Reverse Culture Shock
Having been back in Australia for a few months now, we have well and truly entered the stage of transition that follows the initial happy honeymoon phase—and have plunged down on the reverse culture shock curve.
Ministry
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Recovering Missions for Our Churches
Church leaders first need to learn to see missions as organic to their fellowship’s identity in this world…. Cross-cultural workers need to recognize and embrace their role as messengers to their home churches…committing more time and energy to communicating well with their supporters back home.
A Positive Legacy in China
While insensitive cross-cultural work has often resulted in closed doors or deportation, sensitive and authentic cross-cultural work has time and again won over the hearts of the Chinese people.
An Invitation to Lament
Lament is bringing our loss, our complaints to God, and as a result experiencing sweet communion with him in the midst of pain.
Three Little Pandas in a Pandemic
Imagine the confusion for young children who left their toys at home when they went on vacation, and then never returned. Instead, they found themselves back in the land of their grandparents, often bouncing from one temporary home to another.
3 Questions: The Transitions Workbook
[W]e give ourselves (and others) many gifts when we intentionally attend to our inner processes and emotions in the presence of the Lord.
More Questions than Answers
. . . we choose to stay for now because of our firm belief that God will use these circumstances according to his will and for our good. We also stay because of a strong sense of call to China and our love for China.
China Ministry and Transformational Development (2)
As expatriates move from founders and leaders to colleagues, and now consultants, foreign contributions are increasingly in the nature of support and encouragement from behind the scenes, providing practical help in a few key areas as requested.
Drawing Boundaries amidst Ambiguity
What is the most important thing I would want someone going to China to know?
China Ministry and Transformational Development (1)
The experiences of the few remaining expatriate cross-cultural workers in China suggest that while we are not at the end of Christian development work in China, we are confronted with a substantially different ministry context.
Historical Context Matters
As we stop to listen, as we hear the Chinese people’s stories, as we discover for ourselves Chinese history, as we put ourselves in China’s shoes, the Chinese context and therefore their practices and worldview become more understandable.
The Final Number Is In!
Thanks to all our wonderful friends and donors, we are looking forward to what 2022 will bring with renewed energy for our kingdom calling.