As Chinese urbanization progresses with the rural population gradually moving to cities, fewer and aging believers are left behind. Most young adults have left for work or migration. Due to the low number of believers and limited payments, pastoral ministry and retaining full-time pastors remain difficult.
During visits to churches in Guangdong and Northeast China, I observed that rural churches do not have full-time pastors at all. On Sundays, they invite pastors from other places to preach and provide them honorariums. During weekdays, believers rely on volunteer ministers for sipritual growth. Some churches even rely on volunteer church workers to take turns in giving sermons, which inevitably affects the spiritual growth of believers over time. Apart from relying on assistance from urban churches, what should rural churches do to address this issue?
The importance of having full-time pastors for the development of churches, including grassroots ones, is self-evident. However, for rural churches, it is even more challenging but crucial to have dedicated pastors who have a solid faith foundation and theological education to be able to settle down and carry out pastoral work.
The Zhangcun Church in Meizhou, Guangdong, is one that is particularly struck by the issue. It has a history of over 160 years and is the birthplace of the churches along the two rivers, the Dong and Mei Rivers, having a rich Hakka church history. However, due to its location in a mountainous area, it currently lacks full-time pastors and can only invite pastors from nearby churches to preach on Sundays. Gospel work cannot be carried out effectively. The pastor who came with me works in a church that is about half an hour’s drive away. He is also frequently invited to preach here. “Such a historic church is now without pastoral care, which is just sad,” he said.
Regarding the importance of hiring full-time pastors, a pastor in Northeast China said that some church leaders believe that not hiring full-time pastors saves the church the expense of supporting them. After all, they can simply invite other pastors to preach for a few hundred Yuan per session, totaling only one or two thousand Yuan a month, which is much lower than the cost of supporting a full-time pastor. This is a typically short-sighted mindset. “In fact, a church without an assigned pastor is in a style of the free-range ministry. Sometimes one pastor preaches in one way, and another in another way. They even contradict each other. That causes confusion among believers, not knowing to whom they should listen,” he said. Churches should be willing to invest in their pastors and pastoral ministry, recognizing the importance of full-time pastors for the work.
In addition to such a mindset, another practical difficulty is the issue of compensation and personnel. The leader of a rural church in Jiangxi is eager to hire a full-time pastor. Although they can invite pastors from nearby churches to preach and conduct spiritual training, and elders and volunteers can also participate in some work in terms of pastoral care, the lack of a full-time pastor makes it difficult for the church to effectively and continuously carry out pastoral care as such. A full-time pastor can continuously follow up on the spiritual growth of believers, which is essential for the church’s development.
However, a practical problem is that the church has only about 200 members, with only around 100 remaining after the pandemic, limiting its ability to support a pastor. The former pastor left after being employed by a city church, using the current church as a stepping stone. Regarding this, he believes that pastors should not consider pastoral care for rural believers as a waste. This should not be the perspective of a pastor.
Regardless of the pastors’ willingness, churches should try their best to provide appropriate salaries for pastors according to local conditions. Considering the decreasing believers in rural churches, if a single church has limited support capabilities, it can join nearby churches to co-support a pastor.
Since 2018, Pastor Y in Meizhou, Guangdong, has been managing two churches, which are predominantly rural. Together, the two churches have around 300 believers, with annual offerings amounting to approximately 100,000 Yuan, less than 10,000 per month. However, the two churches collectively hire four young pastors, two elders, and one theology student.
To support the pastors, Pastor Y collaborate with other congregations to provide for them. The salary from the church is roughly 3,000 Yuan. Additional opportunities to serve at other congregations are provided. By visiting one gathering point twice a month, pastors can receive a subsidy of 500 to 800 Yuan, bringing their total monthly income to over 4,000. Overall, the compensation is considered decent.
Pastor Y noted that rural churches need to address the salary issue and arrange suitable work for pastors to retain them. He understands that Meizhou churches generally lack pastors. On one hand, there should be an awareness of supporting pastors; on the other hand, salaries must be adequate. Collaborating among several churches to jointly hire and share pastoral resources is undoubtedly a feasible solution.
In Jilin, Northeast China, a pastor couple has been serving rural churches since 2008. Due to a shortage of pastors in nearby churches, they subsequently take charge of two more, totaling fewer than 50 people across the three churches, but all make their best efforts to support the couple.
