Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, churches across China have experienced many challenges, such as the loss of believers which has troubled many pastors.
However, in some churches, the numbers of believers grow slightly, like in the following four cases.
Pastor X (pseudonym) mainly serves young and middle-aged people in a church in South China. He said, "No matter the circumstances, pastors should realize that it is important for Christians to gather in person. During the lockdown, we still broadcast the service and conduct video chats. We require staff workers, including the praise group members, to serve on site.”
He shared, "Every time when the outbreak is over, we immediately transfer to face-to-face gatherings, not conducting virtual service anymore even if some people apply for it. We think that Jesus was incarnate, so our worship and fellowship also need to be done in person."
"Once Christians are accustomed to online gatherings, they are unwilling to go to the lengths of attending onsite services."
With members of all ages in his church in South China, Pastor W said, “No matter what the environment is, church gatherings held on-site or online cannot be ceased. Pastors or leaders need to know that the church is like a fast-moving vehicle. For example, high-speed trains stop for 3-8 minutes at each station, and many people get off the train. Even in difficult situations, the weekly gatherings can't stop, otherwise, some believers may leave."
Though influenced by the epidemic, they flexibly adjust in many ways, conducting group gatherings and online services or meeting in public outdoor places, such as in parks. "We always insist on meeting face to face or gathering online if conditions don’t permit. Strengthening team cohesion and linkage, the number of our church is not decreased, but has grown."
Originally from East China, Pastor L stated, "During the epidemic, the impact on Christians with good inner life is not very big, as our church attaches great importance to improving the level of the leadership team. If pastors grow rapidly, they can be adaptable to the changeable environment. I am responsible for helping the pastoral group to grow up so that the epidemic can hardly affect the church and the group.”
"As a pastor, he should understand the needs of the church members and make resource allocation. For example, believers may need spiritual care counseling, parenting education, marriage counseling, and workplace counseling, which pastoral leaders need to pay attention to. During the epidemic, we don’t suffer the loss of believers."
Leading young and middle-aged Christians, Pastor J from South China recalled that he seized the opportunity of nourishing Christians after the outbreak. "On the one hand, we organize every ten believers living nearby to gather in a family to attend online services, praying and caring for each other.”
"The second aspect, in 2020 when COVID-19 broke out, I opened an account to release five small videos lasting five minutes every day for five consecutive months, inspiring upset Christians who were locked at their homes in need of pastors’ encouragement. With greater cohesion and unity in worship, new people join us without the loss of church members," he concluded.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
疫情自2020年初爆发至今近三年的时间里，各地的教会都经历了很多的挑战。其中，信众的流失问题让很多牧者苦恼。有的教会因为从实地聚会转到线上聚会，信徒有很明显的流失，有些教会反而在疫情中信徒略有增长，以下是四个成功的案例。
南方X牧者所在的A教会是一间以中青年为主要聚会人群的教会。X牧者认为：“教会无论在怎样的处境下，弟兄姐妹实地的团契交往很重要。牧者需要有足够的确信，即便在封控期间，我们照常做线上的聚会和视频连接，而且我们要求服事人员包括赞美事奉人员要在线下集合来做。”
他分享说：“每次等疫情的风波一停，我们马上断掉线上聚会模式。即便有弟兄姐妹申请线上收听礼拜，我们也不会再提供线上聚会的机会。我们觉得耶稣是道成肉身的，因此我们的敬拜和交通也是需要面对面的进行。”
“线上聚会容易帮助信众养成 消费主义的习惯，他们一旦习惯了线上的方便的聚会，就不愿意付上代价参加线下聚会了。”
华南W牧者所在的H教会是一间老中青都有的教会。W牧者谈到疫情期间教会在聚会上的坚守时说：“无论环境如何，教会的聚会（实地+网络）不能停止，牧者领袖需要有胆识和眼光，教会就像是一辆快速移动的火车，如果火车停了以后，乘客就会下车。比如，高铁每站会停3-8分钟，都会有很多人下车，教会是快速移动的火车，即便在艰难的情况下，火车不能轻易停靠，每周的聚会不能停下来。”
疫情中各种艰难，但是他们灵活采用各种方式调整，或者小组或者露天的公共场合比如公园等一起见见面，或者网络聚会等等，“我们始终坚持实地见面。即便没有办法实地聚会，我们在线上聚会也会把大家联络在一起，通过各种方法和策略加强凝聚力和各个小组之间的联动性，因此，疫情的处境下，我们教会的人数没有流失，反而来到了增长。”
东部L牧者所在的一间C教会。L牧者分享说：“疫情期间对于内在生命好的基督徒影响并不是很大，我们教会看重提高领袖团队水平这一块。当牧者对环境适应得好了，牧会就不会太糟糕。言外之意，这个时候牧者需要快速成长。我负责帮助牧者群体提升自身的成长，这样环境所带来的冲击也很难影响到教会和小组。”
