When looking back at the churches in China between 1979 and 2009, we can see that growth was one of its most prominent features. Despite numerous challenges and inexperience, grassroots churches generally benefited from the era and developmental dividends, achieving exponential growth in membership and size.
Since 2009, the period of vigorous growth has subsided. While some churches have seized opportunities for development during special times (such as leveraging online gatherings during the pandemic), many grassroots churches generally feel the strain of stagnation and struggle to maintain vitality. Coupled with other factors, this has led many pastors to adopt a laid-back mentality. During a visit to a region with relatively developed churches, I was surprised to hear local pastors estimate that about 80% of pastors or churches show this laid-back attitude, exacerbating the perception that churches are struggling to sustain vitality and continuous development.
However, regardless of the era or environment, there are always churches that serve as spiritual beacons, maintaining vitality and continuous growth, passing on the faith. This holds true today. Compared to the monotonous forms of Chinese churches decades ago, today’s orthodox Protestant churches exhibit greater diversity in terms of categories and theological stances. By category, there are rural churches, urban churches, migrant worker churches, and churches for professionals, etc. Theological stances encompass Fundamentalism, Charismaticism, Evangelicalism, Reformed theology, and others.
Within the diversities of regions, theological positions, and church systems, we can find churches that remain vibrant and sustainable. Although they vary in form and characteristics, they all grasp the fundamental missions and responsibilities of a church – gathering, nurturing, training, serving, and evangelizing – to meet the needs of people and the times.
Upon closer examination of these vibrant cases, seven key principles are concluded, ranked from most to least important. By solidly implementing two or three of these points, a church can regain vitality and achieve growth; some churches may even exhibit attractiveness by excelling in just one of these points.
Below are the seven points:
I. Emphasizing Sunday worship and sermons
II. Fostering daily devotion and spirituality
III. Providing abundant pastoral resources
IV. Investing in training and education for fellow workers
V. Exploring changes of evangelization
VI. Extending into social services as a new dimension
VII. Updating management and development modes
This article, part 1, discusses the first three points and the incoming article will articulate the rest points.
I. Emphasizing Sunday worship and sermons
When we take a closer look at reality, it becomes evident that over 70% of thriving churches share a common trait: they prioritize Sunday worship, recognizing that doing it well is the simplest yet most crucial key. In particular, the sermon messages shared on Sunday are akin to the diamond at the center of a ring. If Sunday worships are conducted effectively, at least 60% of the issues faced in pastoral ministry can resolve themselves naturally.
Regrettably, the harsh reality is that perhaps up to 70% of churches do not excel in their Sunday worship and sermon delivery.
Rev Dr Caleb Soo Lee Chong, a supervisory and training pastor at Singapore Life Church, once talked about the necessity for today’s churches to foster healthy Christian lives by integrating the spiritual traditions of different denominations through four aspects: knowledge, affection, will, and action. After addressing the traditions of Evangelicalism, the Charismatic movement, the Holiness tradition, and the Catholic tradition of imitating the Incarnation, he emphasized that the first recommendation for renewing both personal and communal worship today is to revitalize Sunday worship. Analyzing the characteristics of the current era, he stated, “Postmodernism is characterized by an abundance of choices. Children will grow up even if we do not feed them, but they may become wild, especially in a postmodern world where unwavering devotion is scarce. We must wholeheartedly devote ourselves to worship.”
In terms of practical implementation, he suggested that worship renewal encompasses three parts.
Hymns: The emotional aspect. It is recommended to adopt a lively style, serving as a weekly outlet for expressing feelings and emotions. During this time, new messages are more readily absorbed.
Sermons: The rational aspect. The utmost importance lies in the speaker’s preparation and delivery of the message, emphasizing personalization and avoiding rote recitation, thereby enhancing its appeal.
Willfulness: The holy calling aspect. Similar to Jesus’ calling to “go,” we must also “go” as a response in addition to emotions, rationality, grace, and strength. The pastor’s benediction at the end of the worship serves as commissioning, signifying that our lives continue to receive blessings even after leaving the worship venue, and we anticipate the next worship service.
The above three parts are interconnected, and their combined effort can generate immense influence. I once attended a Sunday worship service in an urban church where every session, from the preparatory prayers, the 50-minute praise and worship, church announcements and interactions, sermon delivery, to the closing prayer, was captivating. Even believers who were addicted to their phones could immerse themselves fully, avoiding distractions throughout. Some attendees traveled two hours by public transportation or car from suburban areas and neighboring cities to participate. The sermon, particularly impressive, addressed prevalent issues identified among the congregation from a biblical perspective, providing spiritual answers and supplementing them with relatable personal and real-life examples.
Moreover, I had the privilege of visiting several churches in downtown Wenzhou last year and attended three Sunday worship services. Each sermon was clear, passionate, and thoughtfully crafted. Upon closer inspection, it becomes evident that the vibrant churches in the area invest the most effort into their Sunday worship and sermons.
