The well-known American Chinese Pastor Hongjie Yu shared that there were opportunities for Chinese churches at the crisis of the end times to complete the Great Commission.
The megachurch pastor spoke at the 2022 Global Chinese Mission Conference (GCMC) which was held online from Jul. 25 to Jul. 31 with the main topic of Global Mission Opportunities for Chinese Churches in midst of the Worldly Crisis.”
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, what was supposed to be an offline mission conference and an outreach in Southeast Asia, was adjusted to be an online conference. Organized by Faith Hope Love Mission Center who was solely responsible for all the conference costs, seminars on various topics were conducted during the conference. The speakers included Dr. Jason Lim Jit Fong, Dr. Patrick Fong Ho-Lau, Dr. David Doong, Pastor Hongjie Yu, Dr. Tsukung Chuang, Dr. Joshua Ting, and Rev. James Hudson Taylor IV.
On the fourth night of the conference, Pastor Hongjie Yu, senior pastor of the Silicon Valley Christian Assembly, spoke about the conference topic from three perspectives. First, the fundamental knowledge we should have about the present age. Next, how to perceive the end times from God’s eternal will. Lastly, how to face the increasingly severe challenges and crises in the end times.
When sharing his first point, the fundamental understanding of the present age, Pastor Yu used an illustration. “If you are in the midst of a mega shopping mall, you would depend on the mall’s map directory to locate where you want to go. The map helps you to quickly evaluate where you are so that you can find the right direction, make the right response, and achieve the right results.”
Pastor Yu spoke about two ways for us to have a better understanding of the present age. He elaborated on what Jesus and Paul said over 2000 years ago about the characteristics of the last days, then compared them with what was happening in the present time after 2000 years. He avoided discussing the interpretation of the signs of the end times for this meeting.
“As Jesus said, ‘As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away,’ we can see two characteristics of the time before Jesus returns, one is that people will be eating and drinking, and the other is that no one knows what will happen until the flood comes. What Jesus meant here is that we should not just live and enjoy the moment, nor should we be completely occupied with the matters of life and all sorts of planning until we can’t get out of it,” explained Pastor Yu.
“Paul mentioned in his last letter before he died as a martyr, ‘The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.’ Ever since the start of the Internet era, information overload is common in people’s lives. But despite being surrounded by all kinds of information readily available, there is an indescribable sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction in God’s children,” added Pastor Yu.
He further pointed out, “There is lots of valuable information online and the Christian community is not against the proper usage of it. However, pastors and believers should watch out carefully and discern the hidden weeds on the Internet. As Jesus said, ‘watch out that no one deceives you, for many will come in my name claiming, ‘I am Christ’ and will deceive many.’”
“Another characteristic of the present age,” Pastor Yu continued, “is that because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. Nevertheless, Jesus reminded us that he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
“Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to the whole world, it will be a testimony to all nations, and the Lord will return. Endless ways of new temptations have stirred up vigorously the already corrupted human nature. The advance in technology has increased not only the number of committed crimes but also brought new ways and tactics to stimulate sin,” stated Pastor Yu.
Pastor Yu further commented, “We no longer can assess the damage and anguish God’s people are suffering today from the temptations of web pornography. Many servants of God are bound by pornography and thus leaving a big gap, unable to serve God faithfully. Missionaries are in a similar situation, they can get lonely when they are out in the mission field and may easily be tempted into improper affairs. These are the things we should watch out for.”
“The third characteristic of the end times”, as Pastor Yu continued, “is the pressure, corruption, and bondage of hearts brought by secularism and rivalry in the world. If you are not busy, that means you are not valuable in your work and you are outdated. The competitive and comparative nature of the current society leads to greater bondage and corruption. People inevitably will face pressure, emotions, and temptations. What’s crucial is how to properly deal with them biblically and with the help of the Holy Spirit.”
“I take the pandemic as an important wake-up call to God’s children and the church, to see the existing problems which should not be ignored any further. God wants to renew our minds and soul and eventually revive us into new beings. Therefore, I wish for us to look at our problems in positive ways,” said he.
“As we look at the end times from God’s eternal will and perspective, the whole world will come to an end. God will make everything new, a new heaven and a new earth. It’s God’s will that Jesus Christ is the head of everything, He not only abolished the power of death but also won over the king of the world. It is rightful and God’s will to place all things under His feet and appointed Him to be the head of everything. No matter which age you are in, Christ has supremacy over all things,” proclaimed Pastor Yu.
