Shaanxi Bible School Report

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

Gifts to Shaanxi Bible School through Global Ministries have been used for a variety of needs, including much needed scholarships. The following information has been shared about five of the students who have received scholarships:

Christianity is growing rapidly in China. There are currently 30 million Christians in China. Every day, six new church buildings are opened. One new church was built to hold 3,000 members and when it opened its doors for the first service, 10,000 people were waiting to worship. Because of the closing of theological seminaries during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, there are only several thousand ordained ministers for 50,000 churches. The shortage of pastors is a serious problem for the church in China.

In response to the lack of ministers in China, along with approximately 20 other seminaries, Shaanxi Bible School was founded in 1988. The school began with by offering a three-month training program. There are now two different types of programs that are offered at the Shaanxi Bible School. The first is a one-year program for lay leaders. Over 900 students have completed this training in the past 20 years. About 200 of these students have been ordained as elders. The second type of program offered is a four-year college level seminary. To date, seven classes have completed the four-year program, totaling 300 graduates. Seventy-two of these graduates have been ordained as teachers and more than 50 have been ordained as pastors to serve local churches.

A young man, almost 21-years-old, is a current four-year student. He is from a rural church with about 50 believers. He is the first theological student from his area, south of Shaanxi. The church is poor and they could not support him financially to study at the Bible School. A scholarship funded by gifts through Global Ministries enables him to study.
A brother and sister from a rural village church are both studying in the four-year program. The brother began in 2008 and the sister in 2010. Their mother was a student in the school several years ago and now teaches in the local church. Their father is disabled and cannot work. Both are studying hard and receive good grades. They are enthusiastic about their faith and live simply.
One lay leader student who receives a scholarship funded by gifts from Global Ministries is from a rural church north of Shaanxi. She is 52 years old and is a widow. Her husband died when her children were young. Their financial situation is not good but her faith is strong.
Another young adult male student from a minority group in China is studying with the help of a scholarship, beginning in 2008. He is from a Christian family and from a local church with about 120 believers. The church is in a very poor area and also could not have provided financial support for his studies.

For more information about Shaanxi Bible School, read about the project here: http://globalministries.org/eap/projects/shaanxi-bible-school.html