我们需要“使徒式”的牧师
编者按：
你的梦想和希望是始于自家教会的前门、终于自家教会的后院吗？在谈论其他教会时，你的心是保护他们的吗？你的言语是谨慎的吗？认真思想这些之后，可能你发现你自己还不是一个师徒式的牧师。
前不久，在一次会议上，我听到一位牧师说，他要带领自己的教会成为史上第一间完成大使命的教会。这可真是以个令人震惊的宣告。
这让我想起其他许多类似的“异象传播”式宣教标语。其中最出名的，是一个多世纪以前，“学生志愿运动”（Student Volunteer Movement）的口号——“在这一代，将福音传遍全球！”十九世纪末二十世纪初，神使用这个激动人心的呼召，从英语国家差派了数以千计的福音派基督徒到世界各地分享福音。
不过，诚实地讲——我一直觉得这条著名的口号是个大口袋。我当然热爱将福音传遍世界的呼召！这个呼召激动着我的心，我真诚地愿意为此献上自己的生命。但口号的后半部分却有人为操纵之嫌。我可以想象，年轻人会对他们这一代人另辟蹊径、为前人所不能为感到特别兴奋。（或许就像一间教会能够完成所有其他教会未能做到的工作那样？）
我们在多大程度上效法使徒？
我要小心处理这个问题。传福音是非常重要的。但是，我还是马上就注意到那则十九世纪的“口号”与基督自己颁布的大使命之间的区别。耶稣不仅提到使徒这一代人，相反，他应许与他们同在，直到这世代的终结（太28:20，新译本）。这样一种覆盖世界、跨越时代的托付，会鼓励我们在那一位委派这项任务的至高全能者面前谦卑自己。这种谦卑则促使我们完全地倚靠神，尽管我们也确实完全地献上自己。当然，也正是这种对神的全然倚靠给予了我们承担和继续这项伟大任务所需要的勇气。
同时，我也注意到，没有哪一个使徒转向同伴，用幼稚而自命不凡的口吻说——“我要自己做这件事！我会把福音带给万国，并且我要独自完成！”门徒们成为基督所差派的报信者，将福音传给万人。而他们是共同协作的，一人去了某地，另一个人就去另一处（参加2:9）。他们在共同的工作中彼此鼓励、互相帮助。
我们在承担牧师职分的过程中，效法使徒到怎样的程度？你有没有与其他地方教会积极合作，去共同完成大使命？或者你还是独自行动，就好像你的教会要独自将福音传到地极？
拓展梦想——超越自己的教会
我爱牧师这份工作，我也爱牧师这个群体。我为牧者们感谢神，并且只要神给我机会，就尽力去服事他们。
或许正是因为这份爱，有时也让我觉得颇受牧师的伤害。有多少次，听牧师们说话，就好像他们的梦想和希望始于自家教会的前门、终于自家教会的后院？当然，有时其中包含着令人尊敬的自制和谦卑，但是，我恐怕更多时候这是自闭和短视的表现。
有些牧师的盼望则貌似发生了另一种扭曲——例如那些像球迷一样固守自己宗派的牧师！我记得一位牧师兴奋地对我讲起，在他所在的州，他所属宗派所占的人口比例、增长趋势，还有一连串基于宗派的其他统计数据。当我问他，在他所在的州，声称自己是福音派基督徒（也就是声称与我们相信同一个福音的人）的人口比例如何时，他完全没概念，就好像从来没有想过这个问题。
牧师弟兄们，为什么，我们可以关心谁属于自己的宗派，多过关心谁属于基督的国呢？我们更多考虑的，是自己教会的人数增长，还是神的教会人数增长，而无论他们是哪个地方教会的成员？
我盼望神兴起更多这样的牧师：他们关心罪人悔改归主，多过关注自己教会的人数增长。
我盼望神兴起更多这样的牧师：他们努力培养一种关心其他教会、与其他教会合作的文化。
我盼望神兴起这样的牧师：他们年复一年为着教会复兴恒切祷告，并且当神在另一间地方教会回应他们的祷告时并不觉得失望。
我们如何才能成为“效法使徒的牧师”？
我们如何才能成为这种“使徒式的牧师”呢？如何成为在工作时不仅想着自己的会众，心里还装着住在附近的非信徒以及所在的城市，热爱一切真实的福音事工的牧师？
我们如何才能带领自己的会众，拓宽他们的视野，使他们热心本地区的福音事工？
私下为其他地方教会和会众祷告。
在公祷中祈求上帝祝福本地区其他确信圣经真理、忠心传讲圣经信息的教会，以此为自己的教会树立榜样。
鼓励其他福音派宗派的工人不时站上本会的讲台。如果有机会，也接受邀请去他们的教会讲道。
请相熟的牧师参加教会祷告会。与他交谈，询问他在自己教会的工作情况，为他和他的教会祷告。
节制自己，用好话谈论其他教会。如果必须提出警告，说的时候要非常小心。
鼓励住所距教会较远的成员加入住家附近教导和文化相近的教会。
你可以做的事太多了！
制定策略帮助其他牧师
制定策略帮助其他牧师，无论采用怎样的形式。把他们聚集起来，与他们一同祷告，送书给他们。尽一切努力让他们知道，你是他们的坚强后盾。
特别注意寻找那些也能通过工作祝福到其他牧师的牧师。根据提后2:2，这也是一种教牧活动，训练忠心的牧师，使他们也能够去训练其他忠心的牧师。若神在你我所在的地区兴起一批这样敬虔服事他话语的工人，愿失丧者被挽回、教会被建立、神的名得到尊荣。
大使命就是以这样的方式，曾经、正在并且将来也会在每一代人中间成就。
Wanted: Apostolic Pastors
I was in a meeting not too long ago in which a pastor said that he was going to lead his church to be the first church in history that fulfilled the great commission.
