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二○二一年九月四日/五日                                                                                                               Click here for English

與宣教士同工——信心認獻

莊明偉牧師


宣教士告別舒適的家鄉,遠赴抗拒福音的國度,為主作工。他們努力用言語和生命作見證,傳揚救恩;海外機構植根福音工場,配合宣教士的工作,以愛心服事當地人,讓他們能以優惠價錢獲得高質素的基督教服務;差會則連繫宣教工場的宣教士,建立宣教團隊,關懷宣教士,處理各項與宣教士相關的繁重行政工作——無論是宣教士、機構或差會,都需要弟兄姊妹奉獻支持,否則神所看重的宣教工作就難以順利開展和維持。

北宣家著重普世福音工作,差出了 30 多個宣教士和宣教士家庭,近年雖然因為新冠疫情而少了訪宣隊支持他們,但他們絕大部分仍在宣教工場忠心服事,探索以各種方式接觸福音未及的朋友。他們的金錢需要是很實在的,家庭住屋、交通、福音事工、子女學業等,都有不少開支,教會很渴望他們能夠在工場專注於福音工作,不用為籌措生活費而掛心。

每年宣教士所屬的差會都為宣教士制定年度預算,而各教會也憑信心承諾每月定期支持宣教士的需要。因此,北宣家一直秉承「信心認獻」的傳統,鼓勵弟兄姊妹在每年 9 月的差傳月,即使未確定自己是否足夠,仍按著心中的感動與負擔,憑信心承諾在未來某期限內奉獻,以回應年度的差傳預算。哥林多後書的經文常常激勵我們,馬其頓教會「在極窮之間還格外顯出他們樂捐的厚恩。……他們是按著力量,而且也過了力量,自己甘心樂意地捐助」(林後八 2-3)。神的供應是充足的,當弟兄姊妹憑信甘心樂意向神承諾,就往往會更深經歷到祂的信實及恩福。

在現今這個紛亂的世代,我們見到太多令人痛心的事情,但我們亦因此見到福音是何等重要和寶貴——基督所賜的盼望是世人不能奪去的。世上很多地區仍是「福音硬土」,這些地區因著各種原因不易讓福音傳開,無疑需要更多帶著福音使命的宣教士,進入當地人中間,持著愛心打福音的硬仗。教會,也即是在後方支持宣教士的弟兄姊妹,要在背後以恆切禱告、關心、奉獻等作支持,與宣教士配搭服事,成為他們的最強後盾。

踏入 9 月的差傳月,我們祈求神感動弟兄姊妹,讓我們看得見普世的需要,也聽得見神叫信徒踏上工場見證主愛的呼召,以及叫弟兄姊妹立志關心宣教士的呼喚,從而在禱告和金錢奉獻上擺上,與宣教士合力傳頌主恩!







Pastor's Sharing
Partnership with Mission Workers – Faith Offering

Rev Kenneth Chong

Missionaries leave the comfort of their homeland to serve the Lord in faraway lands resistant to the gospel. There they witness with their words and lives to proclaim God's saving grace. Overseas Christian organizations rooted in the mission fields collaborate with the work of missionaries in serving the locals with love, for them to receive inexpensive but quality Christian services. As for mission agencies, they liaise with missionaries on the field to build teams for mission work, care for missionaries, and handle the heavy administrative work related to missionaries. Whether it is missionaries, Christian organizations or mission agencies, they need the support of brothers and sisters through offering or else it will be difficult to begin or sustain the mission work which God cares much about.

World missions is emphasized in the NPAC family. Among the 30 or more missionaries and their families we send, the vast majority are still serving faithfully on the field, exploring ways to get in touch with unreached people despite having less support from short-term mission groups due to the pandemic. They have a real financial need – there are many expenses for housing, transport, ministries, their children’s education, etc. It is the church's hope and prayer that they can focus on their ministries on the field without worrying how to finance their needs.

Every year, the mission agencies that the missionaries belong to compile an annual budget for them, and churches, by faith, pledge a monthly financial support for them. The NPAC family, therefore, continue the tradition of practicing "faith offering." We encourage brothers and sisters to pledge an offering by faith in the Missions Month in September each year according to the burden on their hearts, to be fulfilled within a certain period in the future even when they are not sure whether they will have enough. We are often encouraged by 2 Corinthians 8:2-3, which says of the Macedonian churches: "Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.… they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability." God's provision is abundant. When brothers and sisters make the pledge to God willingly, we will often experience more of His faithfulness and grace.

In this chaotic world, there are too many heartbreaking stories. But they also allow us to see the great importance and value of the gospel – Nobody in this world can take away the hope that Christ brings. Today, there are still many places on earth that the seed of the gospel finds hard to grow. For various reasons, the gospel is not easy to spread in those territories. They need more mission-driven workers to go and engage in a hard battle for the gospel with love. The church, that is brothers and sisters in support of mission workers from home, needs to partner with them and be their strong support with persistent prayer, care and offering.

In Missions Month in September, we pray that God will move brothers and sisters to see the needs worldwide and hear God's call for believers to go to the mission field to testify to His love. We pray that brothers and sisters will care for missionaries and support them with prayer and offering and, in doing so, team up with missionaries to preach the grace of God together!