Reformation and Gospel (With Chinese Characteristics)
Editor’s note: October 31, 2024, marks the 507th anniversary of the day in 1517 when Martin Luther, a German monk, nailed 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle Church. With his bold hammering, Luther began a revolution in the church that has lasted to this day. Although the Chinese house church has in some […]
The J-Curve and the Chinese House Church
Editor’s note: What does “dying and rising with Jesus” look like? J-Curve: Dying and Rising with Jesus in Everyday Life, a 2019 book by Paul Miller, seeks to answer that question. The book, which is readily available in China, has been a hot topic among Chinese house church Christians in recent months. Chinese Christians live […]
Dragon Leaders or Oldest Sons?
Editor’s note: This article was initially published in 2017, but we are re-running it again because so many Chinese pastors and churches continue to struggle with the pressure to be perfect in and of themselves. Instead, the gospel tells us that Jesus is the only perfect One, and we can rest with him as the […]
Moses in the Wilderness 3: Making Visible the Invisible
Editor’s note: The Book of Hebrews reminds New Testament Christians of Moses, who lived a life on the run and in the wilderness. While most humans try to improve their lives by seeking better circumstances, Moses consciously chose a downward trajectory, associating himself with God’s people instead of the palace life in which he was […]
Moses in the Wilderness 2: A Reflection of Christ
Editor’s note: The Book of Hebrews reminds New Testament Christians of Moses, who lived a life on the run and in the wilderness. While most humans try to improve their lives by seeking better circumstances, Moses consciously chose a downward trajectory, associating himself with God’s people instead of the palace life in which he was […]
Moses in the Wilderness: On the Run
Editor’s note: In the post-pandemic era, sometimes it seems all of China is on the run. Modern Chinese have a lot in common with biblical Moses, who also lived a life on the run. God’s people may sometimes worry that God has forgotten them, but Moses’s story shows that God often uses wilderness seasons and […]
Why Should I Love My Enemies?: Good News for Enemies of God
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a sermon Wang Yi, pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, preached on Matthew 5:38-48 before he was imprisoned in 2018. Wang Yi argues in this excerpt that, because all people have been wronged, everyone longs for justice and even vengeance. He then explains that we ourselves […]
Why Should I Love My Enemies?
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a sermon Wang Yi, pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, preached on Matthew 5:38-48 before he was imprisoned in 2018. Over the next weeks, we will eventually publish the entire sermon, which is an in-depth meditation on what it really means to love those who hate […]
Jesus Is My Face
Editor’s note: This is a firsthand account of Tan Jian’s experience in a Chinese prison cell, where he was interred because of his religious activities. In this account, he talks about the concept of face, which is very important in Chinese society. Although he lost face before others in this jail cell confrontation, Tan says […]
City of God on Earth
Editor’s note: Since we are praying for cities across China in 2024, we thought we would begin the year by re-posting an excerpt from a sermon on Psalm 46 preached in 2014 by Wang Yi, a Chengdu pastor. In this section, he challenged fellow pastors and church members to view the gospel as the coming […]
