2026-10-04

牧人心語

我最近閱讀了Life Way Research的一個研究報告。報告中提到有四個正默默主導著美國人思想和溝通的理念。

第一個是世俗（secular）思維。意思是人與人之間的溝通內容都是和俗世有關的事。宗教信仰的內容通常避而不談，表白信仰的空間越來越窄。

第二是溝通的對象越來越部落化（tribal）。意思是我們都知道周圍有不同年齡和背景的 ”部落” 群組，但我們只會和自己背景一樣的少數人分享、溝通、討論和交換意見，很少會和其他 ”部落” 的人有深交或聽取他們的意見。

第三是分隔（isolated）。特別是在這個社交媒體氾濫的時代。很多人是相識滿天下，但知心有幾人。我們認識好多人，好像有很多朋友，但能交心的恐怕連兩三個都沒有。我們變得越來越封閉。

第四是內涵（content）。在這個資訊爆炸和記憶體暴增的時代，我們只忙於收集資訊而沒有過濾資訊。我們已很少考慮資訊內容的真假黑白，是非對錯。我們是照單全收，帶來的結果是讓我們失去批判的能力，海量未經過濾的資訊混淆了我們思想和感官，以至很多人只能隨自己的印象和感覺而做決定或作出反應。

聖經說：你們要謹慎，免得有人用他的哲學和虛空的廢話，不照著基督，而是照人間的傳統和世上粗淺的學說，把你們擄去。（歌羅西書 2:8）和合

我們生活在這個世代中，我們可能在不知不覺中也被這些文化思維困住。於是我們很少會主動與人分享或談論信仰，我們有意無意避免和非基督徒接觸或深交，我們越來越少教會以外的朋友，我們不會追求去認清是非對錯、真假黑白，因為我們覺得有理說不清。

但保羅提醒我們：你們既然接受了主基督耶穌，就當遵他而行，在他裡面生根建造，信心堅固，正如你們所領的教訓，感謝的心也更增長了。（歌羅西書 2:6-7）和合

主內的弟兄姊妹，我們是世上的鹽，也是世上的光。

招牧師

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代禱事項

• 1. 感謝讚美神，讓我們手上有聖經。感謝神給我們的應許：你們必曉得真理，真理必叫你們得以自由。
• 2. 為教會在十月十日，星期六舉行的傳福音大會代禱。求神觸動弟兄姊妹一起參加，學習上場做個參賽者，同心合意傳福音。
• 3. 為Tracy分堂上星期六有九十人參加中秋節晚會感恩。求神加力給恩美傳道，並賜給她更多同工，一同建立這個傳福音的據點。
• 4. 為Pleasanton分堂的青少年事工代禱。感謝神不斷有新家庭和年輕人參加他們的敬拜。求神讓家長們能與牧者配合，早日讓年輕人安頓下來，以匯點為他們屬靈的家。
• 5. 為會章修正委員會祈禱。求神賜智慧和洞察力，讓委員們修正的會章能成為指引和促進教會健康運作的基礎。

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From the Heart of a Shepherd

I recently read a research report from Life Way Research. The report mentioned four instructional ideas that are quietly dominating American thinking and communication.

The first is secular thinking. This means that communication between people revolves around worldly matters. Religious matters are usually avoided, and the space for expressing faith is shrinking.

The second is increasingly tribal communication. This means that we know there are different age and background “tribes” around us, but we only share, communicate, discuss, and exchange opinions with a small group of people from our own “clan”. We rarely have deep relationships with people from other “tribes” or listen to their opinions.

The third is isolation. Especially in this age of rampant social media, many people know many people, but few are true confidants. We know many people, seem to have many friends, but we probably have fewer than two or three truly close confidants. We are becoming increasingly closed off.

The fourth is content. In this age of information explosion and unlimited memory bank, we are busy collecting information without filtering it. We rarely consider the truth or falsehood, right or wrong of information. Our indiscriminate acceptance of information has resulted in a loss of critical thinking. A deluge of unfiltered information confuses our thoughts and senses, leading many to make decisions and react solely based on their impressions and feelings.

The Bible says: “See to it that no one takes you captive with his philosophy and empty rhetoric, not according to Christ but according to human tradition and the shallow teachings of the world.” (Colossians 2:8)

Living in this generation, we may unknowingly be trapped by these cultural ways of thinking. Consequently, we rarely share or discuss faith with others. We consciously or unconsciously avoid contact or develop deep friendships with non-Christians. We have fewer and fewer friends outside the church. And we don’t strive to discern right from wrong, truth from falsehood, because we feel we can’t explain it clearly.

But Paul reminds us: “Now that you have accepted Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, be rooted and built up in him, and be strengthened in faith, as you have been taught, and your thanksgiving grows ever stronger.” (Colossians 2:6-7) Union

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are the salt and the light of the world.

Pastor Chiu

Prayer Requests

• Praise be to God that we have the Bible in our hands. Thank God for His promise: You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
• Pray for the evangelistic conference to be held at the church on Saturday, October 10th. Ask God to charge brothers and sisters to get involved, and to share the gospel together in harmony.
• Give thanks for the 90 people who attended the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at Tracy’s campus last Saturday. Ask God to strengthen minister EnMei and give her more co-workers to build the evangelistic hub together.
• Pray for the youth ministry at Pleasanton. Thank God that new families and young people continue to join their worship. Ask God to help parents cooperate with the pastors to settle the young people down as soon as possible.
• Pray for the church constitution and bylaws revision committee. Ask God to grant wisdom and insight so that the revised constitution and bylaw will become a foundation for guiding and promoting the healthy operation of the church.