Peace to you, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, who long for one another.

For almost two years now, writing these pastoral letters has become a cherished commitment; it’s something I can’t bear to let go, like penning love letters. Recently, I reviewed Brother Yu Jie’s interview transcript, “The Christian Community is the Hope of the World”. Since it mentions my pastoral letters, I felt compelled to share some reflections and explanations with you.

Yu Jie: Recently, I came across your printed collection of weekly pastoral letters from 2010, “Soul Awakening.” These letters, addressed to the members of your church, delve into specific events within the congregation, such as marriages, funerals, birthdays, illnesses, and situations at work. They also address public events like Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel Peace Prize and Ran Yunfei’s arrest. I’ve encountered similar writings from Pastor Lam Kwok Cheung to the members of his church in Hong Kong. But this is the first time I’ve seen such pastoral letters from a house church in mainland China, especially compiled into a book. And this seems like a new genre for you.

Wang Yi: I began writing these “weekly pastoral letters” during Advent in 2009 as an experiment in local church building and shepherding. The vision of the Early Rain Covenant Church is to establish a public, community-based church governed by elders. As a result, the writing of these letters is driven by three aspirations:

First, I aim to present a tapestry of church life that both reveals the sharing of God’s Word and the fellowship of His people. This approach follows the tradition of letter writing in the historic church. It challenges believers to commit to their local church and embrace life together in Christ. The New Testament is replete with examples of vital relationships nurtured through letters exchanged between believers. “And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the encouragement” (Acts 15:31 ESV). We can relate to this through our own experiences with love letters, emails exchanged with friends, or even notes left for a spouse after an argument. Throughout history, letters have formed a vital part of fellowship within the Christian community. A recent book explores this epistolary space between church fathers, bishops, and their congregations during Augustine’s time. Prayer letters, for instance, represent a unique form of correspondence that continues to connect individuals and churches today. In the past, I encouraged students in my Bible study and hermeneutics classes to emulate the apostles by writing annual letters to their churches, small groups, and families.

Second, I use these pastoral letters to convey the archetype of a consistent and close-knit Christian community. This proclaims the gospel and bears witness to the Lord’s will

to this city. These everyday scenes of community life might seem familiar to churches abroad. However, they remain unfamiliar and challenging for house churches that are navigating the transition to a congregational model within an authoritative context. May the Lord grant that this collection of pastoral letters serve as a record, a model. They express the shared faith of God’s children at the Early Rain Covenant Church, and offer valuable insights for other churches.

Third, as a Reformed elder, I use these letters to document the journey of a local church towards reformation. I also explore how Reformed theology can achieve a “softer landing” in the practical life of the church. This path is fraught with bumps, sways, struggles, and moments of finding our footing in our salvation. For a young church, merely six years old, this is a profoundly real, challenging, and joyful journey, filled with tension, shame, and repentance. The most captivating, daring, and romantic aspect is experiencing grace alongside my brothers and sisters, not just as individuals, but as a Christian community.

In contemporary China, these pastoral letters represent a new genre. They are didactic, an integral part of my pastoral ministry. However, they are also not meant to be the “Little Red Book” of a secular organization. Although penned by a pastor, they lack the unique authority derived from expository preaching from the church pulpit. They are primarily epistolary and conversational, yet imbued with the spiritual authority of pastoral office and discourse. For me, they represent a “thematic” approach to pastoral care, complementing “expository preaching.” From a purely literary standpoint, this style, existing between authority and freedom, is unprecedented in Chinese history. It expresses the dynamic, almost incomprehensible and unique relationship between individuals and the community within the body of Christ in the Chinese language.

The content of these letters encompasses personal meditations, reflections on church life, and observations on society and the times. They are filled with words of worship, theological reflection, and glimpses into the messy reality of our church’s “construction site”, even carrying the scent of bandages from our church’s “hospital.” Through the tangible, spiritual connection with my visible brothers and sisters, who are part of the “holy catholic church,” I seek to touch the life of Christ. I also hope to reveal a living organism that will both amaze and confound the world, eliciting awe, fear, and even aversion.

I long for the day when every member of the Early Rain Covenant Church can confidently declare, “I died there, but I also came back to life there.” More than their pastor, I consider myself their primary witness. When we stand before the judgment seat, and the angel asks, “Do you know this person?”

I pray I can answer with unwavering certainty, “Yes, I do. I would recognize them even if they were reduced to ashes.”

Your servant in Christ,

Wang Yi

September 20, 2011