"Come, try our local specialty!" Sister Wang said warmly as she welcomed the guests, her chopsticks moving swiftly to serve them dishes. Moving briskly around the table, she helped the pastor welcome the guest. Behind her enthusiastic service, however, lies a story of stepping away from the church—and finding her way back.
Drawn into Service, Disillusioned by Leadership, Restored by Grace
Wang was introduced to the Christian faith by her elder sister during a difficult time when her family had just completed building a house and was under significant financial strain. Her spirits were low. But one Sunday, a sermon about dealing with family and neighborly relationships touched her deeply. She began attending church regularly.
"I didn't understand the Bible very well back then," Wang admits. "But I heard that 'serving God is never in vain,' so even though I didn't fully understand what it meant, I began serving in the hope of receiving God's blessings."
Due to her strong organizational skills, she was given leadership in the choir and helped handle church-building affairs. She often accompanied the church leader through various administrative procedures. Though many challenges arose, every time the coworkers prayed together, the problems were resolved remarkably.
In 2014, after the new church building was completed, things began to change. Wang noticed a shift in the demeanor of church leadership. The senior leader appeared increasingly proud. "It was as if she wanted to be worshipped," Wang said.
Gossip and disunity spread. Teamwork faded. The spiritual atmosphere grew dry. During her duties as a worship host, Wang felt the sermons had strayed from God's Word. Spiritually immature and increasingly burdened, she made the difficult decision to leave the church.
After leaving, Wang's daily rhythms of prayer and Bible reading fell away. Without a job, she began spending time with non-Christian friends and learned to play mahjong. "At first, I felt guilty. I knew it wasn't right. But later, I just did whatever made me happy and stopped thinking about whether it glorified God."
Even so, God never let go. One day, while cycling, she nearly had a serious accident. In a moment of panic, she instinctively cried, "Lord, save me!" She was unharmed. That experience reminded her that God had never stopped watching over her.
Years later, a fellow choir member reached out to Wang, saying, "We have a new pastor now—Pastor Y. His sermons are full of grace and wisdom, and the church atmosphere has improved a lot. You should come back." But Wang, mistakenly believing Pastor Y was connected to the previous leadership, hesitated.
During that period, she constantly felt physically unwell, though doctors found nothing wrong. Her husband gently suggested, "Maybe… it's time to return to church?" One evening during a walk, she and her husband found themselves near the church building. Memories flooded her heart. The next morning was Sunday—she decided to attend.
The moment she stepped inside, several older sisters warmly greeted her. She sat beside a familiar face. Pastor Y was playing the piano, and the choir began singing a familiar hymn. "As soon as I heard it, I couldn't stop crying," Wang recalls. "It felt like a child who had been away for years finally coming home."
She began attending worship regularly. Her unexplained health symptoms disappeared. More than that, she felt the church had truly changed.
"Before, people would whisper and chat before the sermon. Now, whether they arrive early or late, everyone kneels at the front to pray or quietly reads Scripture," she said. "Pastor Y's preaching is clear and practical. People know how to live out their faith. We're focused on Christ now, not personalities."
A Church Restored, a Life Renewed
Since he arrived in 2019, Pastor Y has made several key changes. He collected scattered church keys and reassigned them to trustworthy members, disbanded private sub-groups, and relaunched various ministries. Slowly, the church was brought back into healthy order.
He realized many believers didn't know how to pray. So he began teaching prayer intentionally and launching Bible reading and prayer ministries. Wang grew rapidly through these practices.
He also took church leaders on visits to other congregations. Seeing others' hunger for spiritual growth moved Wang deeply and awakened in her a desire for maturity.
When important decisions need to be made, Pastor Y gathers everyone to discuss them and carefully listens to each person's opinion.
At Pastor Y's invitation, Wang joined the church's management committee and resumed her role as a worship service host. Through serving again, she came to truly understand that everything she does is for the Lord.
"Before, I was like a bolt—you had to push me to move. Now, I take initiative. Even when the pastor is away, we keep things running with joy," she said.
The unified atmosphere also reshaped her view of ministry. "Scripture calls us to serve one another with our gifts as faithful stewards of God's grace. True service is about glorifying God, building up the church, and spreading the gospel—not seeking personal recognition or gain."
As a core church co-worker, Wang especially cares about the church's pastoral work and the spiritual growth of fellow believers. She often encourages others to step up and serve, and she actively shares with her friends how God has guided her life.
Looking ahead, she hopes to engage more young people in church life. "The next generation craves dynamic worship and hands-on mission. Churches need creative ministries to spark their passion and involvement."
Originally published by the Gospel Times
- Edited and translated by Katherine Guo
