The Gospel for the Poor
What does it look like to show compassion to the poor in China? How can a Christian in China show the love of Christ to those in desparate circumstances. One young returnee shares her story.
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City Reaching
Dozens of initiatives have emerged over the past decade, and the vision for holistic ministry in the cities has taken root in most places around the world. While city-focused initiatives are rapidly and dynamically emerging everywhere, I find there is a great deal of confusion regarding what city reaching is, what we mean by the process, and how we achieve our goals.
The Church’s Great Asset
The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries by Rodney Stark.
Reviewed by Wayne Martindale
Little Flashlights Conquer Deep Darkness
Migrant workers' churches are a light in urban darkness, for both the migrant workers and the broader community. Like any light, they need recharging in to continue to shine brightly.
Welcome to the City
Reaching the cities of China requires an urban strategy and the combined efforts of church. Serving the city, seeking good for the city expresses God's love for the city and contributes to carrying out his plan for the city.
The Long Journey
Changes have occurred in China. The boundaries of acceptable behavior have begun to be more clearly defined by the rule of law. This has been especially noticed in the economic domain: the protection of the rights of the consumer. However, in other areas changes have not been so evident: areas of speech, the press, religion and the establishment of social organizations. Recently, and increasingly, people's understanding of human rights is also changing in significant ways.
Rendering to Caesar What Belongs to Caesar
"With China at the crossroads looking for new direction and partners, there is a chance for a fresh start." The author explains that "it is high time for the churches to act with vision and courage and adopt a more conciliatory approach towards the government. They should let go of the past and see themselves—and project an image to others—no longer as passive victims of political oppression, but rather as responsible members of society who wish to engage and contribute. The church is a growing social force, and should work with a concerted effort to win respect and trust from the government and society at large."
Opposing the Unjust
"A Letter from Birmingham Jail," by Martin Luther King Jr., The Christian Century, June 12, 1963, p. 767.
Reviewed by Scott Becker
Catholic Social Thought
Dedication and commitment on the part of Christians in China to respond in charity, mercy and compassion to the needs of their neighbors springs, as it does for Christians everywhere, from their basic understanding and acceptance of Christian doctrine and biblical teachings. Catholic Social Thought informs the way the Catholic church responds to the needs in China.
The Growing Rights Consciousness in China
Slowly, incrementally, it has been happening. Starting in the coastal regions and moving inward, beginning in economics and spreading to the rest of life, people in China have been learning of their rights their rights as citizens of a sovereign state and as humans in the international community.
Twenty-five and Counting
Editor's Note: This editorial originally appeared in "Civil Rights Movement in China" (ChinaSource, 2005 Spring).
Normalizing
One of the wonderful things about cross-cultural living is the nearly constant barrage of surprises. After living in a country for nearly ten years, it is easy to fool yourself into thinking that you have the place figured out, that you know what is up and what is down, what is in and what is out. Sometimes, you even seem to know what to expect and what not to expect. But when those thoughts creep in, beware something is likely to come out of left field and remind you that you are still pretty clueless about all the little things that go on in the society around you. The unexpected may throw you for a loop and make you frustrated, or even angry. However, more often than not, it can be a positive experience, something which opens a window allowing you to see that the society which you so poorly understand, and which you sometimes think barely functions, is, in fact rather "normal." Then, at least for a few minutes, you might have the feeling of being an insider instead of the outsider that you in reality always are.