​Urbanization, the phenomenon of the metropolis, is one of the most important fields that today's missionary workers cannot ignore. Because the world is urbanizing at an unprecedented rate. In 1900, only one in 20 people lived in the city. Today, one in two lives in the city. By 2020, three-quarters of the world's population will live in cities.

City evangelism is a great threshing floor, mainly because:

1. There are many people from new villages who move to cities, especially the younger generation.

2. There are many foreign workers looking for life from overseas.

3. It is one of the factors of planning a new church.

城市化、大都会化现象，是如今日宣教工作者所不能忽视的一个最重要视野；因为世界正在以一个前所未有的速度，全面都市化起来。按估计1900年时，每20个人中只有一个住在城市。今天，两个人中就有一个住在城市；到了2020年，全世界四分之三的人口都将住在城市里。

城市宣教是一个庞大的禾场，主要原因是：

1.有许多外地新村的人往城市移居发展，尤其是年轻一代。

2.有许多从海外到城市寻找生机的外劳。

3.它是教会推动植堂计划的因素之一。

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In 2011, the LEAD Centre of The Lutheran Church Malaysia, received government approval of 34,000 square feet land to build up a church in Mont Kiara. Our proposed church building is modern and innovative architecture design to integrate into the upscale residential community. The church's construction budget estimates nine million Ringgit Malaysia. This area is English speaking residential area, so we will start a English ministry in this area.

2011年，马来西亚基督教信义会之信义励德楼 （LEAD Centre）获得政府批准在 Mont Kiara 一片34,000为平方尺的地段上建造一所教堂。我们所拟出的教堂建筑模式，属于现代化新颖设计，以融入高档住宅社区。这教堂的建造工程预算需要马币9百万。这地区是以英语为主要媒介，所以我们将在这个地方开始一个以英语为主的事工。

​For the past few decades, the Northern Malaysia has been experiencing the glorious time of the tin mining industry and rubber industry. The unproductive economy in Chinese villages caused many youngsters decided to move out, being transferred to other places, and the population remains only senior citizens. Some family had only two grandparents living in, but if one of them passed away, his/her spouse will be home alone. I have been noticed that in Ipoh area, there are many old folks staying alone in the Chinese villages.

The above mentioned situation reflects that in the churches located in a Chinese village area, the believers / worshippers are majority over the age of 50 or 60. There are only a few youngsters in the church. This may hinder the church’s development in the long run. Many church ministry works had been cancelled due to no person in charge. Our late ex-Bishop, Rev. Gideon Chong used to start up ministry work at grass root level. Rev. Gideon Chong said that Chinese village culture was a miniature of Chinese Malaysian culture. He analysed that Chinese villages reserved Chinese culture, such as kopitiam, original flavoured cuisine, and the function of Chinese village housing structure in helping us look through the uniqueness of culture about the way of communication among Chinese society.

The Future Vision of Chinese Village Church Ministry:

1. Continually reserve the culture and record the history of Chinese villages.

2. Provide training to pastors and retirees for Chinese village churches ministry.

3. Combining Chinese village churches, launching musical classes, reading activities, old folk caring ministry, medical care information, donation, etc.

新村宣教

这几十年来，马来西亚北马一带经历了锡矿业盛衰及橡胶业的洗礼，又因着新村的经济活动不多，所以北马区面对年轻人外流，搬迁，人口老化的现像;而大多数的新村居民的是65岁以上的老年人，惟恐日后将演变成孤寂的“老人村”。在一些新村大街有不少老店已空缺多时，也有一些还保留原貌的木板屋，屋里只住着中老年人，而大部分的年轻人已经外流，有些在外国打工（跳飞机），也有些到其他州的城市打工;只有在佳节时期，许多游子回乡过年，村子才变得热闹起来。在北马有不少的新村因为缺乏理想的就业机会与环境，孩子长大后纷纷都选择离乡就业，有些家庭只留下老年人在照顾孙儿，也有些家庭只剩下两个老人家，当其中一名老伴去世后，剩下一个老人无奈独居;据我所知，现在怡保区的新村有不少的独居老人。

