And so, in this final part, we continue, from “Decisions, decisions” …..
那么在最后这个部分里，我们继续“决定，决定”……

5. Good leaders seek lots of good advice
5. 好的领导者寻求很多好的建议

Proverbs 11:14 – Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.
箴言11：14 无智谋，民就败落；谋士多，人便安居。

Anointed leaders of the church are servants of God, who lead by example, but who at times have to make hard spiritual decisions. Such decisions historically can be lonely decisions. For Moses, the Israelites revolted against him during the difficult exodus time in the wilderness. In the New Testament, Paul and Peter had to debate issues before the congregation, and, from the descriptions, it seemed that those discussions were quite heated.
教会受膏的领导者是神的仆人，他们以身作则，但他们有时必须做出艰难的属灵决定。这些决定在历史上可能是孤独的决定。对于摩西来说，在艰难的出埃及时期，以色列人常常在旷野反抗他。在新约圣经中，保罗和彼得不得不在会众面前辩论问题，而且从描述来看，这些讨论似乎很激烈。

Thus, before church leaders make decisions, it seems obvious that adequate time needs to be spent investigating any plans and proposals, and humbly soliciting good advice from those with experience and godly wisdom. Taking sufficient time to delve carefully into difficult issues, is a key part of wisdom, and more listening (to counselors and advisors) than speaking during the investigation phase, is clearly a good thing.
因此，在教会领袖做出决定之前，显然需要花费足够的时间来探讨任何计划和建议，并谦卑地向那些有经验和神的智慧的人征求好的建议。花足够的时间仔细研究难题，是智慧的关键部分，在调查阶段更多的倾听顾问的言语而不是过多发言显然是一件好事。

As God’s servants, leaders may have to make decisions when church members might be initially in disagreement, and likely would be upset at any decision. It’s both a cost, and a testing of the faith, of the leadership; and the congregation has in turn to learn both submission and love.
作为神的仆人，领导者可能需要在教会成员一开始不能达成一致，也有可能对某个决定失望的时候做出决定。这是一个代价，也是对领导信心的考验；会众反过来也要学习顺从和爱。

Acts 15:12 – All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
使徒行传15：12 众人都默默无声，听巴拿巴和保罗述说神藉他们在外邦人中所行的神迹奇事。
Note that the disciples did not “throw away logic.” Their decision wasn’t “abstract” or “illogical” at all. The leaders focused on, and listened to, what God had done, and was currently doing. Their decision aligned with God’s activity, resulting in one accord. One simple practical application for today’s church, as in the early church: check the facts, by examining the details of the proposal, but also by looking to see what God has said in the bible, and what He has done in history and in our own church history, in order to better know His will, to help in decision making.
注意门徒并没有“扔掉逻辑”。 他们的决定一点也不是“抽象的”或“不合逻辑的”。领导者们聚焦于也倾听神以前所做的和神正在做的。 他们的决定与神的活动相符，也形成了教会的合一。对于今天的教会，像早期的教会一样，一个简单实际的做法就是：通过查考提案的细节核实事实，但也要查考神在圣经里所说的， 在历史和我们自己的教会历史中所做的，以便更好的知道祂的意志来帮助做决定。

Also, it is easy to forget, but it is really helpful, and encouraging I feel, to specifically review the beautiful things God has done in the life of the church, and go from there. I feel it is often easy for many leaders to get hung up on negatives, literally stopping many “good ideas,” whereas I tend to think that the Christian life, and that of the church, should lean toward optimistic boldness, but with care! Our faith should be ultimately an “optimistic” faith since of course we clearly have the greatest hope.
有时很容易忘记，但我觉得很鼓励也很有益处的就是特别思想神在教会生活中所成就的美事，从这里出发。 我觉得很多领导者很容易定睛在负面，也阻止了很多“好主意”，但我倾向于认为基督徒的生活，以及教会的生活，应该倾向于乐观大胆，但要谨慎！ 我们的信仰最终也应该是一个“乐观的”信仰，既然很明显我们有最大的希望。

Yes, learn from our mistakes, but don’t be deterred just because there was some previous problem. Even Moses was continually attacked by naysayers who could easily point to many negatives in any of his plans. Like those who grumbled incessantly about going back to Egypt instead of eating manna in the desert. We need to be continually reminded that our God is a great God, and obstacles can be overcome with God’s guidance. This will help set a better context for any decision making.
是的，从我们的错误中吸取教训，但不要因为之前存在一些问题而被阻止。甚至摩西也不断受到反对者的攻击，这些反对者很容易在他的任何计划中指出许多负面因素。就像那些不停地抱怨要回到埃及而不要在沙漠中吃吗哪的人一样。我们需要不断地提醒自己，神是伟大的神，并且可以通过神的带领克服困难。这将有助于为任何决策制定提供更好的视角。

6. Submission to authority
6. 顺从权柄

In many churches, there is an often the forgotten principle of submission to the authority of the spiritual leadership of the Church.
在许多教会中，经常有一种被遗忘的原则就是顺服与教会属灵领袖的权柄

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
希伯来书13：17 你们要依从那些引导你们的，且要顺服，因他们为你们的灵魂时刻警醒，好像那将来交账的人。你们要使他们交的时候有快乐，不致忧愁，若忧愁就于你们无益了。

When prayerful consensus decisions by the leadership are made, and after prayerful input and affirmation from the congregation, even if believers are still not totally comfortable with the conclusion, especially if they did not attend the final “entire church meeting,” it is biblical to have an attitude of submission to God’s appointed authority.
当教会领袖们做出祷告后的共识， 并在会众祷告确定后，即使信徒对决定仍然不是完全同意，尤其是他们没有参加最后的“整个教会会议”，对神指定的权柄持顺从的态度是符合圣经教导的。

Hebrews 13:7 “Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.”
希伯来书13：7 从前引导你们、传神之道给你们的人，你们要想念他们，效法他们的信心，留心看他们为人的结局。

This is an exhortation to all, but especially those in leadership, to live personal lives of faith, which allows the congregation also to have trust in their godly decisions. And this reminds us that elders and ministers need to be carefully selected, after long periods of prayers, so that faithful men are selected, fully in accord with the biblical requirements of being a faithful shepherd for the flock. The faithfulness and godliness of the elders and ministers has a huge impact on the faithfulness of the congregation, and any shortcuts in selection are bound to result in potential disaster. Please read Reggietales.org, “Selection of ministers and elders.”
这是对所有人的劝告，尤其是那些领导者，要活出信心，这使得会众也能相信他们的属神的决定。这提醒我们，需要仔细选择长老和传道人，要经过长时间的祈祷，以便拣选信实的，完全符合圣经的要求成为羊群的忠实牧羊人。长老们的忠心、信实和属神对会众会产生巨大的影响，作为教会的领导者，他们要竭力圣洁追求主。不管他们本身是多么聪明，如果属灵生命不够强壮的话，他们的决定都有可能不合神的心意。任何选择的捷径都必将导致潜在的灾难，请阅读Reggietales.org 的故事，“传道人和长老的选择”。

Conclusion
结论

Decisions, and how we make them, are certainly among the most important, but potentially contentious, issues in the life of a church, and we should learn closely from the Best Book available on the subject. Learning from the principles and early church examples, we can adapt them to our unique situation, and then in turn, set the example for others to follow.
决定以及我们如何制定这些决定确实是教会生活中最重要也有争议的问题之一，我们应该从有关该主题的”最好书”中好好学习。从原则和早期教会的例子中学习，我们把它们适用于我们特殊的情景，然后反过来，为其他人树立可学习的榜样。