Y (pseudonym), a pastor from southeast China, is a seventh-generation Christian and the fourth-generation pastor in his family. And his grandfather associated with his contemporaries John Sung (a famous evangelist) and Watchman Nee (a church leader) in the ministry.
Being a grandfather now, Y still remembers the hardships that his grandfather and father endured decades ago on account of their ministry and faith during the Cultural Revolution. Because of his grandfather’s Christian convictions, the family had a similar experience of house raiding at that time. And once at a time, his father took him to a place where his father was going to be criticized, and he watched it all unfold.
Because of the humiliation that elder generations suffered in public and the difficulties they encountered in church ministry, Pastor Y once had a sense of conflict and distance towards the faith. But he went on the path of serving God when he experienced a rebirth and the grace of God at the age of 18.
He recalled, "In those special years, though the whole family experienced hardship, thankfully, my grandpa insisted on building family altars which I didn't know what this was at the time, but later realized this was family worship after I began to serve God. The family gatherings once or twice a week supported the family members through those difficult times with God’s grace flowing in our hearts.”
And then this baton was passed from his grandfather and father to Pastor Y. "Since 1983, I started to lead the family altar, with the family gathering once or twice a week. Although my son works overseas having his own children, we conduct online family worship at least once a week.”
"With many Christian members, my family experienced the sufferings collectively, which strengthened the members’ faith. Without the family altar and the grace of God, we would not have been able to stand and have spiritual support for each other. During that special historical period, some believers secretly gathered at our home, and even some Catholics came to pray here. That scene was imprinted on my memory," Pastor Y added.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
来自东南的一位Y牧师，他是家族的第七代基督徒，也是家族中的第四代牧师，他的爷爷曾和同时代的宋尚节、倪柝声在服事中有过交往。
Y牧师如今已经也是做爷爷的人，他对几十年前文革时代中爷爷和父亲因为服事和信仰的缘故受过的艰难仍然记忆深刻：因为爷爷的信仰所以当时家族遭遇类似抄家的经历，而当时父亲有次带他去一个地方到了才发现原来是父亲自己要接受批斗，所以他在台下眼睁睁看着这一切的发生。
因为父辈在公众场合所受的屈辱和教会事奉方面遭遇的艰难，Y牧者曾经对信仰这件事有过抵触的情绪和距离感。但后来在他18岁的时候，他的心受上帝恩感，内在经历重生，之后又走上服事的道路。
他回忆说：“在那段特殊的岁月里，整个家族都很艰难，但感谢的是，我们家族因为爷爷的坚守，我们一直在做家庭祭坛。当时还不知道这个是什么，后来长大了自己服事了才知道这是家庭祭坛，每周一到两次的家族聚会，让上帝的恩典可以继续在我们家人的心中流淌，并托住我们，支撑我们度过那段艰难的岁月。”
而随后这一棒从他的爷爷，父亲手中到了他的手中。“从1983年开始，由我开始带领家庭祭坛，家人们一周1-2次会聚在一起团契。到我儿子这一代，他们家现在在海外工作，也有了自己的孩子，但即便如此，我们一个星期至少做一次家庭祭坛做在线聚会。”
“在我们家族里，有不少是是基督徒，当时是集体经历这样的受苦反而更加坚固了我们的信仰。如果没有家庭祭坛，没有神的恩典，我们是不可能站立得住。 借着家庭祭坛，我们家族内也会有彼此的灵性的支持。在那段特殊的历史时期，有一些弟兄姐妹偷偷来我们家里聚会，甚至天主教的姐妹也来我们的家里寻求祷告，那一幕很强烈的印刻在我的生命中。” Y牧者补充说到。
https://www.christiantimes.cn/news/37353/%E5%AE%B6%E6%97%8F%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B%EF%BD%9C%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%83%E4%BB%A3%E5%9F%BA%E7%9D%A3%E5%BE%92%E5%9B%9E%E5%BF%86%EF%BC%9A%E5%AE%B6%E5%BA%AD%E7%A5%AD%E5%9D%9B%E7%9A%84%E4%BC%A0%E6%89%BF%E5%92%8C%E5%BD%B1%E5%93%8D
家族故事｜第七代基督徒回忆：家庭祭坛的传承和影响
Y (pseudonym), a pastor from southeast China, is a seventh-generation Christian and the fourth-generation pastor in his family. And his grandfather associated with his contemporaries John Sung (a famous evangelist) and Watchman Nee (a church leader) in the ministry.
Being a grandfather now, Y still remembers the hardships that his grandfather and father endured decades ago on account of their ministry and faith during the Cultural Revolution. Because of his grandfather’s Christian convictions, the family had a similar experience of house raiding at that time. And once at a time, his father took him to a place where his father was going to be criticized, and he watched it all unfold.
Because of the humiliation that elder generations suffered in public and the difficulties they encountered in church ministry, Pastor Y once had a sense of conflict and distance towards the faith. But he went on the path of serving God when he experienced a rebirth and the grace of God at the age of 18.
He recalled, "In those special years, though the whole family experienced hardship, thankfully, my grandpa insisted on building family altars which I didn't know what this was at the time, but later realized this was family worship after I began to serve God. The family gatherings once or twice a week supported the family members through those difficult times with God’s grace flowing in our hearts.”
And then this baton was passed from his grandfather and father to Pastor Y. "Since 1983, I started to lead the family altar, with the family gathering once or twice a week. Although my son works overseas having his own children, we conduct online family worship at least once a week.”
"With many Christian members, my family experienced the sufferings collectively, which strengthened the members’ faith. Without the family altar and the grace of God, we would not have been able to stand and have spiritual support for each other. During that special historical period, some believers secretly gathered at our home, and even some Catholics came to pray here. That scene was imprinted on my memory," Pastor Y added.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Seventh-Generation Christian Recalls the Influence of Family Worship
