初代教会与清教徒时期的小组
文/康约珥（Joel Comiskey） 译/芥子 校/和茜
本文由作者的两篇文章组合而成。第一篇取自https://www.smallgroups.com/articles/2015/what-was-new-testament-church-like.html。（2019年11月22日存取。）第二篇是作者所著的《过往两千年间的小组：教会细胞事工的历史》中的一章。Joel Comiskey, 2000
Years of Small Groups: A History of Cell Ministry in the Church (Lima, USA: CSS
Publishing 2007).
新约教会是怎样的？
What
Was the New Testament Church Like?
谈到理想的小组，人们经常会引用使徒行传2章，因为使徒行传2:43-47所描绘的共同体是我们喜爱的样子：
Acts
2 house churches have a lot to teach today's small groups. We often quote Acts
2 when we talk about the kind of small groups we want. We love the picture of
community in Acts 2:42-47:
众人都惧怕。使徒又行了许多奇事神迹。信的人都在一处，凡物公用，并且卖了田产、家业，照各人所需用的分给各人。他们天天同心合意恒切地在殿里，且在家中擘饼，存着欢喜诚实的心用饭，赞美神，得众民的喜爱。主将得救的人天天加给他们。
They
devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking
of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and
signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had
everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who
had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They
broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to
their number daily those who were being saved.
如果要致力于建立类似使徒行传2章中的共同体小组，我们应当先了解它们到底是什么样的。
Before
we commit to forming small groups that look like the Acts 2 community, though,
let's discover what that community was really like.
灵火在各家各户蔓延
The
Flame Spreads through Houses
圣灵在五旬节降临后，门徒们建立了家庭教会，这是在效法耶稣的策略，因为祂曾差遣祂的门徒进入人家中去传道（路9:1-6；太10:1-16）。在使徒行传中，以家庭为基础的事奉非常普遍。每当提到地方教会或教会聚集，无论是敬拜，还是团契，都指的是信徒家中的教会聚会。
After
the Spirit descended at Pentecost, the disciples formed house churches,
modeling the strategy of Jesus when he sent his own into homes (Luke 9:1-6;
Matthew 10:1-16). House-based ministry was so common that throughout the book
of Acts, every mention of a local church or church meeting, whether for worship
or fellowship, is a reference to a church meeting in a home.
在基督教的快速发展和最终的胜利中，家庭教会起着至关重要的作用。可以肯定地说，主后的前三个世纪都属于家庭教会运动。在挨家挨户（house-to-house）的服事中，信徒挑战了当时的社会秩序，通过自己的言语、生命和苦难成为耶稣基督的见证。家庭教会因其规模小，保持了家庭般的气氛，也能有效地实践弟兄间和睦相爱。
House
churches played an essential role in the rapid growth and ultimate triumph of
Christianity, and it's safe to say that the first three centuries belonged to
the house-church movement. House-to-house ministry allowed the believers to
challenge the social order of the day. They became witnesses—through their
words, lives, and suffering. Because of their small size, house churches
maintained a family-like atmosphere and practiced brotherly love in personal
and effective ways.
新约家庭教会内部的情形
Inside
a New Testament House Church
在早期家庭教会中，门徒们都做些什么呢？他们的活动虽是灵活多样，但总是围绕着信靠复活的耶稣开展。我们知道他们一起掰饼，遵循主的指示，记念祂的受死和复活（如路22:7-38）。每个人都会带来食物，与人分享。我们不知道他们是否每次见面都庆祝圣餐，但可以确定是，他们非常频繁地领受圣餐。
What
did they do in those early house churches? The activity was diverse and
spontaneous but always centered on belief in the risen Jesus. We know they
broke bread together, following their Master's instructions to remember his
death and resurrection (e.g., Luke 22:7-38). Everyone brought food and shared
it. We don't know for certain if they celebrated the Lord's Supper every time
they met, but we do know it was very common.
