In the past ten years, due to diverse historical factors, especially the influence of the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), many churches in China placed great emphasis on the study of the Bible, guiding believers to develop a personal relationship with God but neglecting the relationships among them.
Having served in a city church in Northeast China for many years, Rev. Li Tao (pseudonym) has a deep interest in the early church or the apostolic era. In his view, the church of that time highly valued mutual fellowship among its members, which is something lacking in today's Chinese churches.
He shared that in recent years, many churches have established small groups, and pastoral care have been transitioning towards small group-based ministry. However, the pastoral model has remained centered on "preaching and listening." When the sermon begins, it signifies the official start of the service, and everything before that, such as praise and the Bible reading, is not considered the formal section. Similarly, when the sermon ends, the service essentially concludes. The pastoral care model that the majority of churches used in the past, was also characterized by a pastor at the altar speaking while the congregation listened, with little interaction among the members.
In the gatherings of the apostolic era, in addition to preaching and listening, there was a strong emphasis on mutual sharing, breaking bread, and prayer. Nowadays, not only in China but also in churches worldwide, small groups are highly valued, with a primary focus on fostering fellowship among believers, he added.
Regarding online churches, Li has a somewhat negative view. He mentioned that in an online church, people generally have little knowledge about each other's situations. It is not clear what kind of character and experience a person has, as well as what kind of situation he is in. So it is challenging for pastors to provide personalized pastoral care in such a setting and for believers to have meaningful interactions.
He is also aware of a particular issue at a certain online church related to offerings. That church provides abundant sermon and pastoral resources, with over a thousand people participating in each online gathering. During the live broadcasts, there is a segment for offerings. However, one of the church's staff members left. It was discovered that, during the offering segment, the church leader had individuals pretend to make offerings by providing money in advance. Seeing someone zealously make an offering, many others would be encouraged to do the same. Li finds that such cases are quite common.
Li pointed out that when people open their mouths and engage in mutual fellowship, their hearts also open up. In contrast, those who often remain silent in the church find it difficult for their hearts to be liberated and for personal growth to occur.
Many churches have now started to form small groups. A small group's success is typically poor if the leader presides over it in a preaching capacity. However, if the small group leader takes on a guiding role and actively involved every member, allowing each person to share their experiences, such a small group is sure to thrive, as Li continued to explain.
He shared, "A small group is like this, and a church as a whole is also like this. In a church, if every member actively brings others to the church and genuinely cares about them, the church will definitely grow."
Pastor Li illustrated the importance of fellowship in the context of the church he serves. He said, "When our church first started, it was very challenging. My wife was the one who initiated it, and at the beginning, only more than ten people attended the gatherings, mostly her relatives and neighbors. Because there was no one to preach, they took turns reading the Bible. After reading, they all shared their thoughts and impressions. But later on, all of these ten-plus people became pastors."
Li stated, "Regarding the prayer meeting, we asked every person to pray aloud. When it was almost their turn, they might think, 'What should I say?' They kept pondering over what to say. Having no idea, some people would learn from what the previous person had said, changing the form and content a bit and indirectly incorporating it. Some people didn't know how to pray, and the prayer meeting would stall. When that person finally prayed, the prayer meeting would continue. After all of them received training, one year later, each one became a pastor."
Pastor Li explained that when a person actively participates, they have many thoughts, and their mind keep working. But if a person only listens, it is challenging for them to grow and change.
He believed that, in reality, "speaking out" is more important than being "right or wrong." Because when a person speaks incorrectly, the pastor can guide them to the correct understanding. However, if they are not allowed to speak, they will never have the opportunity to grow.