“What does God want us to do in His will?”, asked Pastor Yu, “Let’s look at it from three angles—individual, church, and Kingdom. In order for our lives to transform and grow, we should cherish Christ living in us, accept Christ redeeming for us, and shine the beauty and glory of Christ in our lives. We simply need to accept Christ, cherish in faith the glorious life of Christ living in us.”
“Whether you are a missionary, a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, a leader of worship, a person responsible for food or hospitality team at church, we are all witnesses of the Word who became flesh. If I am sent for a cross-cultural mission, then I shall go. No matter where I am and what I do, I know the great commission is to live as Christ and to witness Christ so that people will not only hear the gospel through me but also see the gospel in me,” stated Pastor Yu.
One of his views is that time contains all the opportunities of life, therefore, one should grasp every single opportunity in his or her lifetime. Many experienced missionaries have the resources, tools, and strategies, as well as training materials and lesson books. Chinese Christians should use these resources wisely. Not only that, but Chinese Christians also need to exalt Christ with one heart and expand God’s kingdom. Aside from the difference in cultures, languages, and backgrounds, Chinese Christians need to be united and connected to fulfill God’s commission for Chinese Christians.
“The current time desperately calls for the gospel and one should seize this opportunity to spread the good news. People have emptiness and sorrow in them, they are hopeless and helpless, what they really need inside is Jesus. The cry-out to see Jesus is everywhere. What they want to hear is not doctrine or debate, they want to see Jesus. Churches must seize this opportunity to preach, wisely use the Internet resources which surpass time and space and not let this opportunity go in vain. We need to understand God’s plan and work of the Holy Spirit and take on the special opportunities and responsibilities Chinese Christians have in the field of Global Mission,” urged the pastor.
“Hold on to the core values and foundations of our faith.” Pastor Yu said, “First, all of our works are to glorify God. Second, persist in preaching the Christ-centered gospel that Christ is all and in all. Third, build a healthy church according to God’s will. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come!”
“We often regret our failures or suffer from an unbearable past. I want to emphasize today that we are new creations in Christ, entirely new from the past. The local mission field, whether on campus, in the workforce, or in the neighborhood, should be strengthened and solidified through the consolidation of power and resources from all churches. I hope more people and groups can come together because there are opportunities everywhere and every day. Each and every one of us must utilize the resources given to us by God to serve Him and glorify Him,” exhorted Pastor Yu in closing.
