对于慈惠事工，我们需要小心，但也需要有
编者按：
文章使用“慈惠事工”用于指教会对教会之外非信徒的关怀行为，区别于世界的“慈善”。教会该不该付上代价做这样的事情，各自的原因是什么。有没有我们需要被神更新的地方。
慈惠事工可能会危害一个教会的健康。
举例来说，它可以把我们的注意力从更重要但回报周期长的事上分散开来。我们很难衡量讲道、辅导和门徒培训在人们生命中所产生的效果。但你可以算出你一共分给穷人多少个三明治，也可以准确地说出教会一共给有需要的孩子多少钱。不仅如此，人们也通常会很感激你们的给予和帮助；而极少的人会因为你给他们传福音而欢呼雀跃。在一个对基督教并没有多少好感的世界中，你听到了掌声，并且找到了在教会内外都受欢迎的事工。
正因如此，教会有时候会在慈惠事工的需求中偏离传讲福音的轨道。我们很容易把全教会的资源集中去做具体的服侍，从而冷落福音的传讲。这对一个教会的生命是很危险的，所以对于那些举旗警醒的人，我很是欣慰。我也非常感恩有一群人准确而忠心地呼召教会踏踏实实地履行其核心的使命。真的非常高兴。
但我也有担心。
帮助穷乏人的代价
你要明白，如果一个教会想去帮助有需要的人，这需要付出集体和个人的代价。
在美国，教会更愿意在经济上帮助有需要的人。虽然这是很重要的，但也只不过是一小步。穷乏的人本身更趋向于用情感和社会性词汇来形容自己的处境（“我感到被忽视”，“我没有希望了”，“我对未来感到不安”），而不是用经济上的词汇来形容（“我需要钱”，“我要吃饭”）。有慈惠事工的教会如果想去爱他们周围的人，他们就要在整个需要范围内去关心别人：物质上，情感上，灵性上。
除了传福音以外，或许你还需要帮助他们自食其力，建议友谊，提供住处，还要给他们辅导、教育、职业培训，甚至帮他们戒毒。这个听着就是个巨大的挑战。坦白地说，最好还是不要卷入为好。
如果你已经在帮助有需要的人了，情况很快就变得一团糟。对于每个真正需要你帮助的人，有两种人会去利用你。
那些十分有需要的人，不管他们是自作自受的，还是被牵连的，或者是集两者于一身的，都有着复杂的生态系统，蕴含着问题与挑战。问题总是让人难以承受；即使想改变一个人也会使你精疲力竭。事实是社会上有那么多需要帮助的人，相比之下慈惠事工看起来像是想用调羹舀尽大海的水一样。
神学思考背后所隐藏的不顺服的试探
说了这些，也凭着我心里最坏的倾向看，我明白躲在神学思考和教会需要谨慎的借口下不去关怀穷人是多么容易。我们的自私经常让我们不去爱我们的邻舍。
所以，我们应该抵挡这样的试探，好让我们顺从向人施怜悯的呼召。不要让神学思考为我们的罪辩护。
我并没有指责某个具体的人。我只是想把其中的危险指出来。这就是为什么耶稣用这么多的比喻教导我们要爱人怜悯人的原因了。
评估你的心，你的人，还有你的架构
所以如果你是一个牧师，给你的心测个温。福音是不是在你的灵魂里结出了怜悯的果子？还是你总是在找借口推脱不去帮助教会外那些有需要的人？
下一步，给你的教会成员测个温。在你关怀之下的人有没有被福音吸引向他们周围的人显出基督的爱来呢？你有没有看到你教会里的人比那些不信的人更容易去关怀穷人和软弱的人呢？
最后，诚实地去审视你的教会架构。有没有一些方法去鼓励你教会里的人行出这样的顺服？来自社会的压力有没有让你的教会成员退却不去帮助有需要的人呢？
爱穷人是，也应该是一种喜乐
事实是，爱我们身边的穷人和有需要的人对于神的子民来说是喜乐的泉源，即使有时候你感觉到这是一种负担。福音的信息提醒着我们，当我们有需要的时候神也是这样来供给我们。当基督徒把福音内化的时候，我们便会带着爱、饶恕与怜悯走出去，来到那些有需要和没有盼望的人那里。所以，教会需要思考神学的差异与必要的谨慎，但同时也应该殷勤地、真诚地关怀那些有需要的人。
We Need to Be Careful, but We also Need to Care
Mercy ministry can be dangerous for the health of a church.
