CMC Day 3 Morning Message
現今的機會 — 今日中國教會及海外華人教會的宣教挑戰
王美鍾院長
反省:我們對現今的宣教有負擔感嗎?
創11:31,12:1-2
— 亞伯蘭的父親理應到迦南,卻停在哈蘭,並死在哈蘭。
— 反省:我們是否安於現狀,而忘掉我們應去的目的地?
中國,我們真的了解中國嗎?
— 建設先進,人才配出
— 經濟、軍事的突出
— 十年後的中國,民族掘起、國家興起,可是屬靈的光境又會是怎樣?
宣教的中國
— 中國製造的商品(made in China) 比比皆是,哪麽中國製造的宣教士呢?Missionaries made in China...!
— 我們可以怎樣去幫助中國的教會明白麥子的宣教呢?
— 福音進中國、福音在中國、福音出中國
— 廿一世紀的海外華人就好像廿一世紀的約瑟,不但成為身處國的祝福,亦能成為父家—中國—的祝福
— 蒙召的目的:成為祝福,成為本國、鄰國、中國、華人的祝福
現今的機會:委身的宣教行動
— 這呼召是一個永恒的呼召
CMC Day 3 Exposition
如何能夠承擔神的使命
出3:1-15
黃子嘉牧師
神給我們使命是要我們承擔神的事工、成就衪的工作。對我們基督徒來說,就是主耶穌給我們的大使命。
遇見神:是神找到摩西,遇見神的地就是聖地。遇見神是承擔神的使命的基礎。
1。認識神是又真又活的(7-8)
— 摩西對神懷疑:以色列民正在受苦。明明已經第四代,為什麼仍在別國受苦?
— 摩西不明白苦難是成熟基督徒必須要面對的(參羅馬書5:1﹣5)
— 我們是否覺得神是又真又活的?
— 要承擔神的使命,必須認識神的又真又活。無論遇見多少困難,也因神而剛強起來。
— 我們出去打仗是神帶我們去的。
2。認識神是聖潔公義的(2-5)
— 明白我們是不完全的,我們是須要神的幫助的
— 明白自己的不配、要求神的憐憫
— 人若自潔,脫離卑賤的事,成為貴重的器皿
3。認識神是恩典憐憫的(9-10)
— 神在苦難之中仍保守以色列人
— 祂看見的、聽見的、知道的,有甚麼難處,是可以向神說的。
4。認識神是自有永有的(13-15)
— "我就是"
5。認識我們是微小的(11-13)
— 上帝的工作,不是靠我們,仍是我們靠衪的靈來成事。
6。認識使命崇高而勇於承擔(3:1,4:20)
CMC Day 3 Evening Message
陳世協牧師
「為什麼是我?」
約書亞記一:一至十八節
今天我們所缺乏的不是對宣教的意識或知識,而是對宣教的行動。
問:「為什麼是我?」
一至五節:
「為什麼是我?」還有其他人嗎!
「神的僕人死了。」(v1-2)兩次提到神的僕人死了。每一代的領袖、每一代神的工人都會死掉、都會過去的。每一代的約書亞都要起來承擔使命。
- (v5)神對約書亞說:「我怎樣帶領摩西,也會怎樣帶領你。」
- 時代的轉變,宣教的年代也改變了。現代的宣教中心經已轉移,宣教士也不再是紅毛綠眼的了。
- 中國人很懂計算,可是就是太會算了,左算右算,都是其他人去更好吧!可是,如果神真的跟我們算,請問又應怎樣算?
- 要成為神的工人,數學不可以太好。若我們太好數學,我們只會繼續坐在我們的安樂窩之內。
六至九節:
- 約書亞真的懼怕。真的,因為聖經不是一次,不是兩次,是三次的叫約書亞要剛強壯膽。
- 約書亞經歴了很多,包括探索迦南地,他亦知道神怎樣帶領摩西,可是他同時亦知道裡面很多難處。
- 可是神就是提醒約書亞衪怎樣帶領摩西。
- 神吩咐約書亞要
1。handle with care
2。謹守神的話語
3。遵行神的話語
- 謹守和遵行神的話語方法:神話語不可離口,晝夜思想,多多講論。多講論,就多思想。多思想,就自然能謹守和遵行神的話語。
- 神提醒約書亞,他是受神的吩咐。「神吩咐」= 有神的應許,帶有神的能力。
十至十八節
約書亞把上帝的話語化為行動。
其餘的兩個半支派,可以留下,不過要先兌現承諾,男丁先帶領其他人過河。必需要有合一的心。
Reflection:
My question was, "Why me? Why not others?"
Nope. Others gone already.
My question should be "Why not me?"
Do I want to respond to God? What will my answer be?
世人行動實係幻影。他們忙亂,真是枉然。積聚財富,不知將來有誰收取﹖Surely a man egoes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! (詩篇Ps39:6)
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
CMC Day 2 Notes
CMC Day 2 Morning Message
跨洋之前先跨街 - 胸懷世界,始於腳前
Cross the street before cross the ocean - A "Glocal" (Global & Local) Perspective
Dr. George Verwer
Matthew 9:35-37, Acts 12-13, Isa 6:1-8, 1 John 2
- Not only listen to the Bible but put into action
- Being a missionary can be a career...!
- Am I able to tell God: "God, here am I, send me !!"
- the biggest question: "Am I available (to God)?"
CMC Day 2 Exposition
我不甘心無份救恩
約書亞記2:1-24,
陳世協牧師
經文焦點在放喇合的身上
- 兩個對話:
1。耶利哥王的人和拉合的對話
2。約書亞的人(探子)和拉合的對話
- 喇合的身份:妓女
- 喇合不願意救恩没有她的份兒
- 她知道神的作為,郤説是「你們的神」,她雖不敢認,可是郤已經在步向信神的道路上。
有人聽聞福音
- 我們是跘腳石,還是在帶人信主?
- 最大的跘腳石:1。教會中的衝突。2。教會缺乏自律性、自省性。 3。教會跟世界一樣。
- 世人覺得我們教會是愛嗎?
- 我們基督徒與世界有一個正確的溝通的方法嗎?
有人珍惜救恩
- 願意付出來爭取得到救恩的權利
- 上帝有祂的預備,若人願意,神救恩的門便會人而開,好像探子到喇合的家一樣
- 我們認同神工作、神預備的大能嗎?
﹣ 喇合的相信是因為相信、並有相關的行動。(來11:31, 雅各2:25)
單純的信心讓我們認識上帝,並全家得救。
外邦人因為神的作為而產生信心,反觀已信主的郤未能有這個信心。
相信神是永遠不會太遲。。。所以我們也不可小看自己的身份,探子是上帝福音的見證人,連他們自己也不知道。所以我們必須要作隨時的預備(we have to be anytime ready).
Reflective question: "I could have done more, but we didn't"
CMC Day 2 Evening Message
James Taylor 戴繼忠牧師
從中國基督教史看宣教
約書亞記4:19-24
我們必須從宣教士的經驗中反省。。。
石頭的意思:
1. 要使地上萬民都知道,耶和華的手大有能力.
2. 要使你們永遠敬畏耶和華你們的神。』」
內地會宣教六原則
(reflection: 相比戴德生六個月的交通、為什麼我們現在連幾個小時也不願意?)
一。爲百萬靈魂的負擔、心裡焦急
— 海外的中國人、中國教會必須對屬靈的需要與托付放到主的面前
— 每個月一百萬個靈魂奔向一個沒有基督的永恆
》廿一世紀五大未得之民:unreached or underreached 回教徒、佛教徒、印度教、華人、西方人
二。入進隨俗、向誰像誰
— 我們願意入鄉隨俗、學習他們的文化嗎?語言、風俗
— 真正的跨文化
三。信心禱告、神的供應
— 禱告:先學習在本土傳福音
— 禱告:學習默默等候神的供應《耶和華以勒、以便以設耳(以便以謝)》
— 戴德生曾說:「我們需要的並非偉大的信心,而是信靠一位偉大的神。…按照神的方式作神的工作,斷然不會缺乏神的供應。」
— 約書亞:四十年前,神使紅海水乾了,今天衪使約旦河水乾了
四。合一多元、同心合一
— 合一不可忽略多元,多元亦不能破壞合一
— 不擔心宣教士(宣教事工)沒有錢,是害怕有錢但沒有宣教士(宣教事工)
— 宣教中的合而為一:跨文化、超宗派
五。全體動員、各盡其職
— 不可只靠教會牧師領袖,是全教會總動員
— 平信徒也十分重要,使用職埸活出信仰 Your profession as profession (of faith)
》宣教的水果? 不是passion fruit,而是,mango = man + go
六。建立本土的教會、蒙恩施恩
Prayer: 願感動戴德生的靈加倍的感動我們
跨洋之前先跨街 - 胸懷世界,始於腳前
Cross the street before cross the ocean - A "Glocal" (Global & Local) Perspective
Dr. George Verwer
Matthew 9:35-37, Acts 12-13, Isa 6:1-8, 1 John 2
- Not only listen to the Bible but put into action
- Being a missionary can be a career...!
- Am I able to tell God: "God, here am I, send me !!"
- the biggest question: "Am I available (to God)?"
CMC Day 2 Exposition
我不甘心無份救恩
約書亞記2:1-24,
陳世協牧師
經文焦點在放喇合的身上
- 兩個對話:
1。耶利哥王的人和拉合的對話
2。約書亞的人(探子)和拉合的對話
- 喇合的身份:妓女
- 喇合不願意救恩没有她的份兒
- 她知道神的作為,郤説是「你們的神」,她雖不敢認,可是郤已經在步向信神的道路上。
有人聽聞福音
- 我們是跘腳石,還是在帶人信主?
- 最大的跘腳石:1。教會中的衝突。2。教會缺乏自律性、自省性。 3。教會跟世界一樣。
- 世人覺得我們教會是愛嗎?
- 我們基督徒與世界有一個正確的溝通的方法嗎?
有人珍惜救恩
- 願意付出來爭取得到救恩的權利
- 上帝有祂的預備,若人願意,神救恩的門便會人而開,好像探子到喇合的家一樣
- 我們認同神工作、神預備的大能嗎?
﹣ 喇合的相信是因為相信、並有相關的行動。(來11:31, 雅各2:25)
單純的信心讓我們認識上帝,並全家得救。
外邦人因為神的作為而產生信心,反觀已信主的郤未能有這個信心。
相信神是永遠不會太遲。。。所以我們也不可小看自己的身份,探子是上帝福音的見證人,連他們自己也不知道。所以我們必須要作隨時的預備(we have to be anytime ready).
Reflective question: "I could have done more, but we didn't"
CMC Day 2 Evening Message
James Taylor 戴繼忠牧師
從中國基督教史看宣教
約書亞記4:19-24
我們必須從宣教士的經驗中反省。。。
石頭的意思:
1. 要使地上萬民都知道,耶和華的手大有能力.
2. 要使你們永遠敬畏耶和華你們的神。』」
內地會宣教六原則
(reflection: 相比戴德生六個月的交通、為什麼我們現在連幾個小時也不願意?)
