兒童主日學的轉型與增長—以三個小組化教會為例

Transition and Growth in Children Sunday School – A Case Study on Three Cell Churches.

張明琪(Ming-Chi Chang)

指導教授 ： 曾慶豹

中原大學/人文與教育學院/宗教研究所/碩士(2007年)

https://doi.org/10.6840/CYCU.2007.00655

摘要

兒童主日學的轉型與增長—以三個小組化教會為例

本文乃依據基督教兒童教育的觀點來說明「傳統兒童主日學」在教會的角色及功用，並藉由長期觀察兒童事工所遇見的困境及瓶頸，探討應如何從該事工核心—兒童主日學的「轉型」來修正其本質上的缺失，使轉型成為契機，賦予主日學更新寛闊之路。本文所要提出的轉型方法，即是以小組教會為背景的「兒童小組」模式，重點在探討兒童主日學的轉型歷程與果效，以及依據兒童小組模式的理念和操作原理作為主日學增長架構與牧養策略，其在現今及未來發展的可行性。
因此，本文以三間都會型小組教會—台北靈糧堂、真道教會、信義會救恩堂的兒童主日學為實例，探討三者在教會整體轉型為小組化的同時，如何各自針對其兒童主日學的需求和發展來決定轉型。再就其轉型的步驟與方法、轉型後的改變與特色、轉型期間所遇見的困難和挑戰等三項議題逐一說明，解釋其如何運用兒童小組的模式來達到牧養、教導及訓練孩童的目標。另分析三者之間轉型的共同條件和差異之處，亦列舉三者在轉型後的實際成長人數來證明兒童小組的可用性及有效性。
其次，本文探討兒童小組的牧養理念—「孩童屬於教會」，乃是以小組教會的聖經基礎，即「聖經優先重視群體」和「教會生活模式」二者為依循。而主日兒童小組的操作原理，包含其操作的四個基本要素：慶典敬拜、信息與金句、小組服事訓練、領人與佈道等四項，以及輔助小組操作的三要素：週間關懷、裝備訓練、教師訓練等內容。接著，再從理念和操作原理兩個層面來詮釋兒童小組的意義，看出兒童小組的實際功用乃是要達到：一、孩童學習慶典敬拜來宣告上帝榮耀同在；二、帶領孩童領受並回應上帝的話；三、透過彼此的見證、分享和代禱來操練肢體服事；四、藉由共同的福音行動來領人歸主。由於這四項功用正好就是整全教會生活的五種功能表現：禮拜、團契、教導、服務、傳道，所以兒童小組的模式，不但可以補強傳統主日學的缺失，也能夠引領主日學從傳統走向現代—「兒童教會」，從現代走向未來—「兒童宣教」。
最後，本文聚焦於三層結論：一是兒童小組模式對主日學轉型的效應及成果，主要表現在孩童質與量的增長上；二是從兒童小組與傳統主日學的整體區別，證明兒童小組模式的可行性，並分析兒童小組的強項與弱項，作出比較和反省；三是具體提出幾項建議作為日後兒童工作者之參酌，期待兒童事工面對多元處境，能彙整智慧與力量，在百花齊放之中裨助教會增長。

關鍵字

兒童小組 ； 兒童教會 ； 兒童宣教 ； 轉型 ； 傳統兒童主日學

並列摘要

Transition and Growth in Children Sunday School–A Case Study on Three Cell Churches.

This research studies the roles and functions of Traditional Sunday School Ministry according to Christian views on children's education, and through long-term observation of the difficulties and stagnation in children's ministry. The aim of this research is to develop a transition that corrects the fundamental mistakes inherent in present day children's ministry, and build a path forward for children's ministry. The transition proposed is based on“Children Cell Group”pattern in cell group churches. The process and effects of current transitions of children's ministry are presented;the growth structures and pastoral strategies according to the proposed“Children Cell Group”pattern are examined for adoption feasibility.
The pastoral belief behind Children Cell Group,“children belong to church”,is actually based upon the biblical foundation of the cell group pattern, specifically, Biblical priority on group and church life pattern. Sunday Children Cell Group pattern includes four functional elements: celebration worship, message and scripture, group service training and evangelism. The three subsidiary factors of cell group pattern: weekly care, ministry training and teaching training are also studied. The beliefs and functions of Children Cell Group pattern are presented to clarify the practical purposes. First, children learn celebration worship to welcome God's glorious presence. Second, children receive and respond to God's Word. Third, children share testimonies and pray for each other to practice how to serve Christ's body. Fourth, children carry out evangelistic campaigns and actions. The above four purposes cover the five complete actions of church life: worship, fellowship (communion), teach, serve, evangelize. Therefore, Children Cell Group pattern not only corrects the traditional Sunday School Ministry, but also transforms children's ministry from the traditional to the present–“Children's Church”, and from the present to the future–“Children's Evangelism.”
This research is a case study on three cell group churches–Bread of Life Christian Church in Taipei, Taipei Truth Church and Taipei Grace Lutheran Church. It is vital to find out how the three churches transformed into cell group-based, how their children's Sunday Schools also changed in response to specific needs and developments, and how these churches used “Children Cell Group”pattern to pastor, teach and train children. The commonalities and differences among the three churches are examined. The actual member growths in these churches after the transition are also listed as a proof of the practicality and effectiveness of “Children Cell Group”pattern.
This research draws three conclusions. First, it presents explicit results showing how Children Cell Group pattern affects children's ministry. Second, a thorough comparison is made between Children Cell Group pattern and traditional Sunday school in order to prove that Children Cell Group pattern is workable. Furthermore, the strengths and weaknesses of Children Cell Group pattern is presented for further reflection. Third, this research offers practical advice on children's ministry for all the ministers and workers involved in serving children in the hopes that we will be able to face diversity with wisdom and strength, and contribute to the explosive growth of the church.

並列關鍵字

Children's Evangelism ； Children's Church ； Transition ； Traditional Children Sunday School ； Children Cell Group

參考文獻

林明珠著，〈基督徒信仰形成之教育理念探討〉《台灣神學論刊》(台北：台灣神學院，1997) 第19卷，頁28。

黃春生著，〈什麼是細胞小組教會〉《青年牧養面面觀》，(台北：新使者雜誌社，

2007)，第101期，頁58-59。

張妙娟著，《台灣府城教會報與清季台灣的基督徒教育》(博士論文，國立師範大學，2002) ，頁139、144。

Neighbour, Ralph W. Jr., Where Do We Go From Here？ Houston：Touch Publications, 2000.