In January 2021, after studying theology in Taiwan, Brother L returned to serve in Baiyuwan Church in his hometown Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. He shared about the ministry he carried out in the rural church and how he viewed the aging of the rural church with the Gospel Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper.
Gospel Times: Which kind of vision did you bring back to the rural church?
Brother L: I have two visions. The first vision comes from the scriptures of Ephesians 4:11-12. That is to say, the revival of the church is not only a matter of the pastors or church volunteers but every believer who has received salvation. Therefore, we conduct training programs for group leaders, in order to let more people participate in church service.
The second vision is that the existence of the church is not only for believers but also for all the people in this area.
What impresses me much in Taiwan is that churches outside mainland China are all oriented toward evangelism, but domestic churches focus on pastoral care rather than the gospel. The churches in mainland China seem to just love and take care of church members only, with evangelism often being just a slogan on the altar.
With such a vision, our church once invited doctors to provide free medical treatments to unbelievers. Also, we let experts teach the farmers how to plant a kind of orange named “red beauty”, then hosting an evangelical meeting. It is a bit like relational preaching, they came to learn how to keep healthy and plant oranges, otherwise, they never came when invited. This is the complete gospel sermon, just as Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom after healing the sick and casting out demons.
Gospel Times: Does your village party secretary also support these activities?
Brother L: He was very happy as these were good things for him. If we spent money to organize these activities well, he would have a good reputation.
Our church services are attended by people from three nearby villages, to whom these activities are spread.
In addition, there is a 3A scenic spot on the bay near our church. With this advantage, we decided to provide some services for tourists, including free coffee or tea, but we still need dedicated people to entertain them. Previously, our church opened to tourists for a period of time, but some of them were not even flushing the toilet after using it. After a long struggle, we decided to close the church from tourists.
I am thinking that if the church opens to tourists again, we could charge a nominal fee to hire someone to entertain them. After visiting the church, unbelievers might have access to the gospel and get a good impression of it.
Gospel Times: How do you think about the aging of rural churches?
Brother L: The aging of rural churches is very serious. Like our church, only one-tenth of believers are young people, but I think this is reasonable. Feeling the pressure of high mortgage, most young people have gone to work in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Ningbo.
In our village, only the people coming from other places fish, as well asyoung villagers are unwilling to farm here.
Gospel Times: What is the future of rural churches with the problem of aging?
Brother L: Facing the problem of aging, we should use the national concept. Rural churches are losing young Christians, but the city churches may have more young members. So it depends on the perspective being considered.
Our church staff shares the gospel with tourists in nearby scenic spots, so visitors come here continuously and receive the gospel. Although the same tourists may not attend the church services here twice, he will go to his local church. So, from the perspective of the kingdom of God, we still saved a soul.
In addition, we should focus on the spiritual growth of believers through pastoral care, rather than spend too much energy on the church, regardless of the problems of aging or the troubles in whichthe government may ban the church when believers do not gather there.
Gospel Times: Does your church have connections with the urban churches?
Brother L: Our church has already got connections with some churches in Hangzhou before I came back. Our 52 churches are connected with each other and have a fellowship specially for young people. For example, if we have college students who are catechumens, we hand them over to the urban churches to be nurtured.
Gospel Times: In a rural church, do you have difficulties communicating with the elderly believers when you face them every day?
Brother L: First of all, I think we should regard them as grandparents, or even as God. Because the Lord said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me”. For another example, in group sharing, we should lead elderly believers to the truth, as some of them may keep on talking, and some don’t say anything.
After a group prayer meeting, a senior Christian called me over to communicate until 10 pm, which I think is a sign of trust. It’s opposite to the cities where there is a lot of mistrust between people, so I'm happy to be in the countryside.
As pastors, we should be truly willing to listen to church members, not just saying "I love you with the love of Jesus".
Later I let the aged believers first communicate with group leaders who can later come to me if they can’t solve some problems.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
L弟兄在台湾神学毕业之后，2021年1月份回到浙江家乡农村教会白玉湾教会侍奉。他向福音时报讲述了他带着异象回到农村教会所开展的事工，以及如何看待农村教会老龄化的问题。
福音时报：你是带着怎样的异象，回到农村教会的？
L弟兄：有两个异象。第一个异象来自以弗所书：他所赐的，有使徒，有先知，有传福音的，有牧师和教师，为要成全圣徒，各尽其职，建立基督的身体。（以弗所书 4:11-12）就是说白玉湾教会的复兴不仅仅是传道人、义工的事情，而是每一个蒙恩儿女的事情。所以我们就有预备小组长各种的培训，让更多人参与服侍。
第二个异象是：教会的存在不仅仅是为了我们这个地方的信徒，更应该是为了这个土地的人民。
我在台湾很有感触的就是，外面的教会都是以传福音为导向的，但是国内教会相比牧养来说，传福音所占的比例太少。国内教会好像把信徒管好就行了，好像只爱信徒，而传福音很多时候只是在讲台上的口号一样。
因着有这样的异象，我们教会开展了比如说义诊活动，就是跟村里的书记说好，把医生请来，然后让不信的人都能来接受义诊。再比如说，我们当地种植一种橘子“红美人”，我们教会把种植专家请来教果农怎么把红美人种植好。之后，再来个福音布道收割营。这有点像关系式布道，你让他来教会他不来，但是你要教他养生，教他种红美人，他就来了。这是整全福音布道，就像耶稣一样医病赶鬼，再传讲天国的福音。
福音时报：你们的村书记也是支持这些活动的？
L弟兄：村书记非常高兴，因为这个对他们来说是好事，教会花钱组织，办得好的话，村书记名声就好。
我们教会是附近三个村的人来聚会的，这种活动也辐射到这三个村。
另外，我们教会附近有一个3A景区海之湾，我们准备利用靠近景区的优势，开展一些事工，比如给游客提供免费的咖啡厅，或者说免费给他们倒水喝。
不过，这又涉及另外一个问题，就是需要有专门的人招待。本来我们教堂开放了一段时间，来招待游客，但是有的人来教堂里面用完洗手间都不冲。这让我们很苦恼，所以我们教堂就关掉了。
我在想，如果教堂再向游客开放的话，可以象征性地收费，然后专门请人来招待。就是让教堂能够成为一个文化一样，让不信的人有机会接触到，并能有好感。
福音时报：你怎么看待农村教会老龄化的问题？
L弟兄：农村教会老龄化是很严重，像我们教会，年轻人才占十分之一，但是我觉得这又是很正常的。因为大多数年轻人都去北上广、杭州、宁波这些大城市工作了，毕竟现在房贷压力大。
我们这里农村有捕鱼的，但都是外地人；有种植的，年轻人肯定也不会去做。
福音时报：面对老龄化问题，农村教会的未来怎么走？
L弟兄：面对老龄化的问题，要有国度的观念吧。就是说我们这里可能老龄化了，但是在城市的教会就不会老龄化。所以要看从哪个角度来说老龄化。
我们教会会向附近景区的游客传福音，在我看来教会就不会老龄化，为什么呢？因为游客不断。虽然说给他传了福音，他以后也不会在我们教会聚会，但是从国度的观念来看，我们赢得了一个灵魂。
无论是面对老龄化问题、逼迫问题，还是因为教会没人了，教堂很容易被政府拿去等等，现在的教会都不应该花太多精力在教堂上面了，反而是要注重信徒的灵命成长，做好牧养。
福音时报：你们教会和城市的教会有连接吗？
L弟兄：我们教会和杭州的一些城市的教会有连接。我们52个教会有连接，一起有一个专门负责年轻人的团契。比如，我们这边如果有大学生的慕道友，可以交给城市的教会来牧养。
这个教会之间的连接在我没回来之前就有了。我们这边的农村教会不至于说那么封闭的，跟城市的教会一直有连接，有互动。
福音时报：在农村教会，你每天面对的可能都是一些长辈们。你与他们在沟通方面有困难吗？
L弟兄：首先我觉得态度上要把对方当做爷爷奶奶，或者是当做上帝。因为主说接待这小子中最小的一个就是接待我了。另外，比如说在小组分享中，有的人说不停，有的人就不会说，那么我们就要把他带到真理里面。
有一次小组祷告会结束后，有个长辈把我叫过去交流，一直和我说，结果我到晚上10点才回家。我觉得这也是对我的信任吧。所以在农村其实挺好的，没有像城市里有很多人与人之间都不信任。
对我们传道人来说，要让我们与信徒的关系不只是在表面，不只是口头说“耶稣爱你，我也爱你”，而是真正地愿意听他们倾诉。
当然后来我就把这个负担交给了小组长，长辈们有问题先找小组长，然后小组长不能解决的再来找我。
http://www.fuyinshibao.cn/article/index/id/62555
我在农村教会侍奉这一年（二）：农村教会老龄化问题需要以国度观念来看待
In January 2021, after studying theology in Taiwan, Brother L returned to serve in Baiyuwan Church in his hometown Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. He shared about the ministry he carried out in the rural church and how he viewed the aging of the rural church with the Gospel Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper.
Gospel Times: Which kind of vision did you bring back to the rural church?
Brother L: I have two visions. The first vision comes from the scriptures of Ephesians 4:11-12. That is to say, the revival of the church is not only a matter of the pastors or church volunteers but every believer who has received salvation. Therefore, we conduct training programs for group leaders, in order to let more people participate in church service.
The second vision is that the existence of the church is not only for believers but also for all the people in this area.
What impresses me much in Taiwan is that churches outside mainland China are all oriented toward evangelism, but domestic churches focus on pastoral care rather than the gospel. The churches in mainland China seem to just love and take care of church members only, with evangelism often being just a slogan on the altar.
With such a vision, our church once invited doctors to provide free medical treatments to unbelievers. Also, we let experts teach the farmers how to plant a kind of orange named “red beauty”, then hosting an evangelical meeting. It is a bit like relational preaching, they came to learn how to keep healthy and plant oranges, otherwise, they never came when invited. This is the complete gospel sermon, just as Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom after healing the sick and casting out demons.
Gospel Times: Does your village party secretary also support these activities?
Brother L: He was very happy as these were good things for him. If we spent money to organize these activities well, he would have a good reputation.
Our church services are attended by people from three nearby villages, to whom these activities are spread.
In addition, there is a 3A scenic spot on the bay near our church. With this advantage, we decided to provide some services for tourists, including free coffee or tea, but we still need dedicated people to entertain them. Previously, our church opened to tourists for a period of time, but some of them were not even flushing the toilet after using it. After a long struggle, we decided to close the church from tourists.
I am thinking that if the church opens to tourists again, we could charge a nominal fee to hire someone to entertain them. After visiting the church, unbelievers might have access to the gospel and get a good impression of it.
Gospel Times: How do you think about the aging of rural churches?
Brother L: The aging of rural churches is very serious. Like our church, only one-tenth of believers are young people, but I think this is reasonable. Feeling the pressure of high mortgage, most young people have gone to work in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Ningbo.
In our village, only the people coming from other places fish, as well asyoung villagers are unwilling to farm here.
Gospel Times: What is the future of rural churches with the problem of aging?
Brother L: Facing the problem of aging, we should use the national concept. Rural churches are losing young Christians, but the city churches may have more young members. So it depends on the perspective being considered.
Our church staff shares the gospel with tourists in nearby scenic spots, so visitors come here continuously and receive the gospel. Although the same tourists may not attend the church services here twice, he will go to his local church. So, from the perspective of the kingdom of God, we still saved a soul.
In addition, we should focus on the spiritual growth of believers through pastoral care, rather than spend too much energy on the church, regardless of the problems of aging or the troubles in whichthe government may ban the church when believers do not gather there.
Gospel Times: Does your church have connections with the urban churches?
Brother L: Our church has already got connections with some churches in Hangzhou before I came back. Our 52 churches are connected with each other and have a fellowship specially for young people. For example, if we have college students who are catechumens, we hand them over to the urban churches to be nurtured.
Gospel Times: In a rural church, do you have difficulties communicating with the elderly believers when you face them every day?
Brother L: First of all, I think we should regard them as grandparents, or even as God. Because the Lord said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me”. For another example, in group sharing, we should lead elderly believers to the truth, as some of them may keep on talking, and some don’t say anything.
After a group prayer meeting, a senior Christian called me over to communicate until 10 pm, which I think is a sign of trust. It’s opposite to the cities where there is a lot of mistrust between people, so I'm happy to be in the countryside.
As pastors, we should be truly willing to listen to church members, not just saying "I love you with the love of Jesus".
Later I let the aged believers first communicate with group leaders who can later come to me if they can’t solve some problems.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Interview: Pastor Regards Aging Problem of Rural Churches From the Kingdom's Perspective
