Editor's note: After discussing how to build a relationship with generation Z believers in the article "Topic: Pastor Can Be Friend to Nurture Generation Z", a pastor in South China shared how the church can better touch and shepherd the young people born after 1995.
Zheng Rongkun (pseudonym for safety reasons), a pastor from South China who was born after 1960, is a study-type pastor. He has been keeping close relationships with young people while digging deep into their spiritual needs. He shared some of his pastoral experiences with the Christian Times, an online Christian newspaper in China.
Christian Times: What do you think of the situation in which the pastors and preachers of today's church are at a loss when facing the young people who were born after 1995? What do you think is the cause?
Pastor Zheng Rongkun: I think it probably depends on the age group of the pastors. The older shepherd is prone to stay in his fixed mind while shepherding. There are very few millennial pastors in the church now, most of them were born after the 1960s. I was born in the 1960s, but I have been constantly learning. When most pastors reach the age of 50, I think their enthusiasm for learning decreases and they are not willing to accept new things. Therefore, they will face the rapid changes of the times. They will be unable to handle the young people who were born after 1995. In addition, some churches are trapped within their denominations and do not want to communicate with people from different denominations. I think we should learn from the moderate charismatic churches, whose gathering and lively spirituality appeal to the young people born after 1995. Many young people don't want to go to more institutionalized or traditional churches.
Christian Times: How do you pastorally relate to the young people who were born after 1995?
Pastor Zheng Rongkun: I think, first of all, let them open their hearts. When I'm among them, I would not ask them to call me Pastor Zheng Rongkun. I would tell them to just call me Brother Zheng. They like to address me this way because it's more relatable. They do not want to be oppressed by authority, but when it comes, they will resist. We should guide them through their own conversations.
While we're talking, say I found out an advantage of these young men, I would tell them. I even took them to places with beautiful views. I would ask them to come and enjoy. I don't want to be a teacher, because being a teacher is a one-sided role. I would rather be a coach, or a tour guide because in that way, both sides of us would be able to talk about something.
If you are preaching to this generation in the way you used to, you would not make them accept and understand. So, you don't have to tell them a very formal truth, you can talk to them in the church during the Sunday service about this. But when we talk to them about these things on other days, we should do that in nature, or a more leisurely environment. That may be more suitable for their characteristics.
Christian Times: What advice do you have for Christian parents of young people born after 1995? Or for Christian families, how do they really exert the spiritual influence of monasticism to attract their children to the faith?
Pastor Zheng Rongkun: The first thing we see is that the Jews are able to pass on their faith. In fact, they are successful in family education, and they have successfully built family altars. Our education is much too paternalistic and didactic. It starts by having a meal together and creating an atmosphere of equal dialogue. Family altars are about building relationships and trust first, not preaching anything at length. Everyone is equal, and everyone can talk about their feelings. Then there is no need to preach. We don't need so much correction. Just talk about what you feel. Then the children will be able to talk to the parents first, and the parents will have a chance to influence them later. My goal is to help 70 percent of the people in my church build good family altars.
Christian Times: How do you see the impact and significance of "paternalistic" and "fraternal" pastors on pastoring this generation of young people?
Pastor Zheng Rongkun: I think pastors must trust them. Either way is fine. They will listen to you. If you don't have a relationship with them, they won't listen to you no matter how good your preaching is.
Pastors should know how to pay the price of accompanying them while they're growing up, and realize the meaning of life together. Pastors with paternalistic authority find it difficult to let go of their pride, and thus find it difficult to establish relationships with them.
The young people born after 1995 are actually very lonely. They're self-centered and have strong self-awareness. The shepherds need to delve into their inner feelings and listen. In addition, we should focus on training the next generation of pastors. It is best to let the young pastors born after 1995 rise up and become the pastors themselves.
