On the first day of the Year of the Dragon while many people enjoyed family reunions, a county church in a mountain in Shanxi hosted a New Year gathering. However, behind this gathering was a revival story, rising from the shadow of the pandemic.
Located deep in the Lvliang Mountains in the central-southern part of Shanxi Province, Fenxi County in Linfen City only shed its label as a poverty-stricken county in 2020. Many young adults from the mountains chose to work in big cities, and due to the impact of the pandemic, the number of worshippers, once over two hundred, has now dwindled to half. Apart from the loss of believers, some dedicated volunteers in the church fell ill, passed away, or left.
A Christian woman who has sent her daughter to a theological college for further education, despite being in her late seventies, is still engaged in serving at a family gathering site. Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she suffered a stroke and has since lost the ability to care for herself. The meeting point she used to lead also faces the dilemma of being without pastoral care due to her illness. With believers in this gathering site falling ill or passing away, the family gathering site, which once had more than ten elderly believers, has now halted activities.
Before the pandemic, Elder Pang, leader of Chengguan Church in Fenxi County, paid a visit to this family gathering site. The senior woman in the family is a longtime believer who lost her vision due to an eye disease in her early years and can only manage to live independently. "Unexpectedly, this sightless Christian sat on the bed and shared a sermon with us. We, the visitation team members, became the inspired ones," said Elder Pang. She has spent seven or eight years sitting in the courtyard listening to sermons and hymns on a Bible player.
In early 2020, Chengguan Church suspended its gathering activities due to pandemic control. During the entire three-year period, two or three elderly Christian women in their sixties and seventies came to the church every day for vigilant prayers.
Elder Pang stated that although the number of believers is not large in Chengguan Church, it is these passionate and simple elderly believers who always bring reassurance and hope to the church.
"Externally, these ladies are aged with disabilities or illnesses and are looked down upon in society. But the power of God is manifested more fully in those who watch over our church. Although the church has encountered many difficulties, we all feel hopeful while watching them."
Due to the long-term suspension of services, it was a challenge to financially support three full-time theology graduates. However, Elder Pang continued to pay their salaries monthly throughout the three-year pandemic. The church not only did not face any shortages but also had a surplus when the pandemic ended.
The elder recalled that during the pandemic, the church's offering box almost fell victim to theft, but the majority of the offerings were retained. As a result, the offering box, which used to be open monthly, is unlocked after each gathering. The average weekly offering could reach several hundred or even over a thousand yuan, surpassing the previous monthly amount.
After the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2023, Pang initiated the training of evangelists and rebuilt meeting points with pastoral care in remote rural areas. The church also started weekday activities for youth fellowship and couples fellowship.
"Last year, we held training sessions lasting about a week around Easter, during the Spring Festival or the summer vacation. The county specifically invited effective pastors from the city to give theological courses and in-depth training. After the training, the county church sent workers directly to conduct pastoral care at gathering sites in villages. The training plan for Easter 2024 is almost arranged, and this year is the most attended training session in recent years, with about 60 participants," added Elder Pang.
In the county church, the youth fellowship and couples fellowship have attracted more young people to participate in service, and several "promising candidates" for future pastors have emerged.
"Thinking back, it is truly the grace of God! Even in such a remote and humble church, the grace of God has never left us in such difficult times. What do we have to be discouraged about when he has blessed us beyond our expectations?" Elder Pang concluded.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
2024年正月初一下午，当许多人还沉浸在阖家团圆的氛围中时，汾西县城关教堂举行了新春团拜会。但这场聚会背后，却是疫情之下一个山区教会经历十字架的艰难道路后迎来复活的故事。
汾西县位于山西省中南的吕梁山脉深处，直至2020年，它才刚刚摘掉贫困县的帽子。山里的许多青壮年们选择到大城市里打拼，加上疫情的后续影响，原先有二百多人来礼拜，现在只能来一半。然而除了信徒的流失之外，坚守在侍奉岗位的义工们有些生病，死去或者离开。
一位曾将自己女儿送进神学院深造的女基督徒，虽已年近八旬，却依旧参与农村聚会点侍奉。然而在疫情期间，她不幸罹患脑梗，至今已经失去了自理能力。而她原先所带领的聚会点，也因着她的患病陷入了无人牧养的困境；加之在此聚会的信徒逐个患病或离世，这个先前还有十余位老信徒的家庭聚会点，如今也基本没有了聚会活动。
而在疫情前的一次教会探访中，这位老姐妹义工所带领的家庭接待点却展现出了信心。家中的老姊妹是多年老信徒，早年间因患眼疾而失去了视力，只能勉强自理生活。“结果没想到，这个看不见的老阿姨坐在床上当场给我们分享了一篇道，我们这些探访同工反倒成了受激励的人”，教会负责人庞长老说。原来，她七八年常坐在小院里听圣经播放器的证道和赞美诗。
2020年初，城关教会因疫情管控而开始暂停聚会活动。整整三年期间，两三位六七十岁的老姊妹每天来到教堂做守望祷告。
庞长老表示，虽然城关教会信徒人数不多，但正是有这些火热且单纯的老信徒，总会让大家对于教会有许多安心与盼望。
