A Christian who has stayed in a city for the first time during the Chinese New Year notices that the number of people attending urban churches during the festival is small, with some churches having only a quarter of their original number, and midweek fellowships also being suspended.
Therefore, she felt upset, believing that the believers had chosen to celebrate the Spring Festival while neglecting to worship the Lord. However, I explained that the large congregation at the city church was an illusion and that attendance would rebound after the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar, during the full moon, and marks the final day of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations.
Many people, including non-believers, have a misconception about Christianity in China. They assume it has entered a period of significant growth by observing the urban churches packed with worshippers on Sundays, with some even holding four to five services to accommodate believers. Additionally, the steady construction of new churches and the ongoing expansion of large congregation-affiliated meeting points over the past decade contributed to this perception.
For example, an elderly believer who studies rural culture told me that he had traveled to various places and observed a large number of Christians in urban areas, with churches consistently filled and new churches emerging near newly built communities. Based on these observations, he concluded that the Chinese church was experiencing a great revival.
In fact, a deeper examination reveals that these perceptions are just illusions. While urban congregations have grown since the reform and opening up, city churches are largely filled with urban migrants. Many who were Christians in their hometowns now attend city churches for worship after relocating.
Therefore, it is unsurprising that when the Spring Festival arrives, many migrants return to their hometowns, leading to a drop in attendance at urban churches. As a result, various churches have canceled midweek fellowships and reduced the number of Sunday worship services. After all, urban churches do not originally have large local congregations, and the increase of new churches and meeting points has further dispersed worshippers, leading to even lower attendance.
Another factor is that the number of local believers in urban areas is relatively low, and during the Spring Festival, some choose to travel, further decreasing Sunday worship attendance. Additionally, based on my observations, worshippers attending Sunday services during the Spring Festival in the past two years have been primarily middle-aged and elderly, with very few young believers present. Even when accounting for travel, this suggests that the enthusiasm for faith among local young believers is not particularly strong.
It can be assumed that after the Lantern Festival, the urban churches will regain their usual vibrancy as everyone returns to the city. However, it is important to understand the situation and not simply assume that the Chinese church is experiencing a great revival.
Some recognize this illusion. A young preacher clearly understands it, noting that more than 90% of the young people he pastors are urban migrants, with very few local believers. As a result, once the Spring Festival arrives, the youth fellowship inevitably comes to a halt.
He pointed out that what matters is whether these migrants would continue attending local churches after returning home. Therefore, he instructed the congregants before the festival to remember worshipping the Lord upon returning home for the Chinese New Year.
(Originally published by the Gospel Times, the article has been edited under permission and the author is a believer at a church in Fujian Province. )
- Translated by Poppy Chan
