\nI have observed in many chinese churches in America, including some American ones.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe
\nlack of "a good helper" has always been a major problem in these
\nchurches. So when there is some new strong, young blood showing up at
\nthe door, the hunger for a "helper" today is so severe that one cannot
\ntell if the over zealous welcome has an ulterior motive. However, if one does
\nnot go according to the wishes of the older members, he\/she is
\nimmediately treated as an outsider instead of being seen as a need to
\nbe geared towards the right direction. The good name of the church has
\nbeen tainted by doubts in its sincerity.\n<\/p>\n
\nThis is not the point,
\nhowever. From what I could gather, the reason many churches cannot grow,
\nhave "not enough" faithful servants, is because they follow the American way and the wrong
\ninterpretation of the scripture which deals with children.\n<\/p>\n
\nI have seen
\nmany organizations such as the museums, having many programs and events
\nfor children, very rarely do they have any for the adults. The same
\nthing is happening in many churches. True, children are the future and
\ntherefore important, but who then is qualified to teach them? Guide
\nthem? The Western principle insists on a qualified college graduate with
\npay. As long as there are a few of the rich remain in the church, they have no
\nproblem surviving with this principle or else the consequences are
\nunthinkable. As for the Chinese churches here, it is a hard principle
\nfor most to swallow, so they use the same old "volunteering" system. When
\nthere are no volunteers, it's the "everyone must serve, the younger the better" principle. As a
\nresult, quality though verbally acknowledged is ignored, authority, true
\nwill to learn, fellowship, relationship, etc. are all in chaos, covered
\nby a smile of hypocrisy.\n<\/p>\n
\nConsequently, it really doesn't matter
\nwho's qualified, as long as they are young (meaning more energy) and have yet
\nto form their own family (meaning more free time) will be the first candidates.
\nAll God's principles are being thrown into the sea.\n<\/p>\n
\nYoung
\nteaching young, while those who have become parents usually commit to
\nthings like cooking, cleaning, sweeping the floor, making "caring"
\nconversations, boasting their "hardships", etc. The world must have gone
\nupsidedown: Should not the adult parents be more apt to teach and be
\nrole models to the younger generation and the young singles do the
\ncooking, sweeping floors and other manual labor? If the old are not
\n"educated" enough, should there not be such training? Should such prayer
\nnot be wasted elsewhere?\n<\/p>\n
\nThe society today has the false
\nimpression that there is no such opportunity for adults to pursue
\nadvanced knowledge for free in the church. Any such advancement will have to be
\naccompolished in colleges and it is not free. After graduation, they
\nwant the worth of their certificates with salary in programs pertaining
\nto the church. That which is free in the church is mostly only for
\nchildren. They are willing, because enjoying the cuteness of other
\npeople's children is payment enough. There is no true love for God's
\nkingdom, no true responsibility, there is no true sacrifice for the benefit of others.\n<\/p>\n
\nRecalling
\na Chinese baptist church I've attended in Penang, Malaysia long time
\nago, I feel very proud and honored to have known those people there,
\neventhough I do not think I would ever see them again in this lifetime.
\nThese are true servants of God. Evangelically, these have driven to mob towns
\nto pull people of all ages and backgrounds into the church. And in Boys
\nBrigade, Sunday Schools, they have parents leading such responsibility.
\nSome of these parents came from backgrounds far worse than these Chinese
\nin America, and they have proven true example to their own children as well
\nas other people's children in Sunday schools and such programs.
\nChildren of the church grew up learning to respect teachers, parents, the true value of family,
\netc. The Americans don't see this.\n<\/p>\n
\nWithout TRUE role models, they
\nhave older youth guiding younger youth (and many wonder why these kids
\nfollow the pop culture, undisciplined, disrespectful of their senior,
\netc.). As the children grew up in the church, they see no family
\nstructure in the church, they have no role models, they show no true respect, they learn nothing,
\nthey get bored and they never return once they have left.\n<\/p>\n
\nTrue, some \nIf I have observed in many chinese churches in America, including some American ones. The lack of "a good helper" has always been a major problem in these churches. So when there is some new strong, young blood showing up at … Continue reading
\nsingle youth are a special gift from God for certain special occasion.
\nNonetheless, we must always start from the foundational principle taught
\nin the Bible. First, let those who have the role of leadership, spiritual role
\nmodel, teaching authority, be anyone who is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. Titus 1:6<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n
\na church is given such resources and not able to make use of and bury
\nthem until the arrival of our Lord, but instead, squeezes milk from
\nother farmers' heifers, what then? I could only pray that God take not
\nthese resources away from them and give to someone else, for they
\n"probably" know not what they have done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"