For the past three years, Zhoukou has been waiting for their church to be opened for the public and it seems the long wait is now over because after three years since the church has been constructed on May 25, 2013, the local CCC&TSPM of Zhoukou announced that they are planning to dedicate the church at the end of the year just in time for Christmas.
According to the article published in the Christian groups' website, "Going through the construction lasting more than one thousand days and nights, we have experienced God's abundant grace, starting by faith. Our love has been condensed into every brick and tile, turning it into a solemn and serene holy temple."
It is reported that Rev. Ma Xin, the president of the local CCC&TSPM, prayed with the staff at the building site on the third anniversary of the construction.
After the prayer, he shared that there're still a lot of things to do: they have to purchase fire-fighting safeguards, install water and electricity lines, install the doors, windows and flooring and fit their offices after the major part of the construction is finished.
The pastor also talked about the construction of the church in a meeting with seminary students at the theological training center of the city's CCC&TSPM.
He says that they should insist on the religious policy of "three functions" and "three services" to develop the church. "Three functions" means the creation of a church into a "chapel" where Christians worship, "lecture room" which is used to spread the legislation and knowledge and "classrooms" to train members to be enriched with practical knowledge.
"Three services", on the other hand, refers to the training of preachers as evangelists delivering the gospel, servers for the believers and technicians leading the congregation and the villagers to prosperity.
Similarly, he mentioned in an earlier exchange meeting that every preacher should become a master of three fields - "pastor" for the congregation, "psychological consultant" for the society as well as "technician" who guides the industrial development.
"The people the church serves not only include the believers in the church, but also every person we meet every second." He added.
Aside from the introduction of an ideal religious policy, the pastor also gave a tea set as a gift to the students in hopes of a Chinese theological theory system suitable for the church of Zhoukou.
In addition, Zhang Shulin from the local bureau of religious affairs addressed the visitors through a speech and congratulates the achievements of Zhoukou CCC&TSPM in recent years.
It is also reported that Yu Zhengsheng, the chairman of CPCCC, came to Henan to research the ethnic religions in the region on the afternoon of May 23.
