Thankfully, God loves us with actions and in truth whether we are at odds with him or not. Investing in a relationship with someone we are at odds with, assuming it is not an abusive relationship, can reflect that same type of love and have significant impact.
In our conflict resolution conversations, conflict coaching, and mediation help, face is sometimes the elephant in the room—if never acknowledged and addressed, reconciliation is hindered. Let’s address the elephant in the room and develop a new God-centered orientation to face.
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.
An interview with a Christian family navigating the changes and challenges of China today.
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!
When our friendship storyline is out of step with the larger cultural narrative, whether in China or in the West, how do we as the body of Christ continue to build bridges of understanding?
Everyone loves a love story. In this video from 7G-TV, we meet two young Christians who struggled with the meaning of real love and whether a loving marriage is possible.
An associate researcher in sociology asked the question, “Does Christian Faith Affect the Way of Parenting?" This article from the Christian Times discusses his findings.
The situation of parents of disabled children in China is undoubtedly complicated, with a variety of factors at play.
An interview with Christian film maker Geng Haiying about his recently released documentary highlighting the problem of “forced marriages” in Chinese society today.
Pastoral advice for helping a spouse with a gambling addiction.