Saturday, July 16, 2011

林慈信牧师有关圣经辅导的装备

主内林慈信牧师平安:

目前在英国,美国及澳洲有哪些福音派神学院有圣经辅导的课程可举荐? 本人教会有一位弟兄在英国快要完成他的心理学硕士学位,觉得世俗的心理学很虚假,他希望接触及进深到圣经辅导,以后能更真实的造就人.

印象中好像你有电邮过给我有关圣经辅导的文章或讲义,如今不知给我存在那个地方了.能再给我一份吗?如果有中英的更好.

主内XXX 牧师敬上

马来西亚

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主内XXX 牧师平安:

是的,你所指出的是事实。
今天大多数福音派神学院(包括新马)
的辅导课程,都深受世俗心理学影响。
很多所谓基督教辅导(甚至有些
目前改名自称圣经辅导),事实上
是改头换面,换汤不换药的世俗心理学。

你说的对,很虚假。今天普世教会面对
很大的危机,不幸大部分教会在沉睡中。

圣经辅导与其他辅导不同的,是笃信
圣经的完备性 (sufficiency of Scripture)。
有不同宗派背景的,可是圣经的完备
性是·共同点。

美国方面,真正教导圣经辅导的学校
至少包括下列:

亚当斯博士自己的网站是:www.nouthetic.org

你的同工门最好先读一些亚当斯的书籍,例如:
Competent to Counsel 圣灵的劝诫(中华
展望出版; www.chinahorizon.org; 台北:改革
宗,很快的将来会再版)

A Christian Counselor's Manual 胜任辅导(华神)

Christian Living in the Home 信徒之家
(www.chinahorizon.org和其他网站免费下载

Marriage, Divorce, and Re-marriage in the Bible
(婚姻辅导学: 大光)

目前有魏敏斯特神学院的辅导课程:
www.wts.edu 可以作为MDiv or
MA 的主修。目前教导的,是第二,
第三代的圣经辅导,意思是:
Jay Adams 的学生 (David Powlison,
Ed Welch, Paul Tripp) 和他们的学生门。
比较强调人的内心动机,他们一般
会指出人心中的偶像 (idols)。

还有很多学校,譬如:The Master's College
www. masters.edu 他们的 M.A. 比较注重
圣经,背经,门徒训练。神学观点:时代论,
虽然院长Jon MacArthur 是加尔文派,可是
学校并不强调。

洛杉矶主要的神学院: Fuller,Azusa Pacific,
Biola 所教导的,全不是圣经辅导。

澳洲,英国我不熟悉,但是美国全国
的圣经辅导协会是: www.nanc.org
他们可能有些referral。

魏敏斯特神学院的圣经辅导是由
www.ccef.org 提供的,可参考他们
的网站。CCEF 目前有自己的出版社,
每年有比较大型的会议,一般都会有
基本课程,加上每年不同的主题式研讨
(新的课题)。值得越洋来参加。

台湾的改革宗神学院: www.crts.edu
是唯一我所知道的,中文的圣经
辅导学校(除了中国大陆,李台莺博士去讲课
的地方以外)。

我和张逸萍姐妹、李台莺博士有不少
文章,课程(包括录音)在:

还需要其他学校、书籍的介绍吗?

很多年没有来美里了。我目前在新马教导
的神学证书课程已经进入中段,一共拟
开八科,之后給完成功课的学生·发
证书。

圣经辅导是我一直来推动的,今年底我在
槟城开的证书课程就是圣经辅导;有东马的
弟兄姐妹透过 skpe上课。


林慈信

16July2011

Thursday, January 14, 2010

How To Grow With The Bible_Dr. Samuel Ling


To truly grow in the Christian life and be a strong soldier for Christ today, you need to sharpen your tools. You need to dig into the Bible, because that’s where the power is. First and foremost, you need a good Bible. Then you need some faithful and reliable guides and teachers. And you must develop a personal habit of discipline to STUDY the Bible (not just read it, but STUDY it).


#1: A GOOD BIBLE TRANSLATION


We begin this brief guide by encouraging you to get a GOOD Bible. Many Christians ask: Which translation (version) of the Bible should I use?

There are some English Bibles that are NOT translations, but only paraphrases: e.g.


