The Future of the Chinese Church

November 4, 2011


This little boy represents the future of the Chinese church.

Earlier this week his mother put him down for a nap in the apartment where we stayed in Dalian. His grandfather serves as a church worker in a Chinese city with very few Christians. He and his mother and father and grandfather came to Dalian to spend two days with us.

I was very pleased when he called me Ye Ye, which means grandfather in Mandarin.

Young as he is, he already knows about Jesus. I use his picture to stand for all the pastors and Christian workers we met in China. The Chinese church is young and growing, hungry for truth, eager to serve, fervent in worship, with its faith made strong by years of persecution. Yet many believers are not well-taught in the truth of Scripture. The pastors told us that their people know Jesus but do not know how to grow in Christ. Many are susceptible to cult groups like Eastern Lightning.

On Tuesday night we spent time with a pastor and his wife who have a great burden for the people of Inner Mongolia. “It is so sad,” he said. “They still worship stones.”  His wife and some co-workers have moved into unreached territory to befriend the Mongolians for Jesus. Her health is not good, and she and her husband often feel overwhelmed.

Why does she do it?

“I believe Jesus is coming soon so we must share Christ with the Mongolian people now. My own health is declining so I think I have only 2 or 3 years left to do this work.” Her education did not go past elementary school but you would hardly know it.

“We must share Christ while we can.”

Such is the spirit of the Chinese church. When I listened to this couple, I felt like I had encountered the spirit of J. Hudson Taylor, pioneer missionary to China.

We in the West must do what we can while we can for these dear saints whose sacrifices for the gospel go far beyond anything we have known.

In a few years there will be more Christians in China than in any other nation.

Ponder that amazing thought.

The day is coming when all of China will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Even the little children will praise the name of the Lord.

Do you have any thoughts or questions about this post?