When the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost, the first church was established in Jerusalem. There is much for us to learn from how the early church developed.
It was a church filled with people who diligently pursued the truth, loved others as themselves, enthusiastically worshiped God, and persistently preached the gospel. God was pleased with the devotion of the believers, so he added to their number daily.
However, God's plan for the church did not stop with the church in Jerusalem. The gospel needed to go from Jerusalem to Samaria and even to the ends of the earth.
Nearly every independent church has devoted the majority of its resources and energy to sustain the institution and the number of believers. Whether it is a large church with thousands of people or a small church with only a few dozen people, their priority is to attract more people into the church.
Does the heart of God ask us to remain comfortable in the church or go into the crowd and share the good news?
When Stephen was martyred, the early church also encountered its first large-scale persecution. In addition to the apostles, the other disciples fled from Jerusalem in great numbers.
But we were astonished to find that the disciples did not flee to one place and then hide themselves. Rather, they preached as they went, so that the gospel was spread outside of Jerusalem.
Before this, the leaders of the church were the apostles, who remained in Jerusalem. They didn’t serve God and the church all the time, were not preachers, nor missionaries, but it was through them that the gospel was preached. Truly, they were the sharers of the good news. This might be considered the first lay movement.
The pandemic swept through our world and almost destroyed a few large churches, which wanted to grab new members from the small churches. This is indicative of the crisis of large churches, otherwise, they would not attempt to do this.
Large churches are resourceful and wealthy, and also experienced in putting together online worship services. The move to online services happened quickly and while small churches were still trying to deal with the changes, a significant number of their members were attracted by famous pastors.
However, what happened was abnormal. Following the resumption of normal church services with small churches reopening, then things changed again.
Was it God's will that churches all over the world would close? If so, were online meetings in line with God's heart? Most Christians haven't taken communion in six months, although online communion gradually became more common. Is this something that God just permitted? Even a team as influential as the Steam of Praise declared hat unleavened bread could be replaced by bread for the communion service. Is this a positive change for the church or is this a wrong direction?
Is there a lesson to be learned from the Jerusalem church? The apostles stayed in Jerusalem as persecution closed in on them, and feared no danger. Likewise, in this global pandemic, if we want to transform crisis into opportunity, we need to step out of our comfort zone and take the gospel from Jerusalem into the world.
The idea is that crowds will come into the church if the doors are open. However, if the church is in an adverse situation, then the crowds may not come. The church must become active so that people will be attracted and want to come. Every Christian who has been in the church for so many years should be able and willing to share the gospel.
Almost every major revival of the church has stemmed from a lay movement. It's almost impossible to rely on famous pastors to bring about revival in this environment since they have too many constraints. Lay people are not as entangled in the affairs of life, so once this countless number of people experienced the tongues of flame and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the gospel message could not help but spread to others.
When we talk about the history of Chinese Christianity, we must mention John Sung, Watchman Nee, Wang Mingdao, and Jia Yuming. However, many churches only have two or three Christians scattered all over the country. They met, studied the Bible, prayed, and evangelized slowly.
The church was not ruled by men, but by God. If it was men that oversaw the church, then the church would quickly disappear. The church was the body of Christ, accompanied and cared for by Him. With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
If we looked at the circumstances, the church was going to be finished. But if we fixed our eyes on God, then all things would work out according to His good will.
In the post-pandemic era, we wondered whether the church would sink and if the ship would run aground. We didn't know. But the cross that floated above everything seemed to cry out to us: Run! The church is renewed!
May we follow the example of the Jerusalem church, share the gospel beyond Jerusalem, move out of the confines of churches, and into the crowd.
