The Word Over the Sword: Thy Kingdom Come
Paul was bound for the sake of Christ, not because of the trickery of the Jewish people or the religious policies of Rome. In the face of the sword’s power, Paul focused on the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one on whom Israel was counting. When the church faces the power of the sword, she must also focus only on the Savior.
A Clash of Swords and Words: Thy Kingdom Come
What is the secret to church victory? An important secret lies in whether you and I dare connect our church and personal life goals to the end of life, and the purpose God has designed for us. Do we trust the reality that Jesus, who is risen from the dead, reigns in heaven?
How Should We View Our Persecution?
When we encounter persecution, the most important question is: does our response make plain the cross of Christ? When we are persecuted, we need to repent and confess our sins to the Lord. It is necessary that we repent, so we can see that we are no more righteous than those who persecute us.
The Church In The Wilderness
The wilderness is the place God has prepared for his earthly church to experience his grace and faithfulness. In this wilderness, God’s grace is even more precious, and his faithfulness is even more marvelous.
Church and State in an Atheist Age
Although the Chinese church has endured all these difficulties, we have hardly produced any serious theological reflection from this suffering. We have no theological thought or writing to show from these experiences. The history taking place now is an opportunity for the Chinese church to step forward.
What I Learned: Tithing as Proof of Citizenship
Our tithe is an exercise of our duty and privilege as citizens of God’s Kingdom, much like voting in an election in America. Whether the government approves of our giving or not, whether we get a tax deduction or not, it is an honor that our King above has made us citizens of his kingdom, and he deigns to use our two copper coins to advance his kingdom on earth.
Accused of Fraud: The Church’s Response
No one should stop giving financially based on the pretext that the church is facing persecution…The heavenly nature of giving is more truly revealed when there is risk in doing so.
Accused of Fraud: Theological Underpinnings
Persecution is focused on three areas: church property, church doctrine, and church polity (which includes clergy). All of this is aimed at restricting the church from exercising the basic mission entrusted to it by the King of heaven: worship, discipleship, and evangelism.
What I Learned: How Walking with the Global Church Kept Me from Resigning
Chinese brothers [have] helped me understand that suffering is on-the-job description of anyone who follows behind a crucified Savior. As I press on, my fraternity of Chinese pastors encourages me to believe that suffering is never the end of our journey with Jesus: the joy of the resurrection is always waiting for us on the other side.
Pastoral Emails from Lockdown: Part 2
Waiting patiently was an indispensable part of the process of the exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land….Staying still in the wilderness was God’s way of refining his people.
