2017-12 (十二月禱告信)

這時代需要加強與推廣門徒訓練

親愛的弟兄姐妹，主內平安!

約四十多位弟兄姊妹齊聚一堂，在北卡州北部的湖邊，開始第一次基督工人中心在東岸的門徒與同工訓練營。感謝主！基督僕人更新中心讓我們使用他們的營地，湖邊安靜美麗的環境，讓弟兄姊妹能專心的學習，同心合意追求主！東岸門徒訓營雖然離開美中很遠，但無論是上課的型式、生活的紀律、禱告的操練、詩歌的風格等，都是與美中一致的。雖然要求高，但是弟兄姊妹仍有很好的學習心志，一同喜樂的追求主。

營會前有一位非常認識中心的傳道人對我說，美中與美東是不一樣的: 美中的弟兄姊妹很願意追求主、願意在嚴謹的氣氛下學習，也樂意付代價去跟隨主。東岸的人較愛玩，他們喜歡用輕鬆的方式聚會，中心來美東開辦營會，必須有所改變，否則不能迎合那邊的弟兄姊妹。我的回應是：若要用輕鬆創意的方式來開營會，我們就不要去美東開營會了，美東輕鬆的營會很多，也不需要我們去多開一個與他們同樣的營會。我們認定要為主，在美東扎實的建立學生與教會同工。我們到美東就是要用門徒訓練的精神，扎實的建立門徒，為東岸教會與校園建立同工。今天的校園事工為什麼不能興旺起來? 就是忽略了建立有影響力的學生同工，建立謙卑事奉主的同工。

過去都有人建議我們在美東、美南、美西、甚至去加拿大開設門徒訓練營。但我們都不敢輕易答應。我們的人力太有限了，除非是主的安排與主的帶領，我們才去作。最近幾年的營會，都有傳道人開車一，兩天，帶學生來美中參加營會，讓我 們看到東岸有一批渴慕主話語的人，期待著扎實的學習與願意付代價跟從主，也有一些傳道人願意與中心配搭，建立主的門徒與同工。最近美東的基督僕人更新中心，曉得中心建立門徒與同工的異像，與他們機構的異像差不多，特別邀請我們，與他們配搭，在美東為神的國度建立基督的僕人。他們願意讓我們自由地使用他們的營地，好為基督工人中心在東岸建立門徒的基地。其實難道美中年輕的學生不愛玩嗎? 不知道到那裡去玩嗎? 他們常踴躍來參加營會，也有愛主、事奉主的心志，那是他們過去一直都有機會接受裝備，被建立成為愛主、跟從主的門徒與同工。求主藉著東岸的訓練營，在當地帶出校園事工與教會事工的更新與興旺。

神這樣的開路，我們就靠著主，努力地去完成祂的心意。因為我們深知，神盼望美中、美東及各地的弟兄姊妹能走門徒的道路，更多認識基督，更忠心的去跟從基督，以基督為首，照著主謙卑的榜樣，作主忠心的僕人，按主的方法去事奉主，成為討主喜愛的工人。今天校園事工不能興旺，是因為我們學生沒有被建立成為有主形象的門徒。教會常在荒涼中，分裂的事不斷發生，因為我們並不是主謙卑、又良善、又忠心的工人。「主耶和華說：日子將到，我必命饑荒降在地上。人飢餓非因無餅，乾渴非因無水，乃因不聽耶和華的話」。（摩 8:11)，求主藉著各地的門徒訓練事工，建立更多門徒與工人，愛聽主的話，謙卑事奉主！

