Jerusalem: Analysis for Those and Global Mission the Puzzle of the BTJ Movement a Moving History Who Serve China 4 7 10 13

IN THIS ISSUE...

Perspectives and Chinese Christianity A Piece of Present and Future Back to Jerusalem: analysis for those and Global Mission the Puzzle of the BTJ Movement A Moving History who serve China 4 7 10 13

SPRING 2006 Vol. 8 No. 1

Yi Du Kam China Partner Beyond “Back to Jerusalem” alk to a supporter of the Back to Jerusalem (BTJ) movement and you will hear that this is an exciting movement of God among the China church1 that is sending tens of thousands of missionaries T as an “army of worms” across Central Asia all the way to Jerusalem. Talk to other seasoned observers of the China port networks. Estimates of the time scale for these church and they will say that the original BTJ vision missionaries to be ready to leave China range from has been “hijacked” and the current Western band- years to decades, if and when that vision becomes wagon is not a true representation of reality. The a reality. The total number of missionaries current- debate has been quite emotional with very strong ly working both within and outside of China is es- words being used.2 The purpose of this article is not timated to be under a few hundred. On top of that, to engage in nonproductive discussion but to clear less than 1,000 are currently receiving training spe- away some of the fog and suggest positive ways to cifically for cross-cultural ministry.3 move forward. • The “Heavenly Man” is not an “official” First of all, some basic facts and numbers: spokesman for BTJ or the China church. Al- • 100,000 BTJ missionaries is a vision that though many times in the last several years Brother is yet to be realized. The 100,000 figure is not an Yun, known as the “Heavenly Man,” may have been estimate of missionaries currently sent out by the introduced as a spokesman for BTJ or the China China church. Most observers believe that this fig- church, there is now open recognition that he does ure is an aspirational one. It is a vision. Chinese not represent either one in any official capacity, and Christians are responding to the vision, and some that such representation in the past was incorrect.4 are in training; others have gone out from China in • There have been large sums of money response to it. It is a vision that will be realized over raised to support BTJ. The total amount raised for a long period of time, and it requires training, prep- BTJ has not been published. Probably, no one will aration and the development of resources and sup- ever know the exact amount.5 The amounts reported from different sources, estimated at mil- networks also change. Take the case of the lions of dollars, are too high for the bene- famous Sinim Fellowship; it is not clear if fit of the China church. To date, very little the Born-Again Movement is part of it. At accounting has been given publicly. This the initial formation of the Fellowship, it issue has been a major stumbling block certainly was. However, there were con- for the movement. tinuous concerns about the Born-Again As the Western church seeks to engage Editor: Brent Fulton Movement’s supposed emphasis on an in BTJ, several important factors should extreme emotional experience upon Managing Editor: Julia Grosser be considered. conversion and accusations of sheep- Layout & Design: Dona Diehl stealing against it. Furthermore, the Fel- Who speaks for lowship has not been active as a coherent group for many months. So, it is difficult Copyright © 2006 by ChinaSource. the China Church? Many were confused when Brother ChinaSource (ISSN 1552-9223) is to gauge if the Fellowship can still be a published quarterly by ChinaSource, Yun was introduced as the China church channel to influence 65 million believers which was founded as a cooperative leader. Dr. Paul Hiebert, missiologist and in China, as it once claimed. effort of Evangelical Fellowship of cultural anthropologist, has introduced Agencies or churches interested in BTJ Mission Agencies, the Interdenomi- the concept of “boundary set” and “fuzzy need to take time to do some serious re- national Foreign Mission Association, set” that can help us understand this con- search and study about the church in Chi- World Evangelical Alliance, and the fusion. Most of the Western worldview na, to connect with others who are active Billy Graham Center, Wheaton Col- is based on “boundary set” while many in China, and to seek out those with a lege, and merged with the Institute other cultures use “fuzzy set.” A “bound- long history of China involvement and a of Chinese Studies in 2000. ary set” perspective sees only black and wide range of work there. Many China-re- white while a “fuzzy set” perspective rec- lated agencies have regular prayer letters Its purpose is to provide up-to-date ognizes many shades of gray in between. and accurate analysis of the issues and newsletters that are helpful in un- and opportunities facing Christians Western Christians would be able to derstanding the needs within the coun- involved in China service and to understand the China church more easily try. A “China desk” or committee within provide a forum for exchanging view- if it were a unified body with one theol- an agency or church can help to formulate points and discussing strategies. The ogy, one administration, one main office and guide a cohesive China strategy. Chi- views expressed herein do not neces- and one spokesman. However, such a sit- naSource is available to serve as a resource sarily reflect those of ChinaSource or uation simply does not exist—not even in for those seeking help in these areas. its cooperating agencies. the Western church. Neither Billy Graham, nor John Stott, nor Luis Palau can repre- Theological Development ChinaSource may be requested sent the church in the US, UK and South from ChinaSource, P.O. Box 4343, of the China Church America. Christians in the West have deep Many are concerned about the sugges- Fullerton, CA 92834 theological divides over the charismat- tion that BTJ workers will be sent with Phone: 714.449.0611 ic movement, conservatism and liberal- no regard to local government policy E-mail: [email protected] ism. In the same way, the China church and restrictions, particularly in the Mid- comes in all shapes and forms, from the dle East. The talk of a large number of Subscription rates: extreme charismatic (borderline cultic) to workers being put in prison and sacrific- USA: $29/yr., $54/2 yrs., $79/3 yrs. ultra conservative (men and women sit- ing their lives is frightening to all of us. International: $39/yr. , $74/2 yrs. ting on opposite sides in the church) to Such a plan is certainly not strategic and very liberal theology (try Bishop Ding’s can hardly achieve the goal of taking the ChinaSource reserves the right to justification by love). The difference be- gospel all the way to Jerusalem. transition the international version tween a rural village church in Henan and The history of the China church gives us to an electronic format to improve a returnee church (the so called “sea tur- some insight into how such an idea came service and offset postage rate in- tle” churches) in Beijing is as big as that creases. All rights reserved. No part about. The China church has suffered tre- of this publication may be reproduced between Saddleback church in California mendous persecution for the last 55 years, or transmitted without prior written and a struggling inner city congregation. particularly from the 1950s to the 1970s permission of the publisher. There is no official spokesman for the when the government adopted a hard-line China church. On top of that, the struc- religious policy. Thus, the main theologi- tures and memberships of house church cal development in the house church today networks are not clearly defined. It is al- is the theology of the cross. In this context, most impossible to delineate the exact there is also a glorification of suffering and relationship between and within the net- martyrdom, almost to the point that one’s works. A certain congregation may con- dedication and commitment is measured sider itself part of network A today and by the length of imprisonment. In addi- switch to network B a few months later. tion, there are also the mistaken notions Relationships and partnerships between of “the further you go, the holier you are”

ChinaSource / Spring 2006 and “walking the gospel to Jerusalem” (as in the original BTJ vision) “is superior to flying there.” We all appreciate the dedication and commitment demonstrated by the China churches. The Western churches should learn from the China churches on these matters. Nevertheless, the China church must also understand that the theology of the cross cannot answer all the questions of the Muslims. Moreover, a trium- phal, high profile approach highlighting suffering and martyrdom is not benefi- cial to the cause of the movement. The most constructive approach is to work alongside the China church, to derive a workable plan within its context recog- nizing its strengths and weaknesses.