一。爲百萬靈魂的負擔、心裡焦急
— 海外的中國人、中國教會必須對屬靈的需要與托付放到主的面前
— 每個月一百萬個靈魂奔向一個沒有基督的永恆
》廿一世紀五大未得之民:unreached or underreached 回教徒、佛教徒、印度教、華人、西方人
二。入進隨俗、向誰像誰
— 我們願意入鄉隨俗、學習他們的文化嗎?語言、風俗
— 真正的跨文化
三。信心禱告、神的供應
— 禱告:先學習在本土傳福音
— 禱告:學習默默等候神的供應《耶和華以勒、以便以設耳(以便以謝)》
— 戴德生曾說:「我們需要的並非偉大的信心,而是信靠一位偉大的神。…按照神的方式作神的工作,斷然不會缺乏神的供應。」
— 約書亞:四十年前,神使紅海水乾了,今天衪使約旦河水乾了
四。合一多元、同心合一
— 合一不可忽略多元,多元亦不能破壞合一
— 不擔心宣教士(宣教事工)沒有錢,是害怕有錢但沒有宣教士(宣教事工)
— 宣教中的合而為一:跨文化、超宗派
五。全體動員、各盡其職
— 不可只靠教會牧師領袖,是全教會總動員
— 平信徒也十分重要,使用職埸活出信仰 Your profession as profession (of faith)
》宣教的水果? 不是passion fruit,而是,mango = man + go
六。建立本土的教會、蒙恩施恩
Prayer: 願感動戴德生的靈加倍的感動我們
先有尊嚴,才有威風,請不要顚倒是非,黑白不分
若政府只懂耍威風 人民如何活得尊嚴
【明報專訊】2010年走到尾聲,在經濟層面,內地與香港進一步融合,中國經濟規模正式超過日本,成為全球第二大經濟體,上海成功主辦歷來參觀人數最多的世博會,廣州亞運中國奪得歷來最多的199面金牌;科技方面,「嫦娥二號」探月衛星傳回照片質素之高,使中國成為繼美國後第2個達到米級分辨率高精度成像的國家,高鐵技術冠絕全球,許多國家(連美國在內)爭相輸入。其他成就當然還可以大書特書,國家繁榮昌盛,綜合國力陡增,港人作為中國人的一分子,理應有更多人歸心;然而,證諸近期多個調查結果卻背道而馳,離心港人反而大幅增加。
不滿處理劉曉波趙連海事件
港人對中央不滿對國家疏離
中國愈強大,港人對國家的疏離感卻愈濃烈,對國家有殷殷期盼的人,會感到氣餒和沮喪。內地當局對於港人的感受,可能不當什麼一回事,但是如果相信人類有良知,則港人所見、所思、所感,若內地同胞掌握同樣資訊和可以自由表達,我們相信,他們與港人對國事的反應,不會相差太遠。
昨日,港大民意研究計劃發表一項調查結果,顯示市民對中央政府的信任程度,大幅下降5個百分點至37%,不信任率則上升10百分點至32%,是2003年以來新高。2003年是港府推動《基本法》23條立法,港人與中央最對立、對中央最不信任的時候。
本月21日,港大民意研究計劃發表的另一項調查結果,發現港人自稱為「中國人」的比率只有21%,較半年前下跌7個百分點,而自稱為香港人的比率則上升11個百分點至36%。至於對「中國人」身分的認同感則下跌0.53分至7.1分,是1999年以來新低。
另外,前日,小童群益會發表對45所中學逾2.1萬名學生的調查結果,關於中學生心目中的十大新聞,有3宗屬於維權事件,其中劉曉波獲頒諾貝爾和平獎排首位,因為調查汶川地震豆腐渣工程被囚5年的譚作人排第5位,毒奶粉受害人變被告繫獄的趙連海排第7位。中國那麼大,年內值得紀錄的事有那麼多,而香港中學生眼於這3宗維權事件,顯示年輕一代港人對自由、人權、法治、公義的堅持,也反映本港與內地價值觀的差距。
上述3項調查,都在趙連海被投獄、阻撓劉曉波或其他人士出席諾貝爾和平獎頒獎禮之後進行,港人知道不可能使內地變得自由、尊重人權、崇尚法治和彰顯公義,只能藉不信任中央、不認同自己是中國人來表達不滿。這是十分無奈的表態。港人在有尊嚴情下還能夠表達感受,內地同胞連這樣的表達自由也沒有,如何談得上活得有尊嚴。
今年3月,總理溫家寶在兩會期間發表的《工作報告》,首次寫入「尊嚴」二字,提出要讓人民生活得更幸福、更有尊嚴。剛過去的周日,溫家寶在電台節目與聽對話,就他的「尊嚴論」界定4種情,居首的是要保障每個人享有憲法和法律所給予的自由和權利;其次是無論職業不同、財產不同、民族不同,每個人都完全平等,特別是在法律面前完全平等;第三要使弱勢群體有尊嚴地生活;第四是要尊重犯錯誤和犯罪的人的人格,使他們獲得新生。我們認為,若第一和第二條做到了,則綱舉目張,整體社會的公平、公正,公義就得到彰顯,人民基本上都可以有尊嚴地生活。
不過,即使溫家寶一而再提出「尊嚴論」,證諸現實,人民的遭遇卻非如此。就說趙連海,他由毒奶粉受害人,被控以無厘頭的尋釁滋事罪名,入獄兩年半,然後趙連海「被撤回上訴」,「被保外就醫」。其間專政機器恩威並施,整個案件宛如大網垂天,趙連海和其家人的尊嚴哪裏去了。我們相信趙連海「被保外就醫」,已經離開看守所,但是人在哪裏?當局的安排和處理,有如使趙連海在監外執行刑期而已,更糟糕的是,並無罪名在身的趙連海家人,也與趙連海一起跟外界隔離,變相陪趙連海在監外「服刑」。天下間最荒謬的事,恐怕莫過於此。
至於劉曉波,在遼寧錦州監獄服刑,自不待言,他的太太劉霞呢?自從諾貝爾委員會宣布劉曉波獲獎不久,劉霞就不能再與外界聯絡,她人在何方?人身安全如何?外界一無所知。就算頒獎禮過去快3個星期,劉霞仍未露面。劉曉波以「煽動顛覆國家政權」罪名身陷囹圄,劉霞犯了什麼罪?她的法律權利何在?當局憑什麼把她隔離「軟禁」?在劉霞身上見到的無法無天、胡作非為,據溫家寶的尊嚴準則,劉霞的尊嚴被剝奪了,但是當局耍了威風就會得到人民尊重?相信答案恰恰相反。
要人民活得尊嚴推政改
溫總一再呼籲未獲迴響
今年以來,溫家寶多次高調提出政治體制改革,更有「風雨不改,至死方休」之語,不過,無論溫家寶講得多麼聲情並茂,960萬平方公里神州大地未見迴響,堂堂共和國總理的說話,還算不算數?溫總的高調政改與領導層其他人的靜默,到底說明或反映什麼問題,值得關注。
以往,對西方的人權壓力,內地當局以「生存權是最大的人權」回應,隨經濟勃興,近年較少引用這個提法了。這是進步。溫家寶要使人民活得有尊嚴,則是更進一步提升。中國經濟急速崛起,政治體制未相應調整,而官員貪污腐敗成風,使得經濟發展面臨瓶頸,社會矛盾極其尖銳,政治體制改革可說刻不容緩。以目前中國的物質條件、中共完全掌控大局情況下,中國正在處於100多年來進行政治改革、推動民主進程的最有利時機,只要中共願意主導改革,我們相信,中國可以走上真正繁榮、自由、民主、法治的大國之路。
【明報專訊】2010年走到尾聲,在經濟層面,內地與香港進一步融合,中國經濟規模正式超過日本,成為全球第二大經濟體,上海成功主辦歷來參觀人數最多的世博會,廣州亞運中國奪得歷來最多的199面金牌;科技方面,「嫦娥二號」探月衛星傳回照片質素之高,使中國成為繼美國後第2個達到米級分辨率高精度成像的國家,高鐵技術冠絕全球,許多國家(連美國在內)爭相輸入。其他成就當然還可以大書特書,國家繁榮昌盛,綜合國力陡增,港人作為中國人的一分子,理應有更多人歸心;然而,證諸近期多個調查結果卻背道而馳,離心港人反而大幅增加。
不滿處理劉曉波趙連海事件
港人對中央不滿對國家疏離
中國愈強大,港人對國家的疏離感卻愈濃烈,對國家有殷殷期盼的人,會感到氣餒和沮喪。內地當局對於港人的感受,可能不當什麼一回事,但是如果相信人類有良知,則港人所見、所思、所感,若內地同胞掌握同樣資訊和可以自由表達,我們相信,他們與港人對國事的反應,不會相差太遠。
昨日,港大民意研究計劃發表一項調查結果,顯示市民對中央政府的信任程度,大幅下降5個百分點至37%,不信任率則上升10百分點至32%,是2003年以來新高。2003年是港府推動《基本法》23條立法,港人與中央最對立、對中央最不信任的時候。
本月21日,港大民意研究計劃發表的另一項調查結果,發現港人自稱為「中國人」的比率只有21%,較半年前下跌7個百分點,而自稱為香港人的比率則上升11個百分點至36%。至於對「中國人」身分的認同感則下跌0.53分至7.1分,是1999年以來新低。
另外,前日,小童群益會發表對45所中學逾2.1萬名學生的調查結果,關於中學生心目中的十大新聞,有3宗屬於維權事件,其中劉曉波獲頒諾貝爾和平獎排首位,因為調查汶川地震豆腐渣工程被囚5年的譚作人排第5位,毒奶粉受害人變被告繫獄的趙連海排第7位。中國那麼大,年內值得紀錄的事有那麼多,而香港中學生眼於這3宗維權事件,顯示年輕一代港人對自由、人權、法治、公義的堅持,也反映本港與內地價值觀的差距。
上述3項調查,都在趙連海被投獄、阻撓劉曉波或其他人士出席諾貝爾和平獎頒獎禮之後進行,港人知道不可能使內地變得自由、尊重人權、崇尚法治和彰顯公義,只能藉不信任中央、不認同自己是中國人來表達不滿。這是十分無奈的表態。港人在有尊嚴情下還能夠表達感受,內地同胞連這樣的表達自由也沒有,如何談得上活得有尊嚴。
今年3月,總理溫家寶在兩會期間發表的《工作報告》,首次寫入「尊嚴」二字,提出要讓人民生活得更幸福、更有尊嚴。剛過去的周日,溫家寶在電台節目與聽對話,就他的「尊嚴論」界定4種情,居首的是要保障每個人享有憲法和法律所給予的自由和權利;其次是無論職業不同、財產不同、民族不同,每個人都完全平等,特別是在法律面前完全平等;第三要使弱勢群體有尊嚴地生活;第四是要尊重犯錯誤和犯罪的人的人格,使他們獲得新生。我們認為,若第一和第二條做到了,則綱舉目張,整體社會的公平、公正,公義就得到彰顯,人民基本上都可以有尊嚴地生活。
不過,即使溫家寶一而再提出「尊嚴論」,證諸現實,人民的遭遇卻非如此。就說趙連海,他由毒奶粉受害人,被控以無厘頭的尋釁滋事罪名,入獄兩年半,然後趙連海「被撤回上訴」,「被保外就醫」。其間專政機器恩威並施,整個案件宛如大網垂天,趙連海和其家人的尊嚴哪裏去了。我們相信趙連海「被保外就醫」,已經離開看守所,但是人在哪裏?當局的安排和處理,有如使趙連海在監外執行刑期而已,更糟糕的是,並無罪名在身的趙連海家人,也與趙連海一起跟外界隔離,變相陪趙連海在監外「服刑」。天下間最荒謬的事,恐怕莫過於此。
至於劉曉波,在遼寧錦州監獄服刑,自不待言,他的太太劉霞呢?自從諾貝爾委員會宣布劉曉波獲獎不久,劉霞就不能再與外界聯絡,她人在何方?人身安全如何?外界一無所知。就算頒獎禮過去快3個星期,劉霞仍未露面。劉曉波以「煽動顛覆國家政權」罪名身陷囹圄,劉霞犯了什麼罪?她的法律權利何在?當局憑什麼把她隔離「軟禁」?在劉霞身上見到的無法無天、胡作非為,據溫家寶的尊嚴準則,劉霞的尊嚴被剝奪了,但是當局耍了威風就會得到人民尊重?相信答案恰恰相反。
要人民活得尊嚴推政改
溫總一再呼籲未獲迴響
今年以來,溫家寶多次高調提出政治體制改革,更有「風雨不改,至死方休」之語,不過,無論溫家寶講得多麼聲情並茂,960萬平方公里神州大地未見迴響,堂堂共和國總理的說話,還算不算數?溫總的高調政改與領導層其他人的靜默,到底說明或反映什麼問題,值得關注。
以往,對西方的人權壓力,內地當局以「生存權是最大的人權」回應,隨經濟勃興,近年較少引用這個提法了。這是進步。溫家寶要使人民活得有尊嚴,則是更進一步提升。中國經濟急速崛起,政治體制未相應調整,而官員貪污腐敗成風,使得經濟發展面臨瓶頸,社會矛盾極其尖銳,政治體制改革可說刻不容緩。以目前中國的物質條件、中共完全掌控大局情況下,中國正在處於100多年來進行政治改革、推動民主進程的最有利時機,只要中共願意主導改革,我們相信,中國可以走上真正繁榮、自由、民主、法治的大國之路。
Monday, December 27, 2010
CMC Day 1 Notes
CMC Day 1 Morning
黄子嘉牧師
從聖經看宣教
1. (from introduction of speaker) The elder of the church who hire 黄子嘉牧師 told us when hiring, the church said to Rev. Wong:"我們是一個國度的教會,若是為了國度的緣故,你要出去多少次,都未有所謂。" The elder testified: "要從神的國度看,不要小氣。"
2. Kingdom of heaven (in Matthew) = Kingdom of God (else in the Bible)
3. To truely understand Kingdom of God, have to live in the kingdom of God, summit to God, 順服於神的管治之下。
4. 要明白神的國,要明白主耶穌到世上的意義:傳神的國的福音,要人悔改。
5. 約翰福音中"見"跟"到"是一樣的。(3:36, 8:51-52)
6. 我們傳福音 = 我們把神的國度帶到我們生活之中,帶到我們的社會之中。
CMC Day 1 Exposition
陳世欽牧師
列下7:1-20
豈可閉口不言?
從閉口不言到傳神的話語
1. 認清一切全是恩典 (5-7)
-感恩的心、催迫我們不能不說
-謙卑的心
-屬靈的驕傲是屬靈的盲點
2. 深感他人迫切需要 (8-9)
-明白他人身處的境況
-明白自己的保留是不對的
-明白自己的責任是要報好消息
3.跨越自己、承擔挑戰 (3-5,10-11)
-累、還是要去
-機會轉眼即逝
CMC Day 1 Evening
Raymond Lee
Esther 4:12-17
What is your role God have in you for the world?
Say Esther, it may be a bad time as a woman, bad time as a Jew, even a bad time as a queen. But that is not an excuse for us to ignore the role God has given to us.
There is always a reason behind His plan, no matter how bad the situation it is, if it's your role, it's your role.
CMC Workshop Day 1
網路宣教
- 你們要去使"網民"作我的門徒
- "沉迷上網" 現在已經沒有一個確實的定義或標準
- John Edmiston : Ten Ways the Internet Is Changing Evangelism and Missions
資訊、理性、尋索、統合、動員等等
- Because of the web search, no one can claim they are the lone expert
- Parents / adults have to make sure what they say, what they teach
- using website to bring people back to Christ
- Why no visit to Christian website? they focus on experience, interest, caring... Does the website has characterizes? professionalism, reformation, usage, enjoy the process of usage not the process of building
- for Christian? Or including non-Christians too?
黄子嘉牧師
從聖經看宣教
1. (from introduction of speaker) The elder of the church who hire 黄子嘉牧師 told us when hiring, the church said to Rev. Wong:"我們是一個國度的教會,若是為了國度的緣故,你要出去多少次,都未有所謂。" The elder testified: "要從神的國度看,不要小氣。"
2. Kingdom of heaven (in Matthew) = Kingdom of God (else in the Bible)
3. To truely understand Kingdom of God, have to live in the kingdom of God, summit to God, 順服於神的管治之下。
4. 要明白神的國,要明白主耶穌到世上的意義:傳神的國的福音,要人悔改。
5. 約翰福音中"見"跟"到"是一樣的。(3:36, 8:51-52)
6. 我們傳福音 = 我們把神的國度帶到我們生活之中,帶到我們的社會之中。
CMC Day 1 Exposition
陳世欽牧師
列下7:1-20
豈可閉口不言?
從閉口不言到傳神的話語
1. 認清一切全是恩典 (5-7)
-感恩的心、催迫我們不能不說
-謙卑的心
-屬靈的驕傲是屬靈的盲點
2. 深感他人迫切需要 (8-9)
-明白他人身處的境況
-明白自己的保留是不對的
-明白自己的責任是要報好消息
3.跨越自己、承擔挑戰 (3-5,10-11)
-累、還是要去
-機會轉眼即逝
CMC Day 1 Evening
Raymond Lee
Esther 4:12-17
What is your role God have in you for the world?
Say Esther, it may be a bad time as a woman, bad time as a Jew, even a bad time as a queen. But that is not an excuse for us to ignore the role God has given to us.
There is always a reason behind His plan, no matter how bad the situation it is, if it's your role, it's your role.
CMC Workshop Day 1
網路宣教
- 你們要去使"網民"作我的門徒
- "沉迷上網" 現在已經沒有一個確實的定義或標準
- John Edmiston : Ten Ways the Internet Is Changing Evangelism and Missions
資訊、理性、尋索、統合、動員等等
- Because of the web search, no one can claim they are the lone expert
- Parents / adults have to make sure what they say, what they teach
- using website to bring people back to Christ
- Why no visit to Christian website? they focus on experience, interest, caring... Does the website has characterizes? professionalism, reformation, usage, enjoy the process of usage not the process of building
- for Christian? Or including non-Christians too?
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
真心相遇
真心相遇
(10.12.22 靈修勵語)
你想親近神嗎?