近期聚會：

  1. 美中冬令會 － 將於十二月廿一晚上至廿五日中午在Kansas City, MO 的Sheraton Hotel at Crown Center舉行。不少弟兄姊妹都在期待這聚會的來臨，讓我們一同追求主，齊往屬靈的高處直奔，尋找明年主所給我們的使命與力量，好讓我們在新的一年，多為主的國度多結果子，也讓我們同心合意的將福音朋友帶到主的面前，每年帶不少福音朋友在這聚會信主，感謝主！求主讓我們今年能帶領更多人歸信主。 報名資料已張貼在網上，網上報名也已開始。感謝主！祂差遣祂的僕人：許道良牧師、陳世欽牧師、關國瑞牧師、張路加牧師、華欣牧師、徐春華師母、黃天賜牧師等來教導。求主使每一位參加者，都能被聖靈的火挑旺起來。冬令會的英文部也經常也有數百人來參加，分初中、高中與Young Adults (說英語的大學生與工作者）三大組，幫助各年紀說英語的弟兄姊妹（母語為中文的弟兄姊妹，請參加中文部），求主藉著 Edwin Lee、Dr. Clark、 Pastor Steven Tan and Rev. Douglas Vavrosky 等講員幫助這些弟兄姊妹被主建立起來。此外隨父母親來的孩童也有專人照顧，讓他們從小就在主的愛中被引導，以致生命長進，使全家蒙福並被主得著。請特別留意：報名嚴格截止時間為十二月十七日主日（中部時間）下午四時。
  2. 十二月門徒與同工訓練營 － 將於冬令會結束的當天（二十五日）晚上開始，至三十日週六中午結束，在澳沙湖邊的基督工人中心舉行。訓練營比冬令會更能在弟兄姊妹的生命中產生更大影響力，因為訓練營能扎實的建立信徒作主門徒，能活出主榮美的見證，營會的宗旨是：建立門徒作同工，在校園或職場作主的工，在各地興旺主的國度。請為講員：陳世欽牧師、黃天賜牧師等禱告，他們從冬令會開始連續講十天，每天要教二至三堂課，加以在聖誕假期離開家人，來美中分享神的話，殊不容易，也是我們的好榜樣。求主恩膏祂的僕人，也求主賜福他們手所做的工，可以建立主的精兵。 感謝主！現在已有超過 120 位弟兄姐妹帶著他們的孩子來裝備自己，作神國精兵的重要，已報名參加這次的訓練營。請把握機會及早報名，因為雖然報名截止日期亦為十二月十七日，但若場地已滿，我們可能會像去年一樣，提早截止報名，請為校園裝備新精兵、並為神未來國度建立新力軍代禱。也請邀請其他的基督徒同來參加。
  3. 讀經營 － 緊接著門徒與同工訓練營之後，就是為期一週的讀經營。報名已經截止，共有一百二十六位弟兄姐妹報名，現在正努力地準備功課，要在十二月中前完成指定作業，求主賜下饑渴慕義的靈，幫助他們能繼續用喜樂的心研讀神的話語，不僅能按時完成作業，又能在各校園與教會中，成為神話語的好管家，按時分糧，能帶查經或分享神的話。 請為讀經營代禱。

代禱事項：

  1. 為冬令會籌備工作禱告 – 要籌備一個一千五百人以上的聚會是非常大的挑戰，求主幫助同工們能帶著主的能力與智慧，完成主的工作。也求主藉這聚會得著更多的靈魂。
  2. 冬令會需要一百多位的義工與短宣隊員一同配搭，求主興起。求主幫助他們不僅有馬大事奉的手，也有馬利亞安靜追求主的心。請為這些義工與短宣隊員禱告。
  3. 為講員的分享及慕道朋友的心在聚會中能接受耶穌禱告。
  4. 為各校園的邀請工作代禱；也請為各地交通安排，並聚會期間有好的天氣及路況禱告。
  5. 為十二月門徒及同工訓練營禱告 – 求主不僅帶領學生來參加，也帶領更多家庭來參加。好讓各校園中有更多學生同工在生活上能見證主，在事奉上能滿足主，並能影響更多人歸向主，有更多的家庭被建立，能在各地的教會建立別人作主門徒。
  6. 為訓練營與讀經營講員的信息禱告；也為中心同工代禱，他們將連續一個月日以繼夜的事奉，求主多多地加給他們事奉的能力與果效。
  7. 為一月讀經營、及已經報名參加讀經營的弟兄姐妹，正準備功課禱告，求主讓他們在備課中已嚐到主話語的甘甜；當他們來到聚會中，能與各地來的弟兄姊妹們有美好的團契與交通。
  8. 為中心的經費禱告，求主彰顯祂豐盛！也為新同工的興起禱告。

願神祝福您及您的全家!

高榮德牧師
基督工人中心主任

 

The Need to Strengthen and Promote Disciple Training at this Age

Dear brothers and sisters, Peace in the Lord!

