Editor’s note: Changsha is one of the hottest destinations in China, thanks to its Internet-fame as a city full of spicy food, shopping, and nightlife. The city’s fame has only increased in the past five years, and is now full of tourists and sightseers. Local pastors say that — like the rest of China — the city has also become much stricter than before, and that most churches now meet in small groups instead of in one large gathering place.
China Partnership: How has your city changed in the last five years? What changes have occurred in your church?
More Tightly Controlled
Huang An Ping: In the past five years, the pandemic has been a big factor. People have become more apathetic since 2020 – nothing seems to matter much anymore, even among believers.
The religious environment is also more tightly controlled. Since 2018 and 2019, there has been a crackdown on Changsha churches. Some churches have been disbanded or banned by the government. Our own church was also affected by this crackdown, and has been under government control and surveillance. Because of that, we gradually shifted and began meeting in small groups.
People have become more apathetic since 2020 – nothing seems to matter much anymore, even among believers.
Our numbers have dropped by about two-fifths. Some members have left this earth, and others have grown old and can’t come anymore, so our numbers have dropped. I don’t think people are as spiritually fervent as they were before.
Internet-Famous
Sister Liang Mei: For me, the biggest change is that in the past five years Changsha has become an Internet-famous city. Lots of tourists come to Changsha now, especially during the holidays. A few years ago, I went to Wuyi Square with my daughter during the New Year holiday, and the place was packed. We waited an hour for a meal – but some places had four-hour waits! Even the simplest things required waiting in line for half an hour. The city is just packed with people.
The second change is transportation. There are more subway lines now, and things are much more convenient. Five years ago, there was only one line, but now there are several.
Changsha has become an Internet-famous city. Lots of tourists come to Changsha now… The city is just packed with people.
Politically, things are also tighter. There is more grid-style management, and stricter control.
Our church used to meet in one fixed location, in a big office space which we rented. But since 2018, we’ve shifted to a “scattered and gathered” model. We meet in small groups in different locations, and then once a month or. Every two months we gather everyone together. That is what most churches here do now. We also meet both online and in-person.
For us, numbers haven’t dropped – they’ve actually increased. That might be because we started this model of meeting before Covid hit. Another reason could be that our church is only a few years old, so everyone is still enthusiastic.
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Struggles in Educating Kids
Sun Guanghua: The tightening religious environment is true for Changsha and for the whole country. It’s much harder to evangelize in public now – handing out tracts or street preaching will get you reported, and you will be quickly found by authorities. Evangelism now is more challenging than before.
Our church has grown a little, but most of that is people coming back from other locations, not through new converts. Our growth mainly comes through “being fruitful and multiplying.” Families here often have three or four or five or even six children! So, the number of children in our church is increasing.
Another change is that we have adopted the Presbyterian model of church governance, and follow the Westminster Confession. That’s a big change, and helps us pass on the Reformed faith.
Families here often have three or four or five or even six children! So, the number of children in our church is increasing.
I came to Changsha as a student more than 20 years ago, when faith was more free. Many of those who were university students then became Christians. Now people from that generation are around 40 years old, and they are the backbone of the church. A change is that many families of those families don’t enroll their kids in public school, but homeschool or teach their kids in co-ops. But as the children get older, parents worry about their future – especially since it’s really hard for homeschooled kids to get into public universities, and large families have a lot of financial pressure.
Huang Anping, Sister Liang Mei, and Sun Guanghu are pseudonyms for house church pastors in Changsha.
Pray for Changsha churches that are struggling under stricter governmental persecution.