除了一起分享圣餐外，家庭教会聚会的流程也很灵活。保罗曾写信给歌罗西的教会说:“当用各样的智慧，把基督的道理丰丰富富地存在心里，用诗章、颂词、灵歌，彼此教导，互相劝戒，心被恩感，歌颂神。”（西3:16）保罗希望家庭教会的信徒互相鼓励，坦诚分享，并因神的良善而喜乐。成员们乐意相交，一同欢笑，不断亲近耶稣。
Beyond
sharing the Lord's Supper together, the agenda for house church meetings was
flexible. Paul wrote to the house church in Colossae, "Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in
your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16). Paul wanted the house church
believers to encourage one another, share transparently, and rejoice in God's
goodness. The members enjoyed each other's presence, laughed together, and drew
near to Jesus.
罗伯特·班克斯（Robert Banks）写道：“并无迹象表明，这些聚会是在今天大多数基督徒每周聚会的那种庄严和正式的气氛中进行。”与此同时，这样的聚会也取得了极多的成就。大多数学者都赞同，早期的家庭教会强调以下几点：
Robert
Banks writes, "We find no suggestion that these meetings were conducted
with the kind of solemnity and formality that surrounds most weekly Christian
gatherings today." At the same time, they accomplished a lot. Most
scholars agree that the early house churches emphasized the following elements:
• 敬拜
• 操练属灵恩赐
• 教导
• 祷告
• 团契交通
• 传福音
• 圣餐
• 洗礼
Worship
Practice
of the spiritual gifts
Teaching
Prayer
Fellowship
Evangelism
The
Lord's Supper
Baptism
信息传递是早期家庭教会的另一项基本活动。访客带来的消息，城市间传递的信件（如保罗的书信，约翰二书和约翰三书），警告那将要来的逼迫，以及对已发生逼迫的陈述，都通过家庭教会得以分享。当时的教会也作为服务中心，帮助有需要的社会成员。年轻的寡妇和穷人都期待从家庭教会得到供应。
Communicating
information was another essential activity in the early house churches. News
from visitors, letters that were passed from one city to another (e.g., Paul's
letters, 2 and 3 John), warnings of persecution, and accounts of actual
persecutions were all shared through the house churches. They also served as centers
of social services for those members who were in need. Young widows and the
poor looked to the house churches as a means of support.
早期家庭教会的规模
The
Size of the Early House Churches
教会历史学家一致认为，家庭教会的人数很少会超过15或20人——因为聚会是在小的居所进行。绝大多数人（可能多达90%）住在商店上面或后面拥挤的寓所里，只有一个或两个房间。一旦人数增长超过这个规模，就会直接在附近建立另一个家庭教会。否则，增长会马上带来问题。
Church
historians agree that house churches could rarely have been more than 15 or 20
people—simply because they took place in small apartments. The vast majority of
people, perhaps as many as 90 percent, lived in apartments of one or two rooms
crowded above or behind shops. Once a house church grew larger than that, it
multiplied by simply starting another house church nearby. If not, the growth
immediately caused problems.
家庭教会一般在私人家中的最大房间聚会，通常在餐厅。大多数寓所与相邻的其他住户共用庭院，而每家都在庭院里做饭。教导和讲道事工、洗礼证道、祷告会、圣餐和宣教活动在餐厅和庭院中进行，所以基本没有隐私。韦恩·米克斯（Wayne Meeks）评价说，教会的生活就发生在邻居面前。我们如今处在私人化的世界里，是很难想象早期教会所经历的。
Normally
a house church met in the largest room of a private home, usually the dining
room. Most apartments shared a public courtyard with adjoining units, and
families cooked in the courtyards. The dining room and courtyard provided space
for teaching and preaching ministries, baptismal instruction, prayer meetings,
the celebration of the Lord's Supper, and missional activities. Privacy was
rare. Wayne Meeks writes that life happened in front of the neighbors. In our
privatized world, it's hard to imagine what the early church experienced.
