為什麼你應當考慮住在教會附近？Why You Should Consider Living NearYour Church
作者：Nathan Finn 譯者：駱鴻銘
我愛普世教會，即包括各地所有信徒的教會。但是經過這麼多年，我越來越堅信，本地教會才是敬拜、信徒造就、見證、服事的起點。本地教會在它們各自的處境中，可以充分表達出基督只有一個身體。教會的關鍵是人，而不是教會建築。用老式的浸信會用詞來說，教會建築是禮拜堂（meetinghouse）。人在哪裡，教會就在哪裡。在主日，或在其他時候，我們是「被招聚的教會」（the
church gathered）。當我們離開禮拜堂，以個別門徒的身份進入到世界，我們就是「分散的教會」（the
church scattered）。I love the universal church, which includes all
believers everywhere. But over the years I’ve become firmly convinced that the
local church is ground zero for worship, formation, witness, and service. Local
churches are contextual expressions of the one body of Christ. The church is
the people, not the building. To use old-fashioned Baptist language, the church
building is the meetinghouse. Wherever the people are, there the church is. On
the Lord’s Day, and perhaps other times, we’re the church gathered. When we
leave the meetinghouse and head out into the world as individual disciples,
we’re the church scattered.
對我們大多數人來說，當我們住在同一個社區——我們教會所在的社區——裡，與其餘分散的教會合作時，成為被招聚的教會有意義的一部分也會比較容易。我相信為了天國的緣故，住在教會聚會地點附近是比較理想的。For most of us, it’s easier to be a meaningful part of
the church gathered—and to partner with the rest of the church scattered—when
we live in the same community where our church’s building is located. I believe
it’s ideal to live near your church’s gathering place for the kingdom’s sake.
通勤的挑戰Challenges of Commuting
我知道當你住的地方離教會很遠，要和教會保持聯繫有多困難。從2005到2105年，我的家庭住在北卡的威克森林市（Wake Forest），我在那裡作博士生，然後擔任神學院教授。我們教會，杜罕第一浸信會的聚會地點，離我們家大約35分鐘車程。當我和妻子加入第一浸信會時，我們才二十多歲，沒有孩子，渴望能成為一間健康教會的一員，好讓我們可以從前一個教會的惡毒處境中得到恢復。開車對我們來說是個挑戰，但是我們以為只會在哪裡待個兩三年，直到我完成我博士學位為止。結果我們作了十年的會友。I know how difficult it can be to stay connected to a
church when you don’t live close by. From 2005 to 2015, my family lived in Wake
Forest, North Carolina, where I was a doctoral student and then a seminary
professor. Our church, First Baptist Church of Durham, gathered about 35
minutes from our house. When my wife and I joined First Baptist, we were in our
mid-20s, childless, and looking to be part of a healthy church so we could
recover from a toxic situation in a previous congregation. The drive was a
challenge, but we thought we’d be there for two or three years, until I
finished my PhD. We were members for a decade.
有意義地參與教會並不是件容易的事。有時候路上的交通情況會讓我們遲到；我們的通勤時間超過半個小時，要從一個完全不同的社區開車過來。小組聚會通常在禮拜天晚上，但是當整個教會在禮拜天晚上有聚會時，要再開車回到教會，對我們來說經常是個掙扎，尤其是當我們有年幼的孩子時。我們家只斷斷續續地參與了週三晚上的活動——塞車時得花上四十五分鐘才能到教會。到我擔任長老時，兩週一次的會議是另一個額外的承擔，增加許多開車的時間。It
wasn’t easy to be meaningfully involved. Sometimes traffic could make us late; we commuted more
than half an hour from a completely different community. Small groups met most
Sunday nights, but on Sundays when the whole body gathered in the evening, it
was often a struggle to make it back, especially once we had young kids. Our
family was only intermittently involved in Wednesday night activities—it could
take 45 minutes to get there when traffic was heavier. When I served as an
elder, biweekly meetings added an additional commitment that required
significant driving time.
