親愛的弟兄姊妹：
在新學期的開始，靠著主的恩典裡向您問安！願主使您在新的學期恩上加恩、力上加力，為主得著更多的靈魂。
今年各地校園華人學生再次快速地增加。就以我所牧養的哥城華人教會為例：十六年前教會買下現在的堂址時，四面都是農田，但這兩年隨著華人學生數目的增加，有建築公司在緊連我們教堂的北面，蓋建了十多座公寓，有三十多位華人學生住在其中 ；南邊也蓋建了幾座大公寓，有五十多位華人學生住在其中，而教會就座落在眾多學生的當中 。實在看見神已將眾多的學生，放在我們的大門，因為祂為許多失喪的靈魂，心裡極其火熱！我們若不加速腳步傳福音，實在是辜負了祂的心意！
八月中從美東、美西、及芝加哥七間教會、七十四位短宣隊員來到美中，分成八隊與我們一同配搭，在三十多處校園傳福音，同時也帶動各地的弟兄姊妹一同參與傳福音的行列。感謝主的恩典！短宣所到之處，神的靈也運行在其中，使短宣手上所作的工，比過去更能產生果效，各地信主的人數比以前更多，這些都是神奇妙的作為。
既然不斷有大批學生信主，這是校園事工復興的開始！要能維持校園事工的興旺，必須加上有效的跟進與建立門徒，否則這些信主的人，很容易便離開所信的道，我們所作的就成過往雲煙。但若能栽培他們作主門徒，成為日後校園學生中有影響力的同工，就能在校園帶出更大的復興。領人歸主不容易，建立學生作門徒與同工更不容易。校園事工是一個很有意義、並有長遠影響力的事工，這種果效不是人所能衡量的。這個事工成敗的關鍵在於：「要建立學生成為屬靈生命的帶領同工，儘早參與校園事奉，影響並帶領其他的學生歸於基督、事奉基督」。感謝主！最近常看到學生願意追求與接受裝備，他們雖然信主不到一年，卻能在校園裡成為有影響力的同工。我個人覺得：栽培並帶領學生成為未來主可使用的同工，有下列幾點因素：
- 要紮紮實實地引人歸主──不要用娛樂或活動來吸引人歸主。因為往往我們花極大的人力、物力去辦「活動」，卻不能產生真正的果效。我們必須要儘早清楚的將福音傳給他們，信主以後儘快建立他們有正常的靈修、與教會生活，提升他們讀經的興趣，讓神的話與聖經的原則扎根在他們的心中，使他們樂於事奉主，也有能力帶領人到主面前。
- 要早日栽培門徒──早日栽培同工，就早日有學生起來作其他同學的榜樣。校園教會與團契要致力於門徒與同工訓練，經常有同工準備好做栽培的工作，不論人多人少，都靠着主，一有人信主，就立刻開始跟進與栽培。
- 從教導進入操練──帶領同工與訓練門徒，不要只停留在知識的傳遞，更重要的是靈命的建立，同時操練生命與生活的長進。
- 不要自我滿足──校園或團契的同工，不要以為自己的裝備已經足夠，就停止了自我裝備、停止在其他營會接受訓練，您就開始退步了。所以要常常接受裝備和造就，維持自己作個好的屬靈領袖。
- 常存謙卑的心──接受訓練是爲了能帶領其他的人， 所以越受裝備，越要謙卑。千萬不要以所學的去批評、去指責別人。受訓後要帶著謙卑的心去與別人配搭事奉。
- 質量勝於數量──校園事工貴精不在多，從兩、三位開始造就，好透過他們去影響別人。這就是主耶穌在地上三年多的事奉模式，祂每次帶領了大型的聚會後，馬上回到門徒中造就他們。
- 操練勝於教導──同工訓練不是僅增加他們的知識，更重要的是豐富他們的生命，因此必須從訓練帶進操練。
- 生命勝於知識──學生往往在各樣的學問中打轉，我們必須帶領他們從知識的領域進入生命的範疇。有影響力的學生領袖需要有令人羨慕的生命與生活，所以同工品格的建立是必需的。
- 不問結果，忠心去做──從事校園事工必須要有神國度的心志，不是為自己去做，乃是為神的國度而做。學生都會離開，一切工作的果效都歸別人，不要因此灰心，忠心事奉，神必記念。
不間斷的傳福音、忠心的去建立學生作門徒、作有榜樣與有影響力的同工，是校園事工得興旺最重要的關鍵。
八月讀經營
感謝神！共有一百卅五位弟兄姐妹參加了八月讀經營，創下歷年參加讀經營人數的新高。他們中有些是信主多年的基督徒，有些才剛信主不到一年，但每一位都充分準備好指定的功課來參加聚會。參加的弟兄姐妹中以學生居多，有八位是大學教授，也有不少位全職工作者。他們每一位在聚會前和在聚會中都從研讀聖經發現許多新的教訓而得著極大的喜樂。四福音看起來容易，但唯有經過認真研讀和研究才能得著更多又新又有意義的教訓。
八月門徒訓練
約有八十五位弟兄姐妹參加了八月門徒訓練。除了學習聖經真理外，他們也學習如何服事神和如何在教會中與人同工。在溫度破記錄的炎炎夏日裡，這些弟兄姐妹的心也被神的話及主的愛而挑旺。他們帶著基督的愛和聖靈的能力，回到自己的校園，迎接新同學的來到並分享神的福音。
未來聚會:
- 美中冬令會–將於十二月廿一至廿五日在密蘇里州堪薩斯城的Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center舉行。網上報名時間為十一月中開始至十二月十六日下午四時正嚴格截止。感謝神為我們預備了多位祂的僕人在聚會中分享：邊雲波弟兄、李健長老、賴若瀚牧師、蘇文峰牧師、何仲柯醫生及蘇绯雲博士等。您現在就可以開始預留時間並預備心來參加。也請開始為聚會代禱，邀請更多未信主的朋友來參加聚會聽見福音。更多資訊將於十月張貼上網。
- 十二月門徒訓練營 將在冬令會結束後，於十二月廿五至卅日在基督工人中心的營地(Warsaw, MO)舉行。報名嚴格截止時間為十二月十六日晚上十一點五十九分。講員為賴若瀚牧師及李健長老。這是為基督徒預備的訓練，請不要錯過機會
- 一月讀經營 將於十二月卅至2013年一月五日在基督工人中心的營地(Warsaw, MO)舉行。嚴格報名截止日期為十一月十五日。講員有李玉惠姐妹和張西平牧師。這次我們將研讀使徒行傳。感謝神，許多弟兄姐妹已經報名，並開始準備功課。請勿延遲。有些校園和教會也組織了「讀經營讀經小組」彼此鼓勵堅持學習。感謝神將對神話語饑渴的心放在祂兒女的心裡。
請為這些聚會代禱，求主幫助我們在靈裡一同成長。詳細資訊將陸續張貼上網web: www.cwcnet.org。請留意。
新宿舍工程
我們的同工Dale為宿舍的擴建一直辛勞地工作著。雖然在炎炎夏日裡工作並不容易，但Dale卻熱切地投入建築工程。地基工程再一週應該就可以完成了。我們盼望擴建的宿舍能在十二月密集的聚會期間使用。請繼續為工程所需的十萬美元代禱。也請為工程的安全代禱。
謝謝您的代禱並在財務上的支持。願神豐盛地賜福您和您的一家。
在主裡與您一同服事的,
高榮德（牧師）
Dear brothers and sisters:
A new semester begins. By the grace of the Lord, I greet you with His peace. May He give you grace upon grace, strength upon strength, to win more souls for Him in the new semester.
