In recent years, the church has suffered a serious loss of believers. One pastor discovered that those who slipped away from the church were not necessarily new believers, but some old believers who had been listening to the gospel for many years. Those who were "missing" in the church were not only believers but also workers who had served the church and even core staff workers.
From North China, a pastor named Shoudao (pseudonym for safety reasons) shared this phenomenon and its three main reasons.
One reason, according to the pastor, is that “it’s not that these people don’t have the Word of God; on the contrary, they may have heard many sermons. But they have not built a strong fortress in God’s words. In other words, these people have not kept the truth, so there is no way to withstand the attacks and plunders of the enemy.”
Shoudao emphasized that Christians must build a strong fortress for their lives through the Word of God. He encouraged them to read the Bible, listen to sermons, pray, study, and preferably memorize the words by heart. When they encounter difficulties in life, God’s words come out to help them overcome the environment.
Additionally, Shoudao claimed that heretics were a contributing factor in the departure of some long-time members of the church and fellow workers. He stated that these believers are tired of the pure doctrine in the church and want to hear something new and novel. Or maybe they don’t want to enter through the narrow gate but take an easy path so that they can indulge themselves.
Many believers go through phases of boredom with the truth. With their ears itching, they can't read the Bible, listen to sermons, or open my mouth to pray or praise, having "anorexia" towards the truth. So they will not put up with sound doctrine. To suit their own desires, they gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear, turning aside myths (2 Timothy 4:3).
In fact, some heretical teachings are obviously contrary to God. For example, they encourage people to do false and filthy things, but believers are willing to follow them.
In the view of the pastor, “If someone teaches you to do false and filthy things, it must be from the devil. Many people will accept such heresies because they want to turn their ears away from the truth and indulge in the lusts of defiling passion. Fundamentally, this person may not be born again. If a person is not born again, no matter how many years he has been in the church or how much work he does in the church, he will eventually be eliminated."
In addition, many Christians in the past were filled with joy and gratitude when they met. The endless topics of discussion were how the Lord saved them as sinners or how a certain pastor or believer loved others. Today, many Christians may judge and complain about others more together: Why can a pastor do this? Why do believers talk about others behind their backs?
"We have to admit that the love of many Christians has gradually grown cold, but instead of repenting for our own coldness, we put the blame on the believers," he added.
Shoudao exhorted us, "You can't turn back because others are cold in love; you can't complain for others harm you; you can't see depravity happening in the church and say, 'Why believe?’ Nor should you stand up against the Word of God because of the weakness or betrayal of others. Don’t fall with others, but be the one who helps those who fall get up.”
When faced with things like cold love, falling, and even framing each other in the church, Shoudao said that, seeing these things, people should recall God’s words and see that this is the work of the devil. "Then you also have to be extra cautious, repent, and watch and pray for the church."
He concluded, "As 1 Timothy 4:1 says, 'The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.' Therefore, Christians must find their way to Him and build their strongholds of faith to receive eternal life, not be the tares who are sifted out."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
这几年，教会信徒流失得很严重。有牧者发现，从教会里滑落的不一定是新信徒，很多是听道多年的老信徒；在教会里“失踪的”不仅有信徒，还有曾经服事教会的工人，甚至是核心同工。
守道牧师（化名）是北方教会的牧者，在多年的牧养经历中，他发现了这一现象，他也总结了几点主要原因。
守道牧师认为原因之一是，“这些人在教会里不是没有主的道，他们可能听了很多的道。但是他们没有用主的道建立起坚固的营垒。或者说这些人没有守住真道，也就没有能力抵御仇敌的攻击和掳掠。”
守道牧师强调基督徒一定要用上帝的道为自己的生命建立坚固的营垒。鼓励他们每天读经，听道，祷告，学习，最好是能把主的话背下来。当生活中遇到困境的时候，主的道一定会从他里面出来，帮助他得胜环境。
守道牧师也说道有些老信徒和教会同工滑落的原因是被异端掳掠。他举例指出其中一个原因是这些信徒厌烦了教会纯正的道，想要听一些新奇的。或者是不想走窄路，想走一条宽敞的可以放纵自己的路。
很多信徒都有对真理感到厌烦的阶段。耳朵发痒，读经读不下，听道听不进耳，祷告、赞美都开不了口，对真理产生了“厌食症”。于是开始追求“新鲜的道”，为自己增添好些师傅。在纯正的道上加各种“调料”，觉得这样的食物才有味道，够“香”。结果被各种“有毒的调料”欺骗。
其实，有些异端的教训明显是背离上帝的，比如鼓励人以看似正当的名义去做虚假的事、污秽的事，但信徒却愿意跟随。
