Story number 3 for 19 Jul 2002

(China)–Over 50-percent of the current Chinese government is expected to retire this year, making room for a new generation of leadership and change. The Chinese church is facing the same issues, and new leaders are focusing on pastors’ training to strengthen the church. Aside from the Bible school they’re helping to build, China Partner’s, Erik Burklin says there are other developments in Jiangxi (zhahng-SHEE) Province. “In addition to this Bible school, there are 17 small training centers now that are all conducting short-term training courses for mostly poor, grassroots pastors; most of them are farmers. These are happening in all registered churches all across that province.” Burklin says the robust lifebeat of the church in China means the future is bright. “What was so thrilling for me was to see their devotion, and spiritual fervor of the their students there; it just thrills me to see a new generation of Christian leaders being trained for their future ministry in China.”