Through their blows, the persecutors and the persecuted came to know one another. This is an important gain for both of us, as we continue to walk through persecution. This is what it means when we Chinese say: “Out of blows, knowledge grows!”
There will always be conflicts for people who grow up in a traditional Chinese education, because a Chinese education is an atheistic education. But I never doubted the existence of God. The existence of God was as natural to me as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. It was as natural to me as getting up in the morning.
I am a subversive patriot because, despite the progress we have made as a nation, America is not my best hope for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." My ultimate allegiance is to a King who gave up his own life, liberty, and happiness to redeem us from the tyranny of sin.
We believe this is the mission entrusted to the church in the Bible: to multiply and expand the church in order to increase the number of people who have heard the gospel, to build up the body of Christ, and ultimately to exalt and glorify God’s name…I want to share with you today five reasons why I encourage you to go to the new church, and explain to you why joining the new church is a godly decision.
Read MoreWe all face the same challenges, at different levels. This is not something that is happening, but something that is looming and could happen. This is the perfect time for discipleship, for growth, and for learning. Dependence is the perfect time to live out the reality of the early church: which king is the true king? What matters most? What is true life? We definitely do not have the freedom we enjoyed two or three years ago. That time is over. In this new reality, God will do things. I think it’s an even better situation.
Read MoreHow can church leaders daily and faithfully live in the reality of resurrection and ascension? By prayer; by our walk with Christ; by our dependency. We must be always wondering what the Lord is going to do through us and in us.
Before Stephen died, he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Lord as a king figure. Stephen was at that moment on trial before the council of Jerusalem, the highest worldly authority. But meanwhile, there was another reality. This vision of Jesus ascended, reigning, and continuously praying for them was so real. We deeply desire a life that is led by this power to lead the church. Only by this power can we face persecution and be willing to give our life for Christ. We cannot do this for some heroic personal fantasy or desire; we must be as Stephen, humbly serving the Lord. That is something we want to build in these leaders.
Read MoreThere is only one unlimited Person in the universe; it’s the Lord. I have limits that God, in his sovereignty, has placed on me that I will never move beyond. Trying to work beyond your limits is spiritually unhealthy and will not produce good fruit. You can’t let the pressures of expectations or the volume of work cause you to act like you don’t have limits…Every time you accept something new, you have to ask: “What will I not do in order to do this?” If you are already busy and you add something new, there is something you will not be able to do. I don’t think pastors ask that question—they just think that somehow they’ll get more time and ability.
Read MorePastor Hu Yongjie: Most Chinese pastors are solo ministers. Isolation and loneliness is very common. We know it's unhealthy. Do you have any suggestions as to how to break through this situation?
Paul Tripp: No pastor lives up, above, or outside of the body of Christ. Christ is the head of his body; everything else is just body. A pastor is a man in the middle of his own sanctification. He needs the ministry of the body of Christ. You have to break down that wall of separation and be self-disclosing enough that people understand you need their comfort, encouragement, and insight as much as anybody else…No pastor is a grace graduate. All the graces that God has designed to come to the body of Christ, you need as well. You have to change the culture and the way people think about you so you can receive the ministry that your soul needs.
Read MoreIn the city, it is still difficult for Christians to share their faith. Many difficulties come from believers who are not equipped, and are therefore afraid. Actually, Christians can share their experiences, lead the topic to Christ, and then live out their love. If they are not too results-oriented, this will not be a big deal. They must face their own weaknesses and fears of how others see them, and they need courage in situations when it is difficult to lead conversations to the gospel core. In short, believers need more practice. Christians are often afraid to share the gospel or just want people to come to church, but we encourage them to find ways to bring up gospel topics themselves.
Read MoreAfter I started full-time ministry, I encountered a big problem. I assumed that serving the church and serving my family were the same. During my most intense period of serving the church, I spent all my heart, mind, and focus on my ministry. I took my family for granted. I thought they should completely support me, regardless of the cost. I thought that, if you really wanted to make something happen, someone had to sacrifice. I wanted my church community to experience peace and genuine relationships, so I sacrificed my own family.
Read MoreI am not only familiar with the geography and history of Shanghai, but I also love and am familiar with the culture of the city. This is not because of my own personal preference, but because I believe this to be the prerequisite and foundation for any church planter. When Paul arrived in Athens, he spent much time in the synagogues, (i.e. the city’s religious circles) in the marketplaces (the workplaces of Athens), and in the Epicurean and Stoic schools (the academia of the day). He got to know these places and learned about the idols of the city. This prepared him to preach the sermon which convinced even the magistrates in the Areopagus. We cannot point out cultural idols and preach a gospel which can be understood and believed if we do not enter into and understand the culture of the city.
Read MoreMarriages, whether healthy or failing, show our faithfulness to our covenantal promises or our complete disregard of them. Tracing God’s promises through redemptive history, we discover a story about small families, great families, and big institutions like nations or the church. Whatever we see within the church is related to the relationships between family units and the church. Problems and blessings can both be traced to our relationship to God’s kingdom.
Read MoreHouse church Christians in China face many challenges in their daily faith journey. Dilemmas arise from broader societal issues, such as cultural incongruence and a pervasive spiritual vacuum, as well as issues specific to the house church identity, centered around a posture of resistance. Both these areas need to be addressed; all create powerful disorienting features. These challenges also present an opportunity for house church Christians to learn, grow, and be transformed. Theological education in the house church context must factor in these contextual elements, encourage students to theologize within their communities, and find biblical solutions.
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