The phrase ‘XX the Second’ has been accepted as a catchy phrase in contemporary spoken Chinese. It is expressed in such a pattern: rich the Second or cadet the Second, meaning the second or further generation that inherits their older generation’s wealth or power. By the same token, “Faithful the Second” refers to the second or even the third generation of believers of Christian families. The first generation Christians maybe grandparents, the second parents, and the third grandchildren. There could be even the fourth and fifth generations.
Many parents of the second generation in China are believers, co-workers, and pastors of a church so the faithful parents will lead their children to become the second generation of believers in the family. Of course, it is easy to bear the title of Faithful the Second, but the second generation may face many challenges in inheriting the Faith. We thus made an analysis from three aspects concerning the crisis of the second generation of Chinese Christian families.
1. Being unclear of their faith
At present, there is a great crisis in the faith of children in Christian families. For families in cities, children are busy with school and parents are busy with work. There is not much time for the parents to take their children to learn about the Christian faith. For rural parents, their own understanding of the Faith is limited, and they can't express it in a comprehensible manner even when they describe what Christian faith is. Therefore, teaching their children to understand faith will cause loopholes and problems in their children's faith life.
If we don't give timely instructions in faith, then, as children grow up, there will be various problems. For instance, children will gradually learn from their classmates as they are pressured to conform to their peer group. All my peers have not accepted Jesus so it does not seem to matter whether I accept Him or not. On the other hand, online games are gradually occupying children's attention and parents sometimes neglect their children's addiction to games. It is not that parents are ignoring it but today's children are all pursuing these things and their parents are powerless.
Therefore, due to various reasons, Faithful the Second gradually believe that faith is irrelevant while it is fine enough for their parents to accept the Faith. Moreover, they think that they are too young and that it is needed by adults or elderly people. They begin to have a wrong understanding of faith which seems vague without a real trust and pursuit.
Not long ago we heard a testimony from an elderly believer who was talking about how happy she was that her son was unexpectedly willing to go to church with her. At first she was very happy because her son attended services with her when he was a kid but had stopped going when he grew up.
However, to her disappointment, her son said that he attended services with her was just an attempt to make her happy. There was no other reason. The believer became disappointed instantly.
This also reflects a problem. If you don't understand Faith, you will misunderstand it, and if you don't know the gospel, you will despise it. It not only causes reflections and considerations in Christian families, but also causes concerns to contemporary pastors. The question to be considered is: Are the next generations of Christian families ambivalent about Christian faith?
2. The cold attitude towards the Faith
The second aspect of the crisis is also apparent, the cold attitude towards the Faith. When parents attend services, some children will be very annoyed with their parents' activity or unwilling to follow their parents to participate in services or even a family prayer meeting. Of course, this is also related to the previous reason, that is, being unclear in matters of faith. In addition, with the growth of educational background, some children gradually have their own judgment, knowledge reserve, and rational thinking, so they will advocate current science and technology and seem to be uninterested in faith. They even regard faith as superstition.
Besides the influence of knowledge on children, there is also the influence of the social system and ethos. Post-modern social groups are more concerned about themselves, pleasure, consumption, interests, and development. I have talked with some second-generation believers about some current issues, and their biggest questioning voice is whether believing in Jesus will help them to make money. How much do you get paid by believing in Jesus? Once in a taxi I talked with the young driver about faith. The driver's reaction was that Christian faith was well-intended so one could learn from it, but one shouldn’t be addicted to it. After all, working hard to support one’s family is the true thing.
3. The wrong understanding of the Faith
Most of the second generation of believers have not received theological education and systematic study of the truth. The mastery and understanding of the faith come from the instruction of parents and what one is taught in Sunday schools. Therefore, there will always be some one-sided understanding and misunderstanding of the Faith.
By studying the brothers and sisters in the church and the records of Christian families, I find that some children of Christian families have never been to a church and rarely participate in various ministries. Only when they have difficulties in their work, can't find a partner, or have other problems will they start to ask their parents to pray for them and even ask the congregation to pray for them.
Of course, intercession is good, but what is more important is your own relationship with God, your connection with faith, and attending the church's meetings regularly. Therefore, many second-generation believers have such a problem, that is, when they need Jesus, they should seek Him quickly, but when they don't need Him, they leave Him alone.
In fact, when we analyze the problem of the second generation of Christian families, we should not just discuss it but should pay attention to it, arouse thinking and introspection, find suitable ways and means for teaching Christian children, and train talents for the baton of the Church so that God's family will continue to have more people.
