Joann Pittman

Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs.

Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (MN), and Chinese Culture and Communication at Wheaton College (IL) and Taylor University (IN).

Joann has a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (MN), and an MA in teaching from the University of St. Thomas (MN).

She is the author of Survival Chinese Lessons and The Bells Are Not Silent: Stories of Church Bells in China.

Her personal blog, Outside-In can be found at joannpittman.com, where she writes on China, Minnesota, traveling, and issues related to "living well where you don't belong."

You can find her on Twitter @jkpittman.com and on Facebook at @authorjoannpittman.

She makes her home in New Brighton, Minnesota.

Latest

View of Beijing from a window. A returnee is a Chinese person who has lived or studied abroad for an extended period of time and has now returned home. Sometimes, in English, returnees are also called “sea turtles,” which is where the word play comes in.

Ministering to Sea Turtles

If you’re working with Chinese "sea turtles," this is for you!

Joann Pittman • December 9, 2025 • Resources

A single candle flame burns brightly in the dark symbolizing the hope of Christ. We are excited to once again offer an Advent calendar to help believers across the globe join together in asking for God’s mercy and thanking him for his blessings on Christians in China.

Preparing Our Hearts

We’re grateful to once again offer an Advent calendar—inviting believers around the world to join together in asking for God’s mercy and giving thanks for his blessings on Chinese Christians.

Joann Pittman • December 1, 2025 • Ideas

Man holding a phone with a glowing Christian cross on the screen. With the tagline “Knowing the truth will set you free,” WeDevote Bible is a “Bible reading and devotional platform created by the global Chinese community.”

Praying for the Victorious Word

With the tagline “Knowing the truth will set you free,” WeDevote Bible is a “Bible reading and devotional platform created by the global Chinese community.”

Joann Pittman • November 28, 2025 • Resources

Glowing digital cross floating above futuristic cityscape. As Christians, we need divine wisdom to meet both the opportunities and challenges presented by the rapid growth and spread of AI.

Praying Through the ChinaSource Journal

As Christians, we need divine wisdom to meet both the opportunities and challenges presented by the rapid growth and spread of AI.

Joann Pittman • October 13, 2025 • Resources

Early morning sunrise in the Huangshan mountains. “Make us wise to see all things today in light of eternity and make us brave to face all the changes in our lives which such a vision may entail.”

All Things in Light of Eternity

“Make us wise to see all things today in light of eternity and make us brave to face all the changes in our lives which such a vision may entail.”

Joann Pittman • September 30, 2025 • Resources

Pingyao is a small, well-preserved, ‘ancient city’, famed for centuries-old architecture and China’s first bank. China’s Church Divided tells the story of the fraught relationship between the Chinese Catholic Church, the Vatican, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), focusing on the post-Mao reform era that began in the late 1970s.

Loving the Pope: Reflections on China’s Catholic Story

China’s Church Divided tells the story of the fraught relationship between the Chinese Catholic Church, the Vatican, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), focusing on the post-Mao reform era that began in the late 1970s.

Joann Pittman • September 19, 2025 • Resources

AI concept with a magnifying glass and right, wrong, symbols in the wooden cubes.Like every technological advancement before it, AI presents both opportunities and threats—to society at large, and to the church. Balancing those requires divine wisdom and discernment.

Wise Engagement with New Technology

Like every technological advancement before it, AI presents both opportunities and threats—to society at large, and to the church. Balancing those requires divine wisdom and discernment.

Joann Pittman • September 8, 2025 • Ideas

Exploring the streets on vintage bicycles in traditional Beijing hutongs, representing a window into Chinese atmosphere and cultural heritage. Each week, we curate key news from China to help you pray with insight and focus. Let this guide serve as a model for informed, intentional prayer.

Praying Through ZGBriefs

Each week, we curate key news from China to help you pray with insight and focus. Let this guide serve as a model for informed, intentional prayer.

Joann Pittman • August 29, 2025 • Resources

A person or small group praying over a world map or globe, preferably with Asia/China in view.

Jason Mandryk on Intercessory Prayer

“Success is based on the power of God at work in the nations.” —Jason Mandryk

Joann Pittman • July 29, 2025 • Resources

Smooth river stones in the foreground of a shallow, sunlit river with a blurred treeline and sky in the background.

Identifying Needs

They patiently persevered as "people of the soil," knowing trees take a long time to grow and bear fruit.

Joann Pittman • July 15, 2025 • Resources

Unity, a group of asians praying together

Preserving and Nurturing Unity

Our calling is not to create unity, but to preserve and nurture it. Unity is a consequence, not something we can manufacture.

Joann Pittman • July 7, 2025 • Stories

People lifting their hands to worship in a church service. In the next month, let’s use the Lord’s prayer as a model to pray, not just for the people of China, but for ourselves.

Praying the Lord’s Prayer

In the next month, let’s use the Lord’s prayer as a model to pray, not just for the people of China, but for ourselves.

Joann Pittman • June 24, 2025 • Resources