During a Sunday worship service at a century-old church in a provincial capital, the service team, dressed in holy robes, led believers in worshipping from the front. The attendees, seated in a clean and comfortable environment, participated in the service. However, unlike the previous scenes of packed pews, the congregants were scattered, with only about 200 people, making the church look sparsely populated.
In the same city, there is another century-old church built about 20 years later than the first. It also had a large number of worshippers and choir members attending Sunday services. However, throughout the sermon, Christians were unresponsive. Occasionally, a phone would ring, and some people were glued to their phones, while others walked in and out from the beginning to the end of the service.
This scene stands in stark contrast to what it was 20 or 30 years ago. Back then, the conditions of the churches were far from what they are today. Most worship spaces were small and poorly equipped. However, people's enthusiasm for worship was overwhelming. Stairways, corridors, and courtyards were filled with people. Many believers had a deep thirst for God’s word. In the mountainous areas, believers would light torches and descend the mountains before dawn, walking three or four hours to reach the church. Others who lived even farther away would begin their journey on Saturday. Revival meetings at that time were eagerly awaited by believers.
Seeing the current state of the church, Reverend Liang, who has been pastoring in Northeast China for 20 years, remarked, "People today have far less hunger for God's word than they did before." For example, in the past, Christmas services would attract large crowds, and during the altar call, over a hundred people would respond even in his suburban church. Nowadays, only a few do. Liang believes that the main reason is the abundance of entertainment activities that now attract people's attention.
Outside the church, many people are glued to their phones whenever they have free time. Square dancing has also become widespread, with many young people joining in with energetic dance moves. Sometimes, there are as many as seven or eight dance groups in a square, some with 40 or 50 people. Additionally, there are various amusement parks, game rooms, and shopping streets.
Some professionals are so tired from work that they have no energy to attend services. A youth fellowship leader mentioned that while there used to be 20 or 30 people attending gatherings, now only a few remain. After a long day at work, many people just want to relax, scrolling through their phones to unwind, with no energy left to worship God. She said she even feels embarrassed to invite them to services, let alone ask them to serve.
Not only are unbelievers reluctant to come to church, but the faith of some Christians has also grown cold, and their participation has declined. In response to this, Pastor Liang proposed the concept of "Theology of Service." He believes this aligns with Christian faith, and building relationships is also crucial in Chinese culture. Jesus himself declared that He came to serve, not to be served. He incarnated, preached, and healed the sick, casting out demons and dying on the cross for those He loved. The early disciples left their homes to spread the gospel and save souls, with many becoming martyrs. A century or two ago, Western missionaries gave up their comfortable lives to come to China, engaging in social services such as building schools, and hospitals, and improving the environment. Liang stated that the Chinese church still needs to walk this path today.
Liang has already started practicing the "Theology of Service" in the church he leads, identifying the needs of the congregants and the surrounding community and finding ways to help. For example, when people need legal knowledge, the church invites professionals to give lectures. When they notice that elderly people lack health knowledge, they arrange for relevant experts to give talks. If young people are unemployed at home, the church helps them find jobs. During holidays like the Spring Festival, the church gives gifts to the elderly in the neighborhood. When believers pass away, the church assists in funeral arrangements. Liang emphasized that the core of Christianity is love, for God is love, and Christians should live a life of love. All the good deeds the church does are motivated by pure love, without any intent to deliberately evangelize. However, when people come to the church seeking God's word, the church is prepared to fulfill this mission, as only God’s word can truly quench the thirst of the human soul.
Service should not be confined to within the church. Liang hopes that Christians will carry the spirit of service into their families, workplaces, communities, and every place they go. He believes that Chinese Christians place too much emphasis on verbal evangelism, while in fact, actions of love are some of the most powerful tools of evangelism.
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
在一座省会城市的一所百年堂的主日崇拜中，服侍人员身着圣服在台前带领着聚会；台下的会众在干净舒适的环境中跟着做礼拜。与以往济济一堂的场景不同，会众们分散着就座；看起来稀稀拉拉的，也就两百人左右。
这座城市里还有另外一所百年教堂，建造时间比第一所晚二十年左右。参加主日聚会的信徒人数不少，诗班成员也多。但是，整个证道过程信徒都没有回应，教堂内偶尔有电话铃声响起。有人在低头刷着手机，从聚会开始到结束不时有人走进走出。
这个聚会场景跟二三十年前的形成强烈的反差。那时各地教会的聚会条件远远比不上今天，大多数的聚会场所空间狭小，设备简陋。然而，人们参加聚会的热情高涨；楼梯上、过道里、院子中都坐满了人。那时，涌现出很多渴慕神话语的信徒：为了参加主日礼拜，住在山区里的信徒天未亮就打着火把下山，走上三四个小时才能到教会；还有离得更远的，需要周六就步行出发；那时各地的培灵会，更是信徒们期盼的属灵盛宴……
看到今天教会的光景，在东北牧会20年的梁牧师感慨道：“当下人们对于神话语的渴慕大不如前了。”他举了一个例子：以前参加圣诞节聚会的人很多，到了呼召环节，就连他所在的郊区教会能有一百多人响应呼召；现在的话，寥寥无几。梁牧师认为，主要是如今吸引人们的娱乐活动太多。
教堂外，很多人都是机不离，一有空闲就刷起了手机；广场舞也遍地开花，不少年轻人带着劲爆的舞蹈加入了进来；甚至在开阔的广场上有七八个舞蹈队，人数多的能有四五十人；其他的还有各类的游乐场、棋牌室、商业街。
另外一些职场人士疲于工作，无心参加聚会。一个青年团契的负责同工说原本有二三十人参加聚会，如今只剩个位数。忙完一天的工作，一些人只想安静地歇歇，藉着刷刷手机给自己放空一下，已经没有心力去教会聚会。她说都不好意思邀请他们前来聚会，更别提希望他们参与服侍了。