“牧者的领导力体现在，对教会信众的需要的了解和进行合理及时的资源配置，牧者需要把各种资源的链接和配置安排到位。比如，教会里的信众需要灵性辅导、亲子教育、婚恋辅导和职场辅导。疫情期间，我们教会并没有信众流失。”
南方J牧者带领的教会是中青年为主体的教会。J牧师回忆当时他在疫情爆发后做的一些举动，从而抓住了机会：“第一个方面，在疫情期间，我们做了网络聚会，在网络上聚会了一年，并且可以邀请附近的不到10个人的信徒在某一个家庭聚会或者在线上聚会。在线上聚会期间，我们强调合一和凝聚力的实践，彼此顾念和代祷守望的训练。”
“第二个方面，2020年的时候我做了视频号，每个小视频是5分钟的分享，当时疫情第一年的时候，很多人还是内心很不平安，环境不能够出门，我每一天有五场分享，因为那个时候他们很需要看到牧师在鼓励他们，我连续做了五个月，信众的信心也受到激发和感召，于是我们的凝聚力和在敬拜上的合一的效果也越来越好，3年的疫情下来，无论是线上聚会，还是实地聚会，我们的人数没有流失，也有新人加入。”
https://christiantimes.cn/news/37856/%E7%BB%8F%E9%AA%8C%26%E6%A1%88%E4%BE%8B%EF%BD%9C%E7%96%AB%E6%83%85%E6%9C%9F%E9%97%B4%EF%BC%8C%E4%BF%A1%E4%BC%97%E6%B2%A1%E6%9C%89%E6%B5%81%E5%A4%B1%EF%BC%8C%E8%BF%99%E5%9B%9B%E4%B8%AA%E6%95%99%E4%BC%9A%E5%81%9A%E5%AF%B9%E4%BA%86%E4%BB%80%E4%B9%88%EF%BC%9F
经验&案例｜疫情期间，信众没有流失，这四个教会做对了什么？
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, churches across China have experienced many challenges, such as the loss of believers which has troubled many pastors.
However, in some churches, the numbers of believers grow slightly, like in the following four cases.
Pastor X (pseudonym) mainly serves young and middle-aged people in a church in South China. He said, "No matter the circumstances, pastors should realize that it is important for Christians to gather in person. During the lockdown, we still broadcast the service and conduct video chats. We require staff workers, including the praise group members, to serve on site.”
He shared, "Every time when the outbreak is over, we immediately transfer to face-to-face gatherings, not conducting virtual service anymore even if some people apply for it. We think that Jesus was incarnate, so our worship and fellowship also need to be done in person."
"Once Christians are accustomed to online gatherings, they are unwilling to go to the lengths of attending onsite services."
With members of all ages in his church in South China, Pastor W said, “No matter what the environment is, church gatherings held on-site or online cannot be ceased. Pastors or leaders need to know that the church is like a fast-moving vehicle. For example, high-speed trains stop for 3-8 minutes at each station, and many people get off the train. Even in difficult situations, the weekly gatherings can't stop, otherwise, some believers may leave."
Though influenced by the epidemic, they flexibly adjust in many ways, conducting group gatherings and online services or meeting in public outdoor places, such as in parks. "We always insist on meeting face to face or gathering online if conditions don’t permit. Strengthening team cohesion and linkage, the number of our church is not decreased, but has grown."
Originally from East China, Pastor L stated, "During the epidemic, the impact on Christians with good inner life is not very big, as our church attaches great importance to improving the level of the leadership team. If pastors grow rapidly, they can be adaptable to the changeable environment. I am responsible for helping the pastoral group to grow up so that the epidemic can hardly affect the church and the group.”
"As a pastor, he should understand the needs of the church members and make resource allocation. For example, believers may need spiritual care counseling, parenting education, marriage counseling, and workplace counseling, which pastoral leaders need to pay attention to. During the epidemic, we don’t suffer the loss of believers."
Leading young and middle-aged Christians, Pastor J from South China recalled that he seized the opportunity of nourishing Christians after the outbreak. "On the one hand, we organize every ten believers living nearby to gather in a family to attend online services, praying and caring for each other.”
"The second aspect, in 2020 when COVID-19 broke out, I opened an account to release five small videos lasting five minutes every day for five consecutive months, inspiring upset Christians who were locked at their homes in need of pastors’ encouragement. With greater cohesion and unity in worship, new people join us without the loss of church members," he concluded.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Reasons for 4 Churches’ Revival During COVID-19
