愛睦教會20週年
EFC CHINO VALLEY 20TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY

 

奔向標竿

主任牧師王雁鳴

感謝主！愛睦教會成立滿20年了！20年前在母會東安教會，有一群弟兄姊妹回應主的大使命，以及台福教會2050的增長計劃 (主後2000年成長至50間教會)，受差前往洛杉磯東區的Chino Hills設立了愛睦教會，為台福教會第45間教會。最初有10個家庭，都有宣教的心志。同工們看見華人逐漸向洛杉磯東區搬遷，便決定用華語來敬拜。這對於原本以台語來敬拜的弟兄姊妹來說，是一個突破。

教會剛成立時，多多經歷主恩，特別是聚會場地，主都有預備。教會逐漸成長，根據我的了解，也面臨了三個主要的困難：
一、牧者的流動性過大，甚至沒有固定的牧者，對教會增長計劃與屬靈成長均影響甚大。
二、能獨當一面的同工不多，事工落在少部份的同工身上。不少弟兄姊妹不願「下場打球」，不利於教會的發展。
三、教會內部不夠合一。如牧者離職、建堂等情況，都造成教會分裂，影響甚巨。歷經成長發展的順境，又再衰退，從頭開始。
2009年，我的家庭來到愛睦教會事奉，正好是在教會設立10週年記念。在此之前，教會經歷過一次大的分裂後，已將近三年沒有牧者牧養。當時教會大約有20餘人，加上我們一家6口。我靈裏的感覺彷彿來到一個極其乾渴之地，極需神話語的澆灌滋潤。主感動我要先進行一系列的主日信息，特別著重在靈裏的合一。同時探訪了所有的弟兄姊妹。隨後恢復教會禱告會、兒童主日學事工、邀請輔導來帶領教會英語青少年團契、邀請汪瀅傳道一同來發展社青事工、推動教會小組發展與團契聚會、改進主日敬拜流程與音樂敬拜的方式、安排核心同工團隊…等等。感謝主！這10年來與弟兄姊妹一起建造，看見教會在合一中逐漸成長茁壯，建堂的貸款也快要還完，所有成就都是主的恩典。
愛睦未來的發展主要有三個目標：
一、英文牧者與英文事工發展。20年前的兒童主日學小朋友，如今都已經是教會重要的同工了。他們生長、學習與工作的環境，都是以英語為主，因此迫切需要英文牧者來帶領事工的發展。
二、再次遷堂與建堂。會堂座落在墨西哥人區，大部分的會友都不住在這個區域，對於華人同胞，有接觸上的困難。安排福音聚會，邀請不易；加上內部空間不敷使用，要開課或辦理活動受到很多限制。所以仰望神的帶領，希望能有機會搬遷至附近華人集中的地區，並且有足夠的空間來發展教會。
三、Eastvale的植堂開拓。Eastvale地區是更東邊的新市鎮，有許多華人搬遷至此，全市約有65,000人，目前只有兩、三間華人教會在此地開拓事工，或者未來我們可以在此建立教會。教會成立20年，是時候為主拓植一間新的教會了，這也是愛睦教會成長發展的另一種模式。
就人的一生來說，20歲正是成年最強壯的時候，是人生的黃金時期。愛睦教會如今20歲，擺脫了過去成長的青澀，進入如鷹展翅的時刻。我們千萬不可自滿而原地踏步，失去了起初的感動與異象。保羅說：「弟兄們，我不是以為自己已經得著了；我只有一件事，就是忘記背後，努力面前的，向著標竿直跑，要得神在基督耶穌裏從上面召我來得的獎賞。」(腓3:13-14)我深信這是主對我們的勉勵：過往總總都已經過去了，未來我們要奔向標竿。當初愛睦教會的設立是出於神，必有神的美意，願愛睦教會能達成神為我們的命定，不負所託，將來能得神的稱讚。

Pressing On Towards the Goal

Senior Pastor Nathanael Wang

Praise be to the Lord! It is EFC Chino Valley’s twentieth anniversary. Twenty years ago, there was a group of brothers and sisters in Christ at EFC East Valley responding to the Lord’s Great Commission and to EFCGA’s 2050 Vision (to establish 50 EFC churches by year 2000). They were sent to Chino Hills to plant a church there, which later became the 45th EFC church. In the beginning, there were 10 families and each of the families all had the heart for missions. The coworkers saw the Chinese population moving towards the east of Greater Los Angeles, and decided to use Mandarin during worship. This was a breakthrough for brothers and sisters that were used to worship using Taiwanese.
In the beginning, EFCCV had experienced many blessings from the Lord, especially on the facilities. According to my understanding though, the church faced three main difficulties as the church continued to grow:
1. Pastor turnover rate was high and at times there was no pastor to shepherd the church; this had a great negative impact in terms of church growth and spiritual growth.
2. They lacked capable coworkers, and many responsibilities fell upon only a few coworkers. Many brothers and sisters were not willing to get involved, hindering church development.
3. There was no strong unity. In the situations of a pastor leaving or the issue of purchasing a church building, both lead to members leaving the church. The church grew, but then declined due to those situations, and had to start from the beginning again.
 In 2009, my family came to EFCCV to serve; it was, coincidentally, the church’s 10th anniversary. Before that time, the church has experienced a big split and had no pastor for nearly three years. At that time the church had about 20 members plus my family of 6. My feeling inside was that I had arrived at a place that was extremely thirsty for God’s Word. I was moved by the Lord to deliver a series of message on unity. At the same time I visited all brothers and sisters. Soon after, we restarted the prayer meeting, Children Sunday School, and invited counselors to lead the youth fellowship. We also invited Minister Jessie Wang to start the Young Adult Ministry, promoted small group ministry and fellowships, improved Sunday Service programs and worship teams, and arranged for core team members. Praise the Lord! In the past ten years, we saw the unity within the church become stronger; additionally, the church loan is close to being paid off. All these accomplishments are because of the Lord’s grace. 
There are three goals for future development: 
1. Add an English Ministry Pastor and develop the English Ministry. The children that attended Sunday School 20 years ago have all grown up and have become the church’s core coworkers. They are mostly English-speaking members; therefore, there is an urgent need for an English Pastor to lead them. 
2. Second church building via relocation. Our church facility is situated in a Hispanic Community and most of our church members are living in other cities. It is difficult to reach the Chinese population in this community and invite people to the Gospel events. In addition, the facility is insufficient for having more education classes and limited for other events. We are praying that God will lead us to a location with more Chinese population and a bigger facility for church expansion. 
3. Church planting at Eastvale. Eastvale is a new community situated east to EFCCV.  Many Chinese have moved there and currently, the city has a population of 65000. There are three Chinese churches in that area and hoping that we can plant a church there as well. As we celebrate the 20th anniversary, it is time to plant a church for the Lord. This is a different, but important approach to church growth.
In a person’s life, the their 20th year marks their strongest year and is their golden era. EFCCV is 20 years old and has matured and is ready to step and fly like an eagle. We can’t be complacent and stay at the same place, losing the vision that we have received at the beginning. Paul said that “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). I truly believed this is Lord’s encouragement to us: whatever has happened is in the past, we need to press on toward the goal of the future. It was God’s good will to plant EFC Chino Valley; may EFCCV accomplish what God has commanded us and not neglect what he has entrusted to us, all so we give God all the praise and glory.