Born in a county town in northern Jiangsu, Chen Xun, followed his parents in believing in the Lord from a young age and became a pastor at the age of 17. Having been serving in a grassroots church for ten years, he shared his evolving views on supporting pastors and preaching on money, including tithing.
When Chen first started going to church, he was very young, agreeing with the common mindset at that time in the church that it was unspiritual to receive money for working for God. On one hand, he was once studying and working in society and deeply felt that he couldn’t find inner fulfillment. Back then, he believed that things like money, fame, and status were worldly matters that Christians shouldn’t pursue. Another reason was that he was living with his parents, who supported him in serving God, so he hadn’t experienced the hardships in life. His thoughts were still somewhat naive and idealistic.
As he became more involved in ministry, he changed his mind, and he started to understand and empathize with the situations of other pastors. "Not every minister has parental support. Let's not even mention the young people who have to care for both elderly parents and young children. Some young people dedicate their lives to serving God without support from their families because their family members may not share their faith. In some cases, the parents may not believe in the Lord at all and even oppose them. In such situations, if the church doesn’t support their basic needs, they won’t be able to focus on studying or serving with peace of mind."
Additionally, for Brother Chen himself, because the church didn’t provide a stable income, after years of serving and studying, apart from doing odd jobs, he often relied on his parents for support. This put a significant strain on his parents, both mentally and financially. Although his parents continue to support his ministry, the help they can offer is now limited. During this process, Chen has seen many of his classmates from the seminary leave the church due to financial difficulties. Nowadays, compared to when he first joined the church, fewer young people are staying, but the church seems to have become numb to this…
Chen reflected, saying that sometimes, within a group, people’s ideas or traditions can give rise to a set of theories. But these theories don’t always align with reality or the truth. Therefore, we must frequently return to the Bible to reflect and discern. In the past, he didn’t dare preach about tithing, let alone about supporting pastors, but he gradually broke through those barriers. Through these experiences, and witnessing the church’s continual decline, he came to realize that "a church that doesn’t dare to preach the truth is bound to decline—this is inevitable."
Now, when he is invited to preach, he is willing to accept some travel expense subsidies. And when he communicates with other ministers and believers, he also begins to talk about how to practice biblical teachings in everyday life. For instance, "the worker deserves his wages." He said, "We should return to the Bible and let the truth of Scripture guide our lives and ministry."
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