Melvin Sletch The Role of the Overseas Chinese Church Even within China, there are many opportunities The overseas Chinese church is in a for cross-cultural work. unique position for exploring opportunities in China. It has extensive kinship re- there are many training schools in China, is no structure within China for send- lationships that the Western church does very few of them have an emphasis on ing out cross-cultural workers. However, not enjoy. Its members speak the lan- cross-cultural workers. Quality training sending agencies have been established guage and are not a visible foreign group programs do not materialize overnight. in the overseas Chinese church for cross- in most parts of China. Many overseas A good portion of those currently active cultural workers; quite a few of these Chinese Christians are already involved in cross-cultural work should probably have extensive experience. These agencies in training in China and are well con- work as trainers and teachers to multi- can provide a framework for the China nected with the house church networks. ply the next generation of workers. There church to follow. Policy manuals, finan- Western churches should seek to part- have been some attempts by the Western cial guidelines and personnel structures ner with the overseas Chinese church church to set up mission training schools all need to be established. It would be on BTJ. Good models and principles in China with only limited success. Per- good if several representative samples of partnership have been presented by haps the overseas Chinese church can of such manuals could be collected and many groups since the idea was first partner with the house church networks made available to the China church. brought up in the 1980s and the 1990s. to set up more training programs that are • Need for placement programs. In a three-way partnership (the China culturally appropriate. Given the current state of affairs, it is un- church, the overseas Chinese church and • Need for training material and realistic to expect large numbers of work- the Western church), it is entirely possi- curriculum. So far, very little material is ers to be sent outside of China in the ble that the most effective ministry for available in Chinese for the training of near future. However, even within China, the Western Christians is that of prayer. cross-cultural workers. Of the 400 plus there are many opportunities for cross- We must realize that this work can titles on the subject,6 many are translat- cultural work. The majority Han house only be done by the China church. No ed from English and quite a number are churches are often blind to such oppor- one, not the Western church nor the over- testimonies. In order for the movement tunities. The Hui people, a Chinese Mus- seas Chinese church, should own the BTJ to mature, much more original training lim group, is a hidden and unreached movement. All the plans should have an material needs to be written. This, how- people group. Literally in the backyard exit strategy whereby, eventually, the Chi- ever, will take many years, even decades. of some of the major house church net- na church can take over the ministry. Is it possible for existing mission train- works in Henan province, there are one ing curriculum to be translated and used million Hui people. Yet, these networks Missing Links in in China? The news that the course ma- have invested very little effort to reach the BTJ Movement terial from Perspectives on the World Chris- them. How can their interest in missions The BTJ Movement has been compared tian Movement will soon be published in be channeled to these unreached people to a chain with many rings linked together. Chinese is encouraging. However, what that are easily accessible to them? Per- The problem is that all of the rings are in- is probably needed is the translation of haps expatriate Christian workers among complete, and many of them are missing a whole set of Master’s degree level train- the minorities can consider taking on altogether. These missing links include: ing material. Chinese believers as partners. • Need for training schools. While • Need for sending structure. There Continued on page 12

ChinaSource / Spring 2006 Kim-kwong Chan Melvin Sletch

of students to China: Vietnam with 2,300, Thailand with 1,800, Nepal with 1,300 and Mongolia with 1,000. Indonesia, which Chinese Christianity until recently banned the Chinese language, sent 2,900 students.1 The increase of Chinese language students from other and Global Mission countries reflects the growing importance of the Chinese language—hence China— e have witnessed the emergence of China, the in global activities of the future. Since the end of the Cold War in focus of today’s global attention, which has al- the late 1980s, the international polit- most doubled its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ical scene has changed from bipolari- since 1997 with a sustained growth of more than ty to multipolarity with China being the Wseven percent per year. In contrast, the rest of the world grew by emerging power challenging the leadership of the former superpowers. Now, much less than half this rate. China practically sets the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agen- China’s trade surplus with the U.S. has producer of clothing, luggage, shoes, tele- da by being the largest trading partner increased about four times since 1997 to vision sets, watches, mobile phones and with ASEAN nations. China initiated the the current figure of USD 200 billion. disposable lighters. Its coastal provinces Shanghai Cooperative Organization China received the largest amount of For- have literally become the “Factory of the (SCO or better known as the Shanghai eign Direct Investment (USD 68 billion) World” manufacturing commodities for a Summit) in June 20012 which gradual- in 2005. Such aggregation of wealth has global market. ly created a special trading zone head- translated into rapid development as can Chinese students are becoming a sig- ed by China with Russia and four other easily be felt from the increased price in nificant block of foreign students in ma- Central Asian Republics bordering Chi- the international market of raw materials jor international universities as they na. China, being a permanent member such as steel, oil and aluminum as China constitute half of all foreign students in of the Security Council in the United Na- imports huge quantities to feed its devel- Japanese universities and the largest sin- tions (UN), has effectively influenced the opment boom. gle block of foreign students in univer- UN decision of using more political rath- The presence of China’s economic in- sities in the U.K., Australia and Canada. er than military means in international fluence can easily be noticed on shelves of They make up the second largest group affairs. China has also sent peacekeeping supermarkets and retail stores in the U.S. of foreign students on U.S. campuses. At forces to many countries, such as Haiti, and other nations as increasing amounts the same time, foreign students going to under the flag of the UN.3 of “Made in China” goods are available, China are on the increase with countries As one reflects on contemporary world from clothing to housewares and from sending their scholars to China mainly history, one notices that the British dom- toys to electronic goods. Now China out- for language studies. The largest group is inated world events in the eighteenth and paces Japan as the second largest produc- Korean with 35,000 students in China fol- nineteenth centuries, followed by U.S. in er of electronic goods in the world, after lowed by Japan with 13,000 students. Even the twentieth century. Currently, China is the U.S. China is also the world’s largest small countries send significant numbers reasserting herself as a significant mem-

