Breakthrough in Youth Work! Taiwan Churches Gather to Care for “De Rong” Youth, Seizing God-Given Opportunities
[Reporter Li Rongzhen, Taichung Report] Facing the challenge of a declining birthrate and shrinking youth population, how can youth work find a path to breakthrough?
In the past two years, the “De Rong Youth Education Project” implemented by churches across Taiwan has brought in 1,822 De Rong youth (referred to as “De Shao”), opening a new and innovative path for youth work. However, integrating them into church life remains a significant challenge.
The “De Rong Youth Caregiver Fellowship Meeting” was held on March 30th at the Ke Yuan Meeting Hall of the Taichung City Church, with over 600 caregivers from churches across Taiwan participating. The meeting included exhortations, messages, and testimonies from caregivers in Taipei 64 Meeting Hall, Taoyuan, Tainan, and Xingang.
Caring Not Only for Youth, But Also Their Families
Brother Lin Hong, responsible brother of the Taipei City Church, exhorted that to achieve new breakthroughs, it is necessary to care not only for the De Shao but also for their families. He expressed hope that besides material assistance, they can also receive life assistance, guiding them into church life. Therefore, it is crucial to love them, invest time in planning enjoyable gatherings for them, and consider how to better perfect them. He hopes that “every De Shao and every family can become ‘abiding fruit’.”
Brother Chen Xun of the Taipei City Church also reminded everyone that this is a great opportunity for breakthrough in the church’s youth work. When he was young and touched by the Lord’s love, the Lord always reminded him, “Do you love me?” and “What about this one who is not yet saved? What about that one who has not grown up enough?” The Lord always puts the people on His heart onto our hearts. He encouraged everyone, saying that the potential of the Lord’s entrusted heritage is vast, and he deeply hopes that churches, districts, and meeting halls can nourish and perfect these 1,800+ teenagers so that they can grow up in the Lord’s love, live in the church, and become overcomers.
During the meeting, Brother Du Jingren and Brother Jian Chenguang shared messages on “Shepherding in Love, Establishing Weekly Home Meetings” and “Eating the Lord and Drinking the Lord, Cultivating New Habits for a Holy Lord’s Day,” respectively. Brother Lai Chaosong and Brother Chen Junliang shared “strengthening words.”
Entering Community Life Courses, Boldly Speaking God’s Word
Mr. Xiao Hansen, Chairman of the De Rong Foundation, said in an interview that in the past, the De Rong Foundation entered schools to offer life education courses but could not preach the gospel. Now, God has opened a new way for them, leading them into the community, allowing the “De Shao Project” to not only provide scholarships but also offer one-on-one life courses, accompanying them in prayer and singing, and boldly speaking God’s Word and sharing His love with them.
In recent years, the number of teenagers in churches has decreased, not only due to the declining birthrate but also because various trends and activities in a diversified society have attracted young hearts. This gathering aims to gather collective efforts to recover lost teenagers, providing shepherding, care, and perfecting, so that they can become those who welcome the Lord’s return.
He said that the De Rong Foundation is not just a social welfare unit or a public welfare group. Knowing that “the day of the Lord is near,” they have received a great burden to bring the De Shao into the church life so that they can know the Lord and be able to change the age.
How to Find People, How to Reach Them, How to Bring Them In
Chairman Xiao mentioned that Brother Witness Lee once dreamed of a day when 500,000 young people would be sent to knock on doors all over the world, and perhaps the Lord would return. This also motivates them to invest in the ministry of young people. This year marks the third year of the Caregiver Fellowship Meeting, transitioning from the first step of “how to find people” to the second step of “how to reach them,” and further to “how to bring them in” to church life, allowing the De Shao to know the Lord, cooperate with church serving ones, and even preach the gospel and speak for the Lord.
