During the years our family lived in Hong Kong we fell in love with the game of rugby. Our son Aaron played for his school and on a select Hong Kong team. I’ll never forget the night when Aaron’s team played against a well-known high school team from New Zealand. The match was one sided as the New Zealanders crushed our beloved Hong Kongers. Afterwards, I asked Aaron how he felt. He replied, “Lucky to be alive!”
An Increasingly Important Role
Of course, rugby excellence is but one of many New Zealand distinctives. In the latest issue of the ChinaSource Quarterly, “The Chinese Diaspora in New Zealand,” guest editor Peter Anderson puts it this way:
New Zealand may be a small nation, but it packs a punch nevertheless—and not just on the rugby field or in terms of agricultural fruitfulness or its extreme natural beauty. New Zealand is increasingly a multi-cultural society with immigrants from all over the globe, the largest numbers being from Asia. Asians (about half of whom are Chinese) now make up 15.3% of the population. Chinese (from places such as Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China) are playing an increasingly important role in both society and in the church.
The nine articles comprising the Quarterly detail how the Chinese diaspora in New Zealand and the Pacific came to be, while laying out a great vision for the future, including “Reaching the Second Generation”—the children of Chinese immigrants—as well as the “Neglected Kinsman in the Pacific Islands.” Along the way we are treated to a powerful history of the New Zealanders early mission work, “’Kiwis’ in the Middle Kingdom,” as well as the book review, “Exploring New Zealand’s Rich Christian Heritage,” and much more. Every article in the Quarterly is riveting and I hope you can set aside some time to dive in and reflect, as there is much here to learn and apply in our own settings.
A New Season—Some Key Questions
In a subsequent, related post, “Loving China from Overseas,” Dr. Zhao Xiao reports:
Chinese pastors in New Zealand realized that a new season was coming and for this reason, they all shared the vision of New Zealand standing up and praying for New Zealand, for other countries, and especially for China.
It is estimated that 70% of all Christians in China are aged 40 or above. So, key questions include: Who from the global evangelical church is going to engage and partner with the church in China to reach the next generation? Also, how will we partner together for the fulfillment of the great commission worldwide?
As Dr. Zhao writes, “…before China can make a big impact for missions in other nations, the church in other nations must first stand together with the Chinese church to promote China’s revival and transformation.”
Clearly, the Chinese diaspora in New Zealand is following God’s call to be a vital part of the global advancement of the gospel. By God’s grace, let’s follow their lead and partner together!
Kerry Schottelkorb
President
News and Notes
ChinaSource Quarterly, 2022 Summer Issue
The Chinese Diaspora in New Zealand, guest editor, Peter Anderson
In the latest issue of ChinaSource Quarterly, readers take a trip “down under” to look at the history and current impact of the Chinese diaspora in New Zealand. In, “An Overview of the History of Chinese Christian Communities in New Zealand,” Rev. Dr. Stuart Vogel, highlights a number of powerful stories about the role the gospel has played in the Chinese immigrant community in New Zealand. We turn to the present in Rev. Zhou Bin’s article “Chinese Churches in New Zealand Today.” The children of immigrants often have special challenges, and pastors William H. C. and E. Ting Wong address them sensitively in “Reaching the Second Generation.” Joseph Fung takes a look at the history and current status of churches in other island nations in the region in his piece “Neglected Kinsmen in the Pacific Islands.” Returned “Kiwi” missionaries from China helped shape attitudes to Chinese immigrants, and we get to take a deep dive into that history in Dr. Sylvia Yuan’s article, “‘Kiwis’ in the Middle Kingdom.” In his testimony, John Zhou, who immigrated to New Zealand as a young man, gives readers a look at how God became truly personal and intimate in his life. Guest editor Peter Anderson reviews Keith Newman’s book Bible & Treaty: Missionaries among the Māori—A New Perspective.
Don’t miss this fascinating issue of the ChinaSource Quarterly. Go to “The Chinese Diaspora in New Zealand” to download and read it.
