How Long Does It Take to Learn Chinese?
Since I've been in China for 28 years, and speak Chinese reasonably well, I am often asked two questions (by foreigners), neither of which have easy answers.
周寧
周寧現任華源協作夥伴關係與中國事工副總裁，並擔任《每週中國快訊》（ZGBriefs）編輯。
加入華源協作之前，周寧曾在中國工作 28 年，期間擔任過英語教師、語言學生及專案主任，也為在中國工作的機構與企業提供跨文化培訓。她曾在明尼蘇達州的西北大學（University of Northwestern–St. Paul）教授中文，並在惠頓學院（Wheaton College）及泰勒大學（Taylor University）教授中國文化與溝通。
周寧擁有西北大學社會科學學士學位，以及聖湯瑪斯大學（University of St. Thomas）教學碩士學位。
周寧著有 Survival Chinese Lessons 和 The Bells Are Not Silent: Stories of Church Bells in China 兩本書。
周寧也經營個人部落格 Outside-In（joannpittman.com），分享對中國、明尼蘇達州、旅行，以及「如何在不屬於自己的地方好好生活」等主題的觀察與思考。
讀者也可以透過 X（@jkpittman）及 Facebook（@authorjoannpittman）關注周寧的動態。
周寧目前定居美國明尼蘇達州新布萊頓（New Brighton）。
最新文章
Popular Christian Books in China
Many people are surprised to know that that there are numerous Christian books that have been published in China and as a result can be legally sold and distributed within China. This is something that has been going on for the past ten years.
What to Make of the Attack in Kunming
On Saturday, there was a knife attack at the Kunming train station. When it was over, 29 people were dead and hundreds injured. Here's how the Los Angeles Timesreported the scene:
ZGBriefs The Weeks Top Picks, February 27 Issue
My top picks this week center on architecture, education, and the plight of the disabled in China.
Being Salt and Light Among the Disabled in China
James Palmer, a Beijing-based journalist has penned an excellent, yet disturbing, piece about the disabled in China, titled "Crippling Injustice." "Disabled people in modern China," he writes, "are still stigmatised, marginalised and abused." "What hope is there for reform?"
Ten Books on Christianity in China
People often ask me for recommendations of books to read about Christianity and the church in China. There are a lot of books out there; some better than others.
ZGBriefs The Weeks Top Picks, February 20 Issue
There were a number of articles in this week's ZGBriefs that caught my attention. The first two are about romance and weddings in China. The third one is about government efforts to save abandoned babies by providing "baby hatches" in various cities. The fourth is for fun video highlights of a motorcycle ride around China.
Six Key Challenges for the Chinese Church: A Local Perspective
Two weeks ago I had the chance to speak to a group of students and professors at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (MN) about the church in China.
ZGBriefs The Week’s Top Picks, February 14 Issue
There were a lot of great articles in this weeks' ZGBriefs, but the ones that particularly caught my eye were on the topics of human rights and law, ethnic tensions, and American-style Chinese food.
看見戴德生生命裡的榮美
在明尼亞波利斯（Minneapolis）舉辦的「渴慕神」（Desiring God）牧者大會上，主持人約翰・派博（John Piper）分享了戴德生（Hudson Taylor）的一生，講題為「戴德生的事奉：活在基督裡」。 他在開場時提醒我們：「戴德生的生命中有許多榮美之處，值得我們去領略，也能讓我們學習如何常在基督裡，並領受關於信心、禱告、順服以及受苦的寶貴功課。」 派博在信息中提出了三點具體的期許，這既是他的目標，也是他的禱告： 戴德生對生命豐盛的追求，與中國內地會（CIM）留下的屬靈產業之間有著極深的連結，蘊含著極其珍貴的指引。這份信息與每個人息息相關——特別是你如果正渴慕經歷那份「出人意外的平安」（腓立比書四章7節），並期盼生命能突破局限，結出豐盛的果實。這也正是我對這篇信息的期許：願上帝引領你更深地體會與基督的聯合，並激勵你為了祂的榮耀，擁有前所未有的勇氣去冒險與開拓。 當戴德生寫下那句著名的名言：「請放心，照著上帝的方式做上帝的工作，必不會缺少上帝的供應」時，他所指的供應涵蓋了所有層面——不僅是資金，也包括健康、信心、平安與力量。這也是我的禱告：願你能看見並經歷生命中全新的可能性——擁有更多的信心、喜樂、平安與愛，以及遵行祂旨意所需的一切資源；哪怕有時候，上帝的旨意是讓我們在分文全無中前行。 這一切都源於你與基督的聯合。正如戴德生最喜愛的其中一節經文所說：「我的上帝必照祂榮耀的豐富，在基督耶穌裡，使你們一切所需用的都充足。」（腓立比書四章19節）因著這份應許，我祈願你能放下對自身種種不足的焦慮，為了基督的榮耀，勇敢投入某個計畫或夢想。在戴德生的生命中，「常在基督裡」帶出了偉大的行動、冒險、紀律與捨己；而這一切，都由極大的平安與喜樂所支撐。這就是我為大家所做的禱告。 派博隨後回顧了戴德生的生平故事，並特別提到： 戴德生一生曾十次往返中國。根據我的計算，他待在海上航行的時間總計約有四、五年之久。這對偶爾在機場遇到延誤兩小時就焦躁不安的我們來說，或許是個深刻的提醒：他在這世上真的只是個「客旅」。 派博也剖析了那場導向「生命豐盛」的「危機」，並探討為何這段體驗能為他的生命結出如此長存的果子。他歸納出三個原因： 1. 他一生浸透在聖經中，並全然順服聖經。 2. 他視受苦為上帝的作為，為的是讓他與基督的聯合更深邃、也更甘甜。 3. 不論是在苦難中，還是在與基督的聯合裡，他都全然擁抱上帝絕對的良善與主權。 派博在結尾處，留下了一份應許，也提出了一項挑戰： 無論上帝是像帶領戴德生那樣——給你一個足以翻轉生命的覺醒時刻，還是隨著時間引領你漸漸深耕，都請不要就此滿足。要追求保羅在腓立比書二章15節、四章11-14節所展現的，那份不發怨言、無可指責的知足；這既是他在腓立比書第四章的親身經歷，也是他在以弗所書三章19節所發出的祈求：「叫神一切所充滿的，充滿了你們。」 永遠不要停止這份渴慕與追求。如果戴德生今天就在這裡，他會對你說：這份全然滿足的生命，本就屬於你。去支取它，享用它。然後，勇敢追逐那個高舉基督的夢想，並為此傾盡所有。 歡迎前往渴慕神(Desiring God)網站，觀看或下載本篇信息的完整影片與文字稿。 編者按：本文原為英語；中文版由華源協作團隊翻譯並編輯。
ZGBriefs The Weeks Top Picks, February 6 Issue
Our top picks this week all touch on some of the social issues that China is dealing with today: happiness, disappearing traditional culture, and the rise of volunteerism.
The Link Between 1989 and Christianity
I recently came across a piece on PRI's "Here and Now" program about how the Tiananmen Square incident became a "watershed" for conversions to Christianity.