Churches in cities (or coastal areas) should not only focus on spreading the gospel to migrant workers, but also should focus on cultivating, equipping, and training them for churches in underdeveloped areas.
Here I share two different cases with you.
Case 1
In a poor mountainous area in the mainland, most young and middle-aged people have moved to cities or gone to work in economically developed coastal areas. There are only a few old, weak, poorly-educated or illiterate laymen left in the church with a shortage of management and pastoral staff; as such, within the past few years, two rural churches in that area have closed one after another. Besides, many other rural churches are on the verge of closing. However, one of those rural churches saw a big turnaround two years ago. Here is the story. A young brother (hereinafter referred to as “Brother Y”) who went to work in the coastal area a few years ago, returned to the village after receiving theological equipment in other places. As a volunteer, he committed himself to that rural church, took the initiative to undertake the pastoral work of the church, and assisted the management staff with church management. Brother Y’s “sudden appearance” injected vitality into the rural church.
Y was led by his mother to the Lord in his early years and has maintained a relatively close relationship with God for a long time. After graduating from university, he went to work in a coastal city and attended church gatherings there. He later joined the youth fellowship of the church, and his spiritual knowledge began to grow; his spiritual life also flourished as well. He was then encouraged by his fellow church staff to participate in the ministry of the youth fellowship to help lead the Bible study. After that, the young believers at the church encouraged him to study theology because they saw how much he was committed to the gospel ministry and how gifted he was in teaching. Since then, he quit his job and enrolled in a theological school.
Four years later, he graduated with a degree in theology. Before graduation, he shared with the youth fellowship of that city church the desolation of the church in his hometown and his vision of returning to serve in the church. All the members in the fellowship supported him to serve in the church in his hometown, and some young believers offered to give him some help in his life to become the support of his ministry in his hometown. Therefore, Brother Y went back to his hometown and dedicated himself to the rural church there. His return not only promoted the various ministries he was committed to at that time but also brought encouragement and some life help to those young missionaries in other rural churches in his hometown. At present, Y has also become an influential youth pastor in the church in his home area, greatly promoting the youth ministry there.
In addition to God’s inspiration and protections, his current spiritual life and theological equipment, as well as his current service results in his hometown church, are entirely due to the cultivation of the church in the city and those young brothers and sisters who encouraged him to study theology, as well as the support of the young brothers and sisters in his life.
Case 2
In the early years, Brother W from a poor mountainous area went to work in a coastal area with his wife. Later, the couple successively became believers under the loving care and guidance of the church there. In addition, under the pastoral care of that church, their spiritual life continued to grow and they began to have a wonderful personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. As a result, they began to think about doing something for God’s family, especially Brother W, who was also very thirsty for spiritual knowledge and was determined to return to his hometown to be a pastor in his later years. With the aging of both parents and the need for them to take care of and carefully accompany their children who entered middle school one after another, they returned to their hometown to start a business a few years ago.
When they returned home, they desired to find a church for their spiritual needs. However, the original church in their village to which they belonged was closed for lack of pastors and management staff, as well as the attack from heresies. Believers there were scattered. Therefore, the couple organized several other believers who had worked in other places and returned to their hometown. They searched for the lost believers in the village and set up a temporary meeting point in their home by contacting the pastors of the local cCC&TSPM and obtaining the permission of the local religious administration department.
In this way, W began pastoral service based on the spiritual knowledge he learned in their previous church where they worked and the spiritual knowledge he learned on his own. His wife taught songs in this church based on the music knowledge she learned in the previous church (they were both volunteers). With reference to the church management model and organizational structure of their former church, they improved their current rural church and brought it back to life under the guidance of the pastors of the registered church in their hometown. At present, it has begun to take shape.
During one of my interactions with W, he told me that he felt inadequate in his pastoral work. Because he had been busy with work when he was in that area where he worked and did not get better equipment. At that time, there was no pastor in that church who paid special attention to and trained him.
However, I can say with certainty that the reason why Brother W was able to find the lost believers in his hometown and re-establish a meeting point was also due to the pastoral care and cultivation that he and his wife received from the previous church!
