Many churches and believers have finally started to provide for pastors in recent years.
On January 12, 14 workers from Jianxin Christian Church in Fuzhou came to Sanming City to send donations to the full-time workers there. The donation is used to help all the full-time pastors in the Sanming area, totaling 47 people, each with 2,000 yuan.
To build the churches, believers enthusiastically contribute. A village church with only about 100 people can build a church building worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of yuan. At the same time, there are no full-time, salaried pastors in these churches, and their fellow workers are often torn between serving God and making money for their families. Some were so poor that they had to give up their roles as preachers and get other jobs to earn money to support their families.
In addition, it is reported that dozens of believers have given hundreds of yuan, or even more than 1,000 yuan, anonymously every month to help poor missionaries. This kind of help has lasted for at least a year. Some churches put money aside to help preachers, while others pay for preachers' expenses during events and pandemics. Other churches have "good pastor programs."
During the pandemic, Shandong CC&TSPM implemented the policy of distributing living allowances for grassroots preachers. They urged urban churches to practice strict frugality and do a good job of caring for and helping poverty-stricken clergy, missionaries, and volunteers in rural areas.
The CC&TSPM of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has called on all local churches to carry out the "Good Pastor Sunday Donation" campaign to improve the living conditions of grassroots pastors. Every year (the third Sunday after Easter), churches in the region will share the same scripture and donate the local CC&TSPM to help pastors living in poverty on that day.
Pastors have always been givers. When the CC&TSPM, the church, and believers care about them, they will be touched and be much more confident. This is not only material help but also spiritual help.
Before this year's Spring Festival, a young shepherd in Jiangsu Province received benefits from his church - a barrel of cooking oil, a bag of rice, a bag of flour, and eight small packs of noodles.
The Putian CC&TSPM in Fujian Province gives full-time pastors in the city a uniform salary, including urban and rural pastors, with additional subsidies for rural pastors.
It is hoped that local churches will develop better ways to help grassroots preachers so their followers can be better pastored.
-Translated by Nicolas Cao
