Editorial reflection and analysis on issues shaping Chinese Christianity.
As I have reflected on effective methods for reaching Chinese with the gospel, it seems that one theme keeps recurring: the need for patience. Without patience, coupled with perseverance, we are not likely to have a lasting impact on our Chinese friends or upon their society.
Advances in theological education over the past 35 years have gone a long way toward satisfying the church’s still urgent need for trained leaders. It is increasingly common, especially in China’s cities, to find pastors who have received formal graduate-level theological training, including many who have studied overseas. But is that enough?
I have been reflecting recently on Brent Fulton’s challenge to rethink partnership between Western and Chinese churches. I have had an interest in the church in China for the past twenty years and have traveled there frequently for a variety of reasons—including work with several Chinese churches. My PhD thesis focused on historical efforts to reach the Chinese intelligentsia for the Christian faith. China has always been near the top of the list of places where exciting things are happening and where I, as a pastor of missions, would like to see our church make a contribution.
According to The Economist, China is "among the cheapest and easiest places to get a divorce." What are the factors behind China's increasing divorce rate?
Theological training for Chinese believers is needed; several types of training are available. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of training?
Last month ChinaSource co-sponsored The Intellectual and Ethical Foundations of the Flourishing Society, a conference hosted by Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Why are many Chinese believers who go overseas for seminary training not returning to China to serve?.
When it comes to China reporting, two of my favorite writers are Peter Hessler and Evan Osnos, both of whom write for The New Yorker. They recently took part in a forum hosted by Asia Society to examine four decades of reporting on China by the magazine. Editor David Remnick moderated the event, and joining the conversation were three other New Yorker writers, Orville Schell, Zha Jianying, and Jiayang Fan.
What are the biggest challenges the church in China faces today?
Brent Fulton, president of ChinaSource, Joann Pittman, senior vice president of ChinaSource, and Mark Swallow, host of ChinaSource Conversations, discuss the urban church in China and Brent’s new book, China’s Urban Christians: A Light that Cannot Be Hidden.
A ChinaSource "3 Questions" interview with Dr. G. Wright Doyle, director of Global China Center, editor of Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity, and co-editor of Studies in Chinese Christianity, published by Wipf and Stock.
How can churches outside China that seek to make a meaningful contribution to the church in China continue to serve effectively? Here are some initial suggestions.