After three years of the pandemic, the Church in China can finally open its doors and resume all kinds of ministries. However, church attendance is much lower than before, with some experiencing a significant decrease of up to half.
Apart from the elderly believers who passed away due to illness during the pandemic, many believers, especially young people, have migrated to coastal cities due to the economic pressures caused by the pandemic.
The frequent opening and closing of the Church during COVID-19 has made some people accustomed to online gatherings and lose enthusiasm for participating in face-to-face gatherings. In response to this situation, churches across the country are seeking ways to address it.
Care for existing believers
Some suggest that a church needs to provide effective ministry tailored to the existing structure of its members, with the priority being to retain the current believers. The church should analyze the composition and situation of existing believers. For example, if the majority of church members are elderly, ministry should be geared toward their needs and characteristics. The sermon messages should be more understandable, and the key points need to be emphasized repeatedly. The church can also carry out visitation and prayer ministries and establish literacy classes and nursing homes according to specific situations. One church in Northeast China, which has been established for 30 years, is facing the aging issue among their believers. To address this, the church started a "Senior University" that offers calligraphy, cooking, and music classes. A staff member said, "Senior members are an important asset to the church. They are stable and love the Lord, contributing consistently."
Guiding lost believers back through activities and visitations
During the pandemic, some believers got used to online gatherings, while others stopped coming to church due to some difficulties and challenges. Reopened after the pandemic, many churches have started organizing Bible study classes and retreats. One pastor suggested that churches could first organize sports events or outdoor activities to create a lively atmosphere before conducting preaching training. The same applies to training courses, where students can be taken on field trips before the training to enhance their learning effectiveness. In June, a church in a certain city organized a sports event through which the pastor gathered young male believers who hadn't been to church for a long time. During the event, they exchanged WeChat contacts and formed a group, which enabled the church to further care for them.
In addition, if believers are not attending church, church staff can visit them to understand their difficulties, offer prayers, and provide assistance. A pastor mentioned that a visit during a believer's time of hardship could support them for several years.
Further expansion and emphasis on outreach ministries
For most churches, stagnant ministry and the loss of believers were inevitable during the pandemic. Churches need to focus on how to expand further, gain new believers to compensate for the loss, and even achieve growth in the number of believers.
A church in Heilongjiang province places great emphasis on evangelistic outreach ministries. Setting a clear goal each year, the church designates a different theme for each of the twelve months, with four months dedicated to the theme of "evangelism." Believers reach out to their relatives and friends and share the gospel with them. They then invite interested individuals to join small groups for weekly activities and eventually bring them to church. After church services, these newcomers engage in a systematic study for nearly half a year, with the church continuously accompanying their growth until they can serve in ministry. In the Sunday service, there are often new seekers attending, with around 20 people when the attendance is high.
Two churches in Guangzhou open their doors to visitors, taking advantage of their locations in bustling areas. Visitors can come for sightseeing and to take pictures. One of the churches places all kinds of prayer cards on tables, such as prayers for finding a spouse, working smoothly, the well-being of parents, childbirth, the education of children, family harmony, and a happy marriage. The corresponding prayers are concise and easy to read, and visitors can write down their specific prayer requests on the back of the cards. In some churches, visitors can take and read brochures introducing the church and basic Christian teachings.
Despite many challenges, churches across the country continue to explore missions and seize visions, paving their own path for development.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
历经三年疫情，教会终于可以开放大门，各项圣工得以重新开展。然而，不少教会参加聚会的人数大不如往昔，严重的甚至减少了一半之多。
除疫情中一些老年信徒因病离世之外，疫情造成的经济压力也导致许多信徒尤其年轻人向沿海城市外流。三年教会的开开停停让一些人习惯了网络聚会，对参与实地聚会也失去了热情。对此，各地教会想法子应对。
一、先牧养好现有的信徒
教会需要针对现有的信徒结构展开有效牧养，重要的是把现有的信徒留下来。教会需要分析现有的信徒结构和情况，如目前信徒多是老年人，那么就需要根据老年人的需求和特征展开牧养，如讲道信息需要更加通俗易懂，要点需要重复强调。注重探访祷告事工，针对具体情况开办识字班、养老院等。东北一家教会创立三十年，也面临信徒老龄化的问题，为此他们开办了“老年大学”，设有书法课、烹饪课、音乐课等，负责同工表示，“老年人是教会很重要的财富，他们稳定，也爱主，奉献也稳定。”
二、举办活动、开展探访引导流失的信徒回归
疫情期间，有一些信徒习惯了网络聚会；还有一些因为疫情间的一些遭遇和难处，便不去教会了。
教会稳定开放后，不少教会开始举办圣经学习班和培灵会。一位牧者的建议是教会先搞运动会、户外等活动，把场子热起来，然后再讲道培训学习。培训班也是如此，可以带学生先旅游参观一些地方，再培训学习效果是更好的。刚过去的6月份，该市一教会举办了一场运动会，一位教会的牧者就趁机把很多年轻弟兄聚集在了一起，这些弟兄已经好久不来教会了。活动中，大家扫了微信建了群，这样教会就可以进一步牧养。
