Editor’s note: Dalian sits on a peninsula jutting into the sea, and although the city is in northern China, the sea breezes moderate Dalian’s temperature, keeping it cool in summer and less frigid in winter. Because of the city’s history of colonization by both Russia and Japan, Dalian’s architecture is different than most other Chinese cities, with European-style buildings. Dalian is also known as a “garden city,” with forests, fountains, parks, and green spaces throughout the metropolis.
China Partnership: What changes has Dalian experienced in the past five years? What changes has your church gone through?
“Locked at Home for Years”
Wang Fu: The biggest change was the pandemic. I don’t know if those in America can understand our experience of being locked at home for four years. I think this might be terrifying for an American. The pandemic had a significant impact on us. We spent about four out of the last five years in the pandemic. The changes that brought to our churches, our city, and to all of us are very, very great.
These changes have not been good. I think there has been a great harm done to people’s hearts. From the pandemic to now, the despair and exhaustion people have about the future is hard to imagine. On the surface, it might seem there’s not much impact any more. Churches still gather, society is still developing, and businesses operate normally – but in their hearts, people have completely lost hope for the future.
I don’t know if those in America can understand our experience of being locked at home for four years. I think this might be terrifying for an American… The changes that brought to our churches, our city, and to all of us are very, very great.
Weak Churches
Over the years of the pandemic, I observed that churches are relatively weak. They don’t have much momentum to evangelize outward. Prayer is also weak, and many churches are focused on how to revive themselves. I often see churches around me that are still ministry-oriented. They hope Christians can do more things: follow more spiritual practices and spiritual disciplines to restore their vitality. But that just makes people exhausted.
Because the problem in our hearts hasn’t been resolved, we don’t know how to bring new hope to our hearts. Inside, we’re desperate and confused. How do we present better news in people’s hearts, so we can see hope through the gospel? This is rarely achieved. Mostly, the message is just to do more: pray more, connect more. But inside, our problems haven’t been resolved.
After the pandemic, a lot of churches are still very weak. Many brothers around us and churches that are friendly with us have begun having problems and conflicts with us. Many believers suffer from depression. Churches haven’t really cared for the needs of people’s souls. Instead, the church just goes on its own way, hoping to do more.
After the pandemic, a lot of churches are unwilling to return to their original state. Some churches simply divided into small groups. Some churches keep meeting online. Some of the more active churches have absorbed other churches, and are ending up as very large churches.
I’m not especially optimistic about the church situation. For the church to grow spiritually, it needs to soak in the gospel for a very long time. To grow, the church needs to receive again the truth of salvation by grace. Then, the church must slowly see the vision and direction. It might take a lot of time to recover and find new direction. These are some problems the church is facing now.
I can’t say I understand what is happening in Dalian very well. But, I do think that, post-pandemic, the economy is in a state of collapse. This is related to the trade war with America, and also to China’s relationships with other countries. Dalian’s main industries come from Japanese and Korean factories, and the IT and software sector. But Japanese and Korean businesses are pulling out of China completely.
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For the church to grow spiritually, it needs to soak in the gospel for a very long time. To grow, the church needs to receive again the truth of salvation by grace. Then, the church must slowly see the vision and direction. It might take a lot of time to recover and find new direction.
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Hundreds of thousands of people in Dalian may face unemployment – but loans and housing prices are high here. It seems there are fewer and fewer young people across the whole city. The young people are all heading to the south. There are more and more elderly in Dalian, and it feels like the entire city is depressed, lacking in vitality.
Perhaps, in the next few years, the needs in Dalian will be even greater. People don’t just have economic needs – their hearts also need comfort.
But the church is not prepared. Our churches have no way to explain what we are experiencing and where our hope lies. We haven’t made preparations to explain that hope.
Pressure to Survive
Zang Xile: After the pandemic, Dalian’s economy is not as good as before. I don’t have statistics. But as I talk to brothers and sisters and also seekers, there is still pressure. People are facing various challenges, from interpersonal relationships, to the economy, to pressure to survive. Another pressure is children and schooling.
It feels like the entire city is depressed, lacking in vitality.
I’ve been fully committed to my church now for about three years. During that time, our church went from a fellowship to a fully established church. That’s one change.
Another change is that we have helped brothers and sisters develop their own faith. We are guiding them to have some understanding of Reformed theology, and are putting in church governance structures. Theologically, faith-wise, we are hoping that believers in our church can be continuously reformed.
Wang Fu and Zang Xile are pseudonyms for house church pastors in Dalian.
Pray for Dalian churches to be filled with hope and light and shine brightly in a depressed city.
