拯救性2.0 让青春与圣洁手牵手
美佳之窗 His Window 104(Oct - Dec 2023 )
报道:张惠凌
青少年直面充满挑战时代,尤其是性课题的挑战,他们该如何自处?
美佳堂MJYF、大专团契、HOMIG团队联合举办的《拯救性2.0》(Save Sex 2.0)于9月15号开跑。
此特会的目的就是让孩子对性拥有正面的认识——建立圣洁的观念,重新认识性,也重新认识神到底如何看待我们,以活出起初神创造我们的完美心意。这次实体特会,迎来了120位青少年基督徒。不仅如此,今年特别鼓励家长参加,并有45位家长报名学习。主题讲员翁嘉玮传道来自台湾走出埃及辅导协会,他与我们分享的主题是《人受造的奇妙》、《宝贵的身份》、《救恩与罪》、
《爱及陪伴》。他也在主日崇拜分享《生命的转捩点》,帮助我们重新认识神是从我们的身份看我们的行为,而不是以行为来看我们的身份。
特会按青少年所关心的课题来装备他们,内容有:《我的角色,自我形象》、《同性吸引》以及《关于色情网站+性上瘾》。父母的工作坊有:
《如何陪伴孩子走过同性的课题》和《如何陪伴孩子面对色情网站/性上瘾/性侵》。青少年时期就是感情发展学习时期,通常都摇摆不定,父母的陪伴和开导非常重要。
特会传达重要的信息:“同性恋者”并不是身份,我们的身份在基督里。每个人的形象都从上帝而来,要用上帝的眼光,而不是世界所给予的价值来看自己,且应活出与福音相称的行为,效法耶稣的榜样,我们的行为和心思意念才会不断更新。
我们每个人都很独特,但神创造我们的心意是美好的。愿美佳青少年活出神赐的身份,时时刻刻深信《诗篇》139:14b节所说:“因我受造,奇妙可畏;你的作为奇妙,这是我心深知道的。”真正认识神如何看我们,对性有正面的认识、拥有圣洁的观念。
刘祥钦 (Megacf)
特会第二天的工作坊由Peggy姐主持。主题是《自己的身份和价值》。这个正是我近期想要寻找的答案。我想每个人都曾问过自己到底是谁,如何定义自己,如何让自己活得更有价值。
从小,家人给予我很多期待(尤其在成绩方面),我在充满压力的家庭环境中成长。自己似乎也没有意识到这个问题有多严重,反而一直想做得更好,这样,对我有期待的人就不会失望,而不会离开我。其实由始至终,我都知道这样是不对的,我不会快乐,不会找到自己的价值;而且在成长路上跌跌撞撞很多次,也经历过遭人背弃。
最近面临低谷期,我重新审视内心,到底我学业上的荣耀是否能够满足所有人,包括自己?但是,幸好上帝使用身边的人提醒我,学业成就本是荣耀祂的,而祂视我为宝贝,我无须用任何成就来证明自己的价值。就算我多糟糕,祂都爱我,祂的爱胜过一切。我确认了我的身份:“我是神的儿女!”
特会主要探讨的课题是性和同性恋。这是我们最需要深入了解琢磨的课题。每个人身边或多或少都会出现同性情侣或还处于挣扎的人。前不久,身边就有同性朋友谈恋爱。那时我在这方面的认知不多,帮不上什么忙,只做到聆听和陪伴,但最终因一些矛盾而不欢而散。后来,参加过何师母主持的《圣洁性恋》读书会,才对同性恋有了一些了解。这个特会,算是一个认知回顾,让我更加确定往后面对同性恋者时应该怎么做。
其实特会的内容不只适用于同性恋者,也适用于所有人,归根究底就是在探讨人的罪性。我认为追求圣洁是需要用一生去学习,活像耶稣,面对欲望的诱惑也能站立得稳,而不是与世俗同流合污。面对同性恋者,不能只是一心想去改变他们的性取向,而是让他们知道从克服生活中小小的罪性开始改变,引领他们慢慢走向圣洁、走向神。我很喜欢嘉玮传道的分享见证——利用自身的经历和见证去让听众更了解同性恋者的想法,以及如何战胜罪性,回转向神。
“因为人子来,并不是要受人的服侍,乃是要服侍人,并且要舍命作多人的赎价。”(马可福音 10:45)。特会最后一天,我的问题也有了答案。在呼召环节,当嘉玮传道说要为愿意委身于主的人祷告,我便将右手放在胸前,将自己献上给主。这绝对是我最大的突破,因为我预备好了,随时可以为主做工。若是将来身边有同性恋者或在挣扎的人,我愿意成为上帝的器皿,去陪伴,为主做见证,用生命影响生命,帮助他们远离罪性,追求圣洁。
Evonne Ong (MJYF)
特会中,我听到一些他人的故事。我好奇他们为什么会有这样的经历,好奇他们是怎样跌倒了,然后爬起来,好奇上帝如何带领他们。让我印象最深刻的是,当讲员分享他或她的故事时,我明白到任何人都可能因为环境的影响而相信撒旦的谎言。我也学到,给人最大的帮助,就是鼓励和陪伴。希望我能使用特会所学到的知识去帮助我身边有需要的人。
李盈莹 (Megacf)
知道会有这个特会的当下,就想要参加。我想认识两性方面和同性恋的课题,想更深入了解《圣经》对性的教导。
特会让我印象深刻的环节有两个,其中一个是在燕微老师主持的研讨会。她分享到上帝的标准:圣洁的性恋是在单身时守贞洁,婚姻里守忠诚。让我明白身为基督徒一定要持守真理,不能违背上帝的旨意,因为这是祂给我们的诫命。
第二个让我印象深刻就是最后一天结束前的祷告环节。牧师问:“通过这个特会,觉得自己已经预备好去陪伴同性恋的朋友,或在未来的某一天遇到这群有困难的人,愿意尝试帮助他们的人,请把手放在胸前。” 牧师话音刚落,我有一股强烈、坚定的感觉让我愿意陪伴或帮助那些有需要的人。我不知道自己是否有一天会遇到这些人,但我相信,如果遇到了,上帝会赐给我聪明智慧去陪伴他们。
特会过后,我更加认识自己真正的身份——我是神的孩子。我明白到上帝看我的眼光不像是世人看我的眼光,也相信神让每一个出现在我生命里的人都有祂的目的,而每遇到的新鲜事都是让自己灵命成长的机会。我会珍惜自己身为神儿女的身份,并且学习用神的爱爱身边的人。
刘彦伶 Low Yan Ling
让我印象最深刻的环节是C组第一个工作坊,讲员用了很实际例子提醒着我,基督徒要时时刻刻警醒,将世界对我们的身份价值定位,转向上帝给我们的身份、价值定位,让现阶段迷茫、缺乏自我价值的我得到鼓励。
“认识自己”依然是我一生都学不完的功课,这个过程需要耶稣带领,我能做的就是不断提醒自己,凡事信靠神,敬畏上帝。就好像《加拉太书》1章10节说到:“我岂是讨人的喜欢吗?若仍旧讨人的喜欢,我就不是基督的仆人了。”在这个观念越来越扭曲的世界里,站稳自己的脚步,面对各样的难题都要相信万事都有主在掌管,才能为主作光作盐。
Wong Charmaine (Sunday school 12 years old)
I was expecting to learn more about who I am.
My most memorable moment was tea break because of the fellowship and worship. I enjoyed worship very much. I learned new things about what I should and should not do and what is right or wrong. I would like to be more aware of what I am doing when talking or going on the internet.
Hanz Tan (MEC Co-Hort)
I thought we would mainly be learning about LGBTQ+ and things like why we should remain a virgin until marriage or how watching porn will affect our lives.
