Should the church hire Christians with jobs as the staff? Can pastors with secular jobs lead the church? In recent years, due to the aging of the social population, the high concentration rate of young people in developed cities, and the high loss rate of young people in churches, the shortage of workers in Chinese churches has been very serious. In the face of such a situation, how the church can hire pastors and the laity for ministry under biblical principles has become an important topic that all church leaders have to think about.
Pastor Chen, a bivocational pastor from Southern China, shared his personal experience on this topic.
"From wishful thinking to empathy"
Pastor Chen, who worked as a full-time pastor in a city in the South of China for more than 10 years, had a brief career before becoming a full-time pastor. After being a full-time pastor, although there are only about 100 believers in his church, these believers include young and middle-aged elites from the Internet and financial industries, which is a group of people under great pressure in the workplace. The change in his view of ministry began when he quit the ministry in the church. He is convinced that God's guidance for him is to return to the workplace and influence more nonbelievers.
Pastor Chen has had successes and failures in the workplace, but these experiences make him convinced that if he becomes a pastor again in the future, he will not be as "false believer" as before or always wonder why professionals tend to be weak and commit sins. "I used to speak the Word of God more wishfully. But I cannot understand the real pressure and tension between brothers and sisters in the workplace. Now that I have personally experienced these pressures in the workplace, I believe I'm better able to empathize with people in the workplace and know how to preach the Gospel to them."
Is it necessary to redefine "mission field"?
The focus of Pastor Chen's previous life, in his words, was his family and church affairs. Bible study, prayer, Sunday worship, group affairs, and discipleship meetings were all his work. In his view, in the present environment, it is necessary for pastors to re-understand the methods and strategies of serving the church. Pastors should be smart and wise like a snake and take care of the family and the church while spreading the gospel. That is the long-term layout of the development of the church in difficult situations.
"If you look at the Four Gospels, you will find that Jesus was not just serving in the church but that He went to the homes and work sites of many people to communicate with them. I think that to expand the perception of ministry, you need to redefine the concept of ministry so that pastors can go into business and then bring them to God and then let God personally change them," the pastor explained.
Live the example of "following the Lord."
In the past, the mindset of either serving in the church or finding other jobs was common among Chinese pastors, "If you love the Lord, you must quit your previous work and serve in the church wholeheartedly; otherwise, it means you just love the secular life and do not love the Lord." This claim makes sense in some way, but in the actual situation and the coordination and operation of people and things, there can be more flexible paths without ignoring the gospel. "The motivation for ministers who have other jobs is not to indulge in a life of pleasure and comfort. It's to be seen as a Christian while making money without violating the truth of the Bible and using biblical principles to bring a breath of clean air to business," Pastor Chen said.
"If there is a minister with a job who can live the example of following the Lord, I believe that more and more Christians can be involved in the ministry of the church," he added.
"Draw the boundary line, arrange the order, and be obtained by God first."
Full-time pastors have more free time, while ministers who must work during the day on weekdays only have free time after work and on weekends. Especially in the big cities, everyone is facing great pressure to survive, and many people are overwhelmed by the various costs of housing, car loans, fees for children's education, and so on. Moreover, many companies often ask their employees to work overtime without any compensation.
"The devil deals with Christians through three temptations (the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride in riches), which are also great trials on the way to ministry," he said.
In short, pastors and Christians who lead ministry should make a point of setting boundaries for themselves and prioritizing their lives to lead a balanced life. Those who serve God must not forget the truth that "God first wants to take hold of us before he asks us to serve."
"Therefore, Christians with jobs who are under the dual pressures of work and ministry must be aware that, above all, they must have quality time alone with God every day. Without enough spiritual communication with the Lord each day, all the enthusiasm to serve the church may turn into regret and emptiness," Pastor Chen emphasized.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
教会要不要聘用带职基督徒做工人？带职的牧者是否可以带领教会？近些年来，随着社会人口老龄化，年轻人口高度集中在发达城市，教会年轻人流失率高等因素，中国教会缺少工人的情况，已经到了迫在眉睫的阶段了。面对这样的处境，教会牧者如何按照圣经原则使用带职事奉的牧者与平信徒，这便成为教会不得不去思考的课题。
一位华南的陈牧师就这一话题进行个人的经历分享。
“从一厢情愿到亲历共情”
陈牧师，曾经在南方一城市做全职牧师10多年，在成为全职牧师前，他本身在职场有过短暂的工作经历。全职事奉后，他的教会人数虽然只有百人左右，但他所面对的都是中青年的互联网与金融行业职场精英，是职场压力很大的一群人。陈牧师服事观的改变，是从他辞去教会的牧职开始，他确信上帝对他的带领是重返职场，影响更多不信的人。
他在职场有过成功的也有失败，反而这些挫败的经历让他决心，以后即便牧养别人，也不要再像之前那样“假属灵”了，或者总想不通职场人士为什么总是软弱和犯罪了。“我以前更多的是在一厢情愿地讲上帝的话语。但不能体会职场中弟兄姐妹真实的压力和张力。我现在深处职场环境后，我相信我更能够与职场的人共情，更知道该如何传福音给他们。”
是否需重新定义“禾场”
陈牧师之前的生活特点，用他的话来说，不是在家就是在教会。然后会举行查经、祷告、主日、带小组和门徒聚会。在他看来，现今的环境之中，牧者是有必要去重新认识事奉教会的方法和策略，牧者如何灵巧像蛇有智慧，如何能保全家庭和教会又能把福音拓展出去，这是关于教会在艰难处境中发展的长远布局。查考四福音书，会发现耶稣不只是在教会牧会，祂走到各个不同的人的家、工作现场与他们交流和分享。“我认为要扩张服事的认知境界，就需要重新定义所事奉的禾场与理念，牧者可以进入商业职场，然后带他们来到上帝面前，最后让上帝亲自去改变他们。”
