Editorial reflection and analysis on issues shaping Chinese Christianity.
The distortion and contamination of love have led to the belief that “hell is other people,” but even more poignantly, “hell is family.” In close relationships, it is not magic but love and forgiveness that hold the key to breaking free from hell.
I believe Chinese practitioners can learn from the altruistic ethos of viewing wealth as a trust from God. Adopting this perspective can free us from being disillusioned by institutional corruption, ungrateful beneficiaries, or inactive wealthy individuals.
Open Doors has released its latest World Watch List, the annual roster of countries where persecution of Christians is most extreme. China moved up in the rankings, from 19th to 15th place among the 50 nations profiled.
The Christian life is lived in real, concrete situations: the union of the transcendent and the immanent, flesh and spirit. The “secret” to navigating this world successfully, as Wu says, is our “union with him,” and with his people.
When the officials find that the service satisfies their interest, they would even introduce us to connect with some other channels which we can leverage to multiply our impact.
Young people need a community where faith and real life intersect in meaningful ways, rather than simply attending traditional worship services.
Guangxiao Church and Zion Church, two of Guangzhou’s leading and historical churches, are pioneering youth-focused outreach efforts to counter the decline in youth attendance. To attract them to the church, the two churches offer various youth-centered activities, including a "Faith Pharmacy," comic exhibitions, and storytelling sessions.
Chinese house churches must deliberate on how to be genuinely Chinese and truly Christian. Both the concepts that are overemphasized cause distortion. It takes constant navigating to be “in the culture but not of it.” Authentic Chinese Christianity will result from keeping both ideas in healthy tension as Chinese house churches negotiate between indigenizing and acting as pilgrim communities.
ChinaSource was formed in 1997, reflecting the spirit of the Lausanne Movement and in accordance with the Lausanne Covenant. Together with other global ministries, Dr. Brent Fulton and several colleagues founded ChinaSource with the goal that the global church would better understand the church in China and seek ways to serve Christ’s church together.
In the face of uncertainty and anxiety about the future, Christians must return to the essence of the gospel. While the gospel has the power to transform society, societal change has never been the primary focus of Christian faith. The gospel transforms society by bringing hope to individuals and inspiring moral renewal. The gradual transformation of individual lives collectively fosters societal progress.
![A young Chinese woman prays in the church. May we welcome [Chinese international students], love them, teach them about Jesus, and disciple those who believe. May we prepare them well to return and may the churches in China prepare well to receive them.](https://media.chinasource.org/uploads/2024/12/BL241209-header-ChinaSource-Chinese-Christianity-Returnees-International-Students-Sino-US-Relations-300x150.jpg)
May we welcome [Chinese international students], love them, teach them about Jesus, and disciple those who believe. May we prepare them well to return and may the churches in China prepare well to receive them.
On November 14, 2024, nearly 200 Chinese pastors, church leaders, theologians, and educators from around the world gathered at the picturesque Biola University. Together, they celebrated the historic establishment of the Institute for Advanced Studies of Chinese Christianity (IASCC) and the Biola Research Initiative for Chinese Theology.