大家庭结构（Oikos）带来的转变
Oikos
Transformation
当时与现今时代间一个主要的文化差异是“延伸家庭”，或者说古代的大家庭（oikos）结构。生活在西方世界的人很难想象新约文化的情形，当时人们普遍与父母、亲戚、仆人和其他工人生活在一起。我们已习惯于生活在原子家庭——只有父亲、母亲和孩子。然而，古代世界甚至没有我们所说的“原子家庭”的表达。我们只能找到“大家庭”（oikos），意思是家室、住所或延伸家庭。
One
of the major cultural gaps between then and now is the extended family, or the
ancient oikos structure. Those who live in the Western world have a hard time
imagining the New Testament culture in which it was normal to live with
parents, relatives, servants, and other workers. We are accustomed to living in
nuclear families—father, mother, and children. Yet, the ancient world didn't
even have a way to express what we call the "nuclear family." We only
find the word oikos, which means household, house, or extended family.
神使用大家庭把福音传遍整个罗马帝国。早期的信徒作为典范，彰显出翻转的生命和与当时文化背道而驰的独特的价值观。此外，在拥挤的城市环境中，人们能够近距离地观察基督教。人们听见和看到这些被福音翻转的信徒的美好见证：丈夫爱妻子、仆人有尊严、夫妻彼此顺服、被爱支配，就想亲自经历基督。信徒的朋友和邻舍都被这个彻底翻转的共同体所吸引。
God
used the oikos to extend the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. The early
believers modeled transformed lives and distinct values that were often
countercultural. Yet, in these crowded, urban environments, people were able to
see Christianity up close. They heard and saw the testimonies of those
transformed by the gospel, and they desired to experience Christ for
themselves. Husbands loved wives, servants were treated with dignity, married
partners submitted to one another, and love reigned supreme. Friends and
neighbors were drawn to this new transformed community.
自然而然地培养领导者
Developing
Leaders Organically
许多人对保罗培养初代教会领袖的速度感到惊讶，但早期的家庭教会能自然而然地孵化出带领人。在保罗植堂过程中，我们看不到正式的领导结构。开放家庭的人会自然地承担带领责任，而其余的领导结构已经就位——保罗使用了已经融入到社会基础组织中的大家庭结构。
Many
are amazed at how quickly Paul developed leadership in the early church, but
the early house churches were natural incubators for leadership. In Paul's
church plants, we don't see formal leadership structures. The person who opened
his or her home would assume leadership, and the rest of the leadership
structure was already in place—Paul used the oikos structure that was already
built into the social infrastructure.
这些带领人后来才被授予称谓。在帖撒罗尼迦前书5:12-13，保罗说：“弟兄们，我们劝你们敬重那在你们中间劳苦的人，就是在主里面治理你们、劝戒你们的。又因他们所作的工，用爱心格外尊重他们。”保罗指的是家庭教会领袖，但他觉得没有必要提及他们确切的头衔，因为这些是在家庭教会的结构中自然而然地发展起来的。
Those
leaders were only later given titles. In 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, Paul says,
"Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who
are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard
in love because of their work." Paul is talking about house church
leaders, but he didn't feel it was worth mentioning their exact title because
they developed organically within the house-church structure.
在新约中，我们找不到一幅与今天充分发展的体系相类似的架构。当时，教会治理不是高度发达的，地方教会的会众是相当松散的小组。在新约中，并存的是一个个家庭教会。信徒个人和家庭教会都认为自己是更大的城市教会的一部分。教会的事工是流动的和动态的，鼓励成员们为教会的共同利益使用自己的属灵恩赐，而带领人也是行事有恩赐的男人和女人（罗12:6-8；林前12:8-10、27-28）。这就给普通人提供了很多成为领袖的机会。
Nowhere
in the New Testament do we find a picture closely resembling any of the fully
developed systems of today. Church government was not very highly developed,
and local congregations were rather loosely knit groups. House churches in the
New Testament existed side-by-side with other house churches. Individual
believers and house churches considered themselves part of a greater citywide
church. Church ministry was fluid and dynamic. Members were encouraged to
experience their spiritual gifts for the common good of the body, and leaders
operated as gifted men and women (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 27-28).