The couple’s initial serving Church H has fewer than 20 believers. Their monthly living allowance increased from 200 Yuan to 1,800, and the church also pays for the rent and provides firewood for heating. An extra month’s living allowance is given at the end of each year. The second church has a stable membership of fewer than 10. Due to low offerings in the initial years, no living allowance was provided, but as finances improved, it gradually increased from 300 Yuan to 800. The third church, with around 20 believers, increased payment from 500 when they first arrived in 2015 to 1,200 now.
Additionally, during each Spring Festival, all three churches provide extra subsidies to the couple. When they were buying a car, the churches covered some expenses for them. These gestures fill them with gratitude and provide comfort and strength amidst multiple pressures, including external voices questioning their spirituality and lack of accomplishment due to the small size, low attendance, as well as life’s hardships.
In reality, when churches properly support their pastors and pastors focus on nurturing believers as entrusted by God, the church can enter a virtuous cycle and receive God’s blessings.
A rural church in Hunan initially had monthly offerings of only a few hundred Yuan but was willing to pay its pastor two to three thousand Yuan in salary, enabling him to fully devote himself to pastoral work and serve stably for many years. Over time, the church did not suffer from a lack of funds. Instead, offerings increased. The pastor mentioned that the church's offering never exceeded 3,000 Yuan for several years, but when his family had a new child, the church decided to offer him a pay raise. In that same month, the offering surpassed 3,000. Moreover, in the past decade, unlike other churches experiencing believer fatigue and attrition, the church he serves has maintained slow but steady growth with no loss of believers during the pandemic.
- Translated by Charlie Li
随着城市化进程，乡村人口逐步转移向城市，乡村教会的信徒则愈来愈少，并且愈加呈现老龄化趋势，青壮年基本都出外打工或者移居在外，乡村教会也开始因为信徒少、奉献能力低，出现难以留下传道人，牧养工作无法开展的情况。
在走访广东、东北一些教会时，有的乡村教会是没有专职牧者的，每逢主日的时候，他们邀请其他地方的传道人前来讲道，给讲道人一些讲道费。其余时间就靠信徒义工自牧。也有的教会主日礼拜也是义工们轮流讲道，长此以往，信徒的灵命可想而知。对此，除了依靠城市教会提供帮助之外，乡村教会自身又当做些什么呢？
专职牧者对于教会发展的重要性是不言而喻的，基层教会亦是如此。但对于乡村教会来说，有一定信仰根基和神学装备的专职传道人能扎根下来开展牧养，更是一件困难但重要的事情。
一些乡村教会，有教堂也有一些信徒，可是没有传道人，教会的牧养工作无法稳定开展，其中一重要原因就是薪资问题。基层教会奉献能力有限，比起城市教会，能提供的工资待遇非常有限，再加上医疗、教育等远不如城市便利，传道人要扎下根来确实不易。
印象最深是广东梅州的樟村教会，迄今有160多年的历史，是东梅两江基督教会的发源地，承载着厚重的客家教会历史。但由于这里地处山区，目前也没有专职传道人，主日只能邀请附近教会的牧者传道前来讲道。福音工作没办法开展。同行的一位传道人牧养的教会距离这里约半个小时车程，也会经常被邀请过来讲道。“这么有历史的教堂，现在没有人牧养，看着难过呀，”他感慨道。
对于教会聘请专职传道人的重要性，东北一位牧者曾表示，有些教会负责人觉得，不聘请专职传道，教会省了养传道人的开销。反正可以邀请其他传道人过来讲，一次给几百，一个月才一两千，远低于养一个传道人的费用。这是典型的短视心理。“实际上一个教会没有固定牧者，就是散养，有时候讲台上这个牧者这样讲，那个那样讲，两个人讲的甚至是相反的，导致信徒不知道该听谁的，把信徒整蒙了。”他强调，教会要愿意花钱在讲台和牧养上，意识到专职牧者对于开展牧养工作的重要性。
除了教会的观念意识方面，另一个实际困难就是待遇问题以及人员问题。江西一家乡村教会的负责人很想聘请一个专职传道，虽然可以邀请附近教会的传道人过来讲道培灵，长老义工也可以参与一些工作，但就牧养工作而言，没有专职传道人，教会开展牧养工作就很累，没有连续性，而专职传道可以连续跟进信徒的灵命成长，这样教会才能发展。
