It is important to emphasize theological training and encourage the next generation of Chinese church leaders to have income skills outside of the church

Translated By Richard Zou

Following the last sharing by a pastor in South China, how can a Chinese pastor train a new generation of successors in the Chinese church? (5) In South China, a pastor shared that young people need more ministry opportunities and positions: preachers need theological training as well as income-generating skills outside the church. 

Pastor Nai Guohui (a pseudonym), a 60-year-old pastor from southern China with extensive pastoral experience, shared his opinions on this topic with a Chinese online Christian newspaper, Christian Times.

He believes that churches need to do an excellent job of discipleship and theological training for the training of successors. Furthermore, preachers need income skills outside of the church to cope with special survival needs.

Pastor N shared, "Good theological training is essential for raising up a new generation of successors. For example, in a city or rural area where the gospel is widely preached, the church needs to recruit some theological students who love the Lord and the church and offer them good discipleship training and theological education. Without good theological training, many problems will arise in their future ministry. For example, the accuracy and systematicity of the preacher's teaching on the Bible, how to endure hardships and overcome difficulties, how to defend the church and protect it when disturbed by heretics, etc. While many young people are now rushing to make money, I continue to teach online theology. The classes are held in the evening and completed in four years. I believe an excellent new generation of successors can only be selected when the church does a good job of theological education and discipleship training at the grassroots level."

Pastor N shared his own unique experience and advice when discussing the challenges of training a new generation of successors. The next generation of pastors should be encouraged to develop additional income skills.

The pastor said, "Many full-time preachers in churches have to quit their God-called jobs because of low salaries. Some pastors will be sad and helpless, while others view it as their personal choice. I wish to find a way for them and be their spiritual companion."

Pastor N stated, "Preachers are also human beings and have the necessities they need to buy from the world. They have the freedom to establish a family, the responsibility to raise a wife and children, and the obligation to support the elderly. The preachers' helplessness and pain in getting enough salary from church become a sore point in their ministry path because of life's expenses."

Pastor N recalled: "Before liberation, a missionary trained a local theology student, Brother X, in East China. The missionary advised Brother X: 'You need another income skill in addition to serving the Lord fervently.’ Later, after graduating from theology, Brother X learned ophthalmology. Then he worked as an Ophthalmologist and served the church after work and had full freedom in life and service to the church.”

"Later, this brother X trained a new generation of successors, pastor N, and brother X also encouraged the young pastor N to learn additional income skills for living outside the church. So the young pastor N  learned the skills of tailoring and making clothes. On the way to serving the Lord, Pastor N’s family encountered many financial hardships. When the family was poor, he supported a family of four by relying on the skills of tailoring and making clothes he learned. After the family’s economic recovery, he and his wife continued to serve the church fervently."

Pastor N cautioned, " It is helpful to have a spiritual partner or pastor supervise and accompany preachers who want to develop another income skill. People are weak, and during the pursuit of money, they often lose their enthusiasm and hope to continue serving God. Therefore, Working outside the church with secular income skills requires boundaries, and it is used to meet basic needs, such as raising children, supporting parents, and other expenses. After completing this purpose, the preacher should stop working outside and return to the church to serve the Lord."

"There was a preacher couple whose financial situation was often difficult when their children started elementary school. They relied  on the meager living allowance provided by the church. However, because the wife was skilled in Chinese medicine and massage, she opened a pediatric massage clinic with her husband. As soon as she got financial relief, she asked her husband to quit his job at the massage clinic so that he could dedicate himself to being a preacher and serving the church. Furthermore, she could arrange her work in massage clinics and substitute service schedules in a reasonable manner. While the husband was a full-time preacher and the wife was a substitute co-worker, they could fully cover the family's daily expenses. There are many things we can learn from them." Pastor N added.

Words From My Heart

The theology of suffering has, to some extent, been an encouragement and blessing to church pastors and preachers throughout the history of the modern Chinese church. Over-interpreting and applying the theology of suffering to preachers can also seriously harm the Chinese church's development. As a result, the church's vision will become narrow, and it will lose its ability to serve as a light and salt to the community.

There is a strong support system in a healthy church, and full-time preachers can have a stable and long-term ministry in it, without needing to work part-time outside of the church. However, not all churches have the systems and funds to do this. Today, pastors may consider that full-time preachers should have additional income skills beyond the church as a contingency plan.