危機四伏，自守有道?! – KRC 資源為基督協會

Written for fellow ministers serving together as soldiers in the Lord

In line with today’s message, before I begin sharing, let me first introduce you to my core team for intercession, watchfulness, and ministry.

First, there is my「Graceful Partner in Christ」, my wife, who has accompanied me through life’s journey for over 35 years.

Of course, my three lovely, thoughtful, and versatile children are also key members of my core team.

Just a bit beyond that, I also have three very close-knit teams—–

For over six decades since my youth, several compatriot brothers and sisters have consistently supported and helped me grow.

Also, there are Pastor Y and his wife, the president of the organization where I serve full-time, who have worked alongside my wife and me continuously for nearly 25 years—from Taiwan to the United States.

In addition, there are Teacher K and colleagues who have served alongside me since the founding of KRC in the Eastern United States in 1999; as well as Teacher M and colleagues who have been working together in the battle since the establishment of GCWMI in the Western United States in 2008.

Team, team, team — gratitude, gratitude, and more gratitude! I often wake up every morning, still with my eyes closed, and feel grateful to God for preparing these precious teams for me!

As spiritual leaders, pastors must belong to a team or strive to build one. In any team, the “leader” is always the key to the success or failure of the ministry — this is something we all should agree on.

The problem is that, throughout history and across cultures, leaders rarely have the opportunity to let their brothers and sisters around them truly understand the unique needs or vulnerabilities that arise from their personal traits combined with being placed under intense pressure. The term "vulnerability" here is borrowed from martial arts novels—it's the specialized concept of the greatest weakness hidden within a powerful skill. Once an enemy discovers this weakness, even if you were initially fighting fiercely and impressively, you could suddenly be defeated by a single move, losing your life unexpectedly just as you thought victory was near.

This cartoon really hits the nail on the head: the bigger the halo, the bigger the target!

This is absolutely true: God is “looking for” leaders, teams are “looking for” leaders, and the enemy is also “looking for” leaders! All three parties are searching, but with different purposes: God’s “looking” is to call and send; teams’ “looking” is to discover and nurture; while the enemy’s “looking” is to target and destroy. Especially the leaders’ character and integrity defenses—they are often the prime targets of the enemy’s fierce attacks and breaches.

Back in the 1970s when I was in college, Professor Lin Yeping, former General Secretary of Taiwan’s Cosmic Light Holistic Care Organization, often liked to encourage fellow workers with these words.：「Let the devil hate us even more this year!」 Well said! If we work ourselves to the bone in ministry, yet Satan can’t be bothered to trouble us, there’s only one possibility — the work we’re doing is superficial and ineffective, like grass or straw that doesn’t really affect anything. So having such passionate zeal is truly important; it gives us powerful motivation and positive energy.

However, the enemy is by no means to be underestimated. If he truly wants to trouble us, it won’t be just a mild annoyance—it will be a fierce attack, like “if he can’t kill us, he will at least skin us alive.” We must never take this lightly, not you, not me, not anyone.

In recent years, we have been repeatedly shocked by the tragic news of long-respected and beloved renowned pastors or leaders of parachurch organizations falling into serious moral failures involving money, lust, and power. Each time such an event occurs, coworkers and believers first react with disbelief, then feel heartbroken and anguished. The general public is stunned and erupts in uproar as if struck by a major bombshell. The frequency of these incidents has become so intense that meteorologists have likened it to the “normalization of disasters” in recent global natural phenomena.

Money, sex, and power—any one of these, when mishandled, can be a fatal blow to a minister. How much more when two or even all three are entangled and erupt together! Once the scandal breaks, it often leads to total disgrace: reputations ruined, families torn apart, everything reduced to nothing—even public humiliation in secular courts (and tragically, not for suffering persecution for righteousness’ sake). How can you and I not take this as a sobering warning?

However, “vigilance” is only the first step. Without promptly engaging in deep self-examination and taking concrete action to be the right person and do the right things, it will still be nearly impossible to break through the enemy’s ambushes on all sides!