但现实的一个问题是，教会只有200多人，疫情后只剩下100人左右，供养能力实在有限，之前教会有一个传道人，后来有市教堂联系邀请对方过去，就转去了其他教会，像把这里作为一个跳板一样。对此，他觉得牧者不能认为牧养乡村教会的信徒就是浪费，这不该是一个牧者应有的见识。
抛开传道人的心志不谈，教会要做的是，尽全力为传道人按照当地条件提供合适的待遇。考虑到乡村教会信徒少，如果单个教会供养能力有限，可以联合附近几个堂一起供养传道人。
广东梅州的Y传道18年开始担任两个教堂的管理工作，当地整体偏向乡镇教会，这两座教堂加起来可能就300信徒，年奉献量可能就10万左右，每个月不到一万，但两座教堂加起来一共有4名年轻传道人、两名长老，还有一名在读神学生。
在供养传道人上面，他的处理方式是联合其他堂点一起供养传道人，教堂发的工资差不多3000左右，此外也为传道人提供去其他堂点服侍的机会。一个聚会点每月去两次，可以领到500-800的补助，如此可以让每个传道人到手工资达到4000多。这样算下来，整体待遇还是可以的。
Y传道表示，乡镇教会要想留下传道人，就要想办法解决薪资问题，帮助传道人安排适当的工作。就他了解，梅州教会普遍缺乏传道人，一方面要树立供养传道人的意识，另一方面也要薪资供应到位。而几个教会联合聘请供应，共享工人资源，无疑是一个可行性较强的方案。
东北吉林一对传道人夫妻，从2008年开始在一家乡镇教会服侍，因为附近教会缺乏传道人，后来又陆续负责另两家教会，三个教会加起来不到50人，但都尽全力供给传道人。
最开始的教会H，信徒不到20人，从每月200元生活费涨到1800元，并负责给传道人租房子和取暖的烧材，年底还多给一个月的生活费。第二间教会稳定不到10人，开始几年因为奉献少，没有给他们生活费，后来有了能力就开始供给，从300元逐步涨到800元，第三间教会信徒也就20人左右，则从2015年刚去的500元涨到1200。
此外，几个教会过春节时都格外会给传道人一些补助，他们买车后也给了一些车子的费用，这些都让他们充满感恩，也让他们在面对外界“教会小、人少就是不属灵，没侍奉好”“没有成就感”各种声音和生活艰难的多重压力下，得到一些安慰和力量。
实际上，教会做好传道人的供应，传道人遵照神的托付，专心牧养好信徒，如此教会才能进入良性循环，而这样的教会也必得到神的祝福。
湖南一家乡镇教会，当时每月奉献仅有数百元，却愿意给传道人开两三千的工资，让传道人得以全心投入到牧养工作并稳定服侍多年。这些年下来，教会并没有缺乏，奉献款反而有所增长。这位传道人提到，这几年教会奉献款每月最多也是不到3000，但后来家里又添了一个孩子，教会就商量要给他涨工资，而在当月，教会奉献款就突破了3000。而且，近十年来，相比其他教会出现信徒疲软和流失的现象，他所服侍的教会每年都在保持缓慢却稳步的增长，疫情期间信徒也并没有流失。
乡村教会也需要专职牧者：如何解决供养问题？
As Chinese urbanization progresses with the rural population gradually moving to cities, fewer and aging believers are left behind. Most young adults have left for work or migration. Due to the low number of believers and limited payments, pastoral ministry and retaining full-time pastors remain difficult.
During visits to churches in Guangdong and Northeast China, I observed that rural churches do not have full-time pastors at all. On Sundays, they invite pastors from other places to preach and provide them honorariums. During weekdays, believers rely on volunteer ministers for sipritual growth. Some churches even rely on volunteer church workers to take turns in giving sermons, which inevitably affects the spiritual growth of believers over time. Apart from relying on assistance from urban churches, what should rural churches do to address this issue?
The importance of having full-time pastors for the development of churches, including grassroots ones, is self-evident. However, for rural churches, it is even more challenging but crucial to have dedicated pastors who have a solid faith foundation and theological education to be able to settle down and carry out pastoral work.
The Zhangcun Church in Meizhou, Guangdong, is one that is particularly struck by the issue. It has a history of over 160 years and is the birthplace of the churches along the two rivers, the Dong and Mei Rivers, having a rich Hakka church history. However, due to its location in a mountainous area, it currently lacks full-time pastors and can only invite pastors from nearby churches to preach on Sundays. Gospel work cannot be carried out effectively. The pastor who came with me works in a church that is about half an hour’s drive away. He is also frequently invited to preach here. “Such a historic church is now without pastoral care, which is just sad,” he said.