未信主的人不愿意到教堂来，一些教会里的基督徒信仰也变得冷淡，参与度下降。对此，梁牧师提出了“服侍神学”，他认为这契合基督教信仰以及中国人重视关系的特质。耶稣直言他来是要服侍人，不是受人的服侍，他道成肉身、传道、医病、赶鬼，直至为了所爱的人被钉在了十字架上；初代的门徒们为了传福音救灵魂而抛家舍业，不少人成为了殉道士；一两百年前，西方的传教士们舍弃了优越的生活条件来到中国，做了许多诸如兴建学校和医院、治理环境等社会服务；当下的中国教会依然需要走这条道路。
梁牧师已经开始在所负责的教会践行“服侍神学”，就是去寻找信徒以及周围人们的需要，然后想办法去给予帮助。比如，当看到人们需要法律方面的相关知识时，教会就邀请专业人士开办讲座；当看到一些老年人缺乏健康知识时，教会也邀请相关的专业人士做讲座；看到有的年轻人在家待业，教会就帮助他们寻找工作；春节等节假日，教会为周边的老人送去礼物；信徒归天家时，教会帮助安排后事……梁牧师说，基督教的核心是爱，神就是爱，基督徒本应过着爱的生活；教会所做的这一切善事是出于单纯的爱，不会刻意跟对方传福音。当然，当人们走进教会想要寻求神的话语时，教会会做好这本质的工作，因为只有神的话语可以根本地解决人内心的干渴。
服侍不能仅限于教会内部，梁牧师盼望基督徒们可以将服侍的精神带到家庭中、职场中、小区里；带到自己所到的每一个地方。他认为，中国基督徒太看重用口传福音。实际上，爱的行动是福音更有力的见证。
一位牧会20年的牧者：“服侍神学”是当今教会复兴的秘诀
During a Sunday worship service at a century-old church in a provincial capital, the service team, dressed in holy robes, led believers in worshipping from the front. The attendees, seated in a clean and comfortable environment, participated in the service. However, unlike the previous scenes of packed pews, the congregants were scattered, with only about 200 people, making the church look sparsely populated.
In the same city, there is another century-old church built about 20 years later than the first. It also had a large number of worshippers and choir members attending Sunday services. However, throughout the sermon, Christians were unresponsive. Occasionally, a phone would ring, and some people were glued to their phones, while others walked in and out from the beginning to the end of the service.
This scene stands in stark contrast to what it was 20 or 30 years ago. Back then, the conditions of the churches were far from what they are today. Most worship spaces were small and poorly equipped. However, people's enthusiasm for worship was overwhelming. Stairways, corridors, and courtyards were filled with people. Many believers had a deep thirst for God’s word. In the mountainous areas, believers would light torches and descend the mountains before dawn, walking three or four hours to reach the church. Others who lived even farther away would begin their journey on Saturday. Revival meetings at that time were eagerly awaited by believers.
Seeing the current state of the church, Reverend Liang, who has been pastoring in Northeast China for 20 years, remarked, "People today have far less hunger for God's word than they did before." For example, in the past, Christmas services would attract large crowds, and during the altar call, over a hundred people would respond even in his suburban church. Nowadays, only a few do. Liang believes that the main reason is the abundance of entertainment activities that now attract people's attention.
Outside the church, many people are glued to their phones whenever they have free time. Square dancing has also become widespread, with many young people joining in with energetic dance moves. Sometimes, there are as many as seven or eight dance groups in a square, some with 40 or 50 people. Additionally, there are various amusement parks, game rooms, and shopping streets.
Some professionals are so tired from work that they have no energy to attend services. A youth fellowship leader mentioned that while there used to be 20 or 30 people attending gatherings, now only a few remain. After a long day at work, many people just want to relax, scrolling through their phones to unwind, with no energy left to worship God. She said she even feels embarrassed to invite them to services, let alone ask them to serve.
Not only are unbelievers reluctant to come to church, but the faith of some Christians has also grown cold, and their participation has declined. In response to this, Pastor Liang proposed the concept of "Theology of Service." He believes this aligns with Christian faith, and building relationships is also crucial in Chinese culture. Jesus himself declared that He came to serve, not to be served. He incarnated, preached, and healed the sick, casting out demons and dying on the cross for those He loved. The early disciples left their homes to spread the gospel and save souls, with many becoming martyrs. A century or two ago, Western missionaries gave up their comfortable lives to come to China, engaging in social services such as building schools, and hospitals, and improving the environment. Liang stated that the Chinese church still needs to walk this path today.
Liang has already started practicing the "Theology of Service" in the church he leads, identifying the needs of the congregants and the surrounding community and finding ways to help. For example, when people need legal knowledge, the church invites professionals to give lectures. When they notice that elderly people lack health knowledge, they arrange for relevant experts to give talks. If young people are unemployed at home, the church helps them find jobs. During holidays like the Spring Festival, the church gives gifts to the elderly in the neighborhood. When believers pass away, the church assists in funeral arrangements. Liang emphasized that the core of Christianity is love, for God is love, and Christians should live a life of love. All the good deeds the church does are motivated by pure love, without any intent to deliberately evangelize. However, when people come to the church seeking God's word, the church is prepared to fulfill this mission, as only God’s word can truly quench the thirst of the human soul.
Service should not be confined to within the church. Liang hopes that Christians will carry the spirit of service into their families, workplaces, communities, and every place they go. He believes that Chinese Christians place too much emphasis on verbal evangelism, while in fact, actions of love are some of the most powerful tools of evangelism.
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
Pastor: Theology of Service Is Secret to Church Revival
