如何站立 - 坚持

坚守信仰不仅仅是在困境中坚持不懈，更是在神看似最隐秘的时刻，学会看见祂的手。信仰的核心在于关系——它并非相信一个抽象的概念，而是信靠那位活生生、曾言过、曾行过、曾应许的位格。然而，这种信靠在等待、沉默和挣扎中受到最严峻的考验。圣经告诉我们，信仰是“所盼望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据”，但经文也表明，这种实底是经过雕琢的，而非现成的。亚伯拉罕等待了几十年才得着儿子。约瑟在监狱里度过了数年，直到神的应许实现。诗篇的作者们一次又一次地呼喊：“主啊，还要等到几时呢？” 因此，坚守信仰并非没有疑问，而是拒绝放弃信靠那位掌握答案之人。

真正的信仰能让人深深地谦卑下来。这不是内在力量或积极性的展现，也不是天真地乐观地认为一切都会好起来。相反，坚忍的信心承认软弱、恐惧和不确定性——但仍然转向神。正如提摩太·凯勒常说的：“信心不在于你信仰的力量，而在于你信仰的对象。” 对强大救主的脆弱信心，远胜于对脆弱偶像的坚定信心。坚忍的本质在于一次又一次地回到基督身边，即使我们的心感到冰冷，我们的祷告似乎被拒绝而没有被回应。主尊重那些像马可福音中被鬼附的男孩的父亲一样，真诚地呼喊“我信；求祢帮助我，因为我信不足！”的人。这样的祷告是坚忍的气息。

许多信徒面临的挑战是，我们常常期望信心是轻松的。我们以为，如果我们与神同行，我们的道路就会平坦，我们的祷告就会很快得到回应，我们的目标也会清晰。然而，教会的历史和圣经的见证却表明并非如此。上帝常常允许我们的信心受到考验，以便它能够被加强。信心就像肌肉一样，在阻力下成长。雅各写道：“我的弟兄们，你们落在百般试炼中，都要以为大喜乐；因为知道你们的信心经过试验，就生忍耐。但忍耐也当成功，使你们成全完备，毫无缺欠。”（雅各书1:2-4）当我们不明白上帝在做什么时，上帝邀请我们信靠祂。正是在这种信靠中——即使我们看不到结果——我们的根基更深，我们的依赖也增长，我们对祂恩典的理解也更加成熟。

以我自己的经历，或许也在你的经历中，忍耐常常始于铭记。铭记上帝是谁。铭记祂所做的事。铭记祂过去是如何信实的。诗篇作者详述神的作为，并非为了告诉神祂早已知道的事，而是为了提醒自己的灵魂，耶和华从未辜负祂的子民。当我们详述神的美善时，我们训练自己的心，超越眼前，看到永恒。我们提醒自己，拖延并非拒绝，神的时机——虽然很少是我们的——总是完美的。坚忍的信心因记念而滋养，因祷告而浇灌，因群体而坚固。

说到坚忍，信徒的团契中也蕴藏着一种默默的力量。信仰从来都不是孤立存在的。当一个成员受苦时，其他成员会扶持他；当一个成员疲乏时，另一个会加添力量。早期教会在迫害下蓬勃发展，并非因为他们是非凡的个体，而是因为他们是一个充满圣灵、扎根于基督、彼此委身的群体。当我们允许他人看到我们的挣扎并与我们同行时，信心的坚忍就得以维持。仇敌的策略一直是孤立我们，让我们在软弱中感到孤独。相反，上帝的旨意是用爱将我们紧紧相连，使祂的力量在我们共同的软弱中得以完全。

同样值得记住的是，坚忍不是一种残酷的忍耐，而是一种满怀希望的等待。新约中经常被翻译为“耐心”的词语，既带有在试炼中坚定不移的忍耐之意，也蕴含着希望的芬芳。我们坚忍，并非因为我们是斯多葛派，而是因为我们相信每个十字架的尽头都有复活。基督忍受了十字架的苦难，“是为了摆在祂面前的喜乐”——救赎祂的子民和恢复创造的喜乐。我们的坚忍也扎根于喜乐。它期待着有一天，信心会变成可见的，每一滴眼泪都会被擦去，我们会面对面地见到我们所信靠的那一位。那未来的盼望赋予我们当下的力量。正如以赛亚所言：“那等候耶和华的，必从新得力。他们必如鹰展翅上腾；他们奔跑却不困倦，行走却不疲乏。”（以赛亚书 40:31）