ChinaSource / Spring 2006 ber of the international community, be The Christian communities of Chi- nic and linguistic boundaries? it as a new ambitious empire as feared nese in diaspora outside the Greater Chi- 2. Wenzhou Christian Merchants. by some observers4 or as a peaceful pow- na Circle (such as Hong Kong, Taiwan Wenzhou is a municipality within the er as suggested by China’s leadership.5 Is and Macao) are on the increase, paral- Zhejiang Province with a population of it not reasonable to speculate that Chi- leling the growth of their counterparts about seven million. The Wenzhounese na may follow in the footsteps of Britain in Mainland China. Traditionally, there speak a unique dialect that few outside and the U.S. in this new century—a cen- are Chinese Christian communities in this region can comprehend. They are tury of the dragon? areas where there are large populations entrepreneurs by tradition and led the of Chinese such as the U.S., Australia, economic reform policy of China by es- Chinese Christianity: Mission- Canada, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore tablishing the first batch of private enter- ary Exporter of Tomorrow? and Malaysia. As more Mainland Chi- prises in China in the late 1970s. They With the enthusiasm of China’s glob- nese settle overseas, they are often targets have, perhaps, the highest per capita inal ambition and the rapid growth of the of various mission agencies. The con- come in China and surely the highest Chinese Christian community—one of version rate among overseas Mainland percentage of merchants in their popu- the fastest growing churches in mod- Chinese is very high as increasing num- lation. More than ninety-five percent of ern times with unofficial figures rang- bers of Chinese congregations, main- Wenzhou’s GDP is from the private sec- ing from 35 million to 80 million—one ly for Mainland Chinese, are established tor whereas the national average is mere- may easily speculate on a merging of in the above mentioned nations. Recent- ly around fifty to sixty percent. Further, these two elements into a new missio- ly, there are also records of sustainable Wenzhounese take their age-old tradition logical movement. This phenomenon is Chinese Christian communities in other as itinerant merchants wherever there are similar to the religious awakening in the countries, many without any prior record business opportunities, and they are cur- nineteenth century which, coupled with of a Chinese church, such as Mongolia, rently setting up businesses in at least the global market expansion of the West- most nations of the former Soviet Re- one hundred countries. They form the ern nations, resulted in the largest mis- public, most Eastern European countries, largest regional group of Chinese mi- sion movement in history undertaken by Christians in the Western countries during the period of the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. This article at- China is undoubtedly emerging tempts to highlight three emerging issues and political of Chinese Christianity which may have as a major economic a bearing on contemporary global mis- power within the international community. sion: the diasporic Chinese community, Chinese Christian merchants—the Wen- zhou Christians, and the Back to Jerusa- many Polynesian nations, all European grants in Europe. They are called the lem Movement (BTJ). Union nations, many Middle East coun- “Chinese Jews”! Above all, they have the 1. Diasporic Chinese Communities. tries, half of all South American countries highest percentage of Christians among Chinese populations outside of Mainland and a dozen African countries. In coun- all municipalities in China with official China are increasingly making their pres- tries such as Italy, the Chinese Christian estimates ranging from 700,000 to one ence felt as the total number of Chinese churches number in the dozens, and they million (ten percent to fifteen percent of in diaspora increased from 22 million in have formed their own national associa- the population) and unofficial claims of at 1985 to 33 million by the end of the last tion of Chinese churches. least 1.5 million (twenty percent). Visitors century—and the number is on the rise. Chinese language seminaries/Bible to this region can find churches literally in The majority of these new overseas Chi- schools have been established in the every village. nese are from Mainland China as China U.K., the U.S., Panama, Australia, Cana- At any given time, there are at least opened its doors for Chinese citizens to da, Korea, Myanmar, Thailand, Indone- 1.5 million Wenzhounese living as inter- emigrate in the early 1980s. These new sia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia nal migrants in China and half a million Chinese migrants now live in virtually and South Africa to serve the growing de- as migrants overseas doing business. They every country of the world from Afghan- mand of these Chinese churches in dias- can be found in major cities or remote istan to Zimbabwe (even in the People’s pora. We have already seen examples of towns, from the rich Chinese coastal prov- Democratic Republic of Korea as Chinese the more established Chinese churches in inces such as Jiangsu to harsh plateaus have substantial commercial activities in diaspora, such as the Chinese Malaysian like Tibet. They set up shops from Mo- that country that is often off-limits to oth- (or Chinese-Indonesian or Chinese-Fili- rocco6 to Montenegro.7 Many of them are er nationalities). Many work as merchants pino) churches, rendering strong support Christians, and they often establish Chris- or operate restaurants while others open to the local or national churches. Will tian gatherings among themselves in new factories or run farms. There are also large the continued development of Chinese places where previously there was not any numbers of irregular Chinese migrants, churches in diasporic communities be- Christian presence. For example, Wen- but their actual strength is not possible come a blessing to their respective host zhou Christians formed, perhaps, the first to ascertain. societies as they expand beyond their eth- government-sanctioned Christian meet-

ChinaSource / Spring 2006 ing point in Lhasa, Tibet. Today, about a inated Central Asia and the Middle East contributions on global mission vis-à-vis thousand gather each Sunday. They often regions eventually spreading the gospel the changing dynamics of the global order share the gospel with the local inhabitants to Jerusalem to be ready for the second and global Christendom. Critical studies where no missionary has ever been before. coming of Christ—a proactive millenar- with quality field data—not just enthusi- Many Wenzhounese merge their busi- ianism. This project regards this mission astic mission visions or self-centered re- nesses with their missiological zeal, shar- by the Chinese as the last baton of glob- search—are needed to discern the divine ing the gospel in places where they have al mission movements when the gospel plan of the Great Commission. Perhaps business ventures, especially in newly de- traveled from the West to East through now may be the time for Christians in Chi- veloped markets in remote places.8 They Western missionaries and should now be na, together with other non-Western Chris- are also the founders of many new Chi- carried back by Chinese missionaries to tians, to be the main authors in writing the nese congregations in Europe such as one where it had originated in order to com- next chapter of world Christendom. in Bucharest, Romania. plete the mission mandate of preaching With the increase of global Wenzhou the gospel to the whole world. Endnotes merchant-migrants, numbering about half This movement has several arguments 1. Figures on Indonesia, Thailand and Viet- nam are from China’s 2003 Annual on Educa- a million with at least fifteen percent who favoring Chinese missionaries as the car- tion. See www.moe.gov.cn/edoas/website18 are Christians, there are perhaps 75,000 riers of the supposed last baton of glob- /info8021.htm; for other figures, see David Wenzhou Christian merchant-cum-mis- al mission. First, China has no major Murphy, “Softening at the Edge,” in FEER, No- sionaries currently carrying the good news political enemy. China can do business vember 4, 2004, p. 34. of cheap Chinese products as well as the with both Cuba and the U.S.A., with Iraq 2. “Shanghai Summit FMs Meet in Beijing Good News of Christianity to all corners and Iran, the Palestinian Authority and Is- to Tackle Terrorism,” China Daily, January 7, of the world. This includes those coun- rael, Libya and the U.K., North Korea and 2002. 3. “Chinese Police on Haiti UN Duty,” BBC tries which forbid any missionary activity South Korea. Being from a politically non- News, October 18, 2004. At http://news.bbc. or missionaries to enter, or are inconve- threatening country, Chinese can enter co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3751814.stm nient for missionaries from the West to places where Westerners have difficulty 4. See Ross Terrill’s The New Chinese Empire, operate from. These Wenzhou Christians, gaining access, especially Islamic dominat- (New York, Basic Books) 2003. unlike their Western brethren, are free to ed countries. Second, Christians in China 5. Jiang Xiyuan and Xia Liping, Peaceful Rise travel to these hard-to-access areas. Will have experience in clandestine forms of re- of China (Beijing, CASS) 2004. they, through their global commercial ac- ligious activities suitable to mission work 6. See “Attention, les Chinois debarquent!” in Aujourd’hui Le Maroc, 15 September 2004. tivities and their strong evangelical zeal, in countries where mission activity is pro- 7. This writer traveled to Kotor, a small me- be a natural army of missionaries to evan- hibited. Third, Christians in China practice dieval town in Montenegro in August, 2004 gelize in places hard to access by conven- a simple form of Christianity—the house and saw a Wenzhounese who operated a shop tional mission channels? church. Such an ecclesial form is simple to in the local market! 3. Back To Jerusalem Movement. operate and flexible to establish. Fourth, 8. See Kim-kwong Chan, Tetsunio Yama- In the late 1940s, there was a movement there is virtually an endless supply of mis- mori: Holistic Entrepreneurship in China (Pasa- among Chinese Christians to initiate sionaries drawn from the vast pool of sev- dena, California: William Carey International University Press), 2002, Chapter 6, pp. 65-72. evangelistic campaigns in remote regions eral tens of millions of Chinese believers. 9. Personal interview with Grace Ho (He of China, mainly the northwest and Fifth, the frugal living style of Chinese as Enzhen) in Kashgar, August, 2002. Ms. Ho and southwest regions. A few of them attempt- compared to Western missionaries’ living her husband, Mecca Zhao, felt the call to trav- ed to spread the Christian faith from the standard is cost effective. Sixth, Chinese el westward with no particular destination in northwestern part of China (Xinjiang) Christians know and accept suffering as mind. During that interview, Ms. Ho suggested through Central Asia to Jerusalem. One of part of the Christian reality, and they are that in 1949-1950, they had planned to trav- these small bands was called “Spreading ready to be martyred for Christ without el to Afghanistan but did not do so. Person- al interviews with another Band member, Revd the Gospel All Over the Place—Pinzhuan hesitation. Huang Ziqing in August 2002, August 2003 Fuyin Tuan” and was translated into Eng- and April 2004. lish as “The Back to Jerusalem Band” by Conclusion 10. See www.backtojerusalem.com, or Paul an English missionary. The farthest they China is undoubtedly emerging as a Hattaway’s Back to Jerusalem: Called to Complete traveled was Kashgar, and none was able major economic and political power with- the Great Commission (Carlisle: Piquant, 2003). to travel beyond the borders of China.9 in the international community. The cen- Such a legacy, or serendipity, gave rise trality of Christianity is moving away from Rev. Kim-kwong Chan, Ph.D., D.Th. is the to the name “Back to Jerusalem” (BTJ) the traditional European and North Amer- Executive Secretary of the Hong Kong Chris- movement, and was later claimed by ican bases into Latin America, Africa and tian Council. He may be contacted at ckk@hkcc. some Chinese church leaders who felt the Asia. The emergence of the Chinese Chris- org.hk. (An academic version of this topic by the calling to continue this venture which is tian community, be it in Mainland Chi- same author, with full bibliographical data, enti- currently popularized by hymns, books, na or overseas, is but part of this general tled “Missiological Implications of Chinese Chris- websites and discussions in mission con- trend of the development of global Chris- tianity in a Globalized Context,” is published in Quest: An Interdisciplinary Journal for Asian ferences.10 The current BTJ movement calls tendom. This article is intended to bring Christian Scholars, Volume 4, Number 2 (No- for the mobilization of 100,000 Chinese attention to such a trend along with elicit- vember 2005) pp. 55-74.  missionaries to launch into Islamic-dom- ing from Chinese Christians some possible

