The sixth public seminar on Christianity and Social Concerns was held virtually from January 11 to 13.
Based on their own experiences, two pastors instructed the church to carry out social concerns on January 12.
A pastor surnamed Huang pointed out that to act justly and to love mercy was something that everyone who walked with God should practice, as Jesus also had compassion for the weak on this earth at all times.
He said, "It's unthinkable that a pastor won’t be involved in caring for social needs", he said, "Caring for others is the result and goal of evangelism, as it can build a bridge to evangelism. They work together, promoting each other."
So what can the church do? Pastor Huang shared some good deeds his church had done, such as carrying out charitable actions during the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan and supplying food to the people in Wuchang when COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan. He also initiated a blood drive for believers, encouraging them to participate in the fight against the pandemic.
Through these actions, the believers not only helped those in need but also preached the gospel, contributing to their spirituality.
Pastor Huang shared, "There is nothing that can’t be used by God's people to glorify Him. We can glorify Him at all times and in all aspects, as long as we set our minds on what God wants us to do."
In response to the question of "How does the church carry out social service activities?", a pastor whose last name is Zhang mentioned the challenges and opportunities the church encountered when conducting social service activities. He shared the four aspects of strategy, positioning and direction, plan, and promotion.
In terms of strategy, the church service organizations should first determine their vision, mission, team construction, and value, so they could have a solid foundation to meet social concerns. The vision is to do God’s will by carrying out social service; the mission was the strategy and method the church used to implement and complete the vision. The team construction was about how to reserve and use human resources; value meant that based on the Biblical values the church service organizations carried out social care.
In terms of positioning and direction, Pastor Zhang said the churches must take into account what they really wanted to do while doing social service.
He mentioned the churches should consider how to start and run a long-term and healthy organization and how to achieve its mission when starting social care services.
When it came to promotion, he advised the church leaders to learn from Paul’s missionary spirit. Encountering many dangers and difficulties in his missionary work, Paul never flinched but kept pushing forward with what he should do.
Finally, Pastor Zhang shared, "During the years I have been involved in charity work, I have had all kinds of experiences. But I really find that God’s love is profound... When I pray to Jesus alone through whom God appears, I am encouraged and comforted." We should live in the Lord who can give us opportunities. If we have faith in Him, there is much we can do to glorify God and benefit others.
-Translated by Abigail Wu
2021年1月11-13日，第六期“基督教与社会关怀”讲座在网络举行。
12日，两位主讲人黄牧师和张牧师分别从自己的经验出发，分享了教会如何去做社会关怀。
黄牧师首先谈到，“行公义、好怜悯”是每一个与神同行的人都应当去操练的。耶稣也是随时随地怜悯这地上软弱的人。“任何一个传福音的人而不做社会关怀是不可思议的”，黄牧师说：“社会关怀是传福音的结果和目标，也是传福音的桥梁，两者是并进的伙伴。”
那么教会到底可以做些什么？黄牧师具体分享了他所在的教会曾做过的一些善举，例如在四川进行了爱心行动，在武昌发起了食物银行，在教会弟兄姐妹中发起了义务爱心献血，今年年初更是鼓励教会的弟兄姐妹们参与到抗疫的行动中去。
通过这些社会关怀行动，一方面弟兄姐妹的灵性生命得着大大成长，另外一方面也帮助到有需要的人，更加重要的是在这个过程中确确实实地见证了福音。
黄牧者分享说：“没有一件事是不能被神的子民用来荣耀祂的。只要我们有心做神要我们做的事情，我们可以在时时刻刻、方方面面来荣耀神。”
针对“教会应该怎样做社会关怀的服务或行动”这一问题，张牧师分享了教会在做社会关怀时遇到的挑战与机遇，主要是从策略、定位与方向、计划和推进4个方向来进行讲述。
从策略方面上，教会服务机构首先要确定自己的异象、使命、团队和价值。异象可以帮助教会在做社会关怀服务时，清晰领受神给予教会社会关怀的愿景；使命则是教会将要以什么样的策略和方式来完成和实践异象；团队则是具体从模式上考虑如何在人力资源上治理、储备及使用；价值则是教会服务机构要基于圣经的价值观。这样，教会服务机构才会坚固起来、有稳固的根基。
从定位和方向方面上，教会在做社会关怀服务时，要考虑到教会真正要做的事情。
