Of the 440 people taking part in training courses for new believers in 1996, nearly a quarter of them had completed some form of higher education and most of these were young people. Similarly, in the first half of 1997, one third of those baptized in the church were below the age of 35 and with a high educational level. The witness of Chinese Christians to other members of Chinese society over the past 40 years has earned the admiration of different groups within society, including intellectuals. Christianity in China has established a social role for itself and intellectuals have begun to re-evaluate and consider the faith from the standpoint of its potential contributions toward education, development and stability within society. An added reason for this change is that the general educational level of the whole population in China has greatly increased with the start of the Reform and Opening policy and the accompanying economic development.
Most people now receive education to the level of middle school or even higher.
Given this fact, the number of intellectuals has naturally increased within society as a whole and thus it is only natural that this is reflected within the make-up of church congregations too, where new believers are more often than not better educated than before. If the old methods of pastoring remain intact and untouched then the church will never really be able to attract or bring together the increasing number of new believers and seekers with higher educational levels. They are thus left feeling that the church simply lacks concern for them. Some intellectual believers wander from church to church in search of something more meaningful to them and invariably end up disappointed as they discover the same style and content at every place of worship they visit. Intellectuals need spiritual nurture if they are to be kept within the church.