Multiple pastors assert that the Church in China is facing a bottleneck, wherein the gospel is challenging to spread, the believers are indifferent, and the Church's influence is incredibly weak. This is a common feature pastors observe in churches situated in big cities, small cities, or rural areas.
Numerous individuals reminisce about the gospel work of two to three decades ago when preachers faced challenges, but the spread of the gospel was highly effective. Preachers in those days generally lacked education and theological training, but they went out with faith and love, and when they began speaking about God, some people believed, some were influenced, and some were healed. It was considered a time of revival, and miracles frequently occurred in Churches.
Around a decade ago, although signs and wonders were reduced, the Church continued to thrive, and the people of faith transformed. With urbanization, the Church moved from the countryside to cities, and the Lord began to call many intellectuals and young people. During this time, the Church's theology became clearer, and the Lord called pastors born in the 1980s and 1990s. This group of people may not follow because they have been healed, but they may yearn for the truth of the Bible, drawn to the Lord's love and truth.
In recent years, several churches' number of believers has stopped growing due to external factors, such as the impact of the pandemic, an aging population, and significant life pressure on people, including farmers' work pressure in cities. In addition to external factors, pastors are also reflecting on the Church's problems. Here are the views of three pastors on this.
Pastor Li served in a Church for 20 years and believes that internal strife, a lack of Christ's life, and reluctance to engage with the outside world were all problems in the Church.
Disputes are often invisible in small churches, but once the church develops, pastors tend to consider the church and the congregation theirs, leading to division. Pastor Li believes that strife within the churches has done significant damage to the churches and their believers, resulting in loss of faith.
Moreover, he observed that believers have much knowledge but little faith and no life in Christ. He notes, "Although they say they are Christians, they live like non-Christians. When people used to talk about Christians, whether they believed in them or not, they would say that Christians were loving and nice people, but now numerous people think that Christians are just like other common people."
Third, Christians tend to praise the Lord behind closed doors rather than going out into crowds and communities. Pastor Li believes that Christians can influence society today in many areas.
Pastor Bian (pseudonym), who led a church for several years and now works as a minister, believes that the present pastoral work in the Church is often just preaching, but some people never change even after hearing sermons for ten years. Pastoralism needs to be more sophisticated, leading believers to grow, get out of life's difficulties, and find their own gifts of service. Pastoralism should aim to help believers in every aspect of their lives, akin to raising a child. Not only should they provide food, but they should also teach them how to speak and handle things.
Pastor Bian likes to use the expression "get it right." He says, "If a believer has no job and life is difficult, you cannot merely tell them to gather or pray more. You need to help them find a job or train them to work in a particular field first." He said, "For example, you can recommend a sister to do clerical or domestic work and make it happen. You can also suggest brothers learn a certain skill, run a shop, and so on."
Not only that, but Pastor Bien also advocates training individuals by having them serve in different positions with their gifts. He believes that in a position of service, believers' lives can grow faster. He has seen numerous believers grow and become more positive in their lives as a result of finding the right place to serve.
Brother Yingjie (pseudonym), a pastor about 40 years old, said of the present church that the gospel did flourish decades ago, and he believes it is the work of the Holy Spirit. "But history is like that. There are peaks and valleys. We have to hope that we won't always be in the valley. When we are at a low point, we need to reflect, repent, and seek God's help."
Based on his own experience, he pointed out that the domestic church needs to improve its management system. His own church nearly fell apart, but after suffering a severe blow, he realized it was because of problems with the management system. Since then, he has slowly reorganized the church, learned, and tried hard until it has become more stable and established its constitution and rules of governance. And he found that after perfecting the management system, he became less tired in his position as pastor. Several things can be entrusted to the other church workers. Church workers also develop their lives and character when they participate in service.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
不少牧者都谈到如今中国教会面临一个很大的瓶颈：福音难传，信徒爱心冷淡，教会的影响力非常弱。无论是大城市还是小城市，还是农村教会，这是各地不少牧者共同都看到的一个特点。
很多人怀念二三十年前的福音工作，那时候传道人吃了很多苦，但是确实传福音很有果效。那时候传道人文化水平普遍不是太好，也没有受过神学训练，但是他们只要带着信心和爱心走出去，只要他们开口，就有人信，就有人被影响，就有人病得医治。那个年代也被认为是复兴的年代，禾场上常有神迹奇发生。
再往前看，十几年前，神迹奇事虽然少了，但是教会依然在复兴，并且信仰的人群发生了一些变化。随着城市化的发展，教会也从农村走进了城市，大批的知识分子、年轻人开始被主得。教会在神学教义上更加清晰，今天很多80后、90后牧者也是在这时期被呼召出来的。这群人，可能不是因为得了医治而跟从，只是渴慕圣经的真理，被真理吸引，是被主的爱吸引而归向主。
而最近几年，很多教会停止了增长，当然有外界环境的影响，有疫情的影响，还有人口老龄化的问题，人们生活压力太大、农民进城打工导致农村教会没有牧人等等。除了外部因素，很多牧者也在反思教会自身的问题。以下是三位牧者的看法。
做了20年牧会的李牧师教会的问题在于内部纷争、缺乏基督的生命，以及不愿意走入社会。
纷争在教会小的时候往往看不出来，但是一旦发展起来，牧者会认为这是自己的教会和羊，这样的想法很容易导致分裂。他认为教会纷争给教会和信徒带来巨大伤害，很多人因此信心软弱了。
另外，他师看到的现象是：现在信徒知识多，但是信心却少了，也没有基督的生命。虽然口说自己是基督徒，但是不少基督徒的生活跟非基督徒没有两样。从前人们提起基督徒，不管信不信，会说基督徒很有爱心，人很好，但是现在很多人对基督徒这个人群是无感的。
第三，基督徒喜欢关门赞美主，不愿走进人群和社区。李牧师认为其实今天基督徒可以在很多领域影响社会。
另有一位曾经带领教会多年，但是如今一边工作，一边带职服事的牧者边牧师（化名）则表示：今天教会的牧养工作往往只有讲道，但问题是很多人听道十年也没有改变。
边牧师认为牧养需要更加精细，要带领信徒成长，走出生活困境，找到自己的服事恩赐等。牧养要在信徒生活的方方面面尽力帮助。就像养孩子一样，不仅给饭吃，还要教导说话，处事……
边牧师喜欢用一个词，叫“成全”，他说，如果一个信徒没有工作，生活困难，你不能只是对他说你要聚会，或者多祷告，你要帮助他找到工作，甚至你要培养他在某一个领域工作。他举例说，可以推荐姐妹去她做一个文员的或者家政的工作等，并且去推动；建议弟兄学一个手艺，开个店等等。
不仅如此，边牧师还主张要跟着个人的恩赐培养他们在不同的位置上参与服事。他认为在服事的位置当中，信徒们的生命可以更快地成长。他看到很多信徒因为找对了服事的位置而成长，生命状态是更加积极的。
一位80后牧者颖杰弟兄（化名）谈到教会的今夕光景时表示，几十年前福音确实很兴旺，他认为那是圣灵的工作。“但是历史就是这样，有高山有低谷，我们要有盼望，我们不会一直在低谷中。而处于低谷中，我们也要反省，认罪悔改，寻求上帝的帮助。”
他根据自身经历，指出国内教会需要完善管理制度。他自己所带领的教会曾经差点散掉，经历过沉重打击的他后来意识到是因为管理制度存在问题。从那之后，他一边摸索一边学习，慢慢重组教会，如今教会越来越稳定，并且建立了教会章程和各项管理制度。而且他发现完善了管理制度之后，作为牧者，自己反而没有以前那么累了。很多事情都可以放心地交给同工。同工们在参与服事的时候生命和品格也得到培养。
对话 三位牧者谈：今日教会为何遇到瓶颈？
Multiple pastors assert that the Church in China is facing a bottleneck, wherein the gospel is challenging to spread, the believers are indifferent, and the Church's influence is incredibly weak. This is a common feature pastors observe in churches situated in big cities, small cities, or rural areas.
