The Lantern

Knowing and Serving


From the ChinaSource President

In my first official month with ChinaSource our March schedule was packed and there was to be a flurry of activity. However, we were reminded that our plans are always subject to the Father’s plans. My mother, Lois, went home to Jesus while I was attending board meetings in Hong Kong. Rushing back to the US and spending time with family and friends made adjustments necessary and I am very grateful to the ChinaSource team for their warm support and perseverance in the midst of major changes.

During our staff meetings I shared from a passage in John’s gospel that was especially meaningful to me during this season of Lent and the home-going of my mother. Concerning the night he was betrayed, John 13:3-4 (NIV) says:

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist . . .

Jesus knew where he was from and where he was going. He knew all authority was his. So, he went on to wash the disciples’ feet, give a new mandate for the ages, sacrifice his life to redeem us from our sins, and raise triumphantly from the dead.

That same awareness and dependence is what quickens us to serve with confidence and joy as we trust in what God has done for us in his son. I am eternally grateful to my mother and father for introducing our family to the triune God of grace. In Mom’s last days we frequently thanked her for leading us to Jesus and for establishing a faith legacy for our generation.  

As we celebrate Easter this month, the reality, promise, and hope of the resurrection should encourage and motivate us to rejoice and to serve! This is why a core value of ChinaSource is service.

This past month we had several opportunities to serve other organizations by providing updates on the current situation facing churches in China. These inquiries helped us to focus and reflect on the various streams of information we have been receiving. As one ministry leader recently wrote us, “The situation is changing very fast and this is a very critical time.”

We are also privileged to invite others to serve alongside us. We recently established a new category of volunteers we call ChinaSource Associates. These are veteran China ministry colleagues who have partnered with ChinaSource over the years. Our associates have already enabled us to respond to opportunities we would have otherwise needed to turn down. Over the past several weeks, when we were asked to respond to complex and rapidly changing situations in China, their swift response enabled us to provide a more balanced and thorough perspective.

It is always a joy to meet those we serve. In Hong Kong I had the chance to meet several ministry leaders to talk and pray together. In Seattle our team enjoyed a warm start to spring with a ChinaSource Connect event on March 21 in the Seattle area, where we met with 70 friends and supporters. We were blessed by wonderful hosts both for our staff and the event. It was a time of re-uniting with longtime friends and co-laborers, meeting new friends with a passion to bless the church in China, and to hear first-hand accounts of the present challenges. We ended with a special time of sharing and praying together.

We are constantly talking with local Chinese believers and those who work and minister with them. We hear a lot about uncertainty and confusion. Thank you for your partnership with us as we engage more deeply with the church in China. There is a lot that is unclear but we share a deep confidence based on the essentials of Christ’s atoning death and powerful resurrection. We know whose we are and where we are going. and we are graced to serve him faithfully despite the challenges that lie before us.

He is risen!

Kerry Schottelkorb
President

Please note: Currently we have a pressing need for team members to handle finance, admin, and IT. Below in the “Opportunities to Serve” section, are short descriptions. We would be glad to provide more details. Please pray for God to bring his called and equipped people our way.


Glenn and Narci Herr at the Seattle ChinaSource Connect registration table.

Opportunities to Serve

Finance/Admin Director Oversees all aspects of financial and administrative operations for both US and Hong Kong offices. Responsible for forecasting, budgeting, and reporting. Reports to ChinaSource president.
IT Systems Director Oversees all aspects of IT platforms and integrations. Responsible for Salesforce CRM system along with website operations. Reports to ChinaSource president.
IT/Salesforce Project Manager
(volunteer or part-time)
In 2019 we have several projects to upgrade our Salesforce CRM system. We need a project manager to oversee these projects.

To inquire, please contact admin@chinasource.org.

News and Notes

  • Joann Pittman provided training for a group preparing to serve in China long term on March 18-19.
  • “China Tells Christianity to Be More Chinese,” an article by Kerry Schottelkorb and Joann Pittman appeared in Christianity Today on March 20.
  • Joann Pittman was interviewed on Pilgrim Radio on April 1. You can listen to the interview here.
  • Kerry Schottelkorb participated in Missio Nexus’s Peer 2 Peer event for agency leaders on April 9-11 in Ridgecrest, North Carolina.

Ways to Pray

  • Pray for God’s provision of new staff to fill roles in finance and administration along with IT/Salesforce operations.
  • Pray for wisdom to understand and communicate clearly the current challenges facing Chinese Christians.
  • Praise the Lord for the ChinaSource Associates who work with us to better understand, evaluate, and respond to the changing realities the church in China is facing. Pray that the Lord will give them insight, wisdom, and discernment as they serve.
  • Pray that ChinaSource would be empowered to facilitate partnerships with individuals, churches, and organizations linking the Chinese church with the larger body of Christ worldwide.

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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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