In Exile—Still Learning
Our teachers were absolute heroes. . . . They kept us learning as much as we could in the middle of strict quarantine for them and exile for us.
Ministry
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In Exile—Outside the Wall
A look at where they’ve landed, how they’re continuing their work from a distance, and what God’s been teaching them.
10 Quotes from Jesus, the Path to Human Flourishing by I’Ching Thomas
The presenter for our upcoming webinar, "How Relevant is the Gospel for the Chinese."
How Relevant Is the Gospel for the Chinese?
Among Cultural Chinese everywhere, the Christian faith is often perceived as a foreign or Western religion. Hence, many do not see how it is relevant for them. I’Ching Thomas talks about how to articulate the gospel in terms that are attractive and significant to our Cultural Chinese friends.
The Impact of Buddhism
In Asian culture, often anyone who is born in a Buddhist country is considered a Buddhist. It’s not uncommon for people with a strong family identity to consider their family and religion together.
Saving Face
In Chinese culture the concept of face is a very important part of social interaction and is specific to the group or family to which the person belongs.
Reciprocity—Goes Both Ways and Keeps on Going
Building relationships through sharing resources.
Guanxi
When we lived in Asia, I was constantly asked for things and especially for money. Being a typical American, I was offended with their constant asking. I discovered later that asking for favors was a means of developing relationships.
The Importance of Filial Piety
Our friends in Asia suspected that we did not want to take care of our family members, our parents in particular, and so we came to their country. They couldn’t understand that we had come for any other reason.
Chinese vs American Family
I didn’t understand that by disagreeing with my parents and older people that I was not showing them respect and returning the care they had given me.
Cultural Identity—East vs West
In Asia I experienced a lot of cultural stress but didn’t know why. Not only was I trying to adjust to a different culture, but I was also dealing with unconscious American and Japanese cultural values.
Off We Go
A resource to help you and your family say “Off we go!” with more confidence and connectedness.