These are positive examples of effective Sunday sermons, but the negative cases are even stickier.
Many pastors who have served for years have observed this. Pastor Li in Beijing lamented and gave one word "weak” to identify the pulpit services in Chinese churches. Pastor Liu in Guangdong responded, “Sermon delivery is a significant issue, if not the biggest, in Chinese churches today.” He cautioned that churches must not be distracted by other activities such as small groups, fellowships, and training. “As pastors and preachers, our most crucial task is to preach God’s Word well.”
Pastor Ye from Wenzhou emphasized that preaching well is the foundation for retaining believers. “If a church does not preach well and cannot adequately nourish believers, why would they continue to attend? In terms of attracting believers, I believe that at least 60% of the factor lies in the pulpit, and perhaps even more,” he said. As a pastor who has served full-time for decades, Pastor Ye is acutely aware of the widespread dissatisfaction with sermons among many Christians today. “It is not that believers have overly high expectations or are overly critical of preachers. Rather, many preachers simply do not understand the reality of believers’ situations and speak haphazardly on the pulpit,” he noted.
Pastor Liu from Guangdong stressed that pastors and preachers need to relearn the art of preaching, which he has done after many years of pastoral work. While there are fundamental principles and practical exercises to learn for preaching, preachers cannot prepare an excellent sermon without putting in effort, time, and prayer.
Churches must also prioritize the training, supervision, and accountability of preachers. Pastor Ye from Wenzhou reiterated, “A significant reason for poor preaching lies in the lack of church management. Without proper management or a robust governance structure, a patriarchal leadership style among pastors and pastoral staff becomes prevalent. No one evaluates the quality of their sermons, and fellow staff members are afraid to speak up, let alone believers daring to tell pastors or preachers that their preaching is inadequate. If someone dares to do so, they may be labeled as disobedient or defiant against church authority. Therefore, churches must establish governance and supervision mechanisms to allow believers to intervene and even dismiss preachers who fail to preach effectively.”
II. Fostering daily devotion and spiritual practices
Daily morning devotions and spiritual disciplines are among the best ways for churches to combat heresy, as discovered by Pastor Zeng, a seasoned pastor of an urban church in southern China. In his pastoral work, he observes that most confused believers lack a clear understanding of two crucial concepts: “the gospel” and “the church.” Faced with the problem of cults and heresies, they considered whether it was necessary to train believers in systematic theology, but for ordinary believers, mastering systematic theology can be daunting. Strengthening their faith foundation through direct biblical teachings is more accessible and effective. His church primarily relied on traditional Bible study groups to nurture believers, but these groups met only once a week, resulting in low frequency, low participation, and suboptimal outcomes. Therefore, they shifted to individual morning devotions as a learning method.
During the pandemic, they leveraged the Internet’s advantages to transform morning devotions into a 30-minute online session every weekday, starting with Bible reading, followed by verse explanations, and concluding with a “7-minute pastor’s sharing.” Within seven minutes, the pastor shared spiritual messages tailored to the church and believers’ current situations, emphasizing issues requiring attention and reflection. These messages were then packaged by group leaders and shared in their respective group chats, enabling those who missed the live broadcast to catch up. Participants could also share their insights and reflections in the group chats, using the morning devotion messages to guide and inform their daily lives. By evening, individuals would reflect on their experiences and takeaways from the day, sharing them with their families or in group gatherings with fellow believers.
Today, Pastor Zeng’s church has gradually transitioned from individual to collective morning devotions, fostering a shift from passive to proactive learning. This practice has not only engaged many believers, fostering their spiritual growth, but also nurtured vibrant young church leaders.
Many churches made similar attempts during the past three years of the pandemic, with noticeable results. Some pastors systematically examined and shared each book of the Old and New Testaments with their congregations. Some churches invite different pastors to take turns each morning to study the Old and New Testaments chapter by chapter. Numerous believers reported significant benefits from these activities.
Apart from morning devotional interactive activities, morning prayers have also proven effective in growing churches. A Christian writer from Fujian shared a case: “There is a church in Fujian that, despite being established for less than three decades, has experienced a surge in membership and produced over a dozen preachers. Its dedication to public welfare has garnered widespread praise both within and outside the church. When asked about the reasons for its revival, many believers mention the church’s vital ministry – the morning prayer meeting. Indeed, since its inception, the church has established a morning prayer meeting, which has grown from a handful of attendees to several hundred. Participants range from elderly individuals to young adults who attend the prayer meeting before heading to work every morning. Even during typhoons and rainstorms, the morning prayer meeting has never been canceled. During the pandemic, believers voluntarily continued their morning prayers at home.”
III. Providing abundant pastoral resources
Compared to over two decades ago, the current pastoral resources are significantly more abundant, and the approaches to pastoral ministry have become more flexible and diverse. The mainstream trend is toward group-based pastoral care. However, experienced pastors have discovered that dividing a church into small groups is fundamentally different from establishing a church made up of small groups, as the former merely represents a passive change in form, while the latter captures the essence.