活出“跟从主”的生命榜样
过去圣俗二分的服事观在中国教会普遍存在，“你爱主就要辞掉工作服事，否则就是爱世界，不爱主了。”这种观点有它的宝贵之处，但在实际的处境里和对人事物上的协调与运作上，在不去除福音信息的基础上，其实可以有更多灵活的路径。“职场服事的动机不是为了贪图享乐，是让人看见我是基督徒，但是依然可以在不违背圣经的真理下赚钱，用圣经的原则给商业带来清流。”
如果有一位带职的牧者能够活出“跟从主”的生命榜样，相信可以带领越来越多的带职基督徒参与到教会的事奉中来。
“划界线，排秩序，先被神得着”
全职事奉者的牧者，时间可以相对自由地自己支配，而带职事奉同工周间白天必须上班，只有下班以后及周末的时间才可以自由支配。尤其是在大都市，所有人都面临着巨大的生存压力，许多人被房贷、车贷、孩子上学的各种费用等等压得喘不过气来。而且，许多公司常常要求员工加班加点而没有任何报酬。魔鬼对付基督徒的三种试探：肉体的情欲、眼目的情欲、今生的骄傲，也是带职服事路上的极大的考验。
一言以蔽之，带职事奉的牧者、基督徒，应当重视为自己划定界限，在生活中排好优先次序，才能过一个平衡的信仰事奉生活。事奉上帝的人不能忘记一个真理：“上帝首先要得着我们自己，然后才要求我们事奉。
”因此，处在工作和教会事奉双重压力之下的带职基督徒必须注意：最重要的是，他们每天必须有高质量的时间与上帝独处。每天没有足够的灵修时间，所有想去事奉教会的热情都会化作遗憾和泡沫。“
思考｜一华南牧者从牧场走向职场后的反思与看见
Should the church hire Christians with jobs as the staff? Can pastors with secular jobs lead the church? In recent years, due to the aging of the social population, the high concentration rate of young people in developed cities, and the high loss rate of young people in churches, the shortage of workers in Chinese churches has been very serious. In the face of such a situation, how the church can hire pastors and the laity for ministry under biblical principles has become an important topic that all church leaders have to think about.
Pastor Chen, a bivocational pastor from Southern China, shared his personal experience on this topic.
"From wishful thinking to empathy"
Pastor Chen, who worked as a full-time pastor in a city in the South of China for more than 10 years, had a brief career before becoming a full-time pastor. After being a full-time pastor, although there are only about 100 believers in his church, these believers include young and middle-aged elites from the Internet and financial industries, which is a group of people under great pressure in the workplace. The change in his view of ministry began when he quit the ministry in the church. He is convinced that God's guidance for him is to return to the workplace and influence more nonbelievers.
Pastor Chen has had successes and failures in the workplace, but these experiences make him convinced that if he becomes a pastor again in the future, he will not be as "false believer" as before or always wonder why professionals tend to be weak and commit sins. "I used to speak the Word of God more wishfully. But I cannot understand the real pressure and tension between brothers and sisters in the workplace. Now that I have personally experienced these pressures in the workplace, I believe I'm better able to empathize with people in the workplace and know how to preach the Gospel to them."
Is it necessary to redefine "mission field"?
The focus of Pastor Chen's previous life, in his words, was his family and church affairs. Bible study, prayer, Sunday worship, group affairs, and discipleship meetings were all his work. In his view, in the present environment, it is necessary for pastors to re-understand the methods and strategies of serving the church. Pastors should be smart and wise like a snake and take care of the family and the church while spreading the gospel. That is the long-term layout of the development of the church in difficult situations.
"If you look at the Four Gospels, you will find that Jesus was not just serving in the church but that He went to the homes and work sites of many people to communicate with them. I think that to expand the perception of ministry, you need to redefine the concept of ministry so that pastors can go into business and then bring them to God and then let God personally change them," the pastor explained.
Live the example of "following the Lord."
In the past, the mindset of either serving in the church or finding other jobs was common among Chinese pastors, "If you love the Lord, you must quit your previous work and serve in the church wholeheartedly; otherwise, it means you just love the secular life and do not love the Lord." This claim makes sense in some way, but in the actual situation and the coordination and operation of people and things, there can be more flexible paths without ignoring the gospel. "The motivation for ministers who have other jobs is not to indulge in a life of pleasure and comfort. It's to be seen as a Christian while making money without violating the truth of the Bible and using biblical principles to bring a breath of clean air to business," Pastor Chen said.
"If there is a minister with a job who can live the example of following the Lord, I believe that more and more Christians can be involved in the ministry of the church," he added.
"Draw the boundary line, arrange the order, and be obtained by God first."
Full-time pastors have more free time, while ministers who must work during the day on weekdays only have free time after work and on weekends. Especially in the big cities, everyone is facing great pressure to survive, and many people are overwhelmed by the various costs of housing, car loans, fees for children's education, and so on. Moreover, many companies often ask their employees to work overtime without any compensation.
"The devil deals with Christians through three temptations (the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride in riches), which are also great trials on the way to ministry," he said.
In short, pastors and Christians who lead ministry should make a point of setting boundaries for themselves and prioritizing their lives to lead a balanced life. Those who serve God must not forget the truth that "God first wants to take hold of us before he asks us to serve."
"Therefore, Christians with jobs who are under the dual pressures of work and ministry must be aware that, above all, they must have quality time alone with God every day. Without enough spiritual communication with the Lord each day, all the enthusiasm to serve the church may turn into regret and emptiness," Pastor Chen emphasized.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
Reflection of Bivocational Pastor on Ministry
