There are huge ongoing challenges to churches in China, including a shortage of church leaders, poverty and the prevalence of heretical teachings. The lack of trained preachers and leaders is one of the biggest challenges facing churches in China today. The number of believers in China continues to grow each year, yet the number of trained leaders is not keeping pace. On the national average, one ordained pastor in China has 6,700 believers under their care.

Many Christians live in the rural areas (at least 60% of churches in China are found in the rural region), and many Bible college students come from poor farming families. Every student who enters the Bible School is a highly treasured resource. Most students are young, ranging from 18 to 30 years of age. When these students graduate, many will return to their home communities to serve; however, they often do so without a salary because their farming communities are too poor to pay them.

Many students in Bible Training Schools are barely able to cover course fees or access Bible study tools. Sadly, many current preachers are barely able to support themselves and their families due to highly unstable incomes.

The need for more trained preachers and leaders is urgent.

Statistics

• 1:6700 ratio of ordained pastors to believers
• 60% of churches are in rural regions
• 18-30 average age of student preachers/leaders