The Role of the Church in Chinese Society

The church is the house of the Lord, “God’s household,” and the meeting place for the called ones: “which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). The Christian faith is a collective belief of the community of believers, and the “church” is a faith-based community composed of Christians who are willing to follow the teachings of the Bible and Jesus. Jesus commanded Christians not only to love God with all their hearts and strength but also to love one another. Additionally, Christians must read the Bible, pray, attend church gatherings (Sunday worship), make offerings, and actively participate in church work, using their gifts to help build Christ’s church and spread the gospel.

The term “church” appears more than a hundred times in the New Testament. The church is composed of people called out from the world, with God as the one issuing the call. He calls people not only through His Word but also through His Spirit. His call is effective and irresistible. The church begins with God’s choosing and calling, and people respond to the call and gather together. When 2-3 people gather in the name of the Lord, that is the church. The church has always been in God’s plan. One interpretation suggests that the church was born when humanity, after sinning, received God’s promise of a Savior and accepted it. Another view holds that the church’s birth took place about two thousand years ago, on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out (Acts 2). Christ built this church through supernatural and miraculous acts. At that time, “suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:2-4). Through the prompting of the same Holy Spirit, about three thousand people joined the church at once.

Before creating humanity, God had already placed the church in His plan. Only God can establish the church. Paul told the Ephesians that God chose them in Christ before the foundation of the world and predestined them to be adopted as sons (Ephesians 1:4-5). God’s choosing is not just individual; He also views the chosen people as a group, members of God's household (Ephesians 2:19). The church is a mystery; although we are unworthy, a group of powerless, unskilled people can change the course of human history, protected by God to the end. The church is Christ’s bride, and Christians have a great mission: to spread the gospel so that all people may be saved.

The vision of the church includes: one, a learning community; two, a caring community; three, a worshiping community; four, a gospel-preaching church. The church is the ark of salvation. When the flood comes, only the ark can save, and outside the ark, there is no escape; outside the church, there is no salvation. Jesus Christ has opened a new and living way for us; only through Him can we board the ark of salvation. Through this ark, we understand God’s will, purpose, and mystery, becoming joint heirs and one body. The church is not just the church of the Sinai Covenant but also of the New Covenant.

The Christian church has four characteristics: unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity, summarized by the acronym CHAO. This represents the core theological beliefs of the church. Believers are united in Jesus Christ, with Him as the head (Ephesians 1:22), one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13), one foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11), one faith and one baptism (Ephesians 4:5), and one body (1 Corinthians 12:12). The church's unity is rooted in faith, not merely in appearance.Holiness: The church is marked by the cross as a sign of salvation, is a universal assembly of the called, justified by faith, and set apart as a holy fellowship. Before dawn, hearts are renewed, gifts are exercised, and believers await the Lord's return. The church continues God's salvation plan that started with the Jewish people, dying to the law and living in Christ, sanctified in the Spirit. Christians are holy, and in principle, each Christian is a saint.

Catholicity: The Apostles' Creed states, "I believe in one holy catholic church," referring to a singular church. "I believe in the communion of saints" implies there is only one church, embodying this communion.Apostolicity: Refers to the Christian church's sacred ministry being passed down from Jesus' twelve apostles through successive generations, ensuring doctrinal continuity from the apostles to today. It involves Christ’s continued experience, the fellowship given by the same Spirit, continuity under one Lord, ongoing proclamation of His message, and the continuous reception of His mission.

The church in China is currently divided into two parts. One part is the government-led "Three-Self Patriotic Movement" (TSPM) churches; the other part consists of house churches that operate independently of government control. The full name of "Three-Self" stands for "self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation," opposing foreign interference in religious organizations. Essentially, this structure allows the Party to control religious affairs: self-governance means church internal affairs are independent of foreign religious organizations; self-support means the church's financial affairs are independent of foreign governments and religious groups; and self-propagation means that only preachers from the national church conduct teachings and explain doctrines. In addition to prohibiting interactions with foreign religious communities, strange reports about the TSPM have emerged in recent years. For example, portraits of Xi Jinping have been posted in churches to replace images of Jesus; hymns must be preceded by songs praising the Communist Party; and pastors are required to preach socialist core values during sermons. 

True Christians believe that followers should submit to God and Jesus Christ, not to any secular authority. The brothers and sisters in the TSPM churches have complex feelings about the extensive interference in religious activities by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Now, with surveillance cameras installed everywhere in churches and religious venues, people are often too fearful to express dissent openly.As a result, some Protestant Christians unwilling to accept government control and intervention have left the TSPM churches and started conducting religious activities outside government-registered venues, often in the homes of believers. This is how the "house church" movement in Chinese Christianity began. Estimates suggest that the number of Christians in China may be close to or exceed the 80 million members of the CCP. Considering that the faith of Communist Party members has long been reduced to the worship of power and money, the sincerity of Christian beliefs clearly outweighs the faithfulness of Chinese Communist Party members to their own beliefs.

