I met Shuya, a male pastor who was born in the 1980s, at the end of June this year, in his home. When we arrived, his wife was playing with their three-year-old child. The child was quite energetic, running around and sweating heavily. However, there was no air conditioning or even a fan in the house.
When we arrived, Shuya quickly turned on the air conditioner, as the temperature outside was 40°C. After a while, the temperature in the room began to drop, and we were able to have a proper conversation.
The Church’s Unjust Dismissal of His Wife
Shuya and his wife had both been serving full-time at a church for several years. One day, a church leader approached his wife and told her, “You can continue to serve, but the church will no longer support you financially.” Later, Shuya learned that another sister in Christ was also dismissed at the same time. Both had children, and the church felt that raising children hindered their ability to serve in the mission field.
After being dismissed, Shuya’s wife was heartbroken and deeply hurt, unable to accept what had happened.
Struggles of a Grassroots Pastor’s Family
For Shuya, whose family lives a modest life, providing for them was already difficult, and it became even harder after his wife was dismissed. He serves full-time at the church, earning a base salary of only 1,000 yuan. He is required to preach every Sunday and fast once a month. Additionally, he earns 150 yuan each time he goes out to serve.
Shuya has been serving the church for many years. Over time, his full-time ministry has transitioned from being stationed at one place to circuit preaching (assigned duties) to urban church planting.
However, the assignments are often decided solely by church leaders, who determine who gets assigned and how much work they receive. Those with closer relationships with the leaders often get more assignments, while others with less rapport receive fewer.
Eventually, Shuya realized that he and other grassroots pastors were being unfairly treated, with few assignments each month. As a result, his monthly earnings, including his base salary, often amounted to around 2,000 yuan. In the 2020s, this amount is far from enough to support a family in a big city.
Preachers are humans too. They need to pay rent and their children’s kindergarten fees—two major expenses for his family. Beyond these, they also need money for groceries, utilities, gas, internet, transportation, communication, and clothing. And of course, there are occasional medical expenses for both adults and children.
Struggling Forward: Urban Church Planting
About a year ago, Shuya decided to challenge himself by planting a church in an urban area. Church planting had some economic advantages for his family—the church could support them financially for three years, significantly easing their burden during that time. After three years, however, they would need to be self-sufficient.
One of the main reasons he decided to plant a church was due to two sources. During a particularly difficult time in his ministry and personal life, an older Christian woman saw his struggles and suggested, “Why not go plant a church?” Initially, he was worried about whether it would succeed. After visiting the city, she encouraged him, saying that if he wasn’t afraid of failure, there was nothing to fear. Her words greatly changed his perspective.
Last year, Shuya took a leadership training course. One of the courses encouraged trainees to break out of their comfort zones and be willing to try new things. He recalled from the course a video, which showed a horse stuck in the mud and struggling to escape. Other horses gathered around, cheering it on, and with their help and encouragement, it finally got out of the mud. “After finishing the course, I thought, ‘I need to try. Even if I fail in the end, I won’t regret it. Ministry shouldn’t always be comfortable; sometimes it requires taking risks and stepping outside your comfort zone.’”
With this decision made, Shuya discussed it with his church leaders, and they agreed to support him for three years. After that, Shuya and his family moved to the city to begin planting the church.
From Shuya’s personal perspective, “I came here mainly to challenge myself. Before, I had experienced some unfair treatment within the team.”
The support for church planting is time-limited. After three years, the support will completely end. “If things go well and the small group grows, I can establish myself here. But if there’s little progress, I might have to move or even leave the team.”
Despite the financial support from the team, the family’s economic burden remains heavy. The team provides Shuya with several thousand yuan a month, but kindergarten alone costs more than 2,000 yuan per month, and rent is 1,500 yuan—these are fixed expenses each month.
Given this situation, Shuya often has to take on temporary jobs—working as a mall security guard or handing out flyers on the street. He even tried delivering packages and food, but found that earning more money required significant time commitment.
Final Thoughts
When we finished talking, it was already past 10 p.m. As Shuya walked us out, he sent a message to his wife, asking her to “turn off the air conditioner.” I had been in his home for over two hours, and the air conditioning during that time would have cost about 2.5 yuan in electricity.
