Family Issues

Study Notes

Intro:

Acts 4:32-34

³² All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. ³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all ³⁴ that there were no needy persons among them.

Wouldn’t you agree that this is a church body that is pretty healthy? From these verses it doesn’t quite seem that anyone has had a bad experience in the church.  This new Spirit-filled community is riding high, and those that were apart and joined in – they joined something pretty special, no real sense of anything negative for them yet.

Would you go somewhere honest with one another this morning?  I was moved when I saw a Pastor ask the congregation to raise their hands of they have had a bad or many bad experiences in the church.  If you have had a negative or painful experience within the church – would you raise your hand?  Would you raise your hand so we can see how many people that are here could not speak Acts 4 as their own experiences in the church?

If you have not, unfortunately, give us time. Acts 4, the early church has had a few good months but by the time we get to Acts 6, the honeymoon is over and reality hits this church.  And, I would say ride the few months you can have, but unfortunately just like in Acts, we too cannot avoid the obvious – we have issues as a church.

Look to your neighbor and say: “you have issues” – and then say right back to them: “you have them too”

The goal isn’t to NOT have issues, but rather, it might be to acknowledge them and work toward health – addressing them and finding freedom and healing from them.

2017, there was a pop song that I think the chorus sums up the reality of the church… remember, the church is us – a people… and while this song was written about a general relationship – it has some profound truth in it for us.  Julia Michaels in her song Issues, says:

Issues Song Lyrics:

'Cause I got issues
But you got 'em too
So give 'em all to me
And I'll give mine to you
Bask in the glory
Of all our problems
'Cause we got the kind of love
It takes to solve 'em

• Julia Michaels, Issues

We all have issues; this church has issues…. The church always has issues.

You have joined a church with issues!  If you are visiting, welcome, we have issues!  If you are considering joining us – please do, bring your issues and join them to ours… because we are a church with issues!

We have seen earlier that one of the first issues in the church was dishonesty and deception… issues of sin.  What we’re going to see today, however, is that some issues in the church come as a result of growth.

As a church expands and takes new territory for the Gospel, it’s going to experience its share of growing pains, discipleship firsts, and yes, family issues.

Turn to Acts 6, as we read about the family issues the church in Jerusalem was having.

Text:

Acts 6:1-7

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. ² So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. ³ Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them ⁴ and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

⁵ This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. ⁶ They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

⁷ So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Sermon Body:

I want you to note how this section begins and ends… the issue is right in the middle and we will dive into it next, but notice that what leads into these issues is

• “the number of disciples was increasing” in verse 1.
• And then, after they dealt with the issue we read in verse 7, “The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith”

See this, the church is growing, an issue arises, it is dealt with, and the church keeps growing.  Do you need any more motivation to look at this issue?  What it is that has happened as a result of growth and led to more growth?

I want to look through this text in smaller sections and after we do, there will be some clear application for all of us… so we can allow this text to be a “This is Us” call…

(1) In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

• When Acts begins Jesus has a meager 120 followers. It’s a small, rural, primarily underground church that’s making no real dent in Jerusalem. By Acts 5 the church has exploded. We know from the end of Acts 4 there were at least 10,000 to 15,000 believers. And according to verse 1, the church is still growing. But in any movement or organization growth causes certain pinch points.

• During this time of growth, the church started getting some complaints from a group called the Hellenists.

• “Hellenists” mean the Greek-speaking believers. The Greek believers are complaining that the Hebrew widows are receiving special treatment. That the Greek widows are being neglected. Just to be clear, the surface level problem is food, but the underlying problem is prejudice.

• Realize that when you hear “Hellenists” you’re talking about people who are Jews by birth but who have fully embraced Greek culture. Or Greeks who have converted to Judaism and are now following Jesus. This means they’re all in with Greek language, Greek dress, Greek politics. The Hebraic Jews would have been seen the Hellenist Jews as traitors. There were natural tensions between these two groups. These were cultural and language issues. They were there before they accepted Jesus, and these tensions have made their way into the church.