- Translated By Elaina Wu
后疫情时代——走入人群的教会
1、人群走进教会
自五旬节圣灵降临以后，第一个教会在耶路撒冷诞生。回顾耶路撒冷教会的发展模式，有很多值得我们学习的地方。
首先它是一个追求真道孜孜不倦的教会，又是一个充满爱心、热切敬拜、殷勤传福音的教会。这样的教会正是合神心意的存在，所以神就将得救的人天天加给他们。
然而，神对教会的计划不止于此，而是要从耶路撒冷走出去，甚至走进撒玛利亚，直走到地极。
我们再看看今天的教会，一个个独立的教会，几乎将所有的资源和精力都用在了如何维持现有教会的体制和数量。不论是几千人的大型教会，还是几十人的微型教会，都不约而同的把吸引更多人进入教会作为第一异象。
神的心意究竟如何呢？是希望我们在大教会取暖呢？还是进入人群，分享福音的好消息呢？
2、人群走出教会
当司提反为主殉道后，初期教会也迎来了首次大规模的逼迫。除了使徒，耶稣基督的其他门徒则大批的逃离耶路撒冷。
我们却惊讶的发现，这一次大规模四散的门徒并不是逃到一个地方，就悄悄的躲藏起来，隐藏自己的基督门徒身份，相反，他们是随走随传。将基督的福音在耶路撒冷以外、大大的传开了。
在这之前，领导教会的是使徒，此刻他们全部留在了耶路撒冷。他们不是传道人，也不是宣教士，也没有全时间侍奉神、服侍教会，但是福音就是藉着这些人传开了，他们是货真价实的好消息分享者。这应该算是第一次的平信徒运动吧。
今天疫情横扫天下，几乎就要摧毁相当多的大型教会。从抢人大战中多少能感受到大教会必然是遇到了前所未有的危机，否则不至于到处拉人，吸收小教会。
大教会本来就是资源丰富、财大气粗，在网络聚会上，他们也是经验丰富、人才充裕。从线下到线上，转型迅速，在小教会还计划着要如何恢复聚会的时候，相当多的成员就被大教会的网络名牧讲座吸引走了。
然而，这并不是一个正常的现象。随着疫情的常态化，线下活动恢复正常，小教会开始全面恢复线下聚会，那么网络拉人的现象也就宣告破产了。
我们应该要思考，全球教堂齐关门，这是神的旨意吗？如果是，那网络聚会符合神的心意吗？大部分基督徒已经半年没有领圣餐了，而网络圣餐正在逐步的得到更多的认可，这也是神所允许的吗？连赞美之泉这么有影响力的团队都在互联网带领圣餐，甚至说可以用面包代替无酵饼。这究竟是时代的进步，还是牧者的堕落呢？
从耶路撒冷教会身上，是否有什么经验值得我们去学习呢？他们的做法是这样的：使徒坐镇教会大本营，逼迫就在身边，危险随时临到，但无所畏惧。同样，面对这次全球疫情，能不能从危机转为契机，就看我们愿不愿意走出教会舒适圈，将福音传递出去了。
3、教会走进人群
人群走进教会的前提是，教会的门打开着。如今这个大环境，继续消极的等待，只会让教会更加被动。教会必须主动出击，每一个基督徒在教会这么多年，为的应该就是这一天，将教会带进人群。
几乎每一次的教会大复兴，都源于平信徒运动。想要靠着名牧带来教会复兴，现在这个环境几乎是不可能了，名牧本身有太多的制约，而平信徒则可以轻装上阵。这无数的平信徒之火，一旦进入人群，必然是一片福音兴旺之景象。
我们今天谈中国基督教历史，一定绕不开宋尚杰、倪柝声、王明道以及贾玉明这些大咖。然而，有大量的教会分布在全国各地，就是两三个基督徒有聚会的需求，自发的聚集在一起，藉着查经祷告、传福音慢慢发展起来的，这样的教会到处都有。
4、永远的教会
教会不是由人掌权，如果是人在护理掌管教会，那么教会确实要完蛋了。但教会是基督的身体，有他亲自陪伴、看顾，在人不能，在神凡事都能。
看环境，教会要完了。但定睛仰望神，一切都有祂的美意。
在后疫情时代，教会的巨轮搁浅，它会就此沉没吗？我们不知道。但那飘扬在巨轮之上的十字架，似乎在向我们呐喊：奔涌吧，教会后浪。
愿我们效法耶路撒冷教会，将基督的福音带出耶路撒冷，将福音带出教会，将教会带进人群。
When the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost, the first church was established in Jerusalem. There is much for us to learn from how the early church developed.