对我们许多人来说，坚忍的考验并非来自危机时刻，而是来自平凡日子里漫长的顺服。当生活感觉重复，祷告似乎得不到回应，灵性成长似乎缓慢时，我们很容易灰心丧气。然而，正是在这些日子里——在日常的忠信中，在那些看不见的信靠和顺服中——圣灵默默地做着祂改变人的工作。上帝正在我们里面塑造持久的信心、坚忍的品格和永不动摇的盼望。坚忍的呼召并非要求我们付出更多，而是邀请我们停留——住在基督里，从祂的同在中汲取生命，并信靠那在我们里面动了善工的，必将这善工成就到底。

因此，在信心中坚忍最终是一种爱的行为。这是一种坚定的选择，即使在我们不理解上帝时也继续爱他，在我们看不见时仍然信靠他，在路途漫长时仍然继续前行。这是一种紧紧抓住十字架，并超越十字架，仰望冠冕的信心。当我们坚持不懈时，我们一次又一次地发现，呼唤我们的人是忠实的，他会做到的。

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Planning your Visit

Welcome to Runnymede Christian Fellowship, an Egham Church

Runnymede Christian Fellowship is a church based in Egham but serving a much larger geographical area. Those who call us home come from Egham, Virginia Water, Staines, Englefield Green, Egham Hythe, Pooley Green, Maidenhead, Heathrow, Slough, Ashford, Thorpe, Windsor, Woking and beyond.

Our church is a community of believers who gather regularly to share life and demonstrate God's love. We do this by encouraging and serving each other and the community. We believe in the power of prayer and are always happy to pray for you.

Church - What to expect

Our Sunday service is available to stream online at 11:00 a.m. You can join us on Livestream or via Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or X (Twitter).

The Sunday Service is now held at Strodes College, Strodes College Lane in Egham open to all, so if you would like to join us, please feel free to do so. If you have any questions, please call us on 01784 637010.

We run a physical Sunday School most weeks. If you would like your children to receive a weekly Sunday School teaching pack that you can do from home, please email us at admin@e-runnymede.co.uk so that we can send you the materials.

Church on Sunday at Strodes College, Egham

Our Sunday service starts at 11:00 a.m. and typically lasts about 90 minutes.

We begin each service with lively worship, featuring songs from around the world, followed by inspiring, Bible-based teaching. All our sermons are recorded and are available as a podcast after the service.

We have a monthly cycle of Sunday services, with our Communion Service being on the first Sunday of each month and an All-Age All-Nation Service on the second Sunday of each month. Our other Sunday services include Spirit-focused and teaching services.

We have consciously adopted being a blended church, that is, both online and face-to-face. You are welcome to join us on Livestream or via Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, or X (Twitter), or you can catch up and watch the recordings later.

Joining us in person

Visiting a new and unfamiliar church for the first time can be intimidating, but we want to ensure you feel welcome and enjoy your time with us. A friendly face will be waiting to meet you at the entrance and welcome you.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for coffee and prayer. Our Sunday Service starts at 11:00 a.m. and typically runs for about 90 minutes, normally followed by tea and coffee.

Driving and Car Parking

Our Sunday Morning Service is now held at Strodes College, Strodes College Lane, Egham, TW20 9DR, which has ample parking. Click on the link for directions to RCF.

We have plenty of parking spaces right outside the building. Spaces are reserved near the entrance for anyone with mobility issues (those with a blue badge). Please let us know if you need to use one of these spaces, have any special needs, or require any assistance.

The car parking area is a public area, so please ensure that your children are under your control and that, for their safety, they do not run around in the car park.

Visiting with children?

Everyone is welcome at RCF. We encourage everyone, regardless of age, to join the service. We offer Sunday School, which begins after worship and runs concurrently with the sermon for 30 to 40 minutes, serving children aged 4 to 12. On the second Sunday of each month, we have a shorter All-Aged All Nations Service, where the children stay for the worship and the sermon.

After Church

We chat over coffee and biscuits after church on the first, third, fourth and fifth Sundays. If you want to get more acquainted, why not join us for a Sunday lunch with some of our members? The first meal is on us (Voucher provided). Please contact us and let us know. We would love to share a meal and get to know you better!

Fellowship Feast

Want to connect?

If you're interested in connecting with us, whether to join our online community or attend our Sunday gatherings, please use our connect card.

Any Questions?

If you have any questions, please review our FAQ page. Here, you’ll find answers to many common questions. If you still have questions or concerns, please contact us; we’d love to hear from you.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO RCF!!

To contact us or see a map, click here.

Our midweek Ministry base at Virginia Lodge, Egham
Virginia Lodge Ariel