A training session for teachers specializing in church history and homiletics at Chinese theological seminaries was held in Bijie, Guizhou Province.
Nearly 50 teachers from theological seminaries across the country participated in the event from August 16 to 18, reported CCC&TSPM.
Rev. Luo Yingfu, director of Guizhou TSPM, delivered a welcome speech and introduced the social development and overview of Christianity in the province on August 16.
During the devotion before the opening ceremony, Rev. Chen Dingliang shared on "Pastoral Ministry in the New Era," citing Mark 6:30-44.
Professor Wang Tao, a doctoral supervisor at the School of History at Nanjing University and vice president of the Chinese Association for German Studies, delivered a series of lectures on new trends in church history research, the shift towards "animal history," and the digital turn, providing insights for the research and practice of the sinicization of church history.
Rev. Shan Weixiang, vice president of the national TSPM, gave a lecture on "Key Elements of a Good Sermon," sharing his understanding of six key elements for writing a good sermon. These include a creative and valuable topic, creative exegesis within the bounds of established rules, a life-enriching feast at the proper time, vivid and illustrative stories, a thoughtfully prepared and fully committed offering, and well-crafted, impactful sentences.
The next day, Associate Professor Huang Jinbin from Nanjing Union Theological Seminary delivered a lecture on "Consolidating the Foundation and Innovating While Upholding Orthodoxy—On the Sinicization of Pulpit Messages." Huang introduced methods for preparing and writing sermons, emphasizing the importance of establishing a correct view of worship and suggesting new approaches to exegesis to better tell the story of Chinese Christianity.
On August 18, Rev. Bai Rongfa led the Sunday devotional, with Pastor Cai Jianwei, vice president of Guangdong Union Theological Seminary, sharing a sermon titled "The Lord Is the Bread of Life" based on John 6:51-58.
Rev. Geng Weizhong, vice president of the China Christian Council (CCC), gave a lecture on "Biblical Exegesis and Preaching," encouraging pastoral staff to help Chinese Christians build their faith in the new era through systematic and comprehensive exegesis and preaching.
Finally, Rev. Lin Manhong, vice president and general secretary of CCC, provided a summary of the training content. She responded to participants' suggestions regarding strengthening communication and cooperation, publishing centrally compiled textbooks, and providing book resources. She encouraged seminary teachers to adhere to the strict governance of religions and become thoughtful scholars with a focus on research.
Lin emphasized that the "Outline of the Five-Year Work Plan for Further Advancing the Sinicization of Christianity (2023-2027)" has set clear requirements for teachers' research topics and the direction of student theses. She urged the participants to promote the sinicization of theological education in line with these requirements and to strengthen the role of seminaries as research bases for advancing the sinicization of Christianity in China.
