the church, but I was driven by the devil Satan and isolated from it with an unprovoked and childish assumption. Although my family's edification left me no doubt about my faith, I had never received the truth once.As I entered the college and began to work, I gradually followed my own inclination in the secular world, and closed my heart in trial and frustration. I became more negative and dull. Even though I had a hard and rebellious heart, the Lord who is full of love and compassion had never forsaken me. I never thought that I could feel the family-like care and warmth in the church far away from my hometown, which turned over my life."
"In the subsequent study, the pastors and church co-workers supported and trusted me to be the monitor of the investigator class. Every day, I lead them to study the Bible together, and after the class every week, the pastor of the church would keep me stay to share my faith and witness, and never forget to inquire after my well-being. Today, when I look back on my life-turning experience, I find there are so many people and things that I need to be grateful for," Brother MY added.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
The Lost-Found Third Generation Christians
