The gospel is consistent, however, there exist multiple methods to spread it. In circumstances where idolatry is prevalent, how can we preach the gospel? Over time, the church and its congregation have explored and implemented numerous effective strategies.
Most folk beliefs derive from ancestral and nature worship, interspersed with clan customs. In the hometown of Pastor C, who was born in the 1980s, ancestral shrines and temples are present everywhere. Pastor C believed that local churches could take advantage of customary attention paid to the wedding and funerary rites, thus seizing the opportunity to promulgate the gospel. Initially, the church should first pay attention to the marriage and memorial services held by believers in the church, providing a platform to witness the grace and offer comfort to their families.
Second, believers should avail themselves of the opportunities to participate in non-Christian weddings and funerals. Pastor C mentioned that he attended his third uncle's youngest son's wedding. His third uncle and his family worshiped other idols and were displeased with his faith in Jesus. However, thanks to Pastor C's impeccable behavior towards his family's elders, his third uncle invited him to speak at the wedding because the original speaker could not attend. He advised Christians not to emphasize sin and salvation on such an occasion to spread the gospel, saying "Just talk about the biblical view of marriage and of the roles of husband and wife." After his speech, his third uncle remarked, "You are different from those who worship other gods, and your Christianity is admirable."
Pastor C understood that where idolatry dominated, individuals possessed "faith" in themselves. He first reminded us that evangelization must avoid proclaiming, "My God is true while yours is false. You are mistaken." He pointed out, "We are to preach the good news, not to condemn others."
Instead of controversial debates about right or wrong, one should lead them to contemplate what "God" represented. Pastor C requested his uncle and cousin, who had been fortune-telling individuals at the Xuanwu Temple for years, to consider the divine attributes of Jesus Christ. He asked them, "Do you think that your god is the true god? What are the characteristics of the true God?" Following this, he asked, "If your god is the true god, why does no one believe in him?" After this, he expounded on the reality of sin and presented the gospel of salvation. As Pastor C narrated, although his daily life had already served as a witness, this conversation about "God" was fundamental to his uncle and cousin's conversion.
Pastor C believed that idolaters already believed in the existence of God, and the key was to guide them in a suitable way to know what the true God was. With an attitude of inspiration rather than conviction and coercion, let them think and seek spontaneously, and perhaps there will be pleasant surprises.
Most of the people the church visits are believers, but the visit and care the church carries out is crucial in attracting non-believers.
Sister G is a doctor. On the occasion of saving lives and healing the wounded, she saw more human indifference. "There are many elderly people in the hospital, and in many cases, their sons are not there when they are needed," She observed. One night while she was on duty, a group of Christians came to pray for a man with advanced liver cancer. Sister G wondered why these strangers had come to visit an old man who had no connection to them. "Their love touched my heart and made me curious about what Christians really believe."
As a doctor, Sister G particularly noted that since the pandemic, many elderly people have spent several weeks or even months in hospice care, and standard medical treatment has failed to instill hope in them. What they urgently require is no longer a "cure", but psychological counseling and hospice care.
The hospital where she works is one of China’s few that set up a hospice ward early. She observed that Buddhists were regularly invited to perform services for and bless the dying in these wards. She said that churches and Christians, where possible, should also pay more frequent visits to hospital hospice units to accompany patients during their last days with dignity.
Around the world, churches typically hold evangelism meetings focused on praise, testimony, and witness themes on Easter and Christmas. Most daily services do not cater to unbelievers, but churches in S city in southern China has designated the fourth Sunday of each month as a "gathering for evangelism."
In the first three weeks of each month, local churches reminds believers to prepare for the end-of-month meeting, and urges them to invite unbelieving relatives and friends to worship together and to pray for them during that month. Family and acquaintances who visit the church for the first time formerly lack the opportunity to hear the gospel based on their original faith.
