During the National Day holiday, a pastor in Jiangsu Province delivered a sermon at a spiritual retreat, encouraging believers to grasp three essential principles of prayer: sincerity, willing obedience, and honoring the Lord above all.

The Protestant churches of China have been growing like a new sprout breaking through the soil, well sown and well harvested, since the resumption of gatherings in the 1980s, but in recent years, this splendid original scene seems to have been shadowed, and church development appears to have reached a growth ceiling. I believe that eight unhealthy tendencies hinder church revival.

On October 5, the Changxindian meeting point in Fengtai District, Beijing, hosted a “Bible Key Verse Contest” to encourage believers to memorize important Bible passages and deepen their understanding of Scripture.

Many unsung veteran pastors, serving with meager pay and daily life imbalance, have weathered countless storms. Through a recent program, some began reordering their priorities to become healthier—highlighting the urgent need to care for those who have long cared for others.

A decade ago, Brother Li established the Yanxiang Choir with a vision to "bring sacred music into society." Committed to breaking down the walls of the church, the choir strives to introduce hymns to the broader public, though the path has been full of challenges.

Many preachers today face a similar predicament: full-time ministry often does not provide enough to sustain their families, yet taking on part-time work can raise doubts about their intentions. In fact, quite some urban pastors do hold side jobs, although most prefer to keep them discreet. Pastor Guo is one of them.

The church steeple seems to echo an eternal call, yet closed doors keep both curious passersby and distant believers from crossing the threshold. Should a church’s doors remain closed or open? Three different encounters have offered me two different answers.

"Something may be insignificant in your eyes, but it may be a cross to me. That's how the cross is measured," said a brother who has been enagged in ministry in North China for over 40 years.

“If today’s Christians do not contend with Satan for souls, their children will be shepherded by the secular world, and the next generation will be discipled by mobile phones,” a church pastor warned.

Brother Daniel has been engaged in the praise and worship ministry for more than 20 years. Although a pastor now, he feels lucky to start his ministry with praise and worship.