Since I lived in Beijing for the last 15 years of my time in China, it’s not often that I get nostalgic for Changchun, the city in northeast China that was my home for most of the 90s. Lately, however, I have found myself thinking of my time there and the experiences I had. I am, dare I say, homesick for Manchuria.
A ChinaSource 3 Questions interview with Dr. Charlie Brainer of Taylor University.
Seeking social change outside the realm of politics—Christians in China are providing examples of how that might be done.
Like many things in China, history remains firmly under the control of the Party. Only approved topics are allowed to be researched and only approved interpretations are allowed to be taught. The narrative is tightly controlled.
Very little is taught about the history of Christianity in China, and when it is touched on, it is done so in a negative light. Western missionaries have typically been portrayed as being part of the vanguard of imperialism. Less is known about some of the positive things early missionaries were engaged in.
In recent years, however, a small space has begun to open up for the exploration of Chinese church history, as many educated Christians seek to understand the historical roots of their faith.
Much has been written the past few weeks about the draft revision to the Regulations on Religious Affairs, the main policy document that spells out how religion is to be managed in China.
Education is a major issue for cross-cultural workers who serve overseas with their families. Most families choose to put their kids in an international school, a local school, or to homeschool full-time at home. All of these have their pros and cons.
Current presentations and discussions about China’s emerging cross-cultural mission movement often make reference to “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR), the Chinese government’s push to develop infrastructure and industry along China’s former silk route.
Many of the church structures in China were originally built by missionaries in the 1800s and early 1900s. Some are tucked away in old neighborhoods; others surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers or towering apartment blocks. All of them have interesting stories—like the story of Chongzhen Church of Wuchang.
Over the past decade of living in China, I have been privileged to hear a number of wonderful conversion stories. Each is special, but occasionally one stands out as particularly uncommon. The following is one such story.
October 1 is National Day in China; this year marks the 68th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. While it used to be a day marked with military parades and revolutionary fervor, now it marks the beginning of a 7-day national holiday (“Golden Week”) designed to get people to spend money.
So, how much do you know about National Day and the history of the founding of the country?
On September 8, 2016 China's State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) sent a draft amendment for religious affairs administration to the Legal Office of the State Council. The amendments were posted on-line through the State Council website, requesting public opinions on the draft before October 7 of this year.
Committing to a church in China can be difficult for returnees. In this article the author gives some reasons why and then goes on to provide suggestions as to how churches overseas as well as churches in China can help returnees overcome these difficulties. Finally, he identifies attitudes that, if embraced by returnees, will help them to commit to a church once they are back in their homeland.