During this Thanksgiving holiday, more than forty brothers and sisters gathered together near a lakeside at the northern part of North Carolina to start the first CWC Disciple and Coworker Training Camp on the East Coast. Praise the Lord! Christian Leadership Renewal Center allows us to use its camp facility. The tranquil and beautiful scenery by the lakeshore helps brothers and sisters concentrate on their studies and pursue the Lord with one heart! Though the East Coast Disciple Training Camp was held far from the Midwest, its teaching methods, camp rules and regulations, prayer training style, and the style of hymns, etc. are all consistent with those of the Midwest. Despite the strict requirements, brothers and sisters still determined to learn and joyfully pursue the Lord together!

Before this East Coast camp, a minister who is very familiar with CWC advised me about differences between the East Coast and the Midwest. According to this minister, brothers and sisters in the Midwest are more willing to seek the Lord, study rigorously and diligently, and pay the price to follow Jesus. To the contrast, brothers and sisters from the East Coast are more fun-loving and more inclined to enjoy easy gatherings. As a result, CWC must tweak its camp style in order to tailor for the East Coast. My response was that we would rather give up training on the East Coast than organize a creative and relaxing gathering. Plentiful are those easy camps in the East that there is no such need for one more. We are determined to solidly train up students and church coworkers on the East Coast for the Lord. Our vision behind expanding to the East is to adequately equip disciples for the churches and campus ministry there. Why campus ministry nowadays does not thrive? The answer lies in the complacency in training influential and humble student coworkers.

In the past, many people suggested us to provide discipleship training camps in the eastern, southern, and the western parts of the States, as well as in Canada. We dare not answer lightly because we are so limited in human resources. We will not attempt to do so unless it is obvious to us that the Lord leads and goes before us. In recent past years we noticed that several ministers who would drive a couple of days to CWC camps in order to bring along students with them. We began to realize the need on the East Coast – a group of people who thirst for the Word of God, who are eager for solid studies, and who are willing to pay a price to follow the Lord. In addition, there are ministers in the East who are willing to come alongside with CWC to build up disciples and coworkers. Recently, Christian Leadership Renewal Center learned of CWC’s vision in discipleship training. Since they shared similar vision, they extended a special invitation for us to co-work with them so as to train up servants of Christ on the East Coast. They allow us freedom in using their camp site, which serves as a base for CWC East Coast training. As a matter of fact, who says that young students in the Midwest are not fun-loving? Do they really not know where to seek fun and entertainment? By no means! They regularly come to the training and are zealous in loving and serving the Lord because in the past they were given the opportunities to be equipped to be devout disciples and coworkers. May the Lord use the training camp on the East Coast to revive and renew campus and church ministries over there!

As God opens the door, we completely trust in Him and work hard to accomplish His will. We know that God desires brothers and sisters across the Midwest, the East Coast, and all over the places to lead a life as a disciple: to know Christ more, to faithfully follow Him, to let Christ be their master, to model after Christ’s humility, to be a faithful servant, to serve God according to His will, and to be a worker pleasing to the Lord. The failure of campus ministry nowadays is caused by our inability to train up students to be Christ-like disciples. Churches today are often desolate and split because we are not humble, good and faithful servants. “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. (Amos 8:11) May the Lord use discipleship training ministries across the States to raise up more disciples and coworkers who love to hear God’s word and serve Him with humility!

Coming Meetings:

