After the Sunday worship service, believers would gather in pairs or groups of three to approach the pastor to share their reflections on the sermon, seek guidance, and request prayers for specific concerns. Sometimes, they would spontaneously form small groups to share with one another.
Recently, I attended a Sunday service at a church in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. After the service, I also participated in several conversations among believers. The initial topic of discussion was the organization and challenges of Christian youth relationship events. One male Christian shared that the recent relationship events were not much different from regular blind dates, where participants introduced themselves on stage and exchanged contact information. A female member called C (pseudonym for safety) shared that there were more older female unmarried women than male ones in the church, and she felt hesitant to compete for limited resources. Another female believer named A (pseudonym) mentioned that after participating in dating events, most female Christians were reluctant to proactively add the contact information of male members. Even if they did, the communication would be brief and seldom continued. The third Christian woman named B (pseudonym) shared that she did get the contact information of male ones after attending relationship events but encountered difficulties in communication and interaction, which caused her to quickly withdraw from further contact.
During the discussion, each person realized the need for older, unmarried believers to align themselves with God's Word and reduce personal judgments. On the other hand, they also recognized the importance of a marital mediator, who should provide privacy protection, faith-based guidance, and interpersonal counseling.
In subsequent conversations, they delved into the profound and perplexing topic of whether Christians should visit graves, kneel, and burn incense during the Qingming Festival. They also discussed how to handle malicious bullying from non-believing colleagues in the workplace and the concepts of forgiveness and apology in interpersonal relationships. Through these discussions, they gained a deeper understanding of the significance of spiritual rebirth, baptism, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, as well as the importance of self-discovery, understanding others, and fulfilling the Great Commission.
It is evident that the spontaneous post-worship discussions among Christians are beneficial, as they deepen their understanding of the sermon heard and promote the application of biblical teachings in their daily lives. Furthermore, it is crucial for them to explore and resolve doubts, seek clarification, and pray for one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
弟兄姊妹参加主日崇拜结束后会三三两两地去找牧者简单回应听道感受和寻求帮助、为自己特别关注的事情代祷；也有时候，弟兄姊妹们会自发组合在一起分享。
近期笔者参加了陕西西安某堂的主日崇拜，结束后也参加了几个信徒中间的交流。
大家一起刚开始谈话的主题是基督徒青年婚恋活动的开展以及遇到的问题，那位弟兄分享说近期参加婚恋活动与普通的相亲会差别不大，大家彼此上台介绍并留下联系方式；姊妹C分享说，大龄姊妹的数量多于大龄弟兄，自己并不好意思去争抢有限的资源；姊妹A分享说，参加婚恋活动后，姐妹大多不太会主动添加弟兄的联系方式，即便添加了大家也简单打个招呼就结束了，很少继续联系；姊妹B分享说，参加婚恋活动后有主动添加弟兄的联系方式，但是与弟兄简单沟通和相处的时候遇到问题，不知如何解决，很快就退缩不再联系。
大家一起探讨，共同认识到大龄弟兄姊妹都需要在神的话语面前归正，减少人为的论断；另一方面，大家也意识到婚恋中保的重要性，包括隐私保护，信仰指导，相处辅导等等。
在之后的交流中，大家共同探讨了基督徒是否选择在清明节上坟、跪拜和烧纸——这个严肃性和困惑性很强的信仰话题；也探讨了在职场中如何面对未信同事的恶意欺凌以及人际关系中的饶恕与道歉等等话题。大家更加深刻地认识到信仰中重生、受洗、得到圣灵的能力的重要性，以及在实践信仰的过程中认识自己、认识他人并且尽己所能地领受和完成大使命的重要性。
可见，主日崇拜结束后弟兄姊妹自发交流也是多有裨益，不仅能加深对所听的道的理解，也对行道和实践应用有促进作用。更加重要的是一起在圣灵带领下彼此真探讨、答疑解惑、互相代祷。
记一次礼拜后的交流
After the Sunday worship service, believers would gather in pairs or groups of three to approach the pastor to share their reflections on the sermon, seek guidance, and request prayers for specific concerns. Sometimes, they would spontaneously form small groups to share with one another.
Recently, I attended a Sunday service at a church in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. After the service, I also participated in several conversations among believers. The initial topic of discussion was the organization and challenges of Christian youth relationship events. One male Christian shared that the recent relationship events were not much different from regular blind dates, where participants introduced themselves on stage and exchanged contact information. A female member called C (pseudonym for safety) shared that there were more older female unmarried women than male ones in the church, and she felt hesitant to compete for limited resources. Another female believer named A (pseudonym) mentioned that after participating in dating events, most female Christians were reluctant to proactively add the contact information of male members. Even if they did, the communication would be brief and seldom continued. The third Christian woman named B (pseudonym) shared that she did get the contact information of male ones after attending relationship events but encountered difficulties in communication and interaction, which caused her to quickly withdraw from further contact.
During the discussion, each person realized the need for older, unmarried believers to align themselves with God's Word and reduce personal judgments. On the other hand, they also recognized the importance of a marital mediator, who should provide privacy protection, faith-based guidance, and interpersonal counseling.
In subsequent conversations, they delved into the profound and perplexing topic of whether Christians should visit graves, kneel, and burn incense during the Qingming Festival. They also discussed how to handle malicious bullying from non-believing colleagues in the workplace and the concepts of forgiveness and apology in interpersonal relationships. Through these discussions, they gained a deeper understanding of the significance of spiritual rebirth, baptism, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, as well as the importance of self-discovery, understanding others, and fulfilling the Great Commission.
It is evident that the spontaneous post-worship discussions among Christians are beneficial, as they deepen their understanding of the sermon heard and promote the application of biblical teachings in their daily lives. Furthermore, it is crucial for them to explore and resolve doubts, seek clarification, and pray for one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Beneficial Exchanges After Sunday Service
