Course Recording

Q&A Recording

Pastoral Foundation Training (Course 301) - Lesson 3 Homework Assignment

1. Listen to the recording above.
2. Take detailed notes.
3. Formulate your questions or areas of confusion based on the topic of this lesson.
4. Submit both your notes and questions to your pastoral zone leader.
5. Only then may you proceed to the next lesson.

(06:07)

1. How do we minister to individuals in accordance with their level of spiritual hunger? (Question from Xuanjun)

(11:45)

2. If a sister under our care does not yet grasp "Mingding," but frequently claims that whenever she faces a problem, she asks God and hears His voice directing her, is this normal? (Question from Xuanjun)

(14:22)

3. Teacher, some people are naturally timid, fearful of everything, including God. She wants to seek God, complete her assignments, and engage in spiritual warfare to break free from this bondage of fear. Yet, her speech often betrays a wait-and-see attitude. What practical methods can we use to give her the necessary push? (Question from Aiwei)

(17:31)

4. When we begin pastoring, we face numerous practical problems from those we care for. Should we offer specific guidance and advice, or should we stick to spiritual principles and guidelines, especially in areas where we lack expertise? (Question from David)

(21:28)

5. For a newcomer who is still in the observation phase, but remains highly active in her former church's ministry while holding confused theological views—at what point should we discipline and correct her? (Question from Yue'e)

(24:01)

1. Teacher, when pastoring, if we see someone in a very difficult situation and empathize deeply with their hardship, is this sentimentality merely a form of weak-minded pity? (Question from Xuelian)

(27:37)

2. A sheep, driven by fear and a desire to save face, constantly seeks approval. Consequently, she fails to perform well at work, makes mistakes, and suffers a severe blow to her confidence. How do we help her rebuild confidence and manage this pressure? (Question from Yue'e)

(30:08)

3. We know that aligning with our pastors and seeking their counsel helps us grow rapidly. Yet, we often make excuses to avoid doing so, only reaching out when we are at our breaking point. How do we break through this barrier and build the habit of consulting our pastors in all matters?

(33:14)

4. In pastoring, if a pastor’s own education and exposure are limited, and personal growth takes time, how does this pastor lead someone of higher education and intellect? This sheep is spiritually hungry, active in studying God's Word, and committed to ministry, showing no obvious issues. How should the pastor guide such a person's growth? (Question from Wu Lude)

(34:42)

1. Teacher, when serving a small group, there are times when the flaws of the members suddenly become glaringly obvious—they appear lazy, highly religious, or self-righteous. It feels like several massive mountains to overcome have suddenly appeared before me. Is this a reflection of my own underlying issues being exposed through ministry, such as my own tendency to judge good and evil? (Question from Zhuimeng)

(40:06)

2. Teacher, I have encountered an elderly sister who has no interest in learning and refuses to pay the price for growth, resulting in a complete lack of spiritual understanding. How do we teach such a person to bring about change? She considers herself a devout believer who loves the Lord, but even when her self-righteousness is pointed out, she remains unchanged. (Question from Jingjie)

(42:51)

3. Teacher, when pastoring a sister who struggles with hypocrisy, she accepts the correction and admits her fault when confronted directly. However, there is no lasting change, and she easily relapses into her old ways. What effective methods can we use to deliver her from this bad habit? (Question from Anqi)

(46:21)

4. A sister under my care created a growth plan to overcome her bad temper. I believe she must restructure her logical framework; her anger stems from caring too much about trivial matters, lacking the spiritual understanding to see that these things do not matter. How do we practically push her to grow? (Question from Ruoge)

(49:04)

5. Teacher, my understanding is that deep down, everyone wants to grow. But how do we motivate someone who has currently given up and chosen to "lie flat"? Is it by allowing them to find enjoyment and satisfaction in successfully completed tasks? (Question from Suni)

(51:24)

1. If those under our care only seek worldly benefits and solutions to earthly problems, must the pastor still make every effort to teach and help them? (Question from Xiangxiang)

(56:28)

2. Teacher, a sister I pastor is deeply worldly and fleshly. She used to be extremely lazy, staying at home doing nothing after retirement. I pushed her to find work, and she is now working as a nanny. Although she attends prayers and meetings on time and completes her Bible study homework, she remains worldly to the core. Every time she brings a problem to me, her deep love for the world is evident. I have disciplined her many times and used testimonies and stories to urge her to adjust her internal logical framework, but with little effect. Have I made a mistake in my approach? Please advise. (Question from Yongyuan)

(59:20)

1. When those under our care deviate from the teachings and insist on doing things their own way during their growth process, is this due to a lack of spiritual understanding, or a lack of alignment with the pastor's teaching?

