Growth of Christianity in China is explosive Religion Today Monday, September 6, 1999 China's house churches are growing so fast that some Christians haven't had time to grow up. Explosive growth of the movement is outpacing the spiritual development of its members, Steve Snyder of International Christian Concern told Religion Today. Chinese Christians need teachers "so they can sit at their feet and learn," he said. There are an estimated 70 million house-church members in China. Evangelistic zeal of its members spread the underground movement like wildfire in the past 20 years, Snyder said. Itinerant preachers hold meetings in forests, on mountaintops, and other out-of-the-way places. New Christians begin evangelizing almost immediately, and about 25,000 a day are added to the church, he said. Little training in doctrine Church leaders are unable to disciple so many new believers. Most house-church leaders have little training in doctrine, Snyder said. An American Christian has "a wealth of knowledge" compared to the average Chinese Christian who leads a network of 1,000 people. A network leader "is one who has been a Christian for two or three years and maybe has been exposed to some kind of mini-seminary course taught by an outside agency." Those beneath him have even less training. New Christians are eager to tell others about their faith, but aren't equipped to disciple them. Heresies often sprout up because someone who has been a Christian for only a few weeks is looked upon as a mentor by those he has converted. Radio Bible classes have been effective. Ministries such as the Far East Broadcasting Company and Trans World Radio broadcast Christian teaching into the country, and those who have radios gather to glean what they can. "Radio is probably the most widely used way to help instruct Christians," Snyder said. "They have no materials, but they are still able to get some teaching." Bibles, curricula, teachers needed The Christians need study Bibles, Sunday school curricula, and teachers. "They need teaching on the basic doctrines, and people who will come and help them learn," Snyder said. International Christian Concern sends materials and arranges for qualified American Christians – "anyone who has a heart for China and some Bible school training" – to travel to the country and teach house-church Christians. American Christians sent by ICC visited nine house churches in July. The team carried 1,000 Bibles and training books and taught Chinese Christians, Pat Bradley of St. Louis, Mo., said. Most of the Chinese Christians had never met foreigners and "were remarkably gentle and meek, yet powerful in their presentation of the Gospel," Bradley said. Forty to 50 people typically attended the services. Most of the churches met in apartments above the ground floor to hide from religious police, Bradley said. "Always watching over our shoulders, without speaking a word, we would ascend the stairs in pairs to the meeting place."

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