After about one-year construction, Hancheng Church of Shaanxi was dedicated on Tuesday. Eight sermons were given by pastors like the president of Shaanxi Bible School and the general secretary of the provincial CCC in the following two days.
Costing 12 million yuan, the construction had begun on July 23, 2015. The church has facilities including a main hall, offices, a conference room, a training room, a Sunday school, a bookstore, and an underground parking lot with a construction area of 5814 m2 or 1.437 acres and a seating capacity of 1300.
Christianity was introduced by the a Swedish missionary whoes Chinese name called Shan Ruren in 1888. He rented a house as the gathering place in 1897. For some years, only more than 20 people were baptized. A Christian general assembly was founded in Hancheng Country in 1901 when the number of believers increased to about one hundred. One year later, a church with an area of 180 m2 or 0.044 acre was constructed on a land of 7.3 mu or 1.21 acres, which still exists as of today. In addition, thirty-four houses and two halls (all belonging to the public now) were purchased to preach sermons.
After the reform and opening up in the 1980s, twenty-eight Christian premises were open. There were over 3000 local believers at the end of 1989.
Currently the city has 51 registered churches and over 8000 believers who are served by one pastor, three teachers, seven elders, and 57 volunteer preachers.
Translated by Karen Luo