• Cultural problem between these groups, but also, it is not a insignificant point that the issues surrounds widows.

• We will see throughout Acts and the New testament a constant question around what from the Old Covenant remains and what goes… in fact, the next few sermons will address these kinds of questions… so while diet and surgery (circumcision) will find a change in the new covenant, - this story shows us something that will remain:

• Simply put God’s call to care for the economically and socially vulnerable remains. You cannot read the message of the Bible and not see the consistent all on the people of God to care for, make a priority, and sacrifice for the Widow, the Orphan, the Stanger, and the Poor.

• God’s heart and call begins in the Pentateuch, affirmed throughout the prophets, embedded in the words and ministry of Jesus, and now they are showing up in the first moments of the church…

• Social reality to faith. Responsibility of the people of God to have the heart of God – which should take us to protective, radical, and redemptive ways to care for and advocate care for these groups… which is why I would argue at minimum issues of adoption and immigration matter for the followers of Jesus.  Not because they are political – but because they are Biblical. 

• So, we have a cultural conflict, and a social conflict – both conflicts in the church and both conflicts that Jesus has taught – so the Apostles knew these issues matter. So, what did they do?

(2) So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

• The 12 are not saying waiting on tables is unimportant, quite the contrary

• As a church grows and changes, it’s structures must also grow and change and this new problem allows for such a change

• We will later see more in the NT about the church being a body (1 Corinthians), and this moment we start to see that the mission of the church has roles for all to play

• See here, some to do the ministry of the Word and Service (waiting on tables), and in the next verses we will see the Ministry of Prayer.

• Verse 2 does not dismiss the issue, it takes it seriously that the function of the church expands and we begin to see that the church is not a spectator sport – but rather a team sport, there are multiple parts of being the church… preaching, prayer, and serving

 (3-4) Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

• As a response to the growing needs of the church, they select members of the church who love God, who are sensitive to God’s leading, full of character, and wise, and they delegate this responsibility to them. The team sport is starting to shape

• They are assigned to a job, not an office. While this has a structural reality, it is about addressing the needs of the widows here.  And it is very strategic as to who they chose for the work, lets read the next 2 verses:

(5-6) This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.  They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

• The Team:

• What’s interesting about this list is that all seven names given here are Greek names. Do you remember who was upset? The Greek widows. Now, if the Greek widows thought they were being mistreated by the Hebrews and to solve the problem you gave the responsibility to the Hebrews do you think the Greeks are now going to feel cared for? No, it would just create greater tension.

• What they did here was incredibly wise. Both Hebrews and Greeks were part of the solution. The answer is never just to separate from the people who are different from you. But they gave the authority for the solution to the Greeks. They chose leaders who represented the concerns and needs of the people.

• Story: Pastor Lian, a Myanmar Immigrant church pastor this week in class. This refugee community was settled near Chicago about 10 years ago.  He now has a church that is growing.  He is such an amazing pastor – he is. A pastor because of the verbs in pastoring and not the noun.  It is not about him… and while I have much I could share I was struck with how “on his own” he is.  Real needs for these Christians… how do I buy a car, how do I call the police, how do I navigate a new language and new country – cultural and social problems… and I wonder about how much more impact could be had if an existing church heard their needs, empowered them with the resources to address the needs, and “grow” the church of Jesus as a result.

• Let’s take a note, when social needs and cultural issues arise in the church, we need those closest and most familiar with the need to lead the effort.

• They were empowered to solve this NOT investigate the need, to see if it was worthy of addressing. There was action because they knew the heart of God for this group of widows/

(7) So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

• It seems as if the Spirit was pleased with how they addressed these issues… and as a result, the church keeps growing…
• What might this mean for us today?