- Translated by Charlie Li
当下基督徒家庭信二代的危机
这个世界有很多代名词，比如有富二代、官二代，这些词是形容一个人的富有或者权利，延续到了后代子孙身上；同理基督徒也是有信二代，乃至信三代，这是在描述基督徒信仰的传承生活。第一代基督徒可能是爷爷奶奶，第二代基督徒就是父母，第三代基督徒就是儿女，乃至第四代，第五代等。
中国有许多信一代的父母是教会的信徒、同工、牧者，那么他们也会带领自己儿女成为信二代。当然背负信二代的称号是容易的，但继承信仰的信二代实则挑战重重。以此，我们展开三个方面的分析，关于信二代的危机。
一，对信仰的模糊不清
当下基督徒家庭儿女的信仰实属存在极大的危机，对于城市的父母而言，孩子忙于上学，父母忙于上班，没有时间去带孩子认识信仰；而对于农村父母而言，本身对于信仰的认识就有限，甚至让自己描述什么是基督信仰，自己也不能表达地流利，所以在教导儿女认识信仰上就会给儿女的信仰生活造成漏洞和问题。
如果不在信仰上及时地给予教导，那么，随着孩子的成长，就会出现各样的难题，比如说孩子会逐渐地学习身边的同学，内心出现从众心理，身边的伙伴都没有接受耶稣，我接不接受似乎也是无所谓。再一方面是，现在这些网络游戏逐渐地占据孩子的心，父母有时候也常常对孩子沉迷游戏有所忽略，不是不管教，而是现今的孩子所追求的都是这些，父母也是有心无力。
所以综合各方面的原因，当下的信二代逐渐认为信仰是无关紧要，父母接受就可以了，或者说自己还小，似乎信仰是大人或者老年人所需要的；开始对信仰有错误的认知，模模糊糊，没有一种真实的信靠和追求。
前一阵子，听一个阿姨分享自己的经历，她描述自己的儿子突然愿意一起去教会礼拜了，当时她心里特别高兴，因为她孩子小时候和她一起聚会，长大就基本不去了。
但后来让这位阿姨失望的是儿子对她说，我陪你来聚会只是想要让你高兴，你别多想。瞬间这个阿姨的心都碎了。
这也说明了一个问题，不认识信仰就会对信仰造成误解，不认识福音就会轻看福音。这不仅仅引起基督徒家庭的反省与思考，更引起当代传道人的思考。思考的问题就是：下一代的基督徒是否对于基督信仰模糊不清？
二，对信仰的冷漠态度
信二代的危机第二个方面也是非常明显的，就是对于信仰非常冷漠，当父母参与聚会敬拜的时候，有些家庭的孩子就会对父母的行为非常烦感，或者是不愿意跟随父母一起参与敬拜，甚至家庭的祭坛祷告都不愿参与。当然这一方面的原因与上一个方面也是有关系的，就是对信仰的模糊不清造成。再加上一些孩子随着学历的增长，逐渐有自己的判断力、知识储备和理性思考，所以会更加崇尚于当下的科学、科技，对于信仰似乎是不感兴趣，甚至会觉得是迷信。
除了知识对孩子的影响之外，还有社会制度与风气的影响。处于后现代的群体当中更多是关注自己、关注享乐、关注消费、关注利益、关注前途等。笔者与一些信二代交谈过一些问题，他们的最大的质疑声音就是信耶稣能赚钱吗？你信耶稣别人给你多少钱啊？还有一次笔者搭出租车时，和一个年轻的出租车司机聊了一些信仰，出租车司机的反应就是基督信仰是学好的，可以去学，但不要沉迷，毕竟踏实工作养家才是正事。
三，对信仰的错误理解
大多数当下的信二代没有接受过神学装备，和真理的系统学习，而对于信仰的掌握和认识，或者是父母的教导，亦或者是主日学老师的栽培。所以对于信仰总会有一些片面的认识和误解上。
笔者透过教会的弟兄姊妹了解，以及对于基督徒家庭的情况记录，发现有些基督徒家庭的儿女虽然口里说信耶稣，但从未在教会里抛头露面，也很少参与教会的各项事工，只是自己在工作经历困难时、找不着对象时、有什么迈不过去的艰难时，就开始让父母为自己祷告，甚至也会请教会的弟兄姊妹来代祷。
当然代祷是不错的，然而更重要的是自己与神的关系，与信仰的连接，还有教会的聚会生活习惯。所以说很多信二代都有这样的一个问题，就是需要耶稣的时候赶紧去寻求，而不需要的时候是不管不顾。
其实当我们剖析信二代的问题时，不是说说算了，乃是要引起重视，引起思考和反省，为教导基督徒的儿女寻找合宜的方式和方法，并且也为教会的接力棒培养人才，使神的家延续更多的人。
当下基督徒家庭信二代的危机
The phrase ‘XX the Second’ has been accepted as a catchy phrase in contemporary spoken Chinese. It is expressed in such a pattern: rich the Second or cadet the Second, meaning the second or further generation that inherits their older generation’s wealth or power. By the same token, “Faithful the Second” refers to the second or even the third generation of believers of Christian families. The first generation Christians maybe grandparents, the second parents, and the third grandchildren. There could be even the fourth and fifth generations.
