So, now we have the missionaries, how do we help them?…

那么，在我们有了宣道士之后，我们应该如何帮助他们呢？

One good way to help missionaries is to “make a big fuss about missions,” such as by organizing short-term mission visits to missionaries. These are time-consuming and big efforts, likely more helpful to our own church, and especially our young people to be inspired for future missions, than to be directly helpful to missionaries. But it strengthens the awareness of missions efforts, and might specifically improve the linkage of specific missionaries to the sending church. So please also read URS: Starting Young in Missions, which reflects my passionate love of this effort.

为宣道士的事工“发声造势”就是一个很好的方法，例如我们投入时间和精力去筹划短宣团去实地接触宣道士们的事工。虽然我们看到短宣通常对教会，特别是我们憧憬事工的年轻弟兄姐妹们，的直接帮助多过对宣道士的帮助，这些短宣还是能增强教会对宣道事工的认识也能加强宣道士和母会的联系。我在“与曽叔叔闲聊：传道使命在教会的重心 – 從小开始”（URS: Starting Young in Missions）另外讲述我对年轻人宣道事工的热情。

Short-term missions could be the start of many long-term relationships, especially for our young people. That is something that the spirit of God does, working mysteriously in lives of believers, and especially to call some into the field. Mark, one of the youths who answered the call into full time ministry, and who has become himself an enthusiastic champion of missions, was first touched in this way by the Lord, in his initial short-term mission encounter with “real-live” missionaries in the field.

对年轻的弟兄姐妹来说，短宣常常是许多长远联系的开端。这是圣灵在信祂的人身上做的奇妙工作，呼召他们投入服事。马可，一位年轻弟兄就因此回应了呼召投入了全职事工。他在一个短宣中认识了“活生生在前线事奉”的宣道士，被主的工作感动。他现在是一位宣道事工的热心推动者。

One negative of short-term missions, however, that we need to be aware of, is that we often see only more exciting things during a short-term visit, and might come away with a superficial understanding. We usually don’t see long-term struggles, the daily grind, disappointments, floods and fires, and arguments and tensions inevitably among field workers. So, we might still have only a simplistic, glorified image of missions. Just take this as a first of many steps.

不过我们也需要知道短宣的缺点。其中一个就是短宣可能只让我们在表面上认识事工，因为我们在那些短暂的时间里只能接触到一些激励我们的新鲜事物。我们通常看不见在地宣道士们长期的挣扎奋斗，日复一日的苦干，挫折，天灾人祸，争执和压力。因此，我们对宣道事工可能会有过于肤浅，一切都好的印象。这只是我们识认识宣道的的第一步

Another way to help support missionaries is to encourage regular reports from missionaries in the field, so that the church can be informed to pray for them. This sounds simple, but, in reality, can be often stressful for the average very busy missionary. He has to write a report that reaches probably hundreds of supporters from different backgrounds, and more than 10 or 15 different churches. Reports are usually best understood in the native languages of the specific church member, for example, traditional or simplified Chinese, or English. So, the wording of the report can be challenging, as the missionary may feel he has to write a “good” report. Maybe he has to translate it, or get it translated, which multiplies his efforts. And some missionaries are better writers than others: some definitely have “writer’s cramp” when it comes time for writing, and could “freeze” when the pressure is on to produce timely reports.

另一个方法就是鼓励宣道士们定期对教会分享宣道报告，这样教会可以知道他们的事工近况并为他们祷告。这件事说起来简单，但是对一般忙碌不暇的宣道士们来说可能是很大的压力。他必须十到十五个教会里数百位不同背景的支持者写这份报告。为了使支持者更加了解他的事工，他得用繁体中文，简体中文，英语等支持者母语来写。宣道士们都想写一份“好”的报告，因此他们在报告里的用词用句又得下很大的功夫。不是每个宣道士都有好文笔。很多宣道士到了写作的时候觉得力不从心，而那需要准时写出报告的压力更让他们执笔难书，英文叫这个做writer’s freeze就是连第一句话都写不出来那种感觉.

So, mission committees need to be sensitive about not “harassing” the usually already overwhelmed missionary. I have heard some missionaries spend 4 to 7 stressful days just preparing a report, which takes away from normal ministry. My advice is to be sensible, by asking missionaries directly what a good frequency might be, and to expect a brief simple report, and not necessarily a detailed one.

因此教会里的宣道小组必须体谅已经忙不过来的宣道士们，不要为报告紧追不舍。我曾听过一些宣道士要用四到七天的时间来写一篇报告，而在这段时间里他们得放下正常的宣道工作。我建议我们能务实地直接问宣道士他们多久可以写一篇报告。报告内容以简洁为主不需要太多细节。

As supporters, we really don’t need to know every single detail anyway. Plus, if the missionary begins to really tell us about pains and trials, unfortunately, many supporters do not really want to read it, and some might even be “turned off,” interpreting that as “just complaining.” For the missionary, trying to figure out who would like details, versus who would like just a rough idea, is actually impossible. Plus, in this very busy world, nobody seems to have time for anything, so writing a report that people actually read is another challenge! Finally, the art of composing a short good report of course is actually often more difficult than a long one!

