二○二一年一月二日／三日
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持定使命 進新領域
周曉暉牧師
不知不覺間，這世代已經急速地將眾教會的生態環境徹底改變，令致過去的堂會生活模式顯得脫節，也造成許多價值觀的衝突。
教會在新的「寄居」處境
往日行之有效的做法與傳統，突然不再適切。從一個角度來看，是這世代悄悄地，將教會重新安置（relocate）到一個新的「寄居」處境。現在的時空，變得非常陌生，今天大家過著「常常在線」（always online）的網絡化生活，就是一例。
前年的社情與去年的疫情，讓教會群體需要時而轉往互聯網上，時而恢復現場聚會。這些持續應變的堂會生活，大幅度改變了信徒對教會生活的認知、習慣與期望。眾教會必須重新檢視崇拜、聖經學習、團契小組、佈道和宣教事工等傳統範疇，方能適應這個新的寄居處境。
社交媒體定義信徒歸屬
在新的環境中，信徒與教會群體的關係已有很大的變異。透過社交媒體，幾乎任何人都能發起一個新的群組、新的福音事工、甚至新的「教會」，人際關係和歸屬感勢必被社交媒體重新定義。「堂會」或「宗派」等特點很快被遺忘，堂會間的界限也會被模糊掉。
疫情過後，眾教會或會經歷「洗牌」效應（reshuffling）。若教會不覺察上述的劇變，原地踏步或固守單一堂會思維的話，就難以應對新環境中的挑戰。
持定使命 進新領域
140 多年前，宣道會只是一個宣教運動。即使形成宗派後，在眾多福音宗派裡，宣道會始終如一地堅持向普世宣教。我們深信將福音帶進未聞福音之地域，能促成主基督的再來。
換個角度看，今天這個歷史時空，就是未聞福音之地域，最近的禾場，就在堂會門外──這個城市裡的人，特別是與傳統教會出現最多價值觀衝突的人，他們是失落了的一群。教會要竭力進到其中，多方嘗試（重新）把福音帶進其中。
這一季的講壇，我們會選讀使徒行傳十三章至卷末。使徒行傳十三章是全書的轉捩點，記述初期教會剛進到挑戰重重的日子，但卻仍堅持將福音帶進新的領域裡。在北宣家新的五年開始，讓我們從初代聖徒的歷煉中，讀懂經文對北宣人的提醒。深願北宣人在使命路上，得以靈命進深（Deeper Life through Mission）。
Pastor's Sharing
Steadfast Mission in New Horizons
Rev Arnold Chow
Gradually and quietly, the life and form of the church has radically changed under the impact of the new era. Church life in the past seems to have become out of date, and conflict of values arises.
Church as "stranger" in new context: Tried and trusted ways handed down from generation to generation no longer seem applicable. In a sense, the church has been relocated to a new context as a "stranger." Now it finds itself a stranger to the time and space therein. Being "always online" is an example.
The social movement in 2019 and the pandemic this past year made it necessary for the church community to switch between meeting online and onsite. The constant need to adapt to the changing environment leads to a drastic change in brothers and sisters in terms of their perception, habits and expectation of church life. Churches must review their traditional practices in worship, Bible learning, fellowships, small groups, evangelism and world missions in order to adapt to the new context.
Social media defines where believers belong: In the new environment, the relationship between individual believers and the church community becomes very different from before. Anybody can start a new group in the social media, a new ministry or even a new "church". Interpersonal relationships and the sense of belonging are redefined by social media. Characteristics of individual churches and denominations will soon be forgotten. The boundary between one church and another is blurred.
In the wake or the pandemic, it is likely that churches will experience a reshuffling. If the church is not aware of the drastic change, ignores it or resists anything against its individual church mentality, it will have difficulty meeting the challenges of the new environment.
Steadfast mission in new horizons: More than 140 years ago, the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) was just an evangelistic movement. Even after it has become one of the evangelical denominations, the C&MA remained steadfast in its world evangelism mission. We firmly believe that spreading the gospel to unreached peoples will hasten Christ's return.
From another perspective, this very moment in time and space is an unreached land. Those just outside our church door are the nearest – the people of the city, especially those in greatest value conflicts with traditional churches, are the lost. The church must strive to enter their midst to, in fresh attempts, bring them the gospel.
In our sermons for the first quarter, we will study passages in the Book of Acts from chapter 13 to the end. Acts 13 is the turning point of the whole book. It recounts how the early church, despite facing new challenges and difficulties, persisted in taking the gospel to new horizons. At the start of another five years of the NPAC family, let us learn from the trials of the early saints and take in the message that the biblical passages have for NPAC worshipers. It is my sincere hope and prayer that NPAC worshipers will go into a deeper life through mission.
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