Given that most congregations have grown accustomed to the traditional large-group gathering model over the past decade, a complete transition to small groups can lead to various issues. Many churches, therefore, maintain a hybrid model of large group gatherings combined with small groups. Some pastors caution that each church’s development path should be tailored to its unique context and environment, rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. In this regard, Pastor Liang from Guangdong firmly opposes the simplistic and rigid approach of mandating all churches to adopt small group structures.
Currently, there are various small group models in practice. For instance, some churches effectively utilize the “5G model,” while others develop their unique group pastoral care styles based on their characteristics. For instance, an urban church in central China emphasizes that group learning should always center on the Sunday sermon, relying on Jesus to solve problems rather than relying solely on oneself, and reducing the burden on group leaders rather than increasing it.
Regarding group materials, there is increasing diversity in resources for seekers, lay members, pastors’ development, and other issues. Therefore, blindly following others is not advisable; selecting materials that suit a specific church is crucial. Some pastors suggest that while it is essential to expose oneself to various resources and courses, a reasonable allocation centered on the Great Commission is necessary. Others create their own materials by drawing on the strengths of various sources, which can be an effective approach. For instance, a 95-year-old evangelist from a grassroots church in the coastal region of eastern China returns to serve full-time in a rural church in his hometown after graduating from an overseas seminary. He aspires to help transform this church into a group-based pastoral care model over seven years. To achieve this, he studied over ten sets of domestic and international group pastoral care materials and referenced more than 50 books. Finally, he compiled his own materials and trained group leaders, taking into account the high proportion of elderly members in the church he serves.
Pastoral care for families is also a growing trend. Many pastors conclude the sentiment that “pastoring the church is pastoring families.” For a long time, churches have focused more on individuals than families. However, as collectivism wanes, people seek a sense of belonging, and families, as one of the core units of belonging, have gained increasing importance in society. This trend is even more pronounced within churches, where families constitute a vital component.
Pastor Zheng from Zhejiang believes that the core of the church is the family. This idea stems from his participation in a training course on family harmony, where he witnessed the exceptional relationships among the participating families, deeply touching his heart. Recognizing his shortcomings in family pastoral care, he was inspired by the training and began implementing in-depth family-based pastoral care in his church.
