Choosing the Right Leaders for the Chinese Church
*中文版在頁面底部（繁體）
Many Chinese churches in Canada are learning that leadership isn’t just about titles or seniority — it’s about character, calling, and cultural wisdom. In a bilingual church family, leadership shapes not only decisions but also the spiritual and cultural DNA of the entire community.
A) What Kind of Leaders Does the Church Need?
In many traditional Chinese churches, leaders are often chosen based on availability, loyalty, or education. But Scripture gives a higher standard — godly character and spiritual competence.
A true Christian leader isn’t defined by position but by integrity, humility, and a life that reflects Christ. As Paul Stevens reminds us, biblical leadership begins with a good reputation, ethical behavior, and spiritual gifting — not with status or degrees.
While administrative ability (“getting things done”) is important, churches also need leaders who are relational (building trust across generations) and interpretative (helping people see what God is doing through His Word and through culture). Leaders who only focus on tasks may keep things running — but leaders who listen, teach, and discern meaning can transform hearts.
B) Why Cultural Sensitivity Matters
Once character and competence are established, cultural understanding becomes crucial — especially in bilingual churches.
Good leaders must understand both Chinese and Canadian culture, ideally communicating in both languages. A culturally aware pastor or board member can bridge misunderstandings between the Chinese-speaking (CM) and English-speaking (EM) sides of the church.
For first-generation leaders, listening is key. Watchman Nee (倪柝聲) once warned that some leaders are so eager to speak that they never truly listen. Real listening requires spiritual depth — the kind that comes from time with God and humility before people. When leaders take time to understand the younger generation’s ideas and emotions, conflicts decrease and trust grows.
C) Empowering the Next Generation
Healthy churches don’t just include younger believers — they empower them. The same way first-generation immigrants built churches for their own community, second-generation Chinese-Canadians need space to shape ministry that reflects their bicultural identity.
That’s why churches should include EM representatives in leadership — not as token figures, but as full partners who are biblically grounded and spiritually mature. Leadership should mirror the whole congregation, not just one generation.
Longevity and faithfulness also matter. Too many English-ministry pastors stay for only a few years. But lasting impact requires perseverance. Watchman Nee wrote, “Stability is a quality every Christian worker must have.” Short-term enthusiasm must give way to long-term love for the church — even when ministry feels hard.
D) The Gift of “Third-Culture” Leaders
There’s a special group of believers who can bridge both worlds — often called “1.5 generation” or “third-culture” Chinese-Canadians. They grew up with both Chinese and Western influences and can naturally move between the two.
These believers are uniquely positioned to help the church grow in unity and relevance. As theologian Samuel Ling reminds us, Chinese Christians have received some of the world’s best education — now it’s time to invest that wisdom into bridging cultural and generational gaps within the church.
Moving Forward
The future of the Chinese church in Canada depends on raising up leaders who:
Walk with biblical integrity and humility.
Build trust and understanding across cultures.
Show stability and love for the local church.
Empower the next generation to serve and lead.
When leadership is rooted in Christ and shaped by both truth and empathy, the Chinese church can thrive — not just as a cultural group, but as a living testimony of God’s kingdom in Canada.
**This is an A.I. generated article whose content is based on excerpts from Pastor James’ paper on Learning the Culture of Our Family: Addressing Intergenerational Challenges in Chinese-Canadian Churches.
加拿大華人教會該怎麼選領袖？——從品格到文化的轉化之路
在加拿大的華人教會裡，領袖不只是「誰有職位」的問題，而是關乎品格、呼召與文化智慧。教會的領導層，會深深影響整個群體的屬靈氛圍和文化方向。
A、教會需要什麼樣的領袖？
很多傳統華人教會在選領袖時，往往看重「誰有空、誰忠心、誰學歷高」。但聖經的標準其實更高——敬虔的品格與屬靈的成熟。
真正的屬靈領袖，不是靠地位或頭銜來定義，而是靠誠信、謙卑與能反映基督生命的態度。正如學者 Paul Stevens 所說，合乎聖經的領袖，應該是有好名聲、正直行為、又具神所賜領導恩賜的人。
除了能「把事情做好」的行政能力之外，教會更需要能建立關係的**「關係型領袖」，以及能用神的話幫助弟兄姊妹理解信仰意義的「詮釋型領袖」**。
只懂得做事的領袖，或許能維持秩序；但懂得傾聽、教導、幫助人看見神心意的領袖，才能真正帶來轉化。
B、 為什麼「文化敏感度」這麼重要？
當一個人具備品格與能力後，下一步就要看他是否懂得不同文化。
在雙語教會裡，好的領袖要能理解中西文化，最好也能同時使用中文與英文。因為能熟練兩種語言，通常也代表能理解兩種思維方式，這對於溝通中、英文堂之間的誤會非常關鍵。
對第一代領袖來說，學會傾聽尤其重要。倪柝聲（Watchman Nee）早在他的時代就提醒過，許多華人領袖太急於表達自己的想法，以致根本沒真正聽進別人的心聲。
真正能傾聽的人，往往是靈命深厚的人。當我們願意在神面前謙卑，先被祂對付自己的心，才有能力用愛心去聽、去了解下一代的感受與想法。當長輩真誠傾聽，衝突自然就會減少，信任也會慢慢建立。
C、讓下一代能真正被「授權」
健康的教會不只是「容納」年輕人，而是給他們機會參與與帶領。
正如當年第一代移民建立華人教會，是為了照顧華人移民的需要；如今在西方長大的第二代，也需要有屬於他們文化背景的門徒訓練和宣教方式。
因此，教會應該在領導層中加入年輕一代的代表——不只是「象徵性」的，而是真正有聖經根基與屬靈成熟的夥伴。
領導層的組成，應該能反映整個教會，而不只是某一個世代。
另外，「持久性」與「忠誠」也非常重要。許多英文堂的牧者只服事兩、三年就離開，這樣難以建立長期影響。倪柝聲曾說：「穩定，是每一位基督工人必須具備的特質。」
服事不能只靠熱情，更要有愛教會、願意長久留下的心。
D、「1.5代」與「第三文化」領袖的祝福
其實，有一群人最能在兩代之間搭橋——就是所謂的**「1.5代」或「第三文化」（Third Culture）**信徒。 他們既熟悉西方文化，也了解華人文化，可以自然地在兩個世界中穿梭。
這群信徒非常寶貴，他們能幫助教會在文化與世代之間建立橋樑。正如神學家凌以撒（Samuel Ling）所提醒的：「華人基督徒已經得到了世界上最好的教育，是時候用這份恩典去彌合文化與世代的鴻溝。」
一起向前走
加拿大華人教會的未來，取決於能否培養出這樣的領袖：
有聖經真理與謙卑品格的人。
能跨越文化、建立信任的人。
在服事上穩定且持久的人。
願意授權並培育下一代的人。
當教會的領袖以基督為根基，兼具真理與同理心，華人教會就能重新興旺——不只是華人的聚會，而是一個在加拿大社會中見證神國度榮耀的群體。