Swells in the Middle Kingdom
Supporting Article
Expatriates Serving in China’s New Era
Recent Developments, Future Prospects
Many of China’s expatriate ministry professionals, increasingly finding difficulties in ministering, are turning to serving the church in China remotely. The author explores the issues influencing whether expatriate Christians can continue to live and minister within China.
A Necessary Task
A Reader Responds to “When the ‘Golden Age’ Is Over”
As the number of expatriate cross-cultural workers in China, and the scale of their work, has shrunk dramatically, it is vital that we take time to reflect on what we have done and how we have done it.
Recovering Missions for Our Churches
Church leaders first need to learn to see missions as organic to their fellowship’s identity in this world…. Cross-cultural workers need to recognize and embrace their role as messengers to their home churches…committing more time and energy to communicating well with their supporters back home.
China Ministry and Transformational Development (2)
The End of an Era?
As expatriates move from founders and leaders to colleagues, and now consultants, foreign contributions are increasingly in the nature of support and encouragement from behind the scenes, providing practical help in a few key areas as requested.
China Ministry and Transformational Development (1)
The End of an Era?
The experiences of the few remaining expatriate cross-cultural workers in China suggest that while we are not at the end of Christian development work in China, we are confronted with a substantially different ministry context.
The Translation of the Bible into Chinese
A Book Review
Reading Peng’s book, alongside the research of many other scholars of the Chinese Bible, reminds China workers today of the very real merits of the Union translation as well as its prominence within the Chinese church.
Expatriate Ministry in China during the Age of COVID
The experience of ministering as an expatriate in China is quite different today, as those who remain struggle to carve out meaningful roles in an increasingly challenging environment.
The Importance of Praying for the Work
A Pamphlet from 1910
Excerpts from a pamphlet from an earlier era selected to encourage new generations of readers to persevere in prayer on behalf of the work in China and around the globe.
Returning Home—The Chinese Church in Transition
Many Chinese believers enter the church at times of personal crisis. Financial troubles, broken relationships, health emergencies—real world trials often reveal to Chinese people the fractured nature of their safety nets, as friends, family, and the state fail to provide them with what they need. These moments of brokenness can be used by God to open people’s hearts to their own weakness and God’s strength.
Social Service Ministry in China
While social service has long been part of missionary work in mainland China, today a host of different factors are driving Chinese Christians to explore for themselves the place of humanitarian concerns within gospel ministry. For a growing number of local Christians, loving one’s neighbor through acts of service is rapidly becoming an indispensable aspect of Christian witness. This essay will first explore the role of social service in the history of mission in China before analyzing its place in the ministry of the contemporary Chinese church.