The Sunday service is the most important event in the life of a Christian, who eagerly anticipates receiving heavenly grace and blessings from God to better live their lives in the coming week.
In this roundtable discussion, four Christians from different age groups shared their thoughts on the Sunday service they expected.
Sunday sermons should pierce and draw people to the Lord.
Elder Zhu Xinkai, a Christian from East China, born in the 1970s, believed that in recent years, sermons seemed to have tended to cater to the tastes of the congregation. The sermons from the pulpit often lacked content that pierced the heart and tended to focus more on sharing knowledge and methodology related to faith.
Elder Zhu says, "After Sunday service, when I try to revisit the sermon, I find it can not remind me of the memorable content and lacks commitment to practicing God’s words. Some senior believers in our church have shared similar feelings. Therefore, I hope that in the future, the pulpit ministry can be more aligned with the truth and the will of the Holy Spirit, which can inspire people to come before God and rely on this righteous and loving Lord."
Sermons with superficiality and commonplace often fail to touch the heart.
Luo Yifan, a Christian from Northeast China, born in the 1990s, believed that Sunday Service should be comprehensive and complete, which means that every part of the service, such as scripture reading, praise, hymns, and silent prayer, is crucial to helping believers better embrace the truth.
Luo candidly expressed, "Regarding the sermon during Sunday worship, if it contains profound content, the length of the sermon is not a problem. However, in some churches, sermons tend to be superficial, often focusing on ethical and moral exhortations, which I find repetitive."
"Furthermore, praise, the pastor's sermon, and group sharing after the service are all key elements of service. In my view, group sharing is not an optional component; it allows individuals to respond personally to God's word, offering different interpretations and mutual learning. Listening to a sermon is like the process of eating, and group sharing is like the process of digestion and absorption. Sharing and discussing how to connect God's word with life can also foster a sense of belonging within the church."
Pastors need to collaborate with the Holy Spirit while preaching.
Xu Xiaochuan, a male Christian in his 20s from South China, believed that the service was the time when people interacted with Jesus. He personally thought that in a Sunday service, the sermon was not necessarily the most critical part, and there was no need for a deliberately heart-piercing sermon. Instead, he emphasized the sense of ceremony in the entire service and the collaboration with the Holy Spirit in each session, which could impact the congregation.
Xu confidently stated, "If every part of service can lead people closer to Jesus, the service is considered to be successful. If a pastor does not cooperate with the Holy Spirit before delivering a sermon, even if the content is deeply moving, it may not have a lasting impact. I am averse to pastors who simply present their views and emotionally manipulate the congregation through slogan-like sermons. Such sermons might touch or ignite the audience momentarily, but without the involvement of the Holy Spirit, that emotional experience may disappear when they leave the church. With the Holy Spirit's involvement, the impact of the sermon is different, as it makes believers feel deeply moved and passionate and leads them to Jesus."
Pastors need to step out of their own churches to broaden their ministry horizon.
A male believer named Wenxin declared, "If a pastor wants to deliver quality sermons, they need to spend time meditating on God's word so as to leave a lasting impression on the congregation. However, today, many pastors simply copy and recite sermon manuscripts, delivering lengthy sermons that have no impact on believers' lives. Intellectuals in the church want more in-depth teaching that can interpret faith and life, while average believers want sermons with interesting examples that align with the truth, making the message relatable and engaging. The goal is to leave a deep impression of the truth."
He also proposed that pastors step out of their own churches and learn from other excellent churches on how to offer acceptable Sunday services, with the scope of their ministry being expanded. When pastors see the good practices other churches do in worship, they can enhance the quality of worship in their own congregations.
Regarding the praise segment of worship, Wenxin said, "Churches should select hymns that are familiar to the congregation. For new songs, they should provide churchgoers with learning opportunities to facilitate worship. The focus of praise should be to glorify the name of Jesus, expressing His salvation and the attributes of God."
"Some churches organize sharing groups based on the number of worshippers, including newcomer groups, senior believer groups, family groups, and prayer groups. This way, after the worship service, the church can ensure that the glory of worship and God's blessings remain in the hearts of the congregation for an extended period."
"After the worship service, it's wise for churches to have a pastor-led farewell segment for the congregation. This can help bridge the gap between pastors and believers, fostering trust and a sense of belonging."