For instance, its appeal can seduce us away from less immediately rewarding priorities. It’s hard to measure the effects of preaching, counseling, and mentoring in people’s lives. But you can count the number of sandwiches distributed to the poor, and you can know exactly how many coats your church gave to needy children. Not only that, but people are (usually) very grateful for the help that you give them; far fewer people are ecstatically grateful when you preach the gospel to them. Add in the applause of the watching world that doesn’t find much else about Christianity worth celebrating, and you have ministry that will be popular inside and outside of your congregation.
Because of this, churches can sometimes find themselves distracted from the proclamation of the gospel by the demands of mercy ministry. It’s easy to allow more and more of the church’s efforts and resources to go towards deeds of practical service and allow the proclamation of the gospel to fall by the wayside. That is dangerous for the life of the church, so I am glad for those who have raised a flag of warning. I am grateful for the precision and faithfulness that many have displayed in calling the church to remain faithful to its central charter and mission. I really am.
But I’m also worried.
HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO HELP THE POOR
You see, if your church really wants to help needy people, it is going to cost you corporately and individually.
In the United States, churches tend to think of mercy ministry in terms of financial assistance to needy people. And while that is often very important, it is only part of the larger picture. Poor people themselves tend to define their needs less in economic terms (“I need more money”, “I need more food”) and more in emotional and social terms (“I feel invisible”, “I feel hopeless”, “I feel insecure about the future”). So a church with a vibrant mercy ministry will try to show love to their neighbors by addressing a whole spectrum of their needs: physical, emotional, and spiritual.
In addition to sharing the gospel, this might mean helping people find food, friendship, housing, counseling, literacy and job training, or detox programs. That can be a daunting challenge. Frankly, it’s easier not to get involved.
And if you get involved in helping needy people, it’s going to get messy quickly. For every one person who genuinely needs your help, there seems to be two people who are trying to take advantage of you.
People who are experiencing significant needs—whether their suffering is self-inflicted, or they are victims, or a combination of both—usually have a complex ecosystem of problems and challenges. The problems often seem overwhelming; making a difference for even one person can be exhausting. The fact that there are so many people in need makes it seem like mercy ministry is an exercise in emptying the ocean with a thimble.
THE TEMPTATION TO HIDE DISOBEDIENCE BEHIND NUANCE
Given all this, and given the worst tendencies of my own heart, I know how easy it is to hide behind theological nuance and ecclesiological carefulness to excuse our sinful lack of care and mercy. Our selfishness often encourages us to avoid loving our neighbors.
Therefore, we need to be on guard against the temptation to disobediently neglect the call to show mercy, justifying our sin with theological formulations.
Honestly, I do not have anyone specifically in mind as I write these words. I simply want to point out the danger. There’s a reason why Jesus told so many parables teaching us to be loving and merciful.
ASSESS YOUR HEART, YOUR PEOPLE, AND YOUR STRUCTURES
So if you are a pastor, take the temperature of your heart. Has the gospel borne fruit of compassion and mercy in your own soul? Or do you find yourself making excuses for why you cannot be bothered with the needs of the people outside your church?
Next, take the temperature of your congregation. Are the people under your care compelled by the gospel to show Christ’s love to people in need around them? Do you see evidence that the people in your church are more concerned to help the poor and the weak than the average non-believer is?
Finally, take an honest look at your church structures. Are there ways that you could be encouraging your people to this kind of obedience? Are there subtle social pressures that keep members of your church from pursuing needy people?
LOVING THE POOR IS, AND SHOULD BE, A JOY
The fact is, loving the poor and needy around us is a source of joy for God’s people, even if it sometimes feels like a burden. The gospel message reminds us that God moved toward us to provide for us in our time of need. When Christians internalize that good news, it moves them out in kindness, forgiveness, and compassion towards the poor and helpless. Therefore, embracing all the nuances and necessary cautions, our churches should nevertheless be characterized by diligent, heartfelt care for those who are in need.
作者：Michael McKinley
作者是Sterling Park浸信会牧师。该教会位于弗吉尼亚州的Sterling。
翻译肢体：高蒙恩
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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