Editor’s note: The definition of a ”hollow" faith is having the outer behavior of belief, but lacking the inner life of Christ. It is that the loving and committed relationship that a Christian has with God has become stiff and tired. It is characterized by serving people without joy, acting joyously without the mind resting, serving without reverence, being called a disciple but having commitment, or being religiously ritualistic but lacking the essence of the love of the Lord.
The Christian Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, invited five Christians and pastors from different churches in Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Fujian to share their views on the topic of the “hollowing” of faith. On average, the five guests’ have each been believers for ten years. Below are their sharing in the first person.
Ms. Ran, a layperson:
The hollowness of one's faith is about there being no intimate relationship between the individual and God. The help of the church is needed, but more depends on the individual.
From the perspective of relationship building, the first thing to prevent a hollowing is to establish more two-way communication with God. The way we listen to God is to read the Scriptures and listen to Christian teaching. The way to speak to God is to pray. Communicating with God does not need to be too complicated and difficult scrutiny. Just listen to God’s voice from the Bible every day, get correct guidance through the help of the pastor explaining Scripture, and pray much.
In addition, hollow Christians can be said to have lost their personal relationship with God-- a correct relationship with God, true and pure. Then incorrectly, possibly as an employee to employer, turning from God’s responsibility to us to our responsibility to God, so that there is no joy, no gratitude, no sincerity, only tiredness and ritual. When I am full of gratitude and trust in God, I am full of love and security in this relationship.
In reading and meditating, we should pay more attention to the part about sin and salvation. I have always thought that this is the core of faith. Without the re-establishment of this part, no matter how much we talk about “building a correct self-awareness”, “how God loves us, how God looks at us” and “God will help us”, we will be scratching our heads. Only when the Scriptures, such as David’s penitent poems in the Psalms, the prophets’ reminder in the prophetic books, the teaching of Jesus Christ in the four Gospels, and Paul’s book of Romans, touch us, are we aware of sin and repentance. We naturally feel God’s love deeply, and then joy, gratitude, and peace will follow.
My personal experience is to learn to pay attention to myself in my daily service and life. Each person's unique qualities, spiritual situation, and emotional needs are different. I should be sensitive to my spiritual state and tell God more about my state and needs.
Ms. Zhang, a pastor:
As a Christian, the hollowness of faith is a common phenomenon and it needs to heed.
One sister said that she had lived in a Christian family since she was a child, and she had a lot of knowledge about her faith. But I know in my heart that there are very few things that can really be done. I preached the gospel to others only a handful of times, and I do not feel any substantial difference from others. Some Christians even say that we just keep our faith. We do not need to preach the gospel to others. We just have to believe.
This sister took part in a program bringing education to a remote mountainous area and felt that she was connecting to Jesus Christ. She needed to take care of several students. When she saw that they felt helpless and had nothing to do, she wanted to witness to her faith. But the result was rejection. She began to feel the same way as Jesus most have, a little bit about love on the cross. It was at that time that she planted the seed of service.
Paul, a believer:
One of the important reasons for the hollowness of faith is that people are busy with various ministries. I think we should do what we can in serving, especially having a clear understanding of our gifts, and not taking on more work than we can afford, so as to avoid serving too much. However, the problem of not pursuing any spiritual endeavors can only be remedied by developing good daily spiritual practices.
There is another situation that needs attention, and that is the motivation of faith and service. Some people join the church, and participate in serving is not necessarily out of a calling, but rather to seek fame and reputation. This kind of motivation is wrong from the start, and as a result, hollowness developing is inevitable.
David, a pastor:
As a full-time pastor of the church, David has been serving for nearly five years. This problem has caused him to reflect often.
A person who serves God full-time will definitely develop a hollowness in his/her faith. The root cause is alienation from God.
The reason for alienation may be that the ministry takes too much time and leaves too little time to be quiet and draw near to God. Or when facing temptations in the world, life begins to crack and break slowly. Because the identity of the person is one who is called and has a face, the problem is hidden underneath many layers. The more you hide the problem, the more serious it is. In the end, one's life rots, and one cannot turn things around. One can only put on act like an actor, wear a mask of disguise, and lead a life of deceiving God, others, and oneself.