ChinaSource / Spring 2006 China Partner L. K. Chiu

TrainingA Piece Mainland Chinese of to bethe Cross-Cultural Puzzle Missionaries mong all debates and controversies about the Back to Jerusalem (BTJ) phenomenon, the issue of training Chinese missionaries seems to have fallen on the sidelines. More attention has been given to issues such as the controversial number of 100,000 missionaries, abuse of the genuine grass-root missionary spirit, and who has Athe right to represent BTJ. Despite the legitimacy of all these concerns, training—a critical com- ponent that determines the outcome of missions—has not been given enough attention.

One of the reasons for the lack of de- is also true that constructive discussions churches in China began to send evan- bate or discussion on training Chinese have helped capture the imaginations of gelists to the minority peoples, passion cross-cultural missionaries is that there the Christian community worldwide and and vision were the major requirements is almost no dispute over the prevail- bring the vision to a higher level of un- for selecting and sending their young ing need for training. In fact, regardless derstanding as well as appreciation. It is missionaries. Some churches may prefer of the kind of China work one is parti- my prayer that constructive, sensible and general theological and biblical training, cipating in, training in different forms is thorough discussions over the issue of but they are still far from providing the always involved. Therefore, when heat- training will emerge. As a result, effective knowledge and skills that are necessary ed discussions of BTJ began to emerge, training that is catered to the needs of for effective cross-cultural mission work. the issue of training simply was not per- Chinese missionaries will become avail- Others may see the importance of train- ceived as an area of concern—it is just a able. ing but have to give in to the reality of matter of doing it. Sadly, it is exactly this inadequate resources and reduce train- kind of take-it-for-granted mentality that The Need for Training ing to a minimum. There is a missionary ultimately deprives us of the opportuni- The question of the need for focused training center in Asia which used to pro- ty for a thorough treatment of this issue missionary training is still arguable for vide a two year training program when of such immense importance. Although many people. Some mission agencies do it first started, but today the training has it is undeniable that some of the discus- not even put appropriate training as a re- been reduced to three months. The cur- sions of BTJ have led to futile debates, it quirement for candidacy. When house rent director, a career missionary who

ChinaSource / Spring 2006 spent over twenty years in one of the mention that one fell through the pro- er in Beijing who shared with me his mis- Muslim countries in Asia, lamented the gram and became a traitor), what makes sionary expedition. This young man was fact that the current training is more like us think that we can do a better job by sent by his church network as a mission- a survival skill program. With tears run- finishing the training in three months’ ary to Tibet with only a one-way ticket in ning down his face, this faithful servant time? his pocket and a heart full of passion and of God shared how painful it was to even When missions expert, Stan Guthrie, love towards the people. He spent almost think of the many mistakes he made dur- studies the emerging non-Western mis- a year there without prior training or sup- ing his missionary work back then and sions movement, he writes about the port of any sort, and very soon he found how much he wished he could help the alarming rate of attrition among Third- himself begging for food on the streets of trainees to be better equipped to avoid World missionaries: “During the Bra- Lhasa in order to stay alive. This is just those mistakes in the future.1 zilian National Missions Congress in one of many sad stories in the recent his- The trainees are like merchandise on a October 1993, participants were stunned tory of missionary endeavors among the production line, each coming and going to hear that of the 5,400 missionaries house churches in China. In my personal in three months’ time. Most unfortunate sent out in the previous five years, the interactions with different house church vast majority had returned network leaders, I can testify that a situa-

