A lukewarm church lacks enthusiasm for the Great Commission. It seems to worship normally and carry out various ministries, but it lacks love for Christ. We can and must change the church's lukewarmness. The following are the practices of the three churches:
Elder W has rich experience in grass-roots church pastoral care. He once increased the number of members of a rural church who used to be full of contradictions and lukewarmness from over 100 to more than 400 in five years. His secret is to "concentrate on God's affairs."
When talking to a sister, I learned that the church holds testament and worship meetings on the last Friday afternoon of each month and prayer meetings every Wednesday afternoon. After its gatherings were resumed, many signed up for the testament and shared God’s presence and leadership during the pandemic. As there were many testaments, people looked forward to holding worship meetings.
In Church H, a county church, people join groups, with everyone being a disciple and participating in ministry. The senior pastor shared that the church guides believers to participate in ministry part time and also strives to create positions for them. The pastor believes that no matter the size of the organization, what is important is participation. For example, group reception, food preparation, and cleaning are all ministries. "Although these are small matters, they need to be done. During the service, group members have a sense of participation and being part of it."
A grass-roots church breaks down the discipleship life into specifics, which is called "Project 333". Each believer reads three Bible chapters daily, prays for three disciples daily, and preaches the gospel to three people every week by taking pictures and posting them all over the church. An old sister who is over eighty and still serves in the church enthusiastically. She preached the gospel and promoted the establishment of the local church after believing in the Lord. Over the years, she insisted on preaching the gospel so that 14 believed in Christ because of her the year before last, five last year, and three have accepted her gospel so far this year.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
不冷不热的教会对大使命缺乏热情，看起来好像礼拜正常进行，各项事工也在开展，但缺乏对基督的爱。教会可以改变这种不冷不热的教会文化，也必须改变。以下是3间教会的做法。
W长老有丰富的基层教会牧会经验，曾在5年时间内将一间充满矛盾、一潭死水的乡村教会从一百多人增加到四百多人。他的秘诀是“专注在神的事上”。
和这间教会一位姊妹交流时了解到，其教会每个月最后一周的周五下午轮流举办见证会和赞美会，每周周三下午都有祷告会。教会恢复聚会之后，很多人报名见证，分享疫情期间神的同在和带领，“说都说不完”。由于最近几次都是见证会，会众很期待举行赞美会。
在H堂，一间县城教会，人们进小组，人人做门徒，人人参与服侍。教会主任牧师分享，一方面，在教导上，教会都在引导信徒参与侍奉；另一方面，教会也努力创造侍奉岗位让信徒参与进来。这位牧师认为，事情不在大小，重点是参与进来。比如小组接待、准备食物、打扫卫生等都是侍奉。“虽然是小事，但需要有人做，这样组员也有参与感，觉得是一份子。”
一间基层教会将过门徒式的生活分解为具体的内容，名为“333”计划。分别是每人每天诵读三章圣经、每人每天为三门徒祷告、每人每周向三人传福音，制作成图画张贴在教堂各处。一位年过八旬、依然在教会侍奉的老姊妹，信主之后就热心传福音，推动建立了当地的教堂。多年来，她坚持向人传福音，前年有14个人因着她归信基督，去年有5个人，今年到现在为止有3个人接受了福音。
改变不冷不热的教会境况的三种方法
A lukewarm church lacks enthusiasm for the Great Commission. It seems to worship normally and carry out various ministries, but it lacks love for Christ. We can and must change the church's lukewarmness. The following are the practices of the three churches:
Elder W has rich experience in grass-roots church pastoral care. He once increased the number of members of a rural church who used to be full of contradictions and lukewarmness from over 100 to more than 400 in five years. His secret is to "concentrate on God's affairs."
When talking to a sister, I learned that the church holds testament and worship meetings on the last Friday afternoon of each month and prayer meetings every Wednesday afternoon. After its gatherings were resumed, many signed up for the testament and shared God’s presence and leadership during the pandemic. As there were many testaments, people looked forward to holding worship meetings.
In Church H, a county church, people join groups, with everyone being a disciple and participating in ministry. The senior pastor shared that the church guides believers to participate in ministry part time and also strives to create positions for them. The pastor believes that no matter the size of the organization, what is important is participation. For example, group reception, food preparation, and cleaning are all ministries. "Although these are small matters, they need to be done. During the service, group members have a sense of participation and being part of it."
A grass-roots church breaks down the discipleship life into specifics, which is called "Project 333". Each believer reads three Bible chapters daily, prays for three disciples daily, and preaches the gospel to three people every week by taking pictures and posting them all over the church. An old sister who is over eighty and still serves in the church enthusiastically. She preached the gospel and promoted the establishment of the local church after believing in the Lord. Over the years, she insisted on preaching the gospel so that 14 believed in Christ because of her the year before last, five last year, and three have accepted her gospel so far this year.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
Three Ways to Change Church Lukewarmness