Brother Lin Hong mentioned that churches across Taiwan have implemented the “De Rong Youth Education Project” in the community, with 1,822 De Shao and 1,335 families involved. If they are well cared for and led to live the church life and participate in the Lord’s Day meetings, the number of people will naturally increase significantly. Brother Lin affirmed the brothers and sisters’ coordination and willingness to offer themselves. However, to achieve new breakthroughs, this Caregiver Fellowship Meeting was held.
“Effectiveness is Not in Methods, But in Love”
He reminded everyone to pay attention to the following: First, there must be “love” because “love is effective.” He encouraged everyone to renew their consecration to the Lord. He said that when we work for the Lord, we always hope for effectiveness, but actually, “effectiveness is not in methods, but in love.” Because with love, there will be methods, willingness to pay the price, invest time and financial resources, and offer our entire being.
Second, bring the whole family into the church life and pay attention to the operation of the Lord’s Day. Not only should we care for them through home meetings or lead the “De Shao” to participate in small group life, but more importantly, we need to bring them to the Lord’s Day meetings. He hopes that each district and meeting hall, out of love for them, will plan and design gathering activities. Due to the differences in environment, churches, and life structures across Taiwan, the proportion of caregivers involved may vary. However, as long as we have love for them and are willing to invest time and effort in designing for them, we will succeed.
A brother once told him that he did not dare to bring gospel friends to the Lord’s Day meetings and even doubted whether they would understand the message or be accustomed to the meeting hall environment and be perfected. He shared a simple testimony with this brother, and as a result, the brother began to adjust the structure of the Lord’s Day meetings, leading to some degree of progress. As for how to design activities, he emphasized that “love is effective,” and as long as each district and meeting hall brainstorm together, there will be a way.
Every De Shao, Every Family, Made into Abiding Fruit
He said that in the past, the goal was to have more people baptized, which is certainly good; however, this time, the goal is that “every De Shao and every family can become abiding fruit.”
Third, the De Shao and the teenagers in the community can fellowship together, and the families of the De Shao can also interact with the saints in the community, being nurtured and perfected together in the church, preparing precious vessels for the Lord’s recovery.
Brother Chen Xun shared that for many years, they have been searching for a way to breakthrough and increase the number of teenagers. He thanked the Lord that, according to statistics, in the past two years, the total number of De Shao has reached 1,822, with 1,335 families connected. Adding those brought in over the past few years through the De Shao project, the Lord has given the church 2,600 teenagers, bringing new breakthroughs and even thousands of families to care for and contact.
May God Fill Us with Love for Sinners
He often prays because he knows that this is not something that can be achieved by mere demand or leadership or action. He often prays for himself and the brothers and sisters, asking God to fill us with love for sinners. We also need the Father’s love and a forgiving heart, as well as the shepherding and seeking spirit of the Savior Christ. It’s not just the individual caregivers who need to be filled with God’s love, but “this is a body action.” It requires churches, districts, and meeting halls everywhere to care for the growth and church life of these teenagers in the love of the Body, further planning and designing, and even paying attention to the operation of the Lord’s Day.
For example, these 2,600 De Shao should not only be on the prayer lists of caregivers but also on the prayer lists of the district and even in the local service fellowship, so that they, along with the situation of the youth service, can be prayed for and sought after together in the fellowship, constructing them in the love of the Body. He even encourages the teenagers in the church to welcome these children and teenagers, not allowing the original children’s groups or teenagers from children’s classes to stay within their own groups, but rather to help the church’s teenagers treat the “De Shao” as family and bring them into the church life. Therefore, God’s love needs to fill every church, meeting hall, district, and group. May everyone gain this group of teenagers in the love of the Body, so that more teenagers can live in the church, grow in life, and be built up.
God-Given Opportunities, Not Additional Service
Brother Zhou Fuchu of the Taipei City Church said that the service to the De Rong youth is not an extra or additional service in our busy lives but rather a God-given opportunity that we should cherish. Any Christian group’s development can easily become organizational to maintain vitality, as if people find it difficult to break habits once they are established. He reminded those who have been in the church life for many years that it is easy to gradually fall into a routine or maintain the existing stability, leading to aging or rigidity. May the Lord continue to have mercy on us and enable us to pay attention to every opportunity He gives us for breakthrough.