人若希望與神親近,就要真心。不過,人類千方百計,就是害怕交出那最寶貴的東西──真心。
然而人生在世,若缺乏認真的心,他就無法做人。若作丈夫的不認真,就無法好好做一個丈夫,因為他娶妻只求結婚,卻不要付出自己作他妻子的丈夫。同一理由,若人無心去付出,他無法好好做一個父親,做一個職員,也無法生命更新,無法避開罪污,無法遵守紀律,甚至最基本的事:睡眠、吃喝、起床、洗澡等日常生活也無法去行。 當一個人不要真誠去承擔自己,他也就無法做一個人。
同一道理,人無法好好做一個信徒,因為他信耶穌只為了一張天堂入境證,卻不要付出自己去做一個屬於神的人。生命就是如此真實,在我們裡面就有一個極其貴重的「我」。我可能很無奈地讓任何事發生在我身上,也可能被逼去做任何事。但是,這個「我」仍然是無可控制,只要不發自「我」,就不是我。
進深一層,人甚至可以奉獻自己做傳道人,但他的心可以不歸給神用;可以讀十個神學學位,但與神毫無關係;可以每天用上十小時閱讀聖經,但他的心可以不為所動;可以花十小時禱告,但可以一句真心話也沒說;可以一生自認是基督徒,但他的心可以一生也不認耶穌為主。
然而,人根本無法欺騙神,因為神是看人內心的,神要的就是這個「我」,一個不再逃避祂,真心真意愛祂信祂歸屬祂的「人」。 人心在神面前是平等的,每人也可以到主面前以他的心回應神,神所要求並非人的金錢名譽地位,只是人真正直達心坎的相信祂。
所以,想真一點,你真的想親近神嗎?
(10.12.22 靈修勵語)
你想親近神嗎?
人若希望與神親近,就要真心。不過,人類千方百計,就是害怕交出那最寶貴的東西──真心。
然而人生在世,若缺乏認真的心,他就無法做人。若作丈夫的不認真,就無法好好做一個丈夫,因為他娶妻只求結婚,卻不要付出自己作他妻子的丈夫。同一理由,若人無心去付出,他無法好好做一個父親,做一個職員,也無法生命更新,無法避開罪污,無法遵守紀律,甚至最基本的事:睡眠、吃喝、起床、洗澡等日常生活也無法去行。 當一個人不要真誠去承擔自己,他也就無法做一個人。
同一道理,人無法好好做一個信徒,因為他信耶穌只為了一張天堂入境證,卻不要付出自己去做一個屬於神的人。生命就是如此真實,在我們裡面就有一個極其貴重的「我」。我可能很無奈地讓任何事發生在我身上,也可能被逼去做任何事。但是,這個「我」仍然是無可控制,只要不發自「我」,就不是我。
進深一層,人甚至可以奉獻自己做傳道人,但他的心可以不歸給神用;可以讀十個神學學位,但與神毫無關係;可以每天用上十小時閱讀聖經,但他的心可以不為所動;可以花十小時禱告,但可以一句真心話也沒說;可以一生自認是基督徒,但他的心可以一生也不認耶穌為主。
然而,人根本無法欺騙神,因為神是看人內心的,神要的就是這個「我」,一個不再逃避祂,真心真意愛祂信祂歸屬祂的「人」。 人心在神面前是平等的,每人也可以到主面前以他的心回應神,神所要求並非人的金錢名譽地位,只是人真正直達心坎的相信祂。
所以,想真一點,你真的想親近神嗎?
Thursday, December 16, 2010
等候神的時間來到
等候神的時間來到
(10.12.16 靈修勵語)
新約聖經的教導中,常常說到如何面對艱難的日子,包括信仰的逼害、未世的困苦等等;較為輕省的便是關乎生命的考驗。各方面的教導也是指向一個基本的面對態度──忍耐﹔而這態度也是生命中最難承受的功課。
然而人生在世,必要經煉苦難,若我們要一個信仰,只許祝福,不要痛苦,恐怕我們無法生存了。這最難捱受的功課,始終必須捱受。
一個真心愛主的人,若他所愛是一位賜人救恩的耶穌,同時他也要愛賜人十字架的耶穌。若他要耶穌的平安、喜樂和恩典,也同時要接受耶穌的苦杯、降卑和犧牲。我們無法斬件式地接受耶穌,也無法斬件式地接受信仰。
當我們面對艱難的日子,感謝神,聖經也帶給我們一個希望,就是神的時間表,艱難的日子是有終結的時候,這是由馬太福音到啟示錄也提及的一個聖經主題﹕「忍耐到底的必然得救」、「神要為我們開一條出路」、「經過試驗以後,必得生命的冠冕」、「等你們暫受苦難之後,必要親自成全你們,堅固你們,賜力量給你們」。我們信神,就要信神有時間表,艱難的日子過後,有神親自賜下的力量和祝福。
生命能否得到冠冕,就在乎你信不信任神有祂施恩的時間。
今日,你所處的崗位可能有很大的壓力,甚至吃力得讓人承受不了。然而,請相信神有時間表,靠著主給你的力量,繼續承擔吧:再過少少時候,你生命忍耐到了合神的時間,一切就成了;你忍耐而來的成果,也就隨著你的生命,叫你堅固有力。到了人生將老的日子,再回首觀看,你會慶幸你曾為了神的國忍耐過,在你的崗位謹守過,於是,在主裡,你發現生命是無悔無憾了﹗
耶穌說﹕「…我的軛是容易的,我的擔子是輕省的。」(太十一30)
(10.12.16 靈修勵語)
新約聖經的教導中,常常說到如何面對艱難的日子,包括信仰的逼害、未世的困苦等等;較為輕省的便是關乎生命的考驗。各方面的教導也是指向一個基本的面對態度──忍耐﹔而這態度也是生命中最難承受的功課。
然而人生在世,必要經煉苦難,若我們要一個信仰,只許祝福,不要痛苦,恐怕我們無法生存了。這最難捱受的功課,始終必須捱受。
一個真心愛主的人,若他所愛是一位賜人救恩的耶穌,同時他也要愛賜人十字架的耶穌。若他要耶穌的平安、喜樂和恩典,也同時要接受耶穌的苦杯、降卑和犧牲。我們無法斬件式地接受耶穌,也無法斬件式地接受信仰。
當我們面對艱難的日子,感謝神,聖經也帶給我們一個希望,就是神的時間表,艱難的日子是有終結的時候,這是由馬太福音到啟示錄也提及的一個聖經主題﹕「忍耐到底的必然得救」、「神要為我們開一條出路」、「經過試驗以後,必得生命的冠冕」、「等你們暫受苦難之後,必要親自成全你們,堅固你們,賜力量給你們」。我們信神,就要信神有時間表,艱難的日子過後,有神親自賜下的力量和祝福。
生命能否得到冠冕,就在乎你信不信任神有祂施恩的時間。
今日,你所處的崗位可能有很大的壓力,甚至吃力得讓人承受不了。然而,請相信神有時間表,靠著主給你的力量,繼續承擔吧:再過少少時候,你生命忍耐到了合神的時間,一切就成了;你忍耐而來的成果,也就隨著你的生命,叫你堅固有力。到了人生將老的日子,再回首觀看,你會慶幸你曾為了神的國忍耐過,在你的崗位謹守過,於是,在主裡,你發現生命是無悔無憾了﹗
耶穌說﹕「…我的軛是容易的,我的擔子是輕省的。」(太十一30)
Friday, November 19, 2010
我是Kidult又如何?
范晉豪 (聖公會諸聖堂牧師)電郵:samson_fan@yahoo.com
時代論壇 -- 真的漢子
第一二一二期.二○一○年十一月廿一日
今日的男人常被批評為失去了應有的男人味,沒有了那分沉實可靠,也沒有了那分責任感與穩重。的確,還有幾個月便踏入三十七歲的我,並沒有因為年紀漸長而有改變自己的意識。我還是老樣子,愛看動漫、收集Figure、砌砌模型等。到底這是別人認為的拒絕長大?還是社會與時代俱改變了,生命的不同元素可平衡地一起發展,而不用被某部分所蓋過?
Kidult是綜合了Kid及Adult的混合詞滙,泛指一眾「大唔透」的成年男人,老愛收藏這收藏那的、仍對電玩及漫畫動畫情有獨鐘。較為人熟知的藝人有古天樂和鄭伊健等,四十多歲人還是超級玩具迷及動漫迷。有人嘲笑這現象是為拾回已失去的青春,不想承擔成年人責任、不願意長大,奢望像青少年般永遠活在受保護的温室內。但事實告訴我們,在皆旺、兆萬及信和商場,有不少Kidult店主,把他們喜愛的動漫跟工作聯成一線,寓工作於娛樂!
耶穌告訴他的門徒:「讓孩子到我這裏來!」他提醒一眾門徒天國子民的特質應保有未泯的童心。成年人要回復小孩的心境,這是否天方夜譚呢?我認為絕對有可能。每一個階段的成長絕不是非此即彼的,就如以少年取代童年、成年取代青年的方式成長過來。其實在我們的生命裡,同時兼有不同階段的元素。有時我們會如家長般嚴厲指責別人,或用關愛的心懷照顧他人;有時我們會扮演成年人角色,據理力爭;有時我們也會童心未泯,像好奇貪玩的小孩子樂個半天。這是人性的全部,我們應擁抱而不是壓抑,生命不是非此即彼(Either-or),而可以是同時兼有(Both-and)。如此,我是Kidult又如何?
時代論壇 -- 真的漢子
第一二一二期.二○一○年十一月廿一日
今日的男人常被批評為失去了應有的男人味,沒有了那分沉實可靠,也沒有了那分責任感與穩重。的確,還有幾個月便踏入三十七歲的我,並沒有因為年紀漸長而有改變自己的意識。我還是老樣子,愛看動漫、收集Figure、砌砌模型等。到底這是別人認為的拒絕長大?還是社會與時代俱改變了,生命的不同元素可平衡地一起發展,而不用被某部分所蓋過?
Kidult是綜合了Kid及Adult的混合詞滙,泛指一眾「大唔透」的成年男人,老愛收藏這收藏那的、仍對電玩及漫畫動畫情有獨鐘。較為人熟知的藝人有古天樂和鄭伊健等,四十多歲人還是超級玩具迷及動漫迷。有人嘲笑這現象是為拾回已失去的青春,不想承擔成年人責任、不願意長大,奢望像青少年般永遠活在受保護的温室內。但事實告訴我們,在皆旺、兆萬及信和商場,有不少Kidult店主,把他們喜愛的動漫跟工作聯成一線,寓工作於娛樂!
耶穌告訴他的門徒:「讓孩子到我這裏來!」他提醒一眾門徒天國子民的特質應保有未泯的童心。成年人要回復小孩的心境,這是否天方夜譚呢?我認為絕對有可能。每一個階段的成長絕不是非此即彼的,就如以少年取代童年、成年取代青年的方式成長過來。其實在我們的生命裡,同時兼有不同階段的元素。有時我們會如家長般嚴厲指責別人,或用關愛的心懷照顧他人;有時我們會扮演成年人角色,據理力爭;有時我們也會童心未泯,像好奇貪玩的小孩子樂個半天。這是人性的全部,我們應擁抱而不是壓抑,生命不是非此即彼(Either-or),而可以是同時兼有(Both-and)。如此,我是Kidult又如何?
當公義被屈枉
時代論壇社評
第一二一二期.二○一○年十一月廿一日
內地維權律師趙連海為年前毒奶粉受害人爭取公道,卻在北京被控「尋釁滋事」,重囚兩年半。事件對社會的震撼程度,比起月前劉曉波獲諾貝爾和平獎,有過之而無不及--這當然只在香港而言;在內地,兩件事均被嚴加封殺,輿論水靜鵝飛。不過據香港報章報道,在今次事件,一國兩制這一邊廂不分左中右的熾熱關注,也著實給內地當局帶來壓力,縱使最終影響仍然難料。
內地司法制度始終未能真正獨立,要聽命於執政黨。當執政掌權者視政權為既得利益,凌駕於社會公義的需要;在掌權者眼裡,民間自發地集結力量尋求公義,有時就難免如同尋釁滋事。對於公義,這是何等的屈枉!緣何大國崛起,掌權者在人民面前的自信心會軟弱如斯?抑或無論道與義,都總要從掌權者一己之私出發,而毋須公論,甚至用盡辦法扭曲消音,讓它在內地公論無從?
公論無從,但公義猶在,種在世人心裡,成為對社會進步的盼望與方向。從我們的信仰看來,那是人按上主形象而被造的記認。點點對公義的希冀,無論四周境況有多惡劣,依然可以在世人心裡得見,只要自己不被心生的怨毒所噬。這正是我們需要為內地尋求公義的同胞代禱的重點之一。
因為《基本法》與一國兩制,理論上香港享有更大的言論自由與人權保障。這空間其實不單屬於港人,也屬於國人。只是,公共言論空間的寬與窄,不止在乎法制,也在乎人心。能夠吞噬人心的,除了怨毒,還有自義與自保,貪婪與怯懦,跟紅與頂白。說到底,公共言論的空間,還是要靠那一點一滴的敢言與睿智,而得以支撐起來。我們的作為與承擔,可跟香港的歷史位分相稱?
透過矛盾論的視野,挪用社會裡的種種現實分歧,進而打擊人世間團結合作的可能於萌芽狀態,在非友即敵之間盡漁其利,這絕不是我們信仰的思維。人生有敵人,仍要以愛相待(太五43-48)。只不過,離開人身的層面,對於每一件事實史實,每一點善惡黑白,總要明辨;一己的考慮盤算,並不能將黑白互替,即使在現實生活裡,事情複雜,黑白交錯,驟眼看來還好像是灰矇一片。公義,容不下假見證(箴十二17)。
在聖經裡,幾乎每一卷均可得見「公義」一詞,那是上主的屬性,也是人世間的深切盼望。舊約先知彌迦「行公義,好憐憫」的教導(彌六8),信徒大概已經耳熟能詳。另一位先知何西亞的忠告:「你們要為自己栽種公義,就能收割慈愛。」(何十12)我們也應細心念記,勇於踐行,容主使用。誠心所願。
第一二一二期.二○一○年十一月廿一日
內地維權律師趙連海為年前毒奶粉受害人爭取公道,卻在北京被控「尋釁滋事」,重囚兩年半。事件對社會的震撼程度,比起月前劉曉波獲諾貝爾和平獎,有過之而無不及--這當然只在香港而言;在內地,兩件事均被嚴加封殺,輿論水靜鵝飛。不過據香港報章報道,在今次事件,一國兩制這一邊廂不分左中右的熾熱關注,也著實給內地當局帶來壓力,縱使最終影響仍然難料。
內地司法制度始終未能真正獨立,要聽命於執政黨。當執政掌權者視政權為既得利益,凌駕於社會公義的需要;在掌權者眼裡,民間自發地集結力量尋求公義,有時就難免如同尋釁滋事。對於公義,這是何等的屈枉!緣何大國崛起,掌權者在人民面前的自信心會軟弱如斯?抑或無論道與義,都總要從掌權者一己之私出發,而毋須公論,甚至用盡辦法扭曲消音,讓它在內地公論無從?
