"Do leaders play a vital role in the development of the church?" When I arrived at a particular church in City W, the pastor's daring spirit of exploration and consistent experimentation struck me. When I posed this question, Pastor Z, the director of the church council, responded resolutely, "Certainly, unless they are not a leader."
God has set up leaders for the church to serve as caretakers of the household of God and to tend to the flock. Different types of leaders yield vastly different outcomes in terms of church growth and development. Leaders lacking wisdom and spiritual vitality will impede the growth of the church or ministry.
A pastor from a renowned global mission organization emphasized, during a discussion on "criteria for assessing the suitability of missionaries," that those answering the call must have health in terms of spirituality, psychology, and emotions. Otherwise, they might enter the field bearing scars and inadvertently cause unexpected damage.
During my visit to a large urban church in City N, located in the eastern part of China, after the worship service concluded, I met with a ministry leader. Not long after the exchange, he expounded on the challenges facing the church and shared his sorrows and perplexities: an atmosphere of indifference among co-workers, a pulpit set too high that estranged pastors from believers, a reluctance to assume responsibilities for logistical matters that he willingly shoulder, graceless sermons, and inadequate spiritual nurturing.
Rather than pondering how to enhance logistical efficiency, it seemed that this leader should prioritize his own spirituality and emotional well-being.
In a southwestern region, after accepting the gospel from missionaries, a county became renowned for its evangelical fervor. While the number of believers was no less than that of neighboring cities, attention was drawn due to insufficient contributions and the frequent need for assistance for local pastors. Meanwhile, in nearby City B, a self-sufficient and high-quality team of pastors was established. Aside from economic disparities, the primary factor was the presence or absence of a feasible and reliable compensation system for staff workers.
"Every time they come here, I tell them to establish a system, but the results are not satisfactory," a pastor from City B expressed regret. Whenever local pastors came to learn how to build a church, they talked about their own needs. However, when it comes to implementing a genuine solution, they are unable to relinquish longstanding traditions and fail to actively explore methods to address the old practice of local believers not supporting pastors financially.
"With such a large church, are Sunday sermons and Bible study sufficient for the spiritual nourishment of believers?" I asked. "Of course not, but we can't do much about it either." Church S is a central church locally, with two to three thousand believers in attendance. However, pastoral care can only be carried out during Sunday services and Bible study gatherings, the latter of which sees an average attendance of only a few dozen people. Beyond this, there are only a few functional fellowship activities from choirs, the reception team, and the logistics team. Pastors can perceive the dearth of spiritual sustenance, and if this continues, weak ties between believers and the church will inevitably result in attrition. When these issues were raised, leaders expressed a sense of helplessness. Yet, in the local context, many churches have already initiated small group gatherings.
Presently, there are leaders who, without contemplation, rigidly adhere to conventions, waiting for a peaceful retirement, or worse, practicing a form of "retirement in office." What is more alarming is that often, by "failing to do the right thing, leaders hinder others from doing so." Driven by the fear of change and the loss of authority, they obstruct genuine servants from serving.
In contrast to the situations described above, Y Church, located in a rural area of City W, is a century-old congregation with a new main building established in the early 21st century. Pastor Z, who succeeded his father, spent over a decade expanding the church from a few dozen attendees to a regular gathering of over four hundred.
Faced with the challenges of a small congregation and a lack of spiritual depth among believers, Pastor Z decided, after visiting churches across the country, to apprentice himself to learning about small group systems. Over the course of three months, he frequently traveled between North and South China, often spending nights on airplanes. Following systematic study, he combined his prior experiences in Christian education with his pastoral doctorate studies spanning several years to establish a nurturing system based on small groups. This effectively addressed the spiritual needs of the believers.
"Unhealthy leaders cannot lead a healthy church." As Pastor Z stated, aside from professional competence, leaders must examine their own spiritual condition. Within the church, a sound supervisory and advisory framework should also be established.
