As many registered churches in China remain closed down amid new coronavirus wave, pastors need to rearrange their ministries and lives accordingly.
The policy of “dual suspension” for religious venues refers to “closing religious activity sites and suspending collective religious gatherings."
I hereby offer nine suggestions.
1. Take “dual suspension” as a chance to review ministries.
While “out of employment,” pastors can review successes and failures in their own ministries over the past years, exploring problems and reasons to make their work more targeted and effective in future.
Meanwhile, elaborate ministry plans can be made, including short-term pastoring strategies and long-term goals.
2. Take “dual suspension” as an opportunity to share messages.
As the pulpit ministry has turned from onsite to online, old methods for preparing sermon outline are not applicable to virtual preaching. The best option should be writing a full manuscript sermon since the content needs to be concrete.
Compared to in-person preaching, virtual sermons take more time and energy.
The “dual suspension” also offers pastors more preparation time.
They can take time to study one book of the Bible, go over some theology courses, or sort out past messages.
3. Make use of “dual suspension” to equip yourself.
Pastors stay at home more than ever as their churches are closed down.
To equip themselves, they can read a Christian book, take a theological course, or revise a set of spiritual books or theological subjects.
4. Use “dual suspension” to expand outreach.
The suspension of religious activities forces churches to go online.
The tremendous change poses a lesson to some pastors who are too busy to be engaged in virtual meetings. Some of them are not familiar with relevant processes or even unable to acquire techniques.
They need to humble themselves and learn from professionals on how to operate live streaming. Training on network skills can be carried out for church staff.
5. During “dual suspension,” connect believers and co-workers.
Little time is personally spent with an individual believer or co-worker, as the main job of pastors is sermon preparation and holding collective meetings on normal days.
Hence, some time can be used to communicate with a couple of church members or co-workers. Visitation, personal tea meeting, walking, or even a field trip, can possibly increase understanding of individual members or workers, and establish more intimate relationships.
6. Despite “dual suspension,” consolidate your family altar.
Pastors’ busy church work often leads to neglect of their family members.
They can spend more time with their family and care for their spiritual needs. Leading their families to worship God at home is a good way to consolidate the family altar.
7. Take “dual suspension” as a chance to care about your relatives and friends.
Pastors can call their relatives and friends or chat with them. Share God’s salvation with those who stay in the same cities or towns.
8. Serve the society during “dual suspension.”
In accordance with the local pandemic control, some communities short of hands are recruiting volunteers.
Pastors can volunteer to give a hand or take the initiative to be good Samaritans to needy people around them.
9. Recuperate yourself during “dual suspension.”
Due to busy work, some pastors are physically and emotionally exhausted and even suffer from health emergencies. In case they fail to seek for any treatment or recuperation, they can adjust their life and work. Take a rest at home, recuperate from tiredness, or take a physical examination at a hospital.