At least twelve gospel meetings a year would give non-believers more opportunities to hear the core message of salvation in this city
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
福音信息是一样的，但传福音不是千篇一律的，如何在偶像盛行之地传扬福音？身处其中的教会和信徒探索实践出一些行之有效的方法。
民间信仰大多脱胎自然崇拜和祖先崇拜，往往伴随宗族文化。80后传道人C老师的家乡，宗祠庙宇随处可见。C传道认为当地教会可以利用众人对婚丧礼仪的重视，抓住机会传扬福音。教会首先要重视信徒在教堂内部举行的婚事、丧事礼拜，见证恩典或宽慰家人。
其次，信徒个人要善用参与非基督徒婚丧仪式的机会。他提到自己曾参加三叔小儿子的婚礼，三叔一家都拜偶像，对他信耶稣这件事多有不满，但他平时在亲戚间的为人处世也让老人们无可挑剔。那场婚礼上请来要发言的人不在，三叔让他上去讲讲。他提醒，信徒此时不要大讲特讲罪和救赎；只需要讲圣经的婚姻观，夫妻观。果然，他发言之后，三叔也感慨，你们跟拜其他神的不一样，你们基督教是好的。
C传道认为，拜偶像盛行的地方，他们本身具备“信仰”。他首先提醒，基督徒对这些人传福音最忌讳直接说“我信的是真的，你的是假的，你是错误的，”他指出，“我们是传好消息，不是定罪。”
与其辩论对错真假，不如引导他们思想“神”应该是什么样子。C传道问常年在玄武庙中给人卜卦算命的舅舅和表哥，“你觉得你信的神是真神吗？你觉得真神得是什么样子？”借此介绍耶稣基督彰所显出的神的属性；等他们询问，“如果你的神是真神，那怎么没人信他呢？”再向他们言明罪的存在，接着讲述救赎的福音。C传道表示，虽然他的平日生活已经向他们有所见证，但这次关于“神”的谈话才是舅舅和表哥归信的关键。
C传道认为，拜偶像的人已经相信有神存在，关键在于以合适的方式引导他们认识何为真神。用启发而非定罪强制的态度，让他们自发思考寻求，或许有意想不到的惊喜。
教会更多探访的是信徒内部群体。但是教会做好探访关怀，对吸引非信徒非常重要。
G姊妹是一位医生，救死扶伤之际，看到更多的却是人情冷漠，“医院里多得是老人住院，大儿子二儿子找不见人的事情。”某个值班的晚上，一群基督徒来为一个肝癌晚期的患者祷告。她想不明白这群陌生人为什么要来探望一个与自己毫不相干的老人，“他们的爱心抓住了我的心，让我想看看基督徒到底是什么信仰。”
作为医生，G姊妹特别提到，疫情以来，很多老人都曾度过几周或甚至几个月的安宁疗护期，通常的医院治疗已经无法为他们带来任何希望，他们迫切需要的不再是“治愈”，而是心理疏导和临终关怀。
她所在医院是全国少数早早设立临终关怀病房的医院。她观察到，常有佛教徒被邀请前往被临终关怀病房为病人做法事，颂往生祝福等。她说若条件允许教会和基督徒也可以多多探访医院的安宁疗护病房，陪伴他们有尊严地度过人生最后时间。
每逢复活节、圣诞节，各地教会必然开展福音布道会，届时赞美、证道、见证等各个环节都以传福音为主题。大多日常礼拜并未专门针对未信之人展开，而华南S市把每月第四周主日定为“传福音聚会”。
“在每月前三周，教会会提醒信徒预备月末聚会，呼吁大家带领未信的亲人朋友来做礼拜，并在这个月内为他们代祷。这些第一次进入教会的人或是信徒的亲戚、邻舍、工作伙伴，或曾经的同学，按着本来的家族信仰，根本无法接触福音。”
一年至少十二次福音主题礼拜，让非信徒能有更多机会听到最核心的救赎信息。
“拜拜”盛行之地，如何传扬福音？
The gospel is consistent, however, there exist multiple methods to spread it. In circumstances where idolatry is prevalent, how can we preach the gospel? Over time, the church and its congregation have explored and implemented numerous effective strategies.
