S.T.I.R. up one another

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”  (Hebrews 10:24-25)

      Last week I shared about the signs of a disengaged believer, and why it is important to “not neglect to meet together”. Perhaps you have been one that has kept engaging. Now let’s explore the other side of this passage – “Let us consider how to stir up one another”!

      Let me be clear – as brothers and sisters in Christ, this is YOUR JOB!

      You may wonder, “Wait, isn’t it the church’s job to keep everyone engaged? Isn’t there some committee in the church, or the staff that are supposed to make sure everyone keeps connected?”

      The answer is “Yes” – and “YES”, the church’s staff and ministries have been making many efforts in adapting ministries to keep everyone engaged. AND yet – the church is not just it’s “staff and ministries”. It’s the members – YOU.

      We are all called to be our “Brother’s Keeper” – when God is looking for Cain’s brother Abel, Cain responded cold-heartedly, “I don’t know, am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9)

      Philippians 2:4 reminds us:

      Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

      How to “STIR up one another”? Let’s start with … S.T.I.R.:  

      i.          Seek    

     ii.          Take action      

    iii.          Interest and Intercede   

    iv.          Refresh and Remind

     Start with Seeking God in prayer. As you read through the signs of disengaged believer, think through those in your fellowship and ministries. Is there someone whom you haven’t come in contact for a long time? Quiet down, and ask God to bring to mind names and faces that He wants you to care for.

     Next step is “take action”. Think of ways in which you can naturally connect with the individual, and be obedient to take action in reaching out with care.

     I’ll touch on the next two steps in following weeks.

彼此相顧，激發愛心，勉勵行善

「又要彼此相顧，激發愛心，勉勵行善。你們不可停止聚會，好像那些停止慣了的人，倒要彼此勸勉；既知道那日子臨近，就更當如此。」 （希伯來書10：24-25）

       上週，我分享了疏離教會的信徒的一些跡象，以及為什麼「不可停止聚會」是重要的。也許你是一直都積極參與教會的其中一份子，讓我們探討一下這經文的另一方面 –「又要彼此相顧」(Stir up one another)。   

       讓我說清楚 - 作為主內的弟兄姐妹，「彼此相顧」是你我的工作！  

       你可能會想，「稍等，這不是教會的工作來讓每一個人保持聯繫，積極參與教會嗎？教會中不是設有一些部門籌委，或者教牧同工專職讓信徒們保持聯繫嗎？」

       答案是「是的。。。然而」。當然，教會的同工們及各事工都一直在努力地作出調較，好使各人都能投入教會。然而，教會不是僅僅有「同工和事工」，更加是有你 — 教會的每一員。     

      我們都被稱為我們「弟兄的守望者」- 當上帝在尋找該隱的兄弟亞伯時， 該隱只是冷冷地回答：「我不知道，我豈是看守我兄弟的嗎？」（創4：9）    

      腓立比書2：4提醒我們：「各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。」  

      如何「彼此相顧」？讓我們從S.T.I.R.開始：

     Ｓeek  -  禱告祈求

     Ｔake action -  行動回應

     Ｉnterest & Intercede  -  慰問代禱

     Ｒefresh & Remind     -  激發勉勵     

     從禱告中尋求神開始：當你細閱過信徒疏離教會的跡象時，請思量一下在你團契和參與的事工中，有沒有一些人你已經很久沒有聯絡呢？安靜下來， 求神給你在腦海中浮現一些名字和臉孔，就是那些祂要你關顧的人。  

    下一步是「行動回應」: 想出一些方法讓你可以自然地與「這些人」聯繫起來，並且願意順服去採取行動作關顧的工作。

    在接下來的兩週，我將介紹餘下的兩個步驟 。