I often tell young pastors that I'm transitional and that the young people themselves need to stand up with a sense of purpose. And when they arise, it'll be time for me to retire.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
继前面 中国教会如何牧养95后00后(二)|牧者要花更多精力与这一代人建立关系 这一话题，华南一牧师分享 教会该如何更好的触及并牧养好95后00后群体
来自华南的一位60后的郑荣鲲牧师（化名），带职服事多年，是学习型牧者。一直在与年轻人保持紧密的关系的同时也深挖他们的心灵深处的需要。他向一中国网络基督教报纸基督时报分享了自己的一些牧养经历和心得。
基督时报：您如何看今天教会的牧者、传道人面对95后00后这个群体时无从下手，一片茫然的局面呢？ 您觉得是什么原因导致的？
郑牧师：我觉得，这可能要看牧者的年龄层。年纪大的牧者是容易停留在他固化的思维里面去牧养。现在教会里80-90后的牧者是非常少的，60 后还会有。我是属于 60 后的牧者，但是我是一直不断的在学习。大多数牧者到了50岁以后，我觉得是他的学习热情不够了，不愿意接受新鲜的东西，所以它会面临着时代很快的变化以及这群95后00后人群，他们是会无从下手的状态。另外 ，有的教会是属于在宗派里面打转，不愿意跟不同的宗派的这种交流。我觉得这一点应该要向温和灵恩派的教会学习，他们聚会形势和活泼的灵性很吸引 95 后的群体。而比较建制化或者传统化的教会，很多年轻人都不愿意去。
基督时报：在牧养上，您是如何与95后00后这代人建立关系呢？
郑牧师：我觉得首先让他们敞开心门。我在他们当中，我说你们就不要叫我郑牧师，叫我郑哥就好了。他们喜欢自由式的称呼他。他们不愿意受一种权威性的压迫，当权威性的压迫来到，他们会反弹的。在他们自己聊的过程当中引导他。
在聊的时候，说我发现你在哪里不错。甚至我带到一个地方，这里风景很好，你过来看。我不做教师的，因为教师是一个单方面的角色。这如果是做一个教练，一个导游，是可以双方交流的。
你用过去的方式给这一代人讲道，是对不准他们的接受和理解节奏和频率的。所以不一定要跟他们讲很正规规的一个道理，主日礼拜的时候在教会里面去跟他讲可以。但平时要把聚会放到大自然当中去，放到一个比较悠闲的环境里面去跟他们讲，可能更适合他们这个特色。
基督时报：对于95后00后的基督徒父母，您对他们有什么建议吗？或者说， 对于基督化的家庭，如何真正发挥出家的属灵影响力，从而吸引他们的孩子坚守信仰？
郑牧师：我们首先去看到犹太人够把他们的信仰能够传承，实际上他们就是把家庭教育成功了，根本上是家庭祭坛给做成功了。我们太多的是用家长式，说教式的教育，太多了。而是要从一起吃饭，建立平等对话的氛围开始。家庭祭坛首先要建立关系，建立信任，而不是长篇大论的灌输什么东西。大家都是平等，大家都可以谈自己的感受，不需要说教。也不需要太多的纠正，把自己的感受讲出来。这样孩子以后才会跟父母聊得来，以后父母才有机会影响到他。我的目标在我的教会有 70% 的人可以做好家庭祭坛。
基督时报：您如何看待“家长式”的牧者和“朋友式”的牧者对于牧养这一代人的影响与意义？
郑牧师：我认为，牧者跟他们有很深的信任关系，无论哪一种就都可以的，你讲的他会听的。你跟他们没有建立关系，你讲的再好他都不听的。
牧者要懂得付陪伴他们成长的代价，一起来得到生命中的造就。而有家长式的权威的牧者很难放下自己的面子，于是在与他们建立关系的时候也就收到了阻碍。
95后00后的群体，他们的心里实际上是很孤独的，自我又很强。牧者需要更多地走到他内心世界的感受中去倾听。另外，要着重培养下一代的工人。让90后的年轻牧者起来，做95后00后的这一代人的牧者，是最好的。
我常对年轻牧者说，我是过渡性的，他们自己要有使命感，站立起来。他们起来了，我就走了。
话题•中国教会如何牧养95后00后(三) 兴起90后的年轻牧者是最好的方式之一
Editor's note: After discussing how to build a relationship with generation Z believers in the article "Topic: Pastor Can Be Friend to Nurture Generation Z", a pastor in South China shared how the church can better touch and shepherd the young people born after 1995.