Numerous individuals reminisce about the gospel work of two to three decades ago when preachers faced challenges, but the spread of the gospel was highly effective. Preachers in those days generally lacked education and theological training, but they went out with faith and love, and when they began speaking about God, some people believed, some were influenced, and some were healed. It was considered a time of revival, and miracles frequently occurred in Churches.
Around a decade ago, although signs and wonders were reduced, the Church continued to thrive, and the people of faith transformed. With urbanization, the Church moved from the countryside to cities, and the Lord began to call many intellectuals and young people. During this time, the Church's theology became clearer, and the Lord called pastors born in the 1980s and 1990s. This group of people may not follow because they have been healed, but they may yearn for the truth of the Bible, drawn to the Lord's love and truth.
In recent years, several churches' number of believers has stopped growing due to external factors, such as the impact of the pandemic, an aging population, and significant life pressure on people, including farmers' work pressure in cities. In addition to external factors, pastors are also reflecting on the Church's problems. Here are the views of three pastors on this.
Pastor Li served in a Church for 20 years and believes that internal strife, a lack of Christ's life, and reluctance to engage with the outside world were all problems in the Church.
Disputes are often invisible in small churches, but once the church develops, pastors tend to consider the church and the congregation theirs, leading to division. Pastor Li believes that strife within the churches has done significant damage to the churches and their believers, resulting in loss of faith.
Moreover, he observed that believers have much knowledge but little faith and no life in Christ. He notes, "Although they say they are Christians, they live like non-Christians. When people used to talk about Christians, whether they believed in them or not, they would say that Christians were loving and nice people, but now numerous people think that Christians are just like other common people."
Third, Christians tend to praise the Lord behind closed doors rather than going out into crowds and communities. Pastor Li believes that Christians can influence society today in many areas.
Pastor Bian (pseudonym), who led a church for several years and now works as a minister, believes that the present pastoral work in the Church is often just preaching, but some people never change even after hearing sermons for ten years. Pastoralism needs to be more sophisticated, leading believers to grow, get out of life's difficulties, and find their own gifts of service. Pastoralism should aim to help believers in every aspect of their lives, akin to raising a child. Not only should they provide food, but they should also teach them how to speak and handle things.
Pastor Bian likes to use the expression "get it right." He says, "If a believer has no job and life is difficult, you cannot merely tell them to gather or pray more. You need to help them find a job or train them to work in a particular field first." He said, "For example, you can recommend a sister to do clerical or domestic work and make it happen. You can also suggest brothers learn a certain skill, run a shop, and so on."
Not only that, but Pastor Bien also advocates training individuals by having them serve in different positions with their gifts. He believes that in a position of service, believers' lives can grow faster. He has seen numerous believers grow and become more positive in their lives as a result of finding the right place to serve.
Brother Yingjie (pseudonym), a pastor about 40 years old, said of the present church that the gospel did flourish decades ago, and he believes it is the work of the Holy Spirit. "But history is like that. There are peaks and valleys. We have to hope that we won't always be in the valley. When we are at a low point, we need to reflect, repent, and seek God's help."
Based on his own experience, he pointed out that the domestic church needs to improve its management system. His own church nearly fell apart, but after suffering a severe blow, he realized it was because of problems with the management system. Since then, he has slowly reorganized the church, learned, and tried hard until it has become more stable and established its constitution and rules of governance. And he found that after perfecting the management system, he became less tired in his position as pastor. Several things can be entrusted to the other church workers. Church workers also develop their lives and character when they participate in service.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
Views of Three Pastors: Why Is the Church Facing Bottleneck Today?
