With the homegoing of Dr. Rudolf Mak on October 1, 2024, the ChinaSource community lost a valued mentor, colleague, teacher, friend, and pioneer.
Rudolf was all of these—a dear brother in Christ who left an indelible impression on those with whom he served. His vision and unstoppable determination to seek the expansion of Christ’s kingdom in China were instrumental in shaping ChinaSource into the organization it is today.
In many ways Rudolf’s own story mirrored the story of China’s church over the past half century, from the early days of rural revival to its maturing into a mission-sending church.
A Pioneer in Serving China’s Church
One of Rudolf’s early introductions to that church came when he studied at Fuller Seminary under Dr. Jonathan Chao, a pioneer in ministry to believers who, at that time, were part of a rapidly growing peasant movement. Rudolf went on to serve with Rev. Thomas Wang at the Great Commission Center in Los Angeles before joining the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) as Director of Chinese Church Mobilization.
A decade later, Rudolf became a founding board member of ChinaSource. In the mid-2000s, Rudolf stepped off the board and laid the groundwork for establishing ChinaSource in Hong Kong, serving for a time as Vice President. The Chinese name Rudolf chose for the newly formed entity, HuaYuanXieZuo (華源協作), not only encapsulated ChinaSource’s commitment to collaboration, but reflected Rudolf’s own vision as well.
As one of his co-workers in China put it:
He believed that the Great Commission could not be accomplished by one church, one organization, or even one country, and he was committed to helping the churches in China to partner with the body of Christ in other countries to advance the gospel together. With this in mind, he hoped that by bringing people together, getting to know each other, and building trust, different opportunities for collaboration would eventually be birthed.
As a pioneer, Rudolf saw opportunities long before others recognized them. His passion to see returning Chinese students and scholars continue in their faith gave birth to the West-East Follow Up Network, which spawned a host of returnee ministry initiatives. Rudolf became an early advocate for China’s emerging mission movement. He edited several issues of the ChinaSource Quarterly on this topic and took the lead in translating and introducing the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course in China. In later years we had the privilege of partnering together on a multi-agency research project around the issues facing church leaders in China.
A Legacy of Partnership
Once asked to describe his role in ministry, Rudolf smiled as he reached over and picked up an oversized plastic paper clip from a nearby desk.
Rudolf’s role was seeing how everything fit together. He had a unique ability to gather people and resources from diverse places in pursuit of a common purpose. Collaboration came naturally to Rudolf. Throughout his long career, Rudolf served many organizations. He had an amazing way of working seamlessly in, around, among, and through all kinds of groups. In addition to the organizations mentioned above, Rudolf also had a role in the work of the Lausanne Movement and Frontier Ventures, among others. What mattered most was not the building up of any particular organization, but the advancement of Christ’s kingdom, with all fulfilling their God-given roles.
The Gift of Friendship
Rudolf’s friendship was a gift. As busy as he was, Rudolf still took time to enjoy fellowship over a meal or to lend a hand to someone in need. When Jasmine and I relocated to Hong Kong, it was Rudolf who helped us open a bank account and negotiate for a flat. I recall many times when, after months of not seeing one another, Rudolf would suddenly call and say, “Let’s get together.” Whether over a bowl of noodles in Hong Kong or In-N-Out Burger in LA, we would find time to catch up. As he shared his latest project or idea, I would inevitably find myself asking, with some astonishment, “Wait, you’re doing what now?”
Rudolf ran with an uncommon perseverance. Now he has finished his race. Only when we, too, have concluded our earthly journey will we finally know the extent of all that God accomplished through Rudolf’s life of dedicated service. For those who have walked with Rudolf, the glimpses we have been privileged to share have provided a window into the unfolding story of China’s church. Rudolf not only told that story well, he experienced it and invited many others into it.
We owe a debt of thanks not only to Rudolf, but also to his wife, Angela, who graciously served with her husband through their many transitions and relocations within Asia and between Asia and North America, all the while caring for their three sons.
We give thanks for Rudolf’s life, a testimony to God’s faithfulness in fulfilling his mission through one man radically committed to honoring Christ in all his ways.