Zheng Rongkun (pseudonym for safety reasons), a pastor from South China who was born after 1960, is a study-type pastor. He has been keeping close relationships with young people while digging deep into their spiritual needs. He shared some of his pastoral experiences with the Christian Times, an online Christian newspaper in China.
Christian Times: What do you think of the situation in which the pastors and preachers of today's church are at a loss when facing the young people who were born after 1995? What do you think is the cause?
Pastor Zheng Rongkun: I think it probably depends on the age group of the pastors. The older shepherd is prone to stay in his fixed mind while shepherding. There are very few millennial pastors in the church now, most of them were born after the 1960s. I was born in the 1960s, but I have been constantly learning. When most pastors reach the age of 50, I think their enthusiasm for learning decreases and they are not willing to accept new things. Therefore, they will face the rapid changes of the times. They will be unable to handle the young people who were born after 1995. In addition, some churches are trapped within their denominations and do not want to communicate with people from different denominations. I think we should learn from the moderate charismatic churches, whose gathering and lively spirituality appeal to the young people born after 1995. Many young people don't want to go to more institutionalized or traditional churches.
Christian Times: How do you pastorally relate to the young people who were born after 1995?
Pastor Zheng Rongkun: I think, first of all, let them open their hearts. When I'm among them, I would not ask them to call me Pastor Zheng Rongkun. I would tell them to just call me Brother Zheng. They like to address me this way because it's more relatable. They do not want to be oppressed by authority, but when it comes, they will resist. We should guide them through their own conversations.
While we're talking, say I found out an advantage of these young men, I would tell them. I even took them to places with beautiful views. I would ask them to come and enjoy. I don't want to be a teacher, because being a teacher is a one-sided role. I would rather be a coach, or a tour guide because in that way, both sides of us would be able to talk about something.
If you are preaching to this generation in the way you used to, you would not make them accept and understand. So, you don't have to tell them a very formal truth, you can talk to them in the church during the Sunday service about this. But when we talk to them about these things on other days, we should do that in nature, or a more leisurely environment. That may be more suitable for their characteristics.
Christian Times: What advice do you have for Christian parents of young people born after 1995? Or for Christian families, how do they really exert the spiritual influence of monasticism to attract their children to the faith?
Pastor Zheng Rongkun: The first thing we see is that the Jews are able to pass on their faith. In fact, they are successful in family education, and they have successfully built family altars. Our education is much too paternalistic and didactic. It starts by having a meal together and creating an atmosphere of equal dialogue. Family altars are about building relationships and trust first, not preaching anything at length. Everyone is equal, and everyone can talk about their feelings. Then there is no need to preach. We don't need so much correction. Just talk about what you feel. Then the children will be able to talk to the parents first, and the parents will have a chance to influence them later. My goal is to help 70 percent of the people in my church build good family altars.
Christian Times: How do you see the impact and significance of "paternalistic" and "fraternal" pastors on pastoring this generation of young people?
Pastor Zheng Rongkun: I think pastors must trust them. Either way is fine. They will listen to you. If you don't have a relationship with them, they won't listen to you no matter how good your preaching is.
Pastors should know how to pay the price of accompanying them while they're growing up, and realize the meaning of life together. Pastors with paternalistic authority find it difficult to let go of their pride, and thus find it difficult to establish relationships with them.
The young people born after 1995 are actually very lonely. They're self-centered and have strong self-awareness. The shepherds need to delve into their inner feelings and listen. In addition, we should focus on training the next generation of pastors. It is best to let the young pastors born after 1995 rise up and become the pastors themselves.
I often tell young pastors that I'm transitional and that the young people themselves need to stand up with a sense of purpose. And when they arise, it'll be time for me to retire.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
Gen Z Series: One of the Best Ways to Pastor Them Is to Raise Millennial Pastors
