The Lantern

ChinaSource Institute

A New Training Initiative


We are delighted to announce a new training initiative—ChinaSource Institute. Building on the foundation of our publications and other content, the ChinaSource Institute will provide easily accessible, high quality, professional services to equip those who are serving, or plan to serve, in China.

Initially we are offering an online training course—"Serving Well in China" (available free this month, details below). More courses will be made available in the coming months as well as on-site training, speaking, consulting services, and vision trips.

As we develop these new services, we trust they will be useful tools for those serving among the Chinese.


Brent Fulton

The first course, “Serving Well in China” is designed for people working, or preparing to work, in China. Hosted on the Udemy platform, this course is less about a set of answers and more about presenting a framework with which to process the complexities of China. When you encounter confusing situations or cultural differences, what you learn here will help you reconcile them with your cultural background and expectations.

ChinaSource Senior Vice President Joann Pittman and Amy Young, a regular ChinaSource contributor and author of the book Looming Transitions, are the instructors for this course. Together they have more than 20 years of experience training and equipping people to work in China.

The course consists of five short videos (between 11 and 20 minutes in length), plus quizzes, reflection/discussion questions, and recommended resources for further study.

The content includes:

  • Valuable information and insight on contemporary Chinese society and culture.
  • An explanation of various cultural “rules” that govern how Chinese interact with one another.
  • Practical advice on managing cultural differences.
  • A description of the Chinese educational system and how it directly informs the worldview of people in China.
  • An examination of areas of expectation that may need to be adjusted.
  • Key principles for successful adjustment and living in China.

Early reviews of the course have been very encouraging.

For me, this is the best course out there for both short and long term missionaries desiring to serve well in China. It tackles numerous aspects of cultural mores, helping cross cultural missional workers to not only survive China, but thrive in their God-given callings.

David Joannes, WithinReach Global

I have been involved in China and the Chinese diaspora for 16 years, including living in Mainland China. All I can say is that I wish I had this resource available to me early on. While some of the information I have learned over 16 years, I learned some new information as well. China Source did an excellent job putting this resource together. I love it and plan to refer people to it. If you plan to get involved with Chinese in your home country or in China, I highly recommend you watch this as many times as you can, even after you begin serving. It will be a valuable resource for you to navigate your way as you serve in China or the Chinese people.

Steve Schirmer, Silk Road Catalyst

I’m the Volunteer Coordinator at the Hospitality Center for Chinese and I’ve been looking for some good training materials to train our American volunteers who will be working with Chinese. I need not look any further. I recently returned from living in China for 2 years, and I can decisively say that this resource is excellent and right on!

Sarah Dykstra, Hospitality Center for Chinese

Great course, I learned a lot and it helped me significantly prepare for returning to China and my current work with Chinese students. I have already recommended this course to friends working with an organization that could find this course helpful in training new members.

David McKee

For a taste of what to expect in the course you can watch the course intro.

Or better yet, listen to this month’s ChinaSource Conversations podcast, “5 Keys for Adapting and Thriving in Chinese Cultural Settings.” It features a discussion between Brent Fulton, Joann Pittman and Amy Young talking about the cultural challenges in China and this new course. And then sign up for the course!

The price of the course is $30.00; however, for the month of April, we are offering it for free with the coupon code “Lantern.” Click here to go directly to the course on Udemy. Under the button that says “Take this course,” click “redeem a coupon. Enter the coupon code “Lantern” to enroll in the course for free. This offer expires on April 30, 2016.

News and Notes

  • Joann Pittman spoke recently to a class at Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis about challenges facing the church in China today. 
  • Brent Fulton preached at Evangelical Community Church in Hong Kong April 3rd.
  • Brent Fulton was quoted in an article in The Economist called “House Churches: Underground, Overground.”
  • Brent Fulton represented ChinaSource at the Global Church Conference in Hong Kong April 11-14.
  • As part of the Faith and Generosity in China Initiative, we provided training for pastors, business leaders, and leaders of local non-profit organizations in two Chinese cities.
  • Brent Fulton recorded a podcast with Missio Nexus about his book China’s Urban Christians: A Light that Cannot be Hidden.

Ways to Pray

  1. Pray that the course, “Serving Well in China,” will be used of the Lord among organizations, churches, and individual China workers.
  2. The spring issue of ChinaSource Quarterly looks at disability in China. Pray for the more than 80 million Chinese who have disabilities and for those believers who minister among them.
  3. China’s newly passed charity law potentially opens a new window of opportunity for the church. Lift up pioneering Christian leaders as they launch new organizations to reach out to youth, the homeless, and other at-risk populations in their communities, and as they mobilize other Christians to get involved.
  4. Give thanks for the release of Hangzhou pastor Gu Yuese, who was detained in January. Continue to lift up Pastor Gu and others who are facing political pressure.
Image credit: Lantern by Yuxuan Wang via Flickr
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ChinaSource Team

ChinaSource Team

Written, translated, or edited by members of the ChinaSource staff.          View Full Bio


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