My most memorable moment in the conference would be one of the workshops by Peggy about our identity. This is because I struggle a lot with my identity as a student. My emotions and actions are very easily affected by how other people look at me or how they will judge me. Hence, sometimes I would change my values or actions to fit in. And that, sometimes becomes my identity. Through this workshop, it has helped me to solidify the truth that my identity is that of a child of God and my values and actions should be done based on this identity and no other external factors.
I have learned a lot from the conference. The main one would be how your identity is the one that determines your value and actions, not your value and actions that determines your identity. Besides that, I have also learned and received more insight on how a person self identifies as a LGBTQ+ through the sharing of Pastor Jia Wei. I wish that through this camp, I can become a person who can stand their ground with the identity of being a child of God, even when tempted or judged by other people. I also wish to be more understanding towards my friends that are LGBTQ+ and although we do not share the same values, I wish to walk with them, pray for them and love them as how God loves us.
Philip Lai (MJYF)
Truthfully speaking, I joined this conference without much thought or consideration about the topic of this conference as all I wanted was to spend some time with my friends. I thought that I was well-versed in the topic of sex education, so I did not expect to learn much from the conference.
I could not be more wrong about myself. The moment the speaker started sharing about his experiences I was locked in. From being the social outcast to being lost in what the world has to offer and ultimately finding solace in Christ. All of it made me ponder about decisions I have made and the paths I have taken. Am I living in the past with all these questions unanswered? Have I truly accepted my identity as a child of God or do I still want more of the world?
The workshop after the theme talks was a great call by the organizers. All my questions were answered. The theme talk was more of a theory session while the workshop is where you put it to use. It taught me that growing up, feeling a certain way, or questioning certain beliefs is completely normal. It served as a safe space for discussion and to raise questions which I have tried so hard to suppress at the back of my head. Honestly glad I went to this conference. My view on self-identity have changed drastically after this, in a positive way of course.
Kristen
I wanted to experience a youth event and hopefully take something home from it. However, I did expect the usual talks about sexuality and the Christian view v.s. Worldview debate – and true enough, they were held, and they were good. It was a privilege to have someone from Taiwan speak to us about his own experiences and how he eventually overcame his problems with God’s help.
Aside from the theme talks, the ones that surprised me the most were the workshops talking about our identity, and about how, essentially, our main identity is found in Jesus Christ, as His children, His sheep, and not in the labels of this world. Hearing such things taught aloud really opened up my eyes (and my brain). Also, I found that after Save Sex 2.0, I have been checking the way I speak, making sure I do not simply blurt out things like “He sounds gay” and the like!
The most vivid memory I have of the event is definitely the closing on the last day. The meaningful worship combined with the prayer was really impactful and truly wrapped up the whole event nicely.
翁嘉玮传道(中)