Today it is difficult to talk about the church in China without referencing China’s church outside China. Many leaders operate with one foot on Chinese soil and the other abroad, either by virtue of their frequent international travel or via offshore organizations through which their voices are amplified, making them spokespersons for a movement that transcends China’s borders.
Our Lord is the lord of history, and everything happens according to his plan. The recent political developments in and related to China have impacted the movement and dynamics of the global Chinese diaspora. They have closed some doors for mission while opening others.
Sometimes God keeps graciously nudging our hearts as we pray, gifting us discomfort or a lack of peace until we make things right. Thank God for this nudging so our hearts can be set free, and relationships set right.
When external persecution came knocking, it was us, not our parents as in the past, who had to confront these challenges head-on. Such a shift compelled us to grapple with a fundamental question: What does it mean to follow Jesus, especially in the unique context of China?
By redeeming technology, Christians can redefine their engagement in the Great Commission and empower the discipleship of the next generation to carry global missions forward.
Chinese culture is a rich and complex topic, and we’ve created a reading (and listening!) list from our archives for you to immerse yourself in this subject.
Being exposed to humble people of faith who were expectant of God’s moving among frontier peoples and places was especially enriching to my journey of faith. One result was a new awareness and readiness for spiritual warfare and confidence in prayer to join the battle.
Prior to 1949, while some of the independent, indigenous Chinese churches were not Pentecostal, the larger church networks had Pentecostal roots. Pentecostal beliefs and practices continue to define a large segment of Chinese churches today.
In our conflict resolution conversations, conflict coaching, and mediation help, face is sometimes the elephant in the room—if never acknowledged and addressed, reconciliation is hindered. Let’s address the elephant in the room and develop a new God-centered orientation to face.
Pursuing heart-level reconciliation can be hard, humbling work. A labor of love. Yet when our love is infused with God’s love—our source of strength to reconcile—we can persevere in the process.
Join us in April for a fascinating lecture on “Christian Posters in the Early 20th Century China.”
Posters were the most common visual imagery of Christianity in China from 1919 to 1949. In his lecture, Dr. Daryl Ireland showcased some of his collection of nearly 700 posters from both Protestants and Catholics and discussed how they are changing the way we think about Chinese Christianity.