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
和书亚弟兄的见面是今年6月末在他的家里。见面的时候，书亚的妻子正在带着三岁的孩子玩。孩子很调皮，玩得满头大汗。只是，书亚弟兄的家里却并没有开空调，也没有见到任何风扇的身影。
见到我们来了，书亚赶紧把空调打开，当时室外温度40℃。过了一会，温度慢慢降下来了，我们的对话才得以正常进行。
妻子被教会无故辞退 书亚弟兄家雪上加霜
本来，书亚弟兄和妻子都在一所教会里面全职服事，并且已经持续了好几年的时间。
有一天，教会一名负责人找到了书亚弟兄的妻子，并且告诉她——“今后你可以继续参与服事，只是团队不会再供应你了。”后来，书亚弟兄了解到还有另外一名姊妹同工也被一起辞退了。因她们都结婚有了孩子，教会认为她们带孩子不能去到外面的禾场工作，影响服事。
被辞退以后，书亚弟兄的妻子非常难过，心灵受到很大的损伤，一时之间不能够接受。
基层传道人那难养的家
对家境非常普通的书亚弟兄来说，养家很难，在他妻子被教会辞退以后就更是如此了。书亚弟兄在教会全职服事，底薪只有1000块钱。他需要每个主日讲道，然后每个月还必须要禁食一天。另外他出去服侍一次，就得150元。
书亚弟兄已经在教会服事了很多年的时间。这么多年以来，他的全职服事模式经历了驻点式——巡回式（派工制）——城市植堂的转变。
但派工常常是教会领袖一个人说了算，怎么派工、给一个人派多少都是领袖来决定的。有的人跟领袖关系很好，那领袖可能就会给他多派工；有的人跟领袖没有什么交情和关系，那领袖可能就会给他少派工。
最终书亚弟兄发现，包括他在内的一些基层传道人受到了领袖不公平的对待，每个月的派工往往都很少。因此一个月下来实际能够拿到的钱并不多，包括底薪在内很多时候都在2000块钱左右。而对书亚弟兄来说，这些钱在21世纪20年代的今天是没有办法在大城市养家的。
传道人也是人，传道人要租房，传道人的孩子需要上幼儿园，这两笔支出是书亚弟兄家庭的大头。除了这些之外，买菜做饭、水电、煤气、网络、交通、通讯、穿衣都需要钱。然后，孩子和大人偶尔也会生个病什么的，这些也都需要钱。
挣扎中的前行：城市植堂
大约1年多前，书亚弟兄决心挑战自己，进行城市植堂。植堂对书亚弟兄个人和家庭来说有一些经济方面的好处——教会可以支持他们三年时间。在这三年当中，他们经济方面的负担会减轻很多；三年以后，不再继续支持，他们需要自力更生。
书亚弟兄之所以作出植堂的决定，在很大程度上是由于得到了两个帮助和激励。
在书亚弟兄的服事和生活都非常艰难的时候，有一个阿姨看到了书亚弟兄挣扎的状况。有一次就跟他建议“要不要出去植堂？”他非常担心能不能成功植堂。他去那个城市看了回来以后，阿姨就鼓励他说如果他不害怕失败的话，就没有什么可害怕的。阿姨的话很大的改变了他的想法。
书亚弟兄去年学习了一个领导力培训的课程。其中有一门课程是讲人一定要努力突破舒适圈，要敢于尝试突破自己。然后书亚弟兄提到课程中的一个视频。在视频当中，有一匹马陷到了淤泥里面，它非常着急，非常挣扎。有好多匹马过来围绕着这匹马，给它加油打气。在很多马的帮助和鼓励下这匹马最后终于离开了那个泥潭。“学习完以后，我就在想我还是要去尝试，去尝试以后就算最后失败了，我也不后悔。我觉得服事不应该是安逸的，服事有时候应该是要冒险的，不应该一直待在自己的舒适圈里面。”
想法定下来以后，书亚就跟教会的领袖去谈了。团队会在三年的期限内持续对书亚弟兄进行支持。谈妥以后，书亚就带着全家一起来到了这座城市进行植堂。
从书亚个人角度来说，“我为什么来这边，主要是想要挑战自己。之前我在团队里面也受到了一些不太公平的对待。”
植堂支持是有期限的，三年过后对书亚弟兄的支持就会完全结束。“如果能够做的比较好一点，小组能够更多的扩展一点，那我在这边的服事就能够站稳脚跟；如果起色不大的话，可能就要换一个地方甚至于退出团队。”
但是即便有团队的经济支持，他们家庭的经济负担依然非常重。团队每个月都会给书亚弟兄几千块钱，但幼儿园每个月需要两千多块钱，房租每个月一千五百块钱，这些支出每个月都是固定的。
在这样的情况下，书亚弟兄很多时候也需要做一些临时工——商场保安、马路发传单广告等。为了赚钱，书亚弟兄也曾经尝试着去送过快递和外卖，但是最后发现做这些想要多赚钱就必须投入很多的时间。
写在最后的话
结束和书亚弟兄的交流的时候，已经晚上10点多了。书亚弟兄送我们出去，在送我们的过程当中书亚弟兄给妻子发微信说“把空调关掉”。笔者在书亚弟兄家里待了两个多小时，这两个多小时开空调所花费的电费大概2.5元。
特稿| 家难养， 80后城市基层传道人挣扎中前行
I met Shuya, a male pastor who was born in the 1980s, at the end of June this year, in his home. When we arrived, his wife was playing with their three-year-old child. The child was quite energetic, running around and sweating heavily. However, there was no air conditioning or even a fan in the house.
