Inside China’s First ‘Strict Governance Training Class’ for Christian Pastors

(Guangzhou, Guangdong Province – July 31, 2024) Senior pastors from a hundred major state-sanctioned Christian churches in China are holding a “strict governance training class” in Guangzhou. This is the first large-scale meeting of its kind where Christian senior pastors actively respond to the government’s initiative of “strict governance of religion.” The training class is aimed at aligning with the Chinese government’s united front efforts of “Loving the country and loving the Party.”

According to the official website of the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Church in China and China Christian Council ( (from July 8 to 12, 2024), senior pastors from a hundred major churches in China gathered in Guangzhou to attend the “strict governance of religion” training class.

Xu Xiaohong, chairman of the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Church in China, believes that de-Westernization is equivalent to Sinicization. Xu interpreted the “Outline of the Five-Year Work Plan for Advancing the Sinicization of Christianity (2023-2027),” and proposed the Sinicization of theological thought as the most fundamental aspect of Sinicization. He believes that to advance the Sinicization of Christianity, sincere efforts must be made to eliminate the influences of westernization, colonization, and vulgar theological concepts.

He did not provide a convincing argument in regards to what constitutes Westernized theology or the Sinicization of theological thought.

Rev. Shan Weixiang, a representative of the official national “Two Organizations of Christianity/Lianghui,” pointed out that Chinese-style church management is about seeking a model of “self-governance” for Christian churches within the Chinese context.

He requires the trainees to gain a deeper understanding and enhance their knowledge of strict governance of religion through the training, so that strict governance of religion can be further implemented. This, in turn, will improve the overall understanding of why the Chinese church is promoting the “sinicization of Christianity.”

Shan Weixiang pointed out that seeking a “self-governance” model is actually an indirect admission that the decades-long efforts of the “self-governance” movement initiated by the National Committee of the “Three-Self Patriotic Movement” in China have ultimately ended in failure. If “self-governance” had been successful, there would be no need to seek “self-governance” again. The “Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee,” as a nondescript subsidiary body, has become a laughingstock worldwide and is truly next to none.

Officials from the Central United Front Work Department were present to oversee and monitor the training class.

The “strict governance of religion” training class is the first of its kind organized by the national “Two Organizations of Christianity/Lianghui,” with the participation of one hundred churches and one hundred senior pastors.

It requires the senior pastors of major churches in various regions to fully understand and implement strict governance of religion, to take the lead in abiding by laws and regulations, and to respond actively.

Senior pastors of the churches expressed their commitment to implementing the requirements of strict governance of religion throughout the entire process of church administration and pastoral care. They stated that strict governance of religion is an important guarantee for creating a cleaner and more upright social image for Christianity and for promoting the healthy inheritance of Christianity.

In June of this year, a comprehensive “strict governance of religion” work exchange forum was held in Xi’an, Shaanxi. Chinese government officials criticized church supervisory bodies and their leaders for not strictly implementing the orders issued by the Central United Front Work Department, demanding a comprehensive and strict rectification of Christianity. Chinese religious officials ordered senior leaders of the National Committee of the “Three-Self Patriotic Movement” in China and the China Christian Council to “strictly govern religion.” These two organizations are approved by the Chinese government and are responsible for overseeing registered churches in this communist state.

“Comprehensive strict governance of religion” is part of the “sinicization” process, which indicates that the authorities will strictly control missionaries and preaching activities to weaken the influence of the Church’s religious activities on society.