The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic at the end of 2019 was unexpected. Many work units and families were affected, including churches. During the pandemic, in-person meetings and Sunday services could not be held, so various churches, both big and small, began to adopt other strategies. Instead of on-site meetings, they began to remotely conduct praise, worship, Bible studies, and even Communion services.
"A lot of believers have been lost because of this," said Pastor Fan, the head of a church in central China. "A lot of people no longer attend meetings and church services. It's something that has never happened in my 30 years as a believer."
Pastor Fan mentioned that she had planned to have a retreat at Easter in 2021 because the pandemic situation had improved then, but because of various factors affecting the church, the Holy Communion that was initially scheduled was no longer held.
Fan said that her church holds group meetings, where three or four people study the Bible. The problem was that most of the believers were used to the old church gathering model and needed time to get used to small groups and online meetings.
She believed that churches had always held meetings on the spot, but times had changed, and it was normal to change the meeting pattern. Whether it a large gathering of 100 worshipers as in the past or a small group gathering, Christians would eventually adapt.
"I've been listening to a church sharing recently. They no longer have on-site meetings, they just interact and study the Bible online."
In this way, Fan found that the form of the gathering was not important. Even if only two or three people gathered, the Lord would be with his people.
She added that during these past years, the church had paid too much attention to the outside. No matter the kind of ministry, the staff were always impetuous and flabby and pay more attention to the outer appearance than the interior. Every circumstance had God's goodwill in it, now this kind of circumstance could make people calm down and think about some issues.
"During this period, we have all been reflecting, including our colleagues;" Pastor Fan said, "It is not because of the external circumstance or to complain about why the pandemic happened. Instead, we are more grateful. We discovered that there will be many problems in the church, pastoral problems. We have believed in the Lord for so many years and still have these problems. I find this kind of reflection to be very good."
She stated that this current kind of circumstance would last for a while, so church workers had to adapt to the transformation of the new church, from the whole to the individual, from the field to the network.
Referring to the transformation and prospects of the church, she said, "It is not yet clear what the road ahead will be. This is a very difficult time, I don't know what to do. But this is the transformation of the church, and it takes time. I believe, by God's Word, the brothers and sisters will not remain where they are forever."
- Translated by Nonye Nancy
2019年年底疫情的爆发是所有人都始料未及的，很多的单位、家庭都因此受到冲击，教会也不例外。
疫情期间不能实地聚会学习、做主日礼拜，因此大大小小的教会开始调整策略，将实地聚会改成网络聚会，在网上远程进行赞美、礼拜、学习，甚至是圣餐等等。
“但这样流失的信徒就很多，”中原某教会的负责人范牧师如此说：“很多人就不来聚会了，也不来教会了。这是我信主三十多年，前所未有的。”
范牧师提到2021年复活节时本来想做一次聚会，因为那时疫情已经有所好转，但也因为教会的总总原因没有聚成，本定下的圣餐也不了了之。
范牧师介绍，现在她所在的教会进行的是小组聚会，三四个人进行圣经学习。但问题是信徒们大多已经习惯了过去教会的聚会模式，无论是小组还是网络方式，他们都需要一个适应的过程，需要时间才能习惯。
范牧师认为，教会历来是以实地堂点来进行聚会，但时代改变了，聚会模式进行改变也属于正常现象。无论是过去轰轰烈烈的百人堂会聚集敬拜，还是现在这种小组几个人的交流，不管环境怎样变化，最终都会让基督徒从不适应到适应。
“我最近一直听一个教会的分享，他们也是实地聚会没有了，只是在网络进行交流学习。”通过这种方式范牧师发现，其实聚会的形式并不重要，哪怕只有两三个人聚会，主也会与祂的百姓同在。
范牧师表示，这几年教会过于注重外在，无论做怎样的事工，服事人员的心都比较浮躁比较飘，注重形式多过于内在。但每一个环境都有神美好的旨意在其中，现在这样的环境，能够让人的心静下来思考一些问题。
“这段时间，包括我们同工，一直在反思。”范牧师说：“不是说因为外在环境或疫情去埋怨为什么会这样，反而是更加感恩，发现教会中也会有很多问题，牧养上的问题，我们信主这么多年也有很多问题。我发现这种反思挺好的。”