在守道牧师看来，“如果有人教导你做虚假的、污秽的事，那一定是出自魔鬼。很多人会接受这样的异端，因为人想要听圣书之外的道，想要放纵情欲。从根本上来说，这个人可能没有重生。如果一个人没有重生，那么即使他在教会很多年，或者他在教会做再多的工，最终也会被淘汰。”
另外，过去很多基督徒见面是充满喜乐和感恩的。大家交流不完的主题是主怎样救了我这个罪人。或者某某牧师，或者某某弟兄姐妹多么有爱心。今天，很多基督徒在一起可能论断和抱怨更多一些：牧师怎么这样呢！弟兄姐妹怎么背后伤人呢！……
不得不承认很多基督徒的爱心渐渐冷淡了，但是我们没有为自己的冷淡而悔改，而是把责任推到信徒的身上。
守道牧师劝勉我们说，“你不能因为别人爱心冷淡，你也跟着退后；不能因为别人要起来害你，你就抱怨；你不能看见教会中有堕落的事情发生，就说，‘这还信什么呀！’更不能因为别人的软弱、背叛，你就起来与上帝的道相悖。不要跟别人一起跌倒，要成为那个扶跌倒的人起来的人。”
面对教会中爱心冷淡 、跌倒甚至彼此陷害一类的事情，守道牧师表示，你看到这些事要想起圣书的话，要看到这是魔鬼的工作。然后要格外谨慎自守，要悔改，要为教会守望祷告。
“圣灵明说，在后来的时候，必有人离弃真道，听从那引诱人的邪灵和鬼魔的道理。”因此，基督徒一定要回归上帝的旨意，并且要加固营垒，为真道打胜仗，成为进入永生的人，而不是被筛出去的稗子。
对话| 一北方牧者谈教会中老信徒和教会工人流失、跌倒的三点原因
In recent years, the church has suffered a serious loss of believers. One pastor discovered that those who slipped away from the church were not necessarily new believers, but some old believers who had been listening to the gospel for many years. Those who were "missing" in the church were not only believers but also workers who had served the church and even core staff workers.
From North China, a pastor named Shoudao (pseudonym for safety reasons) shared this phenomenon and its three main reasons.
One reason, according to the pastor, is that “it’s not that these people don’t have the Word of God; on the contrary, they may have heard many sermons. But they have not built a strong fortress in God’s words. In other words, these people have not kept the truth, so there is no way to withstand the attacks and plunders of the enemy.”
Shoudao emphasized that Christians must build a strong fortress for their lives through the Word of God. He encouraged them to read the Bible, listen to sermons, pray, study, and preferably memorize the words by heart. When they encounter difficulties in life, God’s words come out to help them overcome the environment.
Additionally, Shoudao claimed that heretics were a contributing factor in the departure of some long-time members of the church and fellow workers. He stated that these believers are tired of the pure doctrine in the church and want to hear something new and novel. Or maybe they don’t want to enter through the narrow gate but take an easy path so that they can indulge themselves.
Many believers go through phases of boredom with the truth. With their ears itching, they can't read the Bible, listen to sermons, or open my mouth to pray or praise, having "anorexia" towards the truth. So they will not put up with sound doctrine. To suit their own desires, they gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear, turning aside myths (2 Timothy 4:3).
In fact, some heretical teachings are obviously contrary to God. For example, they encourage people to do false and filthy things, but believers are willing to follow them.
In the view of the pastor, “If someone teaches you to do false and filthy things, it must be from the devil. Many people will accept such heresies because they want to turn their ears away from the truth and indulge in the lusts of defiling passion. Fundamentally, this person may not be born again. If a person is not born again, no matter how many years he has been in the church or how much work he does in the church, he will eventually be eliminated."
In addition, many Christians in the past were filled with joy and gratitude when they met. The endless topics of discussion were how the Lord saved them as sinners or how a certain pastor or believer loved others. Today, many Christians may judge and complain about others more together: Why can a pastor do this? Why do believers talk about others behind their backs?
"We have to admit that the love of many Christians has gradually grown cold, but instead of repenting for our own coldness, we put the blame on the believers," he added.
Shoudao exhorted us, "You can't turn back because others are cold in love; you can't complain for others harm you; you can't see depravity happening in the church and say, 'Why believe?’ Nor should you stand up against the Word of God because of the weakness or betrayal of others. Don’t fall with others, but be the one who helps those who fall get up.”
When faced with things like cold love, falling, and even framing each other in the church, Shoudao said that, seeing these things, people should recall God’s words and see that this is the work of the devil. "Then you also have to be extra cautious, repent, and watch and pray for the church."
He concluded, "As 1 Timothy 4:1 says, 'The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.' Therefore, Christians must find their way to Him and build their strongholds of faith to receive eternal life, not be the tares who are sifted out."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Pastor: 3 Reasons Why Churches Lose Elderly Members and Staff