(Note: To protect the privacy of the interviewees, the names of individuals mentioned in the article are pseudonyms.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
教会里的主日敬拜是基督徒一周生活中最重要的事件了，敬虔的基督徒会分别为圣的对待。与此同时，基督徒渴望从礼拜中收获到属天的恩典与上帝的赐福，从而更好的过新一周的生活。
会众到底期待怎样的主日敬拜。本期圆桌间，四位不同年龄段，有着不同信仰经历的基督徒就这个话语进行分享。
主日的信息需要怎样的质量？——扎心且引人向主
来自华东的一位70后朱鑫凯长老认为，近些年来，讲道似乎有迎合信众口味的倾向。讲台的证道缺少令人扎心的内容，偏向于分享信仰上的知识与方法论的一些内容。
朱长老说：“主日过后，当我想再次复习主日的道的时候 ，发现很难找到记忆深刻的点和实践上帝话语的感动。一些教会里的老信徒也有同样的感受。因此，我期待，日后讲台的事奉可以更加贴合真理和圣灵的心意，激发人回到上帝面前，依靠这位公义和慈爱并存的主。”
礼拜整体为何常常触及不到内心？——浮于表面 老生常谈
来自东北的90后洛一帆姐妹，她对礼拜的看法是，礼拜的整个环节呈现需要完整且到位。 例如，开始的读经、赞美、献诗、默祷，每个环节都是非常重要的，因为可以帮助信徒们更好地迎接真理。
洛姐妹坦言：“对于主日证道的环节，如果是有水平的讲道内容，时间长短不是问题。但有些教会的讲道常常是浮于表面，更多是停留在伦理道德的规劝，这样我就觉得老生常谈。”
“另外，礼拜的赞美、牧者的讲道、会后的小组分享这些都是礼拜的重点所在。在我看来，小组分享不是可有可无的环节，它可以让人所领受的上帝的话语能够有个体性的回应，不同的人表达出他们感受和落地的解读，可以相互借鉴。听道好似一个吃的过程，而小组分享好像是一个消化吸收的过程。彼此分享交流上帝的话语和生活的关系，也可以让大家有对教会的归属感。”
礼拜的质量的关键在哪？——牧者需要学会与圣灵协作
一位来自来华南的00后徐小川弟兄，他认为礼拜是人与耶稣相处的现场。他认为一场合宜的主日敬拜，证道并不是最重要的环节，也不需要刻意讲出令会众扎心的讲道。他反而更加看重整个礼拜的仪式感，以及每一个环节是否与圣灵协作，是否靠圣灵的工作来推动每个环节，从而真切地影响到会众。
徐弟兄确信地见证到：“礼拜的每个环节都可以推动人走向耶稣就是成功的礼拜。如果牧者讲道前没有跟圣灵有协作，即便讲出非常扎心的内容，但也许效果未必好。因为，我是反感于牧者只是通过他的某个观点加上人为的情绪渲染，带出口号式的宣讲。可能会众当下会被宣讲所扎心或挑旺，但是因没有圣灵的参与其中，这个扎心或者是火热就会在他们离开教会时消失掉。而圣灵参与后，则不同，祂让信众感到的扎心和火热是持久的，也能推动信众来到耶稣面前，与主联合。 ”
一个对牧者的建议：牧师需走出自己的教会—— 打开眼界 拓宽服事境界
文新弟兄表示：“牧者有水平的讲道的特点是，首先，他需要经历过对上帝话语的冥思苦想，这样他分享内容才会有洞见、有穿透力，甚至让信众一年两年都不会忘记那一句话或观点。但今天有不少牧者会随便抄袭讲道稿，听起来滔滔不绝的证道分享，却是对信徒的生命毫无影响力。其次，牧者证道对于高知人群来说，在对信仰与生活的解读方面，需要具有一定的深度和思考性。最后，对于普通信众来说，讲道可以善用有趣的例子与真理配搭，从而让证道不失去生活化和趣味性，使得听众对真理的印象深刻。”
他认为，教会牧者非常需要走出自己的教会，去看其它优秀教会如何献上合宜的主日敬拜，以此拓展自己的事奉境界。当牧者看到其他教会在礼拜上做的好的部分，便可以提升自己教会的敬拜水平。
对于礼拜的赞美环节，文新弟兄建议说：“教会尽量选择大家会唱的诗歌，即便是新歌，也要设置教唱的环节，以确保不让会众尴尬无语。同时赞美的方向与意义不是为了荣耀自己，而是荣耀耶稣的名。诗歌选择上需要突出耶稣的救恩以及上帝的属性。”
“有的教会的礼拜，会根据敬拜者的数量，做好分工，进行迎新小组分享、老信徒小组分享、家庭小组分享、代祷小组分享等设置。这样礼拜结束后，教会依然可以让礼拜的荣耀和上帝的祝福在信众心里留有一个恩典的延长线（一直存留）。”
“教会礼拜结束后，设置有牧师对信众的欢送环节。能够做好接待和欢送事奉的教会， 是非常有智慧的。因为可以拉近牧者与信徒的距离，又可以促进两者之间的信任与归属感。”文新弟兄总结到。
（为保护受访者 文中人物名均为化名）
http://www.jidushibao.com/news/39764/
圆桌间｜如何献上合宜的主日敬拜
The Sunday service is the most important event in the life of a Christian, who eagerly anticipates receiving heavenly grace and blessings from God to better live their lives in the coming week.