Regarding the importance of hiring full-time pastors, a pastor in Northeast China said that some church leaders believe that not hiring full-time pastors saves the church the expense of supporting them. After all, they can simply invite other pastors to preach for a few hundred Yuan per session, totaling only one or two thousand Yuan a month, which is much lower than the cost of supporting a full-time pastor. This is a typically short-sighted mindset. “In fact, a church without an assigned pastor is in a style of the free-range ministry. Sometimes one pastor preaches in one way, and another in another way. They even contradict each other. That causes confusion among believers, not knowing to whom they should listen,” he said. Churches should be willing to invest in their pastors and pastoral ministry, recognizing the importance of full-time pastors for the work.
In addition to such a mindset, another practical difficulty is the issue of compensation and personnel. The leader of a rural church in Jiangxi is eager to hire a full-time pastor. Although they can invite pastors from nearby churches to preach and conduct spiritual training, and elders and volunteers can also participate in some work in terms of pastoral care, the lack of a full-time pastor makes it difficult for the church to effectively and continuously carry out pastoral care as such. A full-time pastor can continuously follow up on the spiritual growth of believers, which is essential for the church’s development.
However, a practical problem is that the church has only about 200 members, with only around 100 remaining after the pandemic, limiting its ability to support a pastor. The former pastor left after being employed by a city church, using the current church as a stepping stone. Regarding this, he believes that pastors should not consider pastoral care for rural believers as a waste. This should not be the perspective of a pastor.
Regardless of the pastors’ willingness, churches should try their best to provide appropriate salaries for pastors according to local conditions. Considering the decreasing believers in rural churches, if a single church has limited support capabilities, it can join nearby churches to co-support a pastor.
Since 2018, Pastor Y in Meizhou, Guangdong, has been managing two churches, which are predominantly rural. Together, the two churches have around 300 believers, with annual offerings amounting to approximately 100,000 Yuan, less than 10,000 per month. However, the two churches collectively hire four young pastors, two elders, and one theology student.
To support the pastors, Pastor Y collaborate with other congregations to provide for them. The salary from the church is roughly 3,000 Yuan. Additional opportunities to serve at other congregations are provided. By visiting one gathering point twice a month, pastors can receive a subsidy of 500 to 800 Yuan, bringing their total monthly income to over 4,000. Overall, the compensation is considered decent.
Pastor Y noted that rural churches need to address the salary issue and arrange suitable work for pastors to retain them. He understands that Meizhou churches generally lack pastors. On one hand, there should be an awareness of supporting pastors; on the other hand, salaries must be adequate. Collaborating among several churches to jointly hire and share pastoral resources is undoubtedly a feasible solution.
In Jilin, Northeast China, a pastor couple has been serving rural churches since 2008. Due to a shortage of pastors in nearby churches, they subsequently take charge of two more, totaling fewer than 50 people across the three churches, but all make their best efforts to support the couple.
The couple’s initial serving Church H has fewer than 20 believers. Their monthly living allowance increased from 200 Yuan to 1,800, and the church also pays for the rent and provides firewood for heating. An extra month’s living allowance is given at the end of each year. The second church has a stable membership of fewer than 10. Due to low offerings in the initial years, no living allowance was provided, but as finances improved, it gradually increased from 300 Yuan to 800. The third church, with around 20 believers, increased payment from 500 when they first arrived in 2015 to 1,200 now.
Additionally, during each Spring Festival, all three churches provide extra subsidies to the couple. When they were buying a car, the churches covered some expenses for them. These gestures fill them with gratitude and provide comfort and strength amidst multiple pressures, including external voices questioning their spirituality and lack of accomplishment due to the small size, low attendance, as well as life’s hardships.
In reality, when churches properly support their pastors and pastors focus on nurturing believers as entrusted by God, the church can enter a virtuous cycle and receive God’s blessings.
A rural church in Hunan initially had monthly offerings of only a few hundred Yuan but was willing to pay its pastor two to three thousand Yuan in salary, enabling him to fully devote himself to pastoral work and serve stably for many years. Over time, the church did not suffer from a lack of funds. Instead, offerings increased. The pastor mentioned that the church's offering never exceeded 3,000 Yuan for several years, but when his family had a new child, the church decided to offer him a pay raise. In that same month, the offering surpassed 3,000. Moreover, in the past decade, unlike other churches experiencing believer fatigue and attrition, the church he serves has maintained slow but steady growth with no loss of believers during the pandemic.
- Translated by Charlie Li
Struggle to Retain Full-Time Pastors in Rural Chinese Churches