To cultivate and shape a preacher with true spiritual influence takes decades of effort—but for such a person to fall into disgrace and collapse, it often takes only a single night. All the sleepless nights of seminary—cramming for exams, writing papers and theses—and the years of laborious ministry afterward: the long, grueling days of living in a “fishbowl” and sweating in a “pressure cooker” of an inhuman lifestyle—can all be wiped out with a single stroke? Or to put it another way: decades of a ministry marked by standing to preach, kneeling to pray, and going forth to proclaim the gospel—hard-fought victories won by relying on the Lord—can end up like a string of firecrackers: after the noisy crackle and pop, all that’s left is the acrid stench of smoke and scraps of spent paper fluttering on the ground.

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

There was a season when I would re-listen to audio recordings of the Bible during my commute. One day, I was struck by the story of young King Solomon—how, because of his humility and trust in God, he was granted unparalleled wisdom, power, and honor. In his prayer at the dedication of the temple, his deep knowledge of the one true God and his intimate relationship with Him were clearly evident. And yet, as he grew older, he allowed himself to be led astray by his foreign wives, worshiping and serving other gods. I simply couldn’t believe it—how could someone as brilliant as Solomon actually turn to false gods? Could it be that he didn’t truly believe in them, but merely went through the motions to please his wives? Could even a man of great wisdom fall at the feet of beauty? I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.

I sincerely and honestly assess my own worth: in terms of spiritual maturity, anointing, biblical and theological depth, life influence, and public visibility—I fall far short of many fellow workers and predecessors. However, there is one thing I can confidently say I share with them—and even with King Solomon himself—on equal footing, and that is this:

As a servant of God, the spiritual life, gifts, works, and accomplishments of yesterday, no matter how admirable, offer no guarantee that one can stand firm today. Likewise, the respect, admiration, following, and imitation we may receive from our team or audience today in no way ensure that we will still be seen as good and faithful in God's eyes tomorrow.

So then, where is the way out? How can we remember the grace of yesterday, stand firm today, and finish well tomorrow?

A wise Christian once painted this picture：「The church is like a battleship sailing through enemy waters.」Exactly. In the last days when Satan still rages, the church—dedicated to being a light in a dark world—is truly like a battleship sailing through enemy waters, constantly at risk of attacks from the air, sea surface, and underwater, often striking suddenly and simultaneously.

If we replace "the church" with "the preacher," this metaphor remains just as true. A preacher is like a battleship navigating enemy waters—how can they not keep vigilant watch, stockpile ammunition, and be constantly ready for battle? But the question remains: how exactly should one watch and prepare for war?

How can one guard oneself wisely? First, one must discipline oneself to be watched over and held accountable.

From my personal understanding, the highest priority and most crucial thing is to place oneself within a life community where members sincerely remind one another and deeply watch over each other.

Indeed, belonging to a life-giving community where members sincerely remind and earnestly watch over one another is crucial to whether a ministry journey can endure to the end.(finish well) a key factor. This community can be a church, an organization, a personal spiritual mentor or close friend—and of course, it can also be one’s family. My observation is this: being “isolated,” “left behind,” or “too high up and too lonely” is, across time and culture, a common thread among those who stumble. Moreover,Regardless of East or West, from the young and strong to the deeply respected elders; from “junior brothers” to “big brothers,” to “senior leaders,” to “founding elders”; from heads full of black hair to silver-haired or bald; from physically robust to frail and trembling; from handsome and charming to scarred and weathered; from traditional evangelical to charismatic; from pastors and pastor’s wives of 20-member churches to those of 20,000-member megachurches; from leaders of small ministries with an annual budget of $30,000 to those overseeing $30 million organizations… And believe it or not—male or female, no one is immune!

On the eve of Thanksgiving in 2007, I traveled with four coworkers to the American Midwest to attend a men’s retreat. The retreat deeply reminded us of the vulnerabilities and challenges men face, as well as the spiritual influence we can have within our families. On the final morning, the five of us knelt down together in prayer and drafted a covenant.

