In a recent interview with the Christian Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, a pastor who has been serving rural churches in Central China for 30 years has witnessed a series of changes in the Chinese church in the past 30 years. We call him Pastor Huang as a pseudonym for safety reasons.
Christian Times: What do you think was the reason for the revival of the Church in China 30 years ago?
Pastor Huang: At that time, the believers were very simple in heart and loved each other. Every believer looked forward to the Lord's second coming, so people worked hard for this goal. At that time, everyone helped each other with farm work in the believers' homes, thinking that helping to finish farm work as soon as possible would allow them to better devote themselves to church work. I think that in the church 30 years ago, the concept of family was relatively emphasized, and there was no distinction between 'you' and 'me'. Just as mentioned in the Book of Acts, "all who believed were together and had all things in common."
On the other hand, after the believers listened to sermons, their execution capability was also relatively strong. After believers heard sermons, they immediately went out and preached the gospel, from village to village, from bus station to train station, from country to town, and from town to city, knocking on every door to preach the gospel.
At that time, believers were close. No one would be upset by a word, and no one would be tripped up by an ugly look.
On the other hand, the Holy Spirit often urged believers to evangelize. People could often bring many people to Christ simply by going out and talking to them. At that time, the Holy Spirit gave power and authority to heal the sick and cast out demons. In fact, at that time, resources were scarce, and the vast majority of people did not go to the seminary or attend any training courses. Instead, they learned to preach only from the older generation of pastors. They gradually changed from not being able to preach or being afraid to preach at the beginning to being able to preach for five minutes or ten minutes, and then to being able to preach for one to three days.
Christian Times: Do you see how the Church has changed 30 years later?
Pastor Huang: In fact, I think there are many crises in the development of the Church after 30 years of development. The first crisis is that the pursuit of believers is not as good as before. Thirty years ago, it was God-centered, but now it is human-centered, and people are more and more confused due to money.
Secondly, the relationship between believers is relatively worse, and there is often not much trust or suspicion.
Another aspect is the problem of different minds. In fact, different minds come from different ideas. For example, old people have different ideas from young people, and people who have studied in the seminary have different ideas from people who have not read theology.
Too frequently, pastors' or leaders' ideas have dominated church development, with little regard for the principle that "This is God's church, and God should rule." When man is in power in the church, God loses his absolute position, and the development of the church becomes stagnant and problematic.
Christian Times: What do you see as the challenges for the church in the future?
Pastor Huang: The same challenge that believers, pastors, and workers face is the temptation of Satan. The way in which it tempts men is that, when they are willing to bow down and worship it, it allows them to enjoy the glory and wealth of nations.
The challenges that believers encounter are mainly the temptations of the world, the snares of money, and the needs of external materials. The main challenge for pastors is that they may not be able to meet the needs of believers in terms of pastoral care. The challenges faced by the workers were mainly economic, perhaps because their pastoral care and teaching did not meet the needs of the church members or because the church was unable to provide for the needs of the co-workers.
Christian Times: How do you expect the church to change in the future?
Pastor Huang: Let God do the work, let God lead, and let God govern.
-Translated by Nicolas Cao
日前，在与基督时报的访谈中，一位在中原某地农村教会服事30年之久的牧者见证了中国教会30年以来的一系列变革。因安全原因，我们称他为黄牧师（化名）。
基督时报：你觉得30年前中国教会能够复兴的原因是什么？
黄牧师：那时候信徒的心非常单纯，且彼此相爱。每个信徒都盼望主的再来，所以竭力做工。那时候信徒家里的农活大家都相互帮衬，想着尽快帮助干完农活，就可以让他们更好地投入教会工作。我觉得30年前的教会，一家人的观念比较强，不分你我，就好比使徒行传中所提到的：信的都在一处，凡物公用。
另一方面，听完道以后执行力也是比较强的。信徒听完道之后，就会立刻走出去传福音。从一个村到一个村，从汽车站到火车站，从乡间到城镇，从城镇到城市，挨家挨户敲门传福音。
那个时候信徒关系密切，没有人会为一句话耿耿于怀，也没有人会为一个眼光被绊倒。
再一方面就是，圣灵常催逼着信徒传福音——常常是人们只要一出去就能领许多人归信基督。那时候，圣灵赐下能力权柄，使人可以医病赶鬼。其实那个时候，资源甚乏，绝大多数人没有读过神学，没有上过培训班，都是跟着老一辈的牧者学习讲道。从最开始的不会讲、不敢讲，到能讲上五分钟、十分钟，再到后来可以讲一天到三天。
基督时报：你觉得30年后的今天教会有什么变化吗？
黄牧师：其实我觉得30年后教会的发展出现了许多危机，首先是信徒在追求上不如从前了。三十年前以上帝为中心，而三十年后却是以人为中心，并且受金钱的迷惑越来越大。