Sister Cao from southern China recalls that when she first started a pastoral ministry over 20 years ago, many women in the church often sought her out to vent their troubles. “Singles cried to you, those who could not get married cried to you, women with marital problems cried to you, even those whose husbands did not believe in God cried to you.” These situations highlighted the need for coursework to cater to various age groups. Consequently, she and her husband focused on a key aspect of pastoral care – nurturing families, which they found to be more effective in producing fruit in the church. “From premarital counseling for church members to maintaining marriages and parenting children to honoring the elderly, each aspect is interconnected, forming a comprehensive system.”
Starting with courses on dating and marriage preparation for singles, they offer marriage camps and classes for married couples and parenting classes for older Christians, ensuring that brothers and sisters can find sufficient resources to help them at different stages of life.
In addition to these areas, pastoral care extends to various domains such as career development, financial management, and mental health, providing a more comprehensive approach to addressing people’s needs.
(To be continued...)
- Translated by Charlie Li
回顾1979-2009年间的中国基督教会，增长是其显著的特征之一，虽然存在许多问题和青涩，基层教会普遍性的品尝到当时的时代和发展红利，实现人数和规模性的倍数发展。
2009年至今，蓬勃增长期不再，虽然也有一些特殊时期抓住时机实现发展的教会（如疫情期间抓住网络聚会窗口），但普遍性上许多基层教会感受到增长上的乏力和保持活力的艰难，加上其他因素，使得不少牧者对也抱之以“躺平”的态度。笔者曾在走访一教会比较发达的地区时，听当地牧者评估说大约八成牧者或教会呈现出“躺平”的姿态，感到惊讶。这种氛围也加剧了认为教会很难继续保持活力和持续发展的认识。
但事实上，无论在何种时代和环境中，总有教会仿佛当时那地方灵性的灯塔一般，保持着活力和持续发展，薪火传承。今天亦是如此。和几十年前中国教会的形式单调相比，今天正统的新教教会在不同的地区都表现出其在类别和神学立场上都更为多元，按照类别比如有农村教会、城市教会、打工群体教会、职场教会等等，神学立场也包括基要派、灵恩派、福音派、改革宗等等。
可以说，在各种不同的地区、不同的神学立场、教会体制中，都能够寻觅到其中存在着保持着活力继续增长和发展的教会。虽然形态各异、特点不同，但它们都是抓住了教会的基本使命和职责——聚会、牧养、培育、服务和福传，去满足人群和时代的需求。
更详细一些考察这些呈现活力的教会案例，可以总结出七点经验，排序是按照最重要的程度到次重要的。只要踏实地做好2-3点，就能让一间教会恢复活力，实现增长；甚至有的教会可能只是做好其中一点，也使其呈现出吸引力。
以下是有关七点的总结：
1.重视主日敬拜和讲台
2.做好日常晨更和灵修
3.提供丰富的牧养资源
4.着力同工培训与教育
5.探索福传模式的转变
6.社会服务成为新延伸
7.更新管理和发展模式
本文作为第一部分，讨论了前三个要点，接下来即将发布的文章将阐述其余的要点。
一、重视主日敬拜和讲道
现实中粗略对比会发现，至少70%以上有活力的教会共同的特点是重视主日，把主日做好是最简单又最核心的关键点，尤其是主日的信息分享如同戒指中间的钻石一般。其实如果主日做好的话，牧会中至少60%以上的问题可以自行消失和解决。
但遗憾的是，现实真实的情况是可能高达70%的教会主日敬拜+证道做的不好。
新加坡生命堂督导与培训牧师苏立忠博士在一次分享中介绍了今日教会需要从知情意行四方面结合不同教派灵修传统来塑造基督徒健康生命的模式，他在谈完福音主义、灵恩运动、圣洁传统和天主教效法道成肉身的传统之后，说到这些传统融合和落实下来，今日个人崇拜和群体崇拜更新第一个建议就是主日崇拜的更新。他结合当下时代的特点分析说：“后现代主义的特点是选择性多。我们不喂养，孩子也会自己长大，但是会变得野，特别后现代主义没有死心塌地这回事。我们必须死心塌地的做好崇拜。”
而在具体实践上，他认为崇拜的更新分为三个部分：
1.圣诗：情感的部分。建议是活泼的风格，成为一周下来抒发自己感情、情感的环节，这时，新的信息更容易进去。
2. 圣道：理性的部分。最重要的是主讲人预备和传讲信息，要消自己化，不要照搬照抄，会更有感染力。
3. 意志：圣召的部分。这就好像耶稣的呼召“你们要去”，我们抒发了感情，听了信息，重新充满了恩典和力量后要“去”，最终礼拜结束时牧师的祝福就是一种差派，代表着离开崇拜现场后生命依然在得到着祝福，并且期待下一次崇拜。
这三点环环相扣，能够综合发力的话是能够发挥巨大的感染力。笔者曾参加过一城市教会的主日礼拜，无论是礼拜前的祷告预备、50分钟的赞美、家事报告和互动、还是证道信息、结束代祷，每个环节都具有吸引力，让身处手机瘾的信徒都可以沉浸其中，全程不看手机。而且有郊区和邻市的做公共交通或开车2个小时前来参加。其中的讲道尤其令人印象深刻，针对的是牧养牧会中发现的信众群体中普遍的问题从圣经的角度进行深刻剖析给灵魂以答案，并且辅以不少接地气的自己和身边人的案例。
另外，笔者去年曾有幸走访过温州市区的一些教堂，当天做了三场主日礼拜，每一家教会的讲道都要点清晰、激情洋溢。仔细考察的话，会发现当地有活力的教会在主日和讲台上都花费最多力气。
这些都是一个做好主日证道的正面例子，但其实反面案例更为突出。
在一线服事多年的不少教牧同工已经看到这点。北京一位李牧师谈到此点时，禁不住感叹说“太弱”来概括中国教会的讲台。广东一位刘牧师说：“讲道是现在中国教会里面的一个大问题，甚至可以说是最大的问题之一都不为过。”刘牧师提醒说，教会千万不能够被很多东西带偏，比如小组、团契、培训等等，“作为教会的牧者、传道人，最重要的工作就是一定要把上帝的道讲好。”
温州的一位叶牧师说讲好道是信徒留下来的基础。“教会不好好讲道，不能够很好的喂养信徒，人家凭什么还要来？一间教会在吸引信徒这个方面，我个人认为最起码百分之六十是讲台的因素，而且只多不少。”作为全职服事了几十年时间之久的牧者和讲道人，叶牧师显然知道今天的很多基督徒对教会讲道极其不满的情况。“其实也不是说信徒他们要求多高、对讲道人有多么挑剔，确实有很多讲道人根本就不知道信徒的现实情况，就在台上乱讲一气。”
广东的刘牧师强调说，牧者和传道人有必要重新开始学习讲道，而他也是牧会多年后这样做的。讲道有要学习的基本原则和实践锻炼，但讲道人不下功夫、不花时间、不祷告的话时不可能预备好一篇优秀讲章的。
