The President's Gallery: Our Families and Legacy of Faith 家庭与信仰的传承
Photo taken by President at CAC Loving Families Carnival, Singapore, May 2023.
会长摄于2023年5月新加坡，华人年议会《爱家倍》嘉年华会。
Following is an abridged version of the CAC Loving Families Sunday sermon given by CAC President, Rev Dr Gregory Goh, on 30 April 2023.
This year, we celebrated CAC Loving Families Sunday for the first time. Families are crucial, playing a vital role in Creation and in God’s kingdom. It intentionally focused on family life, marital relationships, parent-child relationships and passing on a legacy of faith to our children. Every CAC church has formed a ministry committee to implement systematic and strategic plans that support and help the congregation impart biblical family values. The family is critical for passing on the legacy of faith. Today, families are under great pressure, from cases of divorce, poor mental health, suicides, family violence, depression and more. Our families live in a VUCA world – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous – fast-paced and where constant unpredictable changes are the norm. How should we navigate family life in a VUCA world? Christian Author Samuel L. Hamilton wrote in his book “The Family: The Centre of Religious Education”: “Church and Family, being a Christian organisation, are closely intertwined, and mutually interdependent. They are like conjoined twins, and if they were to be dissected, one or both would perish. In such a disordered world, if the church does not make families the pillar of formative Christian education, the church will lose her ability to live out her fullest potential. “Let us work together to nurture the faith of our next generation and pass on our Christian faith from generation to generation. Let me share three points in response to the challenges.
We have received the truth of God’s Word and must decide to follow and serve God.
First, we need a clear conviction. Joshua chapter 24 reminded the Israelites why they should serve God because He showered tremendous grace upon them, chose them to be His people, redeemed them from Egypt, and led them into the Promised Land. In verses 14 to 18, Joshua challenged them to fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. As the leader, Joshua modelled such faith and obedience, by declaring, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”. Joshua made a covenant for the people, and reaffirmed decrees and laws for them. But they must remain loyal to God and obey His Word, otherwise, they would face dire consequences. In VUCA times, we must be resolute on God’s command to us. We have received the truth of God’s Word and must decide to follow and serve God.
Second, we need to be centred on the unchanging truth of the Cross which reminds us that we were once condemned. It reveals God’s mercy and righteousness. Because of His righteousness, He sent His beloved and only begotten Son Jesus Christ to the world to atone for our sin, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Through His redemption, humanity is released from enslavement to sin and reconciled to God. Besides eternal life, we received a new identity as children of God and an everlasting relationship with Him. The cross also reminds us that in this fallen world that we live, we still have some imperfect motives and acts that are not pleasing to God. We need to understand our precious identity in Christ and only when we centre our lives on the grace and truth of God’s salvation through the cross can we be living witnesses for God today. As we nurture the next generation, we need to be vigilant of what pleases God and walk in the light so that when we experience the power of the cross, His profound love, and His forgiveness, we can see clearly and respond to the challenges and impact of today’s world of differing values and lifestyles which demand a clear articulation of our faith. When we understand God’s truth, and experience God’s presence, we will anchor our soul on Him as we encounter rapid changes and an unpredictable future.
Lastly, as God’s people, we need a Christian character which John Wesley said is holiness of heart and life. In Matthew 5, Jesus began teaching the Beatitudes which show us the godly character that God wants us to develop and live out. We are to be in the world but not of the world, living by our words and actions, so as to witness effectively for Christ. Let us encourage one another to strive to grow, mature and develop godly character and live a Christ-centred and God-glorifying life. Christian families need to have these: a clear conviction, a Cross-centred life and a Christian character. Let us pray fervently for our family life ministries and our families. May our Chinese Annual Conference be a Church that is after God’s heart, a strong disciple-making faith community equipped to pass on our Christian faith from generation to generation. May God’s favour be upon us. Amen.
Full Sermon Recording: bit.ly/CACLF2023Sermon
以下是会长2023年4月30日华人年议会《爱家倍》主日的 证道摘录。
今年举办爱家倍家庭主日是因为我们深切意识到家庭 的重要性。希望透过这主日，我们多关注家庭生活、夫妻 与亲子关系，也希望教会藉此提升和巩固符合圣经的家庭 价值观。圣经如此嘱咐：我今日所吩咐你的话都要记在心 上，也要殷勤教训你的儿女。无论你坐在家里，行在路 上，躺下，起来，都要谈论。（申6：6-7）由此可见，家 庭在信仰传承中扮演着一个极为重要的角色。
智能手机能让我们知天下事，但也带来许多负面影响。 家庭成员，甚至在教会里，我们都不能专心来做一件事， 它把我们的注意力分散了！我们看到家庭成员虽然坐在一 起，但各自滑着自己的手机或平板电脑，大家都低着头专 注于自己的事。
有人把今日世界称为VUCA 的世界。Volatile: 激烈改变 而难以控制；Uncertain: 不稳定而难以预测；Complex: 错 综复杂而造成混乱；Ambiguous: 模糊不清而失去正确的价 值观。这样的大环境对我们社会的架构、家庭的机制、整个 国家、甚至教会，都带来了极大的威胁和破坏。 教会需要认真看待家庭事工，爱加倍主日就是为此而设。 我们希望各堂会关注家庭，把更多的资源投入当中，积极面 对时代对家庭的挑战。教会可以检讨各项活动，无论是团 契、小组、主日学等等，从而引导弟兄姐妹建立合乎圣经的 家庭价值观，并且有效地传承下去。 Samuel L. Hamilton的《家庭：信仰的中心》强调：“教 会与家庭，是紧紧连在一块，像连体双胞胎，如果将二者分 割，其中一个或者两个都可能死亡。在这个扭曲的世界里， 若教会没有以家庭作为培育基督教信仰的柱石，将无法发挥 其功能。”我非常同意这见解。
我要分享以下三点来回应今日的时代：
1. 清楚前进的异象与抉择：约书亚向以色列民立下榜样， 他宣告说：“至於我和我家，我们必定事奉耶和华。” （ 书24：15b）面对与时俱进和不稳定的世界，你必须做出 抉择。
2. 明白和经历十架不变真理：十字架让我们晓得自己是个 罪人以及认识上帝的救恩，知道所信的是什么，使我们能 抵御外面似是而非的道理。
3. 培育天国子民的品格：卫斯理约翰称为“成圣的生命” 。耶稣的八福提及我们所应有的生命品格。若能活出圣经 的教导，在这时代，我们就能为主作见证。 让我们同心协力建立家庭，教会在计划事工时不要忘 记家庭。我们共同积极地回应这个时代对家庭的挑战，且 让我们为着家庭、教会以及教会与家庭的配搭同心祷告。 愿大家在嘉年华会中彼此聚集，一起见证与宣告我们的信 仰，让教会成为合乎上帝心意的家，我们的子子孙孙得蒙上帝的祝福。
完整证道视频: bit.ly/CACLF2023Sermon
Rev Dr Gregory Goh Nai Lat
吴乃力牧师（博士）
President of the Chinese Annual Conference of the Methodist Church in Singapore
新加坡卫理公会华人年议会会长