Blog Entries by Mark Totman
In Exile—Still Waiting
I’ve asked God during these days if he really is completely sovereign and he has answered clearly that he is. I’ve asked him if my identity is truly secure in him and not the work and life I suddenly lost. It is. I’ve asked him if all of this could really be for my good. It is. And I’ve prayed that he would help me say blessed be the name of the Lord. He has.
Learning to Be a Learner
Over the years it has been reiterated that to truly serve the people of China and the Chinese church, one must first be a learner. Adopting a “posture of learning” is essential, but how does one actually do that?
Father’s Day in China: A Gospel Opportunity
Father’s Day in China, like many other countries, falls on the third Sunday in June. It is not an official holiday in China, nor is it widely observed, especially in comparison to other similar holidays such as Mother’s Day and Children’s Day. Yet, for those working among Chinese (in any context) it does provide a unique opportunity to generate gospel-oriented discussion given the central theme of God the Father in the Bible.
The Chinese Church: Great Progress and Great Work Yet to Be Done
The growth of the Chinese church over the past several decades cannot be overstated. What the Lord has accomplished is truly beyond anything we could have ever asked or imagined.
Hospitality, a Comic Book, the Bible, and Lot
A Conversion Story in China
Over the past decade of living in China, I have been privileged to hear a number of wonderful conversion stories. Each is special, but occasionally one stands out as particularly uncommon. The following is one such story.
Celebrating Life and Death at Easter
This year Qingming Festival–Chinese Tomb Sweeping Day–and Easter fell on the same weekend. While Christians around the world were celebrating an empty tomb many in China were remembering their dead and caring for tombs still filled with bones.
Self-Reliance and the Chinese Male
During a recent conversation with a Chinese friend I listened as he recounted his conversion to Christianity and the difficulty he experienced overcoming his deeply ingrained tendency toward self-reliance.
It’s Also about the History
To better understand the recent Sanjiang church demolition and what now appears to be a coordinated effort on the part of the government to curb visibility of Christianity in the public sphere, it is also helpful to briefly consider the relationship that Christianity has with China historically.
Lessons from the Chinese Church: Listen and Become Wise
The biblical way of handling advice and counsel lies in stark contrast to my foolish responses and is, I believe, something the Chinese Church models fairly well.