ChinaSource Team News
- ChinaSource hosted the webinar Where Are the Churches in China? And Why? on June 16. Dr. Fenggang Yang greatly encouraged and informed us as he spoke about the geographical patterns of church development in China. We had 597 friends registered from 20 countries across the world, including 32 states in the US, and 4 provinces in Canada. ChinaSource hosted this event as part of the joint lecture series with the USCCA and CAC. A recording of the webinar will be available later.
- Brent Fulton spoke on June 14 about Xi Jinping’s COVID-19 Policy and its effect on the church in China to the Asian-based team of an international organization that aids the suffering church worldwide.
- On June 3 and 4, Brent Fulton gave lectures on Sino-US relations and on Chinese religious policy since 1950 as part of the Chinese Worldview Seminar, sponsored by ERRChina’s China Academic Consortium.
- Joann Pittman is facilitating a three-segment book club on Wild Swans this summer for ERRChina. The group has already met and discussed chapters 1–10 and welcomes others to join the discussion of chapters 11–20 on Wednesday, July 20 at 8PM US CDT. The group will meet to discuss the final chapters sometime in August. If you are interested in joining this book club, select “join the online book club” on the ERRChina website or email Joann at events@chinasource.org.
Ways to Pray
From the ChinaSource Team
- Rejoice with us for God’s blessings on the ChinaSource board of directors meetings which took place June 13–14. Key decisions were made in a spirit of unity and faith in Christ.
- Praise for the very encouraging and informative webinar, Where are the Churches in China? And Why? with Dr. Fenggang Yang.
- Pray for God’s hand to be on the ChinaSource team and ministry in the summer months. Pray that we will know the peace and joy of our God, in service to him and his church in China and around the world.
- Pray that God will raise up an increasing number of praying networks for his church in China.
- Pray that despite major obstacles the church in China will continue to be linked together with the global church, unified in Christ, his word and in service to him.
From the 2022 Summer Issue of ChinaSource Quarterly
- Praise the Lord for the vision God has given the Chinese church in New Zealand to reach the growing population of immigrants to their country, the diaspora in the Pacific Islands, and to partner together to reach the nations.
- Pray for the churches in New Zealand, both Chinese- and English-speaking, with Chinese members. Ask God that every church will find ways to meet the spiritual needs of all those who attend.
- Lift up second-generation Chinese young people and the pastors who work with them and pray that they may find their identity in Christ.
- Pray for ministry among the Chinese in the Pacific Islands.
- Ask God that ethnic Chinese believers in New Zealand will develop deep, solid relationships with Jesus Christ.
- Pray for God’s wisdom for the Chinese churches in New Zealand as they sense God calling them to play their part in world missions.
In Case You Missed It
A selection of recently published items:
- A Pastor’s Vision for Small Groups, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), June 21.
- Sober Optimism, ChinaSource Blog, June 20.
- Our Books for the Summer of 2022, ChinaSource Blog, June 17.
- Can My Church and I Really Impact the People of China?, ChinaSource Blog, June 15.
- “Lying Flat” for Those Who Follow Jesus, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), June 14.
- Sharing the Good News with Hui, ChinaSource Blog, June 13.
- The Chinese Diaspora in New Zealand and the Gospel, ChinaSource Blog, June 10.
- Skills No Longer Needed, ChinaSource Blog, June 08.
- The Faith of One Who Grew up at Peking University, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), June 07.
- How Are Your TCKs Doing?, ChinaSource Blog, June 06.
- FieldPartner Helps Workers and Sending Churches to Cross Cultures, ChinaSource Blog, June 03.
- Book Review: Faith in the Wilderness, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), June 01.
- Hui Disciples of Jesus, ChinaSource Blog, May 30.
- Free Webinar: Where Are the Churches in China? And Why?, ChinaSource Blog, May 27.
- Nothing New under the Sun, ChinaSource Blog, May 25.
- Learning from a Grain of Wheat, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), May 24.
- Essential Information for Understanding: Eurasian Crossroads—A Book Review, ChinaSource Blog, May 23.
- Partnerships: “Cooperate and Graduate”, ChinaSource Blog, May 20.
Image credit: Diane Picchiottino via UnSplash
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