Where Did Eastern Lightning’s Leaders Come From?
Section two of "Where Did Eastern Lightning Come From?"
Ideas
Editorial reflection and analysis on issues shaping Chinese Christianity.
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Reflections on China 2014: Two Ships – Different Directions
This is my third blog reflecting back on six days I spent in China recently with Brent Fulton where we met with pastors, seminary leaders and academics in Shanghai and Beijing. I shared in the first blog about my amazement at the growth of the church and the window that seems to be opening for the gospel, and in my second I raised concerns about the environmental disaster that is overtaking China and the key role of the church in calling people to care for God's creation.
Brief Look at Some of Eastern Lightning’s False Teachings
Section four of "Where Did Eastern Lightening Come From." This section looks at some of the teachings of Eastern Lightening.
Does China Need More Leadership Training?
Last week I had two meetings in as many days regarding two proposed leadership training efforts aimed at Christians in China. Both were well thought through and grew out of decades of China experience.
Are Most Chinese Really Atheists?
It's an interesting question, and, as the saying goes, "it depends on what the meaning of the word 'atheist' is."
Reflections on China 2014: The Growing Environmental Crisis
This is my second blog reflecting back on six days I spent in China recently with Brent Fulton where we met with pastors, seminary leaders and academics in Shanghai and Beijing. I shared in the first blog about my amazement at the growth of the church and the window that seems to be opening for the gospel.
Seeking Asian Values
In 1997 when China regained sovereignty over Hong Kong and the people of Hong Kong were grappling with what it meant to be Chinese of China, conversations often referred to Asian values. For over a hundred years, Hong Kong had been ruled and influenced by Western values, some referred to them as Christian values. Now that Hong Kong was no longer part of the United Kingdom, the question was how do the people of Hong Kong identify themselves? What values do they hold? Frequently the answer involved articulating Asian values in some way. Often Buddhism was highlighted; other times Confucianism was mentioned as a source for moral guidance.
Reflections on China, 2014
I am back from six days in China where I traveled with Brent Fulton and met with pastors, seminary leaders and academics in Shanghai and Beijing. I preached twice at Beijing International Christian Fellowship and we also held our ChinaSource Board meeting in Beijing. It was a busy and fulfilling week. I have been asked to share a few highlights and reflections of my time.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Chinese?
Since I've been in China for 28 years, and speak Chinese reasonably well, I am often asked two questions (by foreigners), neither of which have easy answers.
A Brief Look at Filial Piety, Indebtedness, and the Gospel in the Chinese Context
Filial piety has long been part and parcel of Chinese culture.
To Conquer Characters, Rethink Radicals
When I began learning Chinese at age twenty-one, I was encouraged to discover that every character has a "radical", a component which communicates meaning. Characters containing the "three dots", for example, denote something to do with water. River and lake , wash and rinse , and sweat and tears all contain the water radical on the left.
Being Salt and Light Among the Disabled in China
James Palmer, a Beijing-based journalist has penned an excellent, yet disturbing, piece about the disabled in China, titled "Crippling Injustice." "Disabled people in modern China," he writes, "are still stigmatised, marginalised and abused." "What hope is there for reform?"