牧者心聲
海外華人見證
周依娜牧師
2023 年 5 月 6 日 / 7 日
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3 月中有機會參加在英國曼徹斯特舉行的第七屆世界華人宣道會大會（CAWF Conference），大會主題是「新形勢下的宣教路向」，出席參加的，一共有 21 個國家 203 位代表。透過各地宣教團隊和堂會牧師的精彩分享，我短短幾天就好像走遍了全球，把海外華人教會史讀了一遍，我實在驚歎神藉著宣道會在不同宣教工場中所開展的福音工作是何等奇妙可畏！
散聚宣教學（Diaspora Missiology）成為近年熱烈討論的課題，「散聚」一詞最早是舊約用來描述猶太人被擄外邦的過程，也在新約用來描寫神的子民 —— 基督跟隨者因為逼迫或其他原因大規模遷移到異國暫居或永居。對今日信徒來說，流散在異地寄居，不再只是出於個人或家庭的考慮，更是一個身分的認定：「屬神的子民」（彼前二 9）、一份忘不了的使命：「直到地極，作我的見證」（徒一 8）。據統計，全球海外華人已超過 6000 萬，散居的門徒可以怎樣向這廣大禾場作見證呢？
近代差傳之父威廉克里說：「若要了解神的心意，我們需要一本攤開的聖經和一幅地圖。」當我攤開我的地圖，我就看見我所服事過的各地華人信徒群體，有老華僑、商人、餐飲業人士、學人學者、退休長者，還有剛剛探訪過的居英北宣新移民會友。他們的見證真的可以出版一本見證集，惟篇幅所限，我只能略記一二。
海外華人流動性大，工場資源參差，宣教士或牧者處於長期開荒、快速栽培、密集培訓的模式裡，所以當務之急是信徒培訓，因為在缺乏牧養人手的散居地中，信徒是協助教會牧養的最大資源。一位剛到歐洲的女士住在宣教士家數個月，因而信主，此後她積極向新到埗者傳福音，並栽培慕道者；一位博士弟兄在培訓班受感動，甘願撇下夢想和財富全時間服事主；剛信主的商人及學者回國後不惜代價勇敢為主作見證，並把福音傳給親人和同事。當宣教士探訪這些人的原居地教會時，看到坐在身邊的果子，便驚歎一粒種子竟能結出加倍的果子來。有早期的華僑信徒們慷慨奉獻，購置教會中心為信徒預備地方；有飢渴慕義的信徒來回開車數小時來參加崇拜，也有信徒領袖來回坐火車數小時來參加培訓班；還有北宣的信徒領袖主動擔起查經組長、主日學老師、司琴、敬拜隊等重要崗位 ⋯⋯
這些見證都體現了散聚意義：「散在天涯，聚在神家」！
I had the opportunity to attend the 7th Chinese Alliance World Fellowship (CAWF) Conference in mid-March in Manchester, Britain. Its theme was "Mission Next! New Waves in New Era." A total of 203 delegates from 21 countries attended the conference. Through the admirable sharing of mission teams and church pastors from different places, I felt as if I had traveled around the world and learned the history of overseas Chinese churches in the short span of a few days. I was amazed at the wondrous and awe-inspiring work of the gospel that God has been doing at various mission fields through the Christian and Missionary Alliance!
Diaspora Missiology is a hot topic in recent years. The word "disperse" was first used in the Old Testament to refer to the process of Jews being taken captive beyond Israel. It was also used in the New Testament to depict God's people – the mass exodus of followers of Christ to foreign nations temporarily or permanently due to persecution or other reasons. But as far as today's believers are concerned, dispersion in foreign lands is no longer confined to personal or family considerations. It is also an affirmation of our identity: "chosen people" of God (1 Peter 2:9), and an unforgettable mission: "You will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Statistics indicate there are more than 60 million overseas Chinese worldwide. How can these scattered disciples testify in the vast harvest field?
The father of modern missions, William Carey, has said, "To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map." When I spread out my map, I see the Chinese Christian communities that I have served in the past. I see old Chinese migrants, businesspeople, restaurant workers, students and scholars, retirees, and new NPAC migrants in the UK that I have just visited. Their testimonies can no doubt become a book of testimonies. Due to limited space, I will only briefly mention a few below.
The mobility of overseas Chinese is high and resources in the fields vary. Missionaries and pastors are always in the mode of pioneering, accelerated discipleship and intensive training. Equipping believers is an urgent task as believers are the greatest resource for supporting the pastoring in churches in under-staffed places where they are dispersed. A lady who recently arrived Europe came to Christ after spending a few months in a missionary’s home, and she also nurture seekers. A brother with a doctoral degree was moved at a training course and willingly serves the Lord in full-time ministry, leaving behind his dreams and wealth. Businesspeople and scholars who are new believers boldly testify for the Lord at all costs on return to their home countries, spreading the gospel to relatives and colleagues. When missionaries visited the churches these people attended in their countries of origin, they saw the fruit of their labor all sitting around them. It was amazing how one seed could bear multiple fruit. Some early Chinese migrant believers have made generous offerings to buy a church premise to prepare space for believers. Believers who hunger and thirst for righteousness would drive for hours to attend worship services. There are lay ministry leaders who have to spend a few hours on the train to and from the church to attend a training class. There are also lay ministry leaders who proactively volunteer to serve in the important roles of Bible study leaders, Sunday School teachers, pianists, praise team members, etc.
All these testimonies add depth to the meaning of dispersion: "Scattered afar and asunder; gather in the house of God"!
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