I resolve to dedicate at least the first five minutes after waking up each morning to God—drawing near to Him through Scripture reading or prayer. (Please note, it's "at least"! Some coworkers have said, "Isn't that bar a bit too low?"—Of course I know that! But in reality, you and I both know: when major conferences roll around, or during the busy seasons and holidays in church or ministry, even this small commitment takes tremendous effort to keep!)

I resolve to protect and nurture my children and future generations with character and faith education grounded in the Bible, so that they may become a glorious testimony for God.

I resolve to love my wife with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, so that I may help her fully live out all the virtues God has placed within her.

I resolve to entrust my eyes to God's control, refusing to deliberately look at any pornographic images or gaze at women with lustful intent. (Note: the emphasis here is on deliberate looking and gazing, because temptation is everywhere—like a flock of crows swirling overhead, impossible to fully drive away. But at the very least, I can do my part to keep them from building a nest on my head.)

After returning home, we translated the covenant into a bilingual Chinese-English version to ensure that our children—born and raised in the United States—could fully understand it. We then had it professionally printed and framed. I signed as the covenant maker, and the other four brothers signed as witnesses. Each copy bore all five signatures. We gathered the five families together, prayed in unity, made our vows publicly, and solemnly presented the framed covenant to my wife in front of everyone. To this day, it still hangs in a prominent place in our living room, serving as a visual reminder to my family to continually watch over me in prayer and to speak the truth in love when needed. —This is just one small example of how I’ve personally tried to force myself to be held accountable and watched over.

How about you? What more can you do to help your family—or the small group you’re currently part of—truly become a life-giving community where you can sincerely remind one another and watch over each other deeply? And if you're about to graduate, how might you proactively seek out, or even build, this kind of community for yourself?

Managing Interpersonal Relationships for Ministers/Servants, in my experience, it should be a set of concentric circles moving from the inside out. The innermost part is the Lord who sits on the throne of my life and myself. Next are my family and close coworkers whom I see frequently. Beyond that are other relatives, friends, and collaborators. The outermost circle consists of listeners, readers, congregation members, fans, and so on.In summary, it is essential to manage relationships from the inside out and from those closest to you to those more distant.

If one chases applause and fame in a misguided way, focusing only on the outermost circle and indulging in fleeting achievements, when a major crisis arises—or even if merely misunderstood or falsely accused—those fans often turn against you like flipping a page, instantly becoming a horde that stones, hunts, and besieges you! Experienced colleagues surely know what I mean. This is the nature of the crowd! It’s very possible that the same group who cheered and sang “Hosanna! Hosanna!” for you just days ago will roar today, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

And precisely at this time of being besieged on all sides and having nowhere to turn, if the family and core coworkers who can truly support and uphold us have long been driven away by our persistent neglect and arrogance, that would be truly tragic and utterly humiliating!

How can one guard oneself wisely? The second way is to "preach the gospel" to oneself.

At the beginning of 2014, I read Dangerous Calling: The Unique and Difficult Challenges of Pastoral Ministry by Paul David Tripp, and shortly after, I attended his full-day seminar personally led by him in Los Angeles. Reading and listening made the experience even more profound.

Known as the "pastors' pastor," Paul David Tripp offers many important, sharp, sincere, and valuable reminders to pastors who belong to the "high-risk group targeted by Satan."

I especially remember that in the final chapter, the author pointed out, "Pastors need to preach the gospel to themselves," and he earnestly urged:

“Pastors, no one needs to hear the gospel more than you yourselves;

There is no place more important than your own heart that needs biblical interpretation and the clarification of grace;

There is no more important place than in your own life to teach “what it means to apply grace in specific situations, contexts, and relationships”;

There is no more important place than in your own heart to fear the consequences of inconsistency between words and actions;

Ministry is a gospel battle within your own heart, and grace empowers you to be a good warrior.

