A three-day retreat for fifty preachers from Kunshan, Jiangsu started in Suzhou on April 17, 2017.
Rev. Wen Xingui, chairman of Kunshan TSPM, encouraged the preachers to be watchmen in the opening service, citing Acts 20: 28, Colossians 2:8 and 1 Timothy 4:16. "We should be watchmen." Rev. Wen also emphasized the importance of pulpit ministry and the message delivered in the pulpit.
The pastor shared that a church is not merely a human organization, but it belongs to God, which is redeemed by the blood of His son. A church doesn't belong to a person or a group; but to God. There may be times when the church turns away from the faith and abandon God's teachings throughout the history of church development. In light of this, a preacher needs to keep cautious and be a watchman in the era and be the person who can save both himself and those who hear his words.
Then he talked about three requirements of a watchman, he cited the following: to have a high level of spiritual perspective; to see the world with the spiritual eyes; to distinguish teachings with biblical truth as the criterion.
Aside from Rev. Wen's sermon, Huang Xiaoxiang from the Hong Kong Bible Society introduced the history of the Bible and Bible translations, especially the development of the Chinese version. He explained how the Bible was translated into Chinese, the formation of the Chinese Union Version (CUV) and the revision for the current version. A teacher from Nanjing Union Theological Seminary gave additional details on the revision for the CUV and related specific examples.
Rev. An Xinyi, the honorary chairman of Jiangsu CCC&TSPM, gave four topic speeches the next day. On the morning of March 19, some attendants addressed and discussed the topic "Christian Responsibility of the Times and Social Service."
Translated by Karen Luo