This led to many opportunities for ordinary people to develop into leaders.
拥抱使徒行传2章中的共同体
Embracing
Acts 2 Community
今日的西方世界与第一世纪教会所处的世界截然不同。他们和邻舍住在一起，而现在很多人住在有安全围栏的私人住宅里。他们的生活方式以家为中心，而我们开车去上班，在外面吃饭，在远离我们社区的地方交朋友，培养爱好。他们放松主要是和别人一起，吃饭聊天，而我们则盯着电视和电脑屏幕独自放空。尽管生活在不同的时代和文化里，但许多超时空的原则可以直接适用于我们今日的小组事工：
The
Western world is so different than the world of the first century church. They
lived in close quarters with their neighbors, while many today live in private
homes with security fences. Their lifestyle centered on the home. We drive to
work, go out to eat, and find friends and hobbies away from our neighborhoods.
They relaxed primarily with others, talking over a meal. We relax alone,
staring at television and computer screens. Though we live in different times
and cultures, many timeless principles apply directly to our small-group
ministries:
基本的而非可选的。小组事工必须成为当今教会的基础，而不是一个不错的附加项目。神选择通过挨家挨户的服事来发展第一批门徒，祂对小组事工的目的至今仍然未变。
Foundational
rather than optional. Small-group ministry must be foundational to our churches
today—not a nice add-on. God chose to develop the first disciples through
house-to-house ministry and his purposes in small-group ministry remain the
same today.
生命优先于流程。早期家庭教会的目标是翻转生命、赐予生命，而不是依赖于固定的流程。我们需要圣灵来引导我们和我们的团体，使生命改变成为常态。
Life
over curriculum. The early house church agenda was transformational and
life-giving, not dependent on curriculum. We need to ask the Spirit of God to
guide us and our groups so that life-change is the norm.
藉着翻转的生命赢得新人。早期的家庭教会之所以能够发展壮大，是因为神改变了参加聚会的人。我们需要记住，最有助于我们影响朋友和邻舍的方式是向他们展示自己转变的生命，只有这时，他们才会想经历同样的归正。
Changed
lives win new people. The early house churches grew and multiplied as God
transformed those present. We need to remember that our best hope of reaching
our friends and neighbors is by showing them our own transformed lives. That's
when they'll want to experience that same healing for themselves.
从内部培养领袖。早期的家庭教会鼓励信徒依靠他们的属灵恩赐，自然而然地发展出内部的带领人。我们也必须这样做。
Developing
leaders from within. The early house churches developed leadership naturally
and internally by encouraging believers to lean into their spiritual gifts. We
must do the same.
建立事工联络。早期的家庭教会不是独立的实体，而是彼此联络。我们需要利用更大的教会资源，例如讲道、装备、教导等，来有效地培养可以门训他人的门徒。
Connected
ministry. The early house churches networked together and were not independent
entities. We need to take advantage of the resources in the larger body such as
preaching, equipping, and coaching in order to effectively make disciples who
make disciples.
神呼召今天的教会回到过去，应用新约中的价值观和事工方式。虽然在今天开展挨家挨户的事工可能与以往有所不同，但许多原则仍然适用，也将帮助我们更好地通过小组事工培养可以门训他人的门徒。
God
is calling the church today to journey back in time to apply the values and
ministry practices found in the New Testament. While house-to-house ministry
might look different today, many of the same principles apply and will help us
do a better job of making disciples who make disciples through small-group
ministry.