China Partner within a year. Worse, about tion like this is definitely not intentional; ninety percent of the returnees rather, it is a painful reality when facing did not go back. A Columbian the lack of resources and expertise for missions leader has estimated cross-cultural missionary training. that forty percent of all Latin In spite of all the problems, the sto- American missionaries return ry of this young missionary to Tibet has from their assignments early a happy ending; the experience did not and discouraged because of a crush his spirit nor alter his calling. He lack of training, on-field pas- was more committed to cross-cultur- toral support, and a lack of al missions than ever before. When I finance.”2 met with him again about a year later in Henan (he went back home after the or- deal in Tibet), he had brought with him a young lady who is also committed to missions. They wanted to get married and receive training together before heading to the mission field again! When I prayed with this couple in that little hotel room, I believe with all my I felt I had a glimpse of the spirit of re- silience and steadfastness that carried the heart that God is house churches through all those years of going to use the persecutions and hardships. At that mo- ment, the room became a sanctuary and Chinese to play a prayer turned to worship! part in his master I have no doubt that many of the house churches in China are committed plan of world to global missions. I believe with all my evangelization. heart that God is going to use the Chi- nese to play a part in his master plan of world evangelization. However, let us be vigilant and stand in solidarity with the Attrition is not just churches in China by partnering with a Third-World mis- them in preparing well-trained cross-cul- sionary problem; it is tural missionaries. I think Denis Lane’s universal. It seems that the observation says it all when he writes is that they are expected by their churches lack of training is almost always one of about training missionaries for the Two- and mission agencies to be effective and the major factors that contribute to this Thirds World: productive once they have finished the problem. If there is one thing that the training and land on the mission field! Chinese churches should learn from In the past when we had no alternative but to go in our ignorance and in the strength and It has always puzzled me when ponder- their Latin American brothers and sisters power of the Lord, God honored those who ing the fact that if Jesus spent three years about world missions, it should be the would launch out. Their sense of call and com- training his twelve disciples to become importance of training. mission was incredibly strong, strong enough church planters and missionaries (not to Not too long ago, I met with a broth- to overcome disease, loss of wife and family,

ChinaSource / Spring 2006 persecution, learning a language with no help teaching, writing and research is still un- the global community is ready to receive at all and starting from scratch in a highly hos- der construction. her as a partner and a friend. Thomas tile environment. There may be some plac- The undertaking of the project of Friedman states, “The world is flat.” In es left where such ministry is called for, but by training is massive. Just naming a few other words, we are in a new world, and and large today’s world is totally different. We do not bring honor to the Lord by launching challenges is enough for us to see the we are desperately in need of a new par- out in naivety, when means of preparation are immense magnitude of it. Though it is adigm. This is true of the socioeconom- available to us. God’s work calls for the best like an uphill battle, it is also a battle ical and political worlds as well as the preparation. we cannot afford to lose. No one has all world of missions. One of the challeng- the answers to these problems. The Chi- es to mission leaders around the globe is The Challenge of Training nese saying of “finding rocks to step on the capacity to think intentionally and cre- Understanding the need for appropri- while crossing a stream” captures the es- atively so that partnerships and interfaces ate and adequate training is one thing; ac- sence of the current situation well. It is a for global missions between the East and tually doing it is another! Anyone who is path that no one has ever taken, and the West, and the First-World and Two-Thirds directly involved in this endeavor knows things that many of us are doing now are World can be built. I believe that one of very well that there are a lot of challeng- just “finding rocks to step on.” Just as es. They range from the background of the Chinese word for crisis is made up of trainees to the lack of qualified trainers “danger” and “opportunity,” I and adequate Chinese training materials. Just think of how great a task it is to turn a junior high level trainee who is mono- cultural (having no, or very little, expo- sure to other languages, worldviews and culture) with few career skills into a ma- There is a ture tent-making missionary. He or she frequently is expected to live and think cross-culturally and missiologically in a highly hos- raised question: tile environment. “Is the church in The lack of qualified trainers makes it even harder. There are few experi- China ready enced cross-cultural missionaries who for global understand the Mainland Chinese culture, have the ability to communicate missions?” in fluent “Mainland Mandarin” and are also capable of teaching and mentor- ing. Even when we have the right train- believe that if we are willing ers, it is hard to find training materials to commit ourselves strategi- in the Chinese language. The most com- cally to training, give enough China Partner prehensive Chinese bibliography on mis- time and patience to prepare sions in the world is about to be finished, the Chinese church at-large, thanks to the hard work of several mis- utilize wisely our unique Chinese culture the starting points to engage in such an en- sion leaders in Hong Kong. We learn from and status around the world, engage the deavor is to respond to the need for train- the book list that there are only a few wealth of resources among the world- ing a new generation of global workers. more than four hundred titles of mission wide Chinese Christian community, then books in the Chinese Christian world. we should be able to rise above the chal- Endnotes Many of these are testimonies, translated lenge and seize the opportunity of bring- 1. This is a first hand experience from the writer’s personal visit and interview. works and printed in traditional Chinese ing glory to the Missio Dei. 2. Stan Guthrie, “Looking under the hood characters. There are not many Chinese of the non-Western missions movement,” books available that are really about mis- Are We Ready? EMQ, January 1995, p. 92. sion strategy, anthropological and cultur- There is a frequently raised question: 3. Denis Lane, Tuning God’s New Instru- al studies or even the history or theology “Is the church in China ready for glob- ments: A Handbook for Missions from the Two- of missions. It is quite depressing for any al missions?” I always answer by saying Thirds World (World Evangelical Fellowship: trainer who wants to teach this subject that the issue is not whether the church 1990), p. 31. of cross-cultural missions, particularly in China is ready, but whether the world- when it is so difficult to find appropri- wide Christian community is ready to L. K. Chiu is involved in training mainland Chi- ate materials. The reality is that when we embrace this new missionary movement. nese for cross-cultural Christian service.If you would look at the issue from the larger Chinese Likewise, on a worldwide scale, the ques- like to interact with him, you may email him at (non-secure). © 2006 by L. al missions that includes missiological nomic and political development, but if K. Chiu. 

ChinaSource / Spring 2006 The Present and Future of the BTJ Movement: A View from the Church in China

Wen Mu China Partner

n the following article, I affirm BTJ’s significance and original Chinese pastors received much commend these principles to the people of the twen- from the Western missionaries; in response, they took on the challenge of ty-first century. BTJ is a missionary vision received by mission by faith. This is not to suggest Chinese pastors in the 1940s. that the Chinese will take the last baton I of the Great Commission. The Chinese The original motivation was for the to Central Asia; Central from Beijing to church desires to work together with Chinese church to respond to missions Xian, to Lanzhou, to Hotan, to Tibet, to churches from other people groups to just as the many Western missionaries Nepal, to India and to the Persian Gulf; bring the world’s remaining 4.2 billion working in China had done. The vision South from Beijing to southern China, to people to Christ and complete the Great was to take the gospel westward, starting Southeast Asia, to India and to the Persian Commission. from China and then beyond China, fol- Gulf. BTJ is also a missionary movement lowing in the footsteps of the missionaries. This was a common vision, shared by many, as God had given the same calling to different Chinese churches on The Chinese church desires different occasions. This BTJ vision must have had the hand of God in it. How- to work together with churches ever, this vision should not be fulfilled from other people groups to bring the world’s only by the Chinese churches; it should be fulfilled in partnership with churches remaining 4.2 billion people to Christ. worldwide. As Christians, Chinese pastors have a taking the gospel back to Jerusalem and Responses from Chinese passionate feeling for Jerusalem. At the to all the unreached peoples along the Churches towards BTJ same time, Chinese, historically, have routes of the Silk Road, particularly in the I will consider the responses from had strong emotions about the Silk 10/40 window. It seeks to reach the Mus- the perspectives of four different main- Road. In the twenty-first century, the Chi- lims in western China and Central Asia, line Chinese church streams; the charis- nese church can send missionaries along planting churches all the way to the Per- matic, the evangelical, the conservative three Silk Road routes: North from Bei- sian Gulf before reaching Jerusalem. fundamental and the Three-Self. These jing to Xian, to Lanzhou, to Kasghar and BTJ is a faith mission movement. The divisions are rough ones only for the

