Editor’s note: This May, we are praying for Shanghai. Today, we continue our conversation with five Shanghai pastors. They discuss how their city has changed over the last several years, since the beginning of the Covid pandemic and as oversight of faith in China has become more stringent. Many of the pastors referenced the difficult economic situation within Shanghai and China as a whole. They talked of how people are emigrating out of Shanghai, even while others arrive from smaller provinces. In this period, there are many ministry challenges, but also lots of opportunities. Responses in this interview have been edited and slightly rearranged for clarity and length. This is the second of a two-part series; part one is posted here.
Shanghai Challenges and Fears
China Partnership: As you minister to people in Shanghai, what are the common challenges, fears, and struggles you encounter? How can we be praying for your neighbors, friends, and coworkers?
Zhu Liang: The first challenge is that, with the increase in social control, the living space for Christians has also been restricted. Many public numbers related to faith have disappeared, spiritual books are hard to buy, and there are fewer and fewer Christian schools. Some churches have divided into small groups to meet in homes, some churches meet online, and some churches have even disappeared. Restrictions on the Christian faith have brought obvious challenges and pressures on churches and on individual believers.
Second, the pursuit of money and success is still prevalent, even within the church community. With the pursuit of money and success come long hours and pervasive anxiety.
Third, parents are happy to invest time and energy and money in their children. But even as they do this, many parents worry about their children’s future.
Some churches have divided into small groups to meet in homes, some churches meet online, and some churches have even disappeared. Restrictions on the Christian faith have brought obvious challenges and pressures on churches and on individual believers.
Fourth, cell phones and all kinds of electronic devices pull away everyone’s attention. Because of this, there is a lack of time for both personal and family devotions.
Fifth, congregations are scattered in different parts of the city. To some extent, this distance hinders relationship-building among congregations. It also makes it difficult to practice face-to-face pastoral care outside of Sunday.
None of these challenges are unique to this age. The Bible makes it clear that we need to go through hardships, crosses, and sufferings in the process of putting off the old man and putting on the new. I hope God will use these challenges to mold and purify his people.
Xu Hao: Challenges and fears include fear of unemployment and future insecurity. People are afraid they will not be able to maintain a decent life and keep up their professional record. There is anxiety about children: their kids’ grades, decency, and that their children will bring honor to the family in the future. There is also a lot of sorrow over broken relationships and interpersonal conflict and tensions. These tensions and stresses exist both inside and outside of the church.
The number of people coming into the churches is more than the churches can handle. Planting of new churches is slower than the growth of older churches. Because of this, I have been overloaded with work.
Pray that the Lord will strengthen us or will raise up more brothers who are willing to become pastors. Pray that these men will desire to be godly, and to serve God’s people with the Word of God!
Jiang Weilai: Campuses and students’ hearts are becoming more closed. Increasingly, it is more and more difficult for churches to rent permanent premises for their meetings. Church members are facing greater challenges to their faith than before, because of environmental persecution and also financial difficulties. There are challenges in church committees and churches themselves are facing financial challenges. In some churches, there is a lack of workers. Pray that churches will recognize and become aware of these challenges. Pray that, through the Lord, they will be able to respond wisely.
The number of people coming into the churches is more than the churches can handle. Planting of new churches is slower than the growth of older churches. Because of this, I have been overloaded with work.
Gao Wan: The ever-changing urban culture exposes preachers to two kinds of temptation. The first temptation is to over-contextualize and pander to the demands of the culture, even to the point of comprising truth. The second temptation is [in the opposite direction], holding on to ancient truths and self-righteousness, causing the church to lack influence and lose its sense of mission.
Pray for neighbors that the Shanghai church is reaching out to. Pray that at all times, in both peaks and valleys, in good times and bad, the church will be a community that walks alongside neighbors. May the church offer encouragement, speak honestly, believe the truth, and be loving. In the midst of everything, may these neighbors find eternal life, and may broken relationships be restored.
How to Pray
CP: How can we be praying for you, your church, and your family?
Zhu Liang: Pray for a deeper understanding of the gospel, and a deeper union with the risen Christ. Pray for the Lord to strengthen his church with the gospel. Also, pray for the Lord’s grace and mercy on my, my church members, and on unbelievers in my family.
Huang Aiming: Pray for the planting and multiplication of churches. The number of healthy churches is still not keeping up with the number of believers who are growing and in need. Pray for an outpouring of more pastors and church planters. Ask God to raise up more brothers who will aspire to become pastors and will be willing to be yoked to that end.
Pray for churches to better respond to the concerns and longings of unbelievers, and that churches will be able to direct these concerns and longings and meet them with the gospel. Pray for the church to be a witness of unity and love for one another. Finally, pray that Christians in Shanghai will make the Great Commission their concern in this life – not the white-collar, sophisticated life of the city.
Jiang Weilai: Pray that brothers and sisters will value the Lord’s Word and will experience change and growth in the gospel. Pray for commitment and unity in the church to prosper the gospel. Pray for the Lord to prepare and raise up more faithful elders and deacons in the church.
Pray that Christians in Shanghai will make the Great Commission their concern in this life – not the white-collar, sophisticated life of the city.
As for individuals and families, pray for the Lord to overcome difficulties. Pray that families will grow in character and ministry, and that believers will be faithful and insightful workers.
Pray that the Lord will comfort my wife and give her strength in the midst of difficulties, and that we, as husband and wife, can rely on the Lord together. Also pray for our children to love the Lord more, and to better participate in church ministry.
Gao Wan: Pray that we will not lose faith in the gospel, even in the midst of all kinds of temptations, challenges, failures, and also successes. Pray that I will be sent out as a preacher to be a faithful steward, but without trying to control the outcome.
Please pray that our church will persevere in worship. Pray we will not lose the love that started it all, or the mission God has entrusted to us.
Finally, pray that family life will encourage young people toward marriage, not throw cold water on them. This holds for both believers and unbelievers.
Zhu Liang, Huang Aiming, Xu Hao, Jiang Weilai, and Gao Wan are pseudonyms for Shanghai house church pastors.
Pray for Shanghai pastors to faithfully steward and serve their churches without trying to control the results.
