When a Gift Is Not Enough
When it comes to receiving an apology, we often want to hear a verbal apology. Yet, how often do we personally avoid giving a verbal apology when we have messed up?
Ideas
Editorial reflection and analysis on issues shaping Chinese Christianity.
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Education for Chinese Christian Families—Another Way
Guardian visas for parents of young children studying abroad have opened another education opportunity for Christian families in China.
A Missed Opportunity
Through his testimony, many became acquainted with China’s suffering church. His story was one that needed to be shared, and by God’s grace it became a great source of encouragement to those who heard it. . . . There is another story, however, that could have been told if anyone had thought to ask.
A New Wave of Immigration from China to the US
The new group of immigrants from mainland China is very different from Chinese immigrants of the past decades. Are Chinese churches in the US aware of this new trend? Do they have plans to adapt mission strategies and approaches in response?
3 Questions: Chinese through Scripture
Last month I had the opportunity to meet Shuguang Wang, the author of a new textbook called Chinese through Scripture. I looked at the book and my first thought was, “I sure could have used this in 1990!”
Beyond the Golden Era
The world in which Jesus grew up and spent his earthly life was in many respects a microcosm of our world today.
Chinese Christianity and the Missio Dei
As mission in China goes through changing circumstances, it is important to remember that the growth of the Chinese church is primarily the missio dei (mission of God) rather than our mission.
An Elephant in the Room: Face
In our conflict resolution conversations, conflict coaching, and mediation help, face is sometimes the elephant in the room—if never acknowledged and addressed, reconciliation is hindered. Let’s address the elephant in the room and develop a new God-centered orientation to face.
How Should the Church Respond to Government Control?
The maintenance and advancement of Christianity is highly correlated to three main factors: government control, social receptivity, and culture. Comparatively, China is not the most difficult place for Christianity to develop.
Ramadan and the Gospel
When we celebrate with our Hui friends, let us not treat remembrances of either our God or theirs as quaint cultural relics, but as points of connection to God and his gospel. These are powerful gospel prompts.
What Forms Our Narratives (and Our Hearts)
Rather than skirting uncomfortable China conversations, leaning into the narratives by which evangelicals seek to make sense of China and its church can uncover the biases and cultural assumptions standing in the way of a more authentic understanding of what it means to be citizens of God’s kingdom.
National People’s Congress 2023
There is no question that we are in a new era. To understand the recent National People’s Congress and National People’s Consultative Conference, read Joann Pittman’s roundup of news and analysis.