Tag: Discipleship
Reassessing Digital Engagement, Part III
Can some information regarding Jesus, the gospel, and life-with-God be communicated through digital means? Yes, absolutely. But discipleship is the transformation of a person into Christ’s likeness, and the normal, everyday means of that happening is people in vital, real (as opposed to virtual), personal relationships with one another.
Reassessing Digital Engagement, Part I
Lest readers…brand me as a Luddite, I do believe there are good uses to newly developed digital technology, and some of the best uses are for information transfer, some forms of education…and establishing relationships in new geographical contexts where they might otherwise be difficult to find.
A Sacred Space
What is your inner geography and how is the Spirit of God moving in your life? Spiritual companionship may provide a way forward for transformation from the inside out, leading to a lifegiving path upon which all of us are invited to walk.
What Forms Our Narratives (and Our Hearts)
Rather than skirting uncomfortable China conversations, leaning into the narratives by which evangelicals seek to make sense of China and its church can uncover the biases and cultural assumptions standing in the way of a more authentic understanding of what it means to be citizens of God’s kingdom.
Discipleship Distinctives in the Chinese Context
Although disciple making is a universal task with consistent components and principles rooted in scripture, unique discipleship distinctives can be found in every culture. Here are some discipleship distinctives found in the Chinese context.
The Inconvenience of Incarnational Ministry
Yes, we can use WeChat and many other ways to speak Life to our personal networks of image-bearers. But we speak best, truest, and fullest in the flesh.
Discipling Returnees
Returnees need an environment that will help them continue their journey of faith.
Friendship and Discipleship
According to the Institute of International Education, there were 328,547 students from China in colleges and universities throughout the United States in 2016. This includes those enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, and “optional practical training” programs. But it’s not just higher education institutions where Chinese students are found; increasing numbers are now enrolled in high schools. The Institute of International Education reported that in 2013, there were more than 23,000 Chinese students enrolled in secondary schools in the US.
Will China Become Generous?
According to China Daily, one out of every thousand people in China is a multimillionaire. Yet China’s newfound wealth does not yet appear to be translating into greater generosity. In a worldwide survey, the London-based Charities Aid Foundation ranked China last among 140 countries. Could that change?