此外，如果信徒不来教会，教会同工可以对一些信徒进行探访，了解他们的难处，为他们献上祷告，并提供帮助。一位牧者就表示，信徒遇到患难时给予的一次探访，能够支撑这个信徒走好几年。
三、进一步拓展，注重慕道友事工
对于大多数教会而言，疫情之下教会事工停滞，信徒流失是必然现象。教会要关注如何进一步拓展，让进来的信徒抵消流失的信徒，甚至实现信徒人数的增长。
黑龙江一家教会就非常注重福音拓展事工。教会看重异象使命，每年会设置一个明确的目标。在牧养上，教会把一年的十二个月定为不同的主题，每个月围绕当月的主题宣讲，其中四个月都是“传福音”的主题了。信徒会向周围的亲人、朋友传福音，然后将慕道友带到小组参加每周一次的小组活动，等到慕道友已经熟悉小组成员之后，再带到教会。聚会之后慕道友会开始将近半年的系统学习，教会一直跟进他们成长直到可以进入事工服侍。该教会主日礼拜中经常有新的慕道友加入，多的时候一个主日可以有20人左右。
广州的两家教堂就依据处于繁华地段的地理优势，向游客开放。游客可前往打卡、参观。其中一家在桌子上放有很多不同种类的祷告卡片，包括“为寻求配偶祷告”“为工作顺利祷告”“为父母平安祷告”“为生育生产祷告”“为孩子教育祷告”“为家庭和睦祷告”“为婚姻幸福祷告”，相应的祷文非常简洁易读，还可以在卡片背面写下自己具体的代祷需要，教会会为其祷告。另外还有教堂简介和基督教基本真理的一些小册子，供游客取阅。
各地教会在各样困境中，依然努力探索，紧抓异象和使命，走出一条适合自己发展的路子。
恢复聚会近半年，该如何应对信徒流失的局面？
After three years of the pandemic, the Church in China can finally open its doors and resume all kinds of ministries. However, church attendance is much lower than before, with some experiencing a significant decrease of up to half.
Apart from the elderly believers who passed away due to illness during the pandemic, many believers, especially young people, have migrated to coastal cities due to the economic pressures caused by the pandemic.
The frequent opening and closing of the Church during COVID-19 has made some people accustomed to online gatherings and lose enthusiasm for participating in face-to-face gatherings. In response to this situation, churches across the country are seeking ways to address it.
Care for existing believers
Some suggest that a church needs to provide effective ministry tailored to the existing structure of its members, with the priority being to retain the current believers. The church should analyze the composition and situation of existing believers. For example, if the majority of church members are elderly, ministry should be geared toward their needs and characteristics. The sermon messages should be more understandable, and the key points need to be emphasized repeatedly. The church can also carry out visitation and prayer ministries and establish literacy classes and nursing homes according to specific situations. One church in Northeast China, which has been established for 30 years, is facing the aging issue among their believers. To address this, the church started a "Senior University" that offers calligraphy, cooking, and music classes. A staff member said, "Senior members are an important asset to the church. They are stable and love the Lord, contributing consistently."
Guiding lost believers back through activities and visitations
During the pandemic, some believers got used to online gatherings, while others stopped coming to church due to some difficulties and challenges. Reopened after the pandemic, many churches have started organizing Bible study classes and retreats. One pastor suggested that churches could first organize sports events or outdoor activities to create a lively atmosphere before conducting preaching training. The same applies to training courses, where students can be taken on field trips before the training to enhance their learning effectiveness. In June, a church in a certain city organized a sports event through which the pastor gathered young male believers who hadn't been to church for a long time. During the event, they exchanged WeChat contacts and formed a group, which enabled the church to further care for them.
In addition, if believers are not attending church, church staff can visit them to understand their difficulties, offer prayers, and provide assistance. A pastor mentioned that a visit during a believer's time of hardship could support them for several years.
Further expansion and emphasis on outreach ministries
For most churches, stagnant ministry and the loss of believers were inevitable during the pandemic. Churches need to focus on how to expand further, gain new believers to compensate for the loss, and even achieve growth in the number of believers.
A church in Heilongjiang province places great emphasis on evangelistic outreach ministries. Setting a clear goal each year, the church designates a different theme for each of the twelve months, with four months dedicated to the theme of "evangelism." Believers reach out to their relatives and friends and share the gospel with them. They then invite interested individuals to join small groups for weekly activities and eventually bring them to church. After church services, these newcomers engage in a systematic study for nearly half a year, with the church continuously accompanying their growth until they can serve in ministry. In the Sunday service, there are often new seekers attending, with around 20 people when the attendance is high.
Two churches in Guangzhou open their doors to visitors, taking advantage of their locations in bustling areas. Visitors can come for sightseeing and to take pictures. One of the churches places all kinds of prayer cards on tables, such as prayers for finding a spouse, working smoothly, the well-being of parents, childbirth, the education of children, family harmony, and a happy marriage. The corresponding prayers are concise and easy to read, and visitors can write down their specific prayer requests on the back of the cards. In some churches, visitors can take and read brochures introducing the church and basic Christian teachings.
Despite many challenges, churches across the country continue to explore missions and seize visions, paving their own path for development.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Case Study: Churches Retain Believers After COVID-19
