A centennial church stands quietly with its weathered walls still holding a stone plaque embedded more than a hundred years ago, inscribed with the words "more than 1,800 years of Jesus' birth." The wooden staircase leading to the second floor remains intact. One minister shared that each time he climbs those steps, he is filled with reverence, imagining the missionaries who once served there.
In the church courtyard grows a towering tree that requires two adults to encircle its trunk. Planted long ago by missionaries, the once-small sapling has matured into a flourishing canopy—just as the gospel seeds sown in those early years have borne abundant fruit.
Today, this historic church holds four Sunday services: two in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening. I attended the second morning service. When I arrived, the first service had not yet ended. Walking from the front entrance toward the side, I was struck by the crowd: the main sanctuary was packed, both overflow halls on the first and second floors were full, and even the corridor leading to the annex had people sitting on backless benches listening to the sermon. The scene felt almost surreal. It resembled the revival accounts told by senior believers about church life three or four decades ago—yet it was happening here and now.
When the first service concluded, worshippers exited through both the main and side doors. Like many congregations in China, most attendees were elderly. But this church was distinctive in that several people were using wheelchairs or walking aids, and two middle-aged women conversed in sign language.
As the second service began, the sanctuary—designed to hold only 300 to 400 people—felt especially full. Unlike the earlier service, it did not feature a choir or the traditional piece from the Chinese New Hymnal. Instead, worship was contemporary, led by four worship leaders in their thirties with electric guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums. The preacher, a full-time minister in his forties and a former music teacher, delivered a message that was clear, resonant, and unafraid to confront spiritual issues. The congregation responded with applause. An elderly sister praised, "The message was truly excellent."
After worship, I spoke with the senior pastor and several ministry workers. The senior pastor, a woman in her forties who formerly worked in business, shared that the four services combined draw roughly 1,800 attendees, with the first morning service reaching up to 700 people. Beyond strong preaching and a blend of traditional and contemporary worship, several additional factors emerged through conversations with staff:
The church employs two full-time pastors, three to four theologically trained preachers, a senior pastoral advisor, and a pastor from the municipal CC&TSPM who preaches regularly. Administrative staff include roles such as accountant and gatekeeper. Ministry staff follow set working hours and rest on Saturdays and Mondays. First-time visitors are welcomed after the service, introduced to the Christian faith, and provided with follow-up care.
The church also spends hundreds of thousands of RMB to replace aging electrical wiring and conducts annual financial audits, exceeding the mandated three-year cycle. From Monday to Saturday, the church offers choir practice, prayer meetings, senior fellowship, youth and young adult ministries, new believer training, and discipleship courses. As one preacher brought in from another region observed, "I have seen many churches, but only this one is as lively on weekdays as it is on Sundays." In addition, it prioritizes visitation and engages in charitable work. Its fellowship for people with disabilities includes 20 to 30 members, which explains the notable presence of disabled believers on Sunday. After the second service, the church provided lunch for those needing additional care.
Why do similar practices produce different results across churches? In my view, the key difference lies in the heart and attentiveness with which they are carried out. Two small details from that day left a deep impression: the genuine warmth shown to newcomers—staff greeted my companion and me immediately—and the thoughtful care extended to vulnerable believers. During lunch, a preacher left mid-meal to check another dining room, which was reserved not for staff but for disabled members who required support.
Given its current momentum, this century-old church appears poised to remain "crowded" for years to come. To prepare for future growth, the church has already taken action: purchasing a house adjacent to its courtyard for ministry use, leasing an entire floor of a nearby office building for music education, and hoping someday to acquire a long-unused factory nearby to expand its space even further.
(The names of the church and the staff are not disclosed for safety reasons.)
Originally published by the Gospel Times
- Edited and translated by Poppy Chan