At present, the vast majority of young and middle-aged people in the rural areas which are underdeveloped in China are still working in cities, especially in coastal areas. The good news is that some urban (and coastal) churches have made an impressive effort to provide care for migrant workers, and thus have led a large number of migrant workers back to the Lord. Some churches in cities (or coastal areas) have begun to pay attention to the cultivation of migrant worker believers in their spiritual lives, and even encouraged or funded them to attend theological schools to prepare them for returning to their home churches to serve in the future, though not every city (or coastal) church’s pastor and fellow workers have seen this aspect of the ministry, and the churches that actually are carrying out this aspect of ministry are few. For example, in the two churches in the coastal area in the previous two cases, among the workers sent to the rural church in the underdeveloped area, Brother Y was encouraged to study theology by young brothers and sisters, which was the spontaneous action of believers. Brother W, on the other hand, was not encouraged to study theology, but only got some equipment in his regular meetings. Neither of the brothers received special attention in their growth from the pastors of the church in the area where they worked.
Therefore, I am taking this opportunity to remind churches in cities (or coastal areas) that while focusing on spreading the gospel to migrant workers, they should also focus on cultivating, equipping, and training them for churches in underdeveloped areas. Churches should also consider sending mature and theologically equipped migrant worker believers back to their home places to take part in the pastoral care and management of the churches there, or to preach and establish churches in their places of origin.
I suggest that churches in cities (or coastal areas) should look for believers who can be molded among migrant workers, focus on cultivation and training, and encourage and fund them to study theology. And I also suggest that churches in cities (or coastal areas), after providing solid theological equipment for migrant worker believers, send them as missionaries to serve the churches in their places of origin or preach and establish churches there.
Note: This article was written by a staff writer/freelance writer who is a pastor from Hubei Province and is originally published by Gospel Times. Opinions in the article represent the writer’s position for readers’ reference, and Gospel Times remains neutral.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
案例一：某内地贫困山区，青壮年基本进城或去沿海经济发达地区务工，教会也只剩下一些年老体弱、文化程度低或不认字的平信徒，管理和牧养人员十分缺乏。近几年，该地区就有两间乡村堂会因没有管理和牧养人员相继关门，多间乡村堂会濒临关门。然而，其中，一间濒临关门的乡村堂会在两年前有了很大的转机。原因是，一位几年前去沿海地区务工的青年弟兄（下称其为“Y弟兄”），在外地接受了神学装备后，回到了该乡村；并以义工的身份委身于这间乡村堂会，主动地承担了该堂会的牧养事工，并协助该堂会的管理人员管理教会。Y弟兄的“空降”，给这间乡村堂会注入了活力。
Y弟兄早年由母亲带领归主，长期与神保持着较亲密的关系。他大学毕业后，去沿海某城市务工，参加务工地教会的聚会。后来，他参加了务工地教会的青年团契，属灵知识开始增长，属灵生命也开始丰盛。接着，务工地教会的负责同工鼓励他参与青年团契的服事，协助带领查经。再后来，务工地教会的青年弟兄姊妹看到他对福音事工很有负担，也有教导恩赐，就鼓励他念神学。从此，他辞去了工作，报读了某神学院校。
四年后，他神学本科毕业。毕业前，他与务工地教会青年团契的弟兄姊妹分享了家乡教会的荒凉景况，以及他打算回家乡教会事奉的异象。团契里的弟兄姊妹一致支持他回家乡教会事奉，并且有几位青年弟兄姊妹主动提出给与他一定的生活帮助，做他在家乡教会事奉的生活后盾。这样，Y弟兄回到了家乡，委身老家的乡村堂会做义工。他的回归不仅推动了其当前所委身堂会的各项事工，而且，还给其家乡所属地区教会其它乡村堂会的青年传道同工带来了鼓励和一定的生活帮助。当前，Y弟兄也成为了其原籍地区教会里一位较有影响力的青年传道人，大大地推动了其原籍地区教会的青年事工。
Y弟兄能够有今天的属灵生命和神学装备，以及能够取得当前在家乡教会的服侍果效，除了神的感召和保守外，完全得力于务工地教会对他的栽培和青年弟兄姊妹鼓励他念了神学，也得力于那班青年弟兄姊妹对他生活上的支助。