After the pandemic, many gatherings were restricted, and the number of Christians decreased significantly. According to statistics from the Chinese Christian Evangelistic Association, the number of Christians in Taiwan has dropped from 1.54 million in 2017 to 790,000 in 2022. Although the number of church attendees has also been affected, during the pandemic, the “township expansion” movement started in prayer, resulting in a breakthrough and the addition of 24 churches. The “overseas expansion” also saw over 30 young couples receiving the calling to go to 9 countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe. At each stage, “we need to ask the Lord how we can not only maintain stability but also have breakthroughs.”
The declining birthrate and shrinking youth population in Taiwan society is an inevitable trend. Fortunately, we have the De Rong youth. However, to achieve a real breakthrough, he urged three to five caregivers to come together, starting with prayer every day. When filled with God’s love, they will also care for this group of people out of God’s love, and breakthroughs will naturally occur. There will be specific ways of serving, preparation for gospel meetings, and designing for their needs. We also need to pray and seek how to clearly explain the truth.
Care Recipients from Economically Poor to Spiritually Poor
Brother Xiao Hansen, Chairman of the De Rong Foundation, concluded the meeting by saying that with 1,822 De Shao, currently each caregiver takes care of an average of two De Shao. Many testimonies show us that “those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.” In the past, the De Shao care recipients were mainly children from poor families, but later shifted to finding those who are “spiritually poor.” They find these teenagers through various channels, such as schools, teachers, village heads, neighbors, classmates, or government departments. Thank the Lord that now the emphasis is on “Shepherding in Love, Establishing Weekly Home Meetings,” “Eating the Lord and Drinking the Lord, Cultivating New Habits for a Holy Lord’s Day,” and “I Go as Christ’s Ambassador.” Therefore, it is essential to lead them to call on the name of the Lord, read His Word, and share His love with others.
