Recently, I went through group interviews with regional head pastors, preachers, cell group leaders, and co-workers in China's northeastern Liaoning Province to hear from their opinions on the development and growth of the Church and individual believers in the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the end of July 2020, the coronavirus made its appearance again in Dalian, Liaoning Province. As a result, many regions had to suspend onsite church services and gatherings again after having resumed public services.
The interviewees were old and young with the oldest in their late 90s. Their names are pseudonyms for security reasons.
Pastor Li: It’s a time to wait for God in patience.
Most churches have resumed their public services and some haven’t yet. To this end, we need to offer our prayers. Do not worry and doubt. Stay at home before resumption. This is the time to be patient as we wait for God. This is the time to test our faith only to find that God’s purpose is good. We must firmly believe that when the right time comes, public services will be resumed.
After the resumption of worship services, we shouldn’t take it for granted but should continue to do a good job of preventing and controlling the virus by maintaining social distance and more carefully scheduling services. The clergy should obey God's will all the more by improving their own qualities for a higher level and ability to preach in the pulpit. Lead and care for the congregations well so that they may sincerely return to God.
After resumption, services should be further categorised. A variety of events should be promoted such as Bible study, choir practice, and prayer meeting. Don't neglect online services. Now some churches provide both onsite and online services.
Township churches should resume after county and city churches resume. Now is the harvest season for grapes, peaches, and pears so the believers who are farmers are very busy. On the Internet, we have evening services on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Some sermons are from external links and some are our own. Waiting isn’t necessarily a negative matter. We can be proactive in organising believers for services and protecting them from heresy.
Some live online sermons are truly very good. Believers can still enjoy online sermons at home even after worship services resume, and it doesn’t interfere with their going to church. Now the Web is rather advanced so believers are able to get different resources, which is like bees collecting different types of pollen to get a variety of nutrients and good honey.
Although many believers have to remain at home, most are patiently expecting the Church to open so that they can go and worship God there again. Although they have to stay in, God's love hasn’t left each believer. Here are two examples of God’s love. Organizers of a house church visited elderly believers who do not have WeChat (so no access to online services), and they prayed and praised the Lord together while visiting them! Some brothers are hospitalized for surgery. Their pastors and leaders have led fellow believers to visit them to pray for them. There are also shifts of voluntary care for the patients. It is touching!
Group leader Chen: How to view the phenomenon that some believers do not like to go to church?
One pastor said that he hadn’t yet encountered such a case caused by the outbreak. We have been doing online services since the outbreak. We’ve been very faithful to God and we look forward to an early resumption of our church. My view is that there won’t be much difference after my church resumes, and the brothers and sisters around me will always trust the Lord.
And do not deny those who are reluctant to go to church for being so used to services online. There are many reasons for this phenomenon. For instance, some pastors’ preaching level isn’t as good as online ministers. And there are disputes in the church. Some people bring their outside contentions to the church so those who seek quietness do not love to go to such churches. We shall pray for those who stop going to church. The church should communicate with them to know why. Give them more care! Visit them if it’s convenient.
Also, there are a few small groups that are influenced by the Little Flock (family church) who are against going to the state recognised church.
It should be certain that, as true Christians, we need to come to the church and be in the church. After the outbreak, a small number of believers may not attend the church for the time being, possibly because of the laziness caused by the outbreak, the change of work, the change of life, or even deviating from the faith. In any case, this is a big mistake. The Bible says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Pastor Huang: Should the Church reflect on its role?
Definitely. Without reflection, the Church will not improve. The Church needs reflection and believers need reflection.
The Scriptures clearly state, "to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word" (Ephesians-5：26). Christ has cleansed the Church with His life through His Word. However, we are experiencing total environmental changes in the high-speed development of the Web. It is especially so when the original pattern and form of preaching and meditation have been broken due to the impact of the virus. We should reflect before God and see if there is anything wrong with the Church. Our preachers should reflect and repent. Why do some preachers appear to be incompetent compared with the newly emerging online ministers? Why do we sometimes become silent in the face of false cults’ zealous and endless boasting? Why do some preachers yell with passion when delivering sermons and yet the believers do not resonate with this?
Is the Church really "pure and flawless"? Is what is taught the truth? The current Church is not about having too few Christians but in fact, there are too many things outside of Christ. The desire for profit is impacting some of us, leading to the emergence of such believers who "have rushed for profit into Balaam's error." (Jude-1：11)
Then there is the dreary way of preaching. Some are simply forms of religion that have to be observed. The Church in God's will is completely out of Christ and no human factor is in it. A church’s actual spirituality is the fruit of the work of its leaders.