教会也必须重视讲道人的培养和做好这方面的监督和约束体制。温州的叶牧师再次强调说：“之所以出现讲道不好的情况很大的原因在于没有教会管理。因为没有管理或者说教会的管理机制非常不健全，以教会负责人为首的很多教牧同工的家长制作风就会变得非常严重。没有人评估他们讲的好坏与否，同工不敢讲，下面的信徒更不敢随便跟牧师、传道人说你讲道不好。因为如果有人‘大逆不道’这么说的话，牧者会说这个信徒不顺服、不服从教会的权柄。所以教会一定需要治理和监督机制，讲道人讲不好道的话信徒一定要能够干涉甚至把讲道人罢免掉。”
二、做好日常晨更和灵修
日常的晨更和灵修是教会对抗异端最好的方式之一，这是华南一位城市教会的资深牧者曾牧师的发现。他在牧会中发现，大部分迷糊的信徒是不明白“福音”与“教会”这两大重要信息，面对异端邪教的问题，他们也考虑过是否有必要向信徒培训系统神学，但对于普通信徒而言，系统神学学习起来难度大，通过圣经话语的直接教导来坚固信徒的信仰根基会更容易和更有果效。他所在的教会也主要以传统的小组查经来培养信徒，但小组查经以一周一次的讲座为主，频率低、参与度低、效果较差。因此，他们很早之前就转向了个人晨更的学习方式。
疫情时期，他们结合网络的优势把把晨更变为每周一到周五的线上半个小时，通常以读经开始，接着是经文讲解，最后会用“7分钟牧者分享”来做结束。在这7分钟内，牧者主要结合教会及信徒现状，分享一些需要重点关注与思考的属灵信息，这些信息会被小组长打包分享在各自的小组群，以便让错过直播的人及时补听。大家也可以在群里随时分享自己的心得与感悟，以晨更信息来指导和践行一天的生活。到了晚上，个人便能将一天的经历与收获再次带回家庭分享给自己的家人，或者带入小组聚会中分享给参与的信徒们。
如今，曾牧师教会的牧养方式已经以逐步由个人晨更过渡为集体晨更，也实现了由被动学习到推动学习，再到主动学习的转变。这样的晨更不仅带动了许多信徒参与进来，帮助了个人的信仰成长，还培养起了许多很有活力的年轻教会领袖。
不仅他们，事实上不少教会在疫情三年里面有类似的尝试，显出效果。有牧者逐卷查考了旧约和新约分享给会众，也有教会邀请不同牧者早上轮流逐章查考新旧约，许多信徒表示受益匪浅。
除了晨更，晨祷也是不少教会增长的经验。福建一位基督徒撰稿人分享了这样一个案例：“福建有这么一家教会，创立不到三十年，可就在此时间里，不但信徒数量激增，还走出了十几位传道人。其热心公益的行为，更是得到教内外的广泛赞誉。当有人问这家教会复兴的原因时，不少弟兄姐妹都会提到教会所开展的一项重要事工——晨祷会。的确从教会开创之初，教堂就设立了晨祷会，从一开始的寥寥数人，发展到有好几百人的规模。参加者不仅有白发苍苍的老者，有些年轻人每天早上都会来此晨祷后，再去上班。即使刮风下雨，晨祷会也从未中断。而在疫情防疫期间，弟兄姐妹也能自觉地在家里进行晨祷。”
三、提供丰富的牧养资源
当下的牧养资源和二十多年前比较，已经丰富许多。牧养的方式上也是开始灵活多样，当下最为主流的趋势是小组化。虽然有具体实践的牧者已经发现，把教会化整为零变成小组，和小组教会是截然不同的，因为前者只是被动的形式改变，后面才是抓住精髓。
鉴于过去10多年来大多数会众习惯了大堂会制聚会模式，所以完全变成小组也会导致许多问题，因为不少教会保持着大堂+小组一起的模式。有牧者提醒说，不同的地方和环境的环境情况都不相同，因此一所教会要怎么发展，并不能一刀切。因此，广东的梁牧师坚决反对“所有教会一定要小组化”这样简单粗暴、一刀切式的做法。
当下有许多不同的小组模式，比如有教会把5G模式用的很好。也有的教材是结合自身的特点，形成了自己的小组牧养风格，如华中一家城市教会强调，小组学习永远以主日信息为中心；叫醒耶稣，让耶稣解决问题而不是靠着我们自己；并且教会给组长“减负”而不是“增负”等。
在小组教材上，不管是慕道友、还是平信徒，牧者提升或者其他方面，资源上也愈来愈多元化。因此，盲目跟从不可取，选取合适自己教会的教材是关键。有牧者建议说，各种资源和课程当然都可以接触、学习，但需要合理的配置，以大使命为中心。也有牧者博采众家之长之后制作自己的教材，也是不错的方式。华东沿海地区一位95年基层教会传道人在海外的神学院毕业后，他回到自己的家乡一所乡村教堂全职服事。他希望扎根这里七年，用七年的时间帮助这个乡村教会转型成小组牧养的教会，因此他学习了十多套海内外的小组牧养的教材，并参考了50多本书后，最后结合自己服事的教会老年人居多的情况，编写了教材并培养小组长。
牧养家庭也是当下重视的趋势之一。“牧会就是牧家”，不少牧者如此总结他们的经验。过期长时间以来，教会关注的多是个体而非家庭，但集体主义弱化后，人心需要一种归属感，家庭作为最核心的归属之一，社会人群也开始更重视家庭。而家庭作为教会的重要组成部分，趋势更为明显。
浙江一位郑牧师认为，教会的核心就是家。这个理念是源于他参加过一个关于家庭和睦的培训课程，他看到参加课程的一对对家庭关系特别好，让他的心很受触动。他看到了自己牧养家庭的短板，培训课程给了他很大的启发，于是他就回到自己的教会开始实践这个以家庭为单位的深度牧养。
华南一位曹师母回忆说，20多年前刚牧会时，教会里很多姐妹常常找师母哭诉，“单身的也找你哭，结不了婚的也找你哭，和老公关系有问题，老公不信主的也找你哭。”这些情况让他们看到了做课程辅导各个年龄层群体的需要，于是她和自己的丈夫一起看到牧会要抓住一个焦点——牧养家庭，更容易产生牧会的果效，“对教会弟兄姐妹从婚前的辅导到婚后婚姻的维护，再到孩子的教养，对老人的孝敬。每一个部分都去关照的时候，就连成了一个系统。”
从恋爱辅祷班开始，教单身人士怎么谈恋爱，怎么预备进入婚姻；对已婚夫妇做夫妻营，夫妻课堂；对年老的基督徒做父母课堂，让有需求的弟兄姊妹在不同的阶段都能找到足够的内容帮助到他们。
除了这些之外，职场、理财、心理健康等各方面都是牧养发力的领域，可以更为全面地关怀到人群的需要。
【角声】观察与分析| 七点：赋能中国基层教会，恢复活力更新发展
When looking back at the churches in China between 1979 and 2009, we can see that growth was one of its most prominent features. Despite numerous challenges and inexperience, grassroots churches generally benefited from the era and developmental dividends, achieving exponential growth in membership and size.
Since 2009, the period of vigorous growth has subsided. While some churches have seized opportunities for development during special times (such as leveraging online gatherings during the pandemic), many grassroots churches generally feel the strain of stagnation and struggle to maintain vitality. Coupled with other factors, this has led many pastors to adopt a laid-back mentality. During a visit to a region with relatively developed churches, I was surprised to hear local pastors estimate that about 80% of pastors or churches show this laid-back attitude, exacerbating the perception that churches are struggling to sustain vitality and continuous development.
