Editor’s note: This interview with two Shenyang believers was originally published in 2019. Brother Li and Sister Cai are lay leaders in their church, which is made up of busy graduate students at one of Shenyang’s prestigious science institutes. Because they minister mainly to scientific intellectuals, finding time for both evangelism and discipleship are big challenges. They also find that many of their friends respect their faith, but personally reject it.

This is the first of a two-part series.

Pressed for Time

China Partnership: Can you briefly tell us about your church? 

Sister Li: We are from a house church in Shenyang. The church has been around about seven or eight years. Because the church began as a small group, it is difficult to pinpoint when the church itself officially started. In the beginning, a couple who were visiting scholars from the U.S. helped us lead the group. After they left, the person who later became our pastor arrived. He was graduating, and had just become a Christian then.

That was 2007, but our church did not begin in 2007. When the visiting scholars left, most people who came with the goal of learning English left as well. Only a few remained. They were true seekers. I think that was when our church slowly began to form.

CP: When did you commit to serve this church?

Brother Cai: We left our hometowns and came to Shenyang to study about five years ago. Since then, we have stayed at this church. The pastor almost views us as staff. We are able to sit in on church administrative meetings and share our suggestions.

We are all quite busy, and have little time to connect and fellowship with one another.

CP: What are some of the current challenges your church faces?

Brother Cai: I think we could do better in the area of evangelism. Most of the people in our church are working professionals, and the rest are studying in graduate school, with some of us getting our PhDs. We are all quite busy, and have little time to connect and fellowship with one another.

Because of pressure from work or studies, our challenge is mainly how to better fellowship with one another. We are also trying to spare effort on discipling others and sharing the gospel. We have no time for these things, and discipleship and evangelism can become pretty exhausting to do. In the same way, when we do go and share the gospel on the campuses here, those we are trying to do outreach to are also very busy people. It takes a lot of effort to invite them to a meal or to any activity. At times, it feels very difficult to be involved in these ministries, because we are always so pressed for time.

CP: Do you have someone in mind, then, with whom you would like to share the gospel?

Brother Cai: Mostly my former schoolmates. They are people I try to stay in touch with. I have been sharing the gospel with them, but most of the time they respond by saying that they believe in science, because we all went to the same science institute.

These people would say that they respect what I believe. But, we are still continuing and developing these friendships.

It feels very difficult to be involved in these ministries, because we are always so pressed for time.

Sister Li: Right. Actually, ever since we joined our church, we have had many gospel activities. For the past few years, every year we have held Christmas and Easter events. We invite our former schoolmates, those we have known since our first year in grad school. We have kept developing our friendships with them, hoping to lead them to Christ, but the road is long.

So, our focus now is mainly on maintaining and building relationships. When we share the gospel, more often than not we get rejected. We can only take it slow and do our work little by little.

Hard Soil

CP: Have you succeeded at all? Have you seen anyone come to Christ so far?

Brother Cai: Not anyone from our research institute. There have been some people who approached us on their own and became Christians. She [referring to Sister Li] is a success story.

I sought out the church on my own. God was leading me to seek him when I first got here. I came to this church almost at the same time I became a believer. However, among those we have evangelized, so far none has come to faith and become a serious disciple.

Sister Li: Right. I sought out the church on my own. God was leading me to seek him when I first got here. I came to this church almost at the same time I became a believer. However, among those we have evangelized, so far none has come to faith and become a serious disciple.

CP: It sounds like you have been tilling hard soil. Can you share more about your context? What kind of research institute are you at? What is your field?

Sister Li: Our school is not like a regular university, where there is a large student body, and where students have relatively more free time for after-school activities. At our institute, we are all either master’s or PhD students. One thing to understand about our school is that everyone here is really stressed out. It is generally very difficult to invite people to any social activities.

Sister Li and Brother Cai are pseudonyms for two Chinese intellectuals based in Shenyang.

Pray for God to move in the hearts of Shenyang academics and lead them to seek him out for themselves.