In this roundtable discussion, four Christians from different age groups shared their thoughts on the Sunday service they expected.
Sunday sermons should pierce and draw people to the Lord.
Elder Zhu Xinkai, a Christian from East China, born in the 1970s, believed that in recent years, sermons seemed to have tended to cater to the tastes of the congregation. The sermons from the pulpit often lacked content that pierced the heart and tended to focus more on sharing knowledge and methodology related to faith.
Elder Zhu says, "After Sunday service, when I try to revisit the sermon, I find it can not remind me of the memorable content and lacks commitment to practicing God’s words. Some senior believers in our church have shared similar feelings. Therefore, I hope that in the future, the pulpit ministry can be more aligned with the truth and the will of the Holy Spirit, which can inspire people to come before God and rely on this righteous and loving Lord."
Sermons with superficiality and commonplace often fail to touch the heart.
Luo Yifan, a Christian from Northeast China, born in the 1990s, believed that Sunday Service should be comprehensive and complete, which means that every part of the service, such as scripture reading, praise, hymns, and silent prayer, is crucial to helping believers better embrace the truth.
Luo candidly expressed, "Regarding the sermon during Sunday worship, if it contains profound content, the length of the sermon is not a problem. However, in some churches, sermons tend to be superficial, often focusing on ethical and moral exhortations, which I find repetitive."
"Furthermore, praise, the pastor's sermon, and group sharing after the service are all key elements of service. In my view, group sharing is not an optional component; it allows individuals to respond personally to God's word, offering different interpretations and mutual learning. Listening to a sermon is like the process of eating, and group sharing is like the process of digestion and absorption. Sharing and discussing how to connect God's word with life can also foster a sense of belonging within the church."
Pastors need to collaborate with the Holy Spirit while preaching.
Xu Xiaochuan, a male Christian in his 20s from South China, believed that the service was the time when people interacted with Jesus. He personally thought that in a Sunday service, the sermon was not necessarily the most critical part, and there was no need for a deliberately heart-piercing sermon. Instead, he emphasized the sense of ceremony in the entire service and the collaboration with the Holy Spirit in each session, which could impact the congregation.
Xu confidently stated, "If every part of service can lead people closer to Jesus, the service is considered to be successful. If a pastor does not cooperate with the Holy Spirit before delivering a sermon, even if the content is deeply moving, it may not have a lasting impact. I am averse to pastors who simply present their views and emotionally manipulate the congregation through slogan-like sermons. Such sermons might touch or ignite the audience momentarily, but without the involvement of the Holy Spirit, that emotional experience may disappear when they leave the church. With the Holy Spirit's involvement, the impact of the sermon is different, as it makes believers feel deeply moved and passionate and leads them to Jesus."
Pastors need to step out of their own churches to broaden their ministry horizon.
A male believer named Wenxin declared, "If a pastor wants to deliver quality sermons, they need to spend time meditating on God's word so as to leave a lasting impression on the congregation. However, today, many pastors simply copy and recite sermon manuscripts, delivering lengthy sermons that have no impact on believers' lives. Intellectuals in the church want more in-depth teaching that can interpret faith and life, while average believers want sermons with interesting examples that align with the truth, making the message relatable and engaging. The goal is to leave a deep impression of the truth."
He also proposed that pastors step out of their own churches and learn from other excellent churches on how to offer acceptable Sunday services, with the scope of their ministry being expanded. When pastors see the good practices other churches do in worship, they can enhance the quality of worship in their own congregations.
Regarding the praise segment of worship, Wenxin said, "Churches should select hymns that are familiar to the congregation. For new songs, they should provide churchgoers with learning opportunities to facilitate worship. The focus of praise should be to glorify the name of Jesus, expressing His salvation and the attributes of God."
"Some churches organize sharing groups based on the number of worshippers, including newcomer groups, senior believer groups, family groups, and prayer groups. This way, after the worship service, the church can ensure that the glory of worship and God's blessings remain in the hearts of the congregation for an extended period."
"After the worship service, it's wise for churches to have a pastor-led farewell segment for the congregation. This can help bridge the gap between pastors and believers, fostering trust and a sense of belonging."
(Note: To protect the privacy of the interviewees, the names of individuals mentioned in the article are pseudonyms.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Roundtable: How Can We Offer Acceptable Sunday Services?
