On November 9, 2018, the church in Yaozhou District, Tongchuan, Shaanxi province, marked the 20th anniversary of its church building and dedicated its new church.
In 1898, the gospel was introduced into Tongchuan and the Baptist Missionary Society established the first local church pastored by British missionary Evan Morgan and a local elder. The membership numbered only around 30 in the early days of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and grew to 150 by 1956. Since the policy of religious freedom began being implemented starting in 1982, the number of registered congregations has skyrocketed to more than 6,000 people gathering in 33 three-self churches.
Rev. Li Wenbin said that twenty years ago, a two-storey church with a floor area of 328 square meters (0.08 acres) was completed and can accommodate about 300 people. A comprehensive office building was built in 2011 and four years later, a two-story foyer was added.
New construction was started last June and completed in four months at a cost of about 500,000 yuan.
The pastor said that currently there is one church and six gathering points in the Yaozhou District with over 20 church staff in charge of over 880 members.
- Translated by Karen Luo
