There was a time within the churches in China when almost everything related to matters of faith was completely free of charge. This went on for many years.
However, in today's context, there is a growing debate within the church regarding whether certain activities, such as attending training sessions, should be paid for.
Some pastors think that charging fees is inappropriate: "The content of the course might be very good, and those who attend can receive a lot of benefits and grace, but they should not be charged for it. Grace is a gift from God and should not be controlled by money."
There are also some pastors and believers who believe there should be a fee, and this view is predominant among young pastors and believers. "Many courses are developed by some organizations that have put in a lot of time, effort, and even money. Since this is the case, it is reasonable to charge for the courses, as they also need to support themselves."
In this regard, Brother Wang Yun (pseudonym), who serves full-time in an economically developed city in the south, believes the subject of charging a fee is something that needs to be viewed using a dialectical approach.
Brother Wang said that he experienced the "era of free services" in the past. Back then, a plethora of learning opportunities were free, and it was all by grace. He believed that free learning would broaden accessibility so that people would not be prevented from attending due to financial constraints. Especially in the 80s and 90s, because people were poor, many studies and training activities were completely free: free content; free lodging; finding a believer's family that was willing to host them and letting them stay there free of charge; free meals donated by pastors and believers who were moved to give their ingredients and cook for other people.
But at the same time, Wang believes that, except for the truth found in the Bible, everything can and perhaps must change because the times are constantly evolving and changing. At that time, feeding was a huge problem due to prevalent poverty.
However, times are different now. Many believers have access to financial resources and have no problem maintaining a normal life. Moreover, it has become normal for many people in the world to pay for knowledge. Likewise, the church needs to respect knowledge, not only physical knowledge but, more importantly, spiritual knowledge. This respect should not only be reflected in words but more so in practical actions, which include payment.
Brother Wang said that in the city where he ministers, things have changed now. When someone wants to participate in a course or lecture, they first have to pay the tuition fee. This is because if they enroll and a spot is reserved without their attendance, it may prevent others from participating due to limited spots.
- Translated by Nonye Nancy
