Stories

Firsthand accounts of faith lived out in the context of Chinese Christianity.

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Pastoral Advice During Chinese Valentine’s Day

On August 28, Chinese celebrated “Qixi,” also known as “Chinese Valentine’s Day." The holiday is based on a mythological Chinese folk story about a goddess who falls in love with a cowherder. Legend has it that prayers offered to the goddess on this day will bring blessings and wisdom.

The holiday has grown in popularity in recent years, sparking more discussion online about if and how Christians should celebrate the holiday. In this article, Chen Fengsheng, a Three-Self pastor in Wenzhou, provides Christians with pastoral advice regarding Qixi.

Flying against the Wind

Nestled in a spring-fed valley in the desert northeast of Los Angeles, St. Andrew’s Abbey is a long way from its roots in Chengdu. The only living link that remains is Brother Peter Zhou Bangjiu, a 91-year-old Sichuan native who rejoined the abbey in 1985 following his release from a Chinese labor camp.

How to Minister to Seniors (2)

The journal ChurchChina published an article earlier this summer on how Chinese Christians can care for and minister to the increasing senior population in China. Last week we published part one of a translation of that article in which the author describes her ministry to the elderly in a senior center. This week we publish part two which includes helpful recommendations for serving seniors.

My Private Space

In my twenty years in China I have had the privilege of being both a hostess and a guest. I count these times as priceless moments of learning and joy. The gift of hospitality—friendly, welcoming, and generous treatment offered to guests—is still ready and waiting to be opened. 

How to Minister to Seniors (1)

In this article from the journal ChurchChina, the author gives an example of how Chinese Christians can care for and minister to the senior population. She describes her own ministry to the elderly in senior centers, as well as makes useful recommendations for how to minister to seniors. This is part one of an article being reposted in three-parts.

Coming Alongside

Elements of the Chinese church are passionate about participating in the great commission. There is a freshness, an enthusiasm, an excitement about taking the gospel of Christ to unreached parts of the world. To what extent should the international church, an older, more experienced church, undergird these efforts? Come alongside in a supportive role?

Too Quickly to Be Astonished

Surveying China’s extraordinary rise over the past decade, Graham Allison, in his book Destined for War, paraphrases former Czech President Vaclav Havel when he says, “It has happened so quickly, we have not yet had time to be astonished.”

What Does “Ju” Mean?

When I was living in China, newcomers, especially those who had been around for a few weeks or months and had started to pick up some new words and phrases, would often ask me, “what does ju (or some other word) mean?”

Why China Needs a Higher Righteousness

In June, video footage of a tragic traffic accident surfaced online, once again prompting questions of morality in Chinese society by Chinese netizens. The incident occurred on April 21 in Zhumadian, Henan province. The video shows a woman who was blindsided by one car while crossing the street and left there by pedestrians. Several people and several cars pass through the intersection without stopping to help. Sadly, the woman is struck again by another car and killed. In this article from the journal Territory, Pastor An analyzes the incident and comments that a cold wave of self-righteousness has swept through Chinese society and says, “what we need is a higher righteousness” to counter this wave of self-righteousness.