Application:

A I have studied this text, I found it interesting that there were two very major themes emphasized as to the meaning for today. The first one was that this is about the leadership of the church.  Some citing that this text makes a clear call for those who preach to focus on that and not spent time on administrative things.  Along this line, it was presented that in these verses we find the structure of the church and some foreshadowing to deacons. Pastor Mathew last week quipped that this was the church of Jerusalem’s Ministry Council.  I imagine that some of you would even read into verse 5 and “that it pleased the whole group” to be a proof text from some kind of Congregational approval that helps frame church polity.  I do not disagree with these claims, I can see clearly in some of them make great sense. But- one perspective is that these verses are addressing an Administrative issue.

The other perspective speaks more to the relational aspect of the text.  It looks at the cultural realities, and doesn’t simply find a way to address an administrative problem, but rather, these verses show what and how life is to be shared in this new family - the church.  That this issue is one that churches still face today – and when a group of people from different cultures, lives, and experiences come together into a new family – and all the issues that arise – how do we deal with each other and be the people God made us to be. 

Administrative or Relational?  Both… but I sense here at LAC today we should lean more deeply into this text and ask the Word of God to shape us in our Family Issues…

But briefly, let me pull out a couple of thoughts on the “Administrative” parts of this text:

1. Missional not Structural

I do not see in these verses a case for an ongoing church structure. You can’t claim a formal congregational church polity from these verses. Rather, I see how a church structured to address a need that would possibly compromise their mission.  And the Mission seems to include in these verses at least 3 things:

• Ministry of the Word
• Ministry of Prayer
• Ministry of Service

All of these are for the mission.  All of them matter and all of them need attention from the followers of Jesus in the church…but notice, that there seems to be a deeper and more descriptive call to those people because I read that we have….

2. Servanthood not Leadership

This text does not used the word deaconate – this is not a formal leadership office here… but more dynamic and reactive in nature…

More of a verb than a noun… servanthood.

Servanthood is the heart of the people of God and the mission of the church… it is so serious that we read that they were commissioned for the work of serving… prayed for by the laying on of hands… we do this… you do this… we serve together…which is another aspect of the Administration side of these passages:

3. Everyone Has a Role

When everyone serves, everyone wins. More ministry is done, better ministry is done, and more people come to know Jesus.

Your role in this family?  I want to stay here, it is pressing for us… but honestly, this relational application is MORE pressing I sense…

As this comes to an end, I pray that what I will say becomes the beginning for many of us today:

Take note of the POSTURE in this church family

Posture: Speaking

The safety and freedom for these women to speak up is crazy.  As someone with great privilege, I can only intellectually see this reality.  A vulnerable group, being slighted was able to share their experience in the church. 

YOUR BAD EXPERIENCE?  Likely connected to this.  Proved to not be a space you could be your true self and share your story and pain, or you never felt secure enough in the body of the church to risk… your need and your experience wasn’t allowed in or held with honor and care…

Posture Listening

Not only could the widows speak up, the church listened.  They heard them, they were present with them.  They gave their words power and heard their experience and pain.  Yes, they get to solving, but before solving, they had a community in which the leadership listened… in which the barrios of gender, power, and culture were down enough to be heard…

Posture: Trusting

This was a church with trust…No proof needed, experience was taken at face-value.  Speaking and Listening without trust and belief is simply being polite.  Trust is the deep act of respect that says you are sharing, I am listening, and I trust your words.

Lake Ave Church, I have to stop right here.  Do you hear me, speaking and listening is just being polite?  Can I say that one of our issues is simply that – being polite.  Being polite is not even the goal – were not done, but we will never get to a deeper place as a church, and I pray grow as a church, if we cannot even speak and listen to each other.

There are important lessons here for us – a convicting call for many in this room… listen to your brother and sister from another culture, race, economic class – allow them to speak, to lead, listen to them and TRUST them and their words and experience.  Stop asking for them to prove themselves, their experience – lets them speak, listen to your brother and sister, and the evidence of if we can trust one another is:

Posture: Addressing

Can we get people working on addressing the needs?  Spiritual leadership decided to address and solve the problem.  This is what I have signed up for… being part of the Spiritual Leadership of Lake Avenue Church – that doesn’t simply focus on the structure of the church, or a=the identity in our polity, or the formal things we are “supposed” to do… no, it was Ray Ortlund who said,

• "I refuse to be an ordinary pastor! I refuse to pastor an ordinary church!"

