Xiao Liu is a pastor in charge of a suburban church in central China that has more than a hundred believers, most of whom are migrant workers.
Since most of the believers come from rural areas and a large part of them are converted to the Lord because of illness, they are charismatic. It is for this reason that they are always rejected by some churches, which believe that their beliefs have deviated from the right path.
The church that didn’t approve of Xiao Liu’s church the most is run by his classmate, Da Liu. This church is known for its rationality and logic, and its congregation are mainly professional groups who have settled in the city. They claimed to belong to a certain denomination and stick to the creed. They argued that Xiao Liu's church was not on the right path of the gospel but rather a kind of superstition.
But due to the economic recession caused by the pandemic, some believers lost their jobs, leaving the both churches in trouble, which made them see no hope for solutions. So they thought of each other almost at the same time, and at this time, the previous doctrinal incompatibility was over.
They made an appointment and sat down at a Starbucks in the city. Although they were trained in the same theological training class and taught by the same teacher, they had rarely sat down with peace of mind since graduation. At that time, they were sitting together, thinking that they should be united rather than at odds. They pooled resources and sought solutions to current difficulties.
Soon, they contacted nearby churches, with more than a dozen church leaders sitting down to discuss ways to get through the trouble. Some of these churches once had huge disputes among themselves, even to the point of rejecting each other. But now, amid the scarcity of resources, churches that are fragmented and distinguished from each other will be isolated and helpless. Therefore, it is necessary to let go of prejudices and huddle together for warmth.
Da Liu and Xiao Liu co-hosted and initiated a federation, with heads and main workers of member churches forming a fellowship. Now they are not fighting with each other or sitting down to deal with doctrinal issues, but instead worshiping God and sharing the gospel of Jesus.
This church staff’s fellowship starts to get on the right track, and they are beginning to think of ways to share resources as much as possible. For example, they plan to go to other churches to share the message, give testimonies, and pray together for something, as well as discuss and resolve financial problems.
The three-year pandemic has changed not only the social pattern but also the mindset of the church. They used to live for their doctrines, which they thought were the only truth and for which they would go through fire and water. In the dispute, the voice of sanity is often drowned out and the gospel is hidden. The current predicament allows Christians to appreciate God's revelation that He wants unity in the church. It is never the church that God saves; it is the people who walk in His right way.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
小刘牧师是中部一个市郊教会的负责人，他们教会人数不多，百十来人，以打工者为主。
因为他们的信徒大多来自农村，有很大一部分是因为生病归主，因此他们的信仰偏向灵恩。正是因此，他们总是被一些教会所排斥，认为他们的信仰偏离了正道。
与小刘牧师产生最大争议的教会，是他的同学大刘负责的另一家教会，这一家教会以理性和逻辑著称，信徒以在城市定居的职业群体为主。他们自称是某宗的信徒，强调信条。他们认为小刘教会的信仰不是走在福音的正道上，而是一种迷信。
由于疫情造成的经济低迷，不能提供更多的工作岗位，让小六和大刘的教会都同时陷入困难，这种困难让他们看不到解决的希望。
他们几乎是同时想到了对方，此时那种过去因为教义争论而老死不相往来的心已经成为过去。
他们约了时间，在城市的一个星巴克坐了下来。尽管他们是同学，在同一所教会神学培训班受训，接受同一个老师的教学，但是自从毕业之后，他们很少像现在这样心平气和的坐下来。此刻他们坐在一起，他们觉得更应该团结，而不是争执。他们梳理资源，寻求当下困境的解决办法。
很快，他们联系了附近的教会。十来家教会的负责人坐到了一起，共同商讨度过困境的对策。这些教会中，有些教会之间曾经产生了巨大的争论，甚至彼此开除（摒弃）的地步。而现在，资源困乏，各自为政的边界意识只能让教会个体孤立无援，因此，放下成见，报团取暖就成为一种必要的选择。
大刘和小刘共同主持发起了一个联合会，会员教会的负责人和主要同工组成一个同工团契。现在大家不是因为教义问题而彼此争斗或者坐下来商议，而是因为信仰问题，而坐下来共同敬拜上帝和分享耶稣的福音。
同工团契开始步上正轨，他们开始想办法尽量资源共享。比如去彼此的教会分享福音信息，做见证，为某样事情共同祷告等。当然还有其它关于经济的事情他们也能共同商议解决。
疫情的持续，改变了社会格局的同时，也改变了教会的心态。过去他们为了自己的教义而活，觉得自己的教义就是唯一的真理，为了它们可以赴汤蹈火。在争执中，他们的理智被淹没了，福音也被隐藏了。眼下的困境，让大家真正体会到上帝的启示，也许上帝告诉我们教会合一才是真正的主题。上帝拯救的从来不是教会，而是走在他正道上的人。
观察| 疫情彻底改变了教会曾经相处的格局:分歧已不是那么重要 合一才是真正主题
Xiao Liu is a pastor in charge of a suburban church in central China that has more than a hundred believers, most of whom are migrant workers.
Since most of the believers come from rural areas and a large part of them are converted to the Lord because of illness, they are charismatic. It is for this reason that they are always rejected by some churches, which believe that their beliefs have deviated from the right path.
The church that didn’t approve of Xiao Liu’s church the most is run by his classmate, Da Liu. This church is known for its rationality and logic, and its congregation are mainly professional groups who have settled in the city. They claimed to belong to a certain denomination and stick to the creed. They argued that Xiao Liu's church was not on the right path of the gospel but rather a kind of superstition.
But due to the economic recession caused by the pandemic, some believers lost their jobs, leaving the both churches in trouble, which made them see no hope for solutions. So they thought of each other almost at the same time, and at this time, the previous doctrinal incompatibility was over.
They made an appointment and sat down at a Starbucks in the city. Although they were trained in the same theological training class and taught by the same teacher, they had rarely sat down with peace of mind since graduation. At that time, they were sitting together, thinking that they should be united rather than at odds. They pooled resources and sought solutions to current difficulties.
Soon, they contacted nearby churches, with more than a dozen church leaders sitting down to discuss ways to get through the trouble. Some of these churches once had huge disputes among themselves, even to the point of rejecting each other. But now, amid the scarcity of resources, churches that are fragmented and distinguished from each other will be isolated and helpless. Therefore, it is necessary to let go of prejudices and huddle together for warmth.
Da Liu and Xiao Liu co-hosted and initiated a federation, with heads and main workers of member churches forming a fellowship. Now they are not fighting with each other or sitting down to deal with doctrinal issues, but instead worshiping God and sharing the gospel of Jesus.
This church staff’s fellowship starts to get on the right track, and they are beginning to think of ways to share resources as much as possible. For example, they plan to go to other churches to share the message, give testimonies, and pray together for something, as well as discuss and resolve financial problems.
The three-year pandemic has changed not only the social pattern but also the mindset of the church. They used to live for their doctrines, which they thought were the only truth and for which they would go through fire and water. In the dispute, the voice of sanity is often drowned out and the gospel is hidden. The current predicament allows Christians to appreciate God's revelation that He wants unity in the church. It is never the church that God saves; it is the people who walk in His right way.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Churches Urged to Unite Rather Than Divide Ascribe to COVID-19