During our visit, we also witnessed churches in Southeast China coming together to learn how to build churches and establish pastoral care programs.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
“领袖对教会发展是不是起着至关重要的作用？”到达W市某教会，我震惊于当地牧者勇于探索开拓、稳步尝试的精神，便问及这个问题，对此，堂委主任Z牧师斩钉截铁回复道，“当然，除非他不是领袖。”
上帝为教会设立领袖，作为照管神家、照看群羊的管家。领袖类型不同，引起教会建设和发展的结果也非常不同。智慧不足、灵性干涸的领袖将限制教会或事工发展。
一世界著名宣教机构的牧师在分享“衡量宣教士是否合适的标准”这一话题时，特别强调，领受呼召的工人必须确保在灵性、心理、情感上是相对健康的。否则他将带着伤痕进入工场，很可能带来意想不到的伤害。
笔者去在中国东部N市一所城市大型教会参观。礼拜结束后，见到一位事工负责人。交流还未多久，他便阐述教会存在的问题和他的难过和困惑：同工之间太过冷漠，讲台设得太高令牧师和信徒分离，没人愿意负责后勤总务于是他主动承担，证道没有恩典，灵性得不到牧养。
比起思考如何让后勤更加有效率，我想这位负责人更应该先关注自己的灵性和感受。
西南某地从传教士接受福音后，成为当地有名的福音县。信徒相比周边城市并不见少，却因奉献不足、传道人常需要帮助而受到关注。与此同时，临近的B市却建立起一支自给自足的高质量传道人队伍。究其原因，除了有经济基础差别之外，另外是有无一套可行可靠的同工薪资待遇制度。
“他们每次来学习，我都告诉他们，要建立制度，但效果没那么好。”B市牧师遗憾道，每次当地牧者来学习如何建立教会，都会讲讲自己的需要。但论到真正解决之法，他们又无法舍弃一直以来的传统，不去积极探索方法解决当地信徒不奉养传道人的旧习。
“教会这么大，只有主日证道和查经，您觉得信徒的属灵供养足够吗？”“当然不够，但我们也不能做什么。”S教会是当地中心堂，参加礼拜的信徒可以达到两三千人。可话语的供给只依靠主日和查经聚会，后者平均只有几十人参加。除此之外，只有一些如诗班、接待、后勤等功能性的团契活动。牧者可以看到灵粮缺乏，且长此以往，信徒与教会的连带感弱，势必造成人员流失。提到这些问题，领袖只道无可奈何。可就在当地，很多教会已经开展小组聚会。
当前也有领袖看到问题，不加思考，只一味墨守成规，等待安稳退休，更甚者“在位退休”。更可怕的是，往往“领袖不做正确的事情，就会拦阻别人去做”，因惧怕改变、丢失权力而去拦阻真正的服事者。
与以上情况相反，位于W市乡镇地区的Y教会是一所百年老堂，21世纪初新堂初立。从父亲手中接棒的Z牧师用十几年的时间，将教会从几十位信徒扩展到四百多位常聚会人数。
面对教会的人数少、信徒属灵缺乏的情况，Z牧师在参访全国多地教会之后，决定拜师学习小组制度。在三个月的时间内，每周四、五往返南北两地，常常在飞机上过夜。在系统学习后，他结合自己以往的主日学教育经历，以及几年的教牧博士学习，建立起以小组为基本单位的养育系统，解决了信徒根本上的灵性需要。
“领袖不健康，怎么带领出健康的教会呢？”如Z牧师所说，除了专业能力，领袖个人要体察自己的属灵情况，教会系统内也要设立良好的监督建议体制。
走访期间我们也看到东南有教会联合起来，共同学习教会建设，也组建教牧关怀项目。
教会发展呼唤智性与灵性一同增长的好管家
"Do leaders play a vital role in the development of the church?" When I arrived at a particular church in City W, the pastor's daring spirit of exploration and consistent experimentation struck me. When I posed this question, Pastor Z, the director of the church council, responded resolutely, "Certainly, unless they are not a leader."