In the aftermath of the outbreak, worship should still be held in a sacred space. The Church should not be self-righteous. Secular influences such as vulgarization of services, entertainment-oriented praise, performance-based sermons, and formalization of clergy positions should be overcome because the Church is Christ's. The pastors should reflect on how they prepare and give their sermons, constantly urging themselves to learn more, and constantly renew their spiritual lives and preaching abilities.
As a pastor, I am presently at a loss as I do not know what to do so I can only obey the instructions from the top – to "follow everyone". I can only but do my duty. Yet, I will learn from other excellent minsters to improve myself by taking the pandemic as an opportunity to learn.
As a believer, I have reflected on myself. Now my initial enthusiasm at the beginning of my faith is gone. I listen to sermons while doing housework. I can’t communicate with the leaders and others. It’s as if I’m isolated from the world. I really feel sorry to the Lord!
On the Web, we should be on guard against those false priests, false teachers, and false prophets who take advantage of the poor discernment of some believers. I also have seen that some team leaders posted Islamic symbols and messages and praised them. The ‘herds’ were taken away and those who take care of the flock have an inescapable responsibility.
Church co-worker Hu: I have expectations about the Church.
I hope that brothers and sisters will understand more of this through the outbreak that our Lord is the one God who is in charge of everything, that we recognize our own limitations, that we recognize the smallness of the world. Knowing that all this is in God's hands, we should be better and more devout in following Christ.
From the Church's point of view, we must first have enough confidence, but it doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want because we must not use our faith to test God!
First: The Church should be one. The allocation of human resources ought to be appropriate. Get rid of human will in God’s ministry, especially those who serve others in the church should be well-organized because some team members don’t work at all and are hypocritical. Some are simply bullies. Church pastors should not use their relatives to be in charge of church affairs. Although some of them are believers who are in charge, they are rude and harsh. They should repent.
Second: The pastors should find ways to make their sermons reflect real life. That can be more easily understood. In delivering sermons, try not to show off that you are well educated in theology. We don’t understand many special terms or theories. Try not to add English or Hebrew phrases as most believers have no interest in them. We also don't like vulgar charismatic sermons.
Third: If the Church does not have love and warmth, people don’t feel comfortable being there. So it’s rather better to stay in to study on their own. The pastors should not just walk away by signaling "Amen" to end a service as if it were a duty. Respected pastors are those who choose to walk among the congregations to listen to their feedback after a service.
However, through the test of the pandemic, the Chinese Church has been trained and improved by God – very promising!
After the outbreak, I just want to be able to go back to the normal of the past when I quietly attended services with everybody else. I have spoken to the pastor about my resignation from the position on my church's team. It's not that I don't have faith in my church but that I'm too old. I’d like younger persons to take over. I am full of confidence in my church after the outbreak "for the glory of the LORD is great." (Psalms 138:5)