Nowadays, materialistic desires are rampant, and all kinds of temptations are pervasive. If you want to hold on to the values of the Christian faith, life is indeed greatly challenging.
Talking about preventing hollowness--like a cup, hollowness is not about nothing, but rather about a wrong thing. One can make a cup of dirty water slowly become clean without moving the cup by continuing to pour clean water into it. “Cleanliness” represents holiness, and holiness is the premise by which we have interaction with God. “Pouring in water” means a kind of replacement and renewal. We must have the power of the Holy Spirit, draw near to God himself, rely on Him, and establish a close and truly loving relationship with Him.
Brother Jacob:
There are three reasons for the hollowness of faith. The first is that believers lack knowledge of the truth. Christians do not know God’s kingdom and mission. They do not know God’s eternal plan and their own responsibility and mission in that. I do not have a clear view of the church, and I do not know that I am a part of Christ’s body. It is necessary to connect with believers and complement each other to become the body of the Lord. Without such a concept, it is difficult to have a true commitment and presence in the church. Not knowing discussions around salvation or the order of salvation (such as predestination-calling-rebirth-confession-justification-raising-sanctification-perseverance-glorification); I thought that as long as I was baptized, I already had the ticket to enter the kingdom of heaven, but I did not know that I had to take the path of sanctification.
The second point is the lack of spiritual sight and practice. Work and play will take up a lot of our time. Life is full of weeds and thorns. If we cannot keep our minds clean before the Lord, it will be difficult to meet him and establish a close relationship with him. As a pastor, sometimes I fall into another misconception, that is, I replace my relationship with the Lord with my own ministry. However, the final result of my busyness is exhaustion in my spiritual life. In addition, the church has the responsibility to give correct guidance and accompany believers in their spiritual practices, to help them implement these in their lives, and to cultivate habits and methods of spiritual practice.
The third point is the lack of promoting and leading believers to respond to the mission entrusted by God in these times. It is hard to hear a heart-gripping sermon from the pulpit today. The pastor lacks challenging believers of today, and it is hard to give a jab of what will cure this malady.. Pastors do not know the needs of the masses or what is wrong with them. They know nothing about their private lives except their life in the church. When pastors do not promote all the ministries that the church should do and guide believers to do something, believers will not do anything. Finally, the emptiness of personal belief is the alienation of the relationship between the individual and the Lord. The emptiness of the community is the indifference of the church to God’s mission and its inaction today.
