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Manna issue 70 - Care More, Pray More, Serve More 更多關心，禱告，服事

Lessons learned from a campus fellowship. 校園團契

Nathanael Kuo—Washington, D.C., USA 美國華盛頓特區 高拿但業

In the name of Jesus Christ, I testify of
God’s grace to our campus fellowship
during my senior year in college.

奉主耶穌基督聖名作見証，
我要見証神在我大四的那一年，
給我們校園團契的恩典。

THE FELLOWSHIP AT UIUC 美國伊利諾大學香檳分校的團契

I was born and raised in New Jersey,
USA, but in 2003, I moved away to
attend college at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).
UIUC is a remote area about two and
a half hours drive from the nearest
church in Chicago, but it had a True
Jesus Church (TJC) campus fellowship
of about ten believers. Every Sabbath
we had service, comprising Bible
studies on Friday evenings and
Saturday afternoons, and sermon
recordings on Saturday mornings. By
God’s grace, the fellowship continued
from my first year (freshman) to my
last year (senior) in college, although
the number fluctuated as members
came and went.

我在美國紐澤西出生並且長大，
但是我搬到大學去，就讀美國伊利諾大學香檳分校。
UIUC是一個偏避的地方，從附近最近的芝加哥教會，都要開2小時半的車程，
但它卻有約10個信徒，形成了真耶穌教會的校園團契。
每個安息日我們會作禮拜，在星期五晚上及星期六下午聚集查經，
並且在星期六早上聽講道錄音。
因著神的恩典，團契從我大一到大四最後一年一直持續著，
雖然成員的數目是來來走走的。

By my third year, we were down to
five members. Yet the fellowship was
still strong. I stayed with two other
brothers, both of whom zealously
served God. We would take turns
to lead the Bible studies, and every
Wednesday evening, we would pray
together. Besides us, there were also
two other members—an older sister
from Taiwan studying in graduate
school and a brother who had
recently believed.

到第三年的時候，我們的成員減少到只剩5個人。
然而團契仍然很堅強。
我們另外二個弟兄住在一起，他們兩個都很熱心服事神。
我們會在每個星期三晚上，輪流主持查經，並且一起禱告。
除了我們之外，也有其他兩個信徒，
一個比較年長的姐妹，她從台灣來讀研究所，
以及一個最近信主的弟兄。

However, at the end of my third
year, both roommates graduated
and left. I suddenly realized there
were only three of us remaining,
barely enough to have Bible study
together. Although the other two
members were good members, they
were not yet in the serving stage of
their faith. The sister only attended
services on Friday evenings, since
she spent her time on Saturdays
studying. The brother, a new believer,
had just begun to attend services
regularly. So when my last year at
university came around, I harbored
many negative feelings. I was scared
because I thought I would be alone.
I was under pressure because I felt
that the responsibility of keeping the
fellowship together rested upon me.
I also resented God because there
were no new undergraduate church
members. I knew all along that it
could happen, but I had always
thought that God would provide; yet
in the end, no one came.

然而在我第三年結束的時候，二個室友就畢業離開了。
我突然才了解到，只有我們三個還在，很難在一起查經。
雖然其他二個信徒也是好信徒，但是在他們信仰的狀態上，還沒進入服事的程度。
這個姐妹只在星期五晚上來參加聚會，因為她要用星期六的時間來讀書。
而弟兄是一個新信徒，才剛剛開始養成定期參加聚會的習慣。
所以當我大四最後一年快到的時候，我心中有許多負面的想法。
我很害怕，因為我想我會很孤單。
我承受到壓力，因為我認為要把這個團續維持下去的責任在我。
我也討厭神，因為沒有新的大學教會信徒。
我一直以都這樣的事情會開生，
但我總認為神會預備，然而最後卻沒有一個人來這裡。

THE STORY OF THE FIRST TRUTH SEEKER 第一個慕道者的故事

In August 2006, three of us
congregated for our first Friday
evening meeting since term started.
Although we knew it would be
difficult with only three members,
we were determined to continue.
However, because we lacked
manpower, we decided to have just
one Bible study service per week on
Friday evenings.