10 ChinaSource / Spring 2006 purpose of our discussion. The Chinese eas within China first. However, they are pose BTJ. They are particularly concerned church has never divided itself clear- not opposed to cross-cultural missions about the lack of accountability of funds ly along denominational or theological but feel they should be well prepared be- raised by the charismatics. However, lines. However, these four theological po- fore launching such work. some younger leaders from these church- sitions are quite defined today and will Some of these churches have already es feel that although individual actions be even more so in the future. started specialized missionary train- by BTJ promoters are unacceptable, they 1. An enthusiastic response from ing schools for cross-cultural workers. and the BTJ vision are separate issues. the charismatics. This refers to charis- They have invited mission trainers to de- Missions work should not be hindered matic house church leaders in various sign their curriculum and internships. by individual actions. provinces. The influence of the charis- They are also promoting prayer support These fundamental house church- matics is quite strong although they rep- by sharing the BTJ vision among other es have much mission work going on in resent only a small number of Chinese churches and publishing books on mis- many areas: church planting in rural vil- churches. These charismatic churches sions. They have networked to support lages and cities, ministry on university have been very active in evangelism send- the sending of future missionaries and campuses and work among minorities. In ing teams to various rural areas, preach- to set up “mid-way stations” in Central addition, these churches have organized ing and planting churches. They are also Asia to receive missionaries from China. many leadership training programs: for in regular contact with overseas charis- My view is that with good planning, laymen, Christian workers, pastors and matic groups. They have held BTJ meet- the evangelical churches in China will Sunday school teachers. As long as God ings since the 1980s and are connected be able to send many well-equipped continues to revive these churches, they with overseas BTJ agencies (most with a missionaries in the future. will become China’s main mission send- charismatic background). They are active- 3. Opposition from conservative ing force in the future. ly promoting BTJ in the Western world fundamentalists. By and large, most Chi- My hope is that leaders will rise up in and are largely responsible for sparking nese house churches are conservative fun- these churches to promote mission work the overseas discussion on BTJ in recent damentals, accounting for as much as systematically. years. Within China, they have special seventy to eighty percent of these churches. 4. A cold response from the Three- training schools and are waiting to send They were originally started by Western, Self churches. There is no enthusiastic workers to Central Asia. conservative, fundamentalist missionaries response to BTJ among the 40,000 Three- Since these charismatic churches are and have grown tremendously under per- Self or registered churches. They know sending the workers out in haste, many secution. Their firm biblical stand attract- very little about major mission activities missionaries receive very little training in cross-cultural ministry. The casual- ty rate of these workers is very high. We the evangelical hope that these churches will be able to With good planning, provide systematic training and send out churches in China will be able to send many well-equipped workers as they respond well-equipped missionaries in the future. to BTJ. The money raised overseas for BTJ must have good supervision and account- ed many believers. Over the past twenty and do not want to participate in them. ability. Several books published overseas years, these churches have worked to- The former is because BTJ information on BTJ have significantly exaggerated gether and seen much success in evange- is shared only among house churches in the suffering of the Chinese church and lism and church planting. China but not publicly. The latter is due to its ability to send workers. Sending one Many of their leaders are opposed to the restrictions of the theological stand of hundred thousand workers in ten years to the BTJ movement. The main reasons giv- the Three-Self and government policy. Central Asia is an unacceptable exaggera- en are: Some younger pastors within the tion. Nevertheless, many Western Chris- • They want to concentrate on mis- Three-Self church are interested in BTJ and tians are accepting these figures as truth. sionary work within China first. They have participated in secret. These younger 2. A non-committal response from believe the church is not ready to take Three-Self pastors are more open-minded evangelicals. This refers to some of the on overseas work. and often engage in evangelistic work in- more open-minded churches, usually led • The movement has become a fund- cluding pioneer church planting near their by younger pastors. These churches are raising scheme for some people or exag- churches. In the last two to three years, usually urban churches or near universities. gerates the ministry of house churches. they have organized leadership training They are active in evangelistic work and • Some over-zealous responses to BTJ programs and have sent short term work- have connections with overseas ministries. result in high-profile publicity for the ers to northwest China. They also have These church leaders feel that at this house church, endangering their ministry. training programs for missionaries. time the Chinese churches do not have • The BTJ movement has no biblical I hope these younger Three-Self pas- enough resources to send out mission- basis. tors can participate in BTJ work more ac- aries. They also think that the Chinese Recently, some well-known leaders tively in the future. church should focus on the unreached ar- from these churches have united to op- Foreseeable (or Present)

