The history of the Jinsha Church dates back to August 1989. In Jinsha Town, there were seven sisters who believed in the Lord and often gathered to pray. A few years later, they rented three rooms for gatherings. By October 1995, there were already more than 100 believers.
On October 28, 1996, the local government approved the establishment of the official activity site of Christianity in Jinsha Town and set up a management team. At that time, preachers started to be trained at the activity site. Educated and biblically literate co-workers were selected for training and correspondence.
On April 29, 1998, an area of 4.9 mu of land (namely the site of Jinsha Church) was obtained by the local church, which included nine houses. After the land acquisition and purchase procedures, the old houses were renovated and became the initial property of the Jinsha Church.
Less than two years after moving to the new location, the number of believers had grown to more than 200. The idea of building a church came about, but the local church only had fifty thousand yuan, while the budget for this project was about five hundred thousand yuan.
After the Spring Festival in 2000, the local church began to build the Jinsha Church. First, the local church got approval for building the church, and the government waived 60,000 yuan of land construction and management fees. Second, the local church raised funds for the building of the Jinsha Church. Third, the bid evaluation meeting for building the church was held.
A competent and willing contractor was finally selected for the construction of the building through the bidding process, which was willing to pay the advance fund of 259,000 yuan (including an additional toilet), while the total cost of the church was double that. The contractor would pay the advance fund in installments. The contract was signed, and construction started on June 20, 2000. The project was completed on December 24 of the same year.
In 2007, the Jinsha Church was decorated at a cost of nearly 100,000 yuan, with new chairs costing 48,800 yuan. It can hold a congregation of 1,000 people.
In the process of building the Jinsha Church, Pastor Yang from Taiwan donated 80,000 yuan, and a female believer surnamed Wen from Hong Kong donated 180,000 yuan.
In 2001, the believers volunteered to raise funds to build a nursing home, and they were all willing to serve as volunteers. The most senior people in the nursing home were in their 90s. Later, the number of people in need of the services of the nursing home was constantly increasing, but the Jinsha Church was short of funds and the rooms of the nursing home were too old and shabby, so it was forced to be shut down.
In November 2018, Jinsha Church reselected its committee members. In November 2019, the third Church Committee of Jinsha Church in Tongzhou District of Nantong City was formally established with a term of five years. Pastor Qiu Cheng served as the legal person and the director of the church committee.
After the establishment of the church committee, the church committee system and the regular meeting system of the church committee were established soon. General affairs shall be discussed and decided by the church committee at its meeting, and major affairs shall be discussed and decided by the church committee at an extended meeting (which may include all co-workers as appropriate). Secondly, comprehensive and detailed rules and regulations were made.
Finally, establish a clear management structure. The Jinsha church has the office of the director, general office, finance room, archives room, and logistics department. Fourteen co-worker teams have been set up, including the reception group, audio-visual planning group, hymn group, finance group, and visitation group.
Fourth, in addition to improving the church committee system, Jinsha Church also established a monthly spiritual practice system for the co-workers.
Fifth, the lecturers and contents would be supervised by Pastor Qiu Cheng himself. The lecturers are ordained and accredited missionaries, such as priests, elders, and seminarians.
In September 2015, according to the appraisal of the Tongzhou District Housing Safety Appraisal Institute of Nantong City, the bearing capacity of part of the two bungalows east of Jinsha Church could not meet the requirements of normal use.
Therefore, in March 2019, Jinsha Church began to prepare for the construction of the outbuilding. The attached office building of 1808.85 square meters has a total budget of 6.2 million yuan.
The construction officially started on August 10, and by the end of 2021, the main body of the outbuilding was completed.
At present, the church has more than 700 registered believers and more than 60 staff workers.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
金沙基督教堂的历史最早可追溯至1989年8月.金沙镇有七位信主的姐妹相约在一起聚会，几年后租了三间房屋聚会，至1995年10月，信徒已发展到100多人。
1996年10月28日，当地政府批准成立金沙镇基督教正式活动点，并成立了管理小组。当时，活动点开始着手培养传道人。选出了有文化有圣经知识的同工参加培训和函授。
1998年4月29日，活动点征得一片面积为4.9亩的地皮（即金沙堂现址），内有9间平房。在征地购买手续办好之后，旧房进行了改造，成为金沙教堂的第一个雏形。
搬到新址后不到两年时间，信徒人数已增加到200多人。当时就有了建造圣殿的想法，但当时账上只有五万元，但工程预算需要五六十万元。
2000年春节之后，教会就着手建殿——第一，获得了建堂的批文，并获政府减免了六万元的土地建管费；第二，为建堂筹集资金；第三，实行建堂投标评估会议。
招投标工作最后选定在一家有实力，并有愿意为建堂垫资的承建单位，总造价为51.8万元（包括附加一个厕所）。承建单位垫资一半金额，分期付款。合同签订后于2000年6月20日破土动工，并于同年12月24日竣工。
2007年，教堂进行了装潢，前后花费近10万元，新做椅子花了4.88万元。教堂内能容纳信徒聚会1000人。
在建殿过程中，台湾杨牧师奉献8万元、香港的一女信徒姓温奉献18万元。
2001年，信徒们自愿筹资奉献修建养老院，主动参加义工服侍。其中老人年龄最大的有90多岁。后由于需要的人越来越多，教会资金短缺，房屋老旧简陋，中途被迫停止。
