The COVID-19 pandemic which has lasted for more than two years has changed churches much, especially causing a decline in the size of their congregation. The following are comments from two pastors and one church staff member with regards to why believers left their churches.
Pastor C, who serves in a church with more than 1000 worshippers, said that some members never came back to church even when in-person services were resumed, as they were satisfied with online sermons which were more accessible and numerous.
The pastor highlighted that churchgoers worshipping God in person could have an intimate relationship with God and not merely listen to sermons. Some believers thought it was nice to attend online services, as they could sit on a comfortable sofa or even lie in a warm blanket, rather than go to sit in the hard pews at churches and travel by bus on Sunday mornings. But they couldn’t experience the communion with God.
Another pastor’s church is mainly comprised of migrant workers, some of whom lost their jobs after COVID-19 broke out. Although they quickly found new jobs, the working hours and intensity have changed somewhat. Some believers, who have to go to work on Sundays, intended to change jobs to have more time to worship the Lord or serve in the church. But it was not easy to change their line of work, so they chose to temporarily leave the church. The pastor advised holding weekday gatherings to meet the spiritual needs of these groups.
A male believer, a staff member of a fellowship, shared that some Christians refused to return to church after it reopened, as they disliked the strife among church members which might occur in some other churches.
Church conflict has always been a significant reason for the loss of believers. The epidemic has clearly exacerbated the situation, so the number of fellowship members continues to decline. Faced with this situation, leaders of churches and fellowships need to reduce information about extreme beliefs in sermons, so as to prevent some members from going to extremes in their faith journey and becoming judgmental to avoid unnecessary contradictions.
(The article is originally published by the Gospel Times and the author is a Christian in Fujian Province.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
新冠疫情爆发到现在已经有两年多了，疫情给教会带来不小变化，尤其是信徒流失的问题较为突出。那么都是什么原因导致了信徒流失，就让几位牧者、同工的话，来一窥究竟吧。（==此句为summary）
C传道是一个有上千人教会的传道人，自从疫情爆发以来，教堂暂停了聚会了，大家都通过网络听道。不少人很快发现，原来网上有那么多讲道资源，还可以选择自己喜欢的内容。因此即使疫情得到控制，教堂重新开门后，有些信徒已经满足于网络听道，再也不来礼拜了。
他们觉得在家里听道挺好的，可以坐在舒服的沙发上，甚至躺在温暖的被窝。不用每个主日早上去赶公交车，坐在教堂硬邦邦的椅子上。而且有的网络讲道比传道人说的还精彩，这就更加不愿意来了。可大家知道吗？来到教堂并不仅仅是听道，更是与神亲近，与弟兄姐妹一起敬拜，享受与主同在的美好。
C牧师所在教会主要以外来务工人员为主，疫情爆发后，他们当中有些人因此失业。虽然他们很快又找到了新的工作。可是工作时间、强度都有了一些变化。有的肢体周日都要上班，无法来到教会礼拜。虽然他们也想换个工作，能有更多时间敬拜主或到教会侍奉。可是当前工作并不那么好找，因此他们只能选择暂时离开教堂。其实教会可以酌情考虑，在周间安排聚会，以满足这些群体的需求。
Z弟兄是某个团契的同工，在疫情得到控制，团契恢复活动时。他却发现有些肢体再也不想回来了。原因都大同小异，就是教会中存在的一些纷争，让他们感到厌烦。
因为教会矛盾离开教会，一直是信徒流失的重要原因。而疫情爆发显然加剧了这种情况，一些团契的人数出现了减少。面对这种情况，教会、团契负责人需要反思，尤其是要在今后的牧养中，减少极端教义的信息，以免某些肢体在信仰上走极端，变得喜好论断，给肢体关系带来不必要的矛盾。
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系福建一名基督徒。http://www.fuyinshibao.cn/article/index/id/62408
疫情两年多，这些教会的信徒为何流失？
The COVID-19 pandemic which has lasted for more than two years has changed churches much, especially causing a decline in the size of their congregation. The following are comments from two pastors and one church staff member with regards to why believers left their churches.
Pastor C, who serves in a church with more than 1000 worshippers, said that some members never came back to church even when in-person services were resumed, as they were satisfied with online sermons which were more accessible and numerous.
The pastor highlighted that churchgoers worshipping God in person could have an intimate relationship with God and not merely listen to sermons. Some believers thought it was nice to attend online services, as they could sit on a comfortable sofa or even lie in a warm blanket, rather than go to sit in the hard pews at churches and travel by bus on Sunday mornings. But they couldn’t experience the communion with God.
Another pastor’s church is mainly comprised of migrant workers, some of whom lost their jobs after COVID-19 broke out. Although they quickly found new jobs, the working hours and intensity have changed somewhat. Some believers, who have to go to work on Sundays, intended to change jobs to have more time to worship the Lord or serve in the church. But it was not easy to change their line of work, so they chose to temporarily leave the church. The pastor advised holding weekday gatherings to meet the spiritual needs of these groups.
A male believer, a staff member of a fellowship, shared that some Christians refused to return to church after it reopened, as they disliked the strife among church members which might occur in some other churches.
Church conflict has always been a significant reason for the loss of believers. The epidemic has clearly exacerbated the situation, so the number of fellowship members continues to decline. Faced with this situation, leaders of churches and fellowships need to reduce information about extreme beliefs in sermons, so as to prevent some members from going to extremes in their faith journey and becoming judgmental to avoid unnecessary contradictions.
(The article is originally published by the Gospel Times and the author is a Christian in Fujian Province.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Three Reasons of Believers Leaving Churches Under Pandemic