As in recent years, the Chinese student population has greatly increased at all campuses. Sixteen years ago the Columbia Chinese Christian Church that I pastor bought a church building which was surrounded by farmland. We were concerned that it was too far from campus. But university enrollment kept increasing. So a developer built more than ten apartment buildings on the north side of our church building. More than 30 Chinese students live there. On the south side of our church, several big apartment buildings also are newly built and more than 50 Chinese students live there! God brought the students to our door. His heart is zealous for all these lost souls. We should be more eager to share the gospel so we will not disappoint His heart.
This August, seven churches from both coasts and Chicago sent eight short term mission teams with a total of 74 members to the Midwest. They teamed up with us to share the gospel in more than 30 campuses. They encouraged the local brothers and sisters to join the ranks of evangelism. Thanks to the grace of the Lord, wherever the short term mission teams went, the Holy Spirit was also there to help the teams be more effective than ever. More people believed in the Lord than before. All these are wonderful works by God.
So many students come to the Lord. Campus ministry is in revival! However, to maintain a thriving campus ministry requires effective follow-up and building disciples. Otherwise these new believers may drift away and our effort will be temporary only. If we can build them up the Lord’s students, to be the future effective co-workers in different campuses, greater revival will come. Leading people to Christ is not easy. Building them up to be disciples and co-workers is even harder.
The campus ministry is a very significant one with long-lasting influence. Key to success of campus ministry is this mission: “To build up students: to become spiritual leaders, to participate in campus ministry, to influence and to lead other students to come to Christ, and to serve Christ.” Praise the Lord! I have seen students who have believed in the Lord less than a year yet who are willing to be trained, and who quickly become influential fellow workers in campus.
I believe the following are the most important factors in the building up students to be effective workers for the Lord:
- Lead people to the Lord by solid teaching! Do not rely on entertainment or programs to attract people to the Lord. Some groups spend much work and resources to conduct such programs to no lasting effect. Rather, we must share the gospel urgently. After people trust the Lord, help them establish a regular devotion time and a church life. Promote their interest in Bible reading. Let God’s Word and Biblical principles take firm root down in their hearts. By that planting, they have both the desire to serve the Lord and the ability to lead others to the Lord.