This pastor concluded that many churches emphasize right and wrong and order, which are undoubtedly important. However, when each one is uninformed, with no designated preacher, but every person participates, this approach is closer to the early church of the apostolic era. Ironically, as believers grow mature, the church tends to become less like the ancient one.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
由于过去种种因素尤其是十年文革的影响，中国很多教会特别重视圣经的学习和信徒个人与上帝之间的关系，却对人与人之间的关系忽略。
李涛牧师在东北一所城市教会服事多年，他对使徒时代的教会或者说初代教会有着浓厚的兴趣。在他看来，那时的教会非常重视肢体间的彼此相交，而这正是今天的中国教会所缺乏的。
最近几年以来很多教会都设立了小组，牧养等也都在向小组教会转型。但是牧养模式依然是“讲——听”。讲道开始了，就意味着聚会正式开始了，之前的赞美、读经什么的不算是正式内容；而讲道结束了，基本上就意味着聚会结束了。而在前些年堂会制盛行的时候，也是一名讲道人在台上讲，下面一群人在听，肢体之间很少彼此交流。
在使徒时代的聚会当中，除了讲道和听道以外，他们还非常强调彼此交接、掰饼、祈祷。现在不只是中国，几乎全世界所有地方的教会都很注重小组，而这一模式主要恢复的就是肢体之间的交接。
对网络教会，李涛牧师的看法是比较负面的。他说，在网络教会当中，每个人基本上对其他人的情况一无所知。对方是什么样的人、有着什么样的性格、有着怎样的经历、现在的情况如何都不清楚。在这样的情况下很难做针对性的牧养，肢体彼此之间很难相交。
他也了解到的一所网络教会在奉献方面存在着严重的问题。这所教会提供比较丰富的讲道和牧养资源，每次聚会的时候基本都会有一千多人参加聚会。在聚会直播过程当中除了讲道以外，还有奉献环节。可是这所网络教会的一名同工却离开了。原来，在奉献环节教会负责人安排人做“托”，教会负责人事先拿出来一些钱让人假装奉献。看到有人热心的奉献，很多人就被带动起来参与了。 李牧师发现这样的人其实非常多。
该牧师指出，在聚会当中彼此相交当中，人的口打开的时候，心也就打开了。而在教会里面经常总是不开口、不说话的人，他的心很难是释放的，也是很难成长的。
现在很多教会都开始做小组了，如果小组长是以讲道人的身份来带领的话，那么这个小组一般做不成功。但是如果小组长是以一种引导的身份带领小组，努力让每一个组员都参与进来，每个人能够分享自己的经历，这样的小组一定会成长，李牧师继续说道。
他分享道：一个小组如此，一所教会也是这样的。在一所教会里面，每一个人都去努力带人，每一个人都积极关心别人，这样的教会一定会成长的。
李涛牧师以他所服事的教会为例来说明肢体相交的重要性。“我们教会刚刚开始的时候，非常艰难。教会是我妻子开拓的，刚开始的时候，过来聚会的只有十来个人，都是她的亲戚和邻居。因为没有人可以讲道，大家轮着读圣经。读完经以后，大家都分享自己读经的感想、感动。可是到后来，这十多个人全部都成为了传道人。”
李牧师说：“我们规定了每一个人都必须要开口祷告。当快轮到自己的时候就想，我要说什么呢？一直在努力思考我究竟要说什么。有的人学习前面人讲的话，改变一下形式和内容，把它间接的引用过来。也有的人轮到他的时候实在不知道怎么祷告，于是祷告会就卡在那里了。什么时候他开口祷告了，什么时候祷告会就继续往下进行。大家得到训练后，一年以后每一个人都成为了传道人。”
李牧师解释说，因为当一个人参与进来的时候，他就会有很多的想法，脑子一直在转。但是如果一个人只是听，他是很难成长和改变的。
李牧师认为实际上，“讲出来”要比“讲对、讲错”更加重要。因为当一个人讲错了的话牧者可以引导他，让他有正确的认知。可是如果不让他讲的话，那他就永远没有办法成长。
今天很多教会很强调对错、秩序，这些当然也是重要的。但是，当大家什么都不懂，没有讲道的人，但是每个人都参与，反而这样更加接近使徒时代的教会。反而当我们“成长了、发展了、成熟了”以后，我们开始越来越不像使徒时代的教会。
话题：回到使徒时代，重视肢体相交
In the past ten years, due to diverse historical factors, especially the influence of the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), many churches in China placed great emphasis on the study of the Bible, guiding believers to develop a personal relationship with God but neglecting the relationships among them.
