繁體中文 / English / 简体中文

 

親愛的弟兄姊妹：

很快便踏入了2025年。回顧去年的主題，「與主同行，踐行真道」，牧師發現，自己於講台信息上，過份強調「踐行真道」，以致忽略了「與主同行」的重要。沒有與主同行，我們如何有力行道呢？既然「與主同行」是「踐行真道」的動力，牧師發現後便在2024年10月的同工會上，建議作出修正，把2025年的主題定為「與主結連，生命更新」，將重點重新放回「與主結連」和「與主同行」上。是的，沒有或缺乏與主結連，即使牧師在講台上如何聲嘶力竭，大聲疾呼，也是沒有意義和作用的。神的顯現和說話，從來不是在烈風大作、崩山碎石、地震和火中，反而是在微小的聲音中 (王上19:11-18)。牧師激昂的信息不能改變人心，惟有神微小的聲音和神的能力可以。牧師更不能復興教會，惟有教會的元首基督能夠。如果牧者不能讓人聽見神微小的聲音，發現神浩大的恩典，緊緊的跟隨倚靠神，靈命因此更新成長，那便是牧者的問題。教牧團隊祈盼，2025年透過講台宣講約翰福音，我們能像枝子在葡萄樹，常在主裏面；因為常在主裡面的，主也常在他裏面，這人就多結果子；因為離了主，我們就不能做甚麼。(約15:5)

常在主裏面的意思，是指無論在工作、生活、事奉、休閒上，或是家庭、社會、教會生活中，都要在主裡面。在過去，我們可能在工作、生活、事奉上，常感到乏力和疲倦，而最有可能的原因是我們沒有常在主裏面。主已經透過約15:5清楚告訴我們，離了主，我們就不能做甚麼。不能做甚麼不單是指事奉，而是指生命和生活中的所有。要做到常在主裏面，我們便要操練每天祈禱讀經親近神。教會過去曾出版過祈禱日誌，也曾推行過讀經計劃、禱伴計劃。2025年我們會重新印刷祈禱日誌，裡面附加了一年讀完新約的計劃表，並繼續禱伴計劃，盼望在2025年，我們在讀經和祈禱上，更多經歷神的信實和恩典。以賽亞書40:28-31說：「你豈不曾知道嗎？你豈不曾聽見嗎？永在的神耶和華，創造地極的主，並不疲乏，也不困倦；他的智慧無法測度。疲乏的，他賜能力；軟弱的，他加力量。就是少年人也要疲乏困倦；強壯的也必全然跌倒。但那等候耶和華的必重新得力。他們必如鷹展翅上騰；他們奔跑卻不困倦，行走卻不疲乏。」等候和倚靠神的，必重新得力，生活和事奉必永不疲乏困倦。

即使牧者領袖常常倚靠神，牧師也盼望會眾能多為教會、牧者和領袖們禱告，讓他們都常在主裡面，時刻倚靠神，以致他們能得著從神而來的智慧和力量，帶領教會前進和成長。也更要為牧者每主日的講台信息禱告，讓會眾聽見神的聲音而不是人的聲音，以致信徒的靈命被餵養而成長。沒有禱告，便沒有倚靠聖靈，更沒有在主裡面，我們所做的一切，也是徒然。2025年，經濟前景可能仍在緊縮中，工作和生活或仍在艱難中，但倚靠神，我們便能平安渡過。讓我們在新的一年由禱告從新出發，再次經歷主的信實和厚恩。阿們。

愛你們的牧者，
胡志雄牧師

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

Time flies, we are now stepping into 2025. Reflecting on last year's theme, "Walking with Jesus, with actions and truth." As a senior pastor, I realized that I’d overly emphasized walking the truth in my sermons, neglecting the importance of "walking with Jesus." Without walking with Jesus, how can we have the strength to live out the truth? Since "walking with Jesus" is the driving force behind "with actions and truth," I suggested a revision during the October 2024 pastoral staff meeting, proposing the theme for 2025: "Abide in Christ, renewal in life." This shifts the focus back to being connected with Jesus and "walking with Jesus." Indeed, without or with insufficient connection to the Lord, even if I shout passionately from the pulpit, it would be meaningless and ineffective. God's presence and voice are not found in powerful winds, earthquakes, or fire, but in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-18). My loud words cannot change hearts; only God's gentle voice and power can. Neither can I bring revival to the church; only Christ, the Head of the Church, can. If pastors fail to help people hear God's gentle voice, discover His abundant grace, and closely follow and rely on Him, resulting in spiritual renewal and growth, then the problem lies with the pastors. Through preaching the Gospel of John from the pulpit in 2025, the pastoral team hopes that all of us, like branches on the vine, will remain in the Lord. For those who remain in the Lord and the Lord in them will bear much fruit, for apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

