Editorial reflection and analysis on issues shaping Chinese Christianity.
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.
As China has become more prosperous, it has also become more open to outside influences. This is true of the church as well. In recent years prosperity theology has been gaining influence, mainly through the translated books and resources of Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen. In this article, originally published in the Gospel Times, the author (a pastor) reflects on why this teaching is attractive to many in China.
Earlier this week we posted a ChinaSource Conversations podcast in which I talked with Jackson Wu, author of Saving God’s Face and Sam Chan, author of Preaching as the Word of God about the issue of contextualization in gospel presentations. In the course of the conversation I asked them ten questions.
A look at the underlying "drivers" that are affecting ministry opportunities and personnel in China.