- Translated by Charlie Li
大家谈：疫情中教会发展和个人信仰的思考 最近，笔者通过网络和部分地区的教会主任牧师、传道人、教会团契负责人及同工同道，就教会的发展、个人信仰等进行交谈。 七月底新冠在辽宁大连复发，很多地区在复会之后又一次的暂停聚会。 他们中间既有九旬多的老传道人、也有年轻的教会牧师和同工；既有专职的神职人员，也有义工的团契和聚会点的负责人。出于安全原因，不为署名。 一、 忍耐等候神的时候 大部分教会都在陆续恢复聚会，也还有没恢复的。为此我们需要献上祷告，不要焦虑、不要怀疑，没有恢复聚会之前还要宅在家，忍耐等候神的时候，这是试验我们的时刻，神只有他的美意，我们要坚定不移的相信神，到了时候就会复堂聚会的。 教堂开堂后也不能掉以轻心，继续做好防控。比如要保持相互距离，人员做到分时段听道；牧师更要遵神旨意，提高自身的修养，提高讲道水平和能力，牧养好群羊，使众信徒真诚的归向神。 教会复堂以后应该主日分堂次的牧养，推进教会其它的聚会。比如查经、赞美、祷告等。实地聚会后，不要忘记线下聚会了，也要线上照样有喂养。现在一些复堂后的教会就是这样。 乡镇教堂要等县市的大教堂复会以后才能复堂。现在正是葡萄、桃、梨等水果收获的季节，信徒忙。我们因地制宜，就在晚上把信徒召集在网络里聚会，礼拜三、五和礼拜日都有网络讲道，有的是转发，有的是我们自己讲。等待不是消极等待，要积极主动把信徒聚集起来，不要让异端乘机而入。 网上的证道和直播有的属实很好，教会复会以后，在家里有时间也可以继续听网上的道，不影响去教会，现在网络发达时代，信徒得到不同方面的灵粮供应，如同蜜蜂采蜜，能得到多种养分的花粉和好蜜。 虽然许多信徒都宅在家中，但大部分人是忍耐的盼望教会快开门，到教会去敬拜神，宅在家中，但神的爱一点没离开每个信徒。举两个例子，一个聚会点组织人去探访探望没有网上微信的几位老年人，一起分祷告赞美！另外教会有的弟兄住院手术，教会牧师和聚会点负责人带人去探访祷告，还有人排班义务护理病号，很感人！ 二、 怎样看待有的信徒不爱去教堂聚会的现象 一位牧师分享说，听说有些信徒出现在疫情后就不爱去教堂的问题，在我身边还沒有。我们聚会点自疫情以来，每天都在网上听道、赞美，祷告，对神非常虔诚，也盼望教堂早日开堂。我的看法是：教堂恢复后一定不会受什么大的影响，在我身边的弟兄姊妹都会一如既往信靠主。 对于由于习惯在家上网，不爱去教会的弟兄姊妹，也不要一概否定，其中原因比较多。比如，有的教堂牧者讲道水平就是和网络一些牧者有差距。要为传道人献上祷告。还有的就是教会有纷争，有的人把世俗的争竞带到教会，那些寻求安静的信徒就不爱去教堂了。我们要为不爱去教堂聚会的肢体祷告，教会要通过网络、打电话，问什么原因。多关心他她们一下！如方便的话走访探望。 也有很少部分受小群派（Little Flock,家庭教会）影响，不让信徒去大礼拜堂礼拜。 应该确定的是，作为真正的基督徒，我们是需要来到教堂聚会，并委身于教会。那疫情过后的情况，可能会有一小部分信徒暂时不参加聚会，原因可能因为疫情后的懒惰，工作的转变，生活的变故，亦或是信仰的偏离，不管怎样，这是大错特错的。圣经说："要彼此相顾，激发爱心，勉励行善。你们不可停止聚会，好像停止惯了的人，倒要彼此劝勉。既知道那日子临近，就更当如此。" 三、教会是否应该反思 反思是必须的。不反思就不会进深和提高。教会需要反思，信徒也需要反思。 经文清楚地记载:“要用水藉着道把教会洗净,成为圣洁”(弗5∶26) 。 基督已经用祂的生命藉着祂的话语，洗净了众教会。但处于高速发展的网络信息时代, 经历翻天覆地的环境变化, 特别是受疫情影响，网络传道和灵修，打破了原有的格局和形式。我们要在神面前反思、看见教会有没有毛病我们的传道人也应该反思，甚至是认罪。为什么网络牧养一出现我们有的传道人的水平和能力就显得不行了？为什么我们有的时候在异端滔滔不绝的说教下，哑口无言了？为什么有的在那喊着证道、煽情，却不能引起信徒的共鸣？ 教会真的就是“洁白无瑕”吗？讲的真的是真道和真理吗？当前教会并不是在于基督徒太少, 而是在于基督之外的东西太多, 经济利益也冲击教会中人, 导致出现“为利往巴兰的错谬直奔“的人。 再有就是教会沉闷的传道方式，有的就是囿于宗教的形式不得不走过场。神旨意中的教会, 是完全出乎基督, 没有人性的生命在里面的, 我们实际的光景是牧长们带领的果效。 疫情过后的敬拜，大多数人还是以圣殿为敬拜场所的中心。教会不要自义，要克服“聚会庸俗化、赞美娱乐化、讲道业绩化、圣事形式化”等世俗的现象，教会是基督的。牧者要反思自己的讲道，要不断地鞭策自己多学习，不断更新自己的属灵生命和讲道能力。 作为牧师，到目前我还真的茫然，不知如何是好，只能是听命于两会的指示，“随大流”，只能尽当尽之责而已，我也会通过疫情来向那些优秀的牧者学习、提高自己。 作为一个信徒，我自己反思，现在的起初热心几乎没有了。宅在家里听道也是边做家务边听，不能和牧师沟通、和弟兄姊妹沟通，好像与世隔绝，真的亏欠主！ 我们要注意网络讲台上的假牧师、假教师、假先知，利用信徒辨别能力不高。我还看到我们有的的班组负责人竟然在转发伊斯兰教的图文，还称赞。羊被掳走，牧者有不可推卸的责任。 四．对教会的展望 我希望弟兄姊妹可以通过这次疫情，更加的认识我们的主是独一真神，他掌管一切；认识到我们自己的有限，认识到世界的渺小。知道这一切都在神的手中，所以我们应更好的更虔诚的效法基督。 站在教会的角度，我们首先要有足够的信心，但不是我们可以任意而行，因为我们万不可以拿信心去试验神！ 第一：教会要合一，用人要得当，除去人意，尤其是服务组人员应好好的整顿，有的人不干活，还挑毛病，有的人仗势欺人。教会牧师尽量不要用自己的亲属在教会负责。有的人虽然是信徒，是负责人，说话又臭又硬，应该悔改。 第二：作为教会的牧师，讲圣经应该结合生活的实际，更能容易理解、透彻，不要在讲道时候炫耀在神学院学的神学，大家听不懂，更不要夹杂英文、希伯来语什么的，信徒也没有兴趣。我们也不喜欢庸俗的灵恩讲道。 第三，教会如果没有爱，冷漠，去了心里反而不舒服，不如在家自己灵修。牧师不能讲道“阿们”结束后转身就走，好像就是完成任务了。有的牧师聚会后，还要走到信徒中间倾听，这样的牧师受欢迎。 但是通过疫情的考验，中国的教会得到了锻炼和提升，大有希望！ 疫情过后我只是想像从前那样，聚会时能够安静的和大家一起礼拜。对于在教会的班组里的职务，我已经和牧师说了，辞去了。不是我对教会没有信心了，而是年龄大了，让给年轻人来做。对于疫情之后的教会，我是信心满满的，“因耶和华大有荣耀。”（诗138:5）
Recently, I went through group interviews with regional head pastors, preachers, cell group leaders, and co-workers in China's northeastern Liaoning Province to hear from their opinions on the development and growth of the Church and individual believers in the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the end of July 2020, the coronavirus made its appearance again in Dalian, Liaoning Province. As a result, many regions had to suspend onsite church services and gatherings again after having resumed public services.
The interviewees were old and young with the oldest in their late 90s. Their names are pseudonyms for security reasons.