从支持者角度来说，我们也不必要知道所有的细节。再说，很不幸的，如果宣道士们真的告诉我们他们所有的辛劳和试炼，很多支持者也不会想去读。有些支持者可能会觉得反感，把这份报告看作是“宣道士只是在抱怨”。宣道士是不可能完全猜出那一些人想知道细节很啊一些人想知道大概。再说，在现今忙碌的社会里，没有人能对所有的事花时间。因此，写出一篇大家真的会去看的报告又是另一个挑战！最后，写出一篇又短又好的报告真的是一个艺术，它比写一篇长报告还要难得多！

For the last few years, we urged missionaries to send video clips of their activities, and give us 3 or 4 prayer items as highlights. Some missionaries (particularly young ones) seemed to like this, while others felt it was too stressful, and I am sure it was an additional stress to all. Plus, this required someone in the supporting church editing the video clips, and in our situation, also providing bilingual subtitles.

在过去几年里，我们建议宣道士们发给我们他们事工的视频并且让我们知道三到四件他们需要代祷的事项。一些宣道士（特别是比较年轻的）喜欢这个的建议，另一些传教士则觉得只是更多的压力。我知道这对大家都是一件多出来的事，像我们在教会里也需要有人来编辑视频并加上双语字幕。

So, videos were not easy, even though very interesting and informative. I suppose that having some videos is better than nothing, but trying to schedule video clips inside a busy Sunday service schedule is easier said than done. The ministers have to agree, and there is quite a bit of coordination among mission video coordinator, ministers, and AV group.

所以，虽然视频很有趣也能让我们了解更多，做视频是不容易的。我假设有视频比没视频好，但是怎样把视频加入时间紧凑的周日崇拜时间表又是另一件不容易的事。我们必须得到当日讲员的同意还必须和教会宣道影片干事，牧师，影音团队协调配合。

Some missionaries like to have a coordinator help with email distributions in the home country or church. At other times, printed updates distributed on Sunday for the congregation are helpful, but need to be organized, whether for small groups or entire congregation. The most efficient distribution today might be to give emails, or wechat or whatsapp groups of all interested people to the missionary, who will have the name lists to directly send out. I think this is the simplest, without need for go-betweens, who might change, or get sick or move. Of course, managing the large data base, and changes in addresses, is time consuming also, whether by the missionary or his representative.

有时，宣道士希望能有一位协调人来帮他们在本国或母会电邮通讯录里分享他们的资讯。另一些时候，周日在教会里分发单张也很有帮助，不过我们得有条理地决定那些单张应该是分发给整个会众或者是个别小组。今天，最有效率的方法很可能是通过电子邮件，微信群，或者是WhatsApp把资讯传播给关注宣道群里的人。我认为这是最简单的方式，不需要中间人，也不必担心中间人变动或生病。当然，不论是宣道士自己或者是通过他们的代理人，管理这些群体的资料也是很费时的。

In practice, people probably tend to respond more to mailing directly from the missionary, which implies a more intimate relationship. But a coordinator might still be needed for sensitive areas, to screen out inappropriate words from church supporters in their correspondence. At the minimum, the missionary could give the coordinator his entire mailing list, just in case he falls ill, or electronic systems fail, or some other crisis happens.

事实上，人们通常比较倾向回应宣道士直接寄给他们的信息因为这传达了一个比较亲近的关系。虽然如此，我们还是可能需要通过一位联络人帮我们过滤信息，因为一些教会支持者的回应里可能会用到一些对敏感地区不合适的词句。宣道士至少应该让联络人知道他们的通讯录，这样宣道士如果生病或者网络出问题又或者发生紧急事故时有人可以照应。

One of the best ideas from years of experience is the importance of small groups willing to pray for each missionary. If we divide up the entire congregation into many of these, so that nearly everyone is involved in missions, even in small ways, that would be the ideal. Getting involved at this basic level is truly energizing, driving the entire church towards the overarching Great Commission.

为每位宣道士设立一个代祷小组是我从多年经验中体会出来的好主意。我们如果能够把全部会众分成许多代祷小组让每个人都能在能力所及，不管在多小的事上，能参与宣道事工，那就最好不过了。这些小事常常能够激励人心，把整个教会带向首要的大使命。

Because of small groups, it should be possible to have regular contact, and to really keep in touch, with missionaries. In that way we can get real prayers about difficult issues, even sensitive areas, that normally are not discussed with a big group, thus minimizing the stresses to missionary and church. Each small group should remember to be a “support,” and not “supervisory” group, which will help foster a healthy relationship between missionary and church.