- Translated by Karen Luo
随着国内“新冠病毒”疫情的反弹，多地的疫情防控工作由“常态化防疫”，提升到了“临战状态”，甚至一些地区进入了“战时状态”。
国内许多地方教会已经落实和执行了宗教活动场所“双暂停”（暂停开放活动场所和停止一切宗教活动）。
那么，作为传道人在教会“双暂停”期间，应当如何安排自己的事工和生活呢？
笔者在此提出如下九点建议，以供同道参考。
一、将“双暂停”作为检讨规划牧会的契机。
在“双暂停”期间，传道人可以借此“赋闲”时机，检讨自己这些年来在牧养事工中的成败，总结成功的经验，查找存在问题，反省不足的原因，使自己在今后的牧会事工中，更加有目标方向、计划步骤，更加有果效。
同时，可以借助这个时间，对自己今后的圣工做出较周密的规划和打算，制订出长期事工目标和短期牧会方案。
二、将“双暂停”作为预备分享信息的契机。
一方面，“双暂停”后，讲台事奉由线下转为线上。
笔者深深地体验到，线上分享比线下分享的要求更高。
作为初期开展线上分享信息的传道人，运用线下聚会只预备讲章大纲和提要的方法，是不能适应线上分享之需要的；从而，在讲章预备上，内容必须更加充分和具体，最好的做法应该是采用全文式讲章。
这样，比平时线下分享，要花更多的时间和精力来做预备。
其实，“双暂停”也给予了传道人更多预备讲章和信息的时间。
另一方面，传道人可以利用“双暂停”的“赋闲”时间，查考某一卷书及复习某一科神学课程，或整理自己过去所分享的信息内容及某科神学课程，以备在复堂后，更加游刃有余地开展牧养事工。
三、将“双暂停”作为个人退修装备的契机。
传道人因教会活动场所的“双暂停”，相对于平常而言外出时间少了，在家里的时间多了。
从而，传道人可以以“双暂停”为契机，集中时间看一本属灵书籍或在网络上进修某一科神学课程；也可以重温过去所读的某一套属灵书籍或某几科神学科目，作为退修装备。
四、将“双暂停”作为拓展牧养途径的契机。
“双暂停”给教会带来了线下牧养的停止，迫使教会转到线上牧养。
其实，这一事工方式的重大转变，就是摆在传道人面前的一大功课。
因为，一些传道人平常为教会的事工，特别是为实体聚会奔忙，没有时间盘弄手机和打理电脑，也很少参与网络聚会，不熟悉甚至不懂得网络聚会操作流程和方法。
然而，“双暂停”又再一次迫使传道人从事网络牧养。
从而，传道人应以“双暂停”为契机，虚心向懂得网络技术的人士求教，学习网络直播和聚会的操作方法，掌握组织和开展网络聚会的技能，拓展牧会途径（例如，可以组织同工或信徒开展网上授课培训）。
其实，这也是适应网络时代，学会利用网络资源的一次重大的契机。
五、将“双暂停”作为联络信徒同工的契机。
传道人在平常的日子里，因为需要预备讲章和备课，少有时间分别与信徒或同工个人单独接触和交流；同时，在组织和带领聚会中，多数时间是与信徒或同工集体见面。
从而，传道人在“双暂停”期间，可以安排一定的时间，有计划地通过微信平台或电话，与信徒或同工个别交通；或在采取了切实可靠的防疫措施后，分别探访某些信徒或同工，也可以邀请个别信徒或同工一起喝喝茶，散散步，或去郊游。
以联络与信徒或同工的感情，增加对信徒或同工的了解，增强友谊，建立更亲密的关系！
六、将“双暂停”作为巩固家庭祭坛的契机。
传道人在平常因教会的事奉繁忙，常常忽略了对家庭成员的生活关怀以及他们的属灵需要。
从而，传道人可以充分利用这次“双暂停”而“赋闲”在家的时机，安排一些时间陪陪家人；同时，花一定的时间关心家人的属灵需要，带领家人在家中敬拜神，巩固家庭祭坛！
七、将“双暂停”作为关顾亲戚朋友的契机。
传道人平常亦因为教会事工的忙碌，往往很少有时间去看望生活在异地的父母或兄弟姊妹，也很少有时间探望曾经的同学或朋友。
“双暂停”后，传道人的“赋闲”时间相对会多些。
这时，可以通过电话或微信找自己的亲人、亲戚朋友聊聊天，或在确保防疫安全的情况下，邀请同城居住的亲戚朋友喝喝茶，散散步，或从事其它的户外活动。
趁势向他们分享上帝的救恩！
八、将“双暂停”作为参与社会服务的契机。
传道人平时一心扑在教会事工上，对社区的公共事务关注较少或根本没有时间关注，也基本上没有时间参与社区组织的义务活动。
在当前的防疫工作中，一些地区的社区应该会人手紧缺，需要在社会上征集义工；社区里的一些特殊人士（例如，残障人士和留守、孤寡老人）也需要人帮助。
从而，传道人可以与社区的工作人员联系，利用“双暂停”的“赋闲”时间，参与社区组织的、自己又力所能及的社会服务，做义工；或主动关顾身边需要帮助的人士，学效好撒玛利亚人。
让世人看到教会是愿意承担社会责任的，也让社会更加地认可教会存在的价值和意义。
九、将“双暂停”作为个人休息疗养的契机。
一些传道人因为平时教会事工的繁忙，得不到较好的休息，已经出现了身心疲惫，甚至有的身体出现了状况；然而，平时又没有时间治疗和休养。
在这次“双暂停”期间，传道人也可以向教会负责同工请假，利用这个时间调整一下生活和工作轨迹，在家作适度的休息或休养，或去当地的医疗机构做一做身体检查和治疗。
总之，宗教活动场所“双暂停”了，传道人应根据自己的教会事工状况和安排，结合自己的身体、家庭、社会环境，在圣工和生活上，以上述九点为指引，有选择性地作出适应的调整，使自己的事奉和生活中更加蒙神悦纳；并消除“双暂停”对自己的事奉和日常生活的负面影响！
传道人在教会“双暂停”期间如何安排事工和生活？
As many registered churches in China remain closed down amid new coronavirus wave, pastors need to rearrange their ministries and lives accordingly.