2018年11月，该教堂进行了堂委换届。2019年11月，南通市通州区金沙基督教堂第三届堂务委员会正式成立，任期五年，由邱成牧师担任法人、堂委主任。
堂委成立后，首先建立堂委会制度和堂委会例会制度，一般性事务由堂委会开会讨论决定，特大事务由堂委会扩大会议（视情况可扩大到全体同工）讨论决定。其次，建立全面而又详细的规章制度。
最后，建立清晰的管理架构，下设主任室、办公室、财务室、档案室、后勤部。成立了14个同工团队，包括接待组、影音策划组、圣诗班、财务组、探访组。
第四，在完善堂委制度之外，教堂还建立了每月同工大会灵修制度。
第五，讲台讲员和信息由邱成牧师亲自把关，讲员都是牧师、长老、神学生等有圣职及经过认定传道的人员。
2015年9月，经南通市通州区房屋安全鉴定所鉴定，教堂向东的两幢平房部分承重结构承载力不能满足正常使用要求，构成局部危房。
于是，2019年3月，金沙堂开始着手附属房建设筹备工作。1808.85平方米的附属办公楼，预算总造价620万元。
于8月10日正式破土动工，2021年底，附属楼主体封顶。
目前，教堂登记在册信徒人数700多人，侍奉同工60多位。
江苏省南通市通州区基督教简史——金沙基督教堂
The history of the Jinsha Church dates back to August 1989. In Jinsha Town, there were seven sisters who believed in the Lord and often gathered to pray. A few years later, they rented three rooms for gatherings. By October 1995, there were already more than 100 believers.
On October 28, 1996, the local government approved the establishment of the official activity site of Christianity in Jinsha Town and set up a management team. At that time, preachers started to be trained at the activity site. Educated and biblically literate co-workers were selected for training and correspondence.
On April 29, 1998, an area of 4.9 mu of land (namely the site of Jinsha Church) was obtained by the local church, which included nine houses. After the land acquisition and purchase procedures, the old houses were renovated and became the initial property of the Jinsha Church.
Less than two years after moving to the new location, the number of believers had grown to more than 200. The idea of building a church came about, but the local church only had fifty thousand yuan, while the budget for this project was about five hundred thousand yuan.
After the Spring Festival in 2000, the local church began to build the Jinsha Church. First, the local church got approval for building the church, and the government waived 60,000 yuan of land construction and management fees. Second, the local church raised funds for the building of the Jinsha Church. Third, the bid evaluation meeting for building the church was held.
A competent and willing contractor was finally selected for the construction of the building through the bidding process, which was willing to pay the advance fund of 259,000 yuan (including an additional toilet), while the total cost of the church was double that. The contractor would pay the advance fund in installments. The contract was signed, and construction started on June 20, 2000. The project was completed on December 24 of the same year.
In 2007, the Jinsha Church was decorated at a cost of nearly 100,000 yuan, with new chairs costing 48,800 yuan. It can hold a congregation of 1,000 people.
In the process of building the Jinsha Church, Pastor Yang from Taiwan donated 80,000 yuan, and a female believer surnamed Wen from Hong Kong donated 180,000 yuan.
In 2001, the believers volunteered to raise funds to build a nursing home, and they were all willing to serve as volunteers. The most senior people in the nursing home were in their 90s. Later, the number of people in need of the services of the nursing home was constantly increasing, but the Jinsha Church was short of funds and the rooms of the nursing home were too old and shabby, so it was forced to be shut down.
In November 2018, Jinsha Church reselected its committee members. In November 2019, the third Church Committee of Jinsha Church in Tongzhou District of Nantong City was formally established with a term of five years. Pastor Qiu Cheng served as the legal person and the director of the church committee.
After the establishment of the church committee, the church committee system and the regular meeting system of the church committee were established soon. General affairs shall be discussed and decided by the church committee at its meeting, and major affairs shall be discussed and decided by the church committee at an extended meeting (which may include all co-workers as appropriate). Secondly, comprehensive and detailed rules and regulations were made.
Finally, establish a clear management structure. The Jinsha church has the office of the director, general office, finance room, archives room, and logistics department. Fourteen co-worker teams have been set up, including the reception group, audio-visual planning group, hymn group, finance group, and visitation group.
Fourth, in addition to improving the church committee system, Jinsha Church also established a monthly spiritual practice system for the co-workers.
Fifth, the lecturers and contents would be supervised by Pastor Qiu Cheng himself. The lecturers are ordained and accredited missionaries, such as priests, elders, and seminarians.
In September 2015, according to the appraisal of the Tongzhou District Housing Safety Appraisal Institute of Nantong City, the bearing capacity of part of the two bungalows east of Jinsha Church could not meet the requirements of normal use.
Therefore, in March 2019, Jinsha Church began to prepare for the construction of the outbuilding. The attached office building of 1808.85 square meters has a total budget of 6.2 million yuan.
The construction officially started on August 10, and by the end of 2021, the main body of the outbuilding was completed.
At present, the church has more than 700 registered believers and more than 60 staff workers.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
History of Jinsha Christian Church, Nantong, Jiangsu Province