  1. The Winter Conference will take place from December 21st evening to December 25 noon at the Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center. Many brothers and sisters are eagerly expecting this meeting. Let’s pursue the Lord and march to the spiritual higher ground together, seeking new mission and strength from the Lord for the next year, so that we will bear more fruits for the Kingdom of God in the New Year and together bring nonbelievers to the Lord. Praise the Lord that many nonbelievers accepted Christ during past Winter Conferences. May the Lord help us lead more people to Him this year! The registration details have been posted online. The online registration has already begun. Praise the Lord! God are sending many of His servants to teach us this year. They include Pastor John Hsu, Pastor Joshua Ting, Pastor Stephen Kwan, Pastor Luke Zhang, Pastor Gary Hua, Mrs. Nellie Hsu, Pastor Wilson Wong, and more. We pray that the Holy Spirit will revive each participant of the conference! In addition, there are usually several hundred people attending the English section, which is divided into three groups: Middle School, High School, and Young Adults (English-speaking college students and professionals). The English meetings aim to equip English-speaking brothers and sisters. (Brothers and sisters whose native tongues are Chinese please attend the Chinese section.) May the Lord help train up these brothers and sisters through the teaching of Edwin Lee, Dr. Clark, Pastor Steve Tan, Rev. Douglas Vavrosky, and others. Special programs will be provided to children come with their parents and will teach them to know the love of Christ. When the children grow in the knowledge of the Lord, the whole family will be blessed and will serve the Lord together. Please pay special attention that the strictly observed deadline of registration is 4:00p.m., December 17th, Sunday (Central Time). Please click here for more information.
  2. The December Disciple and Coworker Training Camp will take place at CWC camp site located at the Lake of Ozarks from the evening of the same day that the Winter Conference ends (December 25th) to December 30th noon. Comparing to the Winter Conference, Disciple Training Camp can produce more transforming power in brothers and sisters’ lives, because it is able to solidly build up disciples and enable them to live a life witnessing God’s glory. The purpose of the training camp is equipping disciples to serve the Lord on campus or at work so that they will revive God’s Kingdom all over the Midwest. Please pray for the speakers: Pastor Joshua Ting, Pastor Wilson Wong, and more. They will teach for ten days continuously since the Winter Conference, two to three lessons a day. Furthermore, they will sacrifice their time spending with families during Christmas holiday in order to share the Word of God in the Midwest. What a faithful example! May the Lord anoint His servants and bless the work of their hands to build up Christian soldiers during the meetings. Praise the Lord! So far more than 120 many brothers and sisters plus their children applied for this training because they saw the importance of equipping themselves to be solders of Christ. Please take the opportunity and apply early. Even though the registration deadline is set as December 17th, we might cut off the deadline earlier if the lodging space is full, just as what happened last year. Please pray that we will equip new coworkers for campus ministries and build new workforce for the future Kingdom of God. Please invite other Christians to attend. Please click here for more information.
  3. January Bible Camp. Right after the Disciple and Coworker Training Camp there is the one-week Bible Camp. The registration has been closed. There are one hundred and twenty six brothers and sisters applied and are currently preparing assignments which are due at mid-December. May the Lord give them thirst for righteousness and help them study the Word of God with joy, so that they will not only complete assignment on time but also become good stewards of God’s Word, to lead Bible study groups and share God’s Word. Please earnestly pray for the Bible Camp.

Prayer Requests:

  1. Please pray for the preparation of the Winter Conference. It is an enormous challenge to host a meeting for over one thousand and five hundred people. May the Lord help coworkers finish preparation with strength and wisdom from the Lord. May the Lord win over many more souls through this conference!
  2. The Winter Conference needs over one hundred volunteers and short-mission team members to serve together. May the Lord raise up more workers! May the Lord help them not only possess the ability to serve as Martha but also have a teachable heart and listening ears as Mary. Please pray for all the volunteers and short-mission teams.
  3. Please pray for the messages of the speakers. Please pray for all the nonbelievers to receive Christ during the meetings.
  4. Please pray for the process of inviting people at local campuses. Please pray for all transportation arrangements as well as good weather and road conditions.
  5. Please pray for the December Disciple and Coworker Training Camp. Please pray that the Lord will not only bring students but also families to attend. We pray that more and more student coworkers will witness for the Lord in everyday life, please the Lord in ministry, and bring more people to Him. We pray that more families will be strengthened and are able to train up people to be disciples at local churches.
  6. Please pray for the messages of the speakers of the Training Camp and the Bible Camp. Please also pray for CWC coworkers. They will continue to serve non-stop for a whole month. May the Lord supply them with strength and effectiveness!
  7. Please pray for the January Bible Camp and those who have already applied and are preparing their assignments at this moment. May the Lord help them taste the sweetness of God’s Word as well as enjoy wonderful fellowship with brothers and sisters from other places.
  8. Please pray for CWC financial needs. May the Lord display His abundance! Please pray that new coworkers will join!

May the Lord bless you and your whole family!

Pastor Bill Ko
Director of Christian Witness Center