(1:02:22)

2. In the course of pastoring, some acknowledge their issues and repeatedly promise to change, yet they fail to take action. What is the root cause of this?

(1:02:22)

3. Teacher, how can we help those we pastor gain a clear and thorough spiritual understanding of their hunger for God?

(1:04:37)

4. Therefore, is it correct to say there is no absolute "good" or "bad" method in pastoring; the sole metric of success is whether the person grows? (Question from Liangliang)

(1:05:32)

5. How should we understand the concept of being "burnt out" if we fail to grow? I have always believed that facing and solving problems is the way we train and grow. If a pastor feels the pressure but continues to press forward in faith, does avoiding being "burnt out" depend entirely on whether he can discern and understand God's will? (Question from Xixi)

(1:07:09)

6. How do we deal with the stubborn habit of someone who rejects instruction, insists on doing things their own way, repeats the same mistakes without reflection, and ultimately shifts the blame to others? (Question from Yongheng de Ai)

(1:09:57)

7. When an individual suffers from self-doubt, apart from building their confidence, reminding them to look at the long-term trend, taking it step-by-step, and pressing on, what other practical advice can you offer? (Question from Ben)

(1:13:45)

1. Teacher, a sister I pastor serves in a traditional church and takes care of her grandson at home. She occasionally approaches me for healing and deliverance, but rarely. She admits that although she joins our daily prayers and studies, she seldom experiences deliverance manifestations. Listening to your Q&A today, it occurred to me: can I ask her about the challenges she faces in her ministry, and use that as an entry point to address her underlying issues? (Question from Yongyuan)

(1:17:43)

2. Teacher, a young woman I minister to has suffered from sleep paralysis (demonic oppression) since childhood. After graduating from university, she worked in a Taoist temple, learned fortune-telling, made substantial money, but her health deteriorated. She began seeing demons constantly and could even manipulate them. She was terrified of sleeping during the day due to sleep paralysis. Through deliverance, we cast out the demons and she recovered. She secured a proper job, but after some time, she saw demons again. We urged her to purge all accursed objects, and she recovered once more. Recently, however, while browsing Douyin for work, she watched a horror clip and saw demons again. Previously, the demons merely stared at her coldly; this time, they physically attacked her. In ministering to her, I found her highly self-righteous, power-driven, prone to taking shortcuts, and deeply worldly. She claims she does not want to be this way and is repenting. Under these circumstances, how do we effectively deal with these demonic forces? (Question from Nisan)

(1:21:18)

3. Teacher, a sister I have pastored for about six months is in distress because her six-month-old granddaughter was diagnosed with Cri-du-chat syndrome and developmental delay. Her daughter was baptized but is merely a nominal Christian. Following this crisis, the sister fell into confusion, questioning how someone under God's protection could suffer such a fate. I told her plainly: the curses people carry today are due to past disobedience to God, and the child's issues stem from the mother's issues. I encouraged her to share the spiritual truths she learned at church with her daughter. She replied, "My daughter is in a bad mood right now; I dare not speak to her." Furthermore, she pointed out that other sisters' children are also merely baptized, and she flatly rejected my assertion that the child's problems are the mother's fault. My question is: knowing that her logical framework and level of faith could not accept this hard truth, was I too rigid in telling her so bluntly? How should I handle this situation? (Question from Vivian)

(1:22:56)

1. We know personal growth is vital. Yet, when we see our children being disobedient, we still react with anxiety, lecturing and scolding them. How do we maintain quietness and confidence, and strictly observe and practice God's Word?

(1:25:09)

2. Teacher, a sister came to us because her son ran up over a million yuan in online gambling debts. She used to work in a factory but recently resigned to start a food stall. When she faced difficulties with her business, I consistently taught her that nothing is too difficult for God, and she must trust Him to resolve all issues. Consequently, she trusted God daily in her business and experienced much of His grace. Regarding her son, I told her from the outset that she idolized him and coddled his flesh. She agreed. Yet, whenever an issue concerning her son arises, she panics—worrying about his hunger or his living conditions, completely failing to trust God. Every time I discipline her for this, she sincerely acknowledges her fault, only to fail again the next time. How should I handle this? Should I leave her to reap what she sows, and wait until she pays the price for her own actions before intervening? (Question from Yongyuan)

(1:29:36)

1. When we do not have a pastoral relationship with our family members, demonic harassment is rare. However, once we establish a pastoral relationship with them, demonic interference intensifies dramatically. What is the reason for this?

(1:30:17)

2. Teacher, when pastoring family members, how do we strike the right balance to transition them from ignorance to knowledge, especially when they dislike learning? How do we motivate them to strive wholeheartedly rather than just going through the motions? If I lead them in Bible study, in what areas must I improve myself? What key factors should I consider when planning to ensure maximum effectiveness? (Question from Bezaleel)

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