In-depth academic and theological research.
Returnee ministry is clearly for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14) and stands as a God-given opportunity in this generation. We thank the Lord that we can have a part in witnessing his marvelous work.
Jesus Christ is the true hope of Christian returnees who have experienced loneliness, who have struggled to save themselves, and who have faced disappointments and despair.
Onesimus went back to Colossae as a powerful agent of change, demonstrating the gospel’s power to redeem and break down barriers. May those returning to China from around the world also be used powerfully for God’s kingdom.
In truth, it is always easier to run away than to face challenges but fleeing from difficulties is not God's will. I thank the Lord for protecting and keeping me in my work and in helping me find a church, and for giving me confidence and joy to rebuild my life.
It is important for returnee Christians to ask God for wisdom as they follow Peter’s admonition to early Christians who were struggling: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
We know that our love for God, for his kingdom in China, and for returning Chinese Christians demands that we equip our returnees with all that they need to remain faithful to Jesus.
![A young Chinese man reads the Bible sitting outside. 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/QAR-2024-04-CSP-9-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.
Check out the books in the Resource Corner to help the returnees and returnee ministries in your life.
On July 9, 2024, approximately 80 Chinese and Korean pastors, ministry leaders, and researchers met in Gaithersburg, MD, to hear about, reflect on, and find applications for the first comprehensive baseline study involving Chinese and Korean churches in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and northern Virginia (DMV) region.
We hope you will see that Chinese Catholics live with a strong awareness of Our Lord Jesus’s presence with them amidst many challenges, that they live in hope in exceedingly challenging times, and they remain faithful to him in ways that can inspire us all.
China’s Catholics continue to endure their present circumstances, attending services, meeting in their homes for private prayer and study, and supporting one another in their Christian faith.
![An image of the Maryknoll Convent School in Hong Kong today. Sister Rose Maryknoll Duchesne Debrecht (principal, 1965-1972) said, “[The] Convent School has created a priceless history. Each and every person, who has been a participant in the school’s life, is to be given a grateful pat on the back for contributions so steadfastly made...”](https://media.chinasource.org/uploads/2024/10/03-WEB-QAR2024-02-Chu-Catholicism-in-China-Catholic-Nuns-Hong-Kong-Christian-Education-ChinaSource-Quarterly-300x150.jpeg)
Sister Rose Maryknoll Duchesne Debrecht (principal, 1965-1972) said, “[The] Convent School has created a priceless history. Each and every person, who has been a participant in the school’s life, is to be given a grateful pat on the back for contributions so steadfastly made...”