When I first visited China, someone gave me a very wise piece of advice. They told me everything I ever heard about China was probably true—of someone, somewhere! There are definitely overarching trends and tendencies throughout the country as a whole. But a whole swathe of people in one town may have experiences that are completely contradictory to the experience of others somewhere else.
Since 2023, China has been dealing with a 20% youth unemployment rate, which increases to 46.5% when considering the "lying flat" phenomenon. This societal flow, coupled with the culture of involution, has shaped the lives of countless young individuals, hindering innovation. In this context, the stories of three young people vividly illustrate how their paths were molded within the currents of prevailing norms, with some echoing the transformative message of 2 Corinthians 5:17.
For at least the foreseeable future, China will be an increasingly difficult place for expatriates to live and work. However, for those who find a way to meet the requirements to remain in the country, there is a general openness to new ideas that provides fertile ground for the gospel.
As I read through the various submissions [in the summer 2023 CSQ], I realized that the topic of the Pentecostal church in China cannot be ignored, should be explored and could be instructive.
Prior to 1949, while some of the independent, indigenous Chinese churches were not Pentecostal, the larger church networks had Pentecostal roots. Pentecostal beliefs and practices continue to define a large segment of Chinese churches today.
Those I interviewed in China… expressed repeatedly that holding tight to these unexamined views of themselves and their positions was a big hindrance in reconciling relationships. Yet, as their mindsets shifted, a door to potential reconciliation opened.
Pursuing heart-level reconciliation can be hard, humbling work. A labor of love. Yet when our love is infused with God’s love—our source of strength to reconcile—we can persevere in the process.
People shared their conflict stories, how they viewed face issues (saving, giving, and losing face), the hindering impact of face on reconciliation, and how God enabled them to set aside face to apologize and forgive…They have demonstrated that conflict resolution and relational restoration in face-saving cultures is possible!
An experienced cross-cultural worker discusses the issue of Christian denominations in China, in light of questions raised in the recent post, “When the Golden Age Is Over.” He argues that denominations can help churches unify and work together to further the spread of the gospel throughout China.
As the number of expatriate cross-cultural workers in China, and the scale of their work, has shrunk dramatically, it is vital that we take time to reflect on what we have done and how we have done it.
To begin this reflective series based on the webinar, “Chinese Christianity in the Modern Era," we consider what it means to see the whole of the Chinese church and what theological lenses are needed to make sense of what we see.
An interview with a young pastor in central China.