Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 (NIV)
As we approach American Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas, I am reflecting on a year that has been painful and unsettling for many families and friends. Even so, we have been buoyed, sustained, and renewed by the presence of Immanuel through the Holy Spirit; his rich grace and powerful peace.
“I could never face this without Jesus . . .”
I have a dear friend who is frail in health, weak, and in great pain. He recently said to me, “I could never face this without Jesus.” He then went on to reflect on a song from the soundtrack of both of our lives, a song by Andrae Crouch entitled If Heaven Was Never Promised to Me (Light Records). And we sang the chorus together:
But if heaven never was promised to me,
Neither God’s promise to live eternally.
It’s been worth just having the Lord in my life.
Living in a world of darkness,
You came along and brought me the light. . .You’ve been my closest friend down through the years,
And every time I cry you dry my tears.It’s been worth just having the Lord in my life.
Living in a world of darkness,
You came along and brought me the light.
My friend is looking forward to the glory of the resurrection and the reality and power of his homegoing, but his reflections speak to the palpable presence of Jesus in our lives and the peace he brings, even in the darkest of seasons.
Throughout the year we have heard from many who have been serving Christ in China, whose lives have been turned upside down, and who are expressing the same reality as my friend: “I could never face this without Jesus. But this is no surprise to him and so I/ we will trust and rest in him.”
Peace in Community
In Colossians 3:15 Paul calls upon us to authorize the rule of God’s peace in our hearts in the context of community, in oneness and unity within the Body of Christ. As I look back on 2021, I thank God for the blessed peace of Christ’s community. I am grateful and privileged to serve with a ChinaSource team of board, staff members, and volunteers who have a passionate love for and commitment to Jesus and to seeing his glory proclaimed through his church in China and among all nations.
ChinaSource is both a content and relational resource ministry and so we cherish the bonds of friendship and partnerships our Lord continues to forge. Through these fruitful partnerships the Lord has enabled ChinaSource to help the church in China and the global church learn from one another, resulting in growth and service together. Our founder and catalyst Dr. Brent Fulton puts it this way,
Believers in China, who continue to thrive despite opposition, have much to teach the global church in the process. We need one another if we are to effectively live out Christ’s purposes for his church in today’s world.
Matching Challenge
It is amazing that in 2022 we will be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of ChinaSource! We are thankful for God’s blessing and favor in the past and for the vision and plan he has given ChinaSource for the future. In that light, we are seeking to raise $225,000 by the end of the year to fund audience expansion, partnership development and staff capacity. A close friend of ChinaSource, eager to encourage others to give, has offered to match all gifts provided in November and December up to $50,000.
Please prayerfully consider making a gift, investing in the future of China ministry, and being part of the emerging story of how the global church and the church in China are collaborating to advance the gospel like never before.
And, on behalf the entire ChinaSource team, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving!
Kerry Schottelkorb
President
Ways to Pray
- We praise the Lord for our newest colleague, Rachel Anderson, who began working with ChinaSource on November 1. Rachel is working part-time as our assistant content manager.
- Pray for Narci Herr, content manager, Rachel Anderson, assistant content manager, the ChinaSource staff, and our network of volunteer contributors, as together they provide timely and insightful website content and analysis. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and empower the ChinaSource content ministry.
- Thank the Lord with us that a close friend of ChinaSource has offered to match all gifts provided in November and December up to $50,000.
- Join us in seeking the Lord for his blessed provision for the ministry of ChinaSource as we near the end of 2021 and head into the new year. Pray also that the matching challenge will be fully met.
- Praise the Lord for the peace of Jesus Christ that comes to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and through the blessed community of friends and partners who love and serve the church in China and around the world.
- Pray for abundant kingdom fruit that remains, as a result of the many ministry partnerships ChinaSource is privileged to have. Pray also for Joann Pittman, vice-president for partnerships and China engagement as she leads this ministry.
ChinaSource Team News
- Kerry Schottelkorb spoke at the Home of Christ Church in Newark, CA (HOC6) on Sunday, November 14.
- On November 13, Joann Pittman conducted a full-day intercultural training workshop for global partner candidates at Bethlehem Baptist Church. It was her first time teaching in a pole barn!
- Brent Fulton gave a presentation to the Research Task Group of the Religious Liberty Partnership, an organization that monitors violence against Christians in China, Wednesday November 10.
In Case You Missed It
A selection of recently published items:
- Opportunities in the Light of Kingdom Identities, ChinaSource Blog, November 17.
- Practical Tips for Pastoral Enrichment (1), ChinaSource Blog (CCV), November 16.
- From the Middle East to the Middle Kingdom (Part 9): The First Missionaries to China’s Hui, ChinaSource Blog, November 15.
- A Way Forward, ChinaSource Blog, November 12.
- Lingering COVID: I’m Fine but Sometimes I Don’t Feel That Way, ChinaSource Blog, November 10.
- Serving Believers in Flooded Shanxi, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), November 09.
- Keeping a Cow: Practical Language Learning, Then and Now, ChinaSource Blog, November 08.
- My Heart Aches for Shanxi but with Hope, ChinaSource Blog, November 05.
- Making History: A Review of From Rebel to Ruler, ChinaSource Blog, November 03.
- Strengthening a Neglected Area, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), November 02.
- From the Middle East to the Middle Kingdom (8): Hui in a Globalizing China (Since 1978), ChinaSource Blog, November 01.
- Getting Rid of the Grey: 5 Years into the Overseas NGO Law, ChinaSource Blog, October 29.
- Rhetoric and Reality, ChinaSource Blog, October 27.
- Does Christian Faith Affect Parenting? ChinaSource Blog (CCV), October 26.
- John Song—A Fruitful Returnee: A Reader Responds to the Autumn CSQ, ChinaSource Blog, October 25.
- Public Lecture: Chinese Christians and the Path to Liberal Modernity in China, ChinaSource Blog, October 22.
Image credit: Lantern Festive by Steve Harwood via Flickr.
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