2006年八月，我們三個慶祝學期開始的第一次星期五聚會。
雖然我們知道，只有三個成員可能會很困難，我們決心要繼續下去。
然而因為我們沒有人力，就決定每周在星期五晚上作一次查經。

Around the same time, I also
received the contact information of
a potential truth-seeker. A friend’s
friend from Taiwan had come to study
at UIUC, and I was asked to contact
her because she might be interested
to learn more about God. I had never
invited a stranger to church before,
but thank God, she readily accepted
my invitation to attend the Friday
night Bible study service.

大約同時，我也收到一個可能信主的慕道者連絡資料。
有一個朋友的朋友從台灣來到伊利諾大學香檳分校就讀，
我們要求去連絡她 因為她可能有興趣知道更多有關神的事。
以從我從來沒有邀請過陌生人到教會來，
但是感謝神，她很快接受我的邀請，來參加星期五晚上的查經聚會。

The following Friday, the truthseeker
joined us for Bible studies. It
was a little awkward at first, because
there were only four of us and we
were studying Matthew 1, on the
genealogy of Jesus Christ. It did
not seem to be a good first topic
for a truth-seeker, but thank God, it
turned out well, almost like a truthseeker
class, because we could ask
her which names from the genealogy
she recognized and introduced to her
those characters she didn’t know.

接下來的星期五，慕道者就加入我們一起查經。
第一次感學有點尷尬，因為只有我們四個人，我們開始查考馬太福音第一章
研讀耶穌基督的家譜。
對於一個慕道者而言，看起來並不是一個很好的第一次讀經主題，
但感謝神，結果卻發展的很好，就好像是一個慕道班一樣，
因為我們可以問她，從家譜上的名字之中，她能認識那一個，
並且介紹給她認識那些她不認識的人。

Before we concluded to pray,
she shared with us that she was
desperately looking for a sublessee.
She had rented one apartment,
but had to move out as she was
given a cat as a gift, and pets were
not allowed in this apartment. She
rented another apartment, only to
realize that she could not break her
contract with the first apartment
and ended up having to pay rentals
for both apartments. As UIUC is a
campus town, very few move into
town after the semester starts. We
were not really sure what to tell her;
all we could say was that we would
pray for her. The following week,
when we picked her for Bible study,
we were amazed to discover that she
had already found a sublessee! I was
really surprised that God answered
our prayer so promptly.

在我們結束禱告之前，她和我們分享，她很急想找一個分擔房租的室友。
她已經租一間公寓，但要搬出去，因為她得到禮物一隻貓，但這間公寓不准養寵物。
她租了另一個公寓，那時才了解到，她不能結束第一個公寓的合約，
結果她要付二間公寓的房租。
因為伊利諾大學香檳分校是一座大學城，在學期開始之後，就很少有人會搬進來。
我們真的不知道要怎麼跟她說；
我們只能說，我們會為她禱告。
接下來一周，當我們去接她來查經的時候，
我們很驚奇的發現，她已經找到了承租人！
我的真很驚訝，神這麼快就回應了我們的禱告。

THE STORY OF THE SECOND TRUTH-SEEKER 第二個慕道者的故事

Several months later, in November, we
had a Thanksgiving dinner together
and the truth-seeker brought one of
her friends along. We did not think
much about it at the time, but after
the Thanksgiving break, this friend
also joined our Bible study service.

幾個月之後，十一月的時候，我們一起吃感恩節晚餐，
這個慕道者也帶她一個朋友來。
在那時，我們並沒有想很多，但是在感恩節之後，
這個朋友也加入了我們的查經聚會。

As the Bible study was ending, the
second truth-seeker also shared her
problem with us. The university had
unfairly charged her an extra 3500 US
dollars in tuition fees when she opted
out of two classes and registered for
another class. Despite her petition
to the university’s financial services,
nothing had happened for two
months; moreover, she incurred a
late fee charge for not paying the
original fee. Like we did with the first
truth-seeker, we could only tell her
that we would pray for her.

