All materials can be freely reproduced with acknowledgement. In recent years and months, the economic system of China has undergone a radical restructuring. As they try to stay afloat in the new market economy, many State concerns are now laying off workers, often in large numbers. Many of those made redundant are middle aged, with elderly parents and a young family to take care of.
Illness can also undermine the ability of some to find new work.
Ming asserts that, if this is truly the case, the church needs to respond to this new need now. Ming admits that the church is a spiritual body and, as such, is different from a commercial enterprise or ordinary charitable institution. However, even though the church's main concern is and should be for a person's soul, the Bible gives many examples of how believers should express love through the sharing of wealth and material blessings. The first step in helping those in need, Ming says, is finding out the extent of the problem. Pastoral workers and evangelists should make a point of calling at believers' homes and enquiring directly about situations of poverty or hardship which may exist there.