清教徒的秘密聚会
说起早期的英国清教徒，人们经常联想到那些总想阻止他们随己意而行的乖戾的律法主义者（legalists）。这种观点是在后来的美国历史中出现的，被霍桑（Nathaniel Hawthorne）之类的人所鼓吹——这些人在新英格兰推崇自由的神格唯一论，并把先辈流传下来的古老清教徒主义视为一种压抑和虚假的宗教。
然而最初的清教徒并非来自新英格兰，而是来自大不列颠。“清教徒”一词用以描述在英国的那些认为宗教改革并没有真正转变英国国家教会的人。到后来，才有许多英国清教徒移民到美国，开始新的生活。而最初的清教徒只是对被称为安立甘宗的更正教样式不满意，因而想洁净安立甘教会。
英国的清教徒相当于欧洲大陆的改教家。C.S.路易斯说:“我们必须把这些清教徒设想成与今天那些拥有该名字的人截然相反：他们是年轻、激进、进步的知识分子，他们非常时髦，是时代的弄潮儿。他们不是禁酒主义者；主教，而不是啤酒，才是他们特别厌恶的……”[2]这些清教徒是一群“年轻的雄鹿”，他们想与神和圣经同行，也醉心于圣经真理，无法想象为何有人要把真理隐藏在迷信和人的传统之下。他们认为英国容忍教会实践与天主教为伍，宗教改革还远远不够深入。
清教徒组成各种不同宗教团体并联合起来，提倡更“纯粹”的敬拜和教义、以及个人和群体的敬虔。那些留在英国国教的信徒被称为“不分离的清教徒”。那些认为英国国教实在是腐败、真正的基督徒应该完全与之脱离的人，被称为“分离的清教徒”，或简称为“分离主义者”。广义的“清教徒”包括了这两个群体。
当清教徒审视十六和十七世纪英国国教的灵性与教义时，他们看到的是邪恶和宗教狂热。虽然神学得到改革，大多数人相信加尔文的教义，但许多信徒依然清楚地意识到，基督徒生活应该远远不止所见。[3]那么清教徒是如何反抗当时的状况呢？许多人选择了离开。阿兰·辛普森（Alan Simpson）写道：
如果作到极致，就意味着要分离，即与被污染的人群分离开来的责任。因此，一小组圣徒在一位牧师的领导下脱离了国家教会，偷偷地在彼此的家里聚会。如果英格兰难以容身，就移民到荷兰，在所到之处，经历域外冒险所带来的困难与特权。[4]
这种分离（或分别为圣）持续了一个世纪之久，随后是持续50年的移民期。最终英国清教徒来到了新英格兰等地，直到最后遍布整个美国。
他们相信什么？
英国清教徒接受的是改革宗神学。从这个意义上说，他们是加尔文主义者。在描述清教神学时，彼得·路易斯（Peter Lewis）写道：“他们的神学传统基本上属于加尔文主义。他们高举神在护理和恩典中的主权的概念，因此，即使在最猛烈的环境里，他们也能保持平静。”[5]
同时，清教徒持非常高的教会观。他们希望回到新约的基督教样式，不允许国王和君主来支配教会的运作。[6]尽管英国清教徒被禁止从内部改变现有的圣公会教会，他们的观点却随着他们的移民传播到荷兰、新英格兰、爱尔兰和威尔士。1630年左右，许多清教徒前往新英格兰，建立了马萨诸塞湾殖民地和其他定居点。截止到1641年，清教徒向着新英格兰的大规模移民结束了，共有大约21000人越过了大西洋。在美国，英语为母语的清教徒后裔数量达到了1600多万。
移民给清教徒思想和生活方式带来了许多改变。清教徒一抵达美洲海岸，就开始将自己的教会治理观念与留在不列颠群岛的清教徒分别开来——后者面临着不同的问题。亚历西斯·德·托克维尔（Alexis de
Tocqueville）在《美国的民主》一书中指出，正是清教主义为美国民主奠定了坚实的基础。谢尔登•沃林（Sheldon Wolin）写道，“托克维尔意识到了早期殖民者的严酷和偏执。”但另一方面，他认为这些人“不仅在敬虔、劝惩也在民主层面的实践方面，是古人中的典范。”[7]
秘密聚会
秘密聚会（Conventicle），或小组聚集，是清教徒属灵成熟的关键实践之一。“秘密聚会”一词指非法或秘密的宗教聚集，而在1570年到1620年间，也使用过讲道聚会（prophecy meetings）这一术语。这些聚会基于哥林多前书14章，谈到早期家庭教会中作先知讲道的事情。在这些聚会中，信徒们强调祷告、诵读经文、背诵圣经，并将讲章应用于在场之人的日常生活中。
