Pandemic and the Gospel Mission 瘟疫传播与传福音使命
Author: Bro. Goh Hun Keng
Translated by: Ps Andrew Xu
During the onset of the coronavirus outbreak, the experts thought that the virus will not transmit between humans, but within a couple of months, they confirmed human to human transmission. 6 months down the road, there are more than 10 million infected, and more than 500 thousand deaths attributed to Covid-19. The speed and magnitude of infection and spread of the virus is unprecedented. There are a few characteristics of virus spread:
1. The spread starts from the nose of the infected and can spread exponentially from one to many.
2. Can remain dormant for 2-3 weeks before showing symptoms.
3. Some of those infected can remain asymptomatic. The virus spreads to all regardless of race, sex and social status.
There are several measures we can do to prevent being infected. Wearing mask, keeping safe distancing, better personal hygiene (washing hands, changing clothes more often) and regular exercise to keep our body healthy. Though these are effect measures, they are insufficient to totally stop the spread of the virus.
Let us then reflect together from the angle and perspective of our gospel mission, how we can remain healthy spiritually for the furtherance of the gospel? As believers, we are Christians who hold the seeds of the gospel in our lives. How do we continue to preach the gospel to the nations in a world held hostage by a pandemic? Are we wearing masks that prevents the spread of the gospel from our mouth to the world? Are we always keeping a “distance” from those around us, that people cannot come near to us and get to know Jesus? Do we have characteristics of being dormant, not showing any signs of faith even when we have received the gospel in us, that no one recognizes us as Christians?
What is the reason of such weaknesses? For the gospel is the power of God… (Romans 1:15) By right, the gospel should spread much faster and further than Covid-19. Besides Satan trying to stop the spread of the gospel, by means of all kinds of temptation in the world, anti-Christian influences persecuting Christians and forming standards in the name of freedom that goes against morality. Much of the time, he also makes use of Christians for this purpose. Christians will need to train themselves spiritually, so as to keep themselves spiritually healthy, to prevent the weakness we spoke of above. I believe, if we strengthen our love for the word of God, listen, read and study the word of God with our hearts we can do it. We cannot just read the New Testament but also the Old Testament, because the Old Testament contains the New Testament and the New Testament brings out the Old Testament.
The word of God is full of God’s power, miracles, prophecies and wisdom. Growing our faith in the word of God will provide Christians the power in their lives to live out the word of God. Then, all the obstacles preventing us to preach the gospel in our lives will disappear and we will become a channel for the gospel in the world.
文/吴汉卿弟兄
当寇状病毒在今年初爆发时，专家认为不会以人传人，但在几个月内专家却确认肯定会人传人。在短短的六个月后全世界有超过一千万人受感染，接近五十万人死亡。病毒的感染和病毒传播速度和范围，是史无前例。这种病毒的传播感染特征：
㈠由口鼻开始传播，可以一传十，十传百快速倍数增长。
㈡可潜伏被感染者体内二到三周才有已被感染症状。
㈢有些被感染者没有看到症状。而且传播的对象，不分种族国籍性别，贫贱富贵。
预防被感染的防范也有几个措施，带口罩、与人保持距离、常常洗手更换衣服、多运动保持身体健康。虽然有这些防范措施，也不能完全杜绝疫情的蔓延。
反过来看，综合以上的几点来对照，用福音传播的角度加以反思，以属灵的眼光看保持灵命建壮和身体健康的途径。我们信徒，就是生命中带着福音种子的基督徒，如何在瘟疫布满全球的时期，思考如何在福音传播给万国万民的使命上有份。思考一下，我们是不是那个带着防福音口罩的信徒，使得福音无法从我们的口传出去。是否常常与他人保持距离，使得别人没有机会接触我们而认识耶稣？我们是否也有一个隐藏特征，带着领受了基督的救恩，却没有把信心彰显出来，没人看得到我是基督徒。
那么是有什么因素造成这些弱点呢？既然福音本是神的大能...（罗马书1:15）照理应该比寇状病毒传得更加快更远吧。我想，除了撒旦用尽各种办法来阻挡福音传播，就是利用世界百般的诱惑、反基督教势力逼害信徒、加上自由世界开放制订违反人性的道德标准等等之外，很大的程度上，取决于我们信徒本身。信徒或许需要有生命时常更新的操练、保持身心灵建壮，以避免犯上以上所提到的弱点。我相信，大家如果加强对圣经话语的喜爱，用心去听、读和查考。而在读圣经时，除了看新约，也要包括旧约，因为“旧约圣经里蕴藏着新约，而新约是把旧约显明出来” 。
神的话充满能力、神迹、预言和智慧。加强我们对他的信心，并有了坚强的信心，基督的能力自然会在我们生命中流露出来，且化成行动。这样，阻挡福音的口罩和一切障碍，就会逐渐消失，福音因此又多了一个传播的渠道。