公論無從,但公義猶在,種在世人心裡,成為對社會進步的盼望與方向。從我們的信仰看來,那是人按上主形象而被造的記認。點點對公義的希冀,無論四周境況有多惡劣,依然可以在世人心裡得見,只要自己不被心生的怨毒所噬。這正是我們需要為內地尋求公義的同胞代禱的重點之一。
因為《基本法》與一國兩制,理論上香港享有更大的言論自由與人權保障。這空間其實不單屬於港人,也屬於國人。只是,公共言論空間的寬與窄,不止在乎法制,也在乎人心。能夠吞噬人心的,除了怨毒,還有自義與自保,貪婪與怯懦,跟紅與頂白。說到底,公共言論的空間,還是要靠那一點一滴的敢言與睿智,而得以支撐起來。我們的作為與承擔,可跟香港的歷史位分相稱?
透過矛盾論的視野,挪用社會裡的種種現實分歧,進而打擊人世間團結合作的可能於萌芽狀態,在非友即敵之間盡漁其利,這絕不是我們信仰的思維。人生有敵人,仍要以愛相待(太五43-48)。只不過,離開人身的層面,對於每一件事實史實,每一點善惡黑白,總要明辨;一己的考慮盤算,並不能將黑白互替,即使在現實生活裡,事情複雜,黑白交錯,驟眼看來還好像是灰矇一片。公義,容不下假見證(箴十二17)。
在聖經裡,幾乎每一卷均可得見「公義」一詞,那是上主的屬性,也是人世間的深切盼望。舊約先知彌迦「行公義,好憐憫」的教導(彌六8),信徒大概已經耳熟能詳。另一位先知何西亞的忠告:「你們要為自己栽種公義,就能收割慈愛。」(何十12)我們也應細心念記,勇於踐行,容主使用。誠心所願。
Monday, November 15, 2010
路途上的紅燈
唐昕 -- 澳洲專業輔導,國證網絡講員及義工
<國證網絡--給您,同行者 2010.11.15>
我不是一個喜歡開車的人,但是幾乎每一天都必須坐進車廂裡、手把方向盤,然後才能邁向前路把一天的任務基本完成。
每天,車子只要一上路就必須面對一系列交通燈的管制。有的時候紅燈一個緊接一個,特別是在趕時間的時候,紅燈的出現,往往令人感到極度的無奈,眼瞪著那點嚴峻無情的紅色,坐立不安之餘,甚至會出現焦急和煩躁的情緒,不管出門前心情曾是多麼輕快或爽朗,只要一再遇上這些叫人無從抗拒的停止前行的命令,想法和立場好像就會馬上轉成負面,積極性亦彷彿忽然間風飛煙滅,叫人有點無所適從。其實每一個紅燈以後就必然會有綠燈出現,滯留之後肯定能夠繼續向前,只是人的耐性以及負面的思緒總是容易出現在關鍵的時刻並給人帶來不必要的困擾。我們常常擔憂紅燈會造成不便和延誤,但是不願意確認紅燈所帶來全面的規律和安全。事實上,紅燈前的小憩,往往能夠讓我們因有「額外」的時間注意路上的景物而取獲不同的信息,它甚至能夠調整我們某些原來急躁不當的決定。不過是短暫的停頓,卻有制止我們衝動行事的可能,所以,平心靜氣一想,紅燈並不是我們主觀意識中所認定的那麼「不好」。
紅燈前堵在我們前面的車輛雖然無數,看似對前往目的地的進程造成重重阻擋,實際上,攔阻的本身很多時候是我們獲得保護的盾牌,是避免遭受傷害的良方。我們惟有在緩下來的時候,才能理順混亂的局面,也只有在順服和等候以後才能意識到綠燈的功能和意義。神在我們每一個人的人生道路上也設置了無數的紅燈;我們的天色既不會常藍,我們的道路也不可能滿佈暢通無阻的綠燈,但是這並不意味神不眷顧我們的感受,不垂聽我們的祈求,或者是對我們失去了起初的愛。神是愛,這是不容置疑的,而愛的裡面有勸諭、有教導,亦有保護的攔阻,同時有極豐盛的恩典。我們必須學習理解神的心意,要有願意接受保護的態度,這樣哪怕是處於風雨飄搖的歲月裡,也能夠帶著喜樂的陽光去面對陰霾的襲擊,從而在磨煉中逐漸堅強的成長。
紅燈前的表現,可以是無奈、急躁、抱怨、生氣,相反的也可以是放鬆、平靜、順服、等候;不論哪一種表現都是取決於我們自己的選擇,以及我們看待事情的立場。聖經告訴我們:「心中安靜,是肉體的生命」(箴言14:30),安靜與生命息息相關,只要我們心存謙卑,時時刻刻與神同行,路途上儘管屢遇紅燈,看似挫折連連,也不會因為自己的輕易發怒或失衡,而不慎成為別人的絆腳石。
<國證網絡--給您,同行者 2010.11.15>
我不是一個喜歡開車的人,但是幾乎每一天都必須坐進車廂裡、手把方向盤,然後才能邁向前路把一天的任務基本完成。
每天,車子只要一上路就必須面對一系列交通燈的管制。有的時候紅燈一個緊接一個,特別是在趕時間的時候,紅燈的出現,往往令人感到極度的無奈,眼瞪著那點嚴峻無情的紅色,坐立不安之餘,甚至會出現焦急和煩躁的情緒,不管出門前心情曾是多麼輕快或爽朗,只要一再遇上這些叫人無從抗拒的停止前行的命令,想法和立場好像就會馬上轉成負面,積極性亦彷彿忽然間風飛煙滅,叫人有點無所適從。其實每一個紅燈以後就必然會有綠燈出現,滯留之後肯定能夠繼續向前,只是人的耐性以及負面的思緒總是容易出現在關鍵的時刻並給人帶來不必要的困擾。我們常常擔憂紅燈會造成不便和延誤,但是不願意確認紅燈所帶來全面的規律和安全。事實上,紅燈前的小憩,往往能夠讓我們因有「額外」的時間注意路上的景物而取獲不同的信息,它甚至能夠調整我們某些原來急躁不當的決定。不過是短暫的停頓,卻有制止我們衝動行事的可能,所以,平心靜氣一想,紅燈並不是我們主觀意識中所認定的那麼「不好」。
紅燈前堵在我們前面的車輛雖然無數,看似對前往目的地的進程造成重重阻擋,實際上,攔阻的本身很多時候是我們獲得保護的盾牌,是避免遭受傷害的良方。我們惟有在緩下來的時候,才能理順混亂的局面,也只有在順服和等候以後才能意識到綠燈的功能和意義。神在我們每一個人的人生道路上也設置了無數的紅燈;我們的天色既不會常藍,我們的道路也不可能滿佈暢通無阻的綠燈,但是這並不意味神不眷顧我們的感受,不垂聽我們的祈求,或者是對我們失去了起初的愛。神是愛,這是不容置疑的,而愛的裡面有勸諭、有教導,亦有保護的攔阻,同時有極豐盛的恩典。我們必須學習理解神的心意,要有願意接受保護的態度,這樣哪怕是處於風雨飄搖的歲月裡,也能夠帶著喜樂的陽光去面對陰霾的襲擊,從而在磨煉中逐漸堅強的成長。
紅燈前的表現,可以是無奈、急躁、抱怨、生氣,相反的也可以是放鬆、平靜、順服、等候;不論哪一種表現都是取決於我們自己的選擇,以及我們看待事情的立場。聖經告訴我們:「心中安靜,是肉體的生命」(箴言14:30),安靜與生命息息相關,只要我們心存謙卑,時時刻刻與神同行,路途上儘管屢遇紅燈,看似挫折連連,也不會因為自己的輕易發怒或失衡,而不慎成為別人的絆腳石。
Saturday, October 30, 2010
一派胡言:上層為自己自以為是的所作所為而自圓其說的一派胡言
林瑞麟否認偏幫建制派 (明報即時新聞)
政制及內地事務局長林瑞麟否認「超級區議員」提名門檻和競選經費上限太高,亦否認偏幫建制派。
他指,其實除了泛民,建制派對有關建議也有不滿的地方,這證明政府的提案已顧全了政治光譜的各方。又說:「我們已照顧不同的『意見』,但是否完全照顧不同黨派的『利益』呢?那就另計了。」
政府今早向立法會政制事務委員會特別會議,提交2012年行政長官和立法會選舉辦法的本地立法建議。
根據政府建議,立法會方面直選及功能界別議席,各由30席增至35席。當局建議地方直選維持由5個分區選出。
其中備受關注的焦點是,建議5個「超級區議員」(新增的5個區議會功能界別議席)以全港為單一選區,由320萬名現於其他功能界別無投票權的選民,透過名單比例代表制選出。只有民選區議員才可以參選,並必須取得最少15名民選區議員提名,不設上限。競選經費上限定為600萬元。選舉資助額為12元一票,上限維持在競選經費五成。
有議員要求降低有關門檻,也有議員批評提名門檻不設上限,可能出現一些團體獨攬大量提名者、對小團體和獨立人士不公的情況。也有議員批評,競選經費太高。泛民議員指有關設定,是偏幫建制派。
但林瑞麟堅持,將提名門檻訂於15人是恰當的。他指,在諮詢時,各方提出的建議是10人至20人,現在決定15人,是其中間數。
他表示,目前全港民選區議員有412人,把提名門檻訂為15人,已經可以組成廿多張名單出選,競爭會很大。
他又指,諮詢時各方建議的競選經費上限,是400萬至800萬元,現在定為600萬元,也很合適。他特別指出,由於是以全港作為單一選區,候選人要接觸320萬選民,需要一定的經費。
至於提名門檻不設上限,他指這是因為單一選區遍及全港,參選者需要組織廣泛的網絡,因此在機制上,提供「最廣闊的空間」。
政制及內地事務局長林瑞麟否認「超級區議員」提名門檻和競選經費上限太高,亦否認偏幫建制派。
他指,其實除了泛民,建制派對有關建議也有不滿的地方,這證明政府的提案已顧全了政治光譜的各方。又說:「我們已照顧不同的『意見』,但是否完全照顧不同黨派的『利益』呢?那就另計了。」
政府今早向立法會政制事務委員會特別會議,提交2012年行政長官和立法會選舉辦法的本地立法建議。
根據政府建議,立法會方面直選及功能界別議席,各由30席增至35席。當局建議地方直選維持由5個分區選出。
其中備受關注的焦點是,建議5個「超級區議員」(新增的5個區議會功能界別議席)以全港為單一選區,由320萬名現於其他功能界別無投票權的選民,透過名單比例代表制選出。只有民選區議員才可以參選,並必須取得最少15名民選區議員提名,不設上限。競選經費上限定為600萬元。選舉資助額為12元一票,上限維持在競選經費五成。
有議員要求降低有關門檻,也有議員批評提名門檻不設上限,可能出現一些團體獨攬大量提名者、對小團體和獨立人士不公的情況。也有議員批評,競選經費太高。泛民議員指有關設定,是偏幫建制派。
但林瑞麟堅持,將提名門檻訂於15人是恰當的。他指,在諮詢時,各方提出的建議是10人至20人,現在決定15人,是其中間數。
他表示,目前全港民選區議員有412人,把提名門檻訂為15人,已經可以組成廿多張名單出選,競爭會很大。
他又指,諮詢時各方建議的競選經費上限,是400萬至800萬元,現在定為600萬元,也很合適。他特別指出,由於是以全港作為單一選區,候選人要接觸320萬選民,需要一定的經費。
至於提名門檻不設上限,他指這是因為單一選區遍及全港,參選者需要組織廣泛的網絡,因此在機制上,提供「最廣闊的空間」。
Sunday, October 17, 2010
給神蹟留空間 ◆ 摘自《天天有恩典》10.10.18
天使豈不都是服役的靈、奉差遣為那將要承受救恩的人效力嗎?
希伯來書1:14
我非看見祂手上的釘痕……,又用手探入祂的肋旁,我總不信。約翰福音二十25
我們住的世界到處都是預算、長程計畫、電腦,要去信靠那令人難以相信的,實在很難,不是嗎?我們不都常常眉頭深鎖,認真思考人生,每一步都小心謹慎地走?我們很難想像神竟要給我們驚喜。如果要我們留點空間讓神蹟發生,好像很不可靠,讓人很不安心。
我們犯的就是多馬所犯的錯誤:我們忘了「不可能」(impossible)是神最喜歡的字之一。
你呢?最近你的想像力怎麼樣?上一回你讓夢想跑在現實邏輯之前是什麼時候?上一回你夢想那遙不可及的夢是什麼時候?⋯⋯上一回你宣告神「超過我們所求所想」的應許(弗三20),是不是已經有一陣子了?
No Wonder They Call Him the Savior...!
希伯來書1:14
我非看見祂手上的釘痕……,又用手探入祂的肋旁,我總不信。約翰福音二十25
我們住的世界到處都是預算、長程計畫、電腦,要去信靠那令人難以相信的,實在很難,不是嗎?我們不都常常眉頭深鎖,認真思考人生,每一步都小心謹慎地走?我們很難想像神竟要給我們驚喜。如果要我們留點空間讓神蹟發生,好像很不可靠,讓人很不安心。
我們犯的就是多馬所犯的錯誤:我們忘了「不可能」(impossible)是神最喜歡的字之一。
你呢?最近你的想像力怎麼樣?上一回你讓夢想跑在現實邏輯之前是什麼時候?上一回你夢想那遙不可及的夢是什麼時候?⋯⋯上一回你宣告神「超過我們所求所想」的應許(弗三20),是不是已經有一陣子了?
No Wonder They Call Him the Savior...!