在查經結束之後，這第二個慕道者也把她的問題告訴我們。
學校很不公平地要求她額外付學費美金$3500，當她在二個課中選擇，註冊了另一個。
雖然她有向學校的財務部門申訴，二個月了，什麼事情都沒有發生；
不只這樣，她因為沒有付原來那個課程的費用，而因為遲交要罰錢。
我們就像上次幫第一個慕道者一樣，
我們只能告訴她，我們會為她禱告。

The following Monday, she went
to the financial services office and
asked me to accompany her. When
we met with financial services staff,
they realized the additional charge
was actually due to a computer
error. Therefore, this second truthseeker
was not responsible for the
extra charge or the accompanying
late fee. Once again, I was amazed
that God answered these prayers so
promptly. From then on, this second
truth-seeker also started to join us
consistently on Friday evenings.

接下來的星期一，她到財務部門辨公室，並且請我陪她去。
當我們面對該部門的職員時，他們才明白，原來遲交的發生是因為電腦錯誤。
所以，第二個慕道者應該不用為此額外費用負責，及要付隨之而來的罰款。
再一次，我覺得很神奇，神又這麼快的回應了我們的禱告。
從那時開始，這第二個慕道者，也開始在星期五晚上一直參加我們的聚會。

THE STORY OF THE THIRD TRUTH-SEEKER 第三個慕道者的故事

One Friday evening in January
2007, the first truth-seeker brought
another friend. I then realized that
our fellowship had doubled! When I
pondered over this later, I was moved
to tears. All this time, I had thought I
was just there to survive this one year,
but God gave us three truth-seekers.
I was also very touched to see God
abiding with us, and yet we had done
nothing to deserve such grace.

2007年星期五晚上，第一個慕道者帶了另一個朋友來。
我那時才知道，我們的團契已經成長二倍了！
之後我在想這件事的時候，我到感動到流淚。
一直以後，我只想到我在那裡只有撐過這一年就好
但神卻給我們三個慕道者。
我也很感動，能看到神與我們同在，
而我們卻什麼都沒作，怎配得這樣的恩典。

When we were about to pray to
conclude that Bible study service,
like the two previous times, this third
truth-seeker also shared her problem.
After being in the graduate program
for a semester, she was beginning to
experience anxiety simply from being
on campus. Again, her situation was
difficult, and we had no idea what to
do, but we decided we would pray
about it. In the end, this third truthseeker
did not stay long because the
answer to her prayer was to return
home to Taiwan. Even so, during the
two months that she stayed with us,
she seemed to have peace whenever
she joined us for Bible studies.

當我們要禱告，來結束查經聚會的時候，
就像以前二次一樣，這第三個慕道者也分享了她的問題。
在就讀了一學期的研究所課程之後，
只要是走在校園中，就會感到很焦慮。
再一次，她的情況是很嚴重的，我們也不知道要作什麼，
但我們決定要為這件事禱告。
最後，第三個慕道者並沒有留很久，
因為對她禱告的回應，就是讓回家到台灣去。
即使是這樣，在這二個月期間，她和我們在一起，
當她和我們一起查經的時候，她似乎得到的平靜。

THE STORY OF THE SISTER 姐妹的故事

Besides the truth-seekers, God also
showered much grace upon the
other two members and me. One
night in October of that senior
year, I could not sleep because I
was thinking about the older sister
in the fellowship. Since she was
nearly old enough to be my mother,
I thought, if I saw my own mother
working so hard and not attending
services on Saturdays, would I not
say something?

除了慕道者之外，神也賞賜許多恩典給我和其他兩位姐妹。
大四那一年十月的一個晚上，我睡不著，因為我正在想著團契裡面那位比較年長的姐妹。
因為她年紀大到足夠作我的母親，我就想，
若我看見自已的媽媽這麼努力工作，星期六卻不來參加聚會，
難道我不會說些什麼嗎？

While I was thinking about it, this
sister called and asked me if I could
come by the following day to help
her with a few things. The next day,
after helping her, I blurted, “It would
be really great if you could join us
on Saturdays also.” Although she
felt bad about it, she told me she
really needed her Saturdays to study.
I thought I had tried my best, and I
would leave it at that, since in the
end, it was her choice.