Ordinary church looks like the culture around them… no different.  And if you have not gotten the memo, the world around us would not trust the experiences and stories of those who are different.  Social realities, cultural differences – all used to divide, all connected to mistrust and dismissal… and sadly, still often times around the issues and stories of the widow, orphan, stranger (immigrant), and the poor…

We have a chance to be extraordinary… and it seems like if we can grow in our posture – we have a shot. 

Lake, let’s get to serving – no overdrawn process here, there are needs here… let’s get some folks on them and get them addressed.  Let’s talk, listen, and trust – and get going. We have a mission to fulfill!

The Bible tells us that the gates of hell will not prevail and the Church of Jesus will triumph …. Yet, the small c-church will never fulfill God’s full intent without obedience as we have seen in Acts 6… so LAC, be assured the big C-church will prevail, but as a small c-church we got issues… and I sense God saying to us:

So give 'em all to me
And I'll give mine to you
Bask in the glory
Of all our problems
'Cause we got the kind of love
It takes to solve 'em

Chinese Study Notes

介紹：

使徒行傳 4:32-34

³² 那一群信徒都同心合意，沒有一個人說他所擁有的哪樣東西是自己的；相反，他們凡物共有。33使徒們大有能力地為主耶穌的復活做見證，並且在他們每個人身上都有極大的恩典。34他們當中沒有一個缺乏的人，因為凡是擁有田產或房屋的人，都賣掉了那些東西，把所賣得的錢拿來，35放在使徒們的腳前，按照各人的需要分給每個人。

你是否承認這個教會相當健康？從這個描述看，被聖靈充滿的新共同體士氣高昂，教會裡的人似乎無憂無慮，他們所參與的運動也非常特別，至今還沒有負面的東西出現。

你今早有沒有與人坦誠相待？今早我看見一個牧師要會眾舉手，表示在教會有不好的經歷，這使我深受感動。如果你有不好經歷的話，你會舉手嗎？你能否現在舉手示意，我們好知道這裡有多少人沒有經歷第4章那樣的教會生活？

如果你沒有經歷過，很遺憾，請給我們一點時間改進。在第4章，教會有幾個月的好日子，但到了第6章，蜜月結束，現實開始擊打教會。我們也會經歷這樣的事，無法逃避，因為作為教會，我們也有問題。

如果看著你旁邊的人說：“你有問題”—他們會立即回擊你：“你也有！”

我們的目標不是說教會一點問題都沒有，而是要意識到問題， 解決問題，使教會可以提供一個更健康、更自由的環境。

2017年有一首流行歌曲，我認為總結了教會的現狀…記住，教會就是我們，一群人…這首歌雖然說的是一般關係，但有其深刻的地方，適用於我們。茱莉亞·麥克斯所唱這首歌的歌名就是：問題。

歌詞:

因為我有問題
而你也有
把你的都給我
我也把我的都給你
讓我們的問題曝露在榮光裡

因為我們有這樣的愛
可以解決問題

我們都有問題，這個教會也有問題…教會常常有問題。

你參加的是一個有問題的教會！如果你是訪客，我們歡迎，但我們承認自己的問題！如果你正想加入，請考慮，帶著你的問題一起來吧…因為我們是一個有問題的教會！

我們之前看到，早期教會的第一個問題就是不誠實和欺騙…罪的問題。我們今天所看到的問題是教會成長的必然結果。

      作為一個擴展和開拓福音新疆界的教會，一定會經歷成長的痛苦和管教，是的，都是家庭問題。

      翻到使徒行傳第6章，讓我們看看耶路撒冷教會家庭的問題吧。

經文：

使徒行傳 6：1-7

在那些日子裡，門徒增多。說希臘語的猶太人抱怨那些說希伯來語的猶太人，因為他們的寡婦在每日的服事上被忽略了。2於是十二使徒召來全體門徒，說：“我們撇下神的話語，去管理飯食，是不妥當的。3所以弟兄們，要從你們當中挑選七個有好名聲、充滿聖靈和智慧的人；我們就委任他們統管這事務。4這樣，我們將可專心于禱告和福音的服事工作。”5這話使全體會眾都喜悅，於是選出了司提反——他是一個充滿信仰和聖靈的人，還有腓利、普羅克羅、尼卡諾、提門、帕米納，以及入猶太教的安提阿人尼古拉斯。6他們請這些人站在使徒們面前，使徒們就禱告，按手在他們身上。7這樣，神的話語不斷擴展，在耶路撒冷門徒的人數大大增多，並且有一大群祭司也聽從了這信仰。

講道：

      我請你記下事情的來龍去脈…問題就在其中，我們下一步要去對付，但注意這些問題的起因

• “門徒增多”
• 他們處理好問題之後，第7節說, “這樣，神的話語不斷擴展，在耶路撒冷門徒的人數大大增多，並且有一大群祭司也聽從了這信仰。”

看看，教會成長了，教會問題也來了；而解決了問題之後，教會又繼續成長。你不想更多地瞭解這個嗎？作為成長的果子到底發生了什麼，又最終帶來怎樣的成長？

讓我們一小段一小段地看，然後我們會有清晰的應用…讓這段經文成為“這就是我們”…

1在那些日子裡，門徒增多。說希臘語的猶太人抱怨那些說希伯來語的猶太人，因為他們的寡婦在每日的服事上被忽略了。

• 使徒行傳開始時，耶穌只有120個參差不齊的門徒，這個鄉下的小家庭教會對耶路撒冷來說不足掛齒。但到了第5章，教會爆炸性成長，第4章已經至少有1萬道1萬5千的信徒了。看6：1節，教會還在成長！不過，任何運動或組織的成長都會帶來問題。

• 在這個成長期間，教會從一群希利尼猶太人那裡聽到了一些抱怨。
• “希利尼人” 指的是說希臘語的信徒，他們抱怨希伯來的寡婦們得到特殊照顧，而他們的寡婦們被忽略了 。這裡表面上說的是食物供應，其實本質上是偏見。
• 當你聽到“希利尼”的時候，你知道他們生來是猶太人，但在完全的希臘文化中長大；或者是轉變信仰到猶太教的希臘人，現在跟隨了主；這意味著他們說希臘語，穿著生活都是希臘化的。希伯來猶太人也許會把他們當作叛教者，這自然就帶來了張力，當然還有文化和語言的問題。他們在信主前就在這裡，或許這種緊張關係讓他們來到了教會。
• 這兩個群體的文化問題最終激化在對待寡婦的問題上。從使徒行傳到整本新約，都圍繞著舊約留下來的張力…在接下來的講道中，我們會涉及這些問題…不論是飲食還是割禮，都會看見新約中的轉變…這個故事告訴我們一些遺留的問題。
• 神呼召我們照顧經濟上和社會上的弱勢群體，我們看聖經，一定會看到這是對神子民的一貫要求，要優先照顧孤兒寡婦、異鄉人和貧窮人。
• 神的心意和呼召始於摩西五經，再經先知確認， 由神的話和耶穌的事工見證，現在輪到初期教會了…
• 信仰遇到社會現實…神子民要回應神的心意…我們提倡從愛護、救贖的基本層面關心這群人…這就是我為什麼要在領養、移民問題上爭辯，不是為了政治，而是為了信仰。
• 我們有文化衝突、社會衝突—關於這些衝突，耶穌都教導過了---所以使徒們知道這些問題，那他們要怎麼做呢？

2於是十二使徒召來全體門徒，說：“我們撇下神的話語，去管理飯食，是不妥當的…”

