"Ten years to grow a tree, a hundred years to cultivate a person." It takes ten years for a tree to grow, but how long does it take to establish a church rooted in a community? Pastor Xie and his wife have spent ten years doing just that.
Back in 2013, upon hearing about the spiritual desolation in County A, Pastor Xie felt a deep burden for the area. His wife, who initially stayed in their hometown to care for their elderly parents, resolutely brought their two children to join him in County A. When they first arrived in March 2013, the church had very few believers, and often, it was just the couple and one other believer at services. As the only church in the urban area of County A, it has faced many challenges over the past ten years, including conflicts and financial difficulties, yet it has never faltered. Instead, it has emerged stronger, providing a spiritual haven for the local community.
The First Stage: Upholding Truth Amidst Conflict
When Pastor Xie first arrived in County A, believers gathered on a street in a small storefront, which was divided into three rooms. During the summer, without air conditioning, the sweltering heat would reach 40 degrees Celsius. The pastor's family squeezed into one of the rooms, where it was so stifling that they would apply toothpaste to their bodies to feel the slight cooling effect of evaporation, barely managing to sleep for an hour or two.
County A has a strong Catholic presence, and in the early days, many Catholics joined the church, leading to frequent conflicts during services due to differing beliefs. Pastor Xie patiently engaged in conversations and firmly proclaimed biblical teachings with prayers. Three years later, much of Pastor Xie's hair had fallen out, and those who disagreed with the church's teachings had left. He recalls that leading a church with love alone is challenging: "The church must be built on truth; we cannot lower our standards to appease people."
Some church members got involved in direct selling. Initially, Pastor Xie did not pay much attention, but when seven or eight people were drawn into it, he began to sternly warn these believers repeatedly. Several times, it seemed that conflicts were about to erupt, but his wife worked behind the scenes to mediate. After six months, the members recognized the manipulative tactics involved and admitted their mistakes, expressing their willingness to submit to the church's teachings.
Gradually, the church entered a period of stable growth.
God's Provision Supports Church Growth and Expansion
By 2015, as the number of church members increased, the already small space became even more cramped. Xie decided to find a new meeting place and led Christians in prayer for money. The next day, a sister from a church in the city donated 10,000 yuan to their church.
However, they still needed to cover a year's rent. A couple decided to donate 20,000 yuan, even though the wife was not yet a believer. They made this donation because Xie had previously helped them resolve conflicts in their family.
With the rent covered, they still lacked funds for equipment. Suddenly, a distant friend of one sister in Christ reached out, offering to help with the purchase of equipment. Thus, the new worship venue was ready.
During times of scarcity, God moved several believers from Shenzhen to provide tuition for the children. This year, Pastor Xie's daughter is in her final year of university and plans to pursue theological studies after graduation.
Looking Ahead: The Dream of Rooting and Building a Church
During the pandemic, the church had to relocate again due to the inconvenience of gathering. The previous church was housed in a two-story small building.
Currently, the church holds prayer and sharing meetings every Wednesday, where members discuss the Sunday sermon and pray together. On Fridays, they focus on Bible study, covering topics such as theology, biblical introductions, practical theology, Christian ethics, and verse-by-verse Bible study.
Looking to the future, Pastor Xie hopes to connect more with the younger generation. "We need to watch movies together," he says.
"Evangelism has always been our passion; we can't just sit around and do nothing. When the lives of believers are transformed, the good news will naturally spread." As for the immediate tasks, Pastor Xie says the church has developed a management system over the years, and they plan to document it. The church will also focus more on outreach, especially in welcoming newcomers on Sundays. Xie adds, "We are also full of hope, dreaming of one day building a church."
"Once you set a goal, you must stay focused and persevere," says Pastor Xie, offering encouragement to his fellow workers and reaffirming his commitment to God.
“十年树木，百年树人。”一颗树需要十年时间长大，扎根一个地方建立教会需要多久呢？谢牧师夫妇用了十年。
时间回到2013听闻A县福音荒凉，谢牧师便一直心系于此。原本留在家乡照顾老人的师母也毅然带着两个孩子来到A县。2013年3月初到A县时，教会信徒寥寥无几，礼拜常常只有谢牧师夫妇和一名信徒。作为A县市区仅有的教会，教会十年历经风雨，虽饱受纷争与经济困顿考验，却未曾倒下；反而在艰难中破土而出，为当地人提供一片属灵栖息地。
最初聚会点：纷争中高举真理
谢牧师刚到A县时，信徒在街道一个狭小的市面房礼拜。里面隔为三间，夏天没有空调，40度的高温酷热难当。牧师一家挤在其中一间，闷得睡不着就把牙膏涂身上，靠着膏体蒸发的凉感勉强睡一两个小时。
A县是天主教大县，教会初期有不少天主教徒加入。礼拜上，因观念冲突引起不少纷争。谢牧师耐心谈话，坚持宣布圣经教导并为此竭力祷告。三年后，谢牧师的头发掉了不少，不认同的天主教徒也离开了。他回忆说，凭着爱心很难把教会治理好，“教会的特色是在真理上建立教会，不能为迎合人而放低真理上的要求。”
教会信徒中有人做起了直销。一开始谢牧师没在意，直到教会里有七八个人卷入。谢牧师开始措辞严厉在教会反复告诫。好几次眼瞅着冲突就要爆发，好在师母私下做调和工作。经过半年时间，信徒明白其中套路后醒悟过来，承认了错误，表示愿意顺从教会教导。
逐渐地，教会进入稳定发展期。
神的供应：教会的成长与扩展
