Editor’s note: As churches face a decline in youth attendance, how can we engage young people in ways that resonate with their lives and speak to their hearts? This article from China Christian Daily highlights the innovative youth ministry strategies of two historical churches in Guangzhou, China. Their creative approaches offer valuable insights and inspiration for reimagining how we can connect with the next generation.
Guangxiao Church and Zion Church, two of Guangzhou’s leading and historical churches, are pioneering youth-focused outreach efforts to counter the decline in youth attendance.
To attract them to the church, the two churches offer various youth-centered activities, including a “Faith Pharmacy,” comic exhibitions, and storytelling sessions.
Founded in December 1921, Guangxiao Church, located less than 50 meters from the subway entrance. With a Gothic-style building completed in 1924, the church combines Chinese and Western design elements, resembling Notre-Dame de Paris when viewed from the front. Spanning 1,470 square meters, it has five stories with a main hall that accommodates nearly 1,000. Tower-like bell towers on the north and south sides are adorned with glazed tiles. In 2009, the Guangzhou government designated it as a protected cultural heritage site.
Guangxiao Church takes advantage of its location and opens all day, hosting various events to attract visitors. In April, it launched a comic exhibition about faith, using comics to present the lives of Christians in a lively and engaging way, while also conveying biblical truths. The exhibition inspires visitors to reflect on life’s meaning and guides people to build a sound worldview rooted in faith.
In August, the church introduced the “Faith Pharmacy.” Responding to the rising trend among young people of visiting temples and embracing practical spirituality, the church offers “prescriptions” on topics like marriage, family, parenting, singleness, relationships, service, and mental health. These prescriptions provide guidance rooted in faith. Visitors are encouraged to “choose a prescription” to help them find solutions to life’s struggles and regain strength through faith.
In celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival in September, the church hosted a “Mid-Autumn Fair and Treasure Hunt,” with activities like riddle guessing, lantern painting, and fan crafting, attracting over 200 participants and welcoming over 10,000 visitors.
During its 100th anniversary celebration of building completion in October, Guangxiao Church held an exhibition of “Republican Era’s Bible Illustrations and Evangelistic Posters.” These posters, created over a century ago, depicted the passion and devotion of early Chinese Christians to their faith and mission in simple and impactful visuals.
Zion Church, founded in 1936 as part of the Guangdong Methodist Mission established by overseas Chinese Christians from the Methodist Church in the US, offers a blend of traditional Lingnan architectural elements with a Gothic spire. With a capacity of about 800 people, the church is a protected cultural site in Guangzhou’s Yuexiu District.
This year, Zion Church also launched two initiatives aimed at young people: gospel storytelling sessions and a choir for Generation Z.
In April, Zion Church hosted its first storytelling session, typically featuring pastoral sharing, personal testimonies, the recitation of Psalms, and the singing of hymns. By October, five sessions had been held, welcoming 202 seekers.
The most recent gospel storytelling session on October 26 drew a total of 120 participants, including 35 seekers. Among them, 14 made a commitment to Christ, and one signed up for the seeker class.
In October, Zion Church began recruiting members for a Generation Z choir, launching a music training program for them. The training includes voice coaching, music theory, sight-singing, and an introduction to the characteristics and expressions of sacred music, taught by eight professional instructors.
After young people join the church, both churches follow up with discipleship training. Starting with seeker classes, they provide systematic discipleship courses. The churches also invite seekers to join fellowship groups, where their gifts are identified and nurtured, preparing them for service in appropriate ministries.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published by China Christian Daily. It was reprinted by the ChinaSource team with permission.
Image credit: Header: Leire Cavia via Unsplash; In-text: Guangzhou Guangxiao Church
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