Worries over lack of pastors in Chinese churches

As government advisers, clerics and academics met in Shanghai, China today for a conference on the role of Christianity in the country, a senior church leader has said that he is ‘worried’ by the lack of trained pastors to lead the growing Church.

There is just one trained pastor for every 8,900 Christians. Elder Fu Xianwei, head of the Protestant Church in China said, ‘Every Sunday, we have services to 60,000 churches and I am worried about the sermons that will be preached.’

He said that ‘heresies’ had flourished in the Church ‘because of a lack of pastors in China.’

The established Protestant Church has grown exponentially in recent years. There are now currently some 40 million Christians in China, with an estimated million people becoming Christians every year.

Ahead of the conference, Elder Fu said that ‘the problem’ of a lack of pastors would not be solved ‘in a short period’.

Paul Williams, Chief Executive of Bible Society said, 'It’s important that we continue to
support Bible education for pastors.'

Paul Williams, Chief Executive of Bible Society, said, ‘It’s important that we continue to support Bible education for pastors.

‘There is also growing demand and opportunity to support Bible training for lay people, enabling them to teach the Bible in their local churches and apply the Bible in their workplaces throughout Chinese society.’

His words came ahead of the Bible Society-backed International Conference on the Role of Christianity in Modern Society, Bible and Values.

In its sixth year, the annual conference brings together church leaders and academics from across China, with government advisors and members of Bible Societies.

This year some 70 people are attending the conference– the largest number to date – including theological students from in and around Shanghai.