Although house churches in China have developed rapidly, there was once a phenomenon known as the "Four Manys": many farmers, many illiterates, many elderly, and many women. This trend indirectly highlighted the marginal social status of Chinese Christians and the difficulty faced by churches in attracting young people and intellectuals. From the perspective of church development in China, the proportion of intellectuals within the congregation has historically been low. However, compared to the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, there has been some improvement in the current situation, though many challenges remain for the development of the Chinese church.

A major issue now facing the church is: should it seek recognition from mainstream society? Should it gain approval from the intellectual class? Mainstream society today is generally seen as consisting of two groups: the business class and the intellectual community. To gain their recognition, compromises must be made, which would mean integrating their values into the church. This would significantly dilute the message of the gospel. People often seek the favor of the upper classes and take pride in having influential members attend their church. Such compromises represent a pursuit of human glory, and from that point, the church begins to fall into decline.

Today's house churches in China are deeply influenced by Chinese culture and environment. The mainland and society are in a period of rapid development, where speed is prioritized over almost everything. We focus on numbers, GDP growth, and even sacrifice our environment for progress. Similarly, in the church, we focus on whether the number of saved souls is increasing, with speed becoming increasingly important. However, this focus often comes at the expense of our spiritual character.As a result, it is not uncommon to see church leadership resemble that of running a business. Leading a church can sometimes feel like managing a commercial project.

In recent years, overseas Chinese Christian churches have also grown in number. However, many overseas Chinese join these churches not out of a pursuit of faith, but for personal gain, seeking solutions to problems or alleviating the loneliness of living abroad. They often personify and secularize God, treating the church as a place for pursuing personal interests.Many pastors in these Chinese churches deliver lengthy, unfocused sermons each week, leading some to question whether the title of pastor is merely a salaried position for them.

Today, some churches are filled with disputes and continuous divisions. Certain systems of theology, although well-developed and seemingly complete, often lead to division, both in North America and in China. In Chinese house churches, when mission-oriented leaders see an opportune moment, they may rapidly gather members. At this point, human pride and selfishness often go beyond actual needs, with people asserting, "This is my development!" "It's mine!" "Not someone else's!" Eventually, these leaders may feel compelled to cut ties with the broader church and start their own faction, leading to division. Pride and selfishness are temptations everyone faces, so mutual, kind reminders are needed, and the work of the Holy Spirit can quickly correct and guide those who momentarily stray.

Some emerging churches take a lenient stance on the sin of immorality and do not caution newly converted members. Sins that once plagued the church may resurface, and it is essential to consider how to prevent sin and strictly discipline those who continue to live in sin. When faced with personal impurity among believers, many pastors turn a blind eye for the sake of maintaining membership numbers and stability, allowing sin to flourish. This neglect not only harms the spiritual growth of individuals but also damages the image of God’s household. Some believers and pastors, caught up in the temptations of worldly pleasures, indulge their desires, flirt, or become entangled in relationships, becoming captives of immorality. Such scandals bring great shame and immeasurable loss to individuals, families, and churches. The church should set a public example of holiness and leave a path of righteousness, as such sins can ultimately prevent people from inheriting God’s kingdom.

From a historical Western perspective, societal reforms led by Christians often followed religious reforms, though with an appropriate distance between the two. Some believe that the democratic development of Chinese churches could impact the authoritarian system of the state. While this is an admirable hope, it is unlikely that the influence of religious reform on national constitutionalism seen in the West will be replicated in China anytime soon. Western churches were already embedded in mainstream society and only struggled to extricate themselves from entanglement with secular power. In contrast, house churches in China remain marginalized. Regardless of religious reform or democratic efforts, society continues to operate under its familiar, well-maintained systems.

At this stage, the primary task of house churches is to strengthen themselves and spread the gospel widely in society. For the gospel to take root in future Chinese society, mere transmission of the gospel message alone will not suffice. Churches must undertake the mission of spreading cultural influence, permeating God’s truth into politics, culture, economics, and other fields. However, at this time, God is generally revitalizing purely gospel-focused churches, while those tasked with cultural missions have yet to be revived. When the right time comes, God will certainly revive these culturally-missioned churches, as the construction of the Christian faith in Chinese society must include the spread of cultural influence to be fully realized.

