Editorial reflection and analysis on issues shaping Chinese Christianity.
This is the third in a five-part series on localization of China ministry. Each essay centers on a different issue that the author has encountered as his organization goes through the process of handing over key leadership to local believers. The challenges are real, and the process is ongoing, meaning that some essays contain as many questions as answers.
Many indigenous mission agencies have already been born in China; however, most are still in the beginning stages needing nurture, help, and support. Since Mr. Chang has worked with international mission agencies in China, he understands many of the issues faced by these new, indigenous organizations. More recently he, along with key leaders from several churches, got together and started to brainstorm about forming a local mission organization to bring God’s word to minority people groups in China.
Implementation of China’s new Foreign NGO Management Law is now only two weeks away and much confusion remains.
This is the second in a five-part series on localization of China ministry. Each essay centers on a different issue that the author has encountered as his organization goes through the process of handing over key leadership to local believers. The challenges are real, and the process is ongoing, meaning that some essays contain as many questions as answers.
This is the first in a five-part series on localization of China ministry. Each essay centers on a different issue that the author has encountered as his organization goes through the process of handing over key leadership to local believers. The challenges are real, and the process is ongoing, meaning that some essays contain as many questions as answers.
According to China Daily, one out of every thousand people in China is a multimillionaire. Yet China’s newfound wealth does not yet appear to be translating into greater generosity. In a worldwide survey, the London-based Charities Aid Foundation ranked China last among 140 countries. Could that change?
In this podcast Dr. Scott Rodin talks about efforts to develop faithful stewards among believers in China through the Faith and Generosity in China Initiative. After elaborating on the concept of the faithful steward, Scott looks at the uniqueness of China today as relates to the growing need for biblical stewardship teaching. He then closes with an introduction to several new resources being made available in China in the coming months.
On January 1, 2017, China’s new Foreign NGO Management Law will go into effect, changing the landscape for foreign individuals and organizations working in China. At ChinaSource we are working hard to monitor the situation and track new developments. While there is still much that is unknown about the implementation of the law, some new documents have been released that begin to address this question.
It had been an engaging but exhausting two days. Pastors and ministry leaders from all across China had gathered with a smaller number of expatriate China workers to reflect together on some of the key trends in the mainland Chinese church. The meeting was conducted almost entirely in Chinese, and the range of topics addressed was dizzying, but also encouraging: indigenous mission and sending agencies, social engagement, theological education, Christian schooling, global partnership—in all these areas interest is high and progress encouraging.
China was not exactly top of mind as my wife and I sat down to read a chapter of John Ortberg’s Soul Keeping. We hardly expected to find any profound insights into the thinking of Chinese Christians in a book written by an American pastor primarily for an American church audience.
Saying goodbye to China and hello to a new culture and home—and doing it well.
A ChinaSource 3 Questions interview with David Joannes, president and founder of Within Reach Global and author of The Space between Memories.