Church History
The Oldest Church in Wuhan
Many of the church structures in China were originally built by missionaries in the 1800s and early 1900s. Some are tucked away in old neighborhoods; others surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers or towering apartment blocks. All of them have interesting stories—like the story of Chongzhen Church of Wuchang.
China’s Missing History
A wealth of scholarship on the history of Chinese Christianity has emanated from Asia during the past 50 years. Yet, although significant work on Christianity’s past is taking place in academic circles—including among mainland scholars—many Christians in China today are largely unaware of the rich history of the gospel in their own nation.
A Century-Old Church in Xingtai
In June China Christian Daily posted an article and photo gallery of 113-year-old church in Xingtai, Hebei Province. Originally built by Presbyterian missionaries from the US, it is now one of the main churches of the city.
A Monument to a Swedish Missionary
The mainland site Gospel Times recently reported on the discovery of a stone monument commemorating the life of a Swedish missionary named Anna Karlsson.
House Church Leader Li Tian’en Dies in Shanghai
On May 5, the mainland news site China Christian Daily reported on the death of Pastor Li Tian’en, one of China’s most famous house church leaders.
Listening to Voices from the Past
Historical Reflections on Christian Missions in China
Voices from the Past: Historical Reflections on Christian Missions in China by Andrew T. Kaiser.
Reviewed by Brent Fulton
8 Things to Know about Wang Mingdao
A new blog in China called iWorship is giving voice to Wang Mingdao, one of the great evangelists and leaders of the Chinese church during the twentieth century. Last week, on our Chinese Church Voices blog, we posted a translation of one of their posts, called “Slow to Speak.” In it, Pastor Wang reminds us of the importance of using our words for God’s glory.
Lessons from the Life of Samuel Pollard
It is easy for the church to lose sight of her purpose in the face of today’s challenges. During a recent commemoration of Samuel Pollard, a missionary whose life dramatically impacted large pockets of southern Yunnan, Pastor Gai of Kunming preached on the nature of the church and the calling we must not lose sight of.
Book Reviews
A New Understanding of the Relationship between Christianity and Chinese Culture
The Missionary's Curse: and Other Tales from a Chinese Catholic Village by Henrietta Harrison.
Harrison recounts the story of Catholicism in a small village in Shanxi, from its initial arrival at the opening of the seventeenth century right up to the present.
“Builders of the Chinese Church”
A Book Recommendation
If you haven’t done so already, I highly recommend reading Builders of the Chinese Church: Pioneer Protestant Missionaries and Chinese Church Leaders, edited by Wright Doyle and Carol Hamrin.