我們無法參與第一浸信會主辦的許多很棒的傳福音活動，因為我們的「住家附近」（local）和教會是完全不同的。在這十年之間，我們很少到住在杜罕的教會會友的家中，除非是禮拜天去吃中飯。他們也很少到我們家，因為我們不住在那裡。我們幾乎不曾邀請鄰居到第一浸信會，他們無法理解我們為什麼要開那麼遠的車。我們只會推薦離我們社區比較近的好教會。這無可避免會引發一些尷尬的問題，就是我們為什麼不加入這些教會。We were unable to be involved in many of the wonderful
outreach efforts First Baptist sponsored because our “local” was different than
the church’s. In 10 years, we were rarely in the homes of fellow church members
who lived in Durham, unless it was on Sunday for lunch. They were hardly ever
in our home, since we didn’t live in town. We almost never invited folks who
lived near us to visit First Baptist; they couldn’t understand why we drove so
far. Instead, we recommended good churches closer to our community. This
inevitably raised awkward questions about why we weren’t a part of any of those
churches.
三段關鍵經文Three Key Passages
當我們思考教會的本質和使命時，我相信有三段聖經經文特別會使我們得到造就。I believe three biblical texts stand out as
particularly formative in how we think about the church’s nature and mission.
1. 太十八18-20。「我實在告訴你們，凡你們在地上所捆綁的，在天上也要捆綁；凡你們在地上所釋放的，在天上也要釋放。 我又告訴你們，若是你們中間有兩個人在地上同心合意的求什麼事，我在天上的父必為他們成全。 因為無論在哪裡，有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，那裡就有我在他們中間。」1. Matthew 18:18–20: “I assure you: Whatever you bind
on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already
loosed in heaven. Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any
matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For
where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”
耶穌基督今天實實在在地藉著聖靈與被招聚的教會同在，授權教會身體，以禱告的心代表天國來行動。Jesus Christ is really spiritually present within the
church gathered, authorizing the body to prayerfully act on behalf of the
kingdom of heaven.
本地教會是基督國度的大使。The local church is an embassy of Christ’s kingdom.
2. 來十24-25。「又要彼此相顧，激發愛心，勉勵行善。 你們不可停止聚會，好像那些停止慣了的人，倒要彼此勸勉，既知道（原文作看見）那日子臨近，就更當如此。 」2. Hebrews 10:24–25: “And let us be concerned about
one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our
worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all
the more as you see the day drawing near.”
教會會友們不會習慣性地忽略教會的聚會，這是非常重要的，因為教會的肢體有責任彼此激發愛心和善行。It’s vitally important that members not habitually
neglect the gathering of the church, since the members of the body are
responsible to one another for promoting love and good works.
本地教會是由門徒組成的社群。The local church is a community of disciples.
3. 太廿八18-20。「天上地下所有的權柄都賜給我了。 所以，你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒，奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗。 凡我所吩咐你們的，都教訓他們遵守，我就常與你們同在，直到世界的末了。」3. Matthew 28:18–20: “Go, therefore, and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have
commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
耶穌基督宣稱祂擁有宇宙中的一切權柄，吩咐我們去使人作祂的門徒，這包括要為那些歸信的人施洗，並教導他們，跟從祂是什麼意思。Jesus Christ, who claims all authority in the
universe, has commanded us to make disciples as we go, which includes baptizing
converts and teaching them all it means to follow him.
本地教會是宣教活動的集散地。The local church is a hub of missional activity.
國度的地點很重要Kingdom Location Matters
若教會是國度的大使，門徒的社群，宣教活動的集散地，那麼，理想上——儘管不是要求——最好能住在教會聚會地點的附近。當然，有時候這是不可能的。有些工作要求你要住在離工作近的地方，不考慮你是哪個教會的會友。有時候最近的相信聖經的教會是在另一個社區。在一些人口擁擠的城市，雖然教會也許離你住的地方只有五英哩，但是卻要花你20分鐘才會到那裡。每個處境都是不同的。If churches are kingdom embassies, communities of
disciples, and hubs of missional activity, then it is ideal—though certainly
not required—to live near where our churches gather. Sometimes this isn’t
possible, of course. Some jobs require you to live close to work, regardless of
your church membership. Sometimes the nearest Bible-believing congregation is
located in a different community. In some heavily populated cities, you may
live five miles from your church, yet it may take you 20 minutes to get there.
Every situation is unique.