However, regardless of the era or environment, there are always churches that serve as spiritual beacons, maintaining vitality and continuous growth, passing on the faith. This holds true today. Compared to the monotonous forms of Chinese churches decades ago, today’s orthodox Protestant churches exhibit greater diversity in terms of categories and theological stances. By category, there are rural churches, urban churches, migrant worker churches, and churches for professionals, etc. Theological stances encompass Fundamentalism, Charismaticism, Evangelicalism, Reformed theology, and others.
Within the diversities of regions, theological positions, and church systems, we can find churches that remain vibrant and sustainable. Although they vary in form and characteristics, they all grasp the fundamental missions and responsibilities of a church – gathering, nurturing, training, serving, and evangelizing – to meet the needs of people and the times.
Upon closer examination of these vibrant cases, seven key principles are concluded, ranked from most to least important. By solidly implementing two or three of these points, a church can regain vitality and achieve growth; some churches may even exhibit attractiveness by excelling in just one of these points.
Below are the seven points:
I. Emphasizing Sunday worship and sermons
II. Fostering daily devotion and spirituality
III. Providing abundant pastoral resources
IV. Investing in training and education for fellow workers
V. Exploring changes of evangelization
VI. Extending into social services as a new dimension
VII. Updating management and development modes
This article, part 1, discusses the first three points and the incoming article will articulate the rest points.
I. Emphasizing Sunday worship and sermons
When we take a closer look at reality, it becomes evident that over 70% of thriving churches share a common trait: they prioritize Sunday worship, recognizing that doing it well is the simplest yet most crucial key. In particular, the sermon messages shared on Sunday are akin to the diamond at the center of a ring. If Sunday worships are conducted effectively, at least 60% of the issues faced in pastoral ministry can resolve themselves naturally.
Regrettably, the harsh reality is that perhaps up to 70% of churches do not excel in their Sunday worship and sermon delivery.
Rev Dr Caleb Soo Lee Chong, a supervisory and training pastor at Singapore Life Church, once talked about the necessity for today’s churches to foster healthy Christian lives by integrating the spiritual traditions of different denominations through four aspects: knowledge, affection, will, and action. After addressing the traditions of Evangelicalism, the Charismatic movement, the Holiness tradition, and the Catholic tradition of imitating the Incarnation, he emphasized that the first recommendation for renewing both personal and communal worship today is to revitalize Sunday worship. Analyzing the characteristics of the current era, he stated, “Postmodernism is characterized by an abundance of choices. Children will grow up even if we do not feed them, but they may become wild, especially in a postmodern world where unwavering devotion is scarce. We must wholeheartedly devote ourselves to worship.”
