In the past three years, some churches have lost more than half of their members because they cannot meet regularly in the churches or gathering points. However, some churches have seen an increase in the number of believers and growth in their spirituality.
Recently, Pastor Shen Youyou (pseudonym) from southern China shared with the Christian Times, an online Christian newspaper in China, the blessings of his church's prayer watchtower for the church and pastors.
Christ Times: How has the number of people in your church changed?
Pastor Shen Youyou: “After three years of the pandemic, our church has moved to a place twice as big as before. Even before the pandemic, we had online meetings and pastoring, so our members were able to adapt to the model of online pastoring. During the pandemic, our church continued to pay rent for the gathering place, although the utilization rate was not high. However, we decided to keep it to give believers a sense of belonging and an example of faith. The most important thing about the gathering is to let the message of the podium itself have grace, and the form is not important."
Christian Times: What have you done specifically to keep believers attending the church?
Pastor Shen Youyou: “During the pandemic, our church placed much emphasis on prayer that we set up our own watchtower, which is a half-hour gathering every night with a brief 5-minute sharing and praying in the rest of the time. We have more than 20 church staff and 10 of them lead the watchtower, which is 1-2 times per person per month. Laypeople can also serve in the watchtower.
"Through prayer from the watchtower, church ministries are established and developed. For example, the love meal after Sunday service would have been impossible. But with prayer, more and more people participate in the division of labor, and weekly love meals can be held regularly. Through love meals, newcomers also easily find a sense of belonging."
Christian Times: What other updates and impacts does the prayer in the watchtower have on you personally and the church you’re in?
Pastor Shen Youyou: Two years ago, I fell seriously ill, and Western medicine was used to treat it. However, it destroyed the immune cells in my body, resulting in a general decline in my immunity. Through the prayers of the believers in the watchtower and myself, I decided to try the conservative treatment. Western-style doctors said that if I did not receive chemotherapy, there was also the possibility of self-healing, but the possibility was very low. While praying for a few months, I only accepted some simple Chinese medicine treatments and relied on the self-healing of my own body. In the end, I finally recovered from the illness.
Similarly, we are praying for the question of whether the church needs to train fellow workers to continue our cause. We are not in a hurry, nor do we slack off. Through prayer, we will see God's lead and revelation in choosing the right person for us to cultivate.
-Translated by Nicolas Cao
