牧者心聲
移動的聖所
潘建堂牧師
2023 年 11 月 18 日 / 19 日
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如果你出了門之後發覺忘記帶一件東西，而你又覺得必須要去取回的，那會是甚麼？我想大概是手提電話吧。如果一整天都沒有手提電話，我們乘搭交通工具或等人的時候一定會感到無所事事，因為手提電話所連繫的網絡世界實在與我們的日常生活息息相關。
在今年初的安息年假中，我涉獵了一些資料，是關於現代教會的網上信仰平台發展的，我發覺有不少學者和牧者都在這方面積極討論，而我也更多了解到，電子技術與日常生活之間有著不可分割的關係。事實上，我們的生活總會不知不覺的與電子世界融合在一起，並且平行發展，學者Dawson & Cowan在其著作Religion Online的引言中，就以"MIRROR"來總結實體世界（offline）與網絡世界（online）的配搭關係。
在這種平行關係中，實體的基礎是非常重要的。例如團契的祈禱會，由於大家已經彼此認識，所以一起祈禱的時間便可以靈活處理，透過網絡，週會與週會之間的任何晚上都可以是一起祈禱的機會。在這些網上聚會中，因著大家已經認識，所以交談（特別包括影像的）就能和實體交談同樣的暢快（我相信現今沒有人會說通電話是虛擬交談）。同樣，因為大家彼此認識，所以即使遇到惡劣天氣或特別原因，以致需要臨時採用網上聚會方式，聚會的質素也不會有太大影響。所以，網上聚會和實體聚會其實可以有美好的配搭，網上的方式可以成為實體聚會的輔助或應變的資源，積極而具創意的運作，甚至可讓彼此的相交更為豐富。
網上世界和實體世界的"MIRROR"關係，讓我們可以在兩者之間不斷往返，也因而可使我們的信仰更加充實。就如一班朋友在餐廳傾談過後，繼續在Whatsapp裡就同一話題表達關心和分享。由此看來，弟兄姊妹在聚會與聚會之間，可透過互聯網的通訊來增進肢體的關係；同樣，弟兄姊妹與教會也可透過互聯網的通訊來促進牧養的關係；還有，「講道重溫」、「牧者心聲」、以至各類的教會活動消息，更可透過合適的回應（例如報名、登記），與教會建立互動。今年的冬令營和執事選舉，也就引入了報名和預先登記機制，讓弟兄姊妹與教會之間藉著電子平台建立一種明確的關係，進而深化彼此的互動。最近我讀過一本書，名叫《移動的聖所》，同樣，在弟兄姊妹或出或入的日常生活中，北宣家也可透過電子平台，成為我們「移動的聖所」。
After leaving home, if there is one thing you feel you must go back to fetch if you have left it there, what would that be? I think it would probably be your mobile phone. Just one day without the mobile phone, we will feel that we have nothing to do on public transport or when waiting for people. It is because the Internet that the mobile phone connects to is closely related to our daily life.
During my Sabbatical earlier this year, I came across some information about the development of online faith platforms by contemporary churches. I found that many scholars and pastors have actively joined the discussion. I understand more that digital technology has become an inseparable part of our daily life. Whether we know it or not, the digital world and our everyday life are in fact intertwined, and the two develop in parallel. Scholars Dawson and Cowan say in the introduction to their book Religion Online that the offline and online worlds mirror each other.
In such a parallel relationship, the basis in the physical world is very important. Take a fellowship prayer meeting as an example. Since the members already know one another, the time to pray together can be arranged flexibly. Put online, the prayer meeting can take place in any evening in between two fellowship meetings. In these online gatherings, the fact that participants already know one another allows the interaction (especially when with video) to be as smooth as meeting in person (I believe nobody nowadays calls telephone conversation virtual). By the same token, since participants know each other, the quality of ad hoc meetings moved online as a result of inclement weather or other reasons will not be much different. Therefore, online and in-person meetings can well complement each other. Online meetings can back up in-person meetings and also be used as circumstances require. They can be put to active and creative use to strengthen our ties.
Since the offline and online worlds mirror each other, we can cross over to the other side and come back as often as we need to enrich our faith. It will be like a group of friends who, after exchanges in a restaurant, continue to care and share through WhatsApp. It is clear that brothers and sisters can deepen their relationships through online communication in between in-person meetings. Likewise, pastoral relationship between brothers and sisters and the church can also benefit from online communication. Meanwhile, interaction with the church can be created through the “sermon archive”, “pastor’s sharing” and appropriate responses (such as enrolment and registration) to the news of all kinds of church activities. In fact, digital enrolment and pre-registration is being adopted for this year’s Winter Camp and Deacon’s Election so that brothers and sisters and the church could establish a clear relationship through the digital platform. I recently read a book called Seeking the Kingdom (《移動的聖所》, literally meaning “Mobile Sanctuary”). It is true. Through the online platform, the NPAC family can become our “mobile sanctuary” in the daily lives of brothers and sisters as they come and go.
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