That’s a breathtaking claim.
And it reminded me of many other such vision-casting mission statements. One of the most famous slogans has to be the watchword of the Student Volunteer Movement, from over a century ago—“The evangelization of the world in this generation!” That stirring call was used by God to send thousands of evangelical Christians from the English-speaking world around the globe to share the gospel in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
But I have to be honest—I’ve always thought that famous slogan was a mixed bag. I love the call to the evangelization of the world! That stirs my heart, and I mean to be giving my life to that work. But the second half feels vaguely manipulative. I can imagine young people especially getting excited by the unique way their generation will do what all others have failed to do. (Maybe like one church doing what all other churches have failed to do?)
HOW APOSTOLIC ARE WE?
I want to tread carefully here. Evangelization is vital. Yet I cannot fail to notice the difference between the nineteenth-century “watchword” and Christ’s own great commission. Jesus mentioned not the apostles’ generation only, but instead promised to be with them until the very end of the age (Matt. 28:20). Such a world-wide, age-long charge should encourage us to be humble before the crushing omnipotence required for such a task. This humility should drive us to utter reliance upon God even as we give ourselves fully. And, of course, it’s this utter reliance upon God that gives us the very boldness we need to undertake and continue in this great task.
I also notice how none of the apostles turned to the others and said in naïve exuberance—“I’m going to do this myself! I’m going to take the gospel to all nations, and I’ll do it all by myself!” The disciples became Christ-sent messengers, heralding the gospel to all. And they worked together, one going to one place, another to another (cf. Gal. 2:9). They encouraged and helped one another in their common work.
How apostolic are we in our work as pastors? Do you actively work to partner with other local churches to fulfill the great commission? Or do you act as if your church can take the gospel to the ends of the earth all by yourselves?
DREAM BIG—BIGGER THAN THE FOUR WALLS OF YOUR CHURCH
I love being a pastor and I love pastors. I thank God for pastors and try to work to serve them as he gives me opportunity.
Perhaps it’s because of this very love that sometimes I also find myself saddened by pastors. How many times have pastors made remarks that seem to show that their dreams and hopes begin and end at the doors of their own church? While there is sometimes admirable contentment and humility in this, I fear that other times it is self-absorption and small-mindedness.
Some pastors’ hopes seem to be otherwise distorted—like pastors who root for their denominations like fans do for their sports teams! I remember one pastor telling me with excitement what percentage of people in his state were members of his denomination, trends of growth, and an array of other denominational statistics. When I asked him about percentages of people in his state who claimed to be evangelical Christians—that is, they claim to believe the same gospel we do—he had no idea. He seemed not to have thought of the question before.
Brother pastors, how is it that we can be more concerned about who is in our denomination than about who is in Christ’s kingdom? Do we think more in terms of swelling the number of those in our congregation, or of those in the church of God, whichever local congregation they may be a member of?
I long for God to raise up more pastors who care more about conversions than the numerical growth of their own congregations.
I long for God to raise up more pastors who will work to develop a culture of care for and cooperation with other churches.
I long for God to raise up pastors who pray for revival for years, and who are not disappointed when God answers their prayers at another local church.
HOW CAN WE BE “APOSTOLIC PASTORS”?
How can we be such “apostolic pastors”—pastors who work with not only their own congregation in view, but with the non-Christians in their neighborhood and their city in view, loving all true gospel work?
And how can we lead our congregations to enlarge their vision and be excited for gospel work in our areas?
Pray privately for other local pastors and congregations.
Set an example for our churches by publicly praying for God’s blessing on other Bible-believing and Bible-preaching churches in our area.
Encourage ministers of other evangelical denominations to preach from time to time in our pulpits. As occasion may arise, accept invitations to preach in theirs.
Invite a fellow pastor to your church’s prayer meeting. Interview him about the work in his congregation, and pray for him and his church.
Discipline yourself to speak well of other churches. If a warning must be given, speak with great care.
Be willing to encourage members who live a distance from your church to join likeminded congregations closer to their home.
There is so much you can do!
STRATEGIZE TO HELP OTHER PASTORS
Whatever form it may take, strategize to help other pastors. Gather them. Pray with them. Give them books. Let them know that, as best you can be, you’re there for them.
Look especially for those pastors who will themselves work to bless other pastors. This is a kind of pastoral version of 2 Timothy 2:2, training faithful pastors who will in turn train other faithful pastors. And as God raises up such a company of godly ministers of his Word in your area and mine, may the lost be saved, churches be built, and God’s name be honored.
In every generation, that’s how the great commission has been, is being, and will be fulfilled.
作者Mark Dever
国会山浸信会主任牧师、九标志事工总裁。他从剑桥大学获得博士学位，著有多本有关教会体制和教会论的书籍，其中最具影响力的是《健康教会九标志》一书。
用圣经视野和实用资源装备教会领袖
进而通过健康的教会向世界彰显神的荣耀
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