Recently, a pastor from southern China expressed the need for Chinese churches to transition from a focus on gospel-centered multiplication to a pursuit of healthy development in the future. The pastor emphasized that the growth of the church should shift its orientation from quantity to quality.
Rev. John Lu (pseudonym) noted that between 2019 and 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the decline of believers and pastors in numerous churches, with some experiencing a loss of over half of their congregants. However, there were a few churches that not only sustained growth but also witnessed exponential multiplication during this period.
Rev. Lu analyzed that at present, the majority of churches were already fatigued, and it was imperative to address several longstanding historical issues urgently. For instance, some churches have actively explored and implemented various methods, such as happiness groups and inspirational courses, to foster growth in gospel outreach. While these efforts demonstrated a high level of dedication, they also made it challenging to attend to other aspects of church life, he added.
Furthermore, due to the church's needs, theological education has garnered significant attention from many congregations. However, the theological foundation of Chinese churches remains relatively shallow. During a conference, a theologian remarked to Rev. Lu, "Your churches in China are ten kilometers wide and only ten centimeters deep." It is this situation that has given rise to extremism, heresies, and various other issues in significant numbers. Therefore, John believed that theological education in China must be deepened and strengthened.
In addition to theological education, numerous Chinese churches encounter challenges in church management, discipline, administration, and finances.
"The current prevailing direction of the church revolves around healthy development, moving away from the previous emphasis on increasing the number of believers. During the explosive growth phase of the church, the speed of the growth is emphasized. However, once the phase of explosive growth or multiplication concludes, the church must proceed steadily. At this point, discipleship becomes extremely important, with holistic church development being crucial. While explosive growth in the church may achieve breakthroughs at specific points, sustained and long-term development limited to a single aspect will result in an unhealthy church," Rev. Lu continued.
Pastor John believed that there were times when it was necessary to move quickly and times when it was necessary to proceed steadily and that there were phases of rapid growth and phases that require gradual maturity.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
