Editor’s note: This July, we are praying for Chengdu, one of Western China’s most important cities. Chengdu people are known for their relaxed and comfortable lifestyle, and have a strong love of education and culture. In this second portion of this series, several Chengdu house church pastors talked about how their city and their churches have changed in the past five years. While this period has been challenging, these pastors still see God at work in their communities. Most said the city and their churches were rocked by the Covid era, but that Chengdu is still a spiritually hungry place. Many pastors said they continue to experience growth and are seeing many unbelievers seek out their churches.
Be sure to look up Part One of our series on Chengdu. This interview has been lightly condensed and edited for clarity and length.
The Wind Out of Our Sails
China Partnership: How has your city changed over the last five years? How have things changed for your church?
Cai Lifan: Over the past five years, the pandemic was a significant turning point. The pandemic itself is a good place to start our discussion. The church’s experiences also align with this timeline, because the pandemic essentially began around the time the church was going through big changes.
Let’s begin with societal changes. Covid’s impact wasn’t limited to Chengdu; it reverberated throughout the nation and the world. But Chengdu, with its unique urban characteristic, felt the effects of Covid differently. Chengdu is known for its laid-back, comfortable lifestyle. Three years of disruption under pandemic circumstances led to consequences we have all heard about: increases in suicide rates, heightened survival pressures.
These things created a different tension in Chengdu than in other, more intense cities. It’s often said that it’s easier to go from frugality to luxury, than the other way around. When a city is accustomed to a certain way of life and then suddenly faces massive upheaval, the impact is probably going to be profound. This is my perspective on how Covid affected the character of Chengdu and Chengdu people.
Starting in the aftermath of the 2008 earthquake, Chengdu witnessed a period of rapid church grown. Some local churches experienced tenfold growth… Yet it’s clear this momentum was disrupted by persecution and the onset of the pandemic.
It’s undeniable that Covid, coupled with persecution, dealt a significant blow to local churches. Looking back over the past decade or so, starting in the aftermath of the 2008 earthquake, Chengdu witnessed a period of rapid church grown. Some local churches experienced tenfold growth. Our church is smaller, but we also grew a lot in that time, tripling or even quadrupling.
Yet it’s clear this momentum was disrupted by persecution and the onset of the pandemic. It’s as if the wind was knocked out of our sails. The rapid expansion we witnessed from 2010 to 2015 or 2016 is a thing of the past.
At the same time, in the pandemic’s wake, a curious phenomenon has emerged. People are yearning for a new sense of order. They want something to alleviate the anxieties of their realities. This has created fertile ground for various non-Christian spiritual practices and movements to flourish. When true faith weakens, it seems alternative spirituality rushes in to fill the void. I believe this trend is not only evident in Chengdu, but also in other parts of the country.
J-Curve Growth
Zhu Ping: I’ve only been in Chengdu for six or seven years. My perspective, based on that period, paints a slightly different picture. Despite the challenges of the three pandemic years, Chengdu’s population actually surged once things reopened.
Despite the scattering after the December 9th crackdown in 2018, growth has continued. Growth is evident both in numbers and appearances.
From a church perspective, despite the scattering after the December 9th crackdown in 2018, growth has continued. Growth is evident both in numbers and appearances. I’ve witnessed a growth trajectory similar to the J-curve [i.e., after an initial movement downward, the momentum changes and surges up, higher than at the beginning].
A Changing Demographic
Lu Qing: There is an increasing distinction between “Old Chengdu” and “New Chengdu.” Old Chengdu, especially the city center, is predominantly populated by Chengdu natives. In contrast, New Chengdu fosters its own distinct cultural landscape.
I live in the new area. The older parts of the city are more relaxed, and local people enjoy tea and leisure activities. The new area, on the other hand, is characterized by its youthful energy. It has a faster pace of life than the older districts. In the newer areas of town people are constantly on the move, rush to work and navigating a bustling environment. Even architecture reflects this, as towering skyscrapers dominate the skyline. In my corner of the new area, I’m surrounded by young people, many of whom have relocated to Chengdu from other cities and provinces.
This demographic shift presents both opportunities and challenges for the church. My own church has experienced rapid growth, to the point where we have had to discourage newcomers from joining until we can accommodate them.
This influx of people brings questions of pastoral care and outreach to the forefront. Over the past two years, one of my main focuses has been trying to figure out how to connect with and shepherd a growing congregation. I’ve dedicated significant time to visitation, care, and relationship building. When new people join our church, I make it a point to visit them in their homes or to invite them to mine for a meal and fellowship.
God seems to be leading seekers, new believers, and people who are curious about the gospel to our church. We rarely need to venture out to share the gospel; people come to us.
Within the church, we also see a generational divide. Longstanding members, older brothers and sisters, require a certain type of care and attention. But newcomers need a different pastoral approach. Navigating these two distinct groups within the church has its own dynamics.
Many people are drawn to our church for spiritual nourishment. God seems to be leading seekers, new believers, and people who are curious about the gospel to our church. We rarely need to venture out to share the gospel; people come to us. This is a blessing, but it also leads us to self-reflection: are we doing enough to actively share the gospel beyond our church walls?
Chengdu is a multi-ethnic city, with many people from China’s various minority groups. Even in our congregation, we have people from different ethnic groups. How do we effectively reach out to these minority communities with the gospel? This is a challenge. We need to figure out who will do the outreach, what methods we will use, and what approach best fits people from various different contexts.
Cai Lifan, Zhu Ping, and Lu Qing are pseudonyms for house church pastors in Chengdu.
Pray for Chengdu churches who are trying to share Christ with their rapidly changing city.