因为每个小组的人不多，组员们可以常常和宣道士们交通互动。这样小组可以听到宣道士们那些比较敏感的，不容易和多人分享的真正的难处，并为这些难处代祷。这样也可以减少一些教会和宣道士们之间紧张。每个小组必须铭记他们是“支持小组”而不是“指使小组”，这样小组们更能帮助在宣道士以及教会之间建立一个健康的关系。

A lot of the above is driven by a good missions committee, which needs to select mature people to serve together as mobilizers of mission support. Those who have been previously on short-term mission teams might be helpful, except that if the mission groups are mostly teenagers, they are usually a bit too young, and have many youth activities already. Younger members will provide new energy, and so should be involved whenever possible after their return from the mission, in mission related activities, like training or helping the next team. And in sharing the mission vision. They will definitely be in training as future mission committee co-workers.

以上的工作需要有一个好的宣道委员会来带领。这个委员会的成员必须是成熟，能动员教会会众支持宣道的人。那些曾经去过短宣的人，都可能是好选择。 不过青少年多数还太年轻而且已经有许多适合青少年的工作在等他们去做了。年轻的成员可以带来新的活力，所以我们可以在他们刚从短宣回来的时候让他们参与与宣道相关的工作，例如帮忙训练下一个短宣团队和分享他们对宣道的异象。某一个角度来看，我们正是在训练他们成为宣道委员会未来的同工。

In particular, having a senior person with long-term missionary experience on the missions committee, would be really helpful. We had the privilege and help of a retired missionary, who had served 30 years in the field. John’s advice and expertise were invaluable, and obviously much more insightful of the “real world of missions.” For those of us who sit in USA armchairs, trying to empathize with jungle missionaries was nearly impossible, so we needed much help.

事实上，一个资深的有着长期宣道事工经验的人对宣道委员会是很重要的。我们很很蒙福能有一位有着三十年在地宣道经验的退休宣道士来帮我们。约翰的经验和建议对我们是无价的，他给了我们许多有关“在真实世界里宣道”的独到观点。我们这些在美国扶手椅上坐着的人几乎是不可能体会在偏乡丛林中宣道士的生活，因此，我们非常需要有在地经验的人帮助我们。

Also, even though the senior minister is ever so busy, try to involve him in the missions committee whenever possible, even part time: this is vital if missions is to survive, and his likely broad experience will be very valuable. Frankly, unless we have a committed elder or minister responsible for missions, the volunteer committee is easily overwhelmed by the complex task. One helpful measure is to have a staff level missions secretary, even if part time, for all the complicated executive functions, which can easily thwart the good intentions and decisions of the committee.

虽然主任牧师总是万分忙碌，我们还是应该试着请他参与宣道委员会。即使他只有部分时间能来， 牧师的参与以及他丰富的经验对宣道事工的存活是绝对必要的。实话实说，我们若不能找到愿意致力于宣道的长老或者是传道人来负责帮助宣道事工，宣道委员会很容易就会迷失在众多复杂的工作里。一个好办法是分配一位在职的宣道秘书（不一定要全职）来管理所有复杂的行政工作。这样，委员会在思考好的计划及决策事就不会为了行政方面的细节分心。

The official name of the missions committee should be thought through, and likely made neutral, since “missionaries” are not officially allowed in many sensitive, including atheistic or Islamic, countries. It could even be physically dangerous for workers to receive emails from the “missions committee.” All Nations, or Great Commission Committee are alternatives, or omit any committee names altogether. And calling mission workers as, simply, “workers” or some neutral term is definitely safer, on church bulletins, announcement boards, or internet pages. In fact, most workers in sensitive areas should not be identified on church internet announcements, except maybe with nicknames.

我们必须慎重思考这个宣道委员会的正式名称。它很可能须要一个非宗教性的名称，因为“宣道”这两个字在很多敏感的国家中是不被允许的，例如在无神论国家或者是伊斯兰国家。在这些国家里，收到“宣道委员会”寄来的邮件很可能会为同工带来危险。“万国”或者是“大使命”委员会，或者不用委员会的名义来写信都是一些可能的选择。还有在教会留言板，布告栏，和网页上简称宣道同工为“工人”或者是其他非宗教性名称肯定是比较安全的。事实上，我们根本不应该教会网页上提到在敏感地区服事同工的名字。如果是必须，我们最多只能冠用别名。

It’s really great fun thinking through all these issues, which are different for each church, while developing strategies for best approaches. I believe each church can develop its own style, while following biblical principles, and the church would all be the better for struggling through these efforts together.

我真心觉得为每个教会不同的宣道事工问题思考答案以及设定对策是很有趣的事。我相信每一个教会都能在合乎圣经原则下找到自己的支持宣道士的方式，而在这路上做过的努力都将使每个教会成长。