The differences, hardships, and disputes within Chinese house churches are not necessarily negative; in a way, they indicate that the Chinese church is continually developing and experiencing revival. Hudson Taylor once said, "The moment of trial is often the moment of receiving blessings." This is indeed a spiritual principle that can be traced throughout the history of the global church. Periods of revival have inevitably involved internal church turmoil and ministry conflicts. For example, during the fourth and fifth centuries—the era of the Church Fathers—significant disagreements often arose as the church sought to establish orthodox beliefs. This tension was highly beneficial for the church’s healthy development, as many critical creeds (e.g., the Nicene Creed, the Chalcedonian Creed) were established through such debates and disputes. The biblical canon was also solidified amid these complex confrontations.  During the time of the Puritans, there was irreconcilable tension between them and the Church of England, leading to persecution and even mass killings. Yet, it was precisely this persecution that forced many Puritans to leave Europe, sparking the revival that led to the founding of the New World in North America. This does not mean that the church should seek out suffering and conflict but rather that every circumstance comes with God’s permission and purpose. As Martin Luther said, "Trials are my schoolmasters in the pursuit of God." The history of church development follows this pattern; although it is often accompanied by disputes and suffering, as well as phenomena we may find difficult to understand, our hearts remind us of one truth: everything is in God's hands. Where God is present, so too is the answer.

The beginning and early stages of China's modernization were closely related to Christianity. From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, Christian missionaries and church efforts played significant roles in almost every aspect of modernization, including science, technology, culture, education, healthcare, women's rights, sports, social welfare, journalism, politics, and law. Today, the most modernized aspect of China’s institutions might be its economy, while political and other social activities and systems remain far from modernized standards. Overall, despite over a century of efforts and struggles, the comprehensive modernization of China has not yet been completed. To improve contemporary Chinese society and achieve systematic and thorough modernization, political reform is crucial, and the quality of the citizens is foundational. Regardless, the innovation of social systems and the elimination of their flaws depend on the efforts of high-quality citizens. Therefore, raising the quality of citizens requires cultural transformation and reform in China. In religious terms, this means that citizens must "fear God." The Christianization of Chinese culture implies using Christian thought to influence and enhance Chinese culture, positioning it in a leading role within the cultural sphere and establishing it as mainstream thought.

In the culture of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, there is strong evidence that the Chinese were seeking God, as seen in the oracle bone inscriptions and the concept of "Heaven" (天) in the Book of Songs (Shijing). From a theological perspective, this reflects the function of God's general revelation within Chinese culture. The Chinese recognized God as personal and as the ruler of humanity, believing that the rise and fall of dynasties were under His control. He punishes evil and rewards good, and no one can escape His judgment. During the Shang and Zhou periods, the Chinese believed in a transcendent God known as "Shangdi" (上帝).  However, by the time of Confucius, the rationalization process had led to the gradual decline of this idea of "Heaven" as a supreme personal being within Chinese culture. Confucianism became the mainstream ideology in China, centered on rational moral humanism. Although scholars during the May Fourth Movement attempted to replace Confucianism with Western humanism (and later embraced Marxism), they remained within the bounds of rationalism. They continued to operate under an atheistic mindset, trying to satisfy the spiritual and moral needs of the Chinese people. Modern Neo-Confucians discuss how to achieve "inner transcendence" through "self-actualization," which shows that they still reject "external transcendence." They rely on self-sufficiency from within and deny the existence of a God outside of humanity.

At the beginning of modern history, China faced, for the first time, a culture stronger than its own: Western culture, centered around Christian values. Before this, Chinese culture had never encountered such a formidable cultural challenge. Previously, when China encountered the cultures of foreign invaders, it could immediately recognize them as inferior. These foreign cultures could conquer China politically, but they had to adopt Chinese culture to effectively rule. Historically, China was conquered twice—during the Yuan Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty—and both times, the ruling groups had to integrate into Chinese culture.However, in modern times, China encountered a stronger culture: Western culture. Unable to resist, China began earnestly learning from the West, taking it as a teacher. Over the course of 100 years, China adopted Western technology, institutions, science, and philosophy. While acknowledging that many aspects of society have become Westernized, Chinese people still identify as Chinese, not based on race or ethnicity, but in terms of mindset. Regardless of wearing Western clothing, eating at McDonald's or KFC, or watching Hollywood movies, the Chinese mindset remains rooted in traditional thought. Despite adopting Western practices, the core of Chinese culture has not aligned with Western culture, especially the mainstream Christian culture.

There are many Christians in China today, but they cannot be equated with Western Christians. While Chinese Christians follow Christian practices, rituals, and attend services, their prayers often reflect personal requests rather than theological concepts: “Lord, my child is taking the college entrance exam this year; I have faithfully served You, so please help him.” Their prayers, although sincere, tend to focus on personal benefits rather than the acknowledgment of being sinful and in need of salvation. These believers may respect God in the same way they respect traditional deities like Bodhisattvas. Many Chinese Christians, including overseas Chinese Christians, practice a form of Christianity that remains superficial. The internal culture is still centered on family values and Confucian ideals. What truly needs transformation is the culture of the Chinese people. For real change, Christian culture must be embedded deeply in the mindset—into the very blood and bones. Only then can genuine transformation occur, beyond mere external and formal adherence.