Pastor Li: It’s a time to wait for God in patience.
Most churches have resumed their public services and some haven’t yet. To this end, we need to offer our prayers. Do not worry and doubt. Stay at home before resumption. This is the time to be patient as we wait for God. This is the time to test our faith only to find that God’s purpose is good. We must firmly believe that when the right time comes, public services will be resumed.
After the resumption of worship services, we shouldn’t take it for granted but should continue to do a good job of preventing and controlling the virus by maintaining social distance and more carefully scheduling services. The clergy should obey God's will all the more by improving their own qualities for a higher level and ability to preach in the pulpit. Lead and care for the congregations well so that they may sincerely return to God.
After resumption, services should be further categorised. A variety of events should be promoted such as Bible study, choir practice, and prayer meeting. Don't neglect online services. Now some churches provide both onsite and online services.
Township churches should resume after county and city churches resume. Now is the harvest season for grapes, peaches, and pears so the believers who are farmers are very busy. On the Internet, we have evening services on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Some sermons are from external links and some are our own. Waiting isn’t necessarily a negative matter. We can be proactive in organising believers for services and protecting them from heresy.
Some live online sermons are truly very good. Believers can still enjoy online sermons at home even after worship services resume, and it doesn’t interfere with their going to church. Now the Web is rather advanced so believers are able to get different resources, which is like bees collecting different types of pollen to get a variety of nutrients and good honey.
Although many believers have to remain at home, most are patiently expecting the Church to open so that they can go and worship God there again. Although they have to stay in, God's love hasn’t left each believer. Here are two examples of God’s love. Organizers of a house church visited elderly believers who do not have WeChat (so no access to online services), and they prayed and praised the Lord together while visiting them! Some brothers are hospitalized for surgery. Their pastors and leaders have led fellow believers to visit them to pray for them. There are also shifts of voluntary care for the patients. It is touching!
Group leader Chen: How to view the phenomenon that some believers do not like to go to church?
One pastor said that he hadn’t yet encountered such a case caused by the outbreak. We have been doing online services since the outbreak. We’ve been very faithful to God and we look forward to an early resumption of our church. My view is that there won’t be much difference after my church resumes, and the brothers and sisters around me will always trust the Lord.
And do not deny those who are reluctant to go to church for being so used to services online. There are many reasons for this phenomenon. For instance, some pastors’ preaching level isn’t as good as online ministers. And there are disputes in the church. Some people bring their outside contentions to the church so those who seek quietness do not love to go to such churches. We shall pray for those who stop going to church. The church should communicate with them to know why. Give them more care! Visit them if it’s convenient.