Good News Bible

Good News Bible, Chinese version: 《給現代人的福音》(現代中文譯本)

New Living Translation (older name: The Living Bible)

The Message


You should not use these for Bible STUDY; but only for armchair (leisure) reading for your pleasure.

There are some English translations which are adequate, but not so reliable in terms of doctrinal stance:


New International Version (NIV) – International Bible Society (IBS)

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) – National Council of Churches of Christ USA (NCCC)

New English Bible (NEB) – Oxford and Cambridge University Presses


Two translations are most faithful to the original:


New American Standard Bible – published by the Lockman Foundation (La Habra, California). The translators try so hard to be faithful to the original, that you can almost “smell” the Greek grammar from the English! It has always been the favorite for many conservative Christians, e.g. Southern Baptist and Campus Crusade staff. Now you can now purchase a copy of this excellent translation, with parallel columns of the Chinese Bible – temporarily $30 at EFC Christian Bookstore, 9358Telstar Ave., El Monte, CA 91731. (626) 307-0030. Otherwise, $40 at Alleluia Chinese Christian Bookstore榮主,  www.ccbookstore.com: 603 N. New Ave., Monterey Park, CA 91745 (626) 571-6769.



English Standard Version – This is a much newer translation, and more elegant than the NASB. The ESV Study Bible was a recent bestseller! Thank God that there are many Christians with good taste and a hunger to study God’s Word faithfully and accurately.


Two other translations are always reliable, however you may find the English a little old for reading:


King James Version (1611)
The New King James Version


The two major Chinese translations of the Bible are both excellent; no need to choose:

The traditional Bible is called 和合本, published in 1919 – most Chinese Christians won’t read anything except this translation, mainly because of habit. The newer translation, 新譯本 (make sure you have the correct name!), has taken into consideration recent research, and eliminated some Chinese characters which are almost impossible to pronounce (for people like myself, who only had 9 years of Chinese education).


There is a vigorous debate (and competition) between the publishers of these two translations. I personally find both very helpful, so I carry around a Bible which has BOTH translations – 和合本,新譯本 in parallel columns! Available at your local Chinese Christian bookstore.


#2: A GOOD STUDY BIBLE



To study the Bible and truly benefit from its contents, most Christians today need a good STUDY BIBLE. The good news for Chinese readers is, we now have a truly solid study Bible:

《新譯本:研讀版》 環球聖經公會出版)。

http://www.thirdmill.org/store/shopexd.asp?id=92

(found in Third Millenlium Ministries eStore)


This fairly new study Bible is the 新譯本combined with the study notes translated from The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible. A few dozen new articles are written by Chinese authors. Also, the best of the Protestant confessions of faith are included, in Chinese (which I personally have proofread and revised – I also proofread all the Chinese articles plus the footnotes for 7 of the 66 books of the Bible).


The Spirit of the Reformation Bible (edited by Dr. Richard Pratt) follows the tradition of the Geneva Bible, giving you the meaning of the Bible in the context of the overall structure of doctrine taught in Scripture – this is rare among study Bibles.


I personally use a very similar Bible: The Reformation Study Bible – English Standard Version, edited by R.C.Sproul (www.prpbooks.com or www.ligonier.org).


These two Bibles are both revisions of The New Geneva Study Bible (New King James Version).


In other words, for English users you have 4 excellent choices:


Reformation Study Bible (my choice)

Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible

ESV Study Bible (most popular, most expensive)

New Geneva Study Bible (no longer printed)


#3: STUDY GUIDES


One of the most helpful ways to study the Bible, is to use a study guide, which “forces” you to look into the passage of Scripture you are reading. This method is called “inductive Bible study.”The major advantage of this method is, again, forcing ourselves to LOOK, LOOK, LOOK into the Bible, rather than rely on my own feelings, interpretations and inclinations. In my university days, I benefited greatly by using one such guide, which is still in print in English: this is a true spiritual workout, the best equipment you can find:

Search the Scriptures (IVP)

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=811201#curr


The Chinese translation is out of print, but a good friend of mine is now translating it, bit by bit, into Chinese. You can find it here:

《研經日課》 on blogspot called 守誠齋

http://peddrluo.blogspot.com/2007_12_30_archive.html


Search the Scriptures is one of the most challenging study guides. It is truly a spiritual “workout.” For each passage of Scripture, two questions are given. The two questions are often divided into sub-questions. If you truly dig into that passage of Scripture, and answer both questions in full, you will have a good essay, a short sermon ready! It takes you through the Bible in 3 years.