其次是，信徒之间的关系比较生疏，常常会出现不太信任，多疑。
还有一方面就是不同心的问题，其实不同心源自于观念的不同。比如老年人与年轻人观念不同，再比如读过神学的人和没有读过神学的人观念不同。
有太多时候，教会的发展都是以牧者或领袖的想法为主导，却极大的忽略了“这是上帝的教会，应该由上帝主导。”当人在教会中掌权的时候，上帝就失去了绝对的地位，那教会的发展就会出现停滞和各样问题。
基督时报：你觉得未来教会的挑战有哪些？
黄牧师：无论是信徒，还是牧者，亦或者是工人同样面对的挑战就是来自撒旦的试探。它试探人所用的方法就是，当人愿意俯伏拜它的时候，它就应承人享受那万国的荣华富贵。
信徒面对的挑战主要是来自世界的诱惑、金钱的网罗、外在物质的需求问题。牧者面对的挑战主要是在牧养上可能无法满足信徒的需要。工人面对的挑战主要是来自经济的问题，也许是因为他们的牧养与教导无法满足教会信徒的需要，又或许是教会无力供应工人的需要。
基督时报：你期待未来教会如何变化？
黄牧师：让上帝作工，让上帝主导，让上帝管理。
话一位农村服事者牧者：中国教会30年以来的变革
In a recent interview with the Christian Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, a pastor who has been serving rural churches in Central China for 30 years has witnessed a series of changes in the Chinese church in the past 30 years. We call him Pastor Huang as a pseudonym for safety reasons.
Christian Times: What do you think was the reason for the revival of the Church in China 30 years ago?
Pastor Huang: At that time, the believers were very simple in heart and loved each other. Every believer looked forward to the Lord's second coming, so people worked hard for this goal. At that time, everyone helped each other with farm work in the believers' homes, thinking that helping to finish farm work as soon as possible would allow them to better devote themselves to church work. I think that in the church 30 years ago, the concept of family was relatively emphasized, and there was no distinction between 'you' and 'me'. Just as mentioned in the Book of Acts, "all who believed were together and had all things in common."
On the other hand, after the believers listened to sermons, their execution capability was also relatively strong. After believers heard sermons, they immediately went out and preached the gospel, from village to village, from bus station to train station, from country to town, and from town to city, knocking on every door to preach the gospel.
At that time, believers were close. No one would be upset by a word, and no one would be tripped up by an ugly look.
On the other hand, the Holy Spirit often urged believers to evangelize. People could often bring many people to Christ simply by going out and talking to them. At that time, the Holy Spirit gave power and authority to heal the sick and cast out demons. In fact, at that time, resources were scarce, and the vast majority of people did not go to the seminary or attend any training courses. Instead, they learned to preach only from the older generation of pastors. They gradually changed from not being able to preach or being afraid to preach at the beginning to being able to preach for five minutes or ten minutes, and then to being able to preach for one to three days.
Christian Times: Do you see how the Church has changed 30 years later?
Pastor Huang: In fact, I think there are many crises in the development of the Church after 30 years of development. The first crisis is that the pursuit of believers is not as good as before. Thirty years ago, it was God-centered, but now it is human-centered, and people are more and more confused due to money.
Secondly, the relationship between believers is relatively worse, and there is often not much trust or suspicion.
Another aspect is the problem of different minds. In fact, different minds come from different ideas. For example, old people have different ideas from young people, and people who have studied in the seminary have different ideas from people who have not read theology.
Too frequently, pastors' or leaders' ideas have dominated church development, with little regard for the principle that "This is God's church, and God should rule." When man is in power in the church, God loses his absolute position, and the development of the church becomes stagnant and problematic.
Christian Times: What do you see as the challenges for the church in the future?
Pastor Huang: The same challenge that believers, pastors, and workers face is the temptation of Satan. The way in which it tempts men is that, when they are willing to bow down and worship it, it allows them to enjoy the glory and wealth of nations.
The challenges that believers encounter are mainly the temptations of the world, the snares of money, and the needs of external materials. The main challenge for pastors is that they may not be able to meet the needs of believers in terms of pastoral care. The challenges faced by the workers were mainly economic, perhaps because their pastoral care and teaching did not meet the needs of the church members or because the church was unable to provide for the needs of the co-workers.
Christian Times: How do you expect the church to change in the future?
Pastor Huang: Let God do the work, let God lead, and let God govern.
-Translated by Nicolas Cao
Interview With Rural Pastor: Let God Lead Chinese Churches After 30 Years' Transformation