It was a church filled with people who diligently pursued the truth, loved others as themselves, enthusiastically worshiped God, and persistently preached the gospel. God was pleased with the devotion of the believers, so he added to their number daily.
However, God's plan for the church did not stop with the church in Jerusalem. The gospel needed to go from Jerusalem to Samaria and even to the ends of the earth.
Nearly every independent church has devoted the majority of its resources and energy to sustain the institution and the number of believers. Whether it is a large church with thousands of people or a small church with only a few dozen people, their priority is to attract more people into the church.
Does the heart of God ask us to remain comfortable in the church or go into the crowd and share the good news?
When Stephen was martyred, the early church also encountered its first large-scale persecution. In addition to the apostles, the other disciples fled from Jerusalem in great numbers.
But we were astonished to find that the disciples did not flee to one place and then hide themselves. Rather, they preached as they went, so that the gospel was spread outside of Jerusalem.
Before this, the leaders of the church were the apostles, who remained in Jerusalem. They didn’t serve God and the church all the time, were not preachers, nor missionaries, but it was through them that the gospel was preached. Truly, they were the sharers of the good news. This might be considered the first lay movement.
The pandemic swept through our world and almost destroyed a few large churches, which wanted to grab new members from the small churches. This is indicative of the crisis of large churches, otherwise, they would not attempt to do this.
Large churches are resourceful and wealthy, and also experienced in putting together online worship services. The move to online services happened quickly and while small churches were still trying to deal with the changes, a significant number of their members were attracted by famous pastors.
However, what happened was abnormal. Following the resumption of normal church services with small churches reopening, then things changed again.
Was it God's will that churches all over the world would close? If so, were online meetings in line with God's heart? Most Christians haven't taken communion in six months, although online communion gradually became more common. Is this something that God just permitted? Even a team as influential as the Steam of Praise declared hat unleavened bread could be replaced by bread for the communion service. Is this a positive change for the church or is this a wrong direction?
Is there a lesson to be learned from the Jerusalem church? The apostles stayed in Jerusalem as persecution closed in on them, and feared no danger. Likewise, in this global pandemic, if we want to transform crisis into opportunity, we need to step out of our comfort zone and take the gospel from Jerusalem into the world.
The idea is that crowds will come into the church if the doors are open. However, if the church is in an adverse situation, then the crowds may not come. The church must become active so that people will be attracted and want to come. Every Christian who has been in the church for so many years should be able and willing to share the gospel.
Almost every major revival of the church has stemmed from a lay movement. It's almost impossible to rely on famous pastors to bring about revival in this environment since they have too many constraints. Lay people are not as entangled in the affairs of life, so once this countless number of people experienced the tongues of flame and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the gospel message could not help but spread to others.
When we talk about the history of Chinese Christianity, we must mention John Sung, Watchman Nee, Wang Mingdao, and Jia Yuming. However, many churches only have two or three Christians scattered all over the country. They met, studied the Bible, prayed, and evangelized slowly.
The church was not ruled by men, but by God. If it was men that oversaw the church, then the church would quickly disappear. The church was the body of Christ, accompanied and cared for by Him. With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
If we looked at the circumstances, the church was going to be finished. But if we fixed our eyes on God, then all things would work out according to His good will.
In the post-pandemic era, we wondered whether the church would sink and if the ship would run aground. We didn't know. But the cross that floated above everything seemed to cry out to us: Run! The church is renewed!
May we follow the example of the Jerusalem church, share the gospel beyond Jerusalem, move out of the confines of churches, and into the crowd.
- Translated By Elaina Wu
In Post-Pandemic Era, Church Goes into the Crowd
