What Does It Mean to Be a Pastor?
An article from the Gospel Times in which a pastor reflects on what it means to be a pastor, particularly in a society that knows and understands little about the profession.
Church
Latest
3 Questions: “Salt and Light”
A ChinaSource 3 Questions interview with Stacey Bieler, co-editor of the Salt and Light: Lives of Faith that Shaped Modern China.
China’s Church in an Age of Pluralism
In modern societies pluralism has the dual effect of both relativizing faith, forcing religious believers to acknowledge the presence of competing worldviews, and of fostering growth by creating new opportunities for them to live out their faith in the pluralist context.
Remembering Them Every May Fourth
Like many things in China, history remains firmly under the control of the Party. Only approved topics are allowed to be researched and only approved interpretations are allowed to be taught. The narrative is tightly controlled.
Very little is taught about the history of Christianity in China, and when it is touched on, it is done so in a negative light. Western missionaries have typically been portrayed as being part of the vanguard of imperialism. Less is known about some of the positive things early missionaries were engaged in.
In recent years, however, a small space has begun to open up for the exploration of Chinese church history, as many educated Christians seek to understand the historical roots of their faith.
The Oldest Church in Wuhan
Many of the church structures in China were originally built by missionaries in the 1800s and early 1900s. Some are tucked away in old neighborhoods; others surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers or towering apartment blocks. All of them have interesting stories—like the story of Chongzhen Church of Wuchang.
China’s Missing History
A wealth of scholarship on the history of Chinese Christianity has emanated from Asia during the past 50 years. Yet, although significant work on Christianity’s past is taking place in academic circles—including among mainland scholars—many Christians in China today are largely unaware of the rich history of the gospel in their own nation.
A Conversation with a Rural Preacher (Part 2)
Last week we posted the first part of an interview with a rural pastor that was published on the mainland site Christian Times. The topic of the conversation was models for training in rural churches. This week we post the rest of the interview.
A Conversation with a Rural Preacher (Part 1)
An editor from Christian Times recently had an extended conversation with a rural pastor (born in the 1980s) about his thoughts regarding the current situation of China’s rural church. They talked about the problems and potential, particularly as they relate to the need for training. What follows is a translation of the article. Due to the length of the article, we will publish it in two parts. This is part one.
Urbanization and the Church: East and West
As China has urbanized the challenges facing the church increasingly mirror those in other urban societies.
A Century-Old Church in Xingtai
In June China Christian Daily posted an article and photo gallery of 113-year-old church in Xingtai, Hebei Province. Originally built by Presbyterian missionaries from the US, it is now one of the main churches of the city.
5 Challenges Facing Churches in China
The Gospel Times recently published an article written by a pastor in Xiamen on what he considers to be some of the key challenges facing the church in China today. Here is a translation of the article.
Hubei Churches Damaged by Flooding
According to news reports, more than 200 people have died in flooding and landslides across China this summer, mostly along the Yangtze River and its tributaries. The Gospel Times recently reported on how the flooding has impacted Christians in communities in Hubei Province. This is a translated excerpt of that article.