Does China only have 10 more years?

According to Dr. Jonathan Chao, a veteran China-watcher, the Chinese people will only be responsive to the gospel for another five to ten years. He warned that after the next number of years the golden opportunity for evangelism and church growth will greatly lessen.

He challenged Christians that if they want to do China ministry, "This is the decade to do it."

He  added that in another 10 years, "... the hearts of most of the populace could be closed, even though politically the door might be more open."

For some time now those involved in China ministry have been concerned at the rapid rise of materialism in China, especially as the country opens its markets to the western world and the opportunities to make money increase.

A house church leader in China's largest city, Shanghai, stated,  "There is no doubt that in the past few years, it has been harder to witness because everyone is in a distracted frenzy trying to make a fortune."

However, the rate of church growth, according to Dr. Chao, has not slowed in the last two years, despite increased persecution levels and the governments nationwide pressure for house churches to register.
Chao roughly estimates the house church population to be between 70-80 million. Dr. Chao claimed that the most urgent need of the church in China today is "pastoral training." among the pastors and workers of China's church.

The explosive growth makes it hard for church leaders to train full-time workers fast enough. Dale Hiscock, the Director of AsiaLink Ministries, recently visited and trained house church leaders in China. He observed that one house church movement that AsiaLink is partnering with has a severe shortage of workers due to the rapid growth of the church. 

This particular movement has over 2,300 churches with only 1,000 workers as it seeks to minister to close to 125,000 believers. 

Chao listed four ways the western church could get involved. 

First. work with existing China ministries to provide  biblical, theological and pastoral training among the pastors and workers of China's church.
The tremendous hunger among house church Pastors to study and understand the Bible is a direct result of having to daily feed their sheep (congregation) on a continual basis.

Second, sponsor systematic training programs for these workers.

Third, get involved as a lay person. For example, Christians working in the business world in China often have access to senior Communist Party members and officials that local Christians cannot hope to have.

Finally, Chao encouraged the support for the  production of Bibles and Christian  literature.

 Chao's report also revealed that many of China's churches are struggling to provide financial support for their pastors and workers. Since the government frowns on house churches taking up offerings, many churches don't, resulting in fewer resources to send and train leaders.

Rural church workers often work a farm and minister in non-farming seasons. But here there is great hardship. Chao said he has heard of evangelists selling their blood for cash to raise the money to return home from a mission trip.

Based upon an article from Compass Direct/with permission.