As an important place in the Pinghe Market in those days, Daluding in Pingzhai, Shan’ge was also a crucial landing point for water transport vehicles from the West River of the Jiulong River to Zhangzhou and Xiamen. A century-old rural church there, which has experienced some natural disasters, continues to record the work of God.
Shan'ge Church in Zhangzhou, Fujian, was rebuilt three times to become the biggest one in local rural areas, though it has not been decorated.
In 1872, a prayer house was established in Dahu Village, Pinghe County. A person from Dahu donated a house as a place of worship for believers from Xiaoxi Town and Shan’ge Town. The Xiamen Church provided bibles and hymnals, and the number of Christians increased.
In 1904, with the support of the American Reformed Church and Xiaoxi Church, a believer named Guo Taicang and others raised funds to build the TOA-LO-TENG (Daluding) Chapel in Pingzhai Village, Shan'ge, affiliated with Xiaoxi Church. Believers from Dahu, Bailou, Pingzhai, and Caicuo in Shan'ge attended church services under the leadership of Xu Hetai. In 1907, a 100-year flood occurred in Pinghe County, with countless houses collapsing. "The water swept Xu Hetai and his wife thirty miles away, but they survived." The chapel "was again hit by a flood three years later and was damaged completely." So the chapel disappeared. In 1913, believers rebuilt a chapel in Houshan Village in Shan'ge, which was relatively high.
The gatherings resumed after the Cultural Revolution, and the number of those who were said increased when the gospel spread. In 1990, a church was rebuilt on the basis of the original chapel, (which was already a dilapidated building). In 2012, with the intercession and offerings, the main building of a church that can accommodate more than 1,000 worshipers (not yet decorated) was completed the following year, becoming the largest church in the rural areas of Zhangzhou. The church is now undergoing renovation.
According to the director of the church, Chen Shuangfeng, no pastors in the past had lived in the church due to the poor condition of the countryside. The Bible says those who preach and teach in the church are worthy of double honor. (1 Timothy 5:17)
For this reason, in 2020, the church built a new two-story building as a pastoral fellowship community (or evangelists’ home). With a floor area of about 320 square meters (0.079 acres), it serves as a dormitory for pastoral staff and a station for evangelists.
At present, on the second floor, there are two suites, each with two bedrooms and one living room. One suite is used for the current pastor, and the other is temporarily vacant and is reserved for the future ordained pastor. Some pastors from other places can also rest in the latter one. Among the four single rooms downstairs, three have been used by three pastors, and the left one is used as a communal kitchen.
Director Chen said the vacant suite for the future pastor is fully equipped with air conditioners, refrigerators, beds, tables, and chairs; computers; kitchens; and bathrooms. The person can simply move in with his belongings.
(The article is originally published by the Gospel Times and the author is a believer in Fujian.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
位于福建漳州平和县山格镇平寨村的大路顶是自古以来便是平和地区的集市要地，也是九龙江西溪通往漳州和厦门水运船的重要起落点，在这里，有一座百年农村教堂，经历风雨，历久弥新，继续记载着上帝的荣耀见证。
1872年平和县大湖自然村设立了祈祷所。为方便小溪、山格会友聚会，大湖人献出一间房屋作为礼拜聚会的场所，厦门基督教会赠送了圣经及圣诗，信主的人数逐渐增加。
1904年，在美国归正教的辅助和小溪基督教会支持下，郭泰仓等信徒在山格平寨村大路顶集资建成大路顶（TOA-LO-TENG）礼拜堂，隶属小溪堂会。由许和泰司牧，参加聚会的有山格大湖、白楼、平寨、蔡厝等地信徒。1907年平和县发生百年不遇的洪水，倒房无数。“许和泰夫妇被水漂流三十里外幸得保全”， 该礼拜堂“三年后复遭洪水之灾，尽皆倒坏”， “大路顶TOA-LO-TENG”礼拜堂从此消失。1913年信徒在地方较高的山格侯山村建成礼拜堂。
文革后复会的山格教会，福音广传，信徒增多。1990年在原礼拜堂（已属危房）基础上重建了礼拜堂，2012年蒙神带领，各地爱主弟兄姐妹代求代祷，奉献，一座能容纳千余人崇拜的圣殿主体工程于次年完工，成为漳州地区农村最大的礼拜堂。目前，该教堂的内部装修仍在完善中……
