A Letter from China Partnership’s President
“We will miss singing his favorite hymns alongside him and praying next to him with heads bowed. We are grateful for his life and ministry, and we are grateful that Christ has called him home to joy, rest, and peace in his beautiful presence.”
A Tribute from Tim Keller
“Jay was famous for his relational skills. He had a supernatural gift of encouragement, of which everyone in my family at one time or another was a recipient.”
A note from Paul Taylor, fellow co-founder of China Partnership alongside Jay Kyle, to China Partnership’s current president
What a great heart for China and the Chinese people Jay had! It was a great privilege to travel with him and dream about what could be done through the China Partnership. And the Lord has blessed beyond our initial dreams in so many ways, largely due to Jay’s leadership, plus the Lord’s blessing of [CP’s current president] in your role as president.
From my perspective, Jay was the founder of the China Partnership. I appreciate your mentioning my name, however the credit really should all go to the Lord, then to Jay, then to the churches that were also the engine to make the movement get started. If anyone questions whether Paul Taylor was truly a “co-founder” of the partnership, please just agree with them. I was happy to follow in Jay’s shadow and facilitate MTW’s participation in the partnership’s work.
The Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you. Shalom,
Paul
A note from a former China worker to the Kyle family
It was with great sadness that we learned of Jay’s passing into the arms of his Savior. We will pray that the God of all comfort will comfort you in this time of grief, for even though we have the hope of the Gospel, and it is a grief not without hope, it is still grief.
From the first time that I met Jay in our apartment in China, he has always been an encouragement. I appreciated his vision and the energy that he brought to the ministry. I think he was always “ahead of his time” in that he seemed to know what the Lord was doing and was passionate about joining the Lord in that work.
I also appreciated that Jay was very much Kingdom minded. He didn’t seek glory for himself, but was concerned that the work be done by those whom the Lord has called. I think this was key to the growth of City to City and of the gospel movement in China. If Jay had wanted the glory for himself, these ministries would likely have just been a flash in the pan. Instead, I believe these are ministries that will bring glory to the Father for years to come. Many people may not know of Jay’s role in all of this, but the Lord’s knows, smiles, and has now welcomed Jay with a big hug, the same way that Jay welcomed and encouraged so many of us down through the years.
We count it a privilege to have known Jay. We hope we will have a chance to fellowship together again someday.
With prayer,
H & L P
Tributes from Hong Kong Mandarin Bible Church
Dear Jay,
You are an angel to me personally and to Hong Kong Mandarin Bible Church. I miss your smile, hug, firm handshake, gentle but assertive voice, wise but humorous words. I miss you at City to City trainings in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, and Taipei.
You came to our church in 2015 just in time for us not to miss the Intensive which is God’s answer to my long time prayer. You are my spiritual father inspiring me to live always for Christ.
I miss you Jay! May the Lord comfort your family with His words of hope!
Chris
Pastor of Hong Kong Mandarin Bible Church
沒能再次見到Jay， 心中悵然若失，我會永遠記得Pastor Jay溫暖的笑容，還有他總是鼓勵我再多植一個堂，更多為主得人。感恩神讓我在2015年city to city intensive的植堂培訓認識Jay，後來2017年1月聖經教會西環堂獻堂也得到他的祝福。我現在人回到美國，卻未能有機會再見到Pastor Jay, 願我能在洛杉磯再多植一堂，為上帝，也是記念他。四月份我要進入EFC Arcadia, 職分是後任主任牧師，我會永遠記得Jay曾和我還有港福堂林明才傳道在中環置地廣場喝咖啡時做著夢，每一個港鐵站都有以福音為中心建立的普通話教會。若神許可，願這個異象和夢成真，我和EFC Arcadia 都在這個榮耀的夢想中有份
Jeremy
Hong Kong Mandarin Bible Church
