Tag: Missions
Resistance to Chinese Missionary Sending and Strategies to Defuse Resistance
Facilitating Sustainable Chinese Missionary Sending in the Present Context
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending. In this article, several of the key sources of resistance to Chinese missionary sending are surveyed and strategies to defuse this resistance are considered.
Peoples of China
Women in China’s Protestant Church and Missions
In both church and mission in China, women make up the majority of workers; however, their contributions and circumstances can sometimes be overlooked. The author looks at how God has used women of bygone days to build his church in China. She discusses three examples of women as well as a trio of women who provided leadership and greatly impacted the development of China’s Protestant faith. She also provides a bibliography for those interested in further study of this topic.
The International Church Role in Chinese Missionary Sending, Part 2
Strategies for Financial Partnership between Chinese and International Mission Senders
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending. The international church seeks to partner with Chinese missionary senders. Finances are one key, but controversial, area of possible collaboration. Funds can become a stumbling block to mission efforts. Discriminating, time-limited use of money to support Chinese missionary sending in the framework of sound principles of financial giving decrease risks of dependency.
Financial Considerations in Chinese Missionary Sending
Sources of Support and Difficulties in Raising Finances
The Chinese church passionately desires participation in missionary sending. A study performed with long-term Chinese missionaries reveals four main current sources of support for Chinese mission activity. Common methods of missionary fund-raising are examined and frequently encountered fund-raising difficulties are reviewed. The Chinese church has difficulty financially supporting mission service and at the current time alternative strategies for Chinese missionary funding are still needed.
Supporting Article
The Expectations of the Chinese Church
China’s churches desire partnerships with overseas entities. However, as the church has become increasingly urban, the nature of those partnerships must change in response to the changes occurring in society and thus, in the church. Overseas organizations must understand these changes and consider carefully how they can best partner with the church in China.
Recent Trends Among Chinese Missionaries Toward Contextualization
The Maturing of a Mission Sending Movement
The Chinese church has a growing passion to participate in missionary sending to unreached peoples. Nevertheless, previous studies have highlighted a lack of cultural awareness and linguistic ability among Chinese missionaries hindering missionary effectiveness. I recently conducted interviews with Chinese missionaries. Data from these interviews suggest that Chinese missionaries are being better trained and becoming increasingly adept at culturally contextualizing the gospel message. This kind of forward progress should be strongly encouraged.
Supporting Article
Working for, in, and with International Agencies
Many indigenous mission agencies have already been born in China; however, most are still in the beginning stages needing nurture, help, and support. Since Mr. Chang has worked with international mission agencies in China, he understands many of the issues faced by these new, indigenous organizations. More recently he, along with key leaders from several churches, got together and started to brainstorm about forming a local mission organization to bring God’s word to minority people groups in China.
Lead Article
The Indigenous Mission Movement from China [1]
A Current Assessment
The traditional definitions of missionary are not adequate for missionaries being sent from China; a new definition is needed due to the unique circumstances involved with those sent from this nation. Following this discussion, the author provides an overview of the current situation surrounding missionaries being sent from China.
Supporting Article
The Indigenous Mission Movement from China [2]
A Historical Review
For more than a century, there have been many indigenous mission movements from China, from Chinese, as well as from Central-coastal China that have experimented with mission endeavors. This article looks briefly at the most important of these undertakings by individuals and by groups.