The coronavirus pandemic has put churches and Christians to the test, as many churches face the situation of losing believers.
In a church, an online prayer meeting had only 19 participants, and the number of believers in some grass-roots groups had been reduced by more than half. A pastor’s wife said that many believers were invited, but few were left.
What are the reasons for this situation? There are many kinds of believers who do not stay in churches. Like the Jews, the majority of people refuse to respond to God's call. Many people are selected by God, but few repent and trust in Him; few people confess with their mouths and believe with their hearts.
Then what is the solution? Here I offer three possible ways.
Evangelism ministry is not a part of the church, but the center of all ministries.
Too many churches regard evangelism as only one part or even less than one-tenth of all the ministries, which is a big misunderstanding.
Based on Matthew 28:18-20 about the call for a mission, we can see that Jesus' ministry in the world and sacrifice on the cross were for the sake of the gospel.
Mission work should be the center of all church ministries, so church management and pastoral care revolve around missions.
To solve the problem, pastors must start paying attention to it and take missions ministry as normal service. They should strengthen the systematic training, promote the training of mission workers, and develop long-term plans to go out for missions.
Christians should carefully examine the intimate relationship with God.
We see that all Christians who remain in the church maintain their intimate relationship with God. Just like the vine and branches, if we do not stay in the Lord who is the source of love, our spiritual lives will wither down.
Christians need to make long-term efforts to strengthen this close relationship with God by praying, studying the scriptures, and serving in a stable fellowship.
Pastors should help believers hold onto the truth and build their lives.
Some Christians who have believed for years or even decades are taken away by heretics, although they are enthusiastic about the gospel, of which they do not know the full picture.
Others are well-grounded in the foundation of truth and have memorized many scriptures, but they cannot live out God’s words. These believers have devoted themselves to academic research in theology, and are obsessed with studying the Bible. However, Jesus does not need people to simply study Him, but disciples to faithfully follow Him.
This phenomenon is not unrelated to the long-term lack of guidance in nurturing believers in the church, which is an imminent problem.
As Jesus has set an example of love through the washing of feet, he exhorted us to follow Him to serve each other and live a life to glorify God.
In conclusion, the comprehensive solutions include offering basic Bible study, in-depth study, long-term continuous spiritual counseling, and providing a lot of nurturing training on life and specific exercises in fellowship. According to the needs of different believers, some churches adopt grassroots groups, in which they carry out diversified pastoral care to help Christians stand firm in truth and build a balanced life.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
疫情的影响，给我们教会以及基督徒的生活带来多考验。我们这里的教会，最近一次网上祷告会仅有19人参加，而某些基层小组的人数甚至减少到了一半以上。
一位师母感慨地说道：被呼召的人多，留下来的少。
一. 如此情形的原因是什么呢？ 1、如犹太人一样，拒绝回应神呼召的人占多数 2、神呼召的人多，悔改和信靠的人少
3、口上承认，心里真正顺服的人少
二、有怎样的解决途径？
那么教会怎么办？有哪些解决途径呢？
宣教事工不是教会几分之一，而是一切事工的中心
太多教会仅仅把宣教事工当做其中一个内容之一，甚至不到十分之一的事工，这是大大的误区。
我们通过参考马太福音28章18-20节对于使命的呼召可以看出，耶稣在世事工和十字架献祭都是为了福音的缘故。
宣教事工应该是教会一切事工的中心，所以教会管理和牧养的事工都是为了宣教服务的。
要解决根本问题，必须从牧师开始重视，最佳途径建议是：应该把宣教事工当做常态服侍，加强宣教事工系统的培训，强化宣教同工的培养，有长期计划的外出宣教。
基督徒当认真省察个人与神的亲密关系
我们看见，凡是在教会得以长期留存的基督徒，都是较好地保持了个人与神之间的亲密关系。就像葡萄树与枝子的关系一样，我们若是没有了爱的源头，不常在主内，灵里枯干，生命就会枯死。