You and I cannot—and must not—allow ourselves to feel comfortable with things that God says are wrong; we must not learn to make what is not permissible work;

We must not strive to convince ourselves that "our idols are not really idols"; we must not allow ourselves to live a ministry life that is inconsistent and lacking in integrity.

You and I must understand that we are called to fight for the gospel of Jesus Christ—and that battle begins within our own hearts.

What impressed me deeply was that Paul Tripp went even further to urge that preachers who recognize a gap between their teaching and their living should, in full reverence for the Lord, earnestly practice the following five disciplines to bridge that divide.

Require yourself to be taught by your own teachings and sermons.

Publicly acknowledge your own struggles.

Place yourself under wise and biblically sound counsel.

Be approachable to your friends and family.

Build a leadership team that is humble and transparent.

These are things we’ve more or less heard and known before—but because they are so important, they are absolutely worth being reminded of again and again.

How can we exercise self-discipline and stay on the right path? Third: Deliberately make things "inconvenient" for yourself.

In recent years, by God’s provision, I’ve often had opportunities to travel and minister in various places. I deeply feel how weak I still am, while the opportunities for temptation have significantly increased. Moreover, because I serve in a professional family ministry organization, I frequently come into contact with firsthand accounts of heartbreaking downfalls of many of God’s servants.

Time and again, my feelings can only be described as…"The next one could very well be me."及“Like standing on the edge of an abyss, like walking on thin ice."These two phrases best describe it. The four vows made in 2007 are long insufficient to cope with the new circumstances.

Finally, I earnestly asked my "gracious companions in God" for help. Together, we carefully summarized the situations I often encounter and learned from the pitfalls of fellow workers who have stumbled. With the premise of fearing God, valuing the calling, and committing to the marriage covenant, we formulated the following supplementary guidelines—–

1.When going to serve alone in another location, do not stay at the home of a single or single-parent sister. If staying at a couple’s home, ensure that both spouses are present.

2.Do not ride alone with a sister or give a sister a ride alone.
3.Do not eat or go out alone with a sister.
4.When meeting in private, do not hug a sister; even during gatherings, if the leader asks for mutual hugs, try to limit physical contact with sisters to handshakes whenever possible.
5.When communicating individually with a sister by phone, email, or text, avoid delving deeply into her personal feelings or family and marriage issues, and also refrain from sharing your own personal or marital matters in depth. However, appropriate sharing and care are acceptable in social media groups where your wife is present (not private messages) or during prayer meetings. (Funny? Behind each of these guidelines are tragic stories marked by tears and blood! And it’s not over yet — this is only half!)
6.If there is a sister in the team who needs individual care or attention, let your wife take the lead in providing that support.
7.When talking on the phone with a sister, limit the conversation to 15 minutes at a time; if unavoidable, do not exceed 30 minutes, and avoid calls after 10:00 PM.
8.If you need to give gifts to a sister, the gifts should be given jointly by the husband and wife.
9.When only I and another sister are in the office building, we should avoid eating together or sitting side by side watching the same computer screen. Also, avoid having her sit while I stand behind her looking over her shoulder at the computer or documents.
10.If a sister comes alone into my office, I will make sure to keep the door fully open at all times.

Some fellow workers, upon seeing these guidelines, immediately shake their heads and say, "What era is this? This is simply throwing the baby out with the bathwater and limiting ourselves!" "Is it really doable? In practice, it’s too inconvenient!"

My response is: Of course it’s not easy! Even today, I sometimes still need reminders from my wife. But as long as we rely on the Lord and make a firm decision, gradually turning the external practices and persistence into a natural expression of mindset and temperament, I believe that given time, we will surely find ourselves more than victorious. Moreover,“When husband and wife are of one heart, their strength can cut through metal; with transparency and caution, no poison can penetrate!”(I dare not say "completely immune to all poisons," so here I only say "hardly penetrated by poisons!")

My other response is: "This is just the boundary my wife and I set after praying together for me, a preacher who knows his own weakness; others don't necessarily have to do the same!"

Also, “This little bit of ‘inconvenience’ now is nothing compared to the kind of ‘inconvenience’ if something were to happen someday!”