The policy of “dual suspension” for religious venues refers to “closing religious activity sites and suspending collective religious gatherings."
I hereby offer nine suggestions.
1. Take “dual suspension” as a chance to review ministries.
While “out of employment,” pastors can review successes and failures in their own ministries over the past years, exploring problems and reasons to make their work more targeted and effective in future.
Meanwhile, elaborate ministry plans can be made, including short-term pastoring strategies and long-term goals.
2. Take “dual suspension” as an opportunity to share messages.
As the pulpit ministry has turned from onsite to online, old methods for preparing sermon outline are not applicable to virtual preaching. The best option should be writing a full manuscript sermon since the content needs to be concrete.
Compared to in-person preaching, virtual sermons take more time and energy.
The “dual suspension” also offers pastors more preparation time.
They can take time to study one book of the Bible, go over some theology courses, or sort out past messages.
3. Make use of “dual suspension” to equip yourself.
Pastors stay at home more than ever as their churches are closed down.
To equip themselves, they can read a Christian book, take a theological course, or revise a set of spiritual books or theological subjects.
4. Use “dual suspension” to expand outreach.
The suspension of religious activities forces churches to go online.
The tremendous change poses a lesson to some pastors who are too busy to be engaged in virtual meetings. Some of them are not familiar with relevant processes or even unable to acquire techniques.
They need to humble themselves and learn from professionals on how to operate live streaming. Training on network skills can be carried out for church staff.
5. During “dual suspension,” connect believers and co-workers.
Little time is personally spent with an individual believer or co-worker, as the main job of pastors is sermon preparation and holding collective meetings on normal days.
Hence, some time can be used to communicate with a couple of church members or co-workers. Visitation, personal tea meeting, walking, or even a field trip, can possibly increase understanding of individual members or workers, and establish more intimate relationships.
6. Despite “dual suspension,” consolidate your family altar.
Pastors’ busy church work often leads to neglect of their family members.
They can spend more time with their family and care for their spiritual needs. Leading their families to worship God at home is a good way to consolidate the family altar.
7. Take “dual suspension” as a chance to care about your relatives and friends.
Pastors can call their relatives and friends or chat with them. Share God’s salvation with those who stay in the same cities or towns.
8. Serve the society during “dual suspension.”
In accordance with the local pandemic control, some communities short of hands are recruiting volunteers.
Pastors can volunteer to give a hand or take the initiative to be good Samaritans to needy people around them.
9. Recuperate yourself during “dual suspension.”
Due to busy work, some pastors are physically and emotionally exhausted and even suffer from health emergencies. In case they fail to seek for any treatment or recuperation, they can adjust their life and work. Take a rest at home, recuperate from tiredness, or take a physical examination at a hospital.
- Translated by Karen Luo
What Should Chinese Pastors Do During “Dual Suspension”?
