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Dear Brothers & Sisters,

During one of the equipping sessions I attended at the BCMB Convention in Kelowna, the Director of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, Cam Stuart, said he recently met with the global church leaders. One of the issues they talked about was the growth of the church worldwide. According to the statistics, church growth worldwide was 1.8% last year. Out of that 1.8%, 1.5% came from biological births within the church communities. Only 0.3 % of the growth came from evangelism. They concluded that churches worldwide have misaligned with the Great Commission given by our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though we did not go into details, I suspected internal church conflict was one of the many reasons for the church's growth stunt. One of the annual reports from BCMB featured a few churches giving good testimonies on how God used a church consultant called ‘City to City Canada’ to help their churches assess church health, navigate internal conflict, and then realign their purpose, mission, and vision according to the Great Commission. Similarly, MBCCA had invited OnTrack to speak on many issues that many of our Chinese Churches are currently facing last fall. Many participants concurred with what they heard because the speaker was able to pinpoint accurately what each Chinese church is struggling with. However, not many of our churches are willing to take another step to invest their time, money, and be vulnerable to invite church counselors to help navigate and deal with issues in the church that only third parties can do!

Why should members of the church take time to work through issues they tried so hard to avoid? When conflicts between individuals manifest within the church, it indicates that a sinful pattern needs to be dealt with so that confession can take place. If we do not deal with it, it is like yeast spreading to the whole church. Instead of focusing on evangelism, we end up dealing with internal conflicts. Sometimes, even newcomers can sense the tension between members of the church. This does not bring glory to God.

Jesus once claimed he is the bridegroom (Mark 2:19-20). Since each of us has become part of the body of Christ, as a husband, Christians are to love their church as the wife (Ephesians 5:23). Each one of us has the responsibility to make every effort to help the church to become blameless (Ephesians 5:25-27). Just as conflicts are inevitable in relationships, conflict is actually normal and inevitable in the church. How we deal with conflict can lead to a very different outcome. Without proper guidance from the church leadership, assumptions and wild imaginations would begin to seep into the minds of people as truth and facts! Can the church be built on God’s truth when it is filled with lies? Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Mercy is nowhere to be found because people would rather point fingers and accuse each other of doing wrong instead of examining our own hearts and asking God to show us the sinful patterns we need to change.

Just as a strained married couple needs to seek marriage counselling to save their marriage. It is also necessary for the church to seek a church counselor to help members navigate through unresolved issues. The church counsellor cannot help the members resolve issues. What the church counselor can do is the following: 1) facilitate and help members of the church communicate, 2) name and understand the issue, 3) analyze sinful patterns that need to change, and 4) counsel the members of the church to work together and commit to striving towards a healthier pattern that leads to prosperity.

Do you desire to see a vibrant church? Let us begin with humility. If you say it is impossible to do. Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Let us change our approach to others with the goal of reconciliation instead of condemnation. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing… If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:5,7-8) If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to one of the pastors.

In Christ,
Pastor Peter Chong

 

親愛的弟兄姊妹們，

在基隆那舉行的 BCMB 大會期間，我參加了其中一場裝備講座。加拿大門諾兄弟會聯會（CCMBC）總幹事 Cam Stuart 提到他近期與全球教會領袖會面，期間討論了全球教會增長的問題。根據統計數據，去年全球教會增長率為 1.8%。在這 1.8% 當中，有 1.5% 是來自教會群體內的信徒子女出生（生理增長），只有 0.3% 的增長是源於佈道（福音增長）。他們得出結論，認為全球教會已偏離了主耶穌基督所頒佈的大使命。雖然我們當時沒有深入探討細節，但我懷疑教會內部的衝突是導致教會增長停滯的眾多原因之一。BCMB 的一份年報中，有幾間教會分享了美好的見證，講述神如何帶領他們透過「City to City Canada」這間教會顧問機構，協助教會評估健康狀況、處理內部衝突，並根據大使命重新調整他們的目標、使命和異象。同樣地，去年秋天，門諾弟兄華聯會 (MBCCA) 也邀請了 OnTrack 針對許多華 人教會正面對的課題進行探討。許多參與者都非常認同所聽到的內容，因為講員能準確地指出每間華人教會正掙扎的問題。然而，並沒有太多教會願意更進一步地投入時間和金錢，並放下身段去邀請教會顧問來協助引導和處理那些只有第三方才能解決的教會問題。

為什麼教會成員應該花時間去處理那些他們極力想逃避的問題？當教會內部出現人際衝突時，這表明有一種罪的模式需要被處理，以便進行認罪。如果我們不處理，它就像麵酵一樣會擴散到整個教會。我們最終會變成在處理內部衝突，而不是專注於傳福音。有時，甚至新朋友也能感覺到成員之間的緊張氣氛。這並不能榮耀神。

耶穌曾宣稱自己是新郎（馬可福音 2:19-20）。既然我們每個人都已成為基督身體的一部分，作為丈夫，基督徒應當愛教會，如同愛妻子一樣（以弗所書 5:23）。我們每個人都有責任竭盡全力幫助教會變得無可指責（以弗所書 5:25-27）。正如人際關係中衝突在所難免，教會內部的衝突其實也是正常且不可避免的。我們處理衝突的方式會導致截然不同的結果。若缺乏教會領袖的正確教導，臆測和胡思亂想就會開始滲入人心，被誤視為真理與事實！當教會充斥著謊言時，又怎能建立在神的真理之上呢？箴言 28:13 說：「遮掩自己罪過的，必不亨通；承認離棄罪過的，必蒙憐恤。」然而，憐恤如今無處可尋，因為人們寧願互相指責、控訴對方的錯失，而不願省察自己的內心，求神彰顯我們需要改變的罪惡模式。