“从外在上看，这些阿姨们都是些身有残疾或身患疾病的老人，甚至是在世上被人看不起的人。但是神的大能就是在她们的身上显得越发完全，她们就是我们教会的根。虽然教会遇到很多艰难，但看着她们，我们大家就觉得有盼望。”
因着教会长期聚会暂停，三位全职侍奉神学毕业生的供应问题成了难题。但是庞长老仍旧坚持在疫情三年期间，每月照常发放他们的工资。教会不仅没有遇到任何缺乏，反而在疫情结束时还盈余了一些。
长老跟我们回忆，疫情期间，教会的奉献箱险些遭遇了一次盗窃，但基本保住了绝大多数的奉献。为此，奉献箱从一月一开变成一次聚会一开，结果。平均每周的奉献款就能够有几百甚至上千元，超过原先每月千把元。
2023年初新冠疫情结束后，庞长老启动了全县传道工人栽培与偏远农村聚会点的牧养和重建工作，汾西教会也在周间开设了全新的青年及夫妻团契的聚会。
“去年一年，我们趁着春节、复活节还有夏季都搞了为期一周左右的工人培训会。”培训会上，县里特别邀请了地市的主要牧者为大家做神学课程以及要道精讲培训。培训一结束，县教会就派遣工人们直接从会场走进乡村，深入各个聚会点开展牧养。“现在2024年复活节的培训计划也基本安排好了，今年算是历年来参与培训人数最多的一次，我数了一下差不多有60人。”长老补充道。
而在县城教会，青年团契与夫妻团契也吸引了更多年轻人重新回到教会，并参与服侍，还涌现出了几个可以做预备传道人的“好苗子”。
“现在想想真是神的恩典！我们这么一个在山沟沟里简陋不足的教会，即便是这么艰难的时候，上帝的恩典也从来没有离开过我们。还给我们超乎所求所想的祝福，我们还有什么可灰心的呢！”庞长老说。
【特稿】山沟沟里的复兴
On the first day of the Year of the Dragon while many people enjoyed family reunions, a county church in a mountain in Shanxi hosted a New Year gathering. However, behind this gathering was a revival story, rising from the shadow of the pandemic.
Located deep in the Lvliang Mountains in the central-southern part of Shanxi Province, Fenxi County in Linfen City only shed its label as a poverty-stricken county in 2020. Many young adults from the mountains chose to work in big cities, and due to the impact of the pandemic, the number of worshippers, once over two hundred, has now dwindled to half. Apart from the loss of believers, some dedicated volunteers in the church fell ill, passed away, or left.
A Christian woman who has sent her daughter to a theological college for further education, despite being in her late seventies, is still engaged in serving at a family gathering site. Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she suffered a stroke and has since lost the ability to care for herself. The meeting point she used to lead also faces the dilemma of being without pastoral care due to her illness. With believers in this gathering site falling ill or passing away, the family gathering site, which once had more than ten elderly believers, has now halted activities.
Before the pandemic, Elder Pang, leader of Chengguan Church in Fenxi County, paid a visit to this family gathering site. The senior woman in the family is a longtime believer who lost her vision due to an eye disease in her early years and can only manage to live independently. "Unexpectedly, this sightless Christian sat on the bed and shared a sermon with us. We, the visitation team members, became the inspired ones," said Elder Pang. She has spent seven or eight years sitting in the courtyard listening to sermons and hymns on a Bible player.
In early 2020, Chengguan Church suspended its gathering activities due to pandemic control. During the entire three-year period, two or three elderly Christian women in their sixties and seventies came to the church every day for vigilant prayers.
Elder Pang stated that although the number of believers is not large in Chengguan Church, it is these passionate and simple elderly believers who always bring reassurance and hope to the church.
"Externally, these ladies are aged with disabilities or illnesses and are looked down upon in society. But the power of God is manifested more fully in those who watch over our church. Although the church has encountered many difficulties, we all feel hopeful while watching them."
Due to the long-term suspension of services, it was a challenge to financially support three full-time theology graduates. However, Elder Pang continued to pay their salaries monthly throughout the three-year pandemic. The church not only did not face any shortages but also had a surplus when the pandemic ended.
The elder recalled that during the pandemic, the church's offering box almost fell victim to theft, but the majority of the offerings were retained. As a result, the offering box, which used to be open monthly, is unlocked after each gathering. The average weekly offering could reach several hundred or even over a thousand yuan, surpassing the previous monthly amount.
After the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2023, Pang initiated the training of evangelists and rebuilt meeting points with pastoral care in remote rural areas. The church also started weekday activities for youth fellowship and couples fellowship.
"Last year, we held training sessions lasting about a week around Easter, during the Spring Festival or the summer vacation. The county specifically invited effective pastors from the city to give theological courses and in-depth training. After the training, the county church sent workers directly to conduct pastoral care at gathering sites in villages. The training plan for Easter 2024 is almost arranged, and this year is the most attended training session in recent years, with about 60 participants," added Elder Pang.
In the county church, the youth fellowship and couples fellowship have attracted more young people to participate in service, and several "promising candidates" for future pastors have emerged.
"Thinking back, it is truly the grace of God! Even in such a remote and humble church, the grace of God has never left us in such difficult times. What do we have to be discouraged about when he has blessed us beyond our expectations?" Elder Pang concluded.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Feature: Revival in Mountain Valley
