A monthly update sharing stories and reflections from the ChinaSource team on God’s work in and through China.
In response to the uncertainties resulting from China's new Overseas NGO Law, we've created the ChinaSource Law and Policy Monitor. Here we introduce this new service and explain how organizations can sample the Monitor while helping ChinaSource in its efforts to understand how the law is impacting those who serve.
In the current policy environment, it’s no longer “business as usual” for faith-based organizations serving in China. Legal changes call into question the viability of some ministries. Others are finding ways within the new laws to continue serving. ChinaSource is watching the situation closely as we provide counsel to organizations dealing with these changes.
For the past two years ChinaSource has been part of a research initiative aimed at better understanding how Chinese believers view their current situation and their relationship to the global church. We are pleased to present some of the findings in the latest issue of ChinaSource Quarterly.
A note from the director of ChinaSource Institute . . .
As the new year kicks off we’d like to suggest some additions to your 2017 reading list. Last year members of our team along with several of ChinaSource’s regular contributors were busy with book projects. Here we share some of the fruits of their labors. Each of the books presents a different perspective on China. Together they help fill out the very dynamic picture of what God is doing in China today.
Events over this past year suggest that, for those serving in China, the days ahead will likely be anything but “business as usual.” In this issue of The Lantern we look at how ChinaSource is responding to these changes by encouraging those who serve to “understand the times” and by identifying opportunities for equipping the church in China to face what may lie ahead.
In this issue of The Lantern we drop in on a ChinaSource Connect evening that was held last month in Atlanta, Georgia. Our Connect evenings are an opportunity for friends of ChinaSource to get to know members of our team, share about the latest developments in China, and get an update on the work of ChinaSource.
ChinaSource Senior Vice President Joann Pittman lived and worked in China for more than three decades. In this retrospective, she reflects on the significance of some of the changes she has seen in China during that time. These thoughts are drawn from a lengthier piece Joann wrote earlier.
In keeping with our mission, ChinaSource serves the global body of Christ with information on the issues facing China and its church. Our range of publications has grown significantly in recent years. Here we look at the thinking behind what goes into what we produce. If you’re not already familiar with our various publications I’d encourage you to take a look at our website and see what is available.
If you haven’t yet sampled our regular podcast, ChinaSource Conversations, I’d like to invite you to take a moment to listen. Each episode features engaging discussions with guests who are involved in a particular aspect of China service or who are writing about pertinent issues affecting China and its church. I’ve personally enjoyed sitting down with several of these colleagues and hearing their insights on the things they’re passionate about. We’ve captured these conversations so you can get a taste of what’s happening in the parts of China where they serve.
Young Christian families in China face pressure both from long-held traditional beliefs about family structure and from China’s contemporary materialistic society. As most of these Christians are first-generation believers, they have no frame of reference for understanding the biblical basis for family life. ChinaSource seeks to bring to light the issues facing these families so that those who come alongside Christians in China may better understand their needs.
As we enter the summer season with time for pause and reflection, we are thankful for a fruitful year so far. God has been graciously guiding the ministry to new opportunities as well as progress in the work he has put before us.