親愛的弟兄姐妹們,
在這個感恩的月份裡，我們在主裡向您問安。讓我們一起向神獻上感謝與讚美。
十月初的時候，約有卅位、以服事來自中國的留美大學生為對象的牧者在位於賓夕法尼亞州樂園鎮基督使者協會總部舉行了為期兩天的會議。這個會議的成因是這些牧者均有共同的看見，就是近來有大批來自中國的年輕大學生湧入美國。我們明白這是神賜給我們向這些同學傳福音的大好機會。可是經過了多方的努力，成效卻不顯著。輪到我分享時，我談到神如何在美中地區的年輕學生中行了祂奇妙的作為。今年在美中許多校園的學生對福音都有非常好的領受。很多短宣隊員對於有那麼多的學生願意來參加福音聚會感到非常訝異。而在這些聚會中也有很多年輕學生接受耶穌成為他們的救主。除此之外，來參加門徒訓練的弟兄姐妹中有一半是都是年輕的中國學生。他們的生命在這些聚會中被主改變。我真要為神所賜這樣的恩典獻上感謝。
在會議當中的一個講座幫助我了解到為什麼對年輕中國學生的福音事工在美中會比在其他地方來得容易些。一位講員分享到：年輕中國學生可分為四個族群：
- QQ族 – 這是一群很乖也很安靜的學生，他們花很多時間在電腦上或學習上。他們可能不大願意和你「談話」。和他們接觸的一個好方式是通過他們一般和遠、近朋友聊天所使用的中文即時通服務 qq.com，維基百科所稱網絡聊天室。一旦你加入這種形式的交流，他們就很樂意和你交朋友。
- 火星族 – 年輕人一般總是刻意要將自己與老一輩有所區別 — 但這一群年輕人會讓你覺得他們是來自另一個世界！他們看起來不同，穿著也不同。你可能會發現與他們難以溝通。甚至他們所寫的東西會讓你覺得是在讀火星文學。這可能是有意讓人搞不懂。你覺得他們很特異，他們也覺得你很奇怪。
- 非主流族 – 他們認為自己是一個較高級的社會經濟階層。認為你來自中產階級。他們可能並不認同你或起初並不了解你，但仍然尊重你願意試著和你合作。
- 非傳統族 – 稱他們為反傳統族可能更準確些。這些學生認為自己是走在知識的尖端，徹底的現代化或超現代，他們拒絕認同你所代表的老舊傳統。
講員分享說那些來自較富裕家庭的學生多可能屬於非主流族及非傳統族，而那些來自於相對來說沒那麼富裕環境的學生則更可能屬於 QQ族。在美中地區學費及生活水平比起美國東、西兩岸低廉許多。因此美中地區的年輕中國學生很可能是屬於QQ族。他們通常比較接納別人，也很願意歸向基督。感謝神帶領這些學生來到美中。這是向他們傳福音的大好機會。如果我們沒有把握住這個時機，很可能幾年後我們將失去這些機會。
兩個星期前，我帶領了一支北卡羅來納州的短宣隊去到一個在北達科達州極西邊的校園。這個小學校約有兩百位年輕中國學生。感謝神！這些學生大部分對福音都有非常好的反應。超過卅人來參加了福音聚會，其中有多位接受基督成為他們的救主。有一位在九十哩外的一個大學教書的弟兄願意每週前來帶領中文查經班。
靠著神的恩典，今年秋季基督工人中心的同工們和各短宣隊曾去到美中五個新的校園傳福音。現在在這每一個校園裡都已經開始了自己的查經班。有一些忠心的弟兄姐妹有時需要單程開上一、兩個小時的車前去這些新的校園幫助他們。讚美神的供應。請為弟兄姐妹和那些新成立的查經班代禱。
未來聚會:
- 基督工人中心冬令會、卅週年慶及于力工牧師追思禮拜將於十二月廿二日晚至
廿六日中午在堪薩斯城的Hyatt Regency旅館舉行。報名表已張貼上網。您可下載開始準備及做邀請的工作。網上註冊將於十一月十五日開放。每一個人都需網上報名。由於要處理的資料量龐大，報名嚴格截止日期為十二月十九日下午四時正。不接受任何逾時報名。英語聚會將分為少年、青少年、及青年組。講員有: Steven Chen 牧師、Elwood Chipchase博士、陳瑞基牧師等。請為聚會代禱並計劃來參加。也請在禱告中記念基督工人中心的同工及義工們繁重的工作。並求神在聚會中將祂的祝福傾倒在參加者的身上。 - 門徒訓練 – 將於十二月廿六日至2011年一月一日在Warsaw, MO舉行。講員有:饒孝楫牧師(台灣)、劉志雄長老及柯聯基弟兄。感謝神為我們備了這麼多位的講員。請為他們代禱。您們中的許多人可能認為冬令會是基督工人中心最重要的的聚會，實際上，基督工人與門徒訓練才是中心各項聚會中最重要的。十二月的訓練對幫助校園預備新學期的新同工是非常重要的。歡迎您來參加這兩個聚會。
- 一月讀經營 – 將於2011年一月二日至八日舉行。這次我們將研讀從約書亞至所羅門王。這幾卷書 (約書亞記、士師記、路得記、撒母耳記上、下、歷代志上、下1-9章、列王記上1-11章)是以色列歷史中最精彩的部分。對我們實際生活和屬靈成長也都很有關連。希望您不要錯過這次的機會。柯聯基弟兄及李玉惠姐妹將是我們的講員。由於參加者需要時間準備功課，報名嚴格截止日期為十一月十五日。若您還沒有報名，請勿延遲! 專題報告作業已經郵寄給每位報名者。十一月一日至十二月十五日是開始寫專題報告的時間。因此，若您還沒報名或還沒開始準備，請現在就快快行動。
謝謝您忠心的代禱。盼望在冬季的各項聚會中見到您! 上帝祝福您!
