Readers who appreciate a detailed, chronological account of Christian work in China over the past few decades, and are also interested in Anderson’s personal journey, will enjoy this book….and will most likely enjoy the stories Anderson shares, including the joys and challenges he encountered along the way.
A group of devout Christians, who lived out the Bible's teachings, made its words come alive—tangible, and visible. As I was influenced by them, I began to experience joy, gradually transforming from a person prone to anxiety and worry to one filled with hope.
Our brothers and sisters from China have plenty of passion and new inspiration for theological training, and their passion and energy are about to burst. When a new, Chinese way of doing theological training is coming on the horizon, are you there to cheer Chinese Christians on and walk with them shoulder to shoulder?
![Two young Chinese police officers stand in front of a temple. When [Church of the East] missionaries arrived in the Chinese capital of Chang’an in 635, they understood that Christianity in the Middle Kingdom required government approval…The application was successful, and a government edict allowed the new Luminous Teaching, as it called itself, to be spread in all China, including the building of a church in the capital city.](https://media.chinasource.org/uploads/2024/05/BL240531-header-ChinaSource-Chinese-Christianity-Nestorians-Jingjao-Church-of-the-East-Dynasties-Silk-Road-Three-Self-Patriotic-Movement-Chinese-Church-History-300x150.jpg)
When [Church of the East] missionaries arrived in the Chinese capital of Chang’an in 635, they understood that Christianity in the Middle Kingdom required government approval…The application was successful, and a government edict allowed the new Luminous Teaching, as it called itself, to be spread in all China, including the building of a church in the capital city.
Current reports on Chinese churches in the UK often focus on their significant growth in numbers. To be sure, while the interviewees were all grateful for the growth, they also faced unprecedented pressures. This reminds us that when discussing the British Chinese Christian community, we should avoid falling into the trap of moralizing numbers.
Pastor Li…shared his reflections on…Christianity in China…as well as his outlook and predictions for the next decade. He believes that Chinese Christianity is transitioning from a growth period to a bottleneck period …the next long phase will be one of consolidation, with the cultivation and nurturing of excellent church talent being a key priority.
As with many Christian China narratives, the questions we ask shape the storyline. If “Who’s in charge?” is not the right question, attempts to answer it will undoubtedly prove unsatisfactory. Perhaps a better starting point would be, “How shall we lead together?”
Today, faced with the opportunities and challenges of diaspora missions brought about by globalization, the church should actively participate. We hope that God will give the church the spiritual vision and kingdom-mindedness to take part in diaspora missions, and that we will see opportunities for encouraging lay missions.
As with Abram, so with us: we are the beneficiaries of that promise and blessing. We are invited to leave, to go, to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth with Jesus Christ, the living image of our living God. Going includes learning to minister cross-culturally. That is our blessing, our calling, our mission.
![A young boy in a blue and orange shirt with a blue backpack, carries some food on the way home from school. Ours is just one story among millions in China facing similar challenges. Due to the rigorous demands of the college entrance exams and pervasive competitive pressures in education, many Christian families here opt to send their children to unregistered Christian schools… [Our son], however, is among the few who remain within the Chinese educational system, compelled more by financial necessity than choice.](https://media.chinasource.org/uploads/2024/05/BL240521-header-ChinaSource-Chinese-Christianity-Chinese-Education-Private-Education-Christian-Education-Chinese-Families-Chinese-Christians-Isaiah-55-8-9-300x150.jpg)
Ours is just one story among millions in China facing similar challenges. Due to the rigorous demands of the college entrance exams and pervasive competitive pressures in education, many Christian families here opt to send their children to unregistered Christian schools… [Our son], however, is among the few who remain within the Chinese educational system, compelled more by financial necessity than choice.
I am not Chinese, and yet I was so helped by this exploration of the Year of the Dragon. And I realize that for my Chinese Christian brothers and sisters this series of articles may have produced a much deeper sense of relief than mine. For this I am grateful and looking forward to an eternity in which I can know them better.
I have learned through shared faith and life experiences with my Chinese sisters and brothers to view the Chinese Union Version of the Bible as a faithful, elegant, and eminently readable translation (信、雅、达)—one that consistently draws me closer to my Lord.