Of course, for single or single-parent classmates and coworkers, the challenges and approaches may differ, but the fundamental principle of “pursuing holiness and exercising self-discipline” remains the same. Most importantly, it’s vital to find trustworthy, close same-gender mentors and friends to watch over and hold each other accountable, putting on the “spiritual armor that can withstand every evil.”

How can one guard oneself wisely? Fourth, because the burden is heavy and the road is long, we must recognize the enemy’s tactics and cultivate inner strength characterized by both resilience and endurance.

1 Peter 5:8 teaches us to be sober-minded and watchful because our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.：“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”Here we are called to be vigilant: to take life, living, and ministry seriously, and to clearly see the true nature of the "roaring lion."

In one of his lectures, Paul Tripp shared his personal experience that gave him a vivid understanding of the "roaring lion" described in 1 Peter 5:8. As best as I can recall, the story goes like this:

Once, he traveled to South Africa, where his host warmly invited him to watch lions hunt at night. Riding in an open-top 4-wheel-drive jeep, they sped after the lions’ tracks for quite some time. Only then did he realize how fast and far lions can run during a hunt—they will not rest until their goal is achieved!

That night, five lions were chasing a large herd of deer. They pursued relentlessly until a few weaker deer fell behind the group, and then the lions launched a brutal attack. Paul Coupe’s vehicle had its headlights and auxiliary lights fully on, illuminating the plain as if it were broad daylight. He said that if you think watching lions hunt on TV means you’ve truly “seen” it, you are far from the truth! The screams, the sound of bones breaking, flesh being torn, and blood spraying were horrifying beyond words. The killing happened just eight feet from the vehicle. Later, a giant lion about nine feet long noticed a younger lion eating a bigger deer and turned to steal the meal. As it passed, it was only four feet from Paul, briefly looking directly at him. The bloody jaws, fierce glowing eyes like a monster’s, and a mane dripping with blood and chunks of skin and flesh hanging off—this terrified him utterly! Shaking, Paul asked the guide beside him, who held an automatic rifle, “Are we OK?” The guide said, “Yes, yes, we are OK,” and told Paul not to be nervous. He explained that if Paul stayed still like a tree, the lions would ignore him. Paul said, “The problem is, I feel like a piece of meat, not a tree!”

The most exciting part came later. The next morning, while he was dining at an open-air restaurant overlooking the plain, a deep, thunderous rumbling sound suddenly rose from the distance, growing louder and louder... and going on for a long time. He asked the waiter, “Is it thundering? Is a heavy rain coming?” The waiter laughed heartily and said, “You first-timers always ask the same question! That’s not thunder — it’s the lions lying on the grass after a night of feasting, letting out their satisfied roars!”

Everyone, when you hear the roar of the lions, please remember that there is already a new victim. Remember, when lions are hunting, they remain silent; otherwise, their prey will be alert and try to escape. But when they launch their attack, it is sudden and fierce! None of us want to become their next meal, right? Fellow classmates and coworkers! Our ministry journey is long and demanding. To honor the past, stay steadfast today, and preserve our integrity tomorrow, we must develop the endurance and resilience of a long-distance runner. Above all, never fall behind or become isolated!

How can we guard ourselves well? Fifth, we must understand that "sin will surely be punished," and firmly believe that "repentance will surely receive grace."

If asked: What if one truly becomes "isolated" or "falls behind" and is caught by the "ferocious lion"? What if, due to pride and self-righteousness and losing the fear of God, one falls into the enemy’s snare, resulting in complete defeat, bringing shame and disgrace upon the entire Christian community, the church, organization, spouse and children, and oneself?

Summing up my own forty-year journey of full-time ministry—marked by stumbles and struggles—and combining it with insights gained from observing the lives and ministries of many of the Lord’s servants, I want to say with a heart full of gratitude:"That's right—sin will surely be punished, yet repentance will surely receive mercy!"—-–

Let us not forget that just before the verse describing the “roaring lion” in 1 Peter 5, verse 7 earnestly exhorts us: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”"Cast all your anxiety on God, because He cares for you."

