Amid the shifting tides of the times, the mode of church ministry is constantly evolving. Recently, Paul, a male pastor from a city church in East China, shared his church's understanding of ministry. They believe that in today's era, the workplace is the most strategic mission field. It is the pastors (rather than the believers) who must step out of the church’s four walls and earn the trust of the world.
The Shift in Ministry: Focusing on the Workplace
Rev. Paul approached this topic from two perspectives: contextualization and incarnation.
From the perspective of contextualization, some social services need to be separated from the church and operate independently, as it is better for both two parties. This aligns with the missional church model, as they preach the gospel to the unreached through social ministry.
The Bible says that God was manifested in the flesh, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, and believed in the world. Jesus appeared in the flesh, not with the majesty of God, demonstrating sacrifice and love in a way that made people believe from the bottom of their hearts. Paul emphasized, "It is important for pastors to become trustworthy people. They should do well to win people’s respect and trust. To gain their trust, we must use approaches they can accept, rather than sticking to our traditional methods."
Seeking God’s Will: Within the Church and Workplace
On a macro level, God’s plan has been determined since before the creation of the world. God is the initiator and implementer, advancing it according to His purpose and timing. Churches of different backgrounds, systems, and denominations generally agree on this point.
On a micro level, Paul’s church has deeply considered whether God’s will exists only within the church or also beyond the church. They believe that God desires all people to be saved. By comparing two historical periods, the church has explored the mission of today’s church.
(1) The Persecution of Missionaries Around 1900
Between 1880 and 1920, Western missionaries faced persecution, with the Boxer Rebellion being a peak of the hostility. This period prompted the localization of the Chinese church, fostering the rise of indigenous church leaders. Western missions of Henry Venn and Rufus Anderson first articulated the three principles of self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation.
Paul believes that without the persecution of that period, Western churches would not have the idea of letting Chinese churches govern, propagate, and sustain themselves independently. Only when Western churches awakened could the Holy Spirit work in that era.
(2) The Expulsion of Missionaries in the 1950s–1960s
It was recorded that the last missionary left China in 1957, and the country endured the Cultural Revolution for ten years. From the late 1970s, churches across China began to rise, eventually leading to a significant revival. Although the number of Christians grew, the impact of the church on society was less pronounced compared to the previous period. This, too, was God’s work in that era.
(3) The Departure of Missionaries Due to the 2019 Pandemic
The outbreak of COVID-19 at the end of 2019 led many missionary groups to leave China.
"Fortunately, the absence of missionaries created space for Chinese church leaders to grow, reflect, and settle down," Paul said. "When Chinese church workers take responsibility, they handle church affairs in their own ways. They come to understand the country and Chinese people, considering today’s church through the lens of the national characteristics."
Paul and staff workers hypothesize that this third stage will not focus on increasing the number of Christians or raising leader figures like John Sung, Wang Mingdao, or Watchman Nee—since these have already happened historically. Instead, the shift will be a fundamental transformation, akin to the early church's influence on all levels of society. This requires bearing a good testimony in daily life.
A New Mission for Pastors: Stepping Out of the Four Walls
Paul believes that many pastors today remain confined within four walls of churches, as well as in training sessions, and small groups.
The Pharisees were known for burdening others with heavy loads. Similarly, Paul thinks today’s pastors are like the Pharisees, as pastors without workplace experience do not understand the challenges, difficulties, and temptations of the workplace. If they haven’t overcome these struggles themselves but teach believers how they should act, this can place heavy burdens on others.
"You can only build others up with God’s word when you’ve personally walked the path and understood its challenges. Only then can faith generate power in society and gain people’s trust... The issue of churches in China is that pastors lack workplace experience."
He cited Acts 20:34-35 and Titus 3:13-14 to illustrate his point. In Acts, the apostle Paul told the elders of the Ephesian church that he not only provided for his own needs but also helped others, setting an example of "laboring to help the weak." In Titus, the great apostle wrote to his staff worker, emphasizing that "Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives."
Rev. Paul interprets "our people" in this context as the apostle Paul’s team members or those close to Titus, rather than all believers.
With this understanding, Rev. Paul now pastors a group primarily composed of former full-time church leaders and pastors who have transitioned to social ministry while doing secular work. He encourages full-time pastors to learn workplace skills, just as Paul supported himself while ministering.
He acknowledged that this process was challenging. When these church workers initially transitioned to workplace ministry, they struggled to understand and reluctantly complied. However, by seeking God’s word, they found strength from it. Now, they recognize this path as the right one.
- Edited by Karen Luo, translated by Abigail Wu