从计划方面上，教会要考虑到启动社会关怀服务时，应该考虑到如何准备、怎样开始、如何做一个长效健康的机构以及如何达成机构的使命。
从推进方面上，教会要学习保罗的宣教精神。保罗在做宣教工作时，遇到了诸多的危险和急难。但他从来没有退缩，而是不断地推进自己该做的事情。
最后，张牧师分享了自己的一点体会和建议。他说到：“在做慈惠事工的这些年，酸甜苦辣咸各种滋味都有。但是我真的觉得上帝的爱是深厚的。……当我回到耶稣道成肉身的生命，我们和他独处祷告的时候，就带来了很多的鼓励和安慰。”用信心回应神，一定会带来荣神益人的结果。我们若在主的里面，就会给我们带来转机。
https://www.christiantimes.cn/news/33995/%E7%AC%AC%E5%85%AD%E6%9C%9F%E5%9F%BA%E7%9D%A3%E6%95%99%E4%B8%8E%E7%A4%BE%E4%BC%9A%E5%85%B3%E6%80%80%E8%AE%B2%E5%BA%A7%E7%BA%BF%E4%B8%8A%E4%B8%BE%E8%A1%8C%EF%BC%9A%E6%95%99%E4%BC%9A%E5%BD%93%E6%8A%93%E4%BD%8F%E6%9C%BA%E9%81%87%EF%BC%8C%E6%88%90%E4%B8%BA%E7%A4%BE%E4%BC%9A%E7%9A%84%E7%A5%9D%E7%A6%8F
第六期“基督教与社会关怀” | 教会应从四个方面来做社会关怀
The sixth public seminar on Christianity and Social Concerns was held virtually from January 11 to 13.
Based on their own experiences, two pastors instructed the church to carry out social concerns on January 12.
A pastor surnamed Huang pointed out that to act justly and to love mercy was something that everyone who walked with God should practice, as Jesus also had compassion for the weak on this earth at all times.
He said, "It's unthinkable that a pastor won’t be involved in caring for social needs", he said, "Caring for others is the result and goal of evangelism, as it can build a bridge to evangelism. They work together, promoting each other."
So what can the church do? Pastor Huang shared some good deeds his church had done, such as carrying out charitable actions during the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan and supplying food to the people in Wuchang when COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan. He also initiated a blood drive for believers, encouraging them to participate in the fight against the pandemic.
Through these actions, the believers not only helped those in need but also preached the gospel, contributing to their spirituality.
Pastor Huang shared, "There is nothing that can’t be used by God's people to glorify Him. We can glorify Him at all times and in all aspects, as long as we set our minds on what God wants us to do."
In response to the question of "How does the church carry out social service activities?", a pastor whose last name is Zhang mentioned the challenges and opportunities the church encountered when conducting social service activities. He shared the four aspects of strategy, positioning and direction, plan, and promotion.
In terms of strategy, the church service organizations should first determine their vision, mission, team construction, and value, so they could have a solid foundation to meet social concerns. The vision is to do God’s will by carrying out social service; the mission was the strategy and method the church used to implement and complete the vision. The team construction was about how to reserve and use human resources; value meant that based on the Biblical values the church service organizations carried out social care.
In terms of positioning and direction, Pastor Zhang said the churches must take into account what they really wanted to do while doing social service.
He mentioned the churches should consider how to start and run a long-term and healthy organization and how to achieve its mission when starting social care services.
When it came to promotion, he advised the church leaders to learn from Paul’s missionary spirit. Encountering many dangers and difficulties in his missionary work, Paul never flinched but kept pushing forward with what he should do.
Finally, Pastor Zhang shared, "During the years I have been involved in charity work, I have had all kinds of experiences. But I really find that God’s love is profound... When I pray to Jesus alone through whom God appears, I am encouraged and comforted." We should live in the Lord who can give us opportunities. If we have faith in Him, there is much we can do to glorify God and benefit others.
-Translated by Abigail Wu
Public Seminar Focuses on Four Strategies of Christian Social Care
