Blog — China Partnership

When, through suffering, we are drawn to rely entirely on the Lord, relinquishing the customary props and seeking the strength for life and ministry in the Lord alone, then the Lord finds us vessels fit for an infilling of his limitless power, equipping us to minister the riches of Jesus Christ fruitfully in our world. The people the Lord uses most for his glory are often the people who endure the most hardship. It was the case for Paul, whose suffering rendered him weakest of all (2 Corinthians 11:29). It was the case for Jesus, who was made perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10). And it will be the case for other fruitful ministers of the Lord (2 Timothy 3:12).

Spiritual FormationTim SavageNovember 17, 2016

The Reason for Christian Suffering

What ought to surprise us is that there are Christians anywhere who can actually escape persecution, if not bodily injury, then at least social ostracism. Remarkably, some Christians – perhaps especially Christians in the West – customarily express relief that they are not called to endure much affliction, protected as they are by governments tolerant of Christianity. But as we have seen, indeed as Jesus himself has warned, any self-centered culture will thumb its nose and worse at those regarded as a mortal threat to its pursuit of self-seeking desires. Is it possible that Christians today have cleverly moderated their allegiance to God in ways that cause their world to take little offense? Have Christians today become chameleons, adeptly changing their colors, so that they blend in with their milieu? If so, what is lost is greater than what is gained.

Spiritual FormationTim SavageNovember 9, 2016

The Throne Where God is Sitting, Part 3 - Jesus Christ Is Among Us

Others looked down on him, but he said it didn't matter and it was enough that God respected him. Others misunderstood him, but he said it was enough that God knew him. Someone asked, “Why if you are a preacher don’t you preach?” It doesn't matter, God knows! I was really shocked by such a God-centered person. He lay down everything, and he was not married during his whole life, and he did these things silently. But I see the glory of Jesus Christ, the image of the slain Lamb, because he who worships God has the same character as God. He has the Lord’s image. It is beautiful.

Spiritual Formation, Testimonies & Stories王建国 Wang JianguoNovember 3, 2016

The Throne Where God Is Sitting, Part 2 – Grace Is the Personal God

Brothers and sisters, grace is not self-centered, but it is the personal God. We see that the personal God becomes the deepest bottom line in our lives. So when my aunt encountered any persecution, she might be nervous, but nothing can take away joy. John Piper has a book named God Is the Gospel. The nature of God – his glory, righteousness, and holiness – is the gospel. And all discipline from God is also the gospel. God’s discipline of, training of us, and eventual taking of us to the renewed country, these are the grace of God. So it is the Lord who helps us to return to God, and we also know that the growth of our lives is inseparable from Jesus Christ, and inseparable from the justice and mercy of Christ.

Spiritual Formation, Testimonies & Stories王建国 Wang JianguoOctober 27, 2016

The Throne Where God Is Sitting, Part 1 – The Lion and the Lamb

This is really the best and most beautiful description of Jesus Christ. He had all authority between heaven and earth, but he was totally obedient to the Lord of heaven and earth, the Father's will. He was killed to reveal that he is God's justice also God's love. His passion was considered most unworthy, but only his passion brings him real honor. The cross manifests that he is lamb and lion, and also manifests the holiness of Christ. The cross shows his greatest love for God, but also shows his greatest love for the enemy. On the cross, the enemy seems to win, the devil seems to win, and the sin seems to win, but it is the Lion who wins. He has infinite justice and infinite mercy, and he has unlimited sublimity, and infinite condescension. The Lord we know is much greater than we experience today and beyond our imagination.

Spiritual Formation王建国 Wang JianguoOctober 20, 2016

Transparent Environments – The Spiritual Joy and Fruit of Communal Living

Communal living allows us to openly share the Christian spiritual life with others; or rather, it provides a transparent environment for others to see the Christian lifestyle and heart. In close community, God gives us ample opportunities to talk about our relationship with God and our understanding of God through prayer, scripture reading, memorizing scripture, and the application of scripture to our life circumstances. Sharing our struggles and our goals with a non-Christian shows that our faith is not only one that is spoken with the mouth, but it is practiced and wrestled through daily.

Spiritual Formation, Testimonies & StoriesLydia RomaninSeptember 29, 2016

1 Way to Pray for China this Week

This week, take a glimpse into the prayers on the hearts of Chinese church leaders. The following comes from a regular prayer newsletter sent out by a church network. It opens with scripture and closes with the needs of those in the network. Use it as a guide to pray along with these Chinese Christians – and be encouraged that they are praying for you at the same time.

Spiritual FormationChina PartnershipSeptember 28, 2016

Time with a Living Legacy of the Chinese Church – Prayers for China Today

Recently when the crosses were coming down, I was thinking that these actions would show everyone in the world that in China, religion is not free. Maybe in the previous few years, few people prayed; but more and more people begin to pray for China when persecution happens. It is probably one of the motivating forces for the Chinese church. So when all the hearts begin to pray for China globally, that will bring new revival to Chinese churches.

Spiritual Formation, Testimonies & StoriesChina PartnershipSeptember 15, 2016

Old Selves - Learning to Love Family Members Who Have not Yet Changed

One night M and Ayi came back from their evening stroll and M immediately came up the stairs to excitedly tell me, “I just had a really good conversation with my mom!” I felt privileged to share in M’s excitement about her mom’s change of heart toward God throughout the summer. M shared that her mom was starting to tell her own friends to go to church and that learning more about Jesus is important. This was a huge change from the beginning of the summer when Ayi said she would only start considering God and Jesus after she got a little older.

Spiritual Formation, Testimonies & StoriesLydia RomaninAugust 25, 2016

1 Way to Pray for China This Week

CP leadership started observing this prayer time shortly after meeting people from C2C, and the movement is quickly catching on in China. We’ve heard that many networks have started sharing the invitation across their regions, asking people to pray at 10:02. Recently, they even appointed someone to head up the initiative in China, sharing prayer requests across regions.

Spiritual FormationChina PartnershipAugust 23, 2016

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