Churches tend to focus much of their energy on the external development of their churches—the expansion of church buildings, the growth of membership, and the increase in the number of church staff. However, in today's Chinese churches, it is actually the internal development issues of the churches that are causing churches to divide in many cases.
Wang Zhenhai (pseudonym) is a brother who has served for many years in an urban church in the northern part of China. After witnessing the division of many churches, Wang believed that if the pastors and staff in a church do not work together, they will not be able to accomplish anything.
Wang said that when pastors and church leaders are united, their connection goes beyond the human level. This is because when they are closely united, the Holy Spirit begins to work in them. As a result, they are able to generate better ideas in ministry.
Many church members have stopped attending church after the three-year pandemic of COVID; therefore, these churches are experiencing a decline in attendance to varying degrees and are shrinking in size. Despite this situation, however, the church where Wang serves continues to plant new churches and has seen a significant increase in its membership. In this regard, Wang emphasized that the unity of church leaders and pastors is of utmost importance for the development of the church, and all other things—church staff development, all-church retreats, family worship, and small group ministry—are secondary.
However, this has become a great challenge in many churches because everyone insists on their own view, and no one will yield. Therefore, Wang reminded, "We must realize that only God Himself is the owner of the church. A church may have many pastors and staff and an even larger congregation, but none of them owns the church."
Although the church where Wang serves has experienced significant growth, all the pastors and church leaders still meet weekly to discuss and reach consensus on all important issues.
In addition, Wang pointed out that a church may be perfect in many aspects, but it still needs a comprehensive administrative system to maintain the unity of the pastoral staff; otherwise, as the examples of many churches show, the development and revival of the church, which often brings significant growth, can easily be the time when divisions occur.
"In many churches today, there is much discord among church leaders, pastors, and staff because the various staff groups and ministry teams all go their own way and act on their own will. As a result, there is no way for the church to grow, which makes it very difficult to fulfill the Great Commission," Wang said.
A sound administrative system can help a church develop. By helping the church maintain a larger staff, it enables ministry teams to be more fully staffed and effective, making ministry less difficult. When each of us is willing to work in ministry with various teams of church leaders and staff, as well as other believers, using our God-given gifts and talents, the church can certainly accomplish greater things.
- Tranlsated by Joyce Leung
教会很容易关注外部的发展，比如教会场地的扩大、聚会人数的增多、教牧同工数量的增长。然而在中国教会当中的分裂现象很大程度上就是教会内部发展出了问题而导致的。
王振海弟兄（化名）在北方某地一所城市教会服事多年，他看到过教会的分裂。他认为教会牧者、同工们同心合意非常重要，不然很多事情都做不成。
王说，牧者和领袖的同心合意不仅仅是人的层面的合一。更加重要的是，当他们紧密地联合起来的时候，圣灵会开始工作，他们会探索出很多的好的想法和事工来。
三年新冠疫情之后，很多教会都有不同程度的衰退，规模缩减，信徒流失。但是王服事的教会却不断植堂，信徒人数大幅度增长。他说首先是教会领袖和牧者的同心合意。其次是其他的，比如教会牧者、同工的培训，全民灵修，家庭礼拜，还有小组牧养。
有很多教会出现了严重的问题，比如谁也说服不了谁，都觉得自己才是对的。对此王说，“我们必须要认识到教会的主人是上帝自己，虽然有很多的牧者、同工以及数量更多的信徒，但是，他们都不是教会的主人。”
虽然王的教会取得了很大的发展，但是每周所有牧者和负责人都必须聚集在一起，就一切重要问题达成共识。
他也提到，教会可能在很多方面都做的很好，但是同时需要建立一个整全的行政管理体系以保持教牧同工的合一性。由于教会行政体系没有建立好，发展和复兴反而很容易给教会带来分裂。一些事实证明很多教会都是在大幅度的增长的时候分裂的。
王弟兄说：“现在在很多教会里面，内部的团队、事工之间各自为政。你做你的，我做我的，然后领袖、牧者、同工之间有很多的不和。因而教会就没有办法做大，使得实践大使命变得很难。”
一个健全的行政管理体系，可以支撑教会的发展。因为容纳了更多的人，每一个团队变得更大、更强，事工也容易做。发挥上帝给每一个人的恩赐和才干，并与其他人和团队、事工连接，教会就可以做到更大的事情。
经验：牧者同工们同心合意对教会发展非常重要
Churches tend to focus much of their energy on the external development of their churches—the expansion of church buildings, the growth of membership, and the increase in the number of church staff. However, in today's Chinese churches, it is actually the internal development issues of the churches that are causing churches to divide in many cases.
Wang Zhenhai (pseudonym) is a brother who has served for many years in an urban church in the northern part of China. After witnessing the division of many churches, Wang believed that if the pastors and staff in a church do not work together, they will not be able to accomplish anything.
Wang said that when pastors and church leaders are united, their connection goes beyond the human level. This is because when they are closely united, the Holy Spirit begins to work in them. As a result, they are able to generate better ideas in ministry.
Many church members have stopped attending church after the three-year pandemic of COVID; therefore, these churches are experiencing a decline in attendance to varying degrees and are shrinking in size. Despite this situation, however, the church where Wang serves continues to plant new churches and has seen a significant increase in its membership. In this regard, Wang emphasized that the unity of church leaders and pastors is of utmost importance for the development of the church, and all other things—church staff development, all-church retreats, family worship, and small group ministry—are secondary.
However, this has become a great challenge in many churches because everyone insists on their own view, and no one will yield. Therefore, Wang reminded, "We must realize that only God Himself is the owner of the church. A church may have many pastors and staff and an even larger congregation, but none of them owns the church."
Although the church where Wang serves has experienced significant growth, all the pastors and church leaders still meet weekly to discuss and reach consensus on all important issues.
In addition, Wang pointed out that a church may be perfect in many aspects, but it still needs a comprehensive administrative system to maintain the unity of the pastoral staff; otherwise, as the examples of many churches show, the development and revival of the church, which often brings significant growth, can easily be the time when divisions occur.
"In many churches today, there is much discord among church leaders, pastors, and staff because the various staff groups and ministry teams all go their own way and act on their own will. As a result, there is no way for the church to grow, which makes it very difficult to fulfill the Great Commission," Wang said.
A sound administrative system can help a church develop. By helping the church maintain a larger staff, it enables ministry teams to be more fully staffed and effective, making ministry less difficult. When each of us is willing to work in ministry with various teams of church leaders and staff, as well as other believers, using our God-given gifts and talents, the church can certainly accomplish greater things.
- Tranlsated by Joyce Leung
Voice: United Hearts of Church Staff Vital for Church Growth