If you are not really for the Olympics of Bible study, perhaps you need a personal training coach which takes you first through some stretching exercises! Here is a similar study guide, which takes you through the Bible in 4 years:


This Morning with God (IVP)

http://www.amazon.com/This-morning-God-daily-devotional/dp/0877846758

The Chinese translation: 《清晨靜思主話》 (香港:種籽出版社)is almost completely out of print. I will try to find as many copies as I can, but I doubt if we will now have the complete set.

One other series of study guides is Navpress’ LIFECHANGE SERIES. I have personally used 2 such guides. Like Search the Scriptures, it asks you questions, and forces you to dig into Scripture. It has more blank space for you to fill in answers, so it accommodates us, modern and postmodern consumers, who want our note-paper readymade right in the book!


#4: VIDEO COURSES (CURRICULA) FOR SMALL GROUPS OR SUNDAY SCHOOL USE


We live in a day and age, when churches, Sunday Schools, fellowships and small groups tend to “spoil” the Christians by giving them what they want, rather than what they need. Fortunately, we don’t live 40 years ago, but we live in the 21st century – there are solid, ready-made Sunday School/small group video curricula, complete with discussion guides, which you can use right away.


Two sources of these excellent materials are:



Ligonier Ministries – www.ligonier.org

Third Millennium Ministries – www.thirdmill.org


Ligonier is the teaching ministry of Dr. R.C.Sproul, a Christian philosopher and theologian. The strengths of his videos are: he makes difficult doctrines clear and easy to understand. For example, his own personal favorite is the one on the holiness of God. Others find his explanation of predestination very very clear. He also has several study series based on books of the Bible.


Third Mill is the teaching ministry of Dr. Richard Pratt (both Pratt and Sproul are based in the Orlando, Florida area!). Pratt has a PhD in Old Testament from Harvard, and is a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary. He taught at Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando) for a number of years, and now feels called to take seminary material and make it available to the Third World. Third Mill video lectures, like Ligonier’s, are about 25 minutes each (suitable for Sunday School or small group use!). Here is where you can download Third Mill’s courses:

http://thirdmill.org/seminary/download.asp/site/iiim/category/download


One example of the ingenious teaching of Dr. Pratt is his book, Designed for Dignity (now available in Chinese from Third Mill’s bookstore). Pratt tackles the problem of “self-image” from the Bible, taking you through the Old Testament characters in historical order! So it is a Bible study, it is a thematic (doctrinal) study, and it is intensely relevant! http://www.thirdmill.org/store/shopexd.asp?id=83


The good news for us is: Third Mill courses are now available with Chinese voice-over plus Chinese text. So you watch Dr. Pratt’s face, but the voice you hear is in Mandarin (Putonghua)! The director of the Chinese ministries division is Rev. Biao CHEN, who also pastors the Orlando Chinese Christian Evangelical Church. One of Dr. Chen’s elders has begun a Chinese (Reformed) evangelical seminary on-line.


My own courses can be used for serious study, available in Mandarin (some in Cantonese). A good number of these courses are available on-line at www.ccntv.org (go to 教育視窗). In order to benefit from my courses, go to Madison Chinese Christian Church (www.madisonccc.org) and browse in their e-library. You will find all my lecture notes and reading material there, and direct links to the CCNTV videos. For example, 神學導論 has 59 lectures – by far my most comprehensive course, though only an introduction. Think of it as a giant plate of appetizers! It will really get you started and interested.


Happy studying! May God make you effective for His use long-term – I believe that “long term effectiveness” should be our goal, don’t you?


Redondo Beach, California

January 12, 2010

Sunday, October 11, 2009

加尔文的属灵传统

来临讲座,欢迎参加
日期:2009年11月2 日

Is God a Delusion?

Upcoming Apologetics Seminar.

All are welcomed.