In contemporary China, the relationship between "Christian faith" and "Chinese culture" has become a concern for both Christians and non-Christians. Chinese Christians must grapple with how to reconcile the contradictions and conflicts between cultural traditions and faith, while also considering how to overcome cultural barriers to share and spread the gospel with their fellow citizens. After the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, Chinese non-Christian intellectuals began to ponder whether Christianity could serve as a source for rebuilding China's "spiritual civilization."

Christianity is a comprehensive culture, functioning as both a belief system and a way of life with inherent cultural attributes. However, it fundamentally differs from other cultures that did not develop from divine revelation. Christianity presents a clear, definitive worldview grounded in God's revelation and the belief that "God is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe." This worldview is intricately linked with its philosophy of history, characterized by the idea that "history begins with God's creation and culminates in the second coming of Christ." The Christian view of humanity (or Christian anthropology) is also distinctive—humans are created in God's image, with "human sinfulness" and "God's redemption" as foundational concepts.

Introducing God to the Chinese as the creator of the world and humanity highlights the flaws and errors of the atheistic, materialistic worldview. If Christianity's theistic worldview ultimately replaces China's atheistic perspective, Chinese culture will undergo a profound transformation. The contemporary Chinese atheistic worldview holds that humans and the world are material entities, while Christianity asserts that both are creations, with humans uniquely made in the image of God, giving them a status distinct from the rest of creation. Without a proper understanding of God, people cannot properly understand themselves or the world. Additionally, the order of creation explains humanity's role in the world and its relationship with God.

One significant impact of Chinese culture's lack of an "original sin" concept is that it affects the understanding of human nature. Historian Ray Huang noted that the Western (Christian) concept of original sin provides a realistic view of humanity's sin-tainted nature, leading to the development of the idea of universal law—a set of laws that everyone must obey, seen as a means to restrain human evil. Similarly, the belief that "God is the lawgiver and ultimate judge" underpins Western ideas of compulsory legal systems. In contrast, the Chinese belief in the innate goodness of human nature (as taught by Mencius) suggests that humans have the self-discipline to do good on their own, which is why law in Chinese society has traditionally been viewed as something designed for wrongdoers, while "noble individuals" are thought to be above such regulations. Mencius's belief in the inherent goodness of human nature dominates Confucian teachings and continues to influence modern Neo-Confucianism. However, without the concepts of "original sin" and "God's judgment of sin" (including final judgment), it is impossible to effectively curb wrongdoing. For China to modernize effectively, it must reassess human nature, recognize the controlling power of sin in human life, and integrate the concept of original sin into Chinese culture. Otherwise, the pursuit of human perfection will continue through self-realization, with limited effectiveness.

The evangelization of China (quantitative growth in the number of believers) and the renewal of the Chinese church (spiritual maturity and qualitative growth) are essential elements for the Christianization of Chinese culture. The process of integrating Christian values into Chinese culture will be a long journey; even if it does not take several centuries, it will still require multiple generations to see significant results. Just as Christ's second coming is delayed, giving us the opportunity to fulfill the mission of spreading the gospel and the cultural mandate for His glory.

China’s thousands of years of feudal history have embedded the ideology of imperial rule deeply into the minds of the general populace. Campaigns like the Cultural Revolution ingrained certain ideologies more forcefully than Christianity has been able to penetrate minds. Nonetheless, this makes Chinese society even more in need of the gospel of Jesus. Only when churches become widespread and faith takes hold can there be love and forgiveness between people, leading to true social harmony. It is important to have a clear understanding of the issues facing the Chinese church and the courage to confront the complex background and circumstances. Observing and understanding these limitations and responding proactively is key. Through obedience to God’s command, house churches in China can develop, bringing glory to God through their growth.  For Christianity and Christian culture to flourish in future China, the society must fully enter a modern civilization where freedom, equality, and democracy prevail. The widespread influence of Christian culture plays a crucial role in this transformation. The future China, as the "largest flock," awaits more shepherds to guide it. Churches that carry the cultural mission are essential, as the broad dissemination and deep integration of Christian culture into the fabric of society are the foundation for modern civilization. What can save the people of China? Only Jesus Christ! As Pastor Zhao Tian’en said: “China's evangelization; cultural Christianization; church kingdomization!” Only when Christ’s power is fully demonstrated in China will there be a new era of happiness and well-being for its people. The church and Christian culture will inevitably spread more widely and develop further in China.

                        Wensheng Xiong  January 2022