Chinese Youth and International Students
Chinese students are not just recipients of ministry but future leaders—pastors, entrepreneurs, educators, and bridge-builders in the global church.
Chinese students are not just recipients of ministry but future leaders—pastors, entrepreneurs, educators, and bridge-builders in the global church.
Mission is not a straight line—it’s a web. And in today’s globalized world, where people are constantly moving across borders and cultures, Chinese Christians have a unique part to play.
My heart burned for more young people to come to church, to encounter the living Christ, and to serve with passion and purpose.
The Christian life is lived in real, concrete situations: the union of the transcendent and the immanent, flesh and spirit. The “secret” to navigating this world successfully, as Wu says, is our “union with him,” and with his people.
Young people need a community where faith and real life intersect in meaningful ways, rather than simply attending traditional worship services.
Guangxiao Church and Zion Church, two of Guangzhou’s leading and historical churches, are pioneering youth-focused outreach efforts to counter the decline in youth attendance. To attract them to the church, the two churches offer various youth-centered activities, including a "Faith Pharmacy," comic exhibitions, and storytelling sessions.
When he finally found the truth, Wu felt that it was just like “tripping blindly over [a] threshold and being thrown flat on his stomach into the House of Light.” In other words, one must give up believing he or she has the power to attain truth by oneself, and humble oneself to the point of realizing that it is a gift.
Overseas Chinese churches need to equip immigrant congregations to become people on the move, learn to grow and blend together in mixed groups, achieve cross-cultural missions together, and establish gospel partner relationships with other churches, instead of going it alone.
Joy Cheng closes by reminding us that, even as generations and technologies change, the need for salvation and love remain. The mission also remains the same. “The most loving thing we do as a parent,” she says, “is love our children with the truth of the gospel. We are the missionaries to this generation.”
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.