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我們的學生,我們的將來 Our Student, Our Future - Introduction to AFC Vancouver 使者事工簡介


在讀書時有參加教會的學生中,
在畢業後幾年仍然有穩定教會生活的比例:
4%

這個數字對某些人來說可能是意料之外的低,但亦可能你已經一早察覺這趨勢。我們也早看到了。在華人教會內年輕人的數字在過去十多年正在一直的下跌,而最近有一些堂會甚至要被逼結束經營了多年的青年團契。

到底是怎麼一回事呢?有些人歸究於說廣東話的移民人數下跌,儘管滿街仍是操廣東話而又未認識福音的年青人,而基督徒的人口比例又永遠停留在個位數字。其實,我們發覺最大的問題不是沒有說廣東話的學生,更不是沒有人願意參加青年團契和信主,而是年輕信徒的屬靈生命大多膚淺和脫節。他們一方面決志信主,參加教會;但另一方面當他們從簡單的校園進到複雜的世界,面對真實生活的各種挑戰的時候,他們那與生活割裂的膚淺信仰卻並不足以盛載他們,為他們解釋他們掉進的這個新世界。當他們的信仰與生活脫鉤,那就是他們離開教會的時候了。

你甘願見到年青人的「屬靈生命」只不過是這樣子嗎?

加拿大基督使者協會的異象,是透過創新的聚會和個人的接觸服侍教會,幫助學生將基督信仰與生活整合,以致無論未信或已決志的學生,最終都能成為一生跟隨主耶穌基督的門徒。投過建立委身的基督徒學生宣教群體,我們期望將福音轉化生命的信息滲進年青人的文化裡面。

加拿大基督使者協會由始自戴德生牧師的中國內地會已故宣教士徐松齡牧師(Rev. Stephen Knights)於1972年創立;在過去三十多年一直與加拿大的華人學生與教會同行。使者著意進入年青人的文化和生活模式當中,在那裡服侍他們,使他們在生活中與基督相遇。我們在溫哥華三方面的學生事工也是如此。

首先,我們的旗艦「Jubilization雀躍體驗」門訓敬拜聚會就是一例。我們使用年青人熟悉的多媒體和經驗式敬拜程序,將紮實和生活化的聖經教導帶給年青人和學生。我們針對學生生活中最火熱的問題,透過音樂、話劇、講道和其他藝術媒介,挑戰年青人和學生從聖經的角度反省和生活,活出福音。從「Jubilization雀躍體驗」引伸出來的「I.D.Zone整全門徒訓練講座」、「The Jubilant」敬拜讚美隊、「JJ959.com」網上事工和「好讀GoodRead」屬靈閱讀計劃,更深地將整全的教導緊扣在新一代年青人的生命中。

其次,我們廣受歡迎的「霹啪959」電台廣播節目和網上播客(podcast)也是我們整全門訓事工的表表者。在輕鬆和幽默的氣氛裡,每星期日晚11時至12時,我們都在AM1320電台為聽眾演譯和示範一個整全門徒各個層面的生活。「霹啪959」除了是本地其中一個最受歡迎的電台清談節目外,也是在Apple iTunes上其中一個全世界最受歡迎的粵語播客,每週吸引來自世界各地華僑、包括中國內地的下載超過20,000次。

第三方面,使者也將大量資源投放在校園的宣教事工上。我們著力栽培和訓練不同校園團契的領袖,包括UBC和SFU,使他們成為在校園內和將來在職場上的宣教士。許多現在的牧者和教會領袖都曾經在學生年代參加過由使者支持的校園團契事奉,成為他們一生事奉主的轉捩點。

除了以上三方面的事工外,使者也在2000年創辦了溫哥華唯一專門服務新移民學生的非牟利機構「使者學生中心」,透過提供升學輔導和講座、功課輔助、義工計劃、領袖訓練等,幫助新移民學生和家庭面對升學和學業上的困難,裝備他們建立有目標有意義的人生。「使者學生中心」與其他新移民服務機構(例如中僑互助會)合作,每年經轉介或直接接觸超過7000人次,其中絕大部份來自中國內地。「使者學生中心」正好成為向中國內地新移民宣教的重要外展事工接觸點,歷年有不少新移民學生透過「使者學生中心」認識福音,經轉介投入本地教會生活。

使者深願與地方教會配搭,支援堂會在學生事工上的需要。學生和青年事工是一門需要專門經驗和大量資源的事工,而許多堂會在人手、經驗和資源上都或有欠缺。使者正好以我們三十多年的經驗,為堂會在發展學生和青年事工上提供適切的支援,包括領會,訓練和咨詢。如果堂會像家庭醫生,照顧一家的健康,使者就好像青年事工的專科醫生,與家庭醫生配搭,確保基督的身體能健康茁壯地成長。

今日的年青基督徒,明日就會成為教會的領袖。教會承受不起失落一整代的年輕人。只有當年青的基督徒學生願意在生活的每一層面也跟隨主耶穌基督的時候,教會才能長遠地在社會發揮鹽和光的功效。使者的異象,就是一代又一代的加拿大華人學生,都能夠成為終生跟隨耶穌基督的門徒,在教會,在世上忠心事奉,榮耀我們的主。這異象在過去三十多年都沒有改變過,而我們定必繼續委身於這異象。你願意為了下一代與我們一同努力嗎?