Friday, October 15, 2010
問卷分析報告
生活品質
您剛才完成的問卷中有一部分是由世界衛生組織(WHO)的一個附屬團隊研發的,主要目的是為了測量你的生活品質。一個人的生活品質是他以所在地的文化和價值體系作為基礎,聯繫他的個人目標、期望、生活準則和一些個人關心的事, 並且綜合以上各方面的因素,所得出對自我生活定位的主觀感受。生活品質是一個相當多元的概念,包括了身體健康狀況、心理狀態、社會關係,以及和外在環境之間的聯繫。具體細分,生活品質牽涉個人的日常活動、是否對醫療有所依賴、自主性、工作能力、外貌、自尊心、人際關係、經濟來源、社會福利、學習新技能的機會、外在環境等等。
在23至130分的量尺上,您的得分是:72分
您目前對生活的體驗較差。也許這是因為在過去一年您過得不太順利。環境中未必事事皆能由我們來左右,有時我們要稍為調節目標。當面對困難時,您可以嘗試迎難而上,利用它們來提升自己。一些科學家發現,積極的態度可以幫助人們體驗到更美好的生活。深願您的人生觀更積極,生活漸趨美滿。願您能為您所擁有的一切感恩。
抗逆力
抗逆力這個性格特徵,是一種對抗精神壓力的保護性因素。它是一個人應對生活中的變化或者不幸事件的能力,又是從逆境、不確定性、衝突和失敗中迅速恢復和回升的能力。它包括了一個人的樂觀精神、自我控制力和自尊。抗逆力強的人能夠清楚地認識現實和接受現實,並且有很高的靈活性,能夠適應變化和臨場發揮。人的抗逆力一部分源於朋友和親人無條件給予的支持。
本問卷對您的抗逆力進行了簡要的測量,在4-20的分量尺上,您的得分是16。
您的抗逆力略低於平均水平。當您遇到毫無預警的問題時,您偶爾會變得焦慮。這個時候,便更宜注意睡眠休息,在平日,多點與朋友、親人交流。
您剛才完成的問卷中有一部分是由世界衛生組織(WHO)的一個附屬團隊研發的,主要目的是為了測量你的生活品質。一個人的生活品質是他以所在地的文化和價值體系作為基礎,聯繫他的個人目標、期望、生活準則和一些個人關心的事, 並且綜合以上各方面的因素,所得出對自我生活定位的主觀感受。生活品質是一個相當多元的概念,包括了身體健康狀況、心理狀態、社會關係,以及和外在環境之間的聯繫。具體細分,生活品質牽涉個人的日常活動、是否對醫療有所依賴、自主性、工作能力、外貌、自尊心、人際關係、經濟來源、社會福利、學習新技能的機會、外在環境等等。
在23至130分的量尺上,您的得分是:72分
您目前對生活的體驗較差。也許這是因為在過去一年您過得不太順利。環境中未必事事皆能由我們來左右,有時我們要稍為調節目標。當面對困難時,您可以嘗試迎難而上,利用它們來提升自己。一些科學家發現,積極的態度可以幫助人們體驗到更美好的生活。深願您的人生觀更積極,生活漸趨美滿。願您能為您所擁有的一切感恩。
抗逆力
抗逆力這個性格特徵,是一種對抗精神壓力的保護性因素。它是一個人應對生活中的變化或者不幸事件的能力,又是從逆境、不確定性、衝突和失敗中迅速恢復和回升的能力。它包括了一個人的樂觀精神、自我控制力和自尊。抗逆力強的人能夠清楚地認識現實和接受現實,並且有很高的靈活性,能夠適應變化和臨場發揮。人的抗逆力一部分源於朋友和親人無條件給予的支持。
本問卷對您的抗逆力進行了簡要的測量,在4-20的分量尺上,您的得分是16。
您的抗逆力略低於平均水平。當您遇到毫無預警的問題時,您偶爾會變得焦慮。這個時候,便更宜注意睡眠休息,在平日,多點與朋友、親人交流。
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Brian Burke reveals his method for Leafs success - thestar.com
Brian Burke’s approach to making the Leafs a respected contender is simple. He soaks up something important from almost everyone he meets, and seeks out those he can learn from. Some of the most important lessons he’s picked up along the way: be decisive, realize assets come in many forms, and while you can’t always be compassionate, fairness is not negotiable.
“As you walk along the path, you have to be willing to find something on the side that helps you.”
“I called Bill Polian (Indianapolis Colts president). This is eight or nine years ago probably, well before we had a salary cap. I said, ‘We’re going toward a salary cap, I know we’re going to have one.’ I (didn’t) have the first idea how to handle a salary cap, how to manage a salary cap and I certainly don’t want to learn on the fly. I don’t want to hit the ground walking on this. If they put in a cap, what do I do? He said, ‘C’mon in. Talk to our cap guys.’ So I spent the better part of a day going over how they manage the cap.”
“Later on in the day, I’m sitting in Bill’s office and he had a depth chart and there was a little red box on three of the offensive linemen. I said, ‘What’s the little red box?’ He said, ‘They’re all unrestricted free agents.’ Of course, I’m thinking old system NHL where you’ve got to get something for everybody. And I went, ‘Oh my God, what are you going to do?’ and he looked at me like I had two heads. ‘What do you mean, what am I going to do? I’m going to replace them.’ I said, ‘You’re not going to get anything for them?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to get back all the cap space.’ People say to me, you’ve got to get something for Tomas Kaberle. No, I don’t. I get $4.2 million back if he decides not to stay at the end of the year.”
“He’s a valuable contributor and he’s a real good guy. If we keep him for the year and he walks, he walks. I get $4.2 million back. I let Ruslan Salei walk in Anaheim. We didn’t get anything for him but I needed him to make the playoff run we did when we went to the conference finals (in 2006). I told him at the deadline, ‘I’m not moving you. I need you to play the next 20 games, have the spring of your life, then I’ll help you get the big dough somewhere else.’ He did.”
“Lesson learned, in the cap system first things first. You do not have to get a return on every asset like you did in the old system. The cap room comes back to you, that’s an asset. There’s an example.”
“My two outside guys, the guys I would rely on most for advice, would be Bill Polian and Ned Colletti. Ned Colletti (L.A. Dodgers GM) was there when we won the Cup in Anaheim. I was happy that he was there. Bill Polian and I won our championships the same year, which was really cool.”
“I remember calling Bill Polian before I did the Pronger deal (in Anaheim). I said, ‘I think I can get Pronger from Edmonton but it’s a horrible, horrible price. We’re overpaying badly.’ And Polian said, ‘You can get Chris Pronger? Hang up the phone, call Edmonton and make the deal.’ I said, ‘It ties up so much of our cap on defence.’ And he said, ‘No one has ever won a championship in the NFL without spending on defence. Hang up the phone and call.’ I was going to make the deal anyway, it didn’t push me over, but there’s a seasoned, championship executive in the most popular sport in North America and that’s the decisiveness a guy like that has. That was a lesson: Boom. Do it.”
“With Colletti, it was the same thing. . . . He said, ‘Do it, get him.’ These guys are valuable . . . if you’re having a dispute with ownership, and we haven’t had one here and we didn’t have one in Anaheim. Guys frequently have friction with their owner. Call a guy, ask what he would do, how he would handle it. Problems with the media . . . ‘We’ve got a problem guy here, what do you do with your guy if you have problems.’ They’ve been great influences and great help.”
“I used to drive up to Manhattan Beach and have coffee with Ned at 6 in the morning. I could leave my house at 5 o’clock. Up at 4:30, shower, drive up to Manhattan Beach, meet Ned at this little breakfast place and talk about what we’re trying to do with our teams. I went to spring training with them. I went to Vero Beach to see them in spring training. I went up to see games at Dodger Stadium, met with his key people. His key people met with us last year during the Edmonton/Calgary trip. I think he’s coming here this year over the New Year’s break to see the world junior and see us play two home games.”
“I was asked to be in a think tank at Wharton this summer, at the University of Pennsylvania. It was mind-boggling, the people they had in the room. People from all of sports. It was kind of like Sesame Street. Three of these things belong together, one of these things is not the same. I was like, ‘How did I get in this room?’ They were talking about issues that face sports — the economy, sponsorship dollars — and (team president/CEO) Mark Murphy was there from the Packers. I’ve always admired Mark Murphy. He was a great player, an important player in the NFLPA and now he’s on the management side, struck up a friendship, exchanged e-mails . . . To me, I think you can always learn.”
“There’s lots of lessons. Working for Pat Quinn was like getting an MBA. He’s a brilliant guy and a great teacher.”
“You know what I’d really like to do? I’d like to be able to speak French. I keep telling myself I’m going to learn and I haven’t done it yet. It’s a function of time more than anything. As far as hockey goes, you can do everything better. The day you stop learning, the day you stop improving is the day, really, you’re on the back nine. As long as you’re willing to learn and think you’re going to learn, then I think you’re still climbing the hill.”
“I think most GMs become friends with the GMs in their town . . . I have struck up a friendship with (Blue Jays’ GM) Alex Anthopoulos. I’m really impressed with him. I think he’s a really good guy, a really smart guy. Paul Beeston is a wonderful asset in terms of bouncing things off of, a very bright guy. I really like Bryan (Colangelo, the Raptors GM). He’s a really good guy but I don’t like to be seen with him in public. He’s taller than I am. He’s better looking than I am. He speaks better than I do and he dresses better than I do. So whenever I appear with him, I come off looking short and barely literate and not well-dressed. I like Bryan but I don’t like getting on stage with him.”
“I know what I don’t know, which I think is a key to be successful. There’s 30 teams and 30 farm teams. Each team in the NHL has somewhere between 40 and 50 contracts. There’s always unsigned draft choices in junior and in Europe. There’s no way you can mentally master the database as a GM. Anyone who says he knows every player in the league – knows in terms of how he plays, which way he shoots, what his propensities are – any GM who tells you that is lying. This year, there’s going to be three, four new guys on every team. Some of whom, I’ll have seen in junior, some of whom I’ll have seen in the American league but some of whom, I’ll have never seen. You got to start by conceding that you’re not going to know every player. So you darn well better have people who do. I place great weight in the people that work for me. I do take their recommendations and when they say, this is what we ought to do, that’s what we do.”
“I do believe in star power in the front office. I do believe it’s critical to have heavyweight candle-power in the front office. I had Bob Murray in Vancouver with Dave Nonis. These are GM-calibre guys working underneath me. Here, we’ve got Dave Nonis again. Dave Poulin, again GM-calibre guy. Claude Loiselle, same thing. I think it’s a top-heavy group and I think that’s important. You want to be successful, look at Kenny Holland (in Detroit). He’s got Jim Nill who is a GM-calibre guy.”
“The blueprint is never going to change for me but you inherit different assets everywhere you go.”
“If you’re picking 24 to 30, that’s not much different than a second-round pick. Everywhere I’ve gone we’ve tried to add free agents. We tried to add assets that don’t cost the team any corporate assets. I place great stress on coaching. We have an integrated system as far as our farm team goes. Our farm team plays the exact mirror-image system that our big club plays, which is amazingly not true everywhere. So when a kid comes up and plays for the Leafs, the only thing different is the building. He knows the forecheck, he knows the PK, he knows all that stuff. I believe in strength in coaching at the minor-league level. I think Dallas Eakins is just a top young coach.”
“Basically, I take the assets I have, who can play in this system, who can be a top six, who can be a bottom six, give them a chance and start putting people on airplanes.”
“The assets you have in a cap system are players, draft choices, cash, cap room and tagging room, which is the ability to sign players into future years. You need to have cap space in future years. You need to have contracts available too if you want to add players so you have to be under 50 contracts. Those are all assets.”
“Compassion is not the right word. What you owe your players is fairness. You can’t always be compassionate. You sometimes have to trade a guy whose wife is expecting, which is not compassionate. But I think if you say to the player, ‘Look I don’t have a choice. We need to do this deal’ and you explain it, which is fair. You owe your players fairness. The standard player’s contact, the word ‘compassion’ does not appear in there, but fairness is something every employee is entitled to. I value that with my non-playing employees too. The Christmas break is an example of that. But also, if there’s a rumour in the paper tomorrow . . . if you write that so-and-so is going to be traded and there’s nothing to that, I go right to that player and tell him, ‘Look, we’re not talking to anyone about you.’ I can’t guarantee you’re not going to get traded. Stop sweating it. You are not on the market here, this guy is full of crap. Compassion is something you always want to have for your players and you try to provide. Sometimes you can’t. But fairness, you owe them all the time, 365.”
“As you walk along the path, you have to be willing to find something on the side that helps you.”
“I called Bill Polian (Indianapolis Colts president). This is eight or nine years ago probably, well before we had a salary cap. I said, ‘We’re going toward a salary cap, I know we’re going to have one.’ I (didn’t) have the first idea how to handle a salary cap, how to manage a salary cap and I certainly don’t want to learn on the fly. I don’t want to hit the ground walking on this. If they put in a cap, what do I do? He said, ‘C’mon in. Talk to our cap guys.’ So I spent the better part of a day going over how they manage the cap.”
“Later on in the day, I’m sitting in Bill’s office and he had a depth chart and there was a little red box on three of the offensive linemen. I said, ‘What’s the little red box?’ He said, ‘They’re all unrestricted free agents.’ Of course, I’m thinking old system NHL where you’ve got to get something for everybody. And I went, ‘Oh my God, what are you going to do?’ and he looked at me like I had two heads. ‘What do you mean, what am I going to do? I’m going to replace them.’ I said, ‘You’re not going to get anything for them?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to get back all the cap space.’ People say to me, you’ve got to get something for Tomas Kaberle. No, I don’t. I get $4.2 million back if he decides not to stay at the end of the year.”
“He’s a valuable contributor and he’s a real good guy. If we keep him for the year and he walks, he walks. I get $4.2 million back. I let Ruslan Salei walk in Anaheim. We didn’t get anything for him but I needed him to make the playoff run we did when we went to the conference finals (in 2006). I told him at the deadline, ‘I’m not moving you. I need you to play the next 20 games, have the spring of your life, then I’ll help you get the big dough somewhere else.’ He did.”
“Lesson learned, in the cap system first things first. You do not have to get a return on every asset like you did in the old system. The cap room comes back to you, that’s an asset. There’s an example.”
“My two outside guys, the guys I would rely on most for advice, would be Bill Polian and Ned Colletti. Ned Colletti (L.A. Dodgers GM) was there when we won the Cup in Anaheim. I was happy that he was there. Bill Polian and I won our championships the same year, which was really cool.”
“I remember calling Bill Polian before I did the Pronger deal (in Anaheim). I said, ‘I think I can get Pronger from Edmonton but it’s a horrible, horrible price. We’re overpaying badly.’ And Polian said, ‘You can get Chris Pronger? Hang up the phone, call Edmonton and make the deal.’ I said, ‘It ties up so much of our cap on defence.’ And he said, ‘No one has ever won a championship in the NFL without spending on defence. Hang up the phone and call.’ I was going to make the deal anyway, it didn’t push me over, but there’s a seasoned, championship executive in the most popular sport in North America and that’s the decisiveness a guy like that has. That was a lesson: Boom. Do it.”
“With Colletti, it was the same thing. . . . He said, ‘Do it, get him.’ These guys are valuable . . . if you’re having a dispute with ownership, and we haven’t had one here and we didn’t have one in Anaheim. Guys frequently have friction with their owner. Call a guy, ask what he would do, how he would handle it. Problems with the media . . . ‘We’ve got a problem guy here, what do you do with your guy if you have problems.’ They’ve been great influences and great help.”
“I used to drive up to Manhattan Beach and have coffee with Ned at 6 in the morning. I could leave my house at 5 o’clock. Up at 4:30, shower, drive up to Manhattan Beach, meet Ned at this little breakfast place and talk about what we’re trying to do with our teams. I went to spring training with them. I went to Vero Beach to see them in spring training. I went up to see games at Dodger Stadium, met with his key people. His key people met with us last year during the Edmonton/Calgary trip. I think he’s coming here this year over the New Year’s break to see the world junior and see us play two home games.”
“I was asked to be in a think tank at Wharton this summer, at the University of Pennsylvania. It was mind-boggling, the people they had in the room. People from all of sports. It was kind of like Sesame Street. Three of these things belong together, one of these things is not the same. I was like, ‘How did I get in this room?’ They were talking about issues that face sports — the economy, sponsorship dollars — and (team president/CEO) Mark Murphy was there from the Packers. I’ve always admired Mark Murphy. He was a great player, an important player in the NFLPA and now he’s on the management side, struck up a friendship, exchanged e-mails . . . To me, I think you can always learn.”
“There’s lots of lessons. Working for Pat Quinn was like getting an MBA. He’s a brilliant guy and a great teacher.”
“You know what I’d really like to do? I’d like to be able to speak French. I keep telling myself I’m going to learn and I haven’t done it yet. It’s a function of time more than anything. As far as hockey goes, you can do everything better. The day you stop learning, the day you stop improving is the day, really, you’re on the back nine. As long as you’re willing to learn and think you’re going to learn, then I think you’re still climbing the hill.”
“I think most GMs become friends with the GMs in their town . . . I have struck up a friendship with (Blue Jays’ GM) Alex Anthopoulos. I’m really impressed with him. I think he’s a really good guy, a really smart guy. Paul Beeston is a wonderful asset in terms of bouncing things off of, a very bright guy. I really like Bryan (Colangelo, the Raptors GM). He’s a really good guy but I don’t like to be seen with him in public. He’s taller than I am. He’s better looking than I am. He speaks better than I do and he dresses better than I do. So whenever I appear with him, I come off looking short and barely literate and not well-dressed. I like Bryan but I don’t like getting on stage with him.”
“I know what I don’t know, which I think is a key to be successful. There’s 30 teams and 30 farm teams. Each team in the NHL has somewhere between 40 and 50 contracts. There’s always unsigned draft choices in junior and in Europe. There’s no way you can mentally master the database as a GM. Anyone who says he knows every player in the league – knows in terms of how he plays, which way he shoots, what his propensities are – any GM who tells you that is lying. This year, there’s going to be three, four new guys on every team. Some of whom, I’ll have seen in junior, some of whom I’ll have seen in the American league but some of whom, I’ll have never seen. You got to start by conceding that you’re not going to know every player. So you darn well better have people who do. I place great weight in the people that work for me. I do take their recommendations and when they say, this is what we ought to do, that’s what we do.”
“I do believe in star power in the front office. I do believe it’s critical to have heavyweight candle-power in the front office. I had Bob Murray in Vancouver with Dave Nonis. These are GM-calibre guys working underneath me. Here, we’ve got Dave Nonis again. Dave Poulin, again GM-calibre guy. Claude Loiselle, same thing. I think it’s a top-heavy group and I think that’s important. You want to be successful, look at Kenny Holland (in Detroit). He’s got Jim Nill who is a GM-calibre guy.”
“The blueprint is never going to change for me but you inherit different assets everywhere you go.”
“If you’re picking 24 to 30, that’s not much different than a second-round pick. Everywhere I’ve gone we’ve tried to add free agents. We tried to add assets that don’t cost the team any corporate assets. I place great stress on coaching. We have an integrated system as far as our farm team goes. Our farm team plays the exact mirror-image system that our big club plays, which is amazingly not true everywhere. So when a kid comes up and plays for the Leafs, the only thing different is the building. He knows the forecheck, he knows the PK, he knows all that stuff. I believe in strength in coaching at the minor-league level. I think Dallas Eakins is just a top young coach.”
“Basically, I take the assets I have, who can play in this system, who can be a top six, who can be a bottom six, give them a chance and start putting people on airplanes.”
“The assets you have in a cap system are players, draft choices, cash, cap room and tagging room, which is the ability to sign players into future years. You need to have cap space in future years. You need to have contracts available too if you want to add players so you have to be under 50 contracts. Those are all assets.”
“Compassion is not the right word. What you owe your players is fairness. You can’t always be compassionate. You sometimes have to trade a guy whose wife is expecting, which is not compassionate. But I think if you say to the player, ‘Look I don’t have a choice. We need to do this deal’ and you explain it, which is fair. You owe your players fairness. The standard player’s contact, the word ‘compassion’ does not appear in there, but fairness is something every employee is entitled to. I value that with my non-playing employees too. The Christmas break is an example of that. But also, if there’s a rumour in the paper tomorrow . . . if you write that so-and-so is going to be traded and there’s nothing to that, I go right to that player and tell him, ‘Look, we’re not talking to anyone about you.’ I can’t guarantee you’re not going to get traded. Stop sweating it. You are not on the market here, this guy is full of crap. Compassion is something you always want to have for your players and you try to provide. Sometimes you can’t. But fairness, you owe them all the time, 365.”
How Brian Burke intends to build a winner - thestar.com
Call it the Brian Burke Method, the plan to make the Maple Leafs a respected contender once again. Burke’s approach hasn’t changed much since he was part of a belligerent Maine Mariners squad that won the Calder Cup as AHL champs in 1978, or since he was a young general manager in Hartford seeking advice from the legendary Bill Torrey.
“The most important decision a GM makes is who coaches the team. I’m fortunate that we had a great coach in place here. That’s truly where it all begins and ends. It doesn’t matter how many good players you give the guy if he can’t coach. Then my philosophy is real simple, which is build from the net out … if you don’t have goaltending you can’t win.”
“The second most important position is defence. I’ve always spent more money and more effort on defence than any other position. I think it’s like pitching in baseball. You can have eight all-stars, eight Hall of Famers in the field, and if they’re not behind a pitching staff that’s competent, they’re not going to win.”
“Everyone thinks I was a defenceman because I’m big and my statistics were very poor. I was a forward. If you look at Stanley Cup winners in general, their defence corps was solid, if not spectacular.”
“Then, the rest of it for me is, we want to have a certain attitude. We want to play an entertaining style. We don’t trap. We pursue the puck in all three zones. We hit in all three zones. We fight. And we try to score a lot of goals. We’re not afraid to trade chances because our D is good because our goaltending is good, we’re not afraid to trade chances, which leads to an entertaining hockey game.”
“Then we go top six, bottom six. The top six are my skill guys, my speed and my first power play. Then the bottom six are the hard-hat guys. The blue collar guys, the lunch pail guys. Use whatever analogy you want. These are the guys who do the unglamorous jobs that are necessary to win a hockey game, kill penalties, block shots, win faceoffs, basically they’re the grunts but you can’t win a championship without grunts that are proficient.”
“My teams play a style that’s designed to entertain. I am in the entertainment business and I think star power is important. If you look, everywhere I’ve gone I’ve always had star players and I’ve always had a stud on defence. So with (Dion) Phaneuf, I think people would have seen that one coming because I’ve always had a stud back there. But as far as Phil Kessel, I’ve always had a star up front too. I do believe in terms of generating interest in selling tickets, you do need to have a star player so there’s no coincidence that Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf are here.”
“I think the draft is critical to rebuilding, don’t get me wrong. You look at this year’s draft, without a first (round pick), I think we really did a good job putting assets in the cupboard. I think our scouts did a great job. So I’m not downplaying the draft, the draft is vital. I don’t intend to keep trading first-round picks. We felt we needed to do that to add Phil Kessel and we felt we had the ability to do it because of the other free agents we had signed. I don’t intend to keep doing that. I think long-term successful teams keep their picks and draft.”
“I’ve never consciously said, let’s have an M.O. Let’s have something the writers can say, this is what he does. I would say, I’ve always given my players a chance. I’ve never come in and blown the team up right away. I’ve always given the players a chance. Second thing is, I’m not a big trade deadline guy. If I’m in contention, I try to add small pieces at the deadline. I like my team to get together earlier in the season. I do place great value on belligerence. I think if two teams are otherwise equal, the tougher team is always going to win. And I do believe in treating players fairly. We have a different Christmas trade deadline here. I think we’re very honest with our players here. I think the players here are treated fairly and know they’re treated fairly so that’s it, that’s my philosophy.”
“My whole philosophy of building teams, I owe to Bill Torrey (legendary Islanders GM). After we won (in Anaheim), I called him and thanked him. I asked him once, you won four straight Cups — people can argue that might have been one of the greatest teams ever — I’m a young GM, can you educate me on this? He said, it’s very simple. You have to win four playoff series to win a Stanley Cup, 16 games. He said, your whole team should be built for 16 games. He said, in the course of those four series, you’re going to play a big team. You’re going to play a really fast team. You’re going to play a team that relies on special teams, more like a trap team might in Jersey, a team that has great special teams. Then you’re going to see a hybrid of one of them. In no particular sequence. You’ve got to be big enough to beat the big team. Quick enough to beat the speed team. Special teams have to be good so you need power play specialists and PK specialists. Then, the hybrid, you need a blend of all it. And goaltending, obviously they had great goaltending.”
“I evolved it with Bob Murray and Dave Nonis over time to be even more tightly defined. And someone will come along after me and define it even more … but, to me, it’s top six, bottom six and top four, bottom two on the D. That’s what I’ve used since I got to Hartford. I never elucidated it there. I never talked to the media about the blueprint there but that’s clearly the way I thought we were going to go. As a rookie GM, you don’t want to be making bold statements about how you build a team. It’s your first day on the job, you keep your mouth shut.”
“I tell the team this when we go to training camp. We actually talk about this analogy. I tell them, you go to the symphony and in the front row is the first violin and she’s elegant. She’s got a beautiful long dress on and there’s a spotlight on. She’s got nice earrings and everyone came to listen to her. But there’s a guy built like me in the back row blowing on a tuba. They don’t start till they both sit down. Now she’s going to make a lot more money than I do. She’s probably going to have a longer career than I have. But if we’re going to get picked up and put on a record label, they need me too.”
“Then after we all leave, someone cleans up the hall and moves the chairs back. So there’s a job for everyone. A successful organization has to have contributions at every level.”
“You go by a job site. There’s a guy digging a ditch, a guy pounding nails, a guy stringing wire and a guy welding pipe. Four different jobs, four different pay scales but the building doesn’t go up unless every one of them shows up for work. It’s the same thing I tell our players. If you’re a fourth-line guy, if you’re Colton Orr, you have great value on our team. If you’re a third-line guy who kills penalties, takes faceoffs, blocks shots, you have great value on our team. There’s a spot for you on this team. Everyone is valuable. Everyone is important. But you’ve got to be able to do one of those jobs. You’re no good to me unless you’re a top six or a bottom six. If you’re not good enough to be a top six, you’d better bring some sandpaper or a skill specialty or some courage to it. Like a Freddie Sjostrom is an important player on our team because he can kill penalties and he’s fearless blocking shots and he’s got character. That’s an underlying thing to all of this. I want people with character.”
“I’ve been fortunate, I’ve had two great mentors in hockey. Lou Lamoriello who I played for (at Providence College) and Pat Quinn who I worked for the first time (at Vancouver). This isn’t self-learned. I worked for two giants. The other guy who was a great influence in my professional career was Gary Bettman but that was on the business side. Between those two guys, Lou and Pat, I didn’t have to pick up a book and learn hockey all on my own. I had two great teachers.”
“Are there things I thought were true that aren’t true now? I don’t think so. I played on a championship team (Maine Mariners, the Flyers’ affiliate) in the American league. I played a very minor role on that team. I’ll make that disclaimer up front. But we had all the elements. Keith Allen was the GM of the Flyers at that time. We had an excellent coach; we had great team toughness. We had clear special teams guys who were terrific. We had the MVP of the league that year (Blake Dunlop), we had the best defenceman in the league that year (Terry Murray) but we also had grunts that killed penalties and blocked shots.”
“That’s where it started. I remember thinking, we played the Nova Scotia Voyageurs in the second round, and I remember talking to Dennis Patterson who was our captain — he now scouts for the Flyers — and I remember saying, if we beat these guys, we’re going to steamroll New Haven. That’s who we played in the finals. We beat then 4-1 because we were so much bigger and so much tougher. We matched their skill and we were much more belligerent. Lessons learned.”
The conversation continues on Sunday, as Burke talks about star power, the salary cap, and who he goes to for advice.
“The most important decision a GM makes is who coaches the team. I’m fortunate that we had a great coach in place here. That’s truly where it all begins and ends. It doesn’t matter how many good players you give the guy if he can’t coach. Then my philosophy is real simple, which is build from the net out … if you don’t have goaltending you can’t win.”
“The second most important position is defence. I’ve always spent more money and more effort on defence than any other position. I think it’s like pitching in baseball. You can have eight all-stars, eight Hall of Famers in the field, and if they’re not behind a pitching staff that’s competent, they’re not going to win.”
“Everyone thinks I was a defenceman because I’m big and my statistics were very poor. I was a forward. If you look at Stanley Cup winners in general, their defence corps was solid, if not spectacular.”
“Then, the rest of it for me is, we want to have a certain attitude. We want to play an entertaining style. We don’t trap. We pursue the puck in all three zones. We hit in all three zones. We fight. And we try to score a lot of goals. We’re not afraid to trade chances because our D is good because our goaltending is good, we’re not afraid to trade chances, which leads to an entertaining hockey game.”
“Then we go top six, bottom six. The top six are my skill guys, my speed and my first power play. Then the bottom six are the hard-hat guys. The blue collar guys, the lunch pail guys. Use whatever analogy you want. These are the guys who do the unglamorous jobs that are necessary to win a hockey game, kill penalties, block shots, win faceoffs, basically they’re the grunts but you can’t win a championship without grunts that are proficient.”
“My teams play a style that’s designed to entertain. I am in the entertainment business and I think star power is important. If you look, everywhere I’ve gone I’ve always had star players and I’ve always had a stud on defence. So with (Dion) Phaneuf, I think people would have seen that one coming because I’ve always had a stud back there. But as far as Phil Kessel, I’ve always had a star up front too. I do believe in terms of generating interest in selling tickets, you do need to have a star player so there’s no coincidence that Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf are here.”
“I think the draft is critical to rebuilding, don’t get me wrong. You look at this year’s draft, without a first (round pick), I think we really did a good job putting assets in the cupboard. I think our scouts did a great job. So I’m not downplaying the draft, the draft is vital. I don’t intend to keep trading first-round picks. We felt we needed to do that to add Phil Kessel and we felt we had the ability to do it because of the other free agents we had signed. I don’t intend to keep doing that. I think long-term successful teams keep their picks and draft.”
“I’ve never consciously said, let’s have an M.O. Let’s have something the writers can say, this is what he does. I would say, I’ve always given my players a chance. I’ve never come in and blown the team up right away. I’ve always given the players a chance. Second thing is, I’m not a big trade deadline guy. If I’m in contention, I try to add small pieces at the deadline. I like my team to get together earlier in the season. I do place great value on belligerence. I think if two teams are otherwise equal, the tougher team is always going to win. And I do believe in treating players fairly. We have a different Christmas trade deadline here. I think we’re very honest with our players here. I think the players here are treated fairly and know they’re treated fairly so that’s it, that’s my philosophy.”
“My whole philosophy of building teams, I owe to Bill Torrey (legendary Islanders GM). After we won (in Anaheim), I called him and thanked him. I asked him once, you won four straight Cups — people can argue that might have been one of the greatest teams ever — I’m a young GM, can you educate me on this? He said, it’s very simple. You have to win four playoff series to win a Stanley Cup, 16 games. He said, your whole team should be built for 16 games. He said, in the course of those four series, you’re going to play a big team. You’re going to play a really fast team. You’re going to play a team that relies on special teams, more like a trap team might in Jersey, a team that has great special teams. Then you’re going to see a hybrid of one of them. In no particular sequence. You’ve got to be big enough to beat the big team. Quick enough to beat the speed team. Special teams have to be good so you need power play specialists and PK specialists. Then, the hybrid, you need a blend of all it. And goaltending, obviously they had great goaltending.”
“I evolved it with Bob Murray and Dave Nonis over time to be even more tightly defined. And someone will come along after me and define it even more … but, to me, it’s top six, bottom six and top four, bottom two on the D. That’s what I’ve used since I got to Hartford. I never elucidated it there. I never talked to the media about the blueprint there but that’s clearly the way I thought we were going to go. As a rookie GM, you don’t want to be making bold statements about how you build a team. It’s your first day on the job, you keep your mouth shut.”
“I tell the team this when we go to training camp. We actually talk about this analogy. I tell them, you go to the symphony and in the front row is the first violin and she’s elegant. She’s got a beautiful long dress on and there’s a spotlight on. She’s got nice earrings and everyone came to listen to her. But there’s a guy built like me in the back row blowing on a tuba. They don’t start till they both sit down. Now she’s going to make a lot more money than I do. She’s probably going to have a longer career than I have. But if we’re going to get picked up and put on a record label, they need me too.”
“Then after we all leave, someone cleans up the hall and moves the chairs back. So there’s a job for everyone. A successful organization has to have contributions at every level.”
“You go by a job site. There’s a guy digging a ditch, a guy pounding nails, a guy stringing wire and a guy welding pipe. Four different jobs, four different pay scales but the building doesn’t go up unless every one of them shows up for work. It’s the same thing I tell our players. If you’re a fourth-line guy, if you’re Colton Orr, you have great value on our team. If you’re a third-line guy who kills penalties, takes faceoffs, blocks shots, you have great value on our team. There’s a spot for you on this team. Everyone is valuable. Everyone is important. But you’ve got to be able to do one of those jobs. You’re no good to me unless you’re a top six or a bottom six. If you’re not good enough to be a top six, you’d better bring some sandpaper or a skill specialty or some courage to it. Like a Freddie Sjostrom is an important player on our team because he can kill penalties and he’s fearless blocking shots and he’s got character. That’s an underlying thing to all of this. I want people with character.”
“I’ve been fortunate, I’ve had two great mentors in hockey. Lou Lamoriello who I played for (at Providence College) and Pat Quinn who I worked for the first time (at Vancouver). This isn’t self-learned. I worked for two giants. The other guy who was a great influence in my professional career was Gary Bettman but that was on the business side. Between those two guys, Lou and Pat, I didn’t have to pick up a book and learn hockey all on my own. I had two great teachers.”
“Are there things I thought were true that aren’t true now? I don’t think so. I played on a championship team (Maine Mariners, the Flyers’ affiliate) in the American league. I played a very minor role on that team. I’ll make that disclaimer up front. But we had all the elements. Keith Allen was the GM of the Flyers at that time. We had an excellent coach; we had great team toughness. We had clear special teams guys who were terrific. We had the MVP of the league that year (Blake Dunlop), we had the best defenceman in the league that year (Terry Murray) but we also had grunts that killed penalties and blocked shots.”
“That’s where it started. I remember thinking, we played the Nova Scotia Voyageurs in the second round, and I remember talking to Dennis Patterson who was our captain — he now scouts for the Flyers — and I remember saying, if we beat these guys, we’re going to steamroll New Haven. That’s who we played in the finals. We beat then 4-1 because we were so much bigger and so much tougher. We matched their skill and we were much more belligerent. Lessons learned.”
The conversation continues on Sunday, as Burke talks about star power, the salary cap, and who he goes to for advice.
Friday, October 08, 2010
女人心事 -- 等待
羅乃萱(電郵:shirley.loo@familyheartware.com)
如果愛一個人,他變了心,要等他回心轉意嗎?
在電郵中收到這樣一個問題,令我苦思良久。
起初的反應是,大家又不是談婚論嫁。男若無情,女的也沒有義務要等下去,是嗎?
總覺得,死有輕於鴻毛,有重於泰山之別。等待,又何嘗不是一樣?
漫無目的的等待,只是浪費與虛耗寶貴的青春。
「他說從來沒愛過我,但我不信!」說的那麼斬釘截鐵,背後卻是一種無法稀釋的執狂與意亂情迷。要明白,一個男人能開口這樣決絕說「不愛」的話,他「說謊」的成分其實很低很低啊!
「坊間不是說過真愛要等待的嗎?」對啊!但問題是,單方的付出與執迷,只會是一場糾纏不清的苦戀。
聽過這樣一個故事。她在大學時代跟同窗的他拍拖,兩個人相愛相親,她認定他就是未來的結婚對象。豈料,情海猝然翻波,他說要跟她分手,藉口是:「大家還年輕,認識多些異性朋友再看看。如果對方是真命天子的話,一定有緣可以再會!」實情卻是,第三者介入,他移情別戀去也。
那段失戀的日子,她曾哭得死去活來,覺得「沒有他的日子活不下去」。後經摯友提醒:「如此不負責任的男人,值得妳為他流眼淚嗎?」思前想後,決定要忘記背後,重新出發。最後,上主為她預備一個絕頂配偶,兩個人婚後育有一對子女,其樂融融。
某天,她忽然發現,那個曾愛過的他,在她的博客留言:「我仍單身,你呢?」
「我的生活很愉快。有一個愛我的丈夫,一對活潑可愛的兒女,更重要的是,找到愛的源頭,就是讓我委身一生的上主。我會為你禱告,願主祝福你!」
基督教時代論壇 第一二○六期.二○一○年十月十日
如果愛一個人,他變了心,要等他回心轉意嗎?
在電郵中收到這樣一個問題,令我苦思良久。
起初的反應是,大家又不是談婚論嫁。男若無情,女的也沒有義務要等下去,是嗎?
總覺得,死有輕於鴻毛,有重於泰山之別。等待,又何嘗不是一樣?
漫無目的的等待,只是浪費與虛耗寶貴的青春。
「他說從來沒愛過我,但我不信!」說的那麼斬釘截鐵,背後卻是一種無法稀釋的執狂與意亂情迷。要明白,一個男人能開口這樣決絕說「不愛」的話,他「說謊」的成分其實很低很低啊!
「坊間不是說過真愛要等待的嗎?」對啊!但問題是,單方的付出與執迷,只會是一場糾纏不清的苦戀。
聽過這樣一個故事。她在大學時代跟同窗的他拍拖,兩個人相愛相親,她認定他就是未來的結婚對象。豈料,情海猝然翻波,他說要跟她分手,藉口是:「大家還年輕,認識多些異性朋友再看看。如果對方是真命天子的話,一定有緣可以再會!」實情卻是,第三者介入,他移情別戀去也。
那段失戀的日子,她曾哭得死去活來,覺得「沒有他的日子活不下去」。後經摯友提醒:「如此不負責任的男人,值得妳為他流眼淚嗎?」思前想後,決定要忘記背後,重新出發。最後,上主為她預備一個絕頂配偶,兩個人婚後育有一對子女,其樂融融。
某天,她忽然發現,那個曾愛過的他,在她的博客留言:「我仍單身,你呢?」
「我的生活很愉快。有一個愛我的丈夫,一對活潑可愛的兒女,更重要的是,找到愛的源頭,就是讓我委身一生的上主。我會為你禱告,願主祝福你!」
基督教時代論壇 第一二○六期.二○一○年十月十日
Monday, October 04, 2010
面前的牌子
何靜 <國證網絡--給您,同行者>網絡編輯
一個失明的男孩坐在路邊,擺了一頂帽子在腳旁,面前放了一個告示牌寫著:
「我是一個可憐的瞎子,請幫助我」。帽子裡只有幾枚硬幣。
一個男人經過,停下腳步,從口袋裡掏出了幾枚硬幣投入帽子裡。然後,他拿起牌子把它翻轉過來寫了一些字,再放回男孩的面前。男孩也察覺了。
奇怪地,開始有很多人在看過牌子後往帽子裡投錢,帽子很快開始裝滿了錢。
午後,改寫了告示牌的男人來看看事情發展得怎麼樣了。男孩認出了他的腳步便問道:
「你就是那個改寫牌子的人嗎?你到底寫了什麼?」
那人說:「我不過是寫事實,跟你原來的意思差不多,只是用了另一種說法。」
他寫的是:「雖然我的眼睛看不見,但你的幫助,能讓我的心靈看見生命的美好!」
兩個牌子,說的都是事實,卻流露著截然不同的人生觀。
第一個牌子告訴人失明的男孩多麼不幸,只聚焦在他所失去的東西上。
第二個牌子告訴人男孩雖然失去了視力,但仍能擁有和享受生命中美好的事物。而人們的幫助,能發揮正面的影響力。
今天的社會,充滿了各種不幸和苦難。人生也難免遇到挫拆和逆境,我們需要正能量──以正面的思想來看事物,以積極的態度來過生活。同一個處境,換個角度來看,能帶來完全不同的感受、行動和影響。
耶穌的教導也是充滿正能量的,祂曾說:「不要為明天憂慮,因為明天自有明天的憂慮;一天的難處一天當就夠了。」(馬太福音6:34)這是因著相信神必看顧而對生命生出的安全感。祂又教導我們面對生活要「常常禱告,不可灰心」。對於面對試探或困境,聖經教導我們要深信神必會開出路,我們必能忍耐得住。這不是充滿樂觀積極的思想嗎?可是對基督徒來說,這種正向思維並不是靠自己而來的,而是因著對神的信心和認識,相信祂是一位慈愛豐盛的神,無論在任何處境中必會看顧我們,保護我們,因祂是我們的父親,我們是祂所愛的兒女。
耶穌的使徒保羅也是正能量的表表者,他曾說:「我知道怎樣處卑賤,也知道怎樣處豐富;或飽足,或飢餓;或有餘,或缺乏,隨事隨在,我都得了祕訣。」(腓立比書4:12)這是何等豁達的人生觀啊!「我靠著那加給我力量的,凡事都能作。」這是何等超凡的信心啊!
在國證網絡事奉的日子,也不全是風平浪靜的,也有經歷困難的時候,特別是經濟上的經常不敷常教人擔憂,人力和資源上的欠缺常教人疲乏;然而,換個角度來看,神的恩典蓋過了一切的不足,祂讓我們經歷了看似不足卻是豐富的境況。在經濟最壞的時候,我們從沒有打出一個牌子說:我們不夠錢用啊,弟兄姊妹們,奉獻給我們吧。我們面前的牌子所說的是:我們仍有很多神所託付的事工要做,你的支持,能讓更多人走近神,親近神。
你面前的牌子寫著甚麼呢?無論你在那一種生活境況中,請常常默念神的愛、生命的美好,在內心思念每一個你所愛的人、數算每一件值得感恩的大小事情。如果你面前的牌子寫滿了自憐和苦澀的句子,把它改寫過來,讓你的生命充滿從神而來的正能量!
一個失明的男孩坐在路邊,擺了一頂帽子在腳旁,面前放了一個告示牌寫著:
「我是一個可憐的瞎子,請幫助我」。帽子裡只有幾枚硬幣。
一個男人經過,停下腳步,從口袋裡掏出了幾枚硬幣投入帽子裡。然後,他拿起牌子把它翻轉過來寫了一些字,再放回男孩的面前。男孩也察覺了。
奇怪地,開始有很多人在看過牌子後往帽子裡投錢,帽子很快開始裝滿了錢。
午後,改寫了告示牌的男人來看看事情發展得怎麼樣了。男孩認出了他的腳步便問道:
「你就是那個改寫牌子的人嗎?你到底寫了什麼?」
那人說:「我不過是寫事實,跟你原來的意思差不多,只是用了另一種說法。」
他寫的是:「雖然我的眼睛看不見,但你的幫助,能讓我的心靈看見生命的美好!」
兩個牌子,說的都是事實,卻流露著截然不同的人生觀。
第一個牌子告訴人失明的男孩多麼不幸,只聚焦在他所失去的東西上。
第二個牌子告訴人男孩雖然失去了視力,但仍能擁有和享受生命中美好的事物。而人們的幫助,能發揮正面的影響力。
今天的社會,充滿了各種不幸和苦難。人生也難免遇到挫拆和逆境,我們需要正能量──以正面的思想來看事物,以積極的態度來過生活。同一個處境,換個角度來看,能帶來完全不同的感受、行動和影響。
耶穌的教導也是充滿正能量的,祂曾說:「不要為明天憂慮,因為明天自有明天的憂慮;一天的難處一天當就夠了。」(馬太福音6:34)這是因著相信神必看顧而對生命生出的安全感。祂又教導我們面對生活要「常常禱告,不可灰心」。對於面對試探或困境,聖經教導我們要深信神必會開出路,我們必能忍耐得住。這不是充滿樂觀積極的思想嗎?可是對基督徒來說,這種正向思維並不是靠自己而來的,而是因著對神的信心和認識,相信祂是一位慈愛豐盛的神,無論在任何處境中必會看顧我們,保護我們,因祂是我們的父親,我們是祂所愛的兒女。
耶穌的使徒保羅也是正能量的表表者,他曾說:「我知道怎樣處卑賤,也知道怎樣處豐富;或飽足,或飢餓;或有餘,或缺乏,隨事隨在,我都得了祕訣。」(腓立比書4:12)這是何等豁達的人生觀啊!「我靠著那加給我力量的,凡事都能作。」這是何等超凡的信心啊!
在國證網絡事奉的日子,也不全是風平浪靜的,也有經歷困難的時候,特別是經濟上的經常不敷常教人擔憂,人力和資源上的欠缺常教人疲乏;然而,換個角度來看,神的恩典蓋過了一切的不足,祂讓我們經歷了看似不足卻是豐富的境況。在經濟最壞的時候,我們從沒有打出一個牌子說:我們不夠錢用啊,弟兄姊妹們,奉獻給我們吧。我們面前的牌子所說的是:我們仍有很多神所託付的事工要做,你的支持,能讓更多人走近神,親近神。
你面前的牌子寫著甚麼呢?無論你在那一種生活境況中,請常常默念神的愛、生命的美好,在內心思念每一個你所愛的人、數算每一件值得感恩的大小事情。如果你面前的牌子寫滿了自憐和苦澀的句子,把它改寫過來,讓你的生命充滿從神而來的正能量!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
復興的異象 A Vision for Revival
加拿大廣東話青少年事工是否經已進入夕陽時份?
教會團契是否只經到達功成身退的階段?
使者以溫哥華廣東話青少年事工作為借鏡,與大家分享溫哥華教會青少年團契的經歷...
復興的異象 A Vision for Revival Part One (Click here)
復興的異象 A Vision for Revival Part Two (Click here)
教會團契是否只經到達功成身退的階段?
使者以溫哥華廣東話青少年事工作為借鏡,與大家分享溫哥華教會青少年團契的經歷...
復興的異象 A Vision for Revival Part One (Click here)
復興的異象 A Vision for Revival Part Two (Click here)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Bishops invite commuters back to church - thestar.com
Dressed in their religious garments, teams of Anglican bishops and priests fanned out at GO Transit stations in the GTA Thursday to hand out pamphlets encouraging people to go back to church.
It was their second annual “Back to Church” outreach, part of an international initiative that started several years ago in the United Kingdom.
As thousands of commuters emptied out of Union Station, some appeared to think it was a stunt. Many wore grim expressions as they accepted the “invitations” and “good morning” greetings.
Others brushed past, looking annoyed, even walking out into the street to escape Archbishop Colin Johnson, in his full religious vestments, making like a pitchman trying to sell his brand.
It’s part of a push to get people back to church, and many commuters clearly didn’t know what to think.
“It’s weird,” Eric, who wouldn’t give his last name, said with a frown.
Some said they liked the idea. One woman said that if Jesus were here, that’s what he would be doing.
Another man, Greg Hood, 34, an accountant, looked bemused. He said he thought this was “another gimmick.”
Why wouldn’t he?
This is the corner where all kinds of brisk business take place. Competing for attention with the bishops were people with literature advertising Sears designer suits and others selling “daily deals” in Toronto.
When apprised of the fact, that they had competition, Robertson joked, “I thought this was our corner.”
Competition is what the Anglican bishops say is what has pushed them out into the streets to meet with people.
Bishop Philip Poole, who was stationed in Mississauga, said, “We’d be lying if we said that attendance is soaring and that all is well.”
Mostly, however, people are growing more secular and devoting less time to church, the bishops say.
“Competition is everywhere,” Johnston said. “The pace of life is a lot busier. We’re just hoping to make them stop and think.”
If last year’s event is any gauge, more people will be in the pews come Sunday.
After last year’s event, Johnston says Anglican churches in the Toronto diocese saw 1,800 more people coming up the church steps the following Sunday.
The bishops, however, said the objective is not just to get more business for their own churches. They say it’s to encourage people to get involved in their own houses of worship and put religion back into their lives.
It was their second annual “Back to Church” outreach, part of an international initiative that started several years ago in the United Kingdom.
As thousands of commuters emptied out of Union Station, some appeared to think it was a stunt. Many wore grim expressions as they accepted the “invitations” and “good morning” greetings.
Others brushed past, looking annoyed, even walking out into the street to escape Archbishop Colin Johnson, in his full religious vestments, making like a pitchman trying to sell his brand.
It’s part of a push to get people back to church, and many commuters clearly didn’t know what to think.
“It’s weird,” Eric, who wouldn’t give his last name, said with a frown.
Some said they liked the idea. One woman said that if Jesus were here, that’s what he would be doing.
Another man, Greg Hood, 34, an accountant, looked bemused. He said he thought this was “another gimmick.”
Why wouldn’t he?
This is the corner where all kinds of brisk business take place. Competing for attention with the bishops were people with literature advertising Sears designer suits and others selling “daily deals” in Toronto.
When apprised of the fact, that they had competition, Robertson joked, “I thought this was our corner.”
Competition is what the Anglican bishops say is what has pushed them out into the streets to meet with people.
Bishop Philip Poole, who was stationed in Mississauga, said, “We’d be lying if we said that attendance is soaring and that all is well.”
Mostly, however, people are growing more secular and devoting less time to church, the bishops say.
“Competition is everywhere,” Johnston said. “The pace of life is a lot busier. We’re just hoping to make them stop and think.”
If last year’s event is any gauge, more people will be in the pews come Sunday.
After last year’s event, Johnston says Anglican churches in the Toronto diocese saw 1,800 more people coming up the church steps the following Sunday.
The bishops, however, said the objective is not just to get more business for their own churches. They say it’s to encourage people to get involved in their own houses of worship and put religion back into their lives.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
菲律賓已因人質慘劇蒙羞 若掩飾真相更為世人不齒
【明報專訊】菲律賓警方顢頇無能,在營救康泰旅行團被挾持事件中,表現未符合專業要求,菲律賓總統阿奎諾三世雖云答應調查事件,並向中國政府和特區政府交代,但是從昨日事態發展看來,菲國官方對此事隱然已有定見,其調查操作未符合嚴謹、嚴格的要求。我們認為,中央政府或特區政府應該向菲律賓政府提出,由中國政府或特區政府派專家參與或觀察調查,以確保調查符合國際準則的要求;若菲國主動邀請,更是打破港菲關係困局的契機。
阿奎諾表現惹港人反感
菲就事態調查有定見?
前晚血腥慘劇發生之後,阿奎諾三世在一官員簇擁下,曾到現場視察,他對在場香港記者的提問,置若罔聞,從電視鏡頭所見,阿奎諾三世與陪同官員有說有笑,一派輕鬆模樣,與現場不久前槍聲卜卜,8名港人被血腥屠殺的景,格格不入。另外,在記者會上,阿奎諾三世不但竭力為警方辯護,其口若懸河的說辭,港人聞之,覺得不是味兒。以危機管理而言,阿奎諾三世的表現難言合格,因為他不但未能安撫香港市民的不滿,反而更激起憤慨。所以,此階段危機管理,阿奎諾三世其實演出了一場公關災難,迄昨菲國官方還未公開就慘劇表達歉意。
阿奎諾三世以總統身分日理萬機,對事態的掌握,一般而言靠官員或幕僚匯報,若報告有偏頗,自然影響阿奎諾三世的取態。昨日,有菲國官員接受香港記者訪問時,強調救了多少人質,若側重於此,則遇事旅行團全團20人,加上領隊1人,當地菲籍司機和導遊各1名,總共23人,現在死了8人,以人數計算,菲國可以自詡行動成功。這個半杯水滿、半杯水空的不同角度,決定了事態的性質,就看阿奎諾三世收到的是什麼料而已。
雖然阿奎諾三世力撐警隊,不過,除了本港輿論,連菲國當地的傳媒,都一致批評這宗營救人質災難,與菲國警方處理不當有關。面對群情洶湧,昨日,阿奎諾三世嘗試補救,例如,他率同副總統和外交部長等高層官員,與中國駐菲大使劉建超和港府副入境事務處長黎棟國會晤,答允調查事件,並會派出高層代表團分別到北京和香港交代事件。另外,昨日下午,他還給行政長官曾蔭權回覆電話,解釋前日未接聽電話,乃幕僚見他事忙,未通知他。連串事態顯示原先強硬取態,有所調整。不過,態度轉變,並不等於菲國承認營救犯錯。
例如,昨日菲律賓總統府發出聲明,以阿奎諾三世的名義,縷述事態梗概。他在記者會批傳媒直播引發槍手大開殺戒,在聲明中則說「傳媒播出挾持者家人被強制帶離現場的畫面,激怒了挾持者,並鳴槍示警」。說法不同,內容則一樣,主要把責任歸咎他人,連槍手的弟弟被捕,目的也是如此。所以,從種種象顯示,菲國所謂調查,使人懷疑是否先有答案,再找證據。其實,電視直播不構成阻礙救人,若當局應對恰當,皆大歡喜和氣收場,或是警隊攻堅,乾淨利落解決危局,則菲國政府的威望自然大升;所以,一切視乎營救安排是否做得好,電視直播根本不是問題。
另外,有熟悉蒐證程序的人士認為,從電視鏡頭所見,未見菲國人員全面封鎖現場,仔細蒐集例如彈頭等物品,因為找到彈頭,與槍支的來福線比對,就可以知道中槍死亡的死者,是由哪一支槍所殺,而現場其他物品,也是呈現車廂內和槍戰情的最佳證據,但是未見妥善保護和蒐集,菲國所謂調查的誠意,可見一斑。
菲國就這宗挾持人質事件,暴露整體應變能力之不足和警方之窩囊,已經使國家在國際蒙羞;為挽回形象,我們認為,菲律賓政府首要坦誠交代事件,絕對不應有掩飾之心,若調查報告只為推卸責任,則必會引發更大反彈。首階段的危機管理,已經落筆打三更,若調查報告不為世人接受,則菲律賓的形象更會一落千丈,甚而為人所不齒。
市民不應遷怒菲傭
旅遊警示應包括治安紀錄
因此之故,我們認為,特區政府應該透過中央政府向菲律賓政府提出,由中國政府或特區政府派專家到菲國,參與或觀察調查,以確保日後菲國的調查結果,較有公信力。
關於這宗慘劇,現階段還有兩點值得討論。
首先,市民看到菲國警察表現窩囊,使8名港人被殺,都義憤填胸,不過,市民應該認知,這個只是菲國警察不濟的結果,與本港以十萬計家庭一起生活作息的菲傭,絕不相干,絕大多數菲傭對於菲警的表現,都不以為然,所以,市民不要遷怒於菲傭。昨日傳聞有市民因而怒炒菲傭,若真有其事,那是絕不應該。市民應與菲傭如常生活工作,無必要、也不應該改變。
其次,本港現行旅遊級別警示,只視乎一個國家或地區是否有突發變故,包括天災或政爭集會等(例如較早前泰國紅衫軍的反政府活動),至於其恆常社會治安狀,則不在參考之內。但是菲律賓長期治安不靖,針對外國旅客和華人的搶劫案,去年就有138宗。就以前日凌晨,馬尼拉亦發生綁架殺害韓國人事件,多名槍手截停載有多名韓國人的車輛,槍殺一人,擄走兩人,其後釋放,槍手動機不明。所以,同一日,馬尼拉就發生兩宗針對旅客的案件,這樣的治安環境,是否適合港人前往旅遊,當局應該研究。我們認為,一國或地區、城市的治安紀錄,應該成為旅遊警示參考的一部分,以完整反映是否適宜旅遊。
阿奎諾表現惹港人反感
菲就事態調查有定見?
前晚血腥慘劇發生之後,阿奎諾三世在一官員簇擁下,曾到現場視察,他對在場香港記者的提問,置若罔聞,從電視鏡頭所見,阿奎諾三世與陪同官員有說有笑,一派輕鬆模樣,與現場不久前槍聲卜卜,8名港人被血腥屠殺的景,格格不入。另外,在記者會上,阿奎諾三世不但竭力為警方辯護,其口若懸河的說辭,港人聞之,覺得不是味兒。以危機管理而言,阿奎諾三世的表現難言合格,因為他不但未能安撫香港市民的不滿,反而更激起憤慨。所以,此階段危機管理,阿奎諾三世其實演出了一場公關災難,迄昨菲國官方還未公開就慘劇表達歉意。
阿奎諾三世以總統身分日理萬機,對事態的掌握,一般而言靠官員或幕僚匯報,若報告有偏頗,自然影響阿奎諾三世的取態。昨日,有菲國官員接受香港記者訪問時,強調救了多少人質,若側重於此,則遇事旅行團全團20人,加上領隊1人,當地菲籍司機和導遊各1名,總共23人,現在死了8人,以人數計算,菲國可以自詡行動成功。這個半杯水滿、半杯水空的不同角度,決定了事態的性質,就看阿奎諾三世收到的是什麼料而已。
雖然阿奎諾三世力撐警隊,不過,除了本港輿論,連菲國當地的傳媒,都一致批評這宗營救人質災難,與菲國警方處理不當有關。面對群情洶湧,昨日,阿奎諾三世嘗試補救,例如,他率同副總統和外交部長等高層官員,與中國駐菲大使劉建超和港府副入境事務處長黎棟國會晤,答允調查事件,並會派出高層代表團分別到北京和香港交代事件。另外,昨日下午,他還給行政長官曾蔭權回覆電話,解釋前日未接聽電話,乃幕僚見他事忙,未通知他。連串事態顯示原先強硬取態,有所調整。不過,態度轉變,並不等於菲國承認營救犯錯。
例如,昨日菲律賓總統府發出聲明,以阿奎諾三世的名義,縷述事態梗概。他在記者會批傳媒直播引發槍手大開殺戒,在聲明中則說「傳媒播出挾持者家人被強制帶離現場的畫面,激怒了挾持者,並鳴槍示警」。說法不同,內容則一樣,主要把責任歸咎他人,連槍手的弟弟被捕,目的也是如此。所以,從種種象顯示,菲國所謂調查,使人懷疑是否先有答案,再找證據。其實,電視直播不構成阻礙救人,若當局應對恰當,皆大歡喜和氣收場,或是警隊攻堅,乾淨利落解決危局,則菲國政府的威望自然大升;所以,一切視乎營救安排是否做得好,電視直播根本不是問題。
另外,有熟悉蒐證程序的人士認為,從電視鏡頭所見,未見菲國人員全面封鎖現場,仔細蒐集例如彈頭等物品,因為找到彈頭,與槍支的來福線比對,就可以知道中槍死亡的死者,是由哪一支槍所殺,而現場其他物品,也是呈現車廂內和槍戰情的最佳證據,但是未見妥善保護和蒐集,菲國所謂調查的誠意,可見一斑。
菲國就這宗挾持人質事件,暴露整體應變能力之不足和警方之窩囊,已經使國家在國際蒙羞;為挽回形象,我們認為,菲律賓政府首要坦誠交代事件,絕對不應有掩飾之心,若調查報告只為推卸責任,則必會引發更大反彈。首階段的危機管理,已經落筆打三更,若調查報告不為世人接受,則菲律賓的形象更會一落千丈,甚而為人所不齒。
市民不應遷怒菲傭
旅遊警示應包括治安紀錄
因此之故,我們認為,特區政府應該透過中央政府向菲律賓政府提出,由中國政府或特區政府派專家到菲國,參與或觀察調查,以確保日後菲國的調查結果,較有公信力。
關於這宗慘劇,現階段還有兩點值得討論。
首先,市民看到菲國警察表現窩囊,使8名港人被殺,都義憤填胸,不過,市民應該認知,這個只是菲國警察不濟的結果,與本港以十萬計家庭一起生活作息的菲傭,絕不相干,絕大多數菲傭對於菲警的表現,都不以為然,所以,市民不要遷怒於菲傭。昨日傳聞有市民因而怒炒菲傭,若真有其事,那是絕不應該。市民應與菲傭如常生活工作,無必要、也不應該改變。
其次,本港現行旅遊級別警示,只視乎一個國家或地區是否有突發變故,包括天災或政爭集會等(例如較早前泰國紅衫軍的反政府活動),至於其恆常社會治安狀,則不在參考之內。但是菲律賓長期治安不靖,針對外國旅客和華人的搶劫案,去年就有138宗。就以前日凌晨,馬尼拉亦發生綁架殺害韓國人事件,多名槍手截停載有多名韓國人的車輛,槍殺一人,擄走兩人,其後釋放,槍手動機不明。所以,同一日,馬尼拉就發生兩宗針對旅客的案件,這樣的治安環境,是否適合港人前往旅遊,當局應該研究。我們認為,一國或地區、城市的治安紀錄,應該成為旅遊警示參考的一部分,以完整反映是否適宜旅遊。
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
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