As churches in China have to stop gathering due to the coronavirus crisis, the closure is testing churches.
The test may be the biggest challenge since the Reformation. An Anabaptist scholar claims that on occasion, churches regroup themselves through crises and face wholesale changes. They make use of the opportunity to change their outmoded systems and rigid theology.
Similarly, the dilemma of ungathering can be regarded as a crisis and also an opportunity.
The core of traditional churches is gathered worship. One main indicator of the success of a church is Sunday attendance. When a church talks about its growth, an increase in attendance is an important factor.
Although we often stress that the development of Christianity should not be centered around numbers and size, attendance is the standard that traditional Christians use to judge a church. However, the traditional method of measuring church growth by numbers meets an unprecedented challenge under today's conditions.
It reveals to us that our focus should transfer from overall size to individual growth and evangelism. Meanwhile, pastors should change their focus on controlling and privatizing churches for the purpose of spreading the gospel.
The “church” is an organization made up of believers, but not the only one. The current crisis provides the gospel with a chance to engage families in a new way. Influenced by traditional concepts on church life, believers consider churches as the main place where faith is practiced. Activities including attending Sunday services, Bible studies, and prayer meetings are seen as the main content of one’s faith life. In a word, they pay attention to liturgical activities yet neglect life practices.
We know that a social network plays an important role in evangelism. In the Gospels, Jesus used his social network, such as his family, friends, and relatives, to preach the gospel. In Paul’s time, he chose places where large groups of Jewish people resided, like the Jewish diaspora in Galatia and Rome. He shared their Jewish identity.
This was why most places where he preached were Jewish synagogues. Paul used the social network to make his evangelism more effective. Social networks have the benefit of built-in trust.
In our current context, Christians don’t need to regret not being able to meet but can make up for not having ungathered worship at home and in the workplace. The core mission is evangelism as Jesus commands us to make disciples of all nations. Hence, the gospel-based growth pattern is not new. Jesus started it as he always put the gospel as the center rather than the church.
We cannot attend the church, but we can share the gospel with our families and colleagues. What’s more important, we should practice the gospel at home and at work.
We can share gospel stories with our children and do housework then let them receive the gospel through our changes.
Maybe when the pandemic ends, there will be fewer churches but more Christians. Churches will naturally resume and the gospel revive.
In conclusion, evangelism is the best liturgy to worship God during the pandemic.
- Translated by Karen Luo
困境中的机遇丨疫情下的教会如何更好地分享福音：发展社会网络 疫情让聚会不得不终止，停止聚会带来的困境正考验着教会。这种考验也许是宗教改革以来的最大考验，也许正如一位西方再洗礼派学者所言，每隔一段时间，基督教都会籍着各种危机来重组教会，都会面临一场大甩卖，教会本身也会借机改变自己冗繁的体制和僵化的神学体系。 因此，基督教当下因新冠肺炎不能聚会的困境，即是危机也是机遇。就看基督教以及每个信徒怎么来对待。如果教会继续固守思维，僵化不变，把传统的聚会当成教会存在的核心，那么教会可能面临崩盘的危险。如果临危不惧，转变思维，那么可能教会的发展会因着思维改变而带来转机，使基督教的发展带来新的机遇和走上新的历史阶段。 传统教会往往把教会聚会当成核心，凡事都围着聚会转。评价一个教会的成败，出席主日礼拜的人数往往被当成一个主要指标。因此，教会在述说自己的成长经历时，往往把信徒人数的增长当成自己的成长经历。因此，虽然我们常常口头强调，甚至心理也认同，基督信仰的发展不能以人数和规模为核心，无奈的是传统信徒对一个教会的评价仍然以聚会人数为标准，正如我们常常认为用考试卷面分数来评价孩子是不对的，但我们评价一个老师的教学水平时，分数还是占据了很大的比重。 这种以聚会人数来衡量教会发展的传统思维，在当下的环境中，遇到了前所未有的挑战。这是危机，也是机遇。 这也就是向我们昭示着，必须把眼光从规模教会转向个体成长，转向福音传播上。此时，传道人也需要从把控教会、把教会当成自己的一亩三分地，转向耶稣福音的传播上来。 教会是信徒的组织模式，但并不是惟一的模式。教会之外无拯救的历史背景是因为当时基督教所遇到的巨大逼迫和异教的竞争，强调教会的整体唯一性，有利于基督教团结，一致对外，以群体的力量自保和对抗。但是，我们依然要明白教会之外无拯救，并不意味着教会之外无福音，也不是说只有在教会里才能敬拜耶稣，在听道里才能亲近耶稣。 教会之外无拯救的教条，一旦离开那个产生的背景，就会成为福音的束缚。表面看来把拯救关在教会门内，实际是把拯救和福音关在教会墙外。因为拯救的根本是福音，一个连福音都不信的人，即使在教会里也同样不会得救。如此看来，教会不能垄断福音，也就不能垄断拯救，正如教会不能垄断上帝一样，因为拯救关乎的是上帝的主权。 因此，这次疫情带来的危机主要针对教会，而对于福音来说却没有任何改变，反而提供了一个福音走进家庭的机遇。 在过去强调教会生活的传统观念中，信徒往往把教会当成信仰实践的主要场所，把诸如参加主日敬拜和查经祷告活动作为信仰生活的主要内容，简单来说就是注重宗教的仪式化活动而轻视信仰的生活实践。