案例二：早年，某贫困山区的W弟兄，与妻子一同到沿海某地务工，后来，其夫妇二人在务工地教会弟兄姊妹的爱心关顾和带领下，先后信了主；并且在务工地教会的牧养下，属灵生命不断成长，与主耶稣建立了美好的个人关系。因此，他俩也开始对神的家有了负担，特别是W弟兄在属灵知识上也十分的渴慕和追求，立志晚年回家乡做传道人。随着双方父母的逐年衰老而需要他俩照顾，以及其孩子们相继进入中学阶段需要他俩精心陪护，他俩在前几年返回老家创业。
回到家乡后，他俩因属灵生活的需要而寻找教会。然而，其所属乡村原来的堂会因没有牧养和管理人员，且受到异端的冲击，已经关闭，其信徒失散了。于是，W弟兄夫妇组织另外几位在外务工返回家乡的信徒，将该乡村失散的信徒寻找了回来，通过与当地基督教两会的牧长们联系，并通过当地宗教管理部门的许可，在其家里设立了临时聚会点。
这样，W弟兄凭着在务工地教会所学到的和平时自修的属灵知识进行牧会，其妻子凭着在务工地教会所学的音乐知识，在这间堂会教唱诗歌（均为义工）。并参照他们在务工地教会所看到的教会管理模式和组织架构，在家乡基督教两会牧长的指导下，健全了堂务管理组织，使那间乡村堂会“起死回生”；目前已初俱规模。
笔者在与W弟兄的一次交通中，W弟兄告诉笔者，他在牧养上感到力不从心。因为，他在务工期间因工作繁忙，没有得到更好的装备；当时务工地教会也没有牧者特别关注和训练他。
然而，笔者可以肯定地说，W弟兄之所以能够在家乡将失散的信徒寻找回来，重新建立聚会点，也得力于他夫妇在务工地教会平时所得到的牧养和栽培！
当前，国内广大欠发达地区农村的绝大部分青壮年，依然还在城市，特别是在沿海地区务工。可喜的是一些城市（或沿海地区）教会，已经有声有色地开展了外来务工人员的关顾事工，也借此带领了大批的外来务工人员归主。然而，虽然有些城市（或沿海地区）教会已经开始注重对外来务工信徒在属灵生命上的栽培，甚至也有鼓励或资助外来务工信徒上神学院校，为他们将来回归原籍地教会服侍做积极的准备。但是，在这项事工上，不是每间城市（或沿海地区）教会的牧长和同工都有这方面的看见，真正开展这方面事工的教会应该还是少数。比如，前面两个案例中沿海地区的那两间教会，为欠发达地区乡村堂会输送的工人中，Y弟兄是务工地的青年弟兄姊妹鼓励他念了神学，是信徒的自发行动；而W弟兄却没有人鼓励他上神学，只是在平时的聚会中得到了一定的装备。这两位弟兄的成长都没有得到其务工地教会牧长的特别关顾。
从而，笔者借此文提醒城市（或沿海地区）教会，在注重向外来务工人员传福音的同时，也当注重栽培和装备外来务工信徒，刻意为欠发达地区的教会培养工人。并应考虑将生命成熟，且有了神学装备的外来务工信徒差派回原籍地，参与其原籍地教会的牧养和管理，或回原籍地开荒布道，建立教会！
笔者建议，城市（或沿海地区）教会，应该在外来务工信徒中，物色可以塑造的信徒，进行重点栽培和训练，并鼓励和资助其上神学。同时，建议城市（或沿海地区）教会对外来务工信徒进行扎实的神学装备后，作为本教会的差传人员，差派到其原籍地教会服侍，或开荒布道。
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系湖北一名传道人。文中观点代表作者立场，供读者参考，福音时报保持中立。欢迎各位读者留言评论交流！
城市教会当注重装备外来务工信徒！
Churches in cities (or coastal areas) should not only focus on spreading the gospel to migrant workers, but also should focus on cultivating, equipping, and training them for churches in underdeveloped areas.
Here I share two different cases with you.
Case 1
In a poor mountainous area in the mainland, most young and middle-aged people have moved to cities or gone to work in economically developed coastal areas. There are only a few old, weak, poorly-educated or illiterate laymen left in the church with a shortage of management and pastoral staff; as such, within the past few years, two rural churches in that area have closed one after another. Besides, many other rural churches are on the verge of closing. However, one of those rural churches saw a big turnaround two years ago. Here is the story. A young brother (hereinafter referred to as “Brother Y”) who went to work in the coastal area a few years ago, returned to the village after receiving theological equipment in other places. As a volunteer, he committed himself to that rural church, took the initiative to undertake the pastoral work of the church, and assisted the management staff with church management. Brother Y’s “sudden appearance” injected vitality into the rural church.
Y was led by his mother to the Lord in his early years and has maintained a relatively close relationship with God for a long time. After graduating from university, he went to work in a coastal city and attended church gatherings there. He later joined the youth fellowship of the church, and his spiritual knowledge began to grow; his spiritual life also flourished as well. He was then encouraged by his fellow church staff to participate in the ministry of the youth fellowship to help lead the Bible study. After that, the young believers at the church encouraged him to study theology because they saw how much he was committed to the gospel ministry and how gifted he was in teaching. Since then, he quit his job and enrolled in a theological school.