我無意倡導一個不合聖經的規條。聖經沒有要求我們必須住在我們教會聚會地點的附近。按我的情況來說，我毫不懷疑這是上帝的旨意，要我們成為杜罕第一浸信會的一分子。內人和我，還有我們的孩子們，在一個合乎聖經教導和純正教義的教會受到極大的祝福。我們是一些很興旺的小組的成員，小組聚會的焦點總是研讀聖經，禱告，彼此勸勉。藉著這些小組，我們遇到世上最親愛的一些朋友。我們也訓練了幾個比較年輕的教會會友，他們大多數人也和神學院有關聯，要開一段很長的路。在我們所屬的教會裡大部分的時間，我的事奉是擔任執事，然後擔任長老。I’m not interested in proposing an extrabiblical rule.
There is no requirement that we live close to where our churches gather. In my
own case, I have no doubt it was God’s will for my family to be a part of First
Baptist Church of Durham. My wife and I, and eventually our four children, were
exposed to the blessings of biblical preaching and sound doctrine. We were part
of thriving small groups that focused on Bible study, prayer, and
accountability, through which we met some of our dearest friends in the world.
We discipled a number of younger church members, most of whom were also
connected to the the seminary and made the long commute too. I served as a
deacon and then as an elder for most of the years we belonged there.
不止一次，我們想要搬到杜罕，但是這會讓我們搬離我們蒙召要服事的神學院社區。時不時，我們會想要離開第一浸信會，加入離家比較近的教會。但是我們也從來沒有真心地感到主在引導我們這麼做。除了這些挑戰之外，我們在第一浸信會裡扎根很深，屬靈成長也歷歷在目，更有許多重要的服事機會。它是我們教會的家，即使離家不算近。上帝呼召我們成為那個教會的一員，我很感恩。More than once, we thought about moving to Durham, but
that would’ve removed us from the seminary community we were called to serve.
We periodically considered leaving First Baptist to join a church closer to
home. But we never felt the Lord was leading us to do that, either. Challenges
aside, we had deep roots, a track record of spiritual growth, and significant
ministry opportunities at First Baptist. It was our church home, even though it
wasn’t close to home. I’m grateful God called us to be a part of that
congregation.
你當然可以成功地成為一個通勤的會友。不過，我認為在正常情況下，最好能住在你教會聚會地點的附近。通勤的時間越長，成為教會生活和見證有意義的一部分所需要的犧牲也就越大。You can definitely thrive as a commuting church
member. Still, I think it’s normally best to live close to where your church
gathers. The longer the commute, the greater the sacrifice involved to be a
meaningful part of the church’s life and witness.
2015年，我們家搬到了田納西州的傑克遜市，我現在在聯合大學（Union University）工作。大約一年前，我們加入了我們城鎮的第一浸信會。我要強調，這是我們的城鎮。從我們家開車到教會，大約需要十分鐘，如果沒有塞車的話。在鎮上，我們經常會碰到其他的教會會友。本地教會就在我們家附近。我為杜罕第一浸信會感謝上帝——開這麼長的路非常值得！我們很幸運，現在通勤的路程短得多，也值得這趟路，並且教會的主要宣教工場一直都在我的周圍。In 2015 our family moved to Jackson, Tennessee, where
I now work at Union University. About a year ago, we joined our city’s First
Baptist Church. Our city. It now takes about 10 minutes to drive from our house
to the church building, depending on traffic. We bump into other church members
all the time around town. Local outreach is local to us. I thank God for First
Baptist Church of Durham—it was worth the drive! But I’m grateful to now be
part of a different First Baptist Church. It is also worth the drive—though
fortunately, the commute is much shorter and the church’s primary mission field
is around me all the time.
作者Nathan A. Finn是田納西州傑克遜市聯合大學宣教神學院的教務長和基督教思想與傳統的教授。他最近與人合著了The Baptist Story: From English Sect to Global
Movement (B&H Academic, 2015)。Nathan A. Finn is dean of the School of Theology and
Missions and professor of Christian thought and tradition at Union University
in Jackson, Tennessee. He is most recently the co-author of The Baptist Story:
From English Sect to Global Movement (B&H Academic, 2015).
