Rural churches are now facing many challenges - the lack of preachers, the aging of believers, and the young pastors who much prefer serving in cities to working in the countryside. In addition to the current era’s influence of development on the church, people's mentality is no longer what it used to be. As most old believers in rural churches are illiterate, they cannot read Bible verses. They can only listen to God's words with the help of a media player or by attending church services. There are many old people in rural areas who have believed in Jesus for many years, but they frequently encounter one problem. The problem is that they do not quite understand their faith and they always regard the belief that one goes to Heaven after being saved by Jesus as the whole matter of the faith. As to the content of the faith, they do not understand much of it. That is not only related to the serving quality of their pastors but is also related to their environment and families.
The group that rural churches are facing is a special one in which most are farmers, shepherds, house builders, road builders, or grocery sellers. They can only understand God and their faith on a personal basis. Yet, understanding or preaching the truth is their weakness. For instance, the grocery sellers may be very good at calculating prices and thus communicate clearly, but it is difficult for them to summarize their beliefs. They can only give a rough idea of it. When they are asked difficult questions, there is always no way for them to answer them.
In fact, the memory of the old people in rural churches is somewhat poor. Sometimes it takes a long time to learn a verse and a poem not because they are slow in learning, but because their energy and memory are not as good as before. Moreover, it is easy to forget what they have heard. Therefore, many young preachers are unwilling to stay in the countryside. On the one hand, there are many elderly people in the countryside; on the other hand, the church finance is unable to pay the preachers; in addition to that, young people always like to face young people.
In addition to worship and gathering, the more important aspects of the work of rural churches are visiting and praying for the sick, and the work of casting out demons. Many old preachers have full confidence in God, they have the experience of praying for sick people, and they are also full of God's power and authority in driving out demons. On average, they have villages to go to every day and some sick families will call them. They pray for others, preach the gospel to those who have not repented, and finally pray for them, leading many sick people to repent at a time. Sometimes they also go to the hospital to pray for those who are seriously ill and dying, and baptize them if conditions allow them to.
These old pastors are examples of the faith accompanied by practical testimony of faith every day, but one day they will grow older and rest in peace, so the pastoral care of rural churches still needs to raise more young people or others who can bear the burden of loving the Lord. In fact, it is not easy for young people to commit themselves to rural churches. If some people are willing to serve rural churches, perhaps most of them are initially old people. They have poor eyesight and poor hearing too. Even some grandfathers and grandmothers doze off at every gathering. However, if young people prepare themselves to willingly and gradually serve and lead, and have a good reputation and witnesses in rural churches, perhaps people of different ages will participate in the service over time.
I also appeal to more people to pray for rural churches, the old people, and the young people who are still sticking to their service posts, because such a service environment is not easy and it is very hard to practice with confidence. I visited many rural churches, saw the aging of many rural preachers, and found various problems in rural churches. My personal view is that what rural churches lack is not enthusiasm, witness, and experience, but the thoroughness and the summary of the truth, and on the other hand, the power of the doers of the Word.
Are you a member of a rural church or a city church? Whatever your environment is, you will eventually face the challenges of the world to your faith, the temptation of materialism to people’s minds, and the traction of money and financial resources to people's hearts. Although rural churches say that the present situation is full of challenges such as lack of service personnel, serious aging and loss of staff loss, I still believe that God will be responsible to His church. God's use of people is not measured by people's eyes, and God's arrangements and plans for the church are by no means transparent to people. Despite some people thinking that the rural church has no way out, I believe that God will never forget those who really love him because God's strength is so complete in the weak.
- Translated by Charlie Li
豫东地区农村教会的现状
农村教会在当下的这个时代中充满着很多的挑战，比如说传道人的缺乏，教会的信徒普遍老龄化，年轻传道人不愿意呆在农村，去到了城市服事。除了时代发展对教会的影响之外，人的心也不再如从前一样。农村教会大多数的老年信徒是文盲，她们没有办法读经，除了参加礼拜聚会，只能凭借着播放器收听神的话。农村的老年人有许多信耶稣多年的，但始终充满一个问题就是，对信仰不太明白，始终把信耶稣得救上天堂当作信仰的全部，而对于信仰的内容是有很多不懂的地方，当然不仅仅与传道人的牧养有关系，而且还与他们所处的环境、出身的家庭都有关系。
农村教会所面对的群体比较特殊，大多数人都是务农、放羊、盖房、修路或卖菜的，他们对于信仰的认识只有他们自己切身体会了，才明白所信的这一位神。而对于理解真理方面，传达真理方面是他们的薄弱之处。就比如说卖菜的群体，他们算账精细，表达清晰，但让他们去总结信仰这是困难的，他们只能说一个大概，遇到一些人问一些疑难问题的时候，总是没有办法回答。
其实农村教会的信徒老年人的记性是有些差的，有时候学习一节经文、教一首诗歌，需要很长时间才能学会，不是因为他们笨，而是因为他们的精力和记忆力不如从前了，所听道的内容，等聚会结束也容易忘记。所以很多的年轻传道人不愿意呆在农村，也有一方面原因就是农村老年人多，一方面教会经济没有能力供应传道人，另一方面就是年轻人总是喜欢面对年轻人。
农村教会的工作除了礼拜聚会，还有更为重要的方面就是探访和为病号祷告，以及赶鬼的工作。许多老传道人对神充满信心，他们有为病号祷告的经验，而且在赶鬼上也充满着神的能力和权柄。他们平均每天都有要去的村庄，也有一些病号的家庭打电话给他们，他们就去为别人祷告，并且给那些患病还没有悔改的人传讲福音，最终为他们做决志祷告，一次带领了很多患病的人悔改。有时候他们也会去到医院，为那些身患重病即将离世的人祷告，并且在有条件的情况下为他们施洗。
