Editor’s note: Qiqihar is a city in western Heilongjiang Province in northeastern China. The city was originally settled by nomadic herdsmen; today, it has a population of about 4 million. Qiqihar is located along the Nen River, near many wetlands. The city has harsh winters and an extreme climate. Local church leaders say they need prayer as they strive to pass on the faith to their children.
China Partnership: Introduce us to Qiqihar and your churches.
Struggles of the Next Generation
Brother Lao: It is really hard to pass on the faith to the next generation.
Kids today live at such a fast pace and are under so much academic pressure. Their surroundings have a huge impact. Both personally and for the church, the needs of the next generation are enormous. They also have very limited ability to receive spiritual teaching and help, because school and tutoring take up so much time.
The way things are now, our kids face a difficult environment. Everything around them is completely atheistic. Their education and friends have a huge influence on them. This is a huge burden.
Our kids face a difficult environment. Everything around them is completely atheistic.
Parents are in a better position. Parents have basic spiritual understanding, and can see how the next generation is a major crisis for the church.
The local churches in Qiqihar are aging. The older generation loves the Lord and holds firmly to the faith, but there’s a real gap in passing leadership from the old to the new. Please: understand our situation and pray for us!
How to Spread the Gospel?
Brother Xue: In the church, we are most burdened about our children’s spiritual condition. Once kids leave the home and are on their own an atheistic atmosphere, they are bound to be influenced and shaken. All we can do is trust our children have God in their heart, and that they will lean on and seek him when they are in need. We have to entrust them into his hands.
House churches can be stuck in old ways and closed off, and sometimes lack sound spiritual and theological thinking.
Traditional house churches in Qiqihar have a lot of good points, but they also have a lot of weaknesses. House churches can be stuck in old ways and closed off, and sometimes lack sound spiritual and theological thinking. There are many imperfections and unbiblical things in the way people seek God and build up the church.
Teaching from other theologically orthodox churches might bring about changes within the local churches. If people truly receive what’s good, earnestly seek the Lord, and try to have their service line up with God’s will, then they will keep correcting and maturing.
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But there are often those who are stuck in their old ways. Some people are unwilling to change their own shortcomings, and always think whatever they did before was right. This kind of conflict can lead to disagreements within the church, and could even lead to church splits.
In this testing, some will leave. We may also need to change the way we serve, even as we try to persevere in worshipping the Lord and opening new ministry.
We used to have lots of ways to share the gospel, but now there are all kinds of obstacles. We are seeking and praying and thinking about safer and better ways to bear witness.
At the church level, I worry how the gospel can continue to spread. Things are different now. We used to have lots of ways to share the gospel, but now there are all kinds of obstacles. We are seeking and praying and thinking about safer and better ways to bear witness to the Lord, share the gospel, and save souls.
I also worry about how the church will be passed on to the next generation. Most are elderly – folks in their 50s are the young generation. Sometimes I worry today’s children and young people will not step into serving and being the next generation of church leaders. One reason is the influence and trends of the age.
My biggest worry is the next generation: how will this be passed on? How can they rise up? I’m really worried. Please, pray more for China’s house churches. Especially in a time of difficulty like this, we need God to give us vision. We need him to do a greater work.
Brother Lao, Brother Xue, and Sister Cui are pseudonyms for anonymous Qiqihar house church leaders.
Pray for the next generation to rise up and take ownership of their faith.