In terms of practical implementation, he suggested that worship renewal encompasses three parts.
Hymns: The emotional aspect. It is recommended to adopt a lively style, serving as a weekly outlet for expressing feelings and emotions. During this time, new messages are more readily absorbed.
Sermons: The rational aspect. The utmost importance lies in the speaker’s preparation and delivery of the message, emphasizing personalization and avoiding rote recitation, thereby enhancing its appeal.
Willfulness: The holy calling aspect. Similar to Jesus’ calling to “go,” we must also “go” as a response in addition to emotions, rationality, grace, and strength. The pastor’s benediction at the end of the worship serves as commissioning, signifying that our lives continue to receive blessings even after leaving the worship venue, and we anticipate the next worship service.
The above three parts are interconnected, and their combined effort can generate immense influence. I once attended a Sunday worship service in an urban church where every session, from the preparatory prayers, the 50-minute praise and worship, church announcements and interactions, sermon delivery, to the closing prayer, was captivating. Even believers who were addicted to their phones could immerse themselves fully, avoiding distractions throughout. Some attendees traveled two hours by public transportation or car from suburban areas and neighboring cities to participate. The sermon, particularly impressive, addressed prevalent issues identified among the congregation from a biblical perspective, providing spiritual answers and supplementing them with relatable personal and real-life examples.
Moreover, I had the privilege of visiting several churches in downtown Wenzhou last year and attended three Sunday worship services. Each sermon was clear, passionate, and thoughtfully crafted. Upon closer inspection, it becomes evident that the vibrant churches in the area invest the most effort into their Sunday worship and sermons.
These are positive examples of effective Sunday sermons, but the negative cases are even stickier.
Many pastors who have served for years have observed this. Pastor Li in Beijing lamented and gave one word "weak” to identify the pulpit services in Chinese churches. Pastor Liu in Guangdong responded, “Sermon delivery is a significant issue, if not the biggest, in Chinese churches today.” He cautioned that churches must not be distracted by other activities such as small groups, fellowships, and training. “As pastors and preachers, our most crucial task is to preach God’s Word well.”
Pastor Ye from Wenzhou emphasized that preaching well is the foundation for retaining believers. “If a church does not preach well and cannot adequately nourish believers, why would they continue to attend? In terms of attracting believers, I believe that at least 60% of the factor lies in the pulpit, and perhaps even more,” he said. As a pastor who has served full-time for decades, Pastor Ye is acutely aware of the widespread dissatisfaction with sermons among many Christians today. “It is not that believers have overly high expectations or are overly critical of preachers. Rather, many preachers simply do not understand the reality of believers’ situations and speak haphazardly on the pulpit,” he noted.
Pastor Liu from Guangdong stressed that pastors and preachers need to relearn the art of preaching, which he has done after many years of pastoral work. While there are fundamental principles and practical exercises to learn for preaching, preachers cannot prepare an excellent sermon without putting in effort, time, and prayer.
Churches must also prioritize the training, supervision, and accountability of preachers. Pastor Ye from Wenzhou reiterated, “A significant reason for poor preaching lies in the lack of church management. Without proper management or a robust governance structure, a patriarchal leadership style among pastors and pastoral staff becomes prevalent. No one evaluates the quality of their sermons, and fellow staff members are afraid to speak up, let alone believers daring to tell pastors or preachers that their preaching is inadequate. If someone dares to do so, they may be labeled as disobedient or defiant against church authority. Therefore, churches must establish governance and supervision mechanisms to allow believers to intervene and even dismiss preachers who fail to preach effectively.”
II. Fostering daily devotion and spiritual practices
Daily morning devotions and spiritual disciplines are among the best ways for churches to combat heresy, as discovered by Pastor Zeng, a seasoned pastor of an urban church in southern China. In his pastoral work, he observes that most confused believers lack a clear understanding of two crucial concepts: “the gospel” and “the church.” Faced with the problem of cults and heresies, they considered whether it was necessary to train believers in systematic theology, but for ordinary believers, mastering systematic theology can be daunting. Strengthening their faith foundation through direct biblical teachings is more accessible and effective. His church primarily relied on traditional Bible study groups to nurture believers, but these groups met only once a week, resulting in low frequency, low participation, and suboptimal outcomes. Therefore, they shifted to individual morning devotions as a learning method.
During the pandemic, they leveraged the Internet’s advantages to transform morning devotions into a 30-minute online session every weekday, starting with Bible reading, followed by verse explanations, and concluding with a “7-minute pastor’s sharing.” Within seven minutes, the pastor shared spiritual messages tailored to the church and believers’ current situations, emphasizing issues requiring attention and reflection. These messages were then packaged by group leaders and shared in their respective group chats, enabling those who missed the live broadcast to catch up. Participants could also share their insights and reflections in the group chats, using the morning devotion messages to guide and inform their daily lives. By evening, individuals would reflect on their experiences and takeaways from the day, sharing them with their families or in group gatherings with fellow believers.