Most folk beliefs derive from ancestral and nature worship, interspersed with clan customs. In the hometown of Pastor C, who was born in the 1980s, ancestral shrines and temples are present everywhere. Pastor C believed that local churches could take advantage of customary attention paid to the wedding and funerary rites, thus seizing the opportunity to promulgate the gospel. Initially, the church should first pay attention to the marriage and memorial services held by believers in the church, providing a platform to witness the grace and offer comfort to their families.
Second, believers should avail themselves of the opportunities to participate in non-Christian weddings and funerals. Pastor C mentioned that he attended his third uncle's youngest son's wedding. His third uncle and his family worshiped other idols and were displeased with his faith in Jesus. However, thanks to Pastor C's impeccable behavior towards his family's elders, his third uncle invited him to speak at the wedding because the original speaker could not attend. He advised Christians not to emphasize sin and salvation on such an occasion to spread the gospel, saying "Just talk about the biblical view of marriage and of the roles of husband and wife." After his speech, his third uncle remarked, "You are different from those who worship other gods, and your Christianity is admirable."
Pastor C understood that where idolatry dominated, individuals possessed "faith" in themselves. He first reminded us that evangelization must avoid proclaiming, "My God is true while yours is false. You are mistaken." He pointed out, "We are to preach the good news, not to condemn others."
Instead of controversial debates about right or wrong, one should lead them to contemplate what "God" represented. Pastor C requested his uncle and cousin, who had been fortune-telling individuals at the Xuanwu Temple for years, to consider the divine attributes of Jesus Christ. He asked them, "Do you think that your god is the true god? What are the characteristics of the true God?" Following this, he asked, "If your god is the true god, why does no one believe in him?" After this, he expounded on the reality of sin and presented the gospel of salvation. As Pastor C narrated, although his daily life had already served as a witness, this conversation about "God" was fundamental to his uncle and cousin's conversion.
Pastor C believed that idolaters already believed in the existence of God, and the key was to guide them in a suitable way to know what the true God was. With an attitude of inspiration rather than conviction and coercion, let them think and seek spontaneously, and perhaps there will be pleasant surprises.
Most of the people the church visits are believers, but the visit and care the church carries out is crucial in attracting non-believers.
Sister G is a doctor. On the occasion of saving lives and healing the wounded, she saw more human indifference. "There are many elderly people in the hospital, and in many cases, their sons are not there when they are needed," She observed. One night while she was on duty, a group of Christians came to pray for a man with advanced liver cancer. Sister G wondered why these strangers had come to visit an old man who had no connection to them. "Their love touched my heart and made me curious about what Christians really believe."
As a doctor, Sister G particularly noted that since the pandemic, many elderly people have spent several weeks or even months in hospice care, and standard medical treatment has failed to instill hope in them. What they urgently require is no longer a "cure", but psychological counseling and hospice care.
The hospital where she works is one of China’s few that set up a hospice ward early. She observed that Buddhists were regularly invited to perform services for and bless the dying in these wards. She said that churches and Christians, where possible, should also pay more frequent visits to hospital hospice units to accompany patients during their last days with dignity.
Around the world, churches typically hold evangelism meetings focused on praise, testimony, and witness themes on Easter and Christmas. Most daily services do not cater to unbelievers, but churches in S city in southern China has designated the fourth Sunday of each month as a "gathering for evangelism."
In the first three weeks of each month, local churches reminds believers to prepare for the end-of-month meeting, and urges them to invite unbelieving relatives and friends to worship together and to pray for them during that month. Family and acquaintances who visit the church for the first time formerly lack the opportunity to hear the gospel based on their original faith.
At least twelve gospel meetings a year would give non-believers more opportunities to hear the core message of salvation in this city
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
How Can Churches Share the Gospel in Regions Inundated With Numerous Idols?
