September was a busy month for the ChinaSource team. Our staff team from the USA, Hong Kong and China had a chance to meet face-to-face for two days to plan for the rest of 2018 and through 2019. This was followed by a ChinaSource board meeting which focused on greater engagement with China. With staff and board members in town we hosted a ChinaSource Connect event in Hong Kong on September 28. We were thrilled to see the venue packed with 85 people in attendance.
ChinaSource Connect in Hong Kong with Brent Fulton speaking.
The big change for October will be working without Brent’s daily involvement as he begins his sabbatical. Though it was only announced last month, this is not a sudden change. Discussions between Brent and the board had been going on for several months. In addition, a former board member has joined the team to help manage the transition and focus on strategy and operations. As a team we have been working to prepare for Brent’s sabbatical time, aiming for it to be a blessing for him and Jasmine, while continuing to live out our commitment to be a valuable resource to those involved with China.
As we search for a new leader, we ask our readers and partners to pray with us for God to bring the right person to lead ChinaSource in the coming years. We are a unique ministry and thus the right leader will need to be someone who understands the nuanced role ChinaSource plays in serving as a bridge between the Chinese church and the global church and the opportunities that lie ahead.
During this month we will be preparing for a Missio Nexus webinar on November 1. Recent news tells us that it is a crucial time for Christians in China. This leads to many questions for those outside of China. How should we pray? How should we serve in China’s New Normal? We aim to answer those questions for Missio Nexus members during the webinar.
The two ChinaSource Connect events we have done in the last six months have been our best attended events yet. As we plan for 2019, we are looking at potential locations to do more of these. The key to holding these events is a local host to help with the logistics and a church that can provide meeting space. If you would like to bring a ChinaSource Connect event to your community, email us at [email protected]. We are still in the early stages of filling out the 2019 calendar and would love to include your location in our planning.
The last few months of the year have been an important time for supporters to help ChinaSource financially. During the last three months we have rejoiced to see eight new donors join our team of supporters. Along with their donations have come words of encouragement affirming us that our ministry is indeed making an impact and meeting a very real need. We have also seen an increase in donors shifting to regular monthly giving which helps us greatly in our planning. As of the end of September, we still need US$162,500 to meet our budget for the year. If the work of ChinaSource has been helpful to you, do consider supporting us.
We appreciate your interest, prayer, and support as we engage more deeply with the church in China. We trust our efforts will result in greater impact for all those involved with China.
He is faithful,
Your friends at ChinaSource
News and Notes
- On September 28 the ChinaSource, staff and board, hosted ChinaSource Connect in Hong Kong which was well attended by 85 people.
- Joann Pittman spoke on “A Day in the Life of a Chinese Christian” on Faith Radio on October 2. You can listen in here.
- On October 7 Brent Fulton gave a seminar on “The Changing Church in China: What is the New Normal?” at Island ECC in Hong Kong,
- On October 8, Joann spoke at a women’s luncheon at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis.
Brent Fulton speaking at Island ECC in Hong Kong.
Ways to Pray
- Pray for Brent Fulton as he starts his 10 month sabbatical. May God richly bless this time for Brent and Jasmine.
- Pray for the ChinaSource board search committee as they talk to potential candidates to lead ChinaSource into future engagement and ministry.
- Pray for the preparation and presentation of the Missio Nexus webinar next month on serving and praying in China’s New Normal.
- Pray for the Chinese church as they continue to serve and reach out in the midst of the challenges of the New Normal.
In Case You Missed It
A selection of recently published items:
- A Look in the Mirror, ChinaSource Blog, October 17.
- Responding in a Time of Testing, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), October 16.
- A Tool for Studying the Chinese Bible, ChinaSource Blog, October 15.
- Religion Returning to the Center, ChinaSource Blog, October 12.
- Shaping Christianity in Greater China: A Book Review, ChinaSource Blog, October 10.
- Thoughts on a Current Chinese Film, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), October 9.
- Why Every Returnee Should Read This Book, ChinaSource Blog, October 8.
- 3 Questions: Being Theologically Prepared, ChinaSource Blog, October 5.
- Responding to Restrictions on Children’s Ministry, ChinaSource Blog, October 3.
- Peace and Preparedness, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), October 2.
- Mending the Fractures: Celebrating and Grieving the TCK Story, ChinaSource Blog, October 12.
- 10 Books on Culture and Cultural Adjustment, ChinaSource Blog, September 28.
- Entering a New Season, ChinaSource Blog, September 26.
- How to Pray for and about Marriage, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), September 25.
- Christians United For China, ChinaSource Blog, September 24.
- Having Gone to China, I'm Thankful I Learned . . . , ChinaSource Blog, September 21.
- Ownership and the Church in China: From Boss to Steward, ChinaSource Blog, September 19.
- Regulating the Internet, ChinaSource Blog (CCV), September 18.
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