- Translated by J. C.
著名华人牧师于宏洁在一次华人宣教大会中分享从末世时代来看，华人教会在危机中我们该有的契机是什么。
2022年7月25日至31日，2022年第二届全球华人宣教大会（一般大会会有对应的英文名字，可在网上进行搜索）的网络会议如期举行。这次大会的主题是：“华人教会在世界危机中世纪之普宣契机。”
因疫情的缘故, 主办方把原计划在东南亚以实体举办的宣教营会和短宣,改成了此次举办的网络宣教会议。会议期间设有各项专题讲座。所有会议经费由主办方“信望爱宣教动员中心”负责。会议讲员分别是林日峰博士、冯浩鎏医生、董家骅博士、于宏洁牧师、庄祖鲲博士、陈世钦博士和戴继宗院长。
在大会日程的第四日晚上，于宏洁牧师提到的三个角度分别是，首先，对于我们所处的世代，我们本该有的基本认识；其次，从上帝永远的旨意的角度来看末世的时代；最后，如何面对末世时代日益严重的挑战和危机。
于牧师分享到第一个角度——对这个时代基本认识时，他举例子说：“如果你深处一个大型购物广场之中，你需要依靠商场的导航指南，快速找到你的目的地。这导航可以帮助我们进行快速做评估，让我们可以找到正确的方向，有正确的回应，才会有正确的结果。”
因此，他认为对当今时代的基本认识同时包括两点，一个是2000年前，耶稣口中和保罗口中的末世的特点是什么；另外一个时2000年后的今天是什么特点，这两个对比来看，人们会有一个比较正确的认识，但他回避讨论对圣经中各种末世预言应验的解读。“主说过，挪亚的日子怎样，人子的日子也怎样。他回来以前，这个世代特点就是人照常吃喝嫁娶，然后不知不觉洪水来了。第二个特点，不知不觉洪水来了。主耶稣的言外之意是，我们不要只是为了活在当下享受今生，也不要只是为了今生的事情在那里忙碌，在那里筹划，无法自拔。”
“保罗在他殉道之前写的最后一卷书中说到，因为时候要到，人必厌烦纯正的道理，耳朵发痒，就随从自己的情欲增添了好些师傅，并且掩耳不听真道，偏向荒谬的言语。自从互联网被发明以后，人类的资讯是大爆炸的时候，各种资讯都有，但是上帝的儿女们心灵里面却有一个说不出来的空虚和不满足感。”于牧师补充说。
他同时指出，在今天的网络上，虽然有很多很宝贵的信息，基督徒群体并不排斥很好的信仰资讯，而且要善用，但是网络上也同时隐藏了许多稗子，牧者和信众当分外谨慎。耶稣说过 ，你们要谨慎，免得有人迷惑你们。将来有好些人冒主的名来说‘我是基督’，并且要迷惑许多的人。
于宏洁牧师提到了这个时代的第二个特点时说“不法的事增多，许多人的爱心渐渐冷淡，但是主也提醒我们要忍耐到底，必然得救。”
“天国的福音传遍天下，对万民做见证，然后主就要回来了。层出不穷的新颖的试探给败坏人性带来了强烈的刺激。这样的情况是快速在泛滥。我想科技的进步，人犯罪的技巧、犯罪的方式与刺激人犯罪的原因都比从前增加许多倍。”
“我们已经不能够去衡量今天网络色情这种新颖的试探的方式给神家带来的伤害和痛苦。主的工人中，有的人就是被色情所捆绑，所以让人的生命漏掉，生命有破口，根本没有办法好好服事。宣教士到宣教工场也一样，他们非常孤单，很容易被花蝴蝶诱惑，所以我们要非常小心。”
他认为末世的第三个特点就是，“世俗主义和现实竞争所带来的压力，腐化和捆绑人的心。社会的价值观认为，人不忙表示你失去了价值，你不忙表示你落伍，在这个现实社会的这种攀比、竞争带给人们极大的捆绑和腐化。压力、情绪和试探，是人都难免遇到，但是要（学习）如何正确地去处理它，照着圣经，靠着圣灵来面对它。”
“这一次的疫情其实是上帝非常重要的唤醒他沉睡的儿女和教会，许多的问题只已经存在，我们不应该忽略这些问题，因为上帝要重新建立我们的心志，终是要给我们带来复兴。所以我也还是希望我们从正面上来看这个问题。”
于牧师认为：“当我们从上帝永远的旨意的角度来看末后的时代的时候，整个世界会有一个终结。有一天上帝要把天地都更新，然后开始的新天新地。上帝的旨意就是要教耶稣做万有之首，基督不仅仅将死亡的权势废掉，连掌死权的魔鬼都是他手下败将。所以基督理当居首位。这是我们要看见神永远的旨意。不管你在哪一个时代，上帝的旨意都是要叫他的儿子在凡事上居首位。”
“我们从上帝的旨意去看到底上帝要的是什么？我们从三个角度看，一个从个人，第二个从教会，第三个从国度。在这里生命我们个人生命蜕变跟成长。我在这里列了三个：享受基督的内助、接受基督的替代、活出基督的荣美。我们要做的就是简单的接受基督，在信心里面享受基督的内住伟大的生命。”
“不管你是宣教士，不管你是牧师，不管你是查经班老师，你是带敬拜的，你是管饭食的，你是做招待的，不管你做哪一个，我们都是耶稣基督道层肉身的见证人，当人打发我去跨文化宣教，那我就去。但我仍然知道在我身上担负着最大的使命，就是要活出基督来，要见证基督，让别人在我身上不光听见福音，也看见福音。”
他的一个观点是，人生所有的机会都在时间里面，因此，他提倡人需要学会如何掌握在时间里面的所有的机会。在宣教行业里有很多老前辈以及很多策略、资源和装备，有很多的培训和课程教材，华人基督徒需要很好的使用这些资源。同时，华人需要带着同一心灵高举基督，拓展上帝的国。华人要团结和连结，跨出文化、语言、地域和任何的背景，华人可以跟所有的基督徒联合起来，一起来完成主所托付给华人的大使命。
于牧师呼吁说：“一定要珍惜现今特别需要好消息的时刻，在疫情的里面，在现在的动荡里面，这些东西都在人的里面产生的出奇的空虚苦闷、无奈、无助恐慌，其实人里面其实是很需要耶稣的。我们要见耶稣，其实这个呼喊今天到处都是，到处都呼喊说我要见耶稣，他要听的不是道理，不是你跟他的辩论，而是他需要看见耶稣。我们的教会一定要抓住这样机会。今天的华人传道人需要学会善用跨越时空的网络资源。基督徒决定不要浪费这个机会，不要落伍而要善用。发挥华人在普世宣教中特别的机会和责任，要认识上帝的布局和圣灵的工作。”
他特别谈到：“持守信仰的根基的核心价值，包含三件事情。第一，我们所做的一切事工是为了荣耀上帝。第二，坚持传讲以基督为中心的福音。第三个，建立合上帝心意健康的教会。若有人在基督里就是新造的人，旧事已过一切都成为新的。”
“我们常常悔恨过去的失败或是受伤于不堪回首的历史。今天我们要特别强调在基督里成为新造的人，这是从前所没有的一个创造，是新造。本地宣教的强化跟落实，不管校园、职场、社区，集众教会的力量跟各种资源。希望有更多的人和团体联合起来，其实机会天天都有，到处都是，我们每一个人都应该好好利用神所给我们的资源，一起来服事他，荣耀他的名。”
全球华人宣教会议落幕 于宏洁：从当今时代特点看华人教会在危机中的契机是什么？
The well-known American Chinese Pastor Hongjie Yu shared that there were opportunities for Chinese churches at the crisis of the end times to complete the Great Commission.