God has set up leaders for the church to serve as caretakers of the household of God and to tend to the flock. Different types of leaders yield vastly different outcomes in terms of church growth and development. Leaders lacking wisdom and spiritual vitality will impede the growth of the church or ministry.
A pastor from a renowned global mission organization emphasized, during a discussion on "criteria for assessing the suitability of missionaries," that those answering the call must have health in terms of spirituality, psychology, and emotions. Otherwise, they might enter the field bearing scars and inadvertently cause unexpected damage.
During my visit to a large urban church in City N, located in the eastern part of China, after the worship service concluded, I met with a ministry leader. Not long after the exchange, he expounded on the challenges facing the church and shared his sorrows and perplexities: an atmosphere of indifference among co-workers, a pulpit set too high that estranged pastors from believers, a reluctance to assume responsibilities for logistical matters that he willingly shoulder, graceless sermons, and inadequate spiritual nurturing.
Rather than pondering how to enhance logistical efficiency, it seemed that this leader should prioritize his own spirituality and emotional well-being.
In a southwestern region, after accepting the gospel from missionaries, a county became renowned for its evangelical fervor. While the number of believers was no less than that of neighboring cities, attention was drawn due to insufficient contributions and the frequent need for assistance for local pastors. Meanwhile, in nearby City B, a self-sufficient and high-quality team of pastors was established. Aside from economic disparities, the primary factor was the presence or absence of a feasible and reliable compensation system for staff workers.
"Every time they come here, I tell them to establish a system, but the results are not satisfactory," a pastor from City B expressed regret. Whenever local pastors came to learn how to build a church, they talked about their own needs. However, when it comes to implementing a genuine solution, they are unable to relinquish longstanding traditions and fail to actively explore methods to address the old practice of local believers not supporting pastors financially.
"With such a large church, are Sunday sermons and Bible study sufficient for the spiritual nourishment of believers?" I asked. "Of course not, but we can't do much about it either." Church S is a central church locally, with two to three thousand believers in attendance. However, pastoral care can only be carried out during Sunday services and Bible study gatherings, the latter of which sees an average attendance of only a few dozen people. Beyond this, there are only a few functional fellowship activities from choirs, the reception team, and the logistics team. Pastors can perceive the dearth of spiritual sustenance, and if this continues, weak ties between believers and the church will inevitably result in attrition. When these issues were raised, leaders expressed a sense of helplessness. Yet, in the local context, many churches have already initiated small group gatherings.
Presently, there are leaders who, without contemplation, rigidly adhere to conventions, waiting for a peaceful retirement, or worse, practicing a form of "retirement in office." What is more alarming is that often, by "failing to do the right thing, leaders hinder others from doing so." Driven by the fear of change and the loss of authority, they obstruct genuine servants from serving.
In contrast to the situations described above, Y Church, located in a rural area of City W, is a century-old congregation with a new main building established in the early 21st century. Pastor Z, who succeeded his father, spent over a decade expanding the church from a few dozen attendees to a regular gathering of over four hundred.
Faced with the challenges of a small congregation and a lack of spiritual depth among believers, Pastor Z decided, after visiting churches across the country, to apprentice himself to learning about small group systems. Over the course of three months, he frequently traveled between North and South China, often spending nights on airplanes. Following systematic study, he combined his prior experiences in Christian education with his pastoral doctorate studies spanning several years to establish a nurturing system based on small groups. This effectively addressed the spiritual needs of the believers.
"Unhealthy leaders cannot lead a healthy church." As Pastor Z stated, aside from professional competence, leaders must examine their own spiritual condition. Within the church, a sound supervisory and advisory framework should also be established.
During our visit, we also witnessed churches in Southeast China coming together to learn how to build churches and establish pastoral care programs.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
The Church Calls for Leaders to Grow Intellectually, Spiritually