當我在想這件事的時候，這個姐姐打電話來問我，
是不是隔天可以經過一下來幫她處理一些事情。
隔日幫她之後，突然就脫口而出，
"若你也能在星期六來參加聚會，就真的很棒。"
雖然她覺得不好，她告訴我，她真的需要用星期六來讀書。
我認為自已盡力勸說了，這件事就到此為止，因為到最後，這也是她自已的選擇。

After I left UIUC, a preacher
visited her. Although I do not know
the details, from that day forth, she
started to attend Saturday morning
services every week. The sister
remembered that day I talked to
her about joining Saturday services
and how it was a turning point for
her. Thank God, this sister’s faith
continued to grow while she was in
the fellowship.

在我離開 UIUC 之後，有一位傳道去訪問她。
雖然我不知道細節，從那天開始，她每個禮拜六都會參加安息日早上的聚會。
這個姐妹記得那一天，我告訴她要參加安息日聚會，並且這件事為何成為一個轉捩點。
感謝神，這位姐妹的信仰在團契的時候，開始成長。

THE STORY OF THE BROTHER 弟兄的故事

I also saw how the faith of the other
brother grew in our fellowships. He
was baptized for only two years and
had not yet been actively serving. But
during my senior year, this brother
became a real comfort to me by not
just being a brother, but also a coworker
and friend. He opened his
apartment for our fellowships, drove
his car to pick truth-seekers, and
even offered to help with leading
Bible studies. However, since he did
not have the Holy Spirit at that time
and had little experience leading Bible
studies, we decided that I would lead
the Bible studies whenever I could.

我也看到另一個弟兄在我們的團契中信心如何增長。
他只有受洗兩年，還沒有很主動來服事。
但是在我大四那一年，這位弟兄變得讓我很安心，
他不只是一位弟兄，也是一位好同工及好朋友。
他開放自已的公寓給大家團契，
開車去接送慕道者，甚至主動提出要幫忙帶領查經。
然而，因為那時候他沒有聖靈，只有少少的經驗來帶領查經，
我們決定無論什麼時候，只要我可以的話，就由我來帶領查經。

After my graduation in May 2007,
this brother was left with the sister
and the two truth-seekers. I was
worried because I wondered what
would become of the fellowship after
I left. That summer, he decided to
attend the National Youth Theological
Seminar (NYTS), and I also went as a
counselor. We prayed earnestly that
he would receive the Holy Spirit,
because we knew that he would
need the Holy Spirit in the year to
come. Thank God, our prayers were
answered. It was such perfect timing,
for God gave him the Holy Spirit just
in time to enable him to lead the
campus fellowship. From then on, I
felt relieved because I knew that God
would take care of the fellowship
through this brother.

在我2007年五月畢業之後，這個弟兄和另一位姐妹及二位慕道者還留下來。
我很擔心，因為我會想，在我離開團契之後，團契會變成什麼樣子。
那年夏季我決定參加全國青年神訓班，同時在那裡也身兼輔導員。
我很迫切禱告，他可以得到聖靈，
因為我知道在即將到來的一年，他會需要聖靈的幫助。
感謝神，我們的禱告得到了神的回應。
就是那麼完美的時間點，神讓他及時得到聖靈，讓他可以帶領校園團契。
從那時開始，我才感到放心，因為我知道，神會經由這位弟兄的帶領，好好照顧這個團契。

THE END OF THE FELLOWSHIP 團契結束

A year after I graduated, I returned
to visit and attend the graduation
ceremonies of the two truth-seekers.
It turned out that the fellowship came
to a perfect end, as everyone else left
at roughly the same time. The two
truth-seekers graduated on the same
day and the sister completed her
degree a couple of weeks afterwards.
The brother who had taken up the
fellowship also left that summer,
deciding to transfer to a school closer
to church.