2015年教会人数多起来后，原本狭小的空间显得更小了。谢牧师决定重新寻找聚会场所，便带着大家一起祷告。第二天，一位市区教会的姐妹给教会奉献了一万块钱。
而一年的房租需要解决，一位夫妇决定奉献两万。这对夫妇妻子当时还不是信徒，因谢牧师曾帮助了他们如何调节婆媳关系。
教会一年的房租够了，但设备的钱还是不够。教会一位姐妹远方的同学忽然联系，为教会添置设备，新的礼拜场所就预备好了。
低谷缺乏中，神感动深圳几位信徒供应孩子的学费，今年谢牧师的女儿已是大学最后一年，准备毕业后读神学。
展望未来：扎根与建堂的梦想
疫情期间，因聚会不便，教会再次搬家。前教会在一栋两层小楼聚会。
现在，教会每周三举行祷告分享会，大家分享主日内容，一起祷告。周五以查经为主，主要学习神学教义、圣经概论、实践神学、基督教伦理学以及逐卷查经等。
谈到未来，谢牧师希望和年轻人打成一片。“我们要和他们一起看电影。”
“福传一直是我们的热情，我们不能等着什么都不做。信徒生命改变了，好消息自然就传开了。”至于眼前要做的事，谢牧师说教会这些年已经形成管理体系，接下来会把这些成文。教会也会更多投入在触及新人方面，尤其在主日做好新人接待事工。谢牧师说：“我们也充满期待，希望有一天能建堂。”
“确定了一个目标就不能分心，要执着，”谢牧师这话既是对同工们的劝勉，也是在上帝面前立下的心志。
牧师夫妇回首十年牧会路：确定了目标就要执着
"Ten years to grow a tree, a hundred years to cultivate a person." It takes ten years for a tree to grow, but how long does it take to establish a church rooted in a community? Pastor Xie and his wife have spent ten years doing just that.
Back in 2013, upon hearing about the spiritual desolation in County A, Pastor Xie felt a deep burden for the area. His wife, who initially stayed in their hometown to care for their elderly parents, resolutely brought their two children to join him in County A. When they first arrived in March 2013, the church had very few believers, and often, it was just the couple and one other believer at services. As the only church in the urban area of County A, it has faced many challenges over the past ten years, including conflicts and financial difficulties, yet it has never faltered. Instead, it has emerged stronger, providing a spiritual haven for the local community.
The First Stage: Upholding Truth Amidst Conflict
When Pastor Xie first arrived in County A, believers gathered on a street in a small storefront, which was divided into three rooms. During the summer, without air conditioning, the sweltering heat would reach 40 degrees Celsius. The pastor's family squeezed into one of the rooms, where it was so stifling that they would apply toothpaste to their bodies to feel the slight cooling effect of evaporation, barely managing to sleep for an hour or two.
County A has a strong Catholic presence, and in the early days, many Catholics joined the church, leading to frequent conflicts during services due to differing beliefs. Pastor Xie patiently engaged in conversations and firmly proclaimed biblical teachings with prayers. Three years later, much of Pastor Xie's hair had fallen out, and those who disagreed with the church's teachings had left. He recalls that leading a church with love alone is challenging: "The church must be built on truth; we cannot lower our standards to appease people."
Some church members got involved in direct selling. Initially, Pastor Xie did not pay much attention, but when seven or eight people were drawn into it, he began to sternly warn these believers repeatedly. Several times, it seemed that conflicts were about to erupt, but his wife worked behind the scenes to mediate. After six months, the members recognized the manipulative tactics involved and admitted their mistakes, expressing their willingness to submit to the church's teachings.
Gradually, the church entered a period of stable growth.
God's Provision Supports Church Growth and Expansion
By 2015, as the number of church members increased, the already small space became even more cramped. Xie decided to find a new meeting place and led Christians in prayer for money. The next day, a sister from a church in the city donated 10,000 yuan to their church.
However, they still needed to cover a year's rent. A couple decided to donate 20,000 yuan, even though the wife was not yet a believer. They made this donation because Xie had previously helped them resolve conflicts in their family.
With the rent covered, they still lacked funds for equipment. Suddenly, a distant friend of one sister in Christ reached out, offering to help with the purchase of equipment. Thus, the new worship venue was ready.
During times of scarcity, God moved several believers from Shenzhen to provide tuition for the children. This year, Pastor Xie's daughter is in her final year of university and plans to pursue theological studies after graduation.
Looking Ahead: The Dream of Rooting and Building a Church
During the pandemic, the church had to relocate again due to the inconvenience of gathering. The previous church was housed in a two-story small building.
Currently, the church holds prayer and sharing meetings every Wednesday, where members discuss the Sunday sermon and pray together. On Fridays, they focus on Bible study, covering topics such as theology, biblical introductions, practical theology, Christian ethics, and verse-by-verse Bible study.
Looking to the future, Pastor Xie hopes to connect more with the younger generation. "We need to watch movies together," he says.
"Evangelism has always been our passion; we can't just sit around and do nothing. When the lives of believers are transformed, the good news will naturally spread." As for the immediate tasks, Pastor Xie says the church has developed a management system over the years, and they plan to document it. The church will also focus more on outreach, especially in welcoming newcomers on Sundays. Xie adds, "We are also full of hope, dreaming of one day building a church."
"Once you set a goal, you must stay focused and persevere," says Pastor Xie, offering encouragement to his fellow workers and reaffirming his commitment to God.
Pastor Couple Reflects on Decade of Ministry: 'Once You Set Goal, You Must Persevere'