Many parents of the second generation in China are believers, co-workers, and pastors of a church so the faithful parents will lead their children to become the second generation of believers in the family. Of course, it is easy to bear the title of Faithful the Second, but the second generation may face many challenges in inheriting the Faith. We thus made an analysis from three aspects concerning the crisis of the second generation of Chinese Christian families.
1. Being unclear of their faith
At present, there is a great crisis in the faith of children in Christian families. For families in cities, children are busy with school and parents are busy with work. There is not much time for the parents to take their children to learn about the Christian faith. For rural parents, their own understanding of the Faith is limited, and they can't express it in a comprehensible manner even when they describe what Christian faith is. Therefore, teaching their children to understand faith will cause loopholes and problems in their children's faith life.
If we don't give timely instructions in faith, then, as children grow up, there will be various problems. For instance, children will gradually learn from their classmates as they are pressured to conform to their peer group. All my peers have not accepted Jesus so it does not seem to matter whether I accept Him or not. On the other hand, online games are gradually occupying children's attention and parents sometimes neglect their children's addiction to games. It is not that parents are ignoring it but today's children are all pursuing these things and their parents are powerless.
Therefore, due to various reasons, Faithful the Second gradually believe that faith is irrelevant while it is fine enough for their parents to accept the Faith. Moreover, they think that they are too young and that it is needed by adults or elderly people. They begin to have a wrong understanding of faith which seems vague without a real trust and pursuit.
Not long ago we heard a testimony from an elderly believer who was talking about how happy she was that her son was unexpectedly willing to go to church with her. At first she was very happy because her son attended services with her when he was a kid but had stopped going when he grew up.
However, to her disappointment, her son said that he attended services with her was just an attempt to make her happy. There was no other reason. The believer became disappointed instantly.
This also reflects a problem. If you don't understand Faith, you will misunderstand it, and if you don't know the gospel, you will despise it. It not only causes reflections and considerations in Christian families, but also causes concerns to contemporary pastors. The question to be considered is: Are the next generations of Christian families ambivalent about Christian faith?
2. The cold attitude towards the Faith
The second aspect of the crisis is also apparent, the cold attitude towards the Faith. When parents attend services, some children will be very annoyed with their parents' activity or unwilling to follow their parents to participate in services or even a family prayer meeting. Of course, this is also related to the previous reason, that is, being unclear in matters of faith. In addition, with the growth of educational background, some children gradually have their own judgment, knowledge reserve, and rational thinking, so they will advocate current science and technology and seem to be uninterested in faith. They even regard faith as superstition.
Besides the influence of knowledge on children, there is also the influence of the social system and ethos. Post-modern social groups are more concerned about themselves, pleasure, consumption, interests, and development. I have talked with some second-generation believers about some current issues, and their biggest questioning voice is whether believing in Jesus will help them to make money. How much do you get paid by believing in Jesus? Once in a taxi I talked with the young driver about faith. The driver's reaction was that Christian faith was well-intended so one could learn from it, but one shouldn’t be addicted to it. After all, working hard to support one’s family is the true thing.
3. The wrong understanding of the Faith
Most of the second generation of believers have not received theological education and systematic study of the truth. The mastery and understanding of the faith come from the instruction of parents and what one is taught in Sunday schools. Therefore, there will always be some one-sided understanding and misunderstanding of the Faith.
By studying the brothers and sisters in the church and the records of Christian families, I find that some children of Christian families have never been to a church and rarely participate in various ministries. Only when they have difficulties in their work, can't find a partner, or have other problems will they start to ask their parents to pray for them and even ask the congregation to pray for them.
Of course, intercession is good, but what is more important is your own relationship with God, your connection with faith, and attending the church's meetings regularly. Therefore, many second-generation believers have such a problem, that is, when they need Jesus, they should seek Him quickly, but when they don't need Him, they leave Him alone.
In fact, when we analyze the problem of the second generation of Christian families, we should not just discuss it but should pay attention to it, arouse thinking and introspection, find suitable ways and means for teaching Christian children, and train talents for the baton of the Church so that God's family will continue to have more people.
- Translated by Charlie Li
Crisis Faced by Younger Generations of Chinese Christian Families
