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Andy Pearch holds his adopted son, Hudson, who is kissing his cheek. Hudson was adopted from China as a baby. Andy reflects on the making of the movie, “It was a wonderful testimony of God’s blessing to discover that Hudson’s documentary is helping to fulfill the legacy of Andrew Gih. After watching the documentary, you might want to get an update on Hudson.”

From Andrew Gih to Hudson

It was a wonderful testimony of God’s blessing to discover that Hudson’s documentary is helping to fulfill the legacy of Andrew Gih. After watching the documentary, you might want to get an update on Hudson.

A young Asian boy holds a pair of binoculars. He is standing on a bridge over a forest. An adult man stands in the background. The most important reason I am optimistic about ministry opportunities in China is because of the strength of China’s own church, and the skills and maturity of the expatriates who have gone the distance in China and are still there.

Vision for Tomorrow: Opportunities in China’s New Era

The most important reason I am optimistic about ministry opportunities in China is because of the strength of China’s own church, and the skills and maturity of the expatriates who have gone the distance in China and are still there.

Starbucks and McDonalds franchises next door to each other in Shanghai, China. Nothing succeeds like success, and many Christian ministries have adopted a franchise-like pattern based on a founder’s compelling vision facilitated by a highly structured and quality-controlled delivery system…[But] can the gospel be franchised? I think not.

Sharing the Gospel: Franchise or Indigenization?

Nothing succeeds like success, and many Christian ministries have adopted a franchise-like pattern based on a founder’s compelling vision facilitated by a highly structured and quality-controlled delivery system…[But] can the gospel be franchised? I think not.

A Chinese street view reflected in a vehicle’s side mirror. Mark Strand observes, “I first went to China in 1985, serving there until 2012. The level of surveillance and scrutiny of expatriates at that time was high… While the current ministry context, with highly technological surveillance tools, feels restrictive, it appears to be a change in method, rather than a change in concept. We have been here all along.”

China in the Mirror: Challenges and Realities

I first went to China in 1985, serving there until 2012. The level of surveillance and scrutiny of expatriates at that time was high… While the current ministry context, with highly technological surveillance tools, feels restrictive, it appears to be a change in method, rather than a change in concept. We have been here all along.

An image of a group of women walking at a university in China. Amy Young writes, I was blessed to have lived and worked in China for much of my adulthood and be able to hold up my part of the sky. Does this contradict the point I made above about being limited by my gender? Life is more nuanced than blanket statements. Both are true for me, at times I felt limited by my gender and at times I felt not limited by it.

Being a Foreign Woman in China

I was blessed to have lived and worked in China for much of my adulthood and be able to hold up my part of the sky. Does this contradict the point I made above about being limited by my gender? Life is more nuanced than blanket statements. Both are true for me, at times I felt limited by my gender and at times I felt not limited by it.

A compass and Bible on top of a city map. Expectations for new missionaries as well as for their sending bodies should include a long-term developmental perspective that recognizes on-field difficulties as expected and as the normative shaping events God intentionally uses to develop cross-cultural ministry capacity.

Crossing Cultures: Capacity and Insight

Expectations for new missionaries as well as for their sending bodies should include a long-term developmental perspective that recognizes on-field difficulties as expected and as the normative shaping events God intentionally uses to develop cross-cultural ministry capacity.

Right then and there, in our apartment, [two Chinese friends] made the decision to follow Jesus. Something he said that evening has stayed with me for the past 25 years. He stated, “I always knew he was there. I just didn’t know his name.”

“I Always Knew He Was There”

Right then and there, in our apartment, [two Chinese friends] made the decision to follow Jesus. Something he said that evening has stayed with me for the past 25 years. He stated, “I always knew he was there. I just didn’t know his name.”

Just Listen

“If the… global body of Christ can be there and say, ‘We are together here with you. I have my struggles, and you have your struggles, but we are together, praying to God together and seeking his guidance and help together,’…that can be very comforting and can be an encouragement.”

Crossing Cultures: Ethnocentric Conversion

The Apostle Peter’s ethnocentric conversion exploded into fullness through an unanticipated personal interaction with Cornelius, a gentile military officer who lived out his fear of God in household leadership, generosity, and constant prayer (Acts 10:1–2).

Robert Ekvall explored Tibet and brought the gospel to the Tibetan people.

Robert Ekvall: Living on the Edge

Robert and Betty went to the untamed Tibet and built relationships, preparing for themselves and others to move and live in these new areas. Robert was a visionary with deep understanding of the cultures, but also brave, as the title says, facing local robbers, politics, and later, war-haunted China.

Crossing Cultures: Table Manners

Ministering cross-culturally is critical for fruitful missionary engagement. As the Chinese missionary movement matures and expands and goes where no man or woman of the gospel has gone before, cross-cultural ministry praxis will become increasingly critical.