When we arrived, Shuya quickly turned on the air conditioner, as the temperature outside was 40°C. After a while, the temperature in the room began to drop, and we were able to have a proper conversation.
The Church’s Unjust Dismissal of His Wife
Shuya and his wife had both been serving full-time at a church for several years. One day, a church leader approached his wife and told her, “You can continue to serve, but the church will no longer support you financially.” Later, Shuya learned that another sister in Christ was also dismissed at the same time. Both had children, and the church felt that raising children hindered their ability to serve in the mission field.
After being dismissed, Shuya’s wife was heartbroken and deeply hurt, unable to accept what had happened.
Struggles of a Grassroots Pastor’s Family
For Shuya, whose family lives a modest life, providing for them was already difficult, and it became even harder after his wife was dismissed. He serves full-time at the church, earning a base salary of only 1,000 yuan. He is required to preach every Sunday and fast once a month. Additionally, he earns 150 yuan each time he goes out to serve.
Shuya has been serving the church for many years. Over time, his full-time ministry has transitioned from being stationed at one place to circuit preaching (assigned duties) to urban church planting.
However, the assignments are often decided solely by church leaders, who determine who gets assigned and how much work they receive. Those with closer relationships with the leaders often get more assignments, while others with less rapport receive fewer.
Eventually, Shuya realized that he and other grassroots pastors were being unfairly treated, with few assignments each month. As a result, his monthly earnings, including his base salary, often amounted to around 2,000 yuan. In the 2020s, this amount is far from enough to support a family in a big city.
Preachers are humans too. They need to pay rent and their children’s kindergarten fees—two major expenses for his family. Beyond these, they also need money for groceries, utilities, gas, internet, transportation, communication, and clothing. And of course, there are occasional medical expenses for both adults and children.
Struggling Forward: Urban Church Planting
About a year ago, Shuya decided to challenge himself by planting a church in an urban area. Church planting had some economic advantages for his family—the church could support them financially for three years, significantly easing their burden during that time. After three years, however, they would need to be self-sufficient.
One of the main reasons he decided to plant a church was due to two sources. During a particularly difficult time in his ministry and personal life, an older Christian woman saw his struggles and suggested, “Why not go plant a church?” Initially, he was worried about whether it would succeed. After visiting the city, she encouraged him, saying that if he wasn’t afraid of failure, there was nothing to fear. Her words greatly changed his perspective.
Last year, Shuya took a leadership training course. One of the courses encouraged trainees to break out of their comfort zones and be willing to try new things. He recalled from the course a video, which showed a horse stuck in the mud and struggling to escape. Other horses gathered around, cheering it on, and with their help and encouragement, it finally got out of the mud. “After finishing the course, I thought, ‘I need to try. Even if I fail in the end, I won’t regret it. Ministry shouldn’t always be comfortable; sometimes it requires taking risks and stepping outside your comfort zone.’”
With this decision made, Shuya discussed it with his church leaders, and they agreed to support him for three years. After that, Shuya and his family moved to the city to begin planting the church.
From Shuya’s personal perspective, “I came here mainly to challenge myself. Before, I had experienced some unfair treatment within the team.”
The support for church planting is time-limited. After three years, the support will completely end. “If things go well and the small group grows, I can establish myself here. But if there’s little progress, I might have to move or even leave the team.”
Despite the financial support from the team, the family’s economic burden remains heavy. The team provides Shuya with several thousand yuan a month, but kindergarten alone costs more than 2,000 yuan per month, and rent is 1,500 yuan—these are fixed expenses each month.
Given this situation, Shuya often has to take on temporary jobs—working as a mall security guard or handing out flyers on the street. He even tried delivering packages and food, but found that earning more money required significant time commitment.
Final Thoughts
When we finished talking, it was already past 10 p.m. As Shuya walked us out, he sent a message to his wife, asking her to “turn off the air conditioner.” I had been in his home for over two hours, and the air conditioning during that time would have cost about 2.5 yuan in electricity.
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
Feature: Financial Challenges of Millennial Pastor
