Intergenerational Leadership in God’s Church
Christianity is fundamentally an intergenerational faith. The Psalmist says “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:3-4. God’s community in the Old Testament was multi-generational, and so was the early church in the New Testament. Paul also states that Christ “is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…”. The dividing walls between humans include, among other things, language, culture, social status and age/generations. According to him, Christ’s church is an organism, a body consisting of all members connected to Christ the head in unity with diversity (generational differences included). We praise and thank the Lord that CPC has remained an intergenerational church for 132 years, and by His grace to continue as such to His glory, despite the fact that contemporary culture has become increasingly intolerant towards generational gaps.
An intergenerational church needs intergenerational leadership, in order that different generational groups within the community would be well understood, and are encouraged to participate in the life of the community. Such a leadership also leads by example, particularly in how different generations can serve together synergistically while maintaining unity in the Spirit (Eph 4:3). Intergenerational leadership is biblical. Paul instructed Titus and Timothy, youngish men, to teach the older folk in the church (Titus 2:1-3; 1Tim 4:12). The Bible is also clear that older members should teach the younger members of the church (Deut. 32:7; Titus 2:4-5; Prov 22:6).
Through last year’s church camp and subsequent visits, Drs. Patrick & Jennie raised our awareness of the need to nurture and encourage our younger generation to contribute towards CPC’s leadership. This is a very significant area of development for CPC. Typical of a Chinese multigenerational church, in CPC, the younger generation is sometimes perceived by the established leadership as “still kids”, even though many of them are already exercising quite senior leadership in their workplace. In this current visit, Patrick and Jennie will lead a leaders’ retreat, with a priority focus on the “younger” generation (although some “not-so-young” members have also been invited to attend）. We pray that this will be the beginning of raising a crop of younger and energetic leaders who can bring fresh ideas to our ministries.
The development of older leaders is certainly in the Session’s plan as well. On-the-job training is the main avenue for this, and if the opportunity arises, a future leadership retreat will be organised for them also. They can bring life’s experience and wisdom, stability and maturity to our leadership.
Pray that the Lord will bless CPC with a godly and effective intergenerational leadership that can lead our church to fulfil our God-given potential.
在神的教會中建立跨代領導團隊
基督教基本上是一個跨代的信仰。詩人說：“耶和華本為大，該受大讚美；其大無法測度。這代要對那代頌讚你的作為，也要傳揚你的大能。”（詩篇145:3-4）在舊約時代中, 神的子民是個多代的群體， 在新約時代的初期教會也是如此。保羅也指出，基督 “就是我們的和平; 他使雙方合而為一，拆毁了中間隔斷的牆; ……”。那隔斷的牆包括人類之間的語言、文化、社會地位以及年齡/世代的差異等。保羅指出，基督的教會是一個有生命的機體，是一個身體，所有肢體都與元首基督連合，在多元化中保守合一（包括代的差異）。我們要讚美並感謝主，因着祂的恩典，CPC在過去132年裡一直是一個跨代的教會。願在祂的恩典中我們能繼續持守，儘管當今文化對代溝越來越缺乏包容。
一間跨代的教會需要跨代的領導團隊。這是為了使群體中不同年代的成員都彼此理解，並得到鼓勵積極參與教會群體生活。這樣的領導團隊也為會眾提供了可循的典範，特別是在代與代之間如何持守聖靈裡的合一、彼此配搭（弗 4:3）。跨代的領導是合乎聖經的。保羅曾教導提多和提摩太, 兩位較年輕的同工, 要勸勉教會中的老年人（多 2:1-3；提前 4:12）。聖經也同樣清楚地教導年長的信徒要訓導年輕一代（申 32:7；多 2:4-5；箴 22:6）。
在去年的教會退修營會及其後的幾次探訪中，馮浩鎏及鄭珍妮醫生伉儷幫助我們更加意識到，CPC 需要培育並鼓勵年輕一代參與教會的領導。這對教會的發展是一個非常重要的方向。CPC像許多華人跨代教會一樣，年輕一代常會被领袖們視為 “還只是孩子”，即使他們當中不少人在職場上早已擔起重要的領導職位。在此次探訪之行中，馮浩鎏和鄭珍妮將帶領一次領袖退修會，重點對象是 “年輕一代” 的成員（儘管也邀請了一些 “並不很年輕” 的弟兄姊妹一同參與）。我們為此禱告，盼望這能成為一個起點，興起一批年輕有活力的領袖，為我們的事工帶來創新的思維。
年長領袖的培育當然也在長老議會計劃之內。目前主要是透過“在職培訓”來進行，若有機會的話，未來也將為他們籌辦一次領袖退修會。他們能為教會的領導層帶來寶貴的人生經驗與智慧、以及穩定與成熟的領袖風格。
祈求主賜給雪梨華人長老會一個敬虔且有果效的跨代領導團隊，帶領教會成就神所賦予的使命和潛能。