根本的解决途径是，基督徒需要长期藉着四个方面努力坚固这个亲密关系，即：祷告亲近神、扎根圣经话语、稳定的团契生活、服侍中彼此建造。
教会牧养当有力帮助信徒们站稳真理和建造生命
教会里不乏信主数年甚至数十年的基督徒，他们都十分有热心，但就是因为未知福音全貌，一旦邪教异端来袭就被掳掠走了。
还有一些，是真理扎根很好、熟读圣经甚至背诵许多经典章节，但是，生命活不出来。这些信徒往往热衷投身神学学术研究，痴迷研究圣经的知识点。但是，耶稣不需要研究祂的人，需要忠心跟从祂的门徒。
这种现象与教会长期缺乏信徒栽培导向不无关系，这个问题迫在眉睫。
而耶稣则给我们做了榜样，祂叫我们跟从祂做学徒，劝勉我们彼此相爱、彼此洗脚，活出荣耀神的生命来。
综合起来解决途径是，教会牧养当有力而切实帮助信徒们，不仅圣经话语初级查经和深度研经分阶学习，长期持续的灵修辅导，还要有大量生命栽培的培训，团契生活里的具体操练。有些教会在这方面摸索下来经验是，采取基层小组根据不同的小羊需要，采取多元化牧养，把真理站稳和生命建造上有平衡成长的生命，具体落到实处。
信徒流失怎么办？有哪些解决途径？
The coronavirus pandemic has put churches and Christians to the test, as many churches face the situation of losing believers.
In a church, an online prayer meeting had only 19 participants, and the number of believers in some grass-roots groups had been reduced by more than half. A pastor’s wife said that many believers were invited, but few were left.
What are the reasons for this situation? There are many kinds of believers who do not stay in churches. Like the Jews, the majority of people refuse to respond to God's call. Many people are selected by God, but few repent and trust in Him; few people confess with their mouths and believe with their hearts.
Then what is the solution? Here I offer three possible ways.
Evangelism ministry is not a part of the church, but the center of all ministries.
Too many churches regard evangelism as only one part or even less than one-tenth of all the ministries, which is a big misunderstanding.
Based on Matthew 28:18-20 about the call for a mission, we can see that Jesus' ministry in the world and sacrifice on the cross were for the sake of the gospel.
Mission work should be the center of all church ministries, so church management and pastoral care revolve around missions.
To solve the problem, pastors must start paying attention to it and take missions ministry as normal service. They should strengthen the systematic training, promote the training of mission workers, and develop long-term plans to go out for missions.
Christians should carefully examine the intimate relationship with God.
We see that all Christians who remain in the church maintain their intimate relationship with God. Just like the vine and branches, if we do not stay in the Lord who is the source of love, our spiritual lives will wither down.
Christians need to make long-term efforts to strengthen this close relationship with God by praying, studying the scriptures, and serving in a stable fellowship.
Pastors should help believers hold onto the truth and build their lives.
Some Christians who have believed for years or even decades are taken away by heretics, although they are enthusiastic about the gospel, of which they do not know the full picture.
Others are well-grounded in the foundation of truth and have memorized many scriptures, but they cannot live out God’s words. These believers have devoted themselves to academic research in theology, and are obsessed with studying the Bible. However, Jesus does not need people to simply study Him, but disciples to faithfully follow Him.
This phenomenon is not unrelated to the long-term lack of guidance in nurturing believers in the church, which is an imminent problem.
As Jesus has set an example of love through the washing of feet, he exhorted us to follow Him to serve each other and live a life to glorify God.
In conclusion, the comprehensive solutions include offering basic Bible study, in-depth study, long-term continuous spiritual counseling, and providing a lot of nurturing training on life and specific exercises in fellowship. According to the needs of different believers, some churches adopt grassroots groups, in which they carry out diversified pastoral care to help Christians stand firm in truth and build a balanced life.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Possible Solutions to Loss of Believers During COVID-19