在祂裡面的,
高榮德
主任
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Greeting from the Lord to you during this Thanksgiving month. Let us all give the Lord our thanksgiving and praise.
In early October, around 30 ministers whose ministries emphasize Chinese university students in the US, gathered together for a two-day meeting at the headquarters of Ambassadors for Christ in Paradise, PA. The meeting was set up because all of these ministers are aware that recently so many young college Chinese students have poured into the US. We all realize that God has given us a great opportunity to reach out to these new students. But at the same time many campus ministers felt challenges as they encounter difficulties and resistance. Many efforts have been tried but without obvious results. At my turn to share, I told them how God has been doing wonderful works among the young Chinese students in the Midwest. This year students in many Midwest campuses are very receptive to the gospel. Many mission team members felt amazed that so many students are willing to attend the evangelistic meetings. And many young students accepted Jesus as their Savior. In addition to this, half of our Discipleship Training attendees are young Chinese students. Their lives have been changed by the Lord during these meetings. I have to give thanks to the Lord for such blessings.
During the meeting, a presentation helped me realize why ministry to the young Chinese students in the Midwest is easier than in other places. The presentation said that there are four groups of young Chinese students:
- “QQ Group” –They are very nice and quiet students who spend much time in front of computers or studying. They may not want to talk to you very much. A good way to reach them is the way they talk to others near and far, through the Chinese-language instant messaging service qq.com, explained in Wikipedia. They will like to be friends with you once you join in this form of communication.
- “Mars Group” – Young people have always differentiated themselves from the previous generation—but these you may think come from a different world! They look different. They dress different. You may find difficulty communicating. Even from their writing, you will think you are reading Martian literature. This bewilderment may be what some intend. You think they are strangers. They think you are strangers too.
- “Non-Mainstream Group” –They consider themselves as a higher socio-economic class. They expect you are from the middle class. They might not agree with you or initially understand you, but will still respect you and will try to work with you.
- “Non-Traditional Group” – These might be better called anti-traditional. These students consider themselves intellectually up-to-date and thoroughly modern or beyond modern, rejecting obsolete traditions they believe you represent.
That speaker shared that students coming from wealthier families are more likely to belong the to Non-Mainstream Group and Non-Traditional Group. Students coming from relatively less wealthy families are more likely belonging to the QQ Group. Tuition and the living standard is much lower in the Midwest than on the east and the west US coasts. Therefore, young Chinese students in the Midwest are more likely to belong to the QQ Group. They are often receptive to other people and are willing to turn to Christ. Thank God for bringing these people to the Midwest. It is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to them. If we do not grab this opportunity, we may lose these opportunities in a few years.
Two week ago, I led a mission team from North Carolina to reach out to a campus in the far west of North Dakota. This small university has about two hundred young Chinese students. Thank God that most of the students are very receptive to the gospel. They enjoy talking to the mission teams about the gospel. More than 30 people attended the Gospel meeting and some students accepted Christ as their Savior. A brother who teaches in a university 90 miles away has committed to come to lead a Chinese Bible study group there every week.
By the grace of God, in this Fall semester the mission teams and the coworkers of CWC have reached out to five new campuses in the Midwest. Right now each campuses has started its own Chinese Bible study group. Some faithful brothers and sisters sometimes need to travel one or two hours one-way to help these new campuses. Praise God for this. Please also pray for those brothers and sisters and those new Chinese Bible Study groups.
Future Meetings:
- The CWC Winter Conference, 30th Anniversary celebration, and a Memorial Service for Rev. Moses Yu will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri this year from the evening of December 22 to the noontime of Dec. 26. Application form is posted on the web. You may download it for the preparation and the invitation. Online registration will not be posted until around Nov. 15. Everybody must online register. Because of the huge amount of data to process, the strict due date is 4:00 pm of December 19. Any late applications will not be accepted. The English meeting will be divided into Junior, Senior, and Young Adult groups. Some of the speakers include Pastor Steven Chen, Dr. Elwood Chipchase, and Stephan Tan. Please pray for the Conference and schedule time to attend. Please also remember all the CWC coworkers and the volunteer coworkers’ workload in your prayers. Please also pray that the blessings of God will pour onto those who will come.
- Discipleship Training will be held at Warsaw, MO from the evening of December 26 to the noontime of January 1, 2011. Our speakers will be Rev. Daniel Rao from Taiwan, Elder Peter Liu, and Brother Jeremiah Cua. Thank God for so many speakers. Please pray for them. Many of you may think that the big Winter conference is the most important meeting for CWC. The Christian workers and Disciples Training is the most important meeting among the CWC meetings. The training in December is crucial to help each campus prepare for new coworkers for the new semester. We welcome you to attend both meetings!
- January Bible Camp – will be held from the evening of January 2 to the noontime of January 8, 2011. This time we will study the books of history from Joshua to King Solomon. These books (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I and II Samuel, I Chronicle and II Chronicle 1-9, I Kings 1-11) are the most interesting history of the Israelites. They are very applicable to our daily lives and spiritual growth. We hope you will not miss this opportunity. Brother Jeremiah Cua and Sister Grace Lee will be our speakers. Because all the attendees need time to prepare for the lessons in advance, the strict due date for application is November 15. If you have not registered yet, please do not delay. All assignments have been mailed to each applicant. From November 1 to Dec. 15 is the time for them to write those assignments. So, if you have not applied nor prepared, you need to hurry up now.
Thank you for your faithful prayers. See you soon in all the winter meetings! God bless you.
In Him,
Billy Ko
Director