Quick Summary: Whether we can continue to be used by God in the future requires the concerted efforts of all of our brothers and sisters, together ministering in our community, missions, the next generation, and the growth of our own spiritual life, to preach the gospel with a good testimony for the Lord.
What about the Future?
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot”
Two dedication plaques are on the outside wall of our church: one belongs to us installed in 2008; and the other belonged to the previous church installed in 1960. These two plaques stirred up a lot of reflection in me. When a local church loses her function, it will lose the value of her existence. God set up local churches to be light and salt locally. Therefore, when I write the future prospects of the church, we must understand the purpose and mission of the church, which is to spread the gospel with a good testimony.
When we care for the community with love, God will be pleased.
Many brothers and sisters love each other in the church, which is a very beautiful thing. But sometimes we will unknowingly stay in the warm comfort zone, unwilling to go outside to understand and help the needs of the community. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). When blessings are used to bless others, we can get more than we give. When the poor widow was willing to cook the “last meal” using her remaining oil and flour for the prophet Elijah, from that day on, she and her son had no shortage of daily food. (1 Kings 17:15-16).
Our participation in missions is pleasing to God
When I first participated in a short-term mission trip in Panama in 2009, I had an ambition to “do great things” for God. After that, the original plan of the team needed to be adjusted a lot, and we desperately needed the help of the local co-workers (fact is, we needed their leading). Even then, I thank God that there were local people accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord; but it was our short-term mission team members who were edified and strengthened the most. God wants us to fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19) and to bear His witness in places near and far (Acts 1:8); but at the same time, God is also shaping our spiritual life when we participate.
We value the ministry of the next generation that pleases God
Someone said, “My son stopped going to church after he went to college.” This sad sharing is very common. There are two main reasons: First, many parents only value the academic achievements of their children. The children don’t need to go to church if they have a school exam or a sports competition. They ignore the importance of the spiritual growth of their children and believe that spiritual teaching is the job of the youth and children pastors only. Second, parents fail to give their children a spiritual example to follow. They themselves have little desire for the Word of God, and they do not have regular fellowship time with other Christians. At the same time, they do not value prayer, but they expect their children to be favored in God’s eyes. If parents and the church can cooperate with each other to help children build a spiritual foundation at home, the situation will then be completely different.
We must establish a good relationship with God ourselves
“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” (John 15:5). If we as branches leave God (the Vine), we can still remain green for a short period of time; but over time, our remaining spiritual nutrients will be lost. As long as we are slightly under pressure from the environment, we will be completely shattered. Therefore, we must constantly deepen our relationship with God by reading Scripture, earnest prayer, and fellowship of love.
In the past two decades, our church has encountered storms of all sizes. We are still here today. In addition to thanking God for His protection, we also have to look at God’s will for us. Two different plaques give us a great reminder, one belonged to the past and one belongs to the present. Whether we can continue to be used by God in the future requires the concerted efforts of all of our brothers and sisters, together ministering in our community, missions, the next generation, and the growth of our own spiritual life, to preach the gospel with a good testimony for the Lord.
What is our future? God has begun His good work in our church, and as long as we respond together, God will bring His work to completion (Phil. 1:6).
將來如何？
「你 們 是 世 上 的 鹽 ． 鹽 若 失 了 味 、 怎 能 叫 他 再 鹹 呢 ． 以 後 無 用 、 不 過 丟 在 外 面 、 被 人 踐 踏 了 。」
在教會的外牆上豎立了兩個獻堂的紀念碑：一個是屬於我們教會在2008年安上的，而另外一個則屬於前任教會在1960年所安上的。這兩個紀念碑給了我很大的反思，當一間地方教會失去作用時，便會失去了她存在的價值。神設立地方教會是要我們在本地作光作鹽。所以，在撰寫教會的前景時，我們必須要明白教會的目的和使命，就是將福音以美好的見證傳揚出去。
我們去關愛社區是神所喜悅的
很多弟兄姊妹在教會之內彼此相愛，這是十分美好的事。但有些時候我們會不知不覺地停留在溫暖的安舒窩，而不願意走出外面去了解和幫助社區上的需要。「因 為 人 子 來 、 並 不 是 要 受 人 的 服 事 、 乃 是 要 服 事 人 、 並 且 要 捨 命 、 作 多 人 的 贖 價 。」（可10:45）當我們願意成為流通的管子，將神賜給我們的福氣去祝福別人時，我們能得着的會比原先的更多。當窮寡婦願意把她僅餘的油和麵來煮「最後的一頓飯」給先知以利亞，從當天起她和兒子在日用的飲食上再沒有短缺。（王上17:15-16）
我們參與宣教是神所喜悅的
當我在2009年第一次參與巴拿馬的短宣時，我抱着一份雄心壯志去為神「創一番事業」。其後，團隊原先所定的計劃需要作出很大的調整，並且我們極度需要當地同工的幫助（其實是帶領）。在那一次的短宣中，感謝神有本地人決志信主，但更得到造就的卻是我們短宣隊的每一位成員。神要我們遵行大使命（太28:19），並要我們在不同的地方（由近至遠）作祂的見證（徒1:8）；但同時，神也在我們參與的過程中去塑造我們的屬靈生命。
我們看重下一代事工是神所喜悅的
某某說：「我的兒子在上大學後就不再返教會了。」這個令人嘆息的分享實在非常普遍，主要原因有兩點：第一，很多父母只看重兒女的學業成就，若兒女要考試或比賽就可以不去教會。他們忽略了兒女靈命成長的重要性，認為屬靈的教導只需交給青少年和兒童牧者便足夠了；第二，父母未能給予兒女們一個值得學習的屬靈榜樣。他們不大有對神話語的渴求，也沒有固定的團契生活，同時也不看重祈禱，但卻要求兒女成為合神心意的人。若父母能和教會彼此配合，在家中幫助孩子們在屬靈上建立根基，情況便會完全的不一樣。
我們必須自己與神建立美好的關係
「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 作 甚 麼 。」（約15:5）若我們（枝子）離開了神（葡萄樹），在短時間內仍然可以保持翠綠，但隨着時間的過去，我們僅餘的屬靈養分便會流失，只要稍為受到環境的壓力，我們便會被完全地粉碎。所以，我們必須經常以深化的讀經、懇切的禱告和相愛的團契來每天加深我們與神的關係。
在過去二十年，我們的教會曾遇上大大小小的風暴。今天教會仍然能夠存留，除了要感謝神的保守外，我們也要察看神在我們身上的旨意。兩個紀念碑給予我們很大的提醒，一個屬於過去，一個屬於現在。我們的將來能否繼續被神使用，就必須要我們眾弟兄姊妹同心的努力，一起在社區、宣教、下一代、自己的屬靈生命成長裡，為主以美好的見證去將福音傳揚出去。
將來如何？神已在我們的教會開始了祂的善工，只要我們齊心回應，神必完其工（腓1:6）。
(林天順牧師)
Coordinating & Cantonese Pastor, First Evangelical Church, Arcadia. 亞凱迪亞羅省基督教會統籌及粵語堂牧師