11 ChinaSource / Spring 2006 Negative Attitudes and Motives of and observing carefully BTJ activi- Beyond Back to Jerusalem 1. Emotionalism. The Chinese people ties conducted overseas. The main ques- Continued from page 3 are rich in emotions and very relational. tions being asked are who is promoting A Way Forward The term “Jerusalem” draws a passionate it and what has been done. The protocol Given the controversy and image of response from Chinese believers. This is of the house church is to respond only to the label “Back to Jerusalem Movement,” not bad in itself, but the resulting atti- people whom they respect. They will not perhaps it would be better to adapt a tudes and actions are important. One trust just anyone. I believe that unless more descriptive label such as “China’s should not be drawn to BTJ because of some respected leaders come forward to Cross-Cultural Colleagues” (4C Move- romanticism and mysticism. promote BTJ and demonstrate practical ment) or “Mission from China Move- 2. Jumping on the bandwagon. actions, there will not be significant or ment” (MFC Movement). Some may consider themselves BTJ par- united activities for BTJ. Finally, by conventional wisdom, Chi- ticipants just by taking a tourist visit or 2. A generation of younger Chinese na seems to be an unlikely candidate as handing out tracks in Jerusalem. This is ministers will take up this mission. In a major player in missions. Yet, if history unfair to the workers who spend a life- a few years, the older generation of orig- is any indication, the growth of the Chi- time serving in that foreign land. inal BTJ workers will pass away. Will the na church since 1949 is evidence of God’s 3. Over-spiritualizing missionary next generation of Chinese pastors be hand at work. Such growth was particu- service. There is a mistaken notion that prepared to receive the mission of BTJ larly spectacular when there was no out- participation in missions (short or long or take the gospel from China to others? side (missionary) help, when there was term) is a more spiritual calling than At this time, the house church does not significant persecution, when few signs of other callings. The Lord’s Great Commis- yet have this ability. I hope that young- Christian activity could be detected and sion is for all believers to preach the gos- er leaders will rise up to lead the minis- everyone thought the China church was pel to the ends of the world. try of missions. I have great hope in the dead. However, none of us is called to be 4. The fast track approach. Do not younger generation which is rich in spir- in the driver’s seat; that seat belongs to fight to be the first one in the movement. itual life. They will be raised up by God God. Rather, we are commanded to look A worker sent out without proper prepa- to promote cross-cultural mission work at the fields and see the plentiful harvest ration will cause harm not only to him- among the Chinese churches. (Matthew 9:37). Our most logical (eas- self; other colleagues will be needed to 3. Overseas Chinese churches will iest, perhaps) response may be to give undo the damage. continue to hold meetings and train- money. Instead we are to pray and ask the 5. Comity territorialism. Some peo- ing sessions both large and small. Lord to send out workers. Let this be our ple have no desire to partner with others Many people from both the evangeli- first response. to fulfill the Great Commission. They cal and charismatic churches overseas prefer to run their own show. Worse still, have already focused their attention on Endnotes they will attack others or divide the mis- this movement. BTJ conferences, both 1. In this article, the term “China church” sion field. They do not have the resourc- large and small, are being organized in will be used to denote the church in China, especially the house church. The term Chinese es to complete the task but take over the various places. There are also seminar- church would include both the church in Chi- ies and training schools being set up for field and do not allow others to partic- na and in the overseas Chinese community. ipate. BTJ, both to train and to send workers. 2. On the one hand, the book that sparked 6. Claiming another’s credit. Some We still need to see how these people the current BTJ debate has been labeled “a groups count ministries that belong to will be sent out and their ministries in blockbuster that could affect world missions others as their own. Others exaggerate the field. I believe we will see Chinese more than anything written since Roland Al- their results. workers in Central Asia very soon. len’s Missionary Methods, St. Paul’s or Ours? On the other hand, the Heavenly Man, the chief 7. Fund raising. Some people are al- God willing, BTJ will be a major mis- promoter of BTJ in the West, has been labeled sions endeavor in the twenty-first centu- ready using BTJ to raise money. This is a “con man” by many house church leaders in a major concern of the Chinese house ry. I hope that church leaders worldwide, China, a charge strongly denied by the BTJ sup- churches. There are persistent rumors especially the churches in China and porters. See the www.BackToJerusalem.com that funds raised by some agencies have overseas Chinese churches, can ana- and www.JesusReturn.net websites for differing not been managed properly and have lyze this movement carefully, find the views of BTJ. no public accountability. This has raised right direction for BTJ and complete the 3. Press Release by BJ Foundation UK, Decem- ber, 2005 and estimates by Tony Lambert, OMF. questions among many churches. Lord’s Great Commission together. 4. Press Release by BJ Foundation UK, De- cember, 2005. What Does the Future Hold? 5. One Western source had sent over $500,000 There is already great confusion today Wen Mu, an overseas Chinese, is a seminary to various BTJ efforts by the middle of 2005. even before the BTJ movement has been for- president involved in theological education in 6. Editor’s note: A complete bibliography of China and other countries. This article, original- mally launched. I foresee the following pos- the titles available in Chinese for the training of ly written in Chinese, is an abridged translation sible responses from the Chinese church. cross-cultural workers is available and can be by the editor. Taken from “May Your Kingdom obtained by emailing info@chsource. org. 1. House churches in China will ob- Come,” Great Commission Center, California,  serve this movement carefully. Many 2005. Used with permission. Mr. Kam has extensive Chinese ministry experience major house church leaders are aware and now works with multiethnic teams in China. 

12 ChinaSource / Spring 2006 Tony Lambert China Partner

to emulate the pioneer work of the China Inland Mission among Muslims and minority peoples. Back to Jerusalem: In 1941, the CIM started the new NorthWest Bible Institute in Fengxiang, A Moving History Shaanxi province. Rev. James Hudson Taylor (grandson of the founder of the he “Back to Jerusalem” movement can be traced back CIM) was the principal and Rev. Mark to a vision for evangelism which God gave to sever- Ma, from Henan, became the vice-princi- al different indigenous Chinese Christian mission pal. Pastor Ma wrote: movements in the 1940s. It has been claimed that this On the evening of November 25, 1942 Tvision was also widely accepted among the earlier Jesus Family, while in prayer the Lord said to me: The door to Sinkiang is already opened. Enter and a communal Christian movement started in Shandong province. preach the Gospel.” When this voice reached However, I can find no evidence for this in the limited Chinese me I was trembling and fearful and most un- and English documentation of this fascinating group. willing to obey, because I did not recall a sin- gle time in the past when I had prayed for Sinkiang; moreover it was a place to which I In 1949, soon after World War II, are going with a strong sense of urgency of the had no desire to go. Therefore I merely pri- Phyllis Thompson, a China Inland Mis- shortness of the time, and the imminence of the vately prayed about this matter not even tell- sion (CIM) worker stationed in Chongq- Lord’s return. ing my wife. ing (Chungking) wrote: After exactly 5 months of prayer, on Eas- This is important evidence of the birth ter morning 25 April 1943 when two fellow workers and I were praying together on the The thing that has impressed me most has of this movement. It came at a time of so- cial and political turmoil during the Jap- bank of the Wei River, I told them of my call been the strange, unaccountable urge of a num- to Sinkiang and one of the fellow workers said anese occupation of much of China. ber of different Chinese groups of Christians that 10 years before she had received a similar to press forward in faith, taking the Gospel to- Spiritually, it seems to have galvanised call. When I returned to the school I learnt wards the west. I know of at least five differ- Chinese evangelists with a strong desire that on that same Easter Sunday at the sunrise ent groups, quite unconnected with each other who have left their homes in east China and gone forth leaving practically everything be- hind them to the west. Some are in Sikang, some in Kansu, some right away in the great “The thing that has impressed me most north-western province of Sinkiang or Chinese has been the strange, unaccountable urge Turkestan. It seems like a movement of the Spir- it which is irresistible. The striking thing is that of a number of different Chinese groups of they are disconnected, and in most cases seem to know nothing about each other. Yet all are Christians to press forward in faith, taking convinced that the Lord is sending them to the western borders to preach the Gospel, and they the Gospel towards the west.”

