The Chinese Church in Transition
In my view, from the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976 to the present, the development of the Chinese church (primarily the house church) has gone through roughly three phases.
Ideas
Editorial reflection and analysis on issues shaping Chinese Christianity.
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Church in China. Or Churches in China?
A reminder that there is not simply the church in China, but there are churches in China.
Discipleship Distinctives in the Chinese Context
Although disciple making is a universal task with consistent components and principles rooted in scripture, unique discipleship distinctives can be found in every culture. Here are some discipleship distinctives found in the Chinese context.
The Puzzling Issue of Abandonment of Children with Disabilities
The situation of parents of disabled children in China is undoubtedly complicated, with a variety of factors at play.
Zooming to New Frontiers
How the Covid-19 shutdown and a 21st-century piece of technology were used to help change traditional forms of the Chinese church—at least for a while.
Discipleship from Karma to Atonement
What is needed for effective discipleship among Tibetan Buddhist background believers?
God, Caesar, and the Chinese Legal System
Western narratives about China and its church are built on a fundamental, but often unspoken, assumption about the relationship between law and society.
We Have Been Harmonized
“The China we once knew no longer exists. The China that was with us for forty years—the China of ‘reform and opening up’—is making way for something new.”
To WeChat or Not to WeChat?
What can we do? What can we not do? What should we do? What should we not do?
Serving with Wisdom in the Changing Ideology
The governing leadership in China over the years has been consistent, indeed almost predictable. And, as such, as we look at the history of mission and church development in China, we can foresee what Christians in Hong Kong will face in the new normal.
Taking Ourselves (and the Gospel) Seriously
Many of the China stories told by Christians inside and outside China are uplifting accounts of faith, of changed lives, and loving communities. There is clearly a disconnect between these voices and those that have unfortunately become mainstream within some evangelical circles. When it comes to their rhetoric about China and the Chinese, it is time for these Christian leaders to take themselves, as well as the gospel, seriously.
The Increasing Role of the Laity
For decades, the church in China has relied on lay people. Some would say this is an ideal situation in the church. Others would say that the phenomenon points to deeper problems within the Chinese church. To be sure, the pros and cons of the rise of laypeople are debated within the Chinese church.