Chinese Church Voices on Relationships
Does Christian Faith Affect Parenting?
An associate researcher in sociology asked the question, “Does Christian Faith Affect the Way of Parenting?" This article from the Christian Times discusses his findings.
“Forced Marriage” and Spring Festival
A Christian Film Maker Explores the Pressure on Young People
An interview with Christian film maker Geng Haiying about his recently released documentary highlighting the problem of “forced marriages” in Chinese society today.
Encouragement for Those Contemplating Post-Virus Divorce
China has seen an increase in divorces following the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article the author describes why some of these marriage problems occur, and gives marriage counsel for couples.
Pastoral Advice for Life’s Dilemmas
After dating my boyfriend for a little while, I’ve slowly realized he isn’t my kind of person. But, because we are both members of Christ’s body, I find it too awkward to initiate a breakup. . . .What should I do?
Leaving Parents
In a culture that values filial piety, how do Christian couples live out the Biblical teaching that “a man shall leave his father and his mother.” Does it simply refer to geographical leaving, or does it also encompass emotional and psychological leaving? It is a common and difficult question that many Christians face. In the following translated article, originally published on the public WeChat account of Green Olive Books, the authors put forth their understanding of what this means in a Chinese context, arguing that “leaving” is a prerequisite to a happy marriage.
A Christian Lawyer Discusses China’s New Domestic Violence Law
An Interview
In March China introduced its first-ever comprehensive domestic violence law. While celebrated as an important step toward the protection of women and children (and, occasionally men experiencing abuse) the law also raises a number of questions within the Christian community. Here lawyer and Christ-follower Cheng Pangzhi wrestles through these issues, ultimately offering hope for reconciliation of families and a call to make use of the new law in order to protect victims of violence.
I Will Go with You
The following is a translation of an excerpt from a wedding sermon preached by Pastor Wang Yi of Early Rain Reformed Church in Chengdu. In it, he exhorts the couple to remember that they are not entering into this marriage alone, that God is going before them and with them.
When Your Phone Becomes a Substitute for True Relationships
What would lead an 18-year-old boy from a top class to stab his teacher and show no remorse? In this interview transcript, originally published on the mainland blog Territory, host Wenjun speaks with Jiang Peirong, a Taiwanese psychologist and Christian, about what might have led to this shocking event.
Waiting Is Better Than Trying to Jump over a Wall
Depending on the statistics you find, roughly 70% of the church in China is female. This leaves an obvious problem: In a nation where such a small percentage of males are Christian, where does this leave the young, unmarried Chinese woman? Aside from the obvious question of whether or not to marry an unbeliever, there are questions much more subtle and often overlooked regarding how one should see this issue in light of their walk with God. In this revealing article, published in the online magazine Territory, one millennial shares how a broken relationship led to a revelation of something much deeper that was amiss in her own life, and how things began to change once her eyes were opened.
Marriage, a Child, or Both?
When a child is born in China, the parents must register him/her and obtain a hukou (household registration certificate). When a couple recently went to register their child, they were told that, since they were not married, they would have to pay a 40,000 yuan “social maintenance fee.” Not having that amount of money, they launched a crowd-funding campaign to raise money to pay the fee. Their story garnered a lot of attention and prompted discussion on social media. It was even covered by The New York Times.