这些老传道人是信心的榜样，每天都有切实的信仰见证伴随，但是他们有一天会老去，安息主怀，那么农村教会的牧养依然需要兴起更多的年轻人，或者有负担爱主的人。其实年轻人委身农村教会是不容易的，如果有人愿意服事农村教会，或许刚开始面对的大部分是老年人，不仅仅视力减退，且听力也不如从前，甚至每次聚会都有一些老爷爷和老奶奶在打瞌睡，然而如果年轻人准备好自己，愿意去服事，慢慢地带领，并且在农村教会有好的名声、服事的见证，或许久而久之就有不同年龄阶段的人也会参与到服事的里面去。
笔者也呼吁更多的人为农村教会代祷，为那些老年人祷告，为那些还在坚守服事岗位的年轻人代祷，因为这样的服事环境是不容易的，是很操练信心的。笔者走访过许多的农村教会，看到了很多农村传道人的年迈，也发现了农村教会中存在的各样问题，笔者个人的看法是农村教会缺乏的不是热心、见证、经历神，缺乏的是对真道的透彻，以及对真理的总结，还有一方面就是行道的力量。
或者说你是农村教会的一员，也或者说你是城市教会的一员，但无论你所处的环境如何最终要面对的都是世界对于信仰的挑战，物质诱惑对于人心的试探，金钱财力对人欲望的牵引等问题。农村教会虽然说如今的光景是充满挑战的，是缺乏服事人员的，老龄化严重的，人员有流失现象的，但笔者相信神会对祂的教会负责任。神所使用的人，并不是以人的眼光来衡量的，神对教会的安排和计划也绝非是人所能侧透的。当一些人觉得农村教会没有出路的时候，笔者相信神不会忘记那真心爱祂的，因为神的刚强在软弱的人身上显得是如此的完全。
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豫东地区农村教会的现状
Rural churches are now facing many challenges - the lack of preachers, the aging of believers, and the young pastors who much prefer serving in cities to working in the countryside. In addition to the current era’s influence of development on the church, people's mentality is no longer what it used to be. As most old believers in rural churches are illiterate, they cannot read Bible verses. They can only listen to God's words with the help of a media player or by attending church services. There are many old people in rural areas who have believed in Jesus for many years, but they frequently encounter one problem. The problem is that they do not quite understand their faith and they always regard the belief that one goes to Heaven after being saved by Jesus as the whole matter of the faith. As to the content of the faith, they do not understand much of it. That is not only related to the serving quality of their pastors but is also related to their environment and families.
The group that rural churches are facing is a special one in which most are farmers, shepherds, house builders, road builders, or grocery sellers. They can only understand God and their faith on a personal basis. Yet, understanding or preaching the truth is their weakness. For instance, the grocery sellers may be very good at calculating prices and thus communicate clearly, but it is difficult for them to summarize their beliefs. They can only give a rough idea of it. When they are asked difficult questions, there is always no way for them to answer them.
In fact, the memory of the old people in rural churches is somewhat poor. Sometimes it takes a long time to learn a verse and a poem not because they are slow in learning, but because their energy and memory are not as good as before. Moreover, it is easy to forget what they have heard. Therefore, many young preachers are unwilling to stay in the countryside. On the one hand, there are many elderly people in the countryside; on the other hand, the church finance is unable to pay the preachers; in addition to that, young people always like to face young people.
In addition to worship and gathering, the more important aspects of the work of rural churches are visiting and praying for the sick, and the work of casting out demons. Many old preachers have full confidence in God, they have the experience of praying for sick people, and they are also full of God's power and authority in driving out demons. On average, they have villages to go to every day and some sick families will call them. They pray for others, preach the gospel to those who have not repented, and finally pray for them, leading many sick people to repent at a time. Sometimes they also go to the hospital to pray for those who are seriously ill and dying, and baptize them if conditions allow them to.
These old pastors are examples of the faith accompanied by practical testimony of faith every day, but one day they will grow older and rest in peace, so the pastoral care of rural churches still needs to raise more young people or others who can bear the burden of loving the Lord. In fact, it is not easy for young people to commit themselves to rural churches. If some people are willing to serve rural churches, perhaps most of them are initially old people. They have poor eyesight and poor hearing too. Even some grandfathers and grandmothers doze off at every gathering. However, if young people prepare themselves to willingly and gradually serve and lead, and have a good reputation and witnesses in rural churches, perhaps people of different ages will participate in the service over time.
I also appeal to more people to pray for rural churches, the old people, and the young people who are still sticking to their service posts, because such a service environment is not easy and it is very hard to practice with confidence. I visited many rural churches, saw the aging of many rural preachers, and found various problems in rural churches. My personal view is that what rural churches lack is not enthusiasm, witness, and experience, but the thoroughness and the summary of the truth, and on the other hand, the power of the doers of the Word.
Are you a member of a rural church or a city church? Whatever your environment is, you will eventually face the challenges of the world to your faith, the temptation of materialism to people’s minds, and the traction of money and financial resources to people's hearts. Although rural churches say that the present situation is full of challenges such as lack of service personnel, serious aging and loss of staff loss, I still believe that God will be responsible to His church. God's use of people is not measured by people's eyes, and God's arrangements and plans for the church are by no means transparent to people. Despite some people thinking that the rural church has no way out, I believe that God will never forget those who really love him because God's strength is so complete in the weak.
- Translated by Charlie Li
Present Situation of Rural Churches in Eastern Henan Province