- Translated by Charlie Li
编者按：“信仰空心化”现象的定义可以理解为有其信仰的外表，但是缺少内在属基督的生命，或者说基督徒与上帝之间爱和委身的关系来到僵化与枯竭。其特点诸如：徒有事奉而没有喜乐；徒有喜乐的表现而没有心灵的安息；徒有服事而没有敬拜；徒有门徒之名却没有委身之实；徒有宗教仪式而没有爱主之心的实质;
基督时报邀请了五位分别来自江苏、广东、福建不同教会的基督徒、传道人和牧者有关“信仰空心化”现象这一主题分享他们的看见。这五位嘉宾的信仰时间平均都是十年以上。
平信徒冉姊妹：
信仰的空心化在于个人和上帝没有了亲密的关系，对此教会的帮助是需要的，但更多还要靠信徒个人来做。
从建立关系的角度来讲，预防空心化首先就是要与上帝多建立双向交流。我们听神说话的方式是读经和听道；向神说话的方式是祷告。与上帝交流不需要太复杂艰深的研究，只需每日从《圣经》中听神的声音，并借助牧者的讲解得到正确的引导，同时多多祷告。
另外，空心化的基督徒可以说是没有了与上帝个人的关系，同时也可以说是失去了与上帝正确的关系——从正确的关系转变成了错误的雇工和雇主的关系，从上帝对我们负责变成了我们要对神负责，所以没有喜乐没有感谢没有真诚，只有疲惫和仪式。当我对神充满了感谢、信任的时候，从而在这段关系中充满了爱和安全感。
在读经和默想中，要多关注关于罪和救赎的部分。我一直认为这是信仰的核心，没有这个部分的再建立，无论讲多少“要树立正确的自我意识”，“神如何爱我们，神如何看待我们”，“神会帮助我们”等都是隔靴搔痒。当重新在《圣经》中比如《诗篇》中大卫的悔罪诗，先知书中先知的提醒，四福音书中耶稣基督的教导，以及保罗《罗马书》中重新获得罪和悔改的感动，才会自然而然深刻感受到神的爱，那么喜乐、感谢、平安都会随之而来。
我个人体验是要学会在平时的事奉和生活中关注自己，每个人的特质，属灵情况和情感需要是不同的，要对自己的灵性状态敏感，多对上帝讲述自己的状态和需要。
传道人张姊妹：
作为基督徒信仰走向空心化，一方面是普遍现象，一方面也需要引起警戒。
一个姐妹说她从小就生活在基督教信仰家庭中，信仰的知识量储备很多。但心里知道，真实能够行出来的却是很少。给别人传福音的次数也是屈指可数的几次，并没有觉得自己与别人有什么实质的不同。也有些基督徒甚至说，我们就是保守自己的信仰，不需要给别人传福音，自己信就可以了。
这个姐妹参加一次偏远山区的支教学习，感受自己与耶稣基督有关系呢。她需要照顾几个学生，看到他们经历无助、无所事事的时候，想给他们见证信仰，可是结果却遭受拒绝时，她开始有了对与耶稣所走的道路的一种同感，对于十字架上的爱有了一点点的感觉。也就是在那个时候她种下了服事的种子。
平信徒保罗弟兄：
信仰空心化的出现，一个重要原因就是忙于各种事工中。我认为在事奉上需要量力而行尤其是要对自己的恩赐有个清醒的认识，不要去担负超过自己所能承受的工作，这样就可避免因为过多事奉。而缺乏灵里追求的问题对于事奉者来说，需要养成每日灵修的好习惯。
还有一种情况需要注意，那就是信仰与事奉的动机。有的人加入教会，参与事奉并不一定就是呼召，而是存在沽名钓誉的情况。这种的动机就已经错了，出现空心化是必然的。
传道人大卫弟兄：
作为教会的全职传道人，大卫进入服事已经有近五年的时间了，面对这个问题激发诸多反思。
一个全职服事上帝的人肯定会出现信仰的空心化，究其根本原因，个人以为就是与神关系的疏离。
导致疏离的原因可能是服事太繁忙，以至于没有精力再去安静下来亲近神；或者是面对世界的诱惑和试探，生命开始慢慢出现裂痕与破口。出于被呼召者的身份以及人固有的面子，便将问题隐藏在深处。越是隐藏问题却越是严重，最后任由生命被腐蚀变得腐臭，却已无力回转，只能像个演员，戴上伪装的面具，过着欺神、欺人和自欺的生活。
当今时代物欲横流，各种诱惑无孔不入，想要持守基督信仰的价值观而生活确实面对更大的挑战。
谈谈预防空心化——就像一个杯子，空心化不是什么也不盛装，而是装了错误的东西。让一杯脏水在不动杯子的情况下慢慢变干净就是持续不断注入干净的水。“干净”代表了圣洁，圣洁是与神互动的前提。“注入水”表示一种替换、更新。必须有圣灵的大能，亲近神自己，依靠神，建立与神之间亲密的真实的爱的关系。
雅各弟兄
信仰会走向空心化的原因有三点：第一点是信徒对真理缺乏认识。基督徒对上帝的国度和使命没有认识，不清楚神永恒的计划，以及自己应该付上的责任和使命。没有清楚的教会观、不知道自己是基督身体的一部分。需要和信徒们互相联结，彼此配搭才能够成为主的身体。没有这样的观念，就很难有在教会之中真实的委身和摆上。对救恩论没有认识，不清楚救恩次序（如：预定-呼召-重生-认信-称义-饲养-成圣-坚韧-得荣）；以为只要受洗之后，就已经得着进入天国的门票了，不知道自己还要走成圣的道路。
第二点是缺乏属灵的看见和操练。工作和娱乐会占据我们大量的时间，生命里充满了荒草和荆棘，没有办法清心在主的面前，就很难与主相见，与主建立亲密的关系。作为一个传道人，有时候我也会陷入另外一个误区，就是将自己的服事取代了与主之间的关系，忙碌最后的结果却是灵命的枯竭。另外教会有责任在信徒的属灵操练上，做出正确的引导与陪伴，帮助他们在生活当中去落实，培养这种属灵操练的习惯和方法。
第三点是缺乏推动和带领信徒在时代中，对神托付的使命做出回应。现今的讲台上很难听见一篇扎心的讲道，传道人缺乏对这个时代的信徒发出挑战，对他们的生活很难给出一针见血的揭露和医治。牧者的不知道羊群的需要，也不知道羊群在哪里出了问题，除了教会里的生活，对他们私下的生活一无所知。当牧者们对教会的各项应做的事工没有推动，没有引导信徒去做什么，那信徒就不会去做什么。最后来到个人信仰的空洞，是个人与主之间关系的疏远。群体信仰的空洞，是教会对上帝使命的冷漠，在这个时代的无所作为……
圆桌间| 对话五位基督徒：信仰空心化现象，究竟离我们有多远？
Editor’s note: The definition of a ”hollow" faith is having the outer behavior of belief, but lacking the inner life of Christ. It is that the loving and committed relationship that a Christian has with God has become stiff and tired. It is characterized by serving people without joy, acting joyously without the mind resting, serving without reverence, being called a disciple but having commitment, or being religiously ritualistic but lacking the essence of the love of the Lord.