畢業一年之前，我回去探訪，並且去參加兩位慕道者的畢業典禮。
結果是這個團契最後有一個完全的結束，因為每個人離開這裡都是大約相同的時間。
兩位慕道者在同一天畢業，那位姐妹在幾個星期之後，也完成了她的學位，
而接任團契的那位弟兄，也在那個夏天離開校園，
決定要轉到一個靠近教會的學校。

Although the truth-seekers are
not yet baptized, and the campus
fellowship came to an end, God has
blessed each fellowship member
abundantly. However, I think the
greatest blessing is that each of us
grew so much spiritually. The purpose
of the fellowship was fulfilled from
its beginning to its end because it
helped us to draw closer to God.

雖然慕道者還沒有受洗，校園團契結束了，神都豐豐富富的祝福每一個契員。
然而，我認為最大的祝福，就是我們每一個人，都能屬靈上有很大的成長。
團契的目的，從一開始到最後結束，都被好好成就了，
因為它幫助我們更加靠近神。

MY STORY—LESSONS LEARNED 我的故事 - 從其中所學到的教訓

As for me, I have learned lessons from
the fellowship that year that will stay
with me for my entire life. For one,
I now understand that no situation
is hopeless. Ephesians 3:20 tells us
that God can do beyond what we
ask or think. Second, “where two or
three are gathered together in [His]
name, [He will be] there in the midst
of them” (Mt 18:20). Although we
were few in numbers, every session of
the Bible studies was filled with God’s
righteousness, peace and joy. Third, I
saw that evangelism is actually easy
when God is working. Sometimes,
we worry about preaching, but it is
really God who calls His people, not
us. Fourth, to quote a hymn, “In Jesus
Christ, we are all family.” Indeed, we
should be treating the believers like
our own family members, since we
are all connected by the blood of
Christ.

對我來說，那一年，我們團契裡面所學到的課程，
將會留在我身上，對我一生很有幫助。
第一，現在我終於明白，沒有任何情況，是完全沒有盼望的。
以弗所書三章20節告訴我們，神所作的，是超過我們人所求所想的。
第二，
20因為無論在那裡，有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，那裡就有我在他們中間。
(太 18：20)
雖然我們成員很少，但每一次查經都充滿了神的公義，平安和喜樂。
第三，我看到，當神在作工的時候，傳福音是真的很容易的。
有時候，我們會擔心向人傳福音，但實際上是神在呼召她的子民，並不是我們。
第四，引用一首讚美詩，
"在耶穌裡，我們都是一家人"。
是的，我們要對待所有的信徒，像自已的家人一樣，
因為我們都是因著基督的寶血連結在一起的。

But I think the most important
lesson I learned was to care more, pray
more, and serve more. Throughout
my senior year, I was burdened with
many cares for myself, but also for
the fellowship, and these made me
pray more. Every day I would pray
for each fellowship member, to the
point I found it easy to fast and pray
too. Because I prayed, I also found
the wisdom and strength to do what
I could to serve. As Deuteronomy 6:5
says, “You shall love the LORD your
God with all your heart (caring), with
all your soul (praying), with all your
strength (serving).” So all along, God
was teaching me to care, to pray, and
then to serve, but caring comes first.

但我認為，所學到最重要的課程是，
多方關心，多方禱告，多方服事。
經由我大四這一年，我給自已帶來了許多憂慮，也擔心團契的事，這些都驅使我去投入更多的禱告。
每一天，我都會為每一個契員禱告，禱告到一種情況，讓我很習慣很容易去禁食禱告。
因為我禱告，我也找到了智慧和力量，來作我要服事神的工作。
如同申命記六章5節所記載：
5你要盡心、盡性、盡力愛耶和華─你的神。
所以一路走來，神教了我去關懷，禱告，然後去服事，但關懷要第一先作。

Today, after many years, I still
vividly remember the events during
that senior year at UIUC and the
lessons that I have learned. I still do
not completely understand why God
allowed us to experience Him so
deeply that year, but I thank God for
His incredible and amazing grace.

今日許多年之後，很仍然很鮮明的記得，大四那年在 UIUC 的所有事情，及所學到的功課。
我仍然不太明白，為什麼神會在那一年，讓我那麼深刻地去體驗到祂的大能，
但因著祂不可思議及非常奇妙的恩典，我深深的感謝神。

May all glory be given to God. 願一切榮耀歸予天上的真神。

Amen.阿們。

小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com