范牧师认为当下这种环境还会维持一段时间，因此教会同工要面临着新的教会的转型，从整体到个体，从实地到网络，都需要去适应。提到教会的转型和前景，范牧师说：“现在还不知道前面的路是怎样的。现在这段时间很艰难，不知道要怎么走。但这是教会的转型，需要时间。我相信，仰望神的话，弟兄姐妹也不会一直都停留在原地的。”
https://www.christiantimes.cn/news/34939/%E7%96%AB%E6%83%85%E5%A4%8D%E5%A0%82%E5%90%8E-%E5%BE%88%E5%A4%9A%E4%BA%BA%E4%B8%8D%E6%9D%A5%E6%95%99%E4%BC%9A%E4%BA%86%E4%B8%A8%E4%B8%AD%E5%8E%9F%E4%B8%80%E5%A5%B3%E7%89%A7%E5%B8%88%E8%B0%88%EF%BC%9A%E8%BF%99%E6%98%AF%E6%88%91%E4%BF%A1%E4%B8%BB30%E5%A4%9A%E5%B9%B4%E6%9D%A5%E5%89%8D%E6%89%80%E6%9C%AA%E6%9C%89%E7%9A%84%E6%8C%91%E6%88%98
疫情复堂后 很多人不来教会了丨中原一女牧师谈：这是我信主30多年来前所未有的挑战
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic at the end of 2019 was unexpected. Many work units and families were affected, including churches. During the pandemic, in-person meetings and Sunday services could not be held, so various churches, both big and small, began to adopt other strategies. Instead of on-site meetings, they began to remotely conduct praise, worship, Bible studies, and even Communion services.
"A lot of believers have been lost because of this," said Pastor Fan, the head of a church in central China. "A lot of people no longer attend meetings and church services. It's something that has never happened in my 30 years as a believer."
Pastor Fan mentioned that she had planned to have a retreat at Easter in 2021 because the pandemic situation had improved then, but because of various factors affecting the church, the Holy Communion that was initially scheduled was no longer held.
Fan said that her church holds group meetings, where three or four people study the Bible. The problem was that most of the believers were used to the old church gathering model and needed time to get used to small groups and online meetings.
She believed that churches had always held meetings on the spot, but times had changed, and it was normal to change the meeting pattern. Whether it a large gathering of 100 worshipers as in the past or a small group gathering, Christians would eventually adapt.
"I've been listening to a church sharing recently. They no longer have on-site meetings, they just interact and study the Bible online."
In this way, Fan found that the form of the gathering was not important. Even if only two or three people gathered, the Lord would be with his people.
She added that during these past years, the church had paid too much attention to the outside. No matter the kind of ministry, the staff were always impetuous and flabby and pay more attention to the outer appearance than the interior. Every circumstance had God's goodwill in it, now this kind of circumstance could make people calm down and think about some issues.
"During this period, we have all been reflecting, including our colleagues;" Pastor Fan said, "It is not because of the external circumstance or to complain about why the pandemic happened. Instead, we are more grateful. We discovered that there will be many problems in the church, pastoral problems. We have believed in the Lord for so many years and still have these problems. I find this kind of reflection to be very good."
She stated that this current kind of circumstance would last for a while, so church workers had to adapt to the transformation of the new church, from the whole to the individual, from the field to the network.
Referring to the transformation and prospects of the church, she said, "It is not yet clear what the road ahead will be. This is a very difficult time, I don't know what to do. But this is the transformation of the church, and it takes time. I believe, by God's Word, the brothers and sisters will not remain where they are forever."
- Translated by Nonye Nancy
Pastor: Sharp Decline in Church Attendance in Post-Pandemic Era is "An Unprecedented Challenge in My 30 Years as a Christian"