正是因为此，让信徒的信仰在教会之外鲜有表现，在家庭也同样缺乏实践的动力，甚至还因为自己在生活和工作中的宗教仪式活动，而引起家人和同事的非议。 我们知道，在传播福音的活动中，社会网络发挥了极其重要的作用，我们在福音书里可以看到，耶稣传福音的方式也是利用了社会网络，那就是他的家庭、朋友、亲戚的社会网络，在耶稣发展门徒的过程中起到重要的作用。 那么到了保罗时期，他出去传福音的选择对象，首先是选择有大量的犹太人聚集的城市，比如加拉太、罗马等，这些在外的大流散犹太人，因为保罗同为犹太人的身份，而不会产生排斥，甚至因为福音与旧约的延续性，会很快接纳福音。这就是为什么，保罗传教的生涯中，他去的大部分教会都是犹太会堂，甚至还因为犹太会堂的讲道而遭到毒打：“被犹太人鞭打五次，每次四十减去一下；被棍打了三次；被石头打了一次；遇着船坏三次，一昼一夜在深海里。”(哥林多后书 11:24-25 和合本) 保罗传福音的措施就是发挥社会网络的功能，这样他传福音的策略就达成了事半功倍的效果。 社会网络之所以会产生这样的效果，就是因为社会网络已经具备了信任的基础，这样当福音的信息在其间传播的时候，是不需要在付出信任成本的。当信任建立，那么信息的可信性也就建立，那么信仰也就慢慢确立了。如果没有信任基础，那么在相信福音之前，还要先相信传福音的人，那么这需要一个漫长的过程，因此要支付额外的时间成本。 那么，回到本文的主题。在出于疫情防控需要而不能聚会的情况之下，基督徒在家里和工作场合，可以将不能聚会的遗憾在传福音上加以弥补。其实，教会也罢，基督教也罢，其核心就是福音，传福音也是一个基督徒的核心任务。 一个不传福音的基督徒，显然是与福音没有什么关系的。因为传福音，让万民归向主，这是耶稣的命令。 因此，转变过去以教会为核心的发展模式，回到以福音为基础的发展模式。这种模式其实不是新的模式，而是从耶稣就开始的模式。耶稣从来没有强调以教会为中心，而是以福音为中心。 我们不能聚会，但可以向家人和同事传福音，可以在实践福音的生活中，增加福音的可信性，提高传福音的效果。 因此，在疫情其间，我们基督徒需要向家人和同事传福音，而同时我们更重要的是在家庭和工作中实践福音。与孩子谈谈福音的故事，做做家务，陪陪孩子，让家人从你的改变中，接受福音。 也许，疫情之后教会减少了，但是信徒增加了，福音得到传播了。那个时候，教会自然会恢复，福音也自然就是兴盛了。 此刻，传福音才是我们疫情期间敬拜上帝最好的仪式。
As churches in China have to stop gathering due to the coronavirus crisis, the closure is testing churches.
The test may be the biggest challenge since the Reformation. An Anabaptist scholar claims that on occasion, churches regroup themselves through crises and face wholesale changes. They make use of the opportunity to change their outmoded systems and rigid theology.
Similarly, the dilemma of ungathering can be regarded as a crisis and also an opportunity.
The core of traditional churches is gathered worship. One main indicator of the success of a church is Sunday attendance. When a church talks about its growth, an increase in attendance is an important factor.
Although we often stress that the development of Christianity should not be centered around numbers and size, attendance is the standard that traditional Christians use to judge a church. However, the traditional method of measuring church growth by numbers meets an unprecedented challenge under today's conditions.
It reveals to us that our focus should transfer from overall size to individual growth and evangelism. Meanwhile, pastors should change their focus on controlling and privatizing churches for the purpose of spreading the gospel.
The “church” is an organization made up of believers, but not the only one. The current crisis provides the gospel with a chance to engage families in a new way. Influenced by traditional concepts on church life, believers consider churches as the main place where faith is practiced. Activities including attending Sunday services, Bible studies, and prayer meetings are seen as the main content of one’s faith life. In a word, they pay attention to liturgical activities yet neglect life practices.
We know that a social network plays an important role in evangelism. In the Gospels, Jesus used his social network, such as his family, friends, and relatives, to preach the gospel. In Paul’s time, he chose places where large groups of Jewish people resided, like the Jewish diaspora in Galatia and Rome. He shared their Jewish identity.
This was why most places where he preached were Jewish synagogues. Paul used the social network to make his evangelism more effective. Social networks have the benefit of built-in trust.
In our current context, Christians don’t need to regret not being able to meet but can make up for not having ungathered worship at home and in the workplace. The core mission is evangelism as Jesus commands us to make disciples of all nations. Hence, the gospel-based growth pattern is not new. Jesus started it as he always put the gospel as the center rather than the church.
We cannot attend the church, but we can share the gospel with our families and colleagues. What’s more important, we should practice the gospel at home and at work.
We can share gospel stories with our children and do housework then let them receive the gospel through our changes.
Maybe when the pandemic ends, there will be fewer churches but more Christians. Churches will naturally resume and the gospel revive.
In conclusion, evangelism is the best liturgy to worship God during the pandemic.
- Translated by Karen Luo
Opportunity in Difficulties: Social Network Can be Built to Better Share the Gospel
