For a moment, it was easy to understand the dream of finding something of home among one’s own, even far from home. Yet I wondered about the reverse: might someone still feel like a stranger among people who shared their language and cultural memories, longing for a belonging that familiarity alone could not provide?
What drew me out of that familiar shadow narrative was the even sweeter voice of Jesus, calling me to abide in him and rest in an identity found in him before bearing fruit.
Chinese people are quick to cluster together, but that does not necessarily mean we are united.
This congress gave prominence to many important themes and concepts, including the kingdom of God, holistic mission, the cultural mandate, new creation, and polycentric mission.
What I brought home from Manila was a harder question: As we gradually gain more experience, more standing, and more power to shape the lives of others, how will we use it?
The microphone had truly been placed in the hands of the next generation, allowing them to speak, think, and respond for themselves.
If unity is indeed the key to world evangelization, then the hard work of reconciliation will be required to get there.
The gathering brought not only an enormous amount of content, but also an unusually high level of personal connection—from reuniting with friends I had not seen for years to meeting new ministry partners.
Learning to receive one another amid our differences while holding fast to truth may be a discipline the entire Chinese church must continue to practice.
In mid-July 2026, Chinese Christian scholars and pastors from various denominational backgrounds in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the three-day Third Public Theology Conference.
What was most noteworthy about this congress was not only what it said, but also how it was experimenting with new ways to speak, lead, communicate, and understand the next generation.
After leaving Kuala Lumpur, one question stayed with me: were we, throughout the conference, actually speaking about the same thing when we used the term ‘public theology’?