At the invitation of Cornerstone Association, Hong Kong, Rev. Zhu Zhiguo, chairman of Hubei TSPM, along with other ten members, visited churches and Christian charities in Hong Kong and Macau.
The delegation visited a variety of organizations from July 15 to 20, including Cornerstone Association, Hong Kong, the Christian and Missionary Alliance Center in Macau (or Christian and Missionary Alliance Macau Church Union), Hebron Church, China Alliance Press, Wah Kee Church Social Services Center, Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, Truth Lutheran Church, and Lutheran Theological Seminary, said Hubei TSPM. The delegation engaged in friendly exchanges with pastors in these two special administrative regions and the heads of these institutions.
On August 12, three pastors shared their insights and experiences after their visits during a provincial meeting on the strict governance of the church.
Rev. Gong Gangchun remarked that churches in Hong Kong and Macau have become community-oriented, sinicized, and professionalized. As a significant force in society, these churches have a well-established structure, comprehensive functions, and mature ministries of social welfare, staffed by professional social workers. They have deeply integrated into varied sectors of Hong Kong and Macau societies, including education, healthcare, and social services, providing support to low-income families and ethnic minorities.
Rev. Tan Yu'e shared that Hong Kong and Macau churches have integrated faith and daily life, reaching out to neighbors because of God’s love. As 1 John 4:20 says, “For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”
Rev. Liao Haomin noted that the church management, pastoral care, theological training, and social services in Hong Kong and Macau are all well-structured and adapted to the socialist society, which offered valuable lessons for churches in mainland China.
