Working in both the East and the West, we have the advantage of starting the new year twice, once on January 1 and then again on the first day of the Chinese New Year which is based on the lunar calendar and falls this year on February 5. Not only do we have the possibility of two sets of New Year’s resolutions, we have the time in between to think over what is new for this year and ponder the doors that God may be opening for us.
Thanks to the strong support of many friends, partners, and donors we finished 2018 in a good place financially. This past year has been an unusual time of transition and change for China and ChinaSource. Having strong support from our donors during these transitions has encouraged us to press forward as we seek to serve as a bridge between the Chinese church and the global church.
We were also pleased to see a number of new donors partnering with us and hope this is the start of greater long-term involvement with ChinaSource. Many donors included words of affirmation along with their donations, which were an encouragement to the whole team. We saw God providing what was needed for this ministry and the comments spur us on to love and good works.
Last year, as we explained our new vision and mission, we talked about becoming a trusted platform for the flow of critical knowledge and research leading to greater and more effective collaboration. We are thrilled to be making progress in this direction already. By the end of the year we had a larger and broader group of contributors to our publications than we have ever had. Starting this month we have a blog series dealing with how to help and care for those who have had to leave China unexpectedly and we will soon be starting a series on adopting children with HIV from China.
As creating content is a major part of our ministry, we want to make sure that what we produce continues to be relevant and helpful. In 2019, we plan to broaden our ability to serve our readers and partners. Some of the changes are tied to our IT systems which allow us to serve an expanding readership with better, more focused information (see our need for an IT/Salesforce project manager below). Other changes in broadening and deepening our partnerships are more relational and require face-to-face interactions. In addition, there are ongoing efforts to understand how the church in China is growing, especially in these sensitive times.
We are also seeking more engagement with our readers. Our first Connect event of the year will be on March 21 in Seattle, WA. Stay tuned for more information—if you are in that area you will want to be there. Other Connect events, both in the US and Asia, are being considered for the rest of the year. We also plan to survey our readers to understand how we can better serve our broad and growing readership.
Along with their end-of-year donations, two people asked about the next leader for ChinaSource. This has been the board’s top priority over the past few months and we look forward to being able to provide an answer to this question soon.
Thank you for your interest, prayer, and support as we engage more deeply with the church in China. We trust our efforts will result in greater impact for all those involved with China.
He is faithful,
The ChinaSource Team
Opportunities to Serve
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Donor Relations Manager |
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IT/Salesforce Project Manager |
In 2019 we have several projects to upgrade our Salesforce CRM system. A project manager is needed to oversee these projects. |
To inquire, please contact admin@chinasource.org.
News and Notes
- On December 19, 2018 Joann Pittman was on Faith Radio Mornings with Peter Kapsner discussing Christmas, persecution and everyday life in China. The podcast is available here.
- Joann Pittman provided an orientation program for China-bound students at Taylor University in Upland, IN on January 4 and 5.
- On January 9, Joann Pittman spoke to a youth group at Morrison Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN.
Ways to Pray
- As believers in China continue to face increased pressures and uncertainties, pray for wisdom to see opportunities and to respond with faith and courage.
- Pray for international sending agency leaders who contemplate how to best serve with the church in China with so many new restrictions.
- Pray for the ChinaSource board as they work towards and prepare for a new leader for ChinaSource.
- Pray for discussions with potential volunteers and staff to add to our team in 2019.
In Case You Missed It
A selection of recently published items:
- The Need for Professional Help, ChinaSource Blog, January 16, 2019.
- The Nature of the Church, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), January 15, 2019.
- The Angel of Nanjing: A Film Review, ChinaSource Blog, January 14, 2019.
- China’s Social Credit System: Less Than Meets the Eye? ChinaSource Blog, January 11, 2019.
- When Our Dream Came to a Halt, ChinaSource Blog, January 9, 2019.
- The Boundary between the Church and State, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), January 8, 2019.
- A Teacher Responds, ChinaSource Blog, January 7, 2019.
- Top 10 Posts of 2018, ChinaSource Blog, January 4, 2019.
- When the Dream Comes to a Halt, ChinaSource Blog, January 2, 2019.
- Chinese Church Voices—Top 10 posts of 2018, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), December 31, 2018.
- Sorting Rumor from Fact? Look for the Red Chop, ChinaSource Blog, December 28, 2018.
- Sinicization: China Only for the Chinese, ChinaSource Blog, December 26, 2018.
- A Pair of Socks, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), December 25, 2018.
- 5 Things I Loved about Christmas in China, ChinaSource Blog, December 24, 2018.
- Red Lines, ChinaSource Blog, December 21, 2018.
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Image credit: Red lanterns guide us through the snow, Pingyao, China by Emma Gawen via Flickr.
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