以上的新村状况真实反映了一般新村教会的光景，因为新村教会的信徒普遍上也是超过五六十岁的老年人和儿童，只有少数的年轻人;这导致大多数的教会都是年老的弟兄姐妹在事奉，这对教会的发展造成不少的阻拦，因为有很多事工和活动都因为没有人负责及推动而被取消。已故前任会督张景州是从基层或草根开始他的牧职工作，所以他对新村有更为深切的体认与思考。他认为新村即便是普遍城市化的扩张，但是华人文化的本质仍然与新村有一种血缘上割舍不了的关系。有感于马来西亚华人社会的不断变化，现在的新村发展与命运和福音布道，它们究竟存着怎样的关系？根据已故张牧师的分析，他认为新村文化是马来西亚华人文化的缩影，他深入探讨新村社会如何保留了重要的华人文化资源，尤其是新村的咖啡店，古早美食，新村屋子的结构性能，我们就可以看到华人社会文化独有的交流模式和精神的潜能。

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新村事工的未来展望：

1. 继续推动新村华人社会文化和历史。

2. 招募基督教机构传道者、退休人士到新村教会事奉。

3. 合并新村教会，一起推动活动和事工，如：音乐兴趣班、陪读班、老人关怀事工、医疗资讯、施赠贫穷等。

Since the 18th century, the concentration of human settlements has been concentrated in cities. The era of urbanization and the metropolis has also started. With the need of industrialization and the mets, a large number of workers moved into the city, and the vast majority of workers are from the God’s gospel unreached group, the group is also belongs to the window of the 10/40. The 21st century is the era of unwalled missionary work. Therefore, to make a difference today, you don't need to send the missionaries far away; The church will be able to preach the gospel to the people of all nations in this town or within its own church. This is a phenomenon that the church of the last century did not expect! Today, Malaysia is a region with such a great opportunity! As a result, the churches in Malaysia must hold on to such a good opportunity.

Here are the four reasons why the church should have a foreign worker ministry:

1. The foreign labour is a resident, they are the objects that the bible orders us to care for.

2. Foreign labor is a "people" in the great mission. They are the people we preach.

3. They are mostly evangelistic and are the most important target of the church today.

4. They can serve as a bridge and a mission to our people.

Malaysia has about 2.9 million foreign workers working in various places in the country. They foreign workers are mainly from Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. We used to pray, hoping that The Lutheran Church Malaysia would start the foreign workers ministry. We thank God, we finally started the first Burmanese ministry in Pudu area, Kuala Lumpur, led by Pastor Richard Ai Maung, and Nepali ministry - the second foreign workers ministry in Petaling, Cheras, Semenyih and Balakong, led by Selangor District.

外劳事工

从18世纪工业化时代开始，人类的聚居地便集中到城市。城市化、大都会化的时代也自然降临。随着工业化与大都会化的需要，大量劳工涌入城市，而绝大多数的劳工都是来自福音未得之地的福音未及群体，也就是在10/40之窗内的人民群体。21世纪是一个无墙界宣教工场的时代。所以，今日做差传，不一定需要把宣教士差派到远方；教会只需在本城里或是在自己的教堂内，就可以向各民各族传福音了！这是上个世纪的教会与差会所未曾料到的一种现象！今日的马来西亚，就是一个具有如此绝好机会的地区！因此，我认为马来西亚的教会必须紧紧把握如此良机，不容错失。

以下，我提出教会为何要开设外劳事工的四大理由：

一、外劳是寄居者，他们是圣经吩咐我们必须特别关怀的对象。

二、外劳是大使命中的 “万民”，他们本是我们宣教的对象。

三、他们大都是福音未及群体，是今日教会最须关注的宣教对象。

四、他们可以成为我们走入福音未及之民的桥梁与宣教伙伴。

马来西亚近来大约有2百90万的外劳在本地工作。他们主要是来自缅甸、尼泊尔、孟加拉、印尼、菲律宾等。我们曾经不断祷告，期望信义会能开拓外劳事工。

感谢神，我们终于在吉隆坡半山芭一带地区，开拓了第一个缅甸事工，由来自缅甸的 Richard Ai Maung 传道带领，并第二间在于八打灵市区尼泊尔事工，由雪州教区带领。