The megachurch pastor spoke at the 2022 Global Chinese Mission Conference (GCMC) which was held online from Jul. 25 to Jul. 31 with the main topic of Global Mission Opportunities for Chinese Churches in midst of the Worldly Crisis.”
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, what was supposed to be an offline mission conference and an outreach in Southeast Asia, was adjusted to be an online conference. Organized by Faith Hope Love Mission Center who was solely responsible for all the conference costs, seminars on various topics were conducted during the conference. The speakers included Dr. Jason Lim Jit Fong, Dr. Patrick Fong Ho-Lau, Dr. David Doong, Pastor Hongjie Yu, Dr. Tsukung Chuang, Dr. Joshua Ting, and Rev. James Hudson Taylor IV.
On the fourth night of the conference, Pastor Hongjie Yu, senior pastor of the Silicon Valley Christian Assembly, spoke about the conference topic from three perspectives. First, the fundamental knowledge we should have about the present age. Next, how to perceive the end times from God’s eternal will. Lastly, how to face the increasingly severe challenges and crises in the end times.
When sharing his first point, the fundamental understanding of the present age, Pastor Yu used an illustration. “If you are in the midst of a mega shopping mall, you would depend on the mall’s map directory to locate where you want to go. The map helps you to quickly evaluate where you are so that you can find the right direction, make the right response, and achieve the right results.”
Pastor Yu spoke about two ways for us to have a better understanding of the present age. He elaborated on what Jesus and Paul said over 2000 years ago about the characteristics of the last days, then compared them with what was happening in the present time after 2000 years. He avoided discussing the interpretation of the signs of the end times for this meeting.
“As Jesus said, ‘As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away,’ we can see two characteristics of the time before Jesus returns, one is that people will be eating and drinking, and the other is that no one knows what will happen until the flood comes. What Jesus meant here is that we should not just live and enjoy the moment, nor should we be completely occupied with the matters of life and all sorts of planning until we can’t get out of it,” explained Pastor Yu.
“Paul mentioned in his last letter before he died as a martyr, ‘The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.’ Ever since the start of the Internet era, information overload is common in people’s lives. But despite being surrounded by all kinds of information readily available, there is an indescribable sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction in God’s children,” added Pastor Yu.
He further pointed out, “There is lots of valuable information online and the Christian community is not against the proper usage of it. However, pastors and believers should watch out carefully and discern the hidden weeds on the Internet. As Jesus said, ‘watch out that no one deceives you, for many will come in my name claiming, ‘I am Christ’ and will deceive many.’”
