News from and about China

Christianity Sparks China ’s New Cultural Revolution ( July 15, 2007 , Orlando Sentinel, by Robert L. Moore)
Christianity in China has come a long way since 1870. That was the year that violent Chinese mobs in the city of Tianjin , enraged by rumors that French missionaries were kidnapping babies, massacred every Christian they could get their hands on. In those days, China 's citizenry saw Christianity as a tentacle of Western imperialism, and as such viewed it as a threat to their country's very existence. But the role of Christianity in China today could hardly be more different from what it was then.

While doing research on Chinese society in Beijing this summer, I met a surprisingly large number of recently converted Chinese Christians. And I wasn't the only one aware of the rising tide of Christian conversions. The evidence is undeniable: Despite the government's official doctrine of atheism, its general disapproval of religion, and its occasionally ruthless suppression of those Christian groups that it views as threatening, millions of Chinese are now choosing to convert.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/views/orl-moore1507jul15,0,745276.story

China Sees Activists as Olympic Threat ( July 23, 2007 , AP)
China 's intelligence services are gearing up for next year's Beijing Olympics, gathering information on foreigners who might mount protests and spoil the nation's moment in the spotlight. Government spy agencies and think tanks are compiling lists of potentially troublesome foreign organizations, looking beyond the human rights groups long critical of Beijing , security experts and a consultant familiar with the effort said. They include evangelical Christians eager to end China 's religious restrictions, activists wanting Beijing to use its oil-buying leverage with Sudan to end the strife in Darfur and environmental campaigners angry about global warming.

The effort is among the broadest intelligence-collection drives Beijing has taken against foreign activist groups, often known as non-governmental organizations, or NGOs. It aims to head off protests and other political acts during an Olympics the communist leadership hopes will boost its popularity at home and China 's image abroad. "Demonstrations of all kinds are a concern, including anti-American demonstrations," said the consultant, who works for Beijing 's Olympic organizers and asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to talk to the media. The government, he said, is "trying to find out what kinds of NGOs will come. ... What are their plans?"

While foreign governments often monitor potentially disruptive groups ahead of big events, Beijing this time is ranging farther afield, targeting groups whose activities would be considered legal in most countries. Officials in China 's overseas diplomatic missions are also being tasked to gather information on groups, the consultant said. When The Associated Press reported in May on plans by U.S. and other Christian groups to proselytize at the Olympics, the press officer at China 's U.N. mission contacted the AP seeking more information.

Preachables Volume 86: September 7, 2007
CHINA. When they sat down with a group of deaf acquaintances to eat a meal, the overseas visitors were introduced as followers of God. As a brief discussion in sign language ensued, the visitors were asked if it was their tradition to pray before eating. They acknowledged that it was and asked if they might lead the group in a prayer of thanksgiving. Everyone agreed. When the person praying invoked the name of Jesus, it became clear that one of the deaf men was very confused. Touching the middle finger of each hand to the opposite palm, he duplicated the sign for Jesus to the man seated next to him and asked what it meant. It was a word that he had never before heard or seen. The visitors were excited to be able to tell him in a language that he could understand of the Savior's love.

CHINA. They had only been in China for one year when they had to leave because of their overt witness. It was so hard to understand. The young overseas couple had sensed His leading as they had been preparing to move even closer to the core of the unreached people group, and now it appeared as they would be far away from them. Knowing that it would be a long time before they could return, they cried out to the Lord, questioning how He would allow them to be separated from the very people that He had called them to reach. But as they adjusted to their interim setting, they realized that He had placed them in the very location that they needed to be. Not only were they able to serve in an evangelistic training center targeting the very people group that they had adopted, but they were able to spend long hours in learning the difficult minority language. The wait is now behind them and they are headed back into China, bolstered by the special season of learning that God prepared for them.

CHINA. "Do you mind if I pray for you," she asked the noodle shop owner. "I don't see many customers in your shop. I'm a Christian and God hears my prayers. He never fails to answer." The shop owner readily agreed to allow the American lady to pray for his shop and to also let her tell him and his employees about Christ. Two weeks later he received Christ. When she had asked to pray for him that day, the lady evangelist had no way of knowing that the witness of the shop owner's Christian father-in-law had prepared him for that moment. Likewise, the father-in-law could not have known when he witnessed to the man earlier that God was preparing to send an American woman to draw the net. Since receiving Christ, the shop owner has become very active in telling others about the Savior and hosting house church gatherings. He is following in the footsteps of those who were faithful in witnessing to him.

We Have Moved

Apologies for not posting for the last several months. My wife and I have moved from Little Rock, AR to Arlington, TX. It has taken some time to get settled into our new home. Sandwiched in between unpacking boxes, taking care of a lot of stuff was a music mission trip to Monterrey, Mexico with our church FBC Arlington, and a teaching trip to California. I do promise to be more diligent in posting about missions in the future because there is much good news to be reported. From Asia, to South America, even in the Northeast section of our country, God is doing some great things that need to be celebrated.
Blessings to all who read this blog and send me commments from time to time.