使者的經費,並無任何政府或機構的資助,完全仰賴神透過忠心而慷慨的信徒和教會的供應。你可以透過以下方法支持我們:
  1. 留意使者的消息,並恆切為我們代禱
  2. 在教會索閱我們的「新一代」季刊, 並在讀完後轉贈給一位親友
  3. 以奉獻支持我們的事工;或參與「一代夢想」計劃,以自動轉帳或信用咭每月定額奉獻(由每月$25起)
  4. 收聽「霹啪959」電台廣播節目(AM1320逢星期日晚11pm)或網上播客(www.pp959.com),並將之推介給親朋戚友
  5. 鼓勵貴教會的青年團契參與「Jubilization雀躍體驗」門訓敬拜聚會
  6. 邀請使者同工到貴教會或團契領會或分享



4%.
This is the percentage of Christian students who had,
and continue to have, a stable church life upon graduation.

This number may come as a surprise to some people, but maybe you have already noticed this trend. We do too. The number of young people in churches is in constant decline over the last 10 years, and in recent years some churches even had to shut down their youth fellowship.

How could this happen? It is not that there are no young people coming to Christ, but that their faith are shallow and disintegrated. As soon as they migrate from the protected campus to the real world and are exposed to real life challenges, their compartmentalized faith will not be sufficient in carrying them through. Faith becomes irrelevant, and they leave their church.

AFC has been working with Chinese students and youths in Canada for 36 years. Through innovative programs and personal mentoring, we help students and youth integrate the Christian faith with their everyday life, so that not only will they lead a successful, meaningful and vibrant life, but also become life-long disciples of Jesus Christ. By building up communities of committed young Christians, we hope to infuse our culture with the transforming messages of the Gospel.

AFC meets students where they are. Our flagship "Jubilization" worship-discipleship program uses a multi-media and experiential approach to present solid and relevant biblical teaching to students and youth with great impact. We pinpoint to the burning life issues our students experience everyday, and through music, drama, preaching and other artistic means challenging them to reflect and live biblically and theologically. Our Integrated Discipleship Seminars, JJ959.com online ministry and GoodRead reading program all help extend the impact of Jubilization into the lives of a generation of young people.

Our popular PP959 radio show and podcast is another example of our integrated discipleship ministry. In a relaxing and humourous atmosphere, every Sunday night at 11pm at AM1320 we demonstrate to our audience the many facets of the life of an integrated disciple. PP959 has always been one of the most popular local Chinese radio programs, as well as one of the most popular Cantonese podcasts listed on Apple's iTunes Store worldwide.

AFC has also invested in campus mission by training and mentoring student leaders of Chinese Christian Fellowships on different university campuses. Many pastors and church leaders today can recall their life-changing and defining experiences serving in campus fellowships led by AFC.

In addition, AFC also established in 2000 "AFC Student Centre", the first local non-profit organization serving specifically the needs of new immigrant students. Through academic advising seminar and consultation, academic assistance, volunteer program and leadership training etc., AFC Student Centre assists students and their families to overcome hurdles in their academic pursuits, as well as empowers them for leading a meaningful and purposeful life. Working closely with many immigrant services agencies, every year AFC Student Centre serves over 7000 count of people, and the majority of them are from mainland China. AFC Student Centre is thus a strategic contact point for local mainland Chinese mission. Many immigrant students have encountered the Gospel through the ministry of AFC Student Centre.

AFC is committed in partnering with local churches to support their youth ministry needs. While student and youth ministry requires specialized knowledge and relies heavily on the abundance of resources, many local churches do not have these available. AFC can provide to local churches their much needed support in developing youth ministry with our 36 years of experience through specialized programmings, trainings and consultations. We can think of local churches as family doctors, tending to everyone's need; and AFC as a specialist in student ministry, working together with the family doctors to ensure the spiritual health and growth of the body of Christ.

Young Christians today will become leaders of the church tomorrow. The Church cannot afford to lose any generation of young people. Only with young Christians who are committed to follow Christ in all areas of their life can the church function as the salt and light of the world with a sustainable future. Our vision is that generations of Chinese students in Canada will become lifelong followers of Jesus Christ, serving the church and the world and bring glory to our Lord. This vision has not changed in the last 36 years, and we will continue to commit our lives to it.

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加拿大基督使者協會
Ambassadors For Christ in Canada

Unit 2120 Pacific Plaza, 8888 Odlin Crescent
Richmond, BC, Canada V6X3Z8
Tel: 604.278.0642
Fax: 604.278.0643

E-mail: vancouver@afccanada.org

聚會錄音

使者同工主領的部份聚會錄音可以於以下 AFC Speaks 網址下載: