Articles by Si Shi (四石)
Resistance to Chinese Missionary Sending and Strategies to Defuse Resistance
Facilitating Sustainable Chinese Missionary Sending in the Present Context
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending. In this article, several of the key sources of resistance to Chinese missionary sending are surveyed and strategies to defuse this resistance are considered.
9 Best Practices for a Chinese Missionary Sending Organization
Strategies to Assist with Chinese Missionary Sustainability
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending. Through a survey of the mission sending literature and field research with Chinese missionaries, nine best practices for Chinese mission sending are proposed that may facilitate long-term Chinese missionary sustainability.
The International Church Role in Chinese Missionary Sending, Part 2
Strategies for Financial Partnership between Chinese and International Mission Senders
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending. The international church seeks to partner with Chinese missionary senders. Finances are one key, but controversial, area of possible collaboration. Funds can become a stumbling block to mission efforts. Discriminating, time-limited use of money to support Chinese missionary sending in the framework of sound principles of financial giving decrease risks of dependency.
The International Church Role in Chinese Missionary Sending, Part 1
Strategies for General Partnership between Chinese and International Mission Senders
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending. The international church seeks to partner with Chinese missionary senders. In addition to prayer, the international church can support Chinese missionary-senders through resource sharing, mission-sending organization support, and through business cooperation. Chinese medical missionary tentmaking as a business opportunity is examined as a prototype for other potential Chinese tentmaking missionaries. Leadership of Chinese missionary sending efforts must remain in Chinese hands.
Difficulties with Church-Based Models in Chinese Missionary Sending
Understanding the Need for Mission-Sending-Organizational Development in China
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending. In China, there are problems with current church-based mission-sending models. Mission-sending organizations can deal with many of the unmet needs of the Chinese missionary and facilitate missionary sending.
The Impact of Family Issues on Chinese Missionaries
Thinking Through an Approach to Spouse- and Children-Needs of Chinese Missionaries
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending to unreached peoples. Field research findings with Chinese missionaries and with prospective Chinese medical missionaries highlight issues related to the needs of the Chinese missionary’s nuclear family. Although mission-sending organizations can help, much of the impetus for resolving difficulties faced by the Chinese missionary’s spouse and children must come from the Chinese missionaries themselves.
Chinese Missionary Call
Exploring the Foundations of the Chinese Missionary Undertaking
Understanding Chinese missionary perspectives on calling enables a clearer view of the foundations of the Chinese missionary undertaking. The Chinese missionary call is deeply rooted in a personal relationship with God. Despite personal loss or suffering, Chinese missionaries experience a joy that is centered in knowing Christ.
Financial Considerations in Chinese Missionary Sending
Sources of Support and Difficulties in Raising Finances
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending. A study performed with long-term Chinese missionaries reveals four main current sources of support for Chinese mission activity. Common methods of missionary fund-raising are examined and frequently encountered fund-raising difficulties are reviewed. The Chinese church has difficulty financially supporting mission service and at the current time alternative strategies for Chinese missionary funding are still needed.
Financial Expectations of Prospective Chinese Medical Missionaries
Understanding the Financial Backdrop to Chinese Medical Mission Sending
Financial issues significantly impact Chinese missionary-sending sustainability. For those Chinese physicians with mission field experience, greater degrees of field experience correlate with a greater ascribed degree of importance placed on these financial issues. Currently prospective Chinese medical missionary financial expectations are high. These expectations do not necessarily match with the lived reality of Chinese non-medical missionaries. Financial support models which can facilitate sending of Chinese missionary physicians need development.
Chinese Filial Responsibility and Missionary Sustainability
Parent and Extended Family Issues and Their Effect on Chinese Missionary Sustainability
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending to unreached peoples. Nevertheless Chinese missionary attrition rates are high. A study performed using interviews with long-term Chinese missionaries and focus groups with short-term Chinese medical missionaries revealed several factors related to missionary attrition. This article examines the role of one of those factors—parent and extended family issues—and offers suggestions for resolving difficulties.