This month we have the privilege of featuring a first-hand report on the Church in China from Central Church Connections team member and former WorldVenture missionary Grace Pittman. 

There’s a song from Gilbert & Sullivan’s operetta The Pirates of Penzance that goes, “Things are seldom what they seem—skim milk masquerades as cream.” As we follow the news reports on China, this song seems appropriate, especially with regard to the religious scene in China. For the past nine years I have had the privilege of traveling to China to visit my daughter who has lived there for 20 years. It has been amazing to observe the changes that are taking place in the Middle Kingdom. I have watched slow but steady progress being made in all areas of life. Of course, not all “progress” is good, but there are many good things to report.

Changes have been particularly significant in the realm of the Christian church. It saddens me that much of what we hear in the U.S. is the “bad” news. I want to report that GOD AND HIS CHURCH ARE VERY MUCH ALIVE IN CHINA TODAY! Over and over again I am reminded of Christ’s words to Peter in Matthew 16: “…on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not overcome it.” Even a Communist government cannot stop what God wants to do through His church!

During the “bitter years” the church in China had to go underground, but that did not prevent growth. When China began to open up after 50 years, it was discovered that believers had remained strong and determined to live out their faith no matter what. Now, 20 years later, both registered and unregistered churches are seeing incredible growth.

My daughter attends a registered church in Beijing where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached clearly. The church’s four Sunday services are packed, and there are services of various kinds every night of the week. On Thursday nights the church is packed for a youth service. It is thrilling to attend this church and to see that at least 75% of the congregation consists of young people—mostly university students and young business people. These young adults have grown up knowing nothing about church, so they are learning together what it means to “do church.” Jesus Christ is preached without equivocation, worship services are enthusiastic, baptisms are held regularly, and the Lord’s Supper is observed on a monthly basis. The same is happening in the unregistered or “house” churches.

Are there still restrictions on the church in China? Yes. But there is also great joy as Christians young and old meet to worship God together.

If you would like to learn more about the church in China, I recommend two books: Jesus in Beijing by David Aikman, and Back to Jerusalem by Paul Hattaway. And to read more about what it’s like to be a Christian in China these days, visit www.outside-in.typepad.com. 

Most importantly, pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in China, and for the many American Christians teaching in China’s universities. They are seeing amazing results from their ministry.  - Grace

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Short-Term Mission Trips  Planning and executing a successful trip—one that both furthers the host field’s ministry plan and grows team members as global Christians—can be a daunting task. A great resource that addresses STM from start to finish is Trip Stuff: Stuff You Need to Know About Doing Mission Trips in Your Church, compiled by ACMC Great Lakes Regional Director David Mays. The CD contains 229 forms, samples, ideas, policies, procedures, tips, and guidelines that you can adapt and use for your church’s STM program. You can view the table of contents here and purchase the CD for $24 at www.DavidMays.org.

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Living the Resurrection by Eugene Peterson, NavPress 2006
(Reviewed by Bruce MacPherson)

I enjoyed reading Eugene Peterson’s Living the Resurrection, especially in the days leading up to Easter Sunday. Peterson is always fresh and unique, and he deals squarely with some of our society’s current weaknesses.

In this, his latest book, Peterson deals with what he terms “practicing the resurrection.” Chapter One, perhaps the strongest chapter, emphasizes resurrection wonder: people’s unpreparedness, the uselessness of experts (religious leaders), the prominence of marginal people (poor fishermen, formerly demonized Mary Magdalene), how it occurred without publicity, and finally how their fear turned into fear-of-the-Lord. We too, when perplexed, frightened, trembling, puzzled, and disoriented need to turn to the Lord in amazement, love, and trust; we must listen to Him and keep company with Him and His people.

Peterson says that instead of worshipping God, too often we end up “enlisting Him as a trusted and valuable assistant.” We use Him instead of worship Him, which Peterson terms “the germs of idolatry.” Another pitfall is the danger of following Jesus-experts instead of going directly to Jesus. Religious professionalism leads to pride, privilege, rank, and feeling better than others. As we live the resurrection, God calls us to constant repentance (the “no”) and to following the Lord (the “yes”).

A much needed correction in our society is Peterson’s insistence that we once again learn to keep the Sabbath holy as a day of rest, change, reflection, and worship after six days of labor which God also called “good.”

Although I enjoyed this book, I feel Peterson could probably have said all of this in fewer words. I give this devotional a 2 or 3 on a scale of 1-5.

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