Posts in Spiritual Formation
Look Up and See the Vastness of the World
Look Up and See the Vastness of the World

When we think of Jesus’s kingdom, power and glory worldwide, we are conditioned to say that we must bury our fathers; say farewell to our families; and see to our business interests. If this is the case, our lives are nothing more than bustling about for personal gain. If we are not excited about the great things Jesus did in distant places and sorrowful about the bondage of our distant and strange relatives, our dreams are no more than a struggle to move to a better ZIP code.

Brothers and sisters, I love you and pray for you, not for food, clothing, nor a peaceful life. I pray that none of you fall into the traps of this life and end up being more pathetic than those of the world. That would be like owning the sky but dying in the mud. We have a Father who rules the universe, but you turn him into a "tribal" and "industry god.”

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Spiritual Formation, Gospel in Chinese CultureWang Yi
Church and Culture: A Gospel that Can be Believed
Church and Culture: A Gospel that Can be Believed

I 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.

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Pastors & the Church, Spiritual FormationHu Yongjie
A Different Testimony in Our City
A Different Testimony in Our City

I long for our church to live out a different testimony here within Xiamen: to follow the command of Christ, to live with a missional mindset, to sincerely care for others—for their lives, but most of all for their relationships with God. I long for the lives of believers to be focused not on attaining houses and money. Instead, may we live with true assurance and eternal hope in the midst of the hardships we face. May the gospel be our way of life, and may we view all things with a holistic, biblical worldview. I hope that the sinners of this city will sense the love and acceptance of the church. I hope that the intellectuals of this city will receive the answers for which they long and that they will be challenged by the truth. I hope that people of all ages and all walks of life will receive, in the church, the care and the help they need—and this includes the government workers who are persecuting the church.

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Gospel in Chinese Culture, Spiritual FormationZhu Min
A Deeper Understanding of Prayer
A Deeper Understanding of Prayer

We need to have a deeper understanding of prayer. We also need practical equipping in how to pray—how to teach prayer, how to practice prayer, how to keep our prayer meetings fresh, and so on…When I first came to faith, for a very long time I had an amazing prayer life. I was moved by the Holy Spirit and received clear guidance from God. But as ministry became busier, prayer became less easy. Prayer gradually became less personal, and more about ministry; less emotional, more rational; less an inner experience, and more an outer practice.

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Prayer, Spiritual FormationZhang Liyan
In the Midst of a Great Storm, Part Two
In the Midst of a Great Storm, Part Two

The night was late, and everyone was tired. It was nearly 2 in the morning, and the police began to look gentle. Finally they were able speak to us with peace of mind and with respect. I think the shock of the scene tonight will stay in their minds for a long time, and I am sure that some of those officers will be converted to the gospel as a result. On that night, I saw real spiritual warfare. I saw the hand of God stirring up the earth, and all of us were caught up in the storm. The officers were angry when they heard the gospel and our hymns. They had a hatred of the truth. Their continual persecution of the church had hardened their hearts and created a fear of God’s judgment.

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Testimonies & Stories, Spiritual FormationBrother Fan
In the Midst of a Great Storm
In the Midst of a Great Storm

If we did not believe that God is in charge of everything we would have been scared out of our wits. My hearts was hidden in God, and in my heart, I could not stop crying out to the Lord. I have already tasted suffering for my faith; the road ahead was not unknown. Interrogation and detention are somewhat familiar processes to me; but that preparation of my heart and my mind was a new process, a process of life renewal led by God.

Do I really believe that God is in charge? Am I really living for him? How can I face my own suffering and the suffering of everyone else? The situation is getting worse for us—but this is an opportunity for faith. Indeed, it is because of the filth of the human heart and the corruption of the world that I have come to assent to and trust in the gospel!

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Testimonies & Stories, Spiritual FormationBrother Fan
The Gospel, Advancing Toward Jail: A Letter from One Preparing for Prison
The Gospel, Advancing Toward Jail: A Letter from One Preparing for Prison

Now Elder Zhou has been charged with “criminal fraud,” and I cannot be ashamed for what they bring against me. If it is not fraud for a teacher to be paid a salary, how can it be fraud for a pastor to receive the free offerings of brothers and sisters?…Elder Zhou was a former provincial official. He left all this behind, willingly taking up his cross to follow the Lord. His testimony either shows the honor of his Lord, Jesus the Son of God; or it shows that he (and all of us) are crazy, sick, and stupid. If Jesus is not more honorable, then we ought to be imprisoned, locked up in an insane asylum for being part of a madhouse operation!

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Theology & Sermons, Spiritual Formation王建国 Wang Jianguo
The Voice of Chinese Sisters: “Prayer Gave Me the Opportunity to Go on an Adventurous Journey with God”
The Voice of Chinese Sisters: “Prayer Gave Me the Opportunity to Go on an Adventurous Journey with God”

The Lord helped me put what I learned into practice when I was detained for thirty days… During the first three days that I spent at the detention center, I had high hopes that God would deliver me and that I would be able to leave after a few days. But when I finally received a note that said that I would at least be detained for a month, I made my peace…Praying the Lord’s Prayer really helped me recognize who I was and what God’s will for me was in placing me in that situation.

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Women, Spiritual Formation王建国 Wang Jianguo
Parenting as Discipleship, Part 2: God Uses Our Parenting to Ask Us to Reflect on Our Heart
Parenting as Discipleship, Part 2: God Uses Our Parenting to Ask Us to Reflect on Our Heart

Because of the importance of having face—wanting to present themselves in the best way—a lot of times they focus on what is happening on the outside, but miss the heart. That is a big gap we see. They parent their kids the way they were taught as a child. Chinese emphasize doing good for others in order to maintain relationships, and the goal of personal duty is to achieve good in community. There is a heavy emphasis on personal behavior and sacrifice. We also grew up in the teaching that if we did not do well outwardly, we would be punished. These values affect the understanding of the connection between God and themselves when they become Christians. They understand God in a very legalistic way: “I have to do this; if I don’t, God will punish me.” Although their theology tells them otherwise, they live their lives focusing, not on God’s grace, but on that they did something wrong. “God is punishing me, that is why I lost my job. This is happening because I am not doing well and I’m not pleasing God.” We are indoctrinated into that way of living.

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Spiritual Formation, Gospel in Chinese CultureChina Partnership
Parenting as Discipleship, Part 1: Address Both the Heart and the Behaviors
Parenting as Discipleship, Part 1: Address Both the Heart and the Behaviors

When kids engage in sinful behaviors, we need to address both the heart and the behaviors. We do this by helping them understand the problems of their behavior, the connection between their hearts and their behavior, how the behaviors reveal their relationship with God, correcting them, and inviting them to rebuild their relationship with God. Discipline (this is not the same thing as spanking) is also used, not as a means of punishment, but to help the children to realize their sinful actions break down their relationships with both men and God. Consequences that fit the crime are given to help the children remember the effects of sin. However, the conversation needs to continue, to help the children realize the cross is much bigger and covers their sin. Parents need to help children to realize there is hope after admitting their sin, and our merciful, patient, loving Father invites them to go back to him. Discipline of sinful behaviors is not the final solution—inviting them to rebuild a relationship with God is.

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Gospel in Chinese Culture, Spiritual FormationChina Partnership