To "Abide in Christ" means that whether in work, life, service, leisure, family, society, or church life, we are always in the Lord. In the past, we may have felt weak and weary in our work, life, and ministry. The most likely reason is that we were not remaining in the Lord. The Lord has made it clear in John 15:5 that apart from Him, we can do nothing. This "do nothing" does not only refer to ministry but to all aspects of life and living. To remain in the Lord, we must practice drawing near to God daily through prayer and Scripture reading. In the past, the church published prayer journals and launched Bible reading and prayer partner plans. In 2025, we will reprint the prayer journal, which will include a plan to read through the New Testament in a year. We will also continue the prayer partner plan, hoping that in 2025 we will experience God's faithfulness and grace more deeply in Bible reading and prayer. Isaiah 40:28-31 says: "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Those who wait on and rely upon the Lord will renew their strength and will not grow weary or tired in life or service.

Even though pastors and leaders often rely on God, I also hope that the congregation will pray more for the church, the pastors, and the leaders, that they may always remain in the Lord, constantly relying on Him, so they may receive wisdom and strength from God to lead the church forward and grow. Still, pray for the pastor's Sunday messages, so the congregation will hear God's voice rather than human voices, enabling their spiritual lives to be nourished and grow. Without prayer, there is no reliance on the Holy Spirit, and without remaining in the Lord, all we do is in vain. In 2025, the economic outlook may still be tight, and work and life may remain challenging, but by relying on God, we can safely navigate through it all. Let us begin the new year anew in prayer and once again experience the Lord's faithfulness and abundant grace. Amen.

Sincerely yours,
Rev. Woo

 

亲爱的弟兄姊妹：

很快便踏入了2025年。回顾去年的主题，「与主同行，践行真道」，牧师发现，自己于讲台信息上，过份强调「践行真道」，以致忽略了「与主同行」的重要。没有与主同行，我们如何有力行道呢？既然「与主同行」是「践行真道」的动力，牧师发现后便在2024年10月的同工会上，建议作出修正，把2025年的主题定为「与主结连，生命更新」，将重点重新放回「与主结连」和「与主同行」上。是的，没有或缺乏与主结连，即使牧师在讲台上如何声嘶力竭，大声疾呼，也是没有意义和作用的。神的显现和说话，从来不是在烈风大作、崩山碎石、地震和火中，反而是在微小的声音中 (王上19:11-18)。牧师激昂的信息不能改变人心，惟有神微小的声音和神的能力可以。牧师更不能复兴教会，惟有教会的元首基督能够。如果牧者不能让人听见神微小的声音，发现神浩大的恩典，紧紧的跟随倚靠神，灵命因此更新成长，那便是牧者的问题。教牧团队祈盼，2025年透过讲台宣讲约翰福音，我们能像枝子在葡萄树，常在主里面；因为常在主里面的，主也常在他里面，这人就多结果子；因为离了主，我们就不能做什么。 (约15:5)

常在主里面的意思，是指无论在工作、生活、事奉、休闲上，或是家庭、社会、教会生活中，都要在主里面。在过去，我们可能在工作、生活、事奉上，常感到乏力和疲倦，而最有可能的原因是我们没有常在主里面。主已经透过约15:5清楚告诉我们，离了主，我们就不能做什么。不能做什么不单是指事奉，而是指生命和生活中的所有。要做到常在主里面，我们便要操练每天祈祷读经亲近神。教会过去曾出版过祈祷日志，也曾推行过读经计划、祷伴计划。2025年我们会重新印刷祈祷日志，里面附加了一年读完新约的计划表，并继续祷伴计划，盼望在2025年，我们在读经和祈祷上，更多经历神的信实和恩典。以赛亚书40:28-31说：「你岂不曾知道吗？你岂不曾听见吗？永在的神耶和华，创造地极的主，并不疲乏，也不困倦；他的智慧无法测度。疲乏的，他赐能力；软弱的，他加力量。就是少年人也要疲乏困倦；强壮的也必全然跌倒。但那等候耶和华的必重新得力。他们必如鹰展翅上腾；他们奔跑却不困倦，行走却不疲乏。」等候和倚靠神的，必重新得力，生活和事奉必永不疲乏困倦。

即使牧者领袖常常倚靠神，牧师也盼望会众能多为教会、牧者和领袖们祷告，让他们都常在主里面，时刻倚靠神，以致他们能得着从神而来的智慧和力量，带领教会前进和成长。也更要为牧者每主日的讲台信息祷告，让会众听见神的声音而不是人的声音，以致信徒的灵命被喂养而成长。没有祷告，便没有倚靠圣灵，更没有在主里面，我们所做的一切，也是徒然。2025年，经济前景可能仍在紧缩中，工作和生活或仍在艰难中，但倚靠神，我们便能平安渡过。让我们在新的一年由祷告从新出发，再次经历主的信实和厚恩。阿们。

爱你们的牧者，
胡志雄牧师