为了满足信徒共同体及其灵性成长的需要，英国各地的秘密聚会成倍增加。弗朗西斯·库瓦雷斯（Francis Couvares）写道：“英国清教徒——包括那些后来移民到新大陆的人——的心智和社会纽带并不是在任何单一的意识形态熔炉中炼就，而是在遍布英格兰难以计数感人的私下聚集或者‘秘密聚会’中，因着其属灵火焰得到铸就。”[8]他们一起讨论圣经，并尽力把所学应用于每日生活，因此得到成长。
英国王室竭尽所能扑灭这些火焰。伊丽莎白女王认为这些集会具有煽动性。她觉得每月讲一次道就够了。当大主教埃德蒙·格林达尔（Edmund Grindal）就禁止讲道一事提出抗议，并拒绝服从王室命令时，伊丽莎白剥夺了他作为王室官员的所有职责和权力，并将他软禁在家里，直到去世。被任命的皇家专员开始行使埃德蒙作为牧师的职责和权力。官方法律规定:
任何牧师不得在任何私人住宅内讲道或施行圣餐。除非在必要的情况下，比如有人因体弱或病危而无法去教会，却渴望同领圣餐，则可以例外。第一次违犯此规将被停职，第二次则被逐出教会。（教规71）
《教规》第72条进一步澄清，指出“如果没有事先取得教区主教的许可和指示，并且经由主教签字盖章，v任何一名或多名牧师不得指定或进行任何庄严的禁食，无论是在公开场合，还是在任何私人住宅内。”[9]
一起成长
许多秘密聚会也可以称作是团契聚会。清教徒认为，只有当一个人愿意委身于与其他信徒的团契相交时，福音对其的转变才算完成。当清教徒在秘密聚会中彼此相交，他们在对三一神经验性的认识上成长。尽管清教徒相信个体的激情和热诚，但他们反对宗教个人主义，而是相信神呼召信徒进入共同体生活。
属灵团契应该在教会中、家庭里以及朋友间展开。早期清教徒理查德·薛伯斯（Richard Sibbes）写道：“教会就像一所医院——人们彼此需要——就像一所普通的医院，里面所有的人都生了某种程度的病，因此我们彼此之间应以智慧和温柔相待。”[10]薛伯斯又说：“有一件事，叫作圣徒的甜蜜相通。我们彼此鼓励，相互安慰，圣洁地相爱，这会吸引他人关注那最美之事。”[11]
清教徒相信，当教会在秘密聚会中相聚时，他们在理解圣经上会越来越成熟，也将获得越来越丰富的对三一神工作的经验性认识。而且每个人都参与其中——不仅仅是男人。沃尔特·范比克（Walter E. Van Beek）指出：
在秘密聚会中，女性不只是被动的倾听者，她们参与讨论的方式和男性的完全一样。“以色列的妈妈们”这一术语表达了对归信女性深深的尊重，因此女性可以跟男性一样平等地参与团契。当然，女性不能作为牧师或长老带领教会。[12]
大多数参加秘密聚会的人仍然作为国教圣公会的成员。他们只是需要国教会所提供的之外、更多的属灵食粮和灵魂的造就。福特司（Voetius）认为，秘密聚会是装备神子民、使他们在恩典中成长（或者如他所言“在敬虔中成长”）必要而有力的手段。清教徒秘密聚会的内容包括：
• 祷告、唱诗篇和赞美诗（雅5:13；西3:16；弗5:19）
• 读经
• 讨论最近的讲道内容（太13:5；可4:10）
• 讨论上帝通过读经和听道在指示他们什么
• 讨论神主权的工作
• 教导和学习在祂百姓生命中彰显的主的道路
按照清教徒的思考方式，每个人都要在额头上象征性地写上“归主为圣”这句话，这点至关重要。男人和女人蒙召是为了逃离罪，行神的道。在圣洁中行神的道的含义是，忠心参加主日敬拜，优先照顾家庭，在小组中敬拜。[13]通过弗朗西斯·库瓦雷斯（Francis Couvares）下面这段话，我们可以看到清教徒秘密聚会的影响力：
这些私下聚会（秘密聚会），也许胜过任何机构或理念，赋予了清教徒们小组身份。通过这些聚会，不仅产生了像约翰·温思罗普（John Winthrop）、托马斯·胡克（Thomas Hooker）、托马斯·薛伯特（ Thomas Shepard）之类的人物，有那些坚定的不分离会众主义支持者，也有那些在16世纪40年代中期因其影响产生了无数激进清教徒教派的个人——他们扬言要实现使徒行传17:6的预言，搅乱天下。[14]
秘密聚会的举办有助于复兴耶稣基督的教会。埃德温·奥尔（J·Edwin Orr）写道：“早在15世纪之前，一些事情开始改变教会，促进了属灵觉醒的进程。在这一进程中，小组要么成为先驱者，要么成为强大催化剂，引起复兴或成为孕育复兴的环境。”[15]埃德温当时所说的觉醒，正是神今天带领祂教会的方向。无论复兴何时出现，小组都起到了至关重要的作用。
