Among last year’s most-read ChinaSource posts we had dragons and stars (the Chinese Zodiac), Chinese coming and going, Christian parents considering homeschooling or Christian school education, listening and… more listening, and where to find Bibles in China.
Many of these stories concerned the various ways in which China’s church is going global, whether by joining the Chinese diaspora or by sending its own missionaries. Others revisited perennial questions about Christians’ relationship to traditional Chinese culture. The underlying narrative of several of the most-read posts was how Chinese believers are responding to increased political pressure.
Another Perspective
Contrast these with what Ruth Wang from China Christian Daily identifies as the key trends shaping China’s church over the past year. Wang identifies five:
- The Need for Deep Pastoral Care
- The Workplace as China’s Greatest Mission Field
- Localization of Pastoral Ministry and Theological Education
- An Emphasis on Healthy Churches
- More Community-oriented Cultural and Public Welfare Ministries
A common theme running through all these is the maturation of China’s church. While the globalization of the Chinese church or the latest government crackdown may stand out to observers outside China, these familiar narratives can obscure our understanding of God’s deeper work among Christians in China.
Wang explains:
Since the implementation of the reform and opening-up policy in 1980, which reinstated the foundational principle of religious freedom, Christianity in China has journeyed through phases of restoration, growth, and eventual revival. Over this time, the Chinese church has undergone several distinct transitions, such as the shift from rural to urban churches, from house gatherings to congregational worship in formal church settings, and from loosely organized structures to more pastoring-centered approaches…
The year 2023 marked the first year of comprehensive recovery for societal production and daily life after three years of the pandemic. Like other sectors, churches experienced a resurgence in physical gatherings and the resumption of various ministries. By the end of 2023, the Christian Times noted that, while some characteristics of the past persisted, Chinese Christianity was beginning to exhibit significant differences compared to the pre-COVID period—with profound changes already taking place.
In 2024, Christianity in China continues along this transitional trajectory, with emerging development trends becoming increasingly evident. Together, these trends are shaping new church models and forging a new ecosystem for Chinese Christianity.
Going Deeper
Drawing a parallel between China’s rapid industrialization and the rapid growth of the church, Wang says the era of adding more gathering places and more meetings is past; now is the time to go deeper. Believers are hungry for more than church programs. Hence the need to develop pastoral care for the whole congregation and for various groups within the church.
Wang also takes issue with the long-held division between sacred and secular, with the belief that those who are serious about serving the Lord should quit their jobs and go into ministry. As the space for public witness shrinks, pastors are realizing that much of the church’s witness needs to take place in the workplace, where most China’s Christians live out their faith on a daily basis.
Another trend concerns the role of theology in the life of the church. Here Wang acknowledges the role that Western theological education has played in equipping a new generation of pastors in China.
“However,” she writes, “Many Chinese churches have discovered through frontline pastoral work and church planting that the Western academic approach often fails to fully adapt to the unique context of the Chinese church. It primarily emphasizes the acquisition of knowledge and theories, which can result in a disconnect between theological understanding and spiritual life…”
As a result, pastors and theological educators are exploring how to provide a better foundation for believers. They are looking at ways to localize seminary education by embedding seminary students and teachers into churches. There is a renewed emphasis on spiritual formation through retreats and devotional practices as a way of deepening the lives of believers. Looking ahead to the future of theological development in China, Wang quotes Kevin Xiyi Yao on the need to “critically rethink the current model of theological training and to explore a genuinely Chinese way of theological education.”
Continuing the theme of going deeper as opposed to pursuing growth above all else, Wang notes the trend toward embracing the health of believers and of those who serve them.
Finally, Wang comments on the maturing of the church’s presence within the society. In the past Christians often saw social service primarily as a means of evangelism. In the current climate, those engaged in charitable and welfare work realize the need to conduct these activities independently of the church and to serve all of society, regardless of religious affiliation, in a more professional way. Rather than a platform for public proclamation, this service provides a relational context in which individual Christians can share their faith with members of the community. In a similar way, Wang notes that more pastors are recognizing the role of cultural engagement in the church’s public witness.
In this era of development, China’s Christians are telling new stories, some of which challenge our familiar narratives about China and its church. As they continue to break fresh ground, their stories of faithfulness have much to say to the global church. Are we listening?
Image credit: Drew Coffman via Unsplash
Brent Fulton
Brent Fulton is the founder of ChinaSource. Dr. Fulton served as the first president of ChinaSource until 2019. Prior to his service with ChinaSource, he served from 1995 to 2000 as the managing director of the Institute for Chinese Studies at Wheaton College. From 1987 to 1995 he served as founding …View Full Bio
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