The Christian Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, invited five Christians and pastors from different churches in Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Fujian to share their views on the topic of the “hollowing” of faith. On average, the five guests’ have each been believers for ten years. Below are their sharing in the first person.
Ms. Ran, a layperson:
The hollowness of one's faith is about there being no intimate relationship between the individual and God. The help of the church is needed, but more depends on the individual.
From the perspective of relationship building, the first thing to prevent a hollowing is to establish more two-way communication with God. The way we listen to God is to read the Scriptures and listen to Christian teaching. The way to speak to God is to pray. Communicating with God does not need to be too complicated and difficult scrutiny. Just listen to God’s voice from the Bible every day, get correct guidance through the help of the pastor explaining Scripture, and pray much.
In addition, hollow Christians can be said to have lost their personal relationship with God-- a correct relationship with God, true and pure. Then incorrectly, possibly as an employee to employer, turning from God’s responsibility to us to our responsibility to God, so that there is no joy, no gratitude, no sincerity, only tiredness and ritual. When I am full of gratitude and trust in God, I am full of love and security in this relationship.
In reading and meditating, we should pay more attention to the part about sin and salvation. I have always thought that this is the core of faith. Without the re-establishment of this part, no matter how much we talk about “building a correct self-awareness”, “how God loves us, how God looks at us” and “God will help us”, we will be scratching our heads. Only when the Scriptures, such as David’s penitent poems in the Psalms, the prophets’ reminder in the prophetic books, the teaching of Jesus Christ in the four Gospels, and Paul’s book of Romans, touch us, are we aware of sin and repentance. We naturally feel God’s love deeply, and then joy, gratitude, and peace will follow.
My personal experience is to learn to pay attention to myself in my daily service and life. Each person's unique qualities, spiritual situation, and emotional needs are different. I should be sensitive to my spiritual state and tell God more about my state and needs.
Ms. Zhang, a pastor:
As a Christian, the hollowness of faith is a common phenomenon and it needs to heed.
One sister said that she had lived in a Christian family since she was a child, and she had a lot of knowledge about her faith. But I know in my heart that there are very few things that can really be done. I preached the gospel to others only a handful of times, and I do not feel any substantial difference from others. Some Christians even say that we just keep our faith. We do not need to preach the gospel to others. We just have to believe.