• 這不是說管理飯食不重要

• 當教會成長和改變時，它的結構一定要與時俱進，可以面對新的問題

• 我們以後要在新約中更多地看見教會是一個肌體（哥林多前書），此時教會正要扮演這樣一個角色。

• 這裡，有人要專注話語的事奉，有人要管理飯食；接下來我們會看到禱告的事奉

• 第2節中，教會沒有忽略問題，而是認真對待，擴展了教會的功能。教會不是一個觀眾運動，而是一個團隊運動，是多功能的…講道、禱告、服事

3所以弟兄們，要從你們當中挑選七個有好名聲、充滿聖靈和智慧的人；我們就委任他們統管這事務。4這樣，我們將可專心于禱告和福音的服事工作。

• 為了回應教會成長的需要，他們選出了愛主的會友，都是有好名聲、充滿聖靈和智慧，委身於自己服事的人；團隊運動開始了

• 他們被委任的是服事而不是一個職稱，這是為了寡婦的需要而做的結構性調整。他們選擇人做這份工是極具策略性的。讓我們看下面兩節：

5這話使全體會眾都喜悅，於是選出了司提反——他是一個充滿信仰和聖靈的人，還有腓利、普羅克羅、尼卡諾、提門、帕米納，以及入猶太教的安提阿人尼古拉斯。6他們請這些人站在使徒們面前，使徒們就禱告，按手在他們身上。

• 團隊
  • 有意思的是這個名單上的7個名字都是希臘名。你記得是誰抱怨的嗎？是講希臘語的寡婦。現在，如果希利尼寡婦認為被希伯來人忽略了，那麼讓希伯來信徒來負責這事會使她們滿意麼？不，只能增加更多的緊張。
  • 他們所做的非常有智慧。雖然可以選希伯來人或希利尼人，但為了合一的緣故，使徒們授權給希利尼信徒，因為他們代表那個群體，知道寡婦們的關切和需要。
  • 故事：連牧師是緬甸移民教會的牧師，這個難民群體在芝加哥已經定居了10年。他是一個了不起的牧師，現在有一個成長的教會。他是一個牧養的牧師而不是徒有其名。我今天不講他，儘管他的服事讓我深受感動…這些信徒有很多現實的需要…我怎麼買車？怎麼叫員警？如何適應一個新國度、陌生的語言？這些文化和社會的問題…如果一個教會聽到了這些需要，為他們提供資源解決問題，我可以想像那將會帶來多大的影響，讓耶穌的教會有多大的成長！
  • 讓我們記住，當教會中出現社會需要和文化問題時，我們當選擇那些對這類需要最熟悉和與之最近的人來帶領處理過程。
  • 他們被委任去解決問題，而不是去調查看看值不值得處理。他們之所以立即行動是因為他們知道照顧寡婦是神的心意。

7這樣，神的話語不斷擴展，在耶路撒冷門徒的人數大大增多，並且有一大群祭司也聽從了這信仰。

• 他們解決這些問題是討聖靈喜悅的…其結果使教會持續增長…
• 這對我們今天有什麼意義？

應用：

當我學習這一段時，我發現有兩個強調點可以應用在今天，首先是關於教會領袖。有人說，這段經文清楚表明講道的要集中在講道上，不要在行政上分心；同時也提醒我們教會的架構和執事的選舉，馬太牧師上周打趣說這是耶路撒冷的事工委員會。有人注意到第5節說“全體會眾都喜悅”，這證明了由會眾通過可以幫助教會的建制…我不反對這種說法，我要清楚地看見這是對的；這些經節確實談及一個行政問題。

但另一方面更是談到關係問題。面對文化的不同，不能簡單使用行政手段；這些經文還表達了在一個新的教會家庭如何分享生命…這也是今天教會仍然要面對的---當一群人從不同文化、生活背景和經歷來到一起進入一個新家庭時，所有這些問題都會出現---我們當如何對待彼此，好成為神造我們的樣子。

      行政還是關係？都是…我感覺今天我們教會要深入學習這段經文，讓神的話幫助我們面對家庭問題…

      讓我簡明地分享有關“行政”的一些思考：

1. 事工型而非建制型

我不認為這些經文可以簡單作為一個教會的架構，我們不能只根據它們形成正式的教會政策。我看到當一個教會的架構只是為了某種需要時，將有損教會的事工，這裡說的事工通常包括以下三方面：