He said that if the De Rong youth are the church’s young people, we would not visit them only once a month as a routine. He expects that what we do for the De Rong youth is the building of “gold, silver, and precious stones,” not “wood, hay, and straw.” This fellowship aims to follow God’s ordination and bring them into the church life every week. Through “daily morning revival” and designing and preparing suitable Lord’s Day meetings for them, we can attract them with God’s love, let them know the riches of God’s house, and make them feel the sweetness of church life.
(Translated from Google Gemini)
青少工作有突破之路！全台众召会得荣少年关怀者齐聚一堂 紧抓住神给的机会
【记者李容珍台中报导】面对少子化，少年、青少年人数减少，青少年工作如何找到突破的路？
近两年来，全台众召会在小区经营「得荣少年教育项目」带进1, 822位得荣少年（称「得少」），为青少年工作开了一条新的、突破的路。然而，如何把他们带进召会生活，是个很大的挑战。
全台「得荣少年关怀者相调聚会」，3月30日在台中市召会科园会所举行，会中有劝勉、信息和台北64会所、桃园、台南、新港等地关怀者的见证，全台众召会600多位关怀者参与。
不只关心儿少 还有他们家庭
台北市召会负责弟兄林鸿劝勉时表示，为有新的突破，今后不只关心得少，还要关心他们的家庭，盼望除了物质的帮助，也能给予生命的帮助，引导他们进入召会生活。因此，务必要对他们有爱，花时间为他们规划设计有享受的聚会，为他们着想，如何能更成全他们。希望「每一位得少、每一个家，都能成为『常存的果子』」。
台北市召会陈洵弟兄也提醒大家，这是召会青少年工作很好的突破机会。当他年轻时摸着主的爱，主总是提醒他说，「你爱我吗？」「 这一个人还没有得救，怎么办？那一位他还没有够长大，怎么办？」主总是把祂心上的人放在我们心上。他鼓励众人，主所赐的产业潜力很大，深愿众召会、各区和各会所，能将这1,800多位青少年餧养成全，使他们在主的爱中长大，活在召会中，成为得胜者。
会中由杜敬仁弟兄和简晨光弟兄分别分享「爱中牧养，建立周周家聚会」和「吃主喝主，养成圣别主日新习惯」信息，赖朝松弟兄和陈俊良弟兄，分别分享「加强的话」。
进入小区生命课程 放胆讲神的话
得荣基金会董事长萧汉森受访时表示，过去得荣基金会进入学校，开生命教育课程，但无法传福音，如今神为他们开一条新的路，带领他们进入小区，让「得少项目」不是只给奖助学金，更可以透过一对一的生命课程，陪他们祷告、唱诗，并可以放胆讲说神的话，将神的爱分享给他们。
近年来召会青少年人数减少，不仅是因少子化，也因多元化社会里的许多流行、活动，吸走了年少的心。藉此聚会，意在群策群力找回流失的青少年，给予牧养、顾惜、成全，好成为迎接主回来的人。
他说，得荣基金会并不是一般的社福单位，或公益团体。因着知道「主来的日子近了」，他们领受了一个极大的负担，就是将得少带进召会生活，使他们能认识主，能转移时代。
如何找人、如何去、如何来
萧董事长提到，李常受弟兄曾梦想有一天，有五十万少年受差往世界各地叩门，或许主就回来了。这也激励他们投入少年人的事工。今年是第三年的关怀者相调聚会，从第一步「如何找人？」，到第二步「如何去」到他们当中，进一步使他们「如何来」进入召会生活，让得少也能认识主，并与召会服事者配搭，甚至能传福音，为主说话。
林鸿弟兄表示，全台众召会在小区经营「得荣少年教育项目」，已经有1, 822位得少，同时有1, 335个家庭。如果照顾得好，带领他们过召会生活，参加主日聚会被得着，无形中人数会增加非常多。林弟兄对弟兄姊妹同心合一的配搭，愿意把自己摆上，相当肯定。但也为了能有新的突破，所以有这次的关怀者相调聚会。