正如關係緊張的夫妻需要尋求婚姻諮商來挽救婚姻，教會也有必要尋求教會諮商師，來協助會友處理未解決的問題。教會諮商師並非直接替會友解決問題，其職責在於：1) 促進並協助教會會友之間的溝通；2) 指出並理解問題的關鍵；3) 分析需要改變的罪惡模式；4) 輔導教會會友共同努力，並致力於邁向能帶來豐盛的健康模式。

您是否渴望看見一個充滿活力的教會？讓我們從謙卑開始。如果您覺得這是不可能的事，耶穌在馬太福音 19:26 說：「在人這是不能的，在神凡事都能。」讓我們改變與人相處的方式，以和好而非定罪為目標。耶穌說：「我是葡萄樹，你們是枝子。常在我裡面的，我也常在他裡面，這人就多結果子；因為離了我，你們就不能做什麼。… 你們若常在我裡面，我的話也常在你們裡面，凡你們所願意的，祈求，就給你們成就。你們多結果子，我父就因此得榮耀，你們也就是我的門徒了。」（約翰福音 15:5,7-8）如果您有任何問題或疑慮，請隨時與牧者聯絡。

在基督裡，
張俊德傳道

 

亲爱的兄弟姊妹们，

在基隆那举行的 BCMB 大会期间，我参加了其中一场装备讲座。加拿大门诺兄弟会联会（CCMBC）总干事 Cam Stuart 提到他近期与全球教会领袖会面，期间讨论了全球教会增长的问题。根据统计数据，去年全球教会增长率为 1.8%。在这 1.8% 当中，有 1.5% 是来自教会群体内的信徒子女出生（生理增长），只有 0.3% 的增长是源于布道（福音增长）。他们得出结论，认为全球教会已偏离了主耶稣基督所颁布的大使命。虽然我们当时没有深入探讨细节，但我怀疑教会内部的冲突是导致教会增长停滞的众多原因之一。BCMB 的一份年报中，有几间教会分享了美好的见证，讲述神如何带领他们透过「City to City Canada」这间教会顾问机构，协助教会评估健康状况、处理内部冲突，并根据大使命重新调整他们的目标、使命和异象。同样地，去年秋天，门诺弟兄华联会 (MBCCA) 也邀请了 OnTrack 针对许多华 人教会正面对的课题进行探讨。许多参与者都非常认同所听到的内容，因为讲员能准确地指出每间华人教会正挣扎的问题。然而，并没有太多教会愿意更进一步地投入时间和金钱，并放下身段去邀请教会顾问来协助引导和处理那些只有第三方才能解决的教会问题。

为什么教会成员应该花时间去处理那些他们极力想逃避的问题？当教会内部出现人际冲突时，这表明有一种罪的模式需要被处理，以便进行认罪。如果我们不处理，它就像面酵一样会扩散到整个教会。我们最终会变成在处理内部冲突，而不是专注于传福音。有时，甚至新朋友也能感觉到成员之间的紧张气氛。这并不能荣耀神。

耶稣曾宣称自己是新郎（马可福音 2:19-20）。既然我们每个人都已成为基督身体的一部分，作为丈夫，基督徒应当爱教会，如同爱妻子一样（以弗所书 5:23）。我们每个人都有责任竭尽全力帮助教会变得无可指责（以弗所书 5:25-27）。正如人际关系中冲突在所难免，教会内部的冲突其实也是正常且不可避免的。我们处理冲突的方式会导致截然不同的结果。若缺乏教会领袖的正确教导，臆测和胡思乱想就会开始渗入人心，被误视为真理与事实！当教会充斥着谎言时，又怎能建立在神的真理之上呢？箴言 28:13 说：「遮掩自己罪过的，必不亨通；承认离弃罪过的，必蒙怜恤。」然而，怜恤如今无处可寻，因为人们宁愿互相指责、控诉对方的错失，而不愿省察自己的内心，求神彰显我们需要改变的罪恶模式。

正如关系紧张的夫妻需要寻求婚姻咨商来挽救婚姻，教会也有必要寻求教会咨商师，来协助会友处理未解决的问题。教会咨商师并非直接替会友解决问题，其职责在于：1) 促进并协助教会会友之间的沟通；2) 指出并理解问题的关键；3) 分析需要改变的罪恶模式；4) 辅导教会会友共同努力，并致力于迈向能带来丰盛的健康模式。

您是否渴望看见一个充满活力的教会？让我们从谦卑开始。如果您觉得这是不可能的事，耶稣在马太福音 19:26 说：「在人这是不能的，在神凡事都能。」让我们改变与人相处的方式，以和好而非定罪为目标。耶稣说：「我是葡萄树，你们是枝子。常在我里面的，我也常在他里面，这人就多结果子；因为离了我，你们就不能做什么。… 你们若常在我里面，我的话也常在你们里面，凡你们所愿意的，祈求，就给你们成就。你们多结果子，我父就因此得荣耀，你们也就是我的门徒了。」（约翰福音 15:5,7-8）如果您有任何问题或疑虑，请随时与牧者联络。

在基督里，
张俊德传道