Four years later, he graduated with a degree in theology. Before graduation, he shared with the youth fellowship of that city church the desolation of the church in his hometown and his vision of returning to serve in the church. All the members in the fellowship supported him to serve in the church in his hometown, and some young believers offered to give him some help in his life to become the support of his ministry in his hometown. Therefore, Brother Y went back to his hometown and dedicated himself to the rural church there. His return not only promoted the various ministries he was committed to at that time but also brought encouragement and some life help to those young missionaries in other rural churches in his hometown. At present, Y has also become an influential youth pastor in the church in his home area, greatly promoting the youth ministry there.
In addition to God’s inspiration and protections, his current spiritual life and theological equipment, as well as his current service results in his hometown church, are entirely due to the cultivation of the church in the city and those young brothers and sisters who encouraged him to study theology, as well as the support of the young brothers and sisters in his life.
Case 2
In the early years, Brother W from a poor mountainous area went to work in a coastal area with his wife. Later, the couple successively became believers under the loving care and guidance of the church there. In addition, under the pastoral care of that church, their spiritual life continued to grow and they began to have a wonderful personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. As a result, they began to think about doing something for God’s family, especially Brother W, who was also very thirsty for spiritual knowledge and was determined to return to his hometown to be a pastor in his later years. With the aging of both parents and the need for them to take care of and carefully accompany their children who entered middle school one after another, they returned to their hometown to start a business a few years ago.
When they returned home, they desired to find a church for their spiritual needs. However, the original church in their village to which they belonged was closed for lack of pastors and management staff, as well as the attack from heresies. Believers there were scattered. Therefore, the couple organized several other believers who had worked in other places and returned to their hometown. They searched for the lost believers in the village and set up a temporary meeting point in their home by contacting the pastors of the local cCC&TSPM and obtaining the permission of the local religious administration department.
In this way, W began pastoral service based on the spiritual knowledge he learned in their previous church where they worked and the spiritual knowledge he learned on his own. His wife taught songs in this church based on the music knowledge she learned in the previous church (they were both volunteers). With reference to the church management model and organizational structure of their former church, they improved their current rural church and brought it back to life under the guidance of the pastors of the registered church in their hometown. At present, it has begun to take shape.
During one of my interactions with W, he told me that he felt inadequate in his pastoral work. Because he had been busy with work when he was in that area where he worked and did not get better equipment. At that time, there was no pastor in that church who paid special attention to and trained him.
However, I can say with certainty that the reason why Brother W was able to find the lost believers in his hometown and re-establish a meeting point was also due to the pastoral care and cultivation that he and his wife received from the previous church!
At present, the vast majority of young and middle-aged people in the rural areas which are underdeveloped in China are still working in cities, especially in coastal areas. The good news is that some urban (and coastal) churches have made an impressive effort to provide care for migrant workers, and thus have led a large number of migrant workers back to the Lord. Some churches in cities (or coastal areas) have begun to pay attention to the cultivation of migrant worker believers in their spiritual lives, and even encouraged or funded them to attend theological schools to prepare them for returning to their home churches to serve in the future, though not every city (or coastal) church’s pastor and fellow workers have seen this aspect of the ministry, and the churches that actually are carrying out this aspect of ministry are few. For example, in the two churches in the coastal area in the previous two cases, among the workers sent to the rural church in the underdeveloped area, Brother Y was encouraged to study theology by young brothers and sisters, which was the spontaneous action of believers. Brother W, on the other hand, was not encouraged to study theology, but only got some equipment in his regular meetings. Neither of the brothers received special attention in their growth from the pastors of the church in the area where they worked.
Therefore, I am taking this opportunity to remind churches in cities (or coastal areas) that while focusing on spreading the gospel to migrant workers, they should also focus on cultivating, equipping, and training them for churches in underdeveloped areas. Churches should also consider sending mature and theologically equipped migrant worker believers back to their home places to take part in the pastoral care and management of the churches there, or to preach and establish churches in their places of origin.
I suggest that churches in cities (or coastal areas) should look for believers who can be molded among migrant workers, focus on cultivation and training, and encourage and fund them to study theology. And I also suggest that churches in cities (or coastal areas), after providing solid theological equipment for migrant worker believers, send them as missionaries to serve the churches in their places of origin or preach and establish churches there.
Note: This article was written by a staff writer/freelance writer who is a pastor from Hubei Province and is originally published by Gospel Times. Opinions in the article represent the writer’s position for readers’ reference, and Gospel Times remains neutral.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
Urban Churches Should be Concerned to Equip Christian Migrant Workers