「果效不是方法，乃是有爱」
他提醒需要注意：第一，要有「爱」，因为「爱有效能」。他鼓励每个人，把自己更新奉献给主。他说，我们为主作工，总是希望有果效，其实「果效不是方法，乃是有爱」，因为有爱就会有方法，就会愿意出代价，花时间、花费财力，也会将全人摆上。
第二、带全家进入召会生活，留意主日的经营。不单是以家聚会方式关心他们，或是带领「得少」参与小排生活，更重要的是把他们带到主日聚会。他盼望各大区、各会所，因着爱他们，就会为他们规划设计聚会活动，由于全台从南到北，从东到西，不同的环境，不同的召会，生活的结构也不同，能够调入关怀者的比例，也未尽相同。但是，只要我们对他们有爱，肯花时间，肯为他们设计，就会成功。
曾经有一位弟兄对他说，主日聚会不敢带福音朋友来，甚至怀疑真的把人带来，对方听得懂吗？会所聚会方式，对方会习惯吗？能够受成全吗？他简单向这位弟兄作见证，结果这位弟兄开始调整主日聚会的生活结构，后来有某种程度的进步。至于要怎么设计活动，他强调「爱有效能」，只要各区、各会所，大家一起集思广益，必能有路。
每位得少、每个家 作成常存果子
他说，以前目标是更多人受浸，固然很好；但是这次的目标，希望「每一位得少、每一个家，都能作成常存的果子。」
第三，得少与小区的青少年能相调在一起，得少的家人与小区的圣徒，也能交流在一起，一同在召会中被培育、受成全，为主的恢复豫备贵重的器皿。
陈洵弟兄表示，多年来，他们为青少年人数增加，一直寻找突破的路，感谢主，根据统计，近两年得少总数1, 822位，联上的家数共有1, 335个家，如果加上已过几年带进来的，借着得少专案，主赐给召会2, 600位青少年，这些带来新的突破，甚至有上千家庭可以关心接触。
求神将对罪人的爱充满我们
他常常祷告，因为他知道，这不是一个要求可以做到的，也不是有个带领，或有这样的行动，人就会去作。他常为自己和弟兄姊妹祷告，求神将对罪人的爱充满我们，我们也需要父爱和赦免的心，以及救主基督牧养和寻找的灵。不只个人关怀者需要被神的爱充满，「这是一个身体的行动」，需要各地召会、各大区和各会所，都在身体的爱里，顾到这些青少年的成长和召会生活，进一步的规划和设计，甚至注意主日的经营。
譬如，这2, 600位得少，不只是在关怀者代祷名单上，也能在区里的代祷名单，甚至在当地的事奉交通里，也把他们连同青少年服事的光景，都在交通中一同祷告寻求，在身体的爱里来构造他们。甚至鼓励在召会里的青少年，欢迎这些儿少加入，不要让原有的儿童排或儿童班上来的青少年，自己团在一起，乃要帮助召会的青少年，把「得少」视同家人带到召会生活，所以需要神的爱充满在各召会、会所、各区、各排。但愿每个人在身体的爱里，得着这班青少年，让更多的青少年活在召会中，生命长大被建造。
神给的机会 不是增加额外服事
台北市召会周复初弟兄表示，得荣少年的服事，不是生活忙碌中额外、增加的服事，乃是神给的机会，要好好把握。任何基督徒团体发展，容易会变成组织化才能维持生机，好像人好不容易建立习惯就不易打破。他提醒在召会生活多年，容易慢慢进入一种习惯，或是维持现有的稳定，到后来变成老化或僵化。求主继续怜悯，能够留意每次主给我们突破的机会。
疫后很多聚会受到限制，基督徒人数大幅减少，根据中华基督教福音协进会统计，全台基督徒由2017年的154万，降低为2022年的79万，虽然召会人数也受影响，但在疫情期间，在祷告中开始「乡镇开展」行动，产生突破，增加24处召会。「海外开展」也有30几对青年同工夫妇领受呼召，前去亚洲、非洲和欧洲共9个国家。每到一个阶段，「我们要问主，如何不会只维持稳定，而能有突破？」
台湾社会少子化，青少年愈来愈少，是不可避免的趋势，所幸有得荣少年，但要产生真正突破，他吁请三、五个关怀者一起，每天从祷告开始，当被神的爱充满，也会因神的爱去照顾这群人，自然会有突破。服事作法会有讲究，福音聚会要有预备，为他们需要而设计，也需要祷告寻求，如何把真理讲明白。
关怀对象从经济贫穷到灵里贫穷
得荣基金会董事长萧汉森弟兄在会中总结表示，1, 822位得少，目前平均每一位关怀者看顾二位得少。许多的见证，让我们看见「流泪撒种的，必欢呼收割」。过去得少关怀对象，早期以贫穷家庭孩子为主，后来转为从「灵里贫穷」中寻找。他们从学校、教师、里长、街坊、同学、或公部门等各种管道，把这些少年找出来。感谢主，现今强调「爱中牧养，建立周周家聚会」、「吃主喝主，养成圣别主日新习惯」，「我去，是带着基督的大使」；所以，一定要带他们呼求主名，读主的话，向对方分享主的爱。
他表示，如果得荣少年是召会的少年人，不会一个月只看望一次，好像例行公事，他期待他们为得荣少年所作是「金银宝石」，而非「草木禾秸」的建造。这次相调，希望照着神的命定，周周进入召会生活，透过「日日晨兴」，以及设计预备适合他们的主日聚会，以神的爱吸引他们，让他们认识神家中的丰富，并他们感受到召会生活是甜蜜的。
