Editor’s note: Chongqing is a mega-city in southwest China, known for its spicy weather, food, and people. As we pray for Chongqing this month, several house church pastors told us about the needs and issues they see in their urban city. These pastors described Chongqing as a difficult place to live and minister, and said the church in Chongqing is somewhat fragmented. There are a lot of challenges for pastors in Chongqing, and trying to bring together a scattered and chaotic church is one of the biggest difficulties.

China Partnership: How has your city changed over the last five years? How have things changed for your church?

People Do Not Stay

Ke Dong: The economy is getting worse and worse, so some people will not stay here. That includes many Christians, who may choose to emigrate to another country, or send their children abroad to study. More and more parents persuade their children to study abroad and not come back to China, because there is no future here. The impact on the church is it may not be easy for young people under 40 to settle here.

Ning Lu: Over the past 10 years, the biggest change in Chongqing is the size and scale of the urban area. Chongqing has built many buildings. There are more houses, and the “university city” area is completely different – it used to be very desolate. Chongqing is expanding outwardly, and the area of expansion is getting bigger. Brothers and sisters are more and more scattered. It is difficult to maintain gathering together, and we need more churches.

More and more parents persuade their children to study abroad and not come back to China, because there is no future here. The impact on the church is it may not be easy for young people under 40 to settle here.

In more recent years, the economy has led some to emigrate or go to other cities. But I also think this may be because Chongqing itself finds it difficult to keep people. The economy is not very developed. The city relies on heavy industry: steel mills and automobile factories. Because of this, the pollution is really severe. The city has not developed very well.

I mainly work with university students, and I clearly feel that, because of the economy, it is difficult for students to stay here after graduation.

A Diverse Theological Background

Zhang Peihong: Chongqing is considered to be a relatively open city in the southwest of China. In the past, Chongqing had traditional Chinese house churches. In the past 10 to 15 years, churches from South Korea, the United States, and other countries like the U.K., Hong Kong, and Singapore have come. The impact of these newer churches is probably greater. These churches came to Chongqing to plant churches, shepherd believers, and preach the gospel. Converts from these groups later joined churches like ours.

There are many different denominations in Chongqing, but there are not many large-scale churches. Most are small, with 20 or 30 people.

They bring different theologies to our churches, because they have different denominations or backgrounds. There are many different denominations in Chongqing, but there are not many large-scale churches. Most are small, with 20 or 30 people. There are many house churches like this.

The official Three-Self church in Chongqing is also very interesting. Some of the Three-Self churches are very “red,” but there are also official churches that are not so “red” and have a certain degree of independence.[1] All of this impacts the Chongqing church.

Small, Scattered, Chaotic

CP: Because I have some personal background with Chongqing, I always felt like the city had a big issue with the unity of the churches coming together. Do you think that is true or is it just my opinion?

Ning Lu: There are three words that describe the church in Chongqing. The first word is “small.” The number of believers is small, and the scale of the churches is also small. Most churches have only a dozen or 20 people.

The second word is “scattered.” This refers to what was just mentioned: the churches are not united. Each church has its own circle, and it is very complicated and difficult. There are many different churches, some originating overseas. This is not to mention the evangelical churches. They don’t have deep relationships. Although they know one another, there is almost no deep collaboration or joint ministry.

The  evangelical churches… don’t have deep relationships. Although they know one another, there is almost no deep collaboration or joint ministry.

The third word is “chaotic.” Their theological thinking is very chaotic, and there are all kinds of beliefs. There are a lot of cults, like Eastern Lightning. The Immanuel cult from South Korea also has a large following. When we share the gospel, we often encounter many various cults. I guess I would say that, if the orthodox church is weak in a certain place, then the cults will be strong there. This is the situation, and cults are very strong in Chongqing.

There are one or maybe two large evangelical churches, but most are not large or influential. This is especially true in the main urban area, where the churches are smaller than in the suburbs. Some suburban churches in the surrounding districts and counties actually have a large number of people. But the churches in the main urban area are very small.

[1] This means that some of the “red” Three-Self churches strongly promote Communist ideology in their pulpits and teaching.

Ning Lu, Ke Dong, Xu Jingle, and Zhang Peihong are pseudonyms for house church pastors in Chongqing.

Pray for the churches in Chongqing to experience the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”