Having served in a city church in Northeast China for many years, Rev. Li Tao (pseudonym) has a deep interest in the early church or the apostolic era. In his view, the church of that time highly valued mutual fellowship among its members, which is something lacking in today's Chinese churches.
He shared that in recent years, many churches have established small groups, and pastoral care have been transitioning towards small group-based ministry. However, the pastoral model has remained centered on "preaching and listening." When the sermon begins, it signifies the official start of the service, and everything before that, such as praise and the Bible reading, is not considered the formal section. Similarly, when the sermon ends, the service essentially concludes. The pastoral care model that the majority of churches used in the past, was also characterized by a pastor at the altar speaking while the congregation listened, with little interaction among the members.
In the gatherings of the apostolic era, in addition to preaching and listening, there was a strong emphasis on mutual sharing, breaking bread, and prayer. Nowadays, not only in China but also in churches worldwide, small groups are highly valued, with a primary focus on fostering fellowship among believers, he added.
Regarding online churches, Li has a somewhat negative view. He mentioned that in an online church, people generally have little knowledge about each other's situations. It is not clear what kind of character and experience a person has, as well as what kind of situation he is in. So it is challenging for pastors to provide personalized pastoral care in such a setting and for believers to have meaningful interactions.
He is also aware of a particular issue at a certain online church related to offerings. That church provides abundant sermon and pastoral resources, with over a thousand people participating in each online gathering. During the live broadcasts, there is a segment for offerings. However, one of the church's staff members left. It was discovered that, during the offering segment, the church leader had individuals pretend to make offerings by providing money in advance. Seeing someone zealously make an offering, many others would be encouraged to do the same. Li finds that such cases are quite common.
Li pointed out that when people open their mouths and engage in mutual fellowship, their hearts also open up. In contrast, those who often remain silent in the church find it difficult for their hearts to be liberated and for personal growth to occur.
Many churches have now started to form small groups. A small group's success is typically poor if the leader presides over it in a preaching capacity. However, if the small group leader takes on a guiding role and actively involved every member, allowing each person to share their experiences, such a small group is sure to thrive, as Li continued to explain.
He shared, "A small group is like this, and a church as a whole is also like this. In a church, if every member actively brings others to the church and genuinely cares about them, the church will definitely grow."
Pastor Li illustrated the importance of fellowship in the context of the church he serves. He said, "When our church first started, it was very challenging. My wife was the one who initiated it, and at the beginning, only more than ten people attended the gatherings, mostly her relatives and neighbors. Because there was no one to preach, they took turns reading the Bible. After reading, they all shared their thoughts and impressions. But later on, all of these ten-plus people became pastors."
Li stated, "Regarding the prayer meeting, we asked every person to pray aloud. When it was almost their turn, they might think, 'What should I say?' They kept pondering over what to say. Having no idea, some people would learn from what the previous person had said, changing the form and content a bit and indirectly incorporating it. Some people didn't know how to pray, and the prayer meeting would stall. When that person finally prayed, the prayer meeting would continue. After all of them received training, one year later, each one became a pastor."
Pastor Li explained that when a person actively participates, they have many thoughts, and their mind keep working. But if a person only listens, it is challenging for them to grow and change.
He believed that, in reality, "speaking out" is more important than being "right or wrong." Because when a person speaks incorrectly, the pastor can guide them to the correct understanding. However, if they are not allowed to speak, they will never have the opportunity to grow.
This pastor concluded that many churches emphasize right and wrong and order, which are undoubtedly important. However, when each one is uninformed, with no designated preacher, but every person participates, this approach is closer to the early church of the apostolic era. Ironically, as believers grow mature, the church tends to become less like the ancient one.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Back to the Early Church: Pastor Appeals Chinese Churches to Place More Importance on Fellowship