Today, Pastor Zeng’s church has gradually transitioned from individual to collective morning devotions, fostering a shift from passive to proactive learning. This practice has not only engaged many believers, fostering their spiritual growth, but also nurtured vibrant young church leaders.
Many churches made similar attempts during the past three years of the pandemic, with noticeable results. Some pastors systematically examined and shared each book of the Old and New Testaments with their congregations. Some churches invite different pastors to take turns each morning to study the Old and New Testaments chapter by chapter. Numerous believers reported significant benefits from these activities.
Apart from morning devotional interactive activities, morning prayers have also proven effective in growing churches. A Christian writer from Fujian shared a case: “There is a church in Fujian that, despite being established for less than three decades, has experienced a surge in membership and produced over a dozen preachers. Its dedication to public welfare has garnered widespread praise both within and outside the church. When asked about the reasons for its revival, many believers mention the church’s vital ministry – the morning prayer meeting. Indeed, since its inception, the church has established a morning prayer meeting, which has grown from a handful of attendees to several hundred. Participants range from elderly individuals to young adults who attend the prayer meeting before heading to work every morning. Even during typhoons and rainstorms, the morning prayer meeting has never been canceled. During the pandemic, believers voluntarily continued their morning prayers at home.”
III. Providing abundant pastoral resources
Compared to over two decades ago, the current pastoral resources are significantly more abundant, and the approaches to pastoral ministry have become more flexible and diverse. The mainstream trend is toward group-based pastoral care. However, experienced pastors have discovered that dividing a church into small groups is fundamentally different from establishing a church made up of small groups, as the former merely represents a passive change in form, while the latter captures the essence.
Given that most congregations have grown accustomed to the traditional large-group gathering model over the past decade, a complete transition to small groups can lead to various issues. Many churches, therefore, maintain a hybrid model of large group gatherings combined with small groups. Some pastors caution that each church’s development path should be tailored to its unique context and environment, rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. In this regard, Pastor Liang from Guangdong firmly opposes the simplistic and rigid approach of mandating all churches to adopt small group structures.
Currently, there are various small group models in practice. For instance, some churches effectively utilize the “5G model,” while others develop their unique group pastoral care styles based on their characteristics. For instance, an urban church in central China emphasizes that group learning should always center on the Sunday sermon, relying on Jesus to solve problems rather than relying solely on oneself, and reducing the burden on group leaders rather than increasing it.
Regarding group materials, there is increasing diversity in resources for seekers, lay members, pastors’ development, and other issues. Therefore, blindly following others is not advisable; selecting materials that suit a specific church is crucial. Some pastors suggest that while it is essential to expose oneself to various resources and courses, a reasonable allocation centered on the Great Commission is necessary. Others create their own materials by drawing on the strengths of various sources, which can be an effective approach. For instance, a 95-year-old evangelist from a grassroots church in the coastal region of eastern China returns to serve full-time in a rural church in his hometown after graduating from an overseas seminary. He aspires to help transform this church into a group-based pastoral care model over seven years. To achieve this, he studied over ten sets of domestic and international group pastoral care materials and referenced more than 50 books. Finally, he compiled his own materials and trained group leaders, taking into account the high proportion of elderly members in the church he serves.
Pastoral care for families is also a growing trend. Many pastors conclude the sentiment that “pastoring the church is pastoring families.” For a long time, churches have focused more on individuals than families. However, as collectivism wanes, people seek a sense of belonging, and families, as one of the core units of belonging, have gained increasing importance in society. This trend is even more pronounced within churches, where families constitute a vital component.
Pastor Zheng from Zhejiang believes that the core of the church is the family. This idea stems from his participation in a training course on family harmony, where he witnessed the exceptional relationships among the participating families, deeply touching his heart. Recognizing his shortcomings in family pastoral care, he was inspired by the training and began implementing in-depth family-based pastoral care in his church.
Sister Cao from southern China recalls that when she first started a pastoral ministry over 20 years ago, many women in the church often sought her out to vent their troubles. “Singles cried to you, those who could not get married cried to you, women with marital problems cried to you, even those whose husbands did not believe in God cried to you.” These situations highlighted the need for coursework to cater to various age groups. Consequently, she and her husband focused on a key aspect of pastoral care – nurturing families, which they found to be more effective in producing fruit in the church. “From premarital counseling for church members to maintaining marriages and parenting children to honoring the elderly, each aspect is interconnected, forming a comprehensive system.”
Starting with courses on dating and marriage preparation for singles, they offer marriage camps and classes for married couples and parenting classes for older Christians, ensuring that brothers and sisters can find sufficient resources to help them at different stages of life.
In addition to these areas, pastoral care extends to various domains such as career development, financial management, and mental health, providing a more comprehensive approach to addressing people’s needs.
(To be continued...)
- Translated by Charlie Li
Voice: Seven Key Points Empower Grassroots Churches in China to Restore Vitality, Part 1