As long as we truly repent and wholeheartedly turn back to our caring Heavenly Father, His promise to the Apostle Paul also applies to us—those of us who, though wounded and battered, have survived the lion's claws:“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”（林後12:8）

The author of the small group material Freeway, Mike Forster, says:

"Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean you are a mistake."
Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean you are a mistake

"Just because you failed doesn't mean you're a failure."
Just because you failed doesn’t mean you are a failure.

Precisely because of this, even though King David had risen so high and fallen so terribly—paying an excruciatingly heavy price—he was still ultimately remembered as one who “served the purpose of God in his own generation” (Acts 13:36). Moreover, both the Psalms he wrote before and after his fall remain preserved in Scripture, continuing to nourish, comfort, feed, and heal the lives of millions. Neither he nor his words were discarded like trash, deemed unusable because of that one terrible and tragic failure. The Bible is full of such examples—

Samson, a mighty warrior of his generation, was entangled by lust and ended up blinded and enslaved; yet God still gave him a chance to turn defeat into victory. Jonah, called by God but rebellious and fleeing, was given an opportunity through repentance inside the belly of a fish to become a great missionary. Zacchaeus, a despised exploiter, became a great giver through Christ’s acceptance. Peter denied the Lord three times, but because of the Lord’s acceptance and forgiveness, he became a great apostle.

That’s right. When we rebel and sin, God will discipline us; He will never cover up or protect us just to save face. But God is both just and loving; humans are weak, yet His grace is sufficient. Indeed, there is no burden too heavy for the Lord’s shoulders to bear; no sin too great for the precious blood of Christ to cover! The important prerequisite is that we must be sincerely renewed inside and out, not just superficially pass through by being hypocritical or abusing His grace.

The promise in Psalm 37:23-24 is a great comfort and encouragement to those who turn back to God and are made righteous by Him: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the LORD upholds him with His hand.” I especially like this part:「Though he may stumble, he will not fall completely, for the LORD upholds him with His hand.」—– He may stumble, but will not be unable to rise, because his Heavenly Father, who cares for him, will extend His compassionate arms and personally lift him up!

Conclusion: The worker comes before the work; someone is praying for you.

Next, I would like to conclude today’s sharing with a slogan I have been emphasizing for many years, along with a beloved hymn of mine.

一句slogan是："The worker comes before the work, the author is more important than the work, and sincerity is above all."First, become a diligent and vigilant worker before you can accomplish work that pleases God; first, become an author who aligns with God’s will before producing shepherding, preaching, writings, courses, ministries, and other “works” that please Him; and sincerity, transparency, and actively seeking accountability are the fundamental strategies for a long-lasting ministry.

A song is originally composed by Lanny Wolfe.《Someone is praying for you.》May we all be one hundred percent certain that, in every day devoted to serving the Lord, there is someone praying for us. This “someone” could be a family member, a coworker, a classmate, a mentor, and of course, the Holy Spirit, our Comforter.

Finally, I invite everyone to close your eyes with me, and let me…Let us cast all that is known or unknown about ourselves—whether it be the unbearable burdens of yesterday, today’s weaknesses and struggles, or tomorrow’s fears and worries—onto the risen Lord who cares for us... Though we may stumble, we will not fall completely, for the Lord upholds us with His hand...

Let us together bow before the Lord and cry out: “Yes, Holy Spirit, may You pray for us with groanings too deep for words. To our risen Lord Jesus, we cast all our worries upon You, for You care for us. Heavenly Father, please help us to keep watch and stay vigilant, for our enemy Satan roams the earth like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Here we also urgently pray for ourselves and all brothers and sisters who are weak and struggling, earnestly asking for watchful care. We sincerely pray that by Your resurrection power and boundless mercy, whatever we have experienced—past, present, or future— we may always return to Your home and become witnesses of Your glory, to You, the King of kings and Lord of lords. We pray this in the holy name of Jesus Christ, Amen!”