In the past week, the pastoral team was invited to attend the four-day ANZ Chinese Christian Congress on World Evangelization (CCCOWE) Summit. Without a doubt, it was a significant gathering centred on faith, and the amount of information shared was exceptionally rich. From the interpretation of biblical passages to the exploration and analysis of various current hot topics in society, the summit provided participants with a wide and profound range of insights for deeper reflection and consideration.
Perhaps, as seen throughout thousands of years of church history, the world has never been friendly toward the church, and the church has always faced various challenges. One of the challenges the church faces today comes from the rapid development of modern technology. The ever-advancing progress of artificial intelligence captures people’s attention and hope, turning technology into a new idol and a new way people look to for salvation. Have you heard that it is no longer surprising for the younger generation to develop romantic relationships with AI? People seek comfort and support through interacting with AI. How should the church respond to such an impact?
On the other hand, the summit presented an analysis of a thought-provoking research study concerning the physical and mental health of pastors. Although the condition of pastors in Chinese churches is not particularly negative, some data still highlights areas that must be handled with care. For example, nearly 20% of pastors feel lonely, and 5.4% feel that their emotions are close to losing control. The physical and mental well-being of pastors directly affects the churches they shepherd. How should pastors and churches adjust and respond to this?
The impact of secularisation on the church also cannot be ignored. Many believers are primarily concerned with material and emotional satisfaction in life, and the hope of the Kingdom of Heaven seems unable to draw much attention. Will the church continue to decline, and how can it be revived?
With so many challenges, the continued existence of the church itself seems like a miracle. If we rely only on human ability and wisdom, the church truly has no way to resist the influence of these opposing forces. Only the gospel remains our hope. The salvation of Jesus Christ on the cross and the power of His resurrection—just as they completely transformed the disciples’ world 2000 years ago—will continue to bring transformation today and in the future. As one speaker quoted from Hudson Taylor: ‘If Christ is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.’ Let us place our faith in God and strive to run faithfully on the path set before us in this world.
剛過去的一周，教牧團隊被邀請參加為期四天的澳紐華福峰會。毋庸置疑，這是一場關於信仰的盛會，資訊量也非常豐富。從聖經章節的詮釋，到對於現今社會各種熱門話題的探索和解讀，都給與會者提供了廣泛而深刻的資訊，可以深入思索和反省。
或許就像數千年的教會歷史所呈現的，這個世界對教會並不友好，教會總是面對各種挑戰。今天的教會面對的挑戰之一是來自現代科技的快速發展，人工智能的日新月異奪走人們的關注和盼望，科技變成新偶像，成為人們所期待的救贖新方式。你有沒有聽過，年輕一代與人工智能發展浪漫關係已經不是新鮮事？人們透過和人工智能的溝通尋找安慰和支持，教會要如何面對這樣的衝擊？
另一方面，高峰會提供了一個值得深思的研究結果分析，是關於牧者身心健康狀況的調查。雖然華人教會的牧者狀況並非那麼負面，然而仍有一些數據顯明必須謹慎對待。譬如，有將近20%的牧者感到孤單，有5.4%的牧者覺得情緒快要失控。牧者的身心健康會對所牧羊的教會產生直接影響，牧者和教會如何調整和面對呢？
世俗化對教會的衝擊也不容忽視，信徒們關心的多數是物質和精神生活的富裕滿足，天國的盼望似乎難以吸引大家的關注，教會是否一直會走下坡路，要如何被復興呢？
那麼多的挑戰，似乎教會能夠繼續存在將是個奇蹟，若僅依靠人的能力和才智，教會確實根本無從抵擋這些敵對勢力的影響。只有福音仍然是我們的盼望，耶穌基督在十字架的救贖和死裡復活的大能，2000年前如何徹底改變門徒的世界，今天和將來，也將繼續帶來改變。好像一位講員所引用的戴德生的話，基督耶穌若不是一切的主，他就完全不是主。讓我們將信心放在神的身上，竭力奔跑在這世上的道路。
