“The abrupt change in China's zero-covid policy allowed our congregation to live out God's love. In the face of sickness and scarcity, we supported each other sacrificially,” writes a Chinese believer. In the face of medication shortages and sick children, the church family pulled together to share what they had.
Challenges notwithstanding, the resilience and unwavering faith of the Chinese church are awe-inspiring. God’s grip on his church remains unyielding, and amid adversity, a vibrant faith continues to thrive in the hearts of believers across China.
Despite China’s growing global economic power, it is becoming increasingly closed and hostile to foreign influence from outside and foreign people inside the country. How, then, does the church in China maintain ties with the global church? We remain open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and pray for discernment to interact wisely with Chinese brothers and sisters.
One…reason for [the] drop in the number of publications [is] the measures introduced to combat the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in…less direct contact. However…the decline started before the arrival of the pandemic and secondly, the Communist Party had…been busy for many years…to control the information environment, even before the watershed 2018 regulations came into force.
When external persecution came knocking, it was us, not our parents as in the past, who had to confront these challenges head-on. Such a shift compelled us to grapple with a fundamental question: What does it mean to follow Jesus, especially in the unique context of China?
Life in China under the strict zero-COVID policy was difficult for many, especially believers who were unable to gather for worship. Nevertheless, God was still at work. Over the next few weeks, we’ll hear from Chinese believers answering the question, “During the three years of COVID isolation and restrictions, how did you see God at work in your [communities]?”
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.
For most churches, stagnant ministry and the loss of believers were inevitable during the pandemic. Churches need to focus on how to expand further, gain new believers to compensate for the loss, and even achieve growth in the number of believers.
We serve an unchanging God whose heart for the nations is unquenchable. New wine needs new wineskins. I encourage my fellow workers to prayerfully consider what these changes mean for…future work among the Chinese people, and to prepare [for] the new roles God has prepared for us.
The religious environment [in Dubai] prompts many Chinese expatriates to do some soul-searching… For Muslims… it has meant being in an environment where they are …part of a majority… They feel the pressure of having to be “good citizens” …as they are unofficial ambassadors.
An interesting feature of Chinese social and political discourse is propensity to label institutions or political campaigns using numbers… They are catchy and thus relatively easy to remember. Here are some of my favorites.
From the desk of the guest editor.