Cross-Cultural

Blog Entries

“I Always Knew He Was There”

Discovering Faith Across Cultures

Right then and there, in our apartment, [two Chinese friends] made the decision to follow Jesus. Something he said that evening has stayed with me for the past 25 years. He stated, “I always knew he was there. I just didn’t know his name.”

Blog Entries

Just Listen

“If the… global body of Christ can be there and say, ‘We are together here with you. I have my struggles, and you have your struggles, but we are together, praying to God together and seeking his guidance and help together,’…that can be very comforting and can be an encouragement.”

Blog Entries

Crossing Cultures: Ethnocentric Conversion

The Apostle Peter’s ethnocentric conversion exploded into fullness through an unanticipated personal interaction with Cornelius, a gentile military officer who lived out his fear of God in household leadership, generosity, and constant prayer (Acts 10:1–2).

Blog Entries

Crossing Cultures: Table Manners

Ministering cross-culturally is critical for fruitful missionary engagement. As the Chinese missionary movement matures and expands and goes where no man or woman of the gospel has gone before, cross-cultural ministry praxis will become increasingly critical.

Blog Entries

How Should We Care for Orphans in China?

Adoption—a foundational metaphor of the Christian faith and a challenging topic in the world, especially when intertwined with China’s one-child policy era, international complications, and issues of identity for adoptees. In this collection from the archives, we’ve pulled together reflections, book reviews, and analysis to open up our perspective on adoption from China.

Blog Entries

A Journey of Captivation and Identity

Andy and Sandy's life-altering journey began with adopting a baby girl from China. Unbeknownst to them, this moment would shape their family's identity, guiding them on a path of cultural exploration. Over time, they welcomed more children into their family, each with a unique bond to Chinese culture. Through deliberate efforts, they cultivated a profound Chinese American identity. Today, as their children have matured, they reflect on how memories, experiences, relationships, and values have molded their identity.

Blog Entries

The Chinese Church Does Missions (2) Beyond China

ChinaSource Summer School Session 5

For the fifth and last session of summer school, we’re following Chinese cross-cultural workers as they seek to fulfill the great commission. We’re also sitting at the feet of several missiologists as they discuss and debate the challenges facing the Chinese church as it sends its people out.

Blog Entries

Are You in Conflict?

As Christians in China study biblical peacemaking, many have had personal aha moments…they now see that conflict starts in the heart and that avoiding addressing the root heart issues in order to “avoid conflict,” only results in the heart conflict remaining.

Blog Entries

Missiological Reflections on Money

Questions of money—supporting Chinese Christian workers, paying local assistants, giving gifts to “needy” Chinese—return like revolving doors as often as new expat Christians arrive in China.

Blog Entries

A Necessary Task

A Reader Responds to “When the ‘Golden Age’ Is Over”

As the number of expatriate cross-cultural workers in China, and the scale of their work, has shrunk dramatically, it is vital that we take time to reflect on what we have done and how we have done it.