The development of leadership training within China’s unregistered church has followed a trajectory that roughly parallels that of the larger society as it has experienced major advances in education, a rising standard of living, and massive urbanization.
Rural house churches began developing training programs in the early 1980s, often with the assistance of visiting Christians from abroad. Some incorporated systematic seminary training programs broadcast via shortwave from outside China, cassette tapes of which were carried into China and duplicated for distribution to various training centers. More sophisticated training programs involving students from multiple house church networks emerged in the 1990s, most of which were based in larger cities and relied on a stream of visiting faculty from abroad to provide the bulk of the training. Training in these institutions has evolved from a traditional emphasis on biblical knowledge and ministry skills to a more interactive, student-based approach combining classroom instruction with discussion, mentorship, and practical experience through internships.
Although some of the more developed unregistered seminaries have been granting certificates to those who complete their studies, it is only within the past decade that training centers, in cooperation with overseas educational institutions, have begun conferring degrees that are recognized outside China. Whereas church leaders of a previous generation may have been content with a smattering of Bible courses offered in a part-time rural training center, it is increasingly common for urban church leaders in training to expect that the instruction they receive will lead to an accredited degree.
According to one experienced trainer who has worked for decades with both registered and unregistered pastors, the benefits of accredited programs operating within China are many. These include equipping leaders within their own contexts (as opposed to having them go overseas for training) and providing consistency in the level of training and the requirements put on the students. The courses, according to this trainer, will result in “reasonably well qualified faculty for Bible schools in rural areas or small towns.” In addition, local churches in collaboration with one another are able to fund the centers, thus reducing dependency upon outside resources.
Others involved in equipping church leaders in China are not so optimistic, and see the trend toward accreditation as over-emphasizing knowledge and status. In the words of one teacher, “Many church leaders, whether TSPM or house church, want degrees just to get the title. This is trendy….Knowledge is good if you get it step by step, but the gap between leaders and congregations becomes wider as the pastor learns more. Seminary training doesn’t help you become a good pastor.”
As church leadership in China continues to become more professionalized, the trend toward, and the demand for, accreditation may be expected to continue. How to maintain the spiritual zeal that has been a hallmark of China’s church for the past several decades while raising up leaders who are equipped to deal with increasingly sophisticated urban congregations is a key challenge facing the church today.