13 ChinaSource / Spring 2006 service 8 students had also been burdened with a fervent expectation of Christ’s re- After his release, he came across other for Sinkiang. It was with joy that I gathered turn and the need to preach the gospel ur- believers in the Kashgar area in 1988, and them all together and we planned a regular gently to the unsaved. In the tradition of in 1995 he travelled to Henan where he prayer meeting. On the evening of May 4th the CIM, it was strongly a “faith mission,” shared his vision of “Back to Jerusalem” there were 23 present, including members of the faculty and students. On May 11th we re- birthed in fervent prayer and looking to with some rural house church leaders. He ceived the first offering amounting to $50. God for every supply. Its constitution stat- died peacefully in Henan on December ed firmly: “We look to the Lord alone for 3, 2001, but his vision has since spread On the morning of May 23, as Ma all financial supplies.” In this it seems to to many Christians across China, main- fasted and prayed, he believed God differ widely with some modern expres- ly in rural house church circles but even spoke to him further. sions of the BTJ movement which blatant- to some Three-Self pastors and Bible col- ly appeal for funds at every possibility. leges. I not only want you (the Chinese church) to assume responsibility for taking the Gospel Another early pioneer was Simon In Xinjiang itself, the wife of one of to Sinkiang but I want you to bring to com- Zhao. He was born in 1918 and attend- the other early pioneers, Mecca Zhao, still pletion the commission to preach the Gospel ed the Dongguan American Presbyterian maintains a quiet witness on the outskirts to all the world. Since Pentecost the gospel church in Shenyang. He joined a prayer of Kashgar. In human terms, they have has spread for the greater part in a westward group which met in the church tow- seen few if any converts among the Mus- direction: from Jerusalem to Antioch to all er. One snowy night, he brought a large lims. Strong pressure from the local Islamic Europe; from Europe to America and then map with him and alone in the vast si- community, and also from the communist the East; from the Southeast of China to the Northwest; until today from Kansu on west- lence laid it down and prayed. He was authorities who forbid Christian outreach ward it can be said there is no firmly estab- drawn to Xinjiang with its strange Uygur by the numerous Han Christian communi- lished church. You may go westward from place names. The more he prayed the ty to their Uygur neighbors, means that so far only a few individual Uygurs have been saved. Some Han evangelists have moved “You may go westward from Kansu preach- to Xinjiang but have found learning the language and adapting to the local culture ing the Gospel all the way back to Jerusalem, daunting. Irresponsible claims overseas of 100,000 Chinese evangelists poised to take causing the light of the gospel to complete the Islamic world by storm have tarnished the original vision. However, there is plen- the circle around this dark world.” ty of evidence that there are many Chinese Christians praying fervently to become se- riously involved in cross-cultural mis- Kansu preaching the Gospel all the way back more Xinjiang imprinted itself on his sion—first within China’s borders where to Jerusalem, causing the light of the gospel mind. Later he married, and he and his some have already taken the gospel to Xiji- to complete the circle around this dark world. wife both went to study at Taidong Semi- ang, Tibet and Inner Mongolia—and then I want to manifest my power through those nary in Nanjing. There he met two wom- further afield. Perhaps a few hundred are who of themselves have no power. I have kept already in some kind of preparatory train- for the Chinese church a portion of inheri- en who also had a call to go to Xinjiang. tance, otherwise when I return will you not In 1949, all headed to the northwest, ing. be too poor? reaching Hami where they joined mem- Those I have met in China who are The same evening I reported the above bers of the North West Evangelization most serious about mission, adamantly re- revelation to our prayer group. The name band who had arrived there a year or two ject the naive triumphalism that has gained Pien Chíuan Fu yin Tíuan was accepted by the earlier. Eager to plant the gospel on vir- adverse publicity overseas and drawn the whole group. gin soil, he headed to Khotan (Hetian), attention of both the Chinese government It is interesting to note that the Chi- a remote oasis in the far south of Xin- and certain Muslim governments. They es- nese name means simply “The Preach Ev- jiang, in the winter of 1949. However, chew publicity, and in striking contrast to erywhere Gospel Band.” It was the CIM they were forced to move west to Kash- publicists overseas, insist that God will pro- missionaries who dubbed the movement gar where the band had set up a preach- vide the necessary funding from Chinese “Back to Jerusalem Evangelistic Band.” ing station. They arrived to a chaotic Christians within China. I believe they are Pastor Ma, at the same meeting, said he situation and were soon arrested. Simon the authentic successors to the original pi- believed God was calling them not only was placed in prison as were other mem- oneers, and their quiet work will bear ulti- to the outlying provinces of China but be- bers of the Band from Hami and Kash- mate spiritual fruit. yond to seven nations—Tibet, Afghani- gar. From 1954 until 1981 he toiled in stan, Iran, Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Turkey and terrible conditions in a labor camp, mi- Palestine. raculously surviving one instance of bru- Tony Lambert is the director for research, Chi- tality when he was stripped and forced nese ministries, for OMF International and the The vision was thus quite specific and author of China’s Christian Millions, The Res- to stand for hours in the freezing cold. centered on reaching the Muslims and the urrection of the Chinese Church and the re- Jews—no mention of Buddhists or Hin- Some of the other early pioneers to Xinji- cently published Pray for China! A 30 Day dus. Its ethos was strongly premillenial ang died as martyrs in captivity. Prayer Guide. 

14 ChinaSource / Spring 2006 Resource Corner OMF China Resource Packet s God pursues China’s people, he is pursuing faithful men and women Awho will give themselves to serve among the Chinese. This packet is a resource for individuals, churches, small groups, Sunday school classes and mobilizers with an interest in China. Its purpose is to stimulate personal involvement in God’s work in China through prayer, supporting, going, mo- bilizing and other avenues.

The packet uses several forms of media: a “handbook” of written material, videos, PowerPoint slides, a brochure, a 30-day prayer guide and an in- teractive web site www.chinasmillions.org.

Some of the special features of this packet include:

1. China Resource Handbook, packed with user-friendly, up-to-date information including: The cost of the • A timeline tracing Christianity throughout China’s history China Resource • A personal, inside look at the church in China and the issues it faces Packet is $30. • Profiles of ethnic and socio-economic people groups • An overview of Chinese cultural practices and how they are rapidly changing Order from • A synopsis of the key issues and current events shaping China today: www.omfbooks.com the 2008 Olympics, foreign relations and more or by calling • Reflection pages with Scripture and questions for readers to ponder 888-OMF-BOOKS 2. Powerpoint Presentations’ CD (888-663-2665). 3. Pray for China! A 30 Day Prayer Guide by Tony Lambert 4. Discussion Guide for leaders For more information, contact Chad Berry at [email protected] Intercessory Notes Please pray...

1. For cooperation among the China church, the 4. For the Chinese men and women God has overseas Chinese church and the Western called to serve him cross-culturally, both those church in taking the gospel message back to preparing to serve and those currently serving. Jerusalem. 5. For God’s blessing upon the Christian Wenzhou 2. That God will call out leaders who will develop merchants who develop business ventures in both programs and materials for cross-cultural many countries and take the gospel with them. ministry training. 6. That mission leaders around the world will be 3. That God will provide experienced cross-cultural able to think intentionally and creatively in order trainers and teachers who will be able to prepare to form partnerships. trainees to serve across cultures.

ChinaSource / Spring 2006 15 China Perspective

in our service to God—be they large or Back to Jerusalem: small. None of us is perfect in maturity this side of glory—as the bumper stick- A Difficult Subject er says “Please be patient, God is not finished with me yet.” Guest editorial by Wu Xi In the final analysis, as many seasoned Brent Fullton, Editor leaders in China service have pointed out, the most important role outsiders ack to Jerusalem is not an cross-cultural missions. In order to make can take for China is to pray. easy subject to tackle. Some that happen, partnership between the This current issue of ChinaSource is of us have declared our posi- church in China and the worldwide body special in that for the first time, a ma- tion openly and explicitly for of Christ is of primary importance. jority of the writers are Asian. Could this Btotal unqualified support, accepting the There is no biblical basis for the church be the beginning of a new era of coop- visionary figure of 100,000 missionaries in