• 話語的事奉
• 禱告的事奉
• 服務的事奉

      所有這些都是耶穌的門徒應當關注的事，但對每一個參與者而言，神有一個更深刻的呼召…

2. 服事而非領導

這段經文沒有使用執事一詞—那時還沒有正式的執事職稱…但性質上更有能動性和回應性。這裡使用的不是名詞，而是動詞：服事。

      服事是神對百姓的心意和教會的使命…我們看見他們委身於服事工作是很嚴肅的事…按手禱告…我們這樣做、你們這樣做…我們一起服事…這就是“行政”的另一面：

3. 每人都有一個角色

人人服事，人人得著；更多的事工得以完成，更好的工作得以成就，更多的人得以認識主。
      你在教會家庭裡的角色是什麼？我這麼說可能讓你有壓迫感…但坦白說，這種關聯式應用本身就比我們的想像有更多的壓迫感…

      在快結束的時候，我禱告今天我可以為大家帶來一個新的開始：   

請記下一個教會家庭應有的態度

講的態度

這些婦女可以如此自由和大膽地講出自己的抱怨實在了不起！我只有在特權人士身上才能看到…通常一個弱小的群體很難在教會發聲，講出自己的經歷。

你有不好的經歷嗎？就是說，你沒有方法分享你的故事和痛苦，不能作真實的自己，在教會沒有安全感…你的需要和經歷不能說出，也不能被認真對待…

聽的態度

不僅是寡婦講了，教會也認真聽了，因為教會應該代表她們。教會給她們說話的權柄可以訴說她們的經歷和痛苦…於是問題得到解決，但重要的是，這個共同體的領袖們願意聽…所謂的性別、力量、文化都要讓位於傾聽！

信任的態度

這是一個信任的教會…很明顯，這經歷是因為信仰的緣故。沒有信任和信仰的“說與聽”不過是禮貌…信任反映了深深尊重，你分享，我傾聽，我信任你所講的。

我們教會呢？我不得不打住…你們聽我的嗎？說與聽只是出於禮貌嗎？我能否說我們的一個問題就是太過禮貌…禮貌其實不是一個目標，反而會妨礙教會進深。我禱告我們能彼此真誠說與聽，作為教會家庭一起成長。

      我們要學習一些重要的功課---對我們中許多人都是一個呼召…聽一聽不同文化、種族、經濟階層的弟兄姊妹怎麼說…讓他她們說、聽他她們的、信任他她們的話和經歷…不要讓他她們提供證明---讓他她們說，聽你弟兄姊妹的，彼此信任的證據就是：

解決問題的態度

我們有人來解決問題嗎？你們的屬靈領袖已經做了決定，作為他們中的一員，我已經簽名了…不要只是說教會架構或教會政治，或其它我們必須做的什麼正式事情…不！瑞奧蘭牧師說：

• “我拒絕成為一個平凡的牧師！拒絕成為一個平凡教會的牧師！”

      所謂平凡的教會就是與周圍文化無異的教會…你當知道，這個世界不會信任與之不同的人的經歷和故事。社會現實、文化不同，只帶來了分裂、不信任和解雇…可悲的是，這些事常常發生在孤兒寡婦和移民、窮人身上…

      我們有機會不同凡響…如果我們可以改進我們的態度…

      Lake 教會啊，讓我們去服事—這裡沒有繁複的程式，只有需要…讓我們説明一些人，解決一些問題…讓我們說、聽、信任…成就我們的使命！

      聖經說，陰間的門不能勝過，耶穌的教會必將凱旋…但是小信的教會不能成就神的旨意…我們從第六章已經看到…Lake 教會啊，讓我們成為有信心的得勝教會，而不是面對問題小信的教會…我聽到神對我們說：

把你的都給我
我也把我的都給你
讓我們的問題曝露在榮光裡

因為我們有這樣的愛
可以解決問題

}