“Another characteristic of the present age,” Pastor Yu continued, “is that because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. Nevertheless, Jesus reminded us that he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
“Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to the whole world, it will be a testimony to all nations, and the Lord will return. Endless ways of new temptations have stirred up vigorously the already corrupted human nature. The advance in technology has increased not only the number of committed crimes but also brought new ways and tactics to stimulate sin,” stated Pastor Yu.
Pastor Yu further commented, “We no longer can assess the damage and anguish God’s people are suffering today from the temptations of web pornography. Many servants of God are bound by pornography and thus leaving a big gap, unable to serve God faithfully. Missionaries are in a similar situation, they can get lonely when they are out in the mission field and may easily be tempted into improper affairs. These are the things we should watch out for.”
“The third characteristic of the end times”, as Pastor Yu continued, “is the pressure, corruption, and bondage of hearts brought by secularism and rivalry in the world. If you are not busy, that means you are not valuable in your work and you are outdated. The competitive and comparative nature of the current society leads to greater bondage and corruption. People inevitably will face pressure, emotions, and temptations. What’s crucial is how to properly deal with them biblically and with the help of the Holy Spirit.”
“I take the pandemic as an important wake-up call to God’s children and the church, to see the existing problems which should not be ignored any further. God wants to renew our minds and soul and eventually revive us into new beings. Therefore, I wish for us to look at our problems in positive ways,” said he.
“As we look at the end times from God’s eternal will and perspective, the whole world will come to an end. God will make everything new, a new heaven and a new earth. It’s God’s will that Jesus Christ is the head of everything, He not only abolished the power of death but also won over the king of the world. It is rightful and God’s will to place all things under His feet and appointed Him to be the head of everything. No matter which age you are in, Christ has supremacy over all things,” proclaimed Pastor Yu.
“What does God want us to do in His will?”, asked Pastor Yu, “Let’s look at it from three angles—individual, church, and Kingdom. In order for our lives to transform and grow, we should cherish Christ living in us, accept Christ redeeming for us, and shine the beauty and glory of Christ in our lives. We simply need to accept Christ, cherish in faith the glorious life of Christ living in us.”
“Whether you are a missionary, a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, a leader of worship, a person responsible for food or hospitality team at church, we are all witnesses of the Word who became flesh. If I am sent for a cross-cultural mission, then I shall go. No matter where I am and what I do, I know the great commission is to live as Christ and to witness Christ so that people will not only hear the gospel through me but also see the gospel in me,” stated Pastor Yu.
One of his views is that time contains all the opportunities of life, therefore, one should grasp every single opportunity in his or her lifetime. Many experienced missionaries have the resources, tools, and strategies, as well as training materials and lesson books. Chinese Christians should use these resources wisely. Not only that, but Chinese Christians also need to exalt Christ with one heart and expand God’s kingdom. Aside from the difference in cultures, languages, and backgrounds, Chinese Christians need to be united and connected to fulfill God’s commission for Chinese Christians.
“The current time desperately calls for the gospel and one should seize this opportunity to spread the good news. People have emptiness and sorrow in them, they are hopeless and helpless, what they really need inside is Jesus. The cry-out to see Jesus is everywhere. What they want to hear is not doctrine or debate, they want to see Jesus. Churches must seize this opportunity to preach, wisely use the Internet resources which surpass time and space and not let this opportunity go in vain. We need to understand God’s plan and work of the Holy Spirit and take on the special opportunities and responsibilities Chinese Christians have in the field of Global Mission,” urged the pastor.
“Hold on to the core values and foundations of our faith.” Pastor Yu said, “First, all of our works are to glorify God. Second, persist in preaching the Christ-centered gospel that Christ is all and in all. Third, build a healthy church according to God’s will. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come!”
“We often regret our failures or suffer from an unbearable past. I want to emphasize today that we are new creations in Christ, entirely new from the past. The local mission field, whether on campus, in the workforce, or in the neighborhood, should be strengthened and solidified through the consolidation of power and resources from all churches. I hope more people and groups can come together because there are opportunities everywhere and every day. Each and every one of us must utilize the resources given to us by God to serve Him and glorify Him,” exhorted Pastor Yu in closing.
- Translated by J. C.
American Chinese Megachurch Pastor Hongjie Yu at Global Chinese Mission Conference: Chinese Christians Need to Connect With Other Nations to Fulfill the Great Commission at the End Times