[1]本文由作者的两篇文章组合而成。第一篇取自https://www.smallgroups.com/articles/2015/what-was-new-testament-church-like.html
。（2019年11月22日存取。）第二篇是作者所著的《过往两千年间的小组：教会细胞事工的历史》中的一章。Joel Comiskey, 2000
Years of Small Groups: A History of Cell Ministry in the Church (Lima, USA: CSS
Publishing 2007). 承蒙授权翻译转载，特此致谢。——编者注
[2]
Mark S. Ritchie, “The Protestant
Reformation,” in The Story of
the Church，Part 4, Topic 7,
Ritchie Family Page. 2014年4月存取。http://www.ritchies.net/p4wk7.htm.
[3]
Alan Simpson, Puritanism in Old and New England (Chicago,USA: The University of
Chicago Press, 1955), 10.
[4]
Simpson, Puritanism in Old and New England, 14.
[5]
Peter Lewis, The Genius of Puritanism (Haywards Heath Sussex, Great Britain:
Carey Publications,1975), 12.
[6]
Lewis, The Genius of Puritanism, 15.
[8]
Francis Couvares, Interpretations of American History Vol. I: Patterns and
Perspectives
(New
York, USA: Simon and Schuster,2000), 54.
[9]
Robin G. Jordan , “The History of Home
Fellowships,” Anglicans Ablaze.
2014年4月3日存取。www.anglicansablaze.blogspot.com.
[10] Hans Molenaar, “The Historical
Development of Conventicles.” (Thesispresented at Puritan Reformed Theological
Seminary, Grand Rapids, USA: 2005), 17.
[11]
Molenaar, “The Historical Development of Conventicles,” 17.
[12]
Walter E. Van Beek, The Quest for Purity: Dynamics of Puritan Movements (New
York, USA :Mouton de Gruyter, 1988) ,100.
[13] Molenaar, “The Historical Development of
Conventicles,” 46.
[14] Francis Couvares, Interpretations of
American History Vol. I: Patterns and Perspectives(New York, USA: Simon and
Schuster,2000), 54.
[15]
Jim and Carol Plueddemann, Pilgrims in Progress(Wheaton,USA: Harold Shaw
Publishers, 1990), 6.
作者简介
康约珥（Joel Comiskey），毕业于美国富勒神学院，康约珥团体（JCG）主席，致力于宣传和培训小组事工，并写作过多本相关著作。