Also, there are a few small groups that are influenced by the Little Flock (family church) who are against going to the state recognised church.
It should be certain that, as true Christians, we need to come to the church and be in the church. After the outbreak, a small number of believers may not attend the church for the time being, possibly because of the laziness caused by the outbreak, the change of work, the change of life, or even deviating from the faith. In any case, this is a big mistake. The Bible says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Pastor Huang: Should the Church reflect on its role?
Definitely. Without reflection, the Church will not improve. The Church needs reflection and believers need reflection.
The Scriptures clearly state, "to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word" (Ephesians-5：26). Christ has cleansed the Church with His life through His Word. However, we are experiencing total environmental changes in the high-speed development of the Web. It is especially so when the original pattern and form of preaching and meditation have been broken due to the impact of the virus. We should reflect before God and see if there is anything wrong with the Church. Our preachers should reflect and repent. Why do some preachers appear to be incompetent compared with the newly emerging online ministers? Why do we sometimes become silent in the face of false cults’ zealous and endless boasting? Why do some preachers yell with passion when delivering sermons and yet the believers do not resonate with this?
Is the Church really "pure and flawless"? Is what is taught the truth? The current Church is not about having too few Christians but in fact, there are too many things outside of Christ. The desire for profit is impacting some of us, leading to the emergence of such believers who "have rushed for profit into Balaam's error." (Jude-1：11)
Then there is the dreary way of preaching. Some are simply forms of religion that have to be observed. The Church in God's will is completely out of Christ and no human factor is in it. A church’s actual spirituality is the fruit of the work of its leaders.
In the aftermath of the outbreak, worship should still be held in a sacred space. The Church should not be self-righteous. Secular influences such as vulgarization of services, entertainment-oriented praise, performance-based sermons, and formalization of clergy positions should be overcome because the Church is Christ's. The pastors should reflect on how they prepare and give their sermons, constantly urging themselves to learn more, and constantly renew their spiritual lives and preaching abilities.
As a pastor, I am presently at a loss as I do not know what to do so I can only obey the instructions from the top – to "follow everyone". I can only but do my duty. Yet, I will learn from other excellent minsters to improve myself by taking the pandemic as an opportunity to learn.
As a believer, I have reflected on myself. Now my initial enthusiasm at the beginning of my faith is gone. I listen to sermons while doing housework. I can’t communicate with the leaders and others. It’s as if I’m isolated from the world. I really feel sorry to the Lord!
On the Web, we should be on guard against those false priests, false teachers, and false prophets who take advantage of the poor discernment of some believers. I also have seen that some team leaders posted Islamic symbols and messages and praised them. The ‘herds’ were taken away and those who take care of the flock have an inescapable responsibility.
Church co-worker Hu: I have expectations about the Church.
I hope that brothers and sisters will understand more of this through the outbreak that our Lord is the one God who is in charge of everything, that we recognize our own limitations, that we recognize the smallness of the world. Knowing that all this is in God's hands, we should be better and more devout in following Christ.
From the Church's point of view, we must first have enough confidence, but it doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want because we must not use our faith to test God!
First: The Church should be one. The allocation of human resources ought to be appropriate. Get rid of human will in God’s ministry, especially those who serve others in the church should be well-organized because some team members don’t work at all and are hypocritical. Some are simply bullies. Church pastors should not use their relatives to be in charge of church affairs. Although some of them are believers who are in charge, they are rude and harsh. They should repent.
Second: The pastors should find ways to make their sermons reflect real life. That can be more easily understood. In delivering sermons, try not to show off that you are well educated in theology. We don’t understand many special terms or theories. Try not to add English or Hebrew phrases as most believers have no interest in them. We also don't like vulgar charismatic sermons.
Third: If the Church does not have love and warmth, people don’t feel comfortable being there. So it’s rather better to stay in to study on their own. The pastors should not just walk away by signaling "Amen" to end a service as if it were a duty. Respected pastors are those who choose to walk among the congregations to listen to their feedback after a service.
However, through the test of the pandemic, the Chinese Church has been trained and improved by God – very promising!
After the outbreak, I just want to be able to go back to the normal of the past when I quietly attended services with everybody else. I have spoken to the pastor about my resignation from the position on my church's team. It's not that I don't have faith in my church but that I'm too old. I’d like younger persons to take over. I am full of confidence in my church after the outbreak "for the glory of the LORD is great." (Psalms 138:5)
- Translated by Charlie Li
Interview: Reflections on Church Growth, Individuals during Pandemic