This sister took part in a program bringing education to a remote mountainous area and felt that she was connecting to Jesus Christ. She needed to take care of several students. When she saw that they felt helpless and had nothing to do, she wanted to witness to her faith. But the result was rejection. She began to feel the same way as Jesus most have, a little bit about love on the cross. It was at that time that she planted the seed of service.
Paul, a believer:
One of the important reasons for the hollowness of faith is that people are busy with various ministries. I think we should do what we can in serving, especially having a clear understanding of our gifts, and not taking on more work than we can afford, so as to avoid serving too much. However, the problem of not pursuing any spiritual endeavors can only be remedied by developing good daily spiritual practices.
There is another situation that needs attention, and that is the motivation of faith and service. Some people join the church, and participate in serving is not necessarily out of a calling, but rather to seek fame and reputation. This kind of motivation is wrong from the start, and as a result, hollowness developing is inevitable.
David, a pastor:
As a full-time pastor of the church, David has been serving for nearly five years. This problem has caused him to reflect often.
A person who serves God full-time will definitely develop a hollowness in his/her faith. The root cause is alienation from God.
The reason for alienation may be that the ministry takes too much time and leaves too little time to be quiet and draw near to God. Or when facing temptations in the world, life begins to crack and break slowly. Because the identity of the person is one who is called and has a face, the problem is hidden underneath many layers. The more you hide the problem, the more serious it is. In the end, one's life rots, and one cannot turn things around. One can only put on act like an actor, wear a mask of disguise, and lead a life of deceiving God, others, and oneself.
Nowadays, materialistic desires are rampant, and all kinds of temptations are pervasive. If you want to hold on to the values of the Christian faith, life is indeed greatly challenging.
Talking about preventing hollowness--like a cup, hollowness is not about nothing, but rather about a wrong thing. One can make a cup of dirty water slowly become clean without moving the cup by continuing to pour clean water into it. “Cleanliness” represents holiness, and holiness is the premise by which we have interaction with God. “Pouring in water” means a kind of replacement and renewal. We must have the power of the Holy Spirit, draw near to God himself, rely on Him, and establish a close and truly loving relationship with Him.
Brother Jacob:
There are three reasons for the hollowness of faith. The first is that believers lack knowledge of the truth. Christians do not know God’s kingdom and mission. They do not know God’s eternal plan and their own responsibility and mission in that. I do not have a clear view of the church, and I do not know that I am a part of Christ’s body. It is necessary to connect with believers and complement each other to become the body of the Lord. Without such a concept, it is difficult to have a true commitment and presence in the church. Not knowing discussions around salvation or the order of salvation (such as predestination-calling-rebirth-confession-justification-raising-sanctification-perseverance-glorification); I thought that as long as I was baptized, I already had the ticket to enter the kingdom of heaven, but I did not know that I had to take the path of sanctification.
The second point is the lack of spiritual sight and practice. Work and play will take up a lot of our time. Life is full of weeds and thorns. If we cannot keep our minds clean before the Lord, it will be difficult to meet him and establish a close relationship with him. As a pastor, sometimes I fall into another misconception, that is, I replace my relationship with the Lord with my own ministry. However, the final result of my busyness is exhaustion in my spiritual life. In addition, the church has the responsibility to give correct guidance and accompany believers in their spiritual practices, to help them implement these in their lives, and to cultivate habits and methods of spiritual practice.
The third point is the lack of promoting and leading believers to respond to the mission entrusted by God in these times. It is hard to hear a heart-gripping sermon from the pulpit today. The pastor lacks challenging believers of today, and it is hard to give a jab of what will cure this malady.. Pastors do not know the needs of the masses or what is wrong with them. They know nothing about their private lives except their life in the church. When pastors do not promote all the ministries that the church should do and guide believers to do something, believers will not do anything. Finally, the emptiness of personal belief is the alienation of the relationship between the individual and the Lord. The emptiness of the community is the indifference of the church to God’s mission and its inaction today.
- Translated by Charlie Li
Roundtable: How to Avoid Hollow Faith?