- Disciple earlier! The sooner discipleship is established, the sooner students transform into Godly examples for others, and such examples get attention. Campus church and fellowship need to commit to train disciples and workers and have leaders ready to do discipleship. Whenever a person receives the Lord, start discipleship promptly.
- Move immediately from knowledge to practice! Do not dwell on teaching more about God’s kingdom, but encourage the build up and practice of spritual life.
- Do not yourself stop growing. Campus or Fellowship co-workers should not think that they have enough training, then stop learning or attending discipleship camps. When you stop moving forward, you will fall back. Therefore you need to continue to learn to maintain yourself to be a good spiritual leader.
- Keep a humble spirit. You receive in order to give. The more you have received, the more humble you should be. Do not use knowledge to criticize others. Learn with a humble spirit. Learn to cowork with others.
- Emphasize quality over quantity. Focus on quality training by starting with two or three people so that they in turn can influence others. That is the Lord’s ministry model during His three-plus years of ministry on earth. After every large gathering, He would immediately return to the disciples to build them up.
- Emphasize practice over teaching. In the training of co-workers, do not stop with increase of knowledge. Also enrich their spiritual life by encouraging them to practice what they have learned.
- Emphasize life over knowledge. College students got where they are by pursuit of knowledge. We need to lead them from knowledge to “field practice” in their lives. A leader who has lived his knowledge in Christ is respected by others and is an influential leader. Therefore it is a must to build up the coworkers characters.
- Emphasize faithfulness over fruitfulness. Doing campus ministry requires keeping God’s kingdom in heart. Do it not for self-congratulation but for God’s Kingdom. Students graduate. Take heart; God always remembers his faithful servants.
Continue sharing the gospel. Faithfully build up students to be disciples. Be a worthy example to others. These are the keys to a successful campus ministry.
August Bible Camp
Thank God! A record high 135 people attended August Bible Camp. Some of them were longtime Christians. Some of them believed in the Lord less than a year, but they came with well-prepared home works. Many attendees were students. Eight were university professors and several were full time working people. They all had the great joy to discover many new Bible teachings during their individual study before the Camp and during the camp. The Four Gospels seem to be easy books. However, only after diligent study and research did many new and meaningful teachings fill our brains and our hearts.
August Discipleship Training Camp
About 85 people attended the August Discipleship Camp. Besides learning many Bible teachings, the attendees also learned how to serve the Lord and work together with other people in the church. Appropriate for the record hot summer, their hearts were also warmed by the Word and the love of the Lord. With the love of Christ and power of the Spirit of God, they returned to their campuses to welcome new students and share the gospel of God.
Upcoming Meetings in the Winter:
- Winter Conference will be held again at Kansas City, Missouri at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center from December 21 to 25. The online registration will start in mid November and terminate December 16 at 4:00 pm, a strict due date will be posted. Thank God that He has prepared many of His servants to share in this Conference. There will be Brother Yunbo Bian, Elder Chien Li from Taiwan, Rev. Johann Lai, Rev. Edwin Su, Dr. William Ho, Dr. Esther Su, and others to be announced. You may start to reserve these dates and prepare your hearts to attend. Please also start to pray and invite more nonbelievers to this conference to hear the Gospel. More details will be posted on the web in October.
- December Discipleship Training Camp will be held at CWC at Warsaw, MO from December 25 to 30, immediately after the Winter Conference. The strict due date is December 16 at 11:59 p.m. Rev. Johann Lai and Elder Chien Li with be the speakers. Discipleship Training is for Christians. Please do not miss it.
- January Bible Camp: will also be held at CWC at Warsaw, MO. from December 30 to January 5. The strict due date is November 15. Our speakers will be Sister Grace Lee and Pastor Stephen Chang. This time we will study the Book of Acts. Many people have already turned in their forms and started to prepare. Please do not delay. Some campuses and churches have also organized a “Bible Camp study group” to encourage one another to study continually. We thank God that He has put thirsty and hungry hearts for His Word among His people.
Please pray for all these meetings, that the Lord will help us grow together spiritually. All the information will be gradually posted on our web: www.cwcnet.org. Please continue to keep an eye on that site.
New Dormitory Construction
Our coworker Dale has worked hard on the dormitory expansion. Although working under very hot summer sun is not easy, Dale has worked enthusiastically for the building project. The foundation should be done within another week. We hope the new expansion will be useable during the high demand month of December. Please keep praying for the need of $100,000.00. Please pray for the safety of the construction.
We thank you for your prayers and financial support. May our Lord abundantly bless you and your families.
Serving together in Him,
Billy
Pastor