教堂陈双凤主任告诉笔者，平和山格礼拜堂地处乡下农村，条件受限制，过去的传道人都没有住堂。经上教导对于服事教会的传道人，当敬重并提供方便，使他们可以专心服事（提前5:17）
为此，在2020年，教会新建起一座两层高，约320平方米的“教牧之家”，做为教牧同工的宿舍楼，成为传福音驿站。
目前，“教牧之家”楼上设有两套两室一厅的套房，其中一套房间供现传道使用外，另一套暂时空着，预备留作未来牧师的住房使用，平常也可供临时来访的牧者休息。楼下另有四间单间房，三间单房已供三位传道使用，另外一间单房作为公用厨房。
另外，陈双凤主任二楼那套预备的牧师用房，房间内空调、冰箱、床、桌椅、电脑、厨房及卫生间等设备齐全，拎包就可入住。
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系福建福州一教会信徒。
乡村教会也有“教牧之家”
As an important place in the Pinghe Market in those days, Daluding in Pingzhai, Shan’ge was also a crucial landing point for water transport vehicles from the West River of the Jiulong River to Zhangzhou and Xiamen. A century-old rural church there, which has experienced some natural disasters, continues to record the work of God.
Shan'ge Church in Zhangzhou, Fujian, was rebuilt three times to become the biggest one in local rural areas, though it has not been decorated.
In 1872, a prayer house was established in Dahu Village, Pinghe County. A person from Dahu donated a house as a place of worship for believers from Xiaoxi Town and Shan’ge Town. The Xiamen Church provided bibles and hymnals, and the number of Christians increased.
In 1904, with the support of the American Reformed Church and Xiaoxi Church, a believer named Guo Taicang and others raised funds to build the TOA-LO-TENG (Daluding) Chapel in Pingzhai Village, Shan'ge, affiliated with Xiaoxi Church. Believers from Dahu, Bailou, Pingzhai, and Caicuo in Shan'ge attended church services under the leadership of Xu Hetai. In 1907, a 100-year flood occurred in Pinghe County, with countless houses collapsing. "The water swept Xu Hetai and his wife thirty miles away, but they survived." The chapel "was again hit by a flood three years later and was damaged completely." So the chapel disappeared. In 1913, believers rebuilt a chapel in Houshan Village in Shan'ge, which was relatively high.
The gatherings resumed after the Cultural Revolution, and the number of those who were said increased when the gospel spread. In 1990, a church was rebuilt on the basis of the original chapel, (which was already a dilapidated building). In 2012, with the intercession and offerings, the main building of a church that can accommodate more than 1,000 worshipers (not yet decorated) was completed the following year, becoming the largest church in the rural areas of Zhangzhou. The church is now undergoing renovation.
According to the director of the church, Chen Shuangfeng, no pastors in the past had lived in the church due to the poor condition of the countryside. The Bible says those who preach and teach in the church are worthy of double honor. (1 Timothy 5:17)
For this reason, in 2020, the church built a new two-story building as a pastoral fellowship community (or evangelists’ home). With a floor area of about 320 square meters (0.079 acres), it serves as a dormitory for pastoral staff and a station for evangelists.
At present, on the second floor, there are two suites, each with two bedrooms and one living room. One suite is used for the current pastor, and the other is temporarily vacant and is reserved for the future ordained pastor. Some pastors from other places can also rest in the latter one. Among the four single rooms downstairs, three have been used by three pastors, and the left one is used as a communal kitchen.
Director Chen said the vacant suite for the future pastor is fully equipped with air conditioners, refrigerators, beds, tables, and chairs; computers; kitchens; and bathrooms. The person can simply move in with his belongings.
(The article is originally published by the Gospel Times and the author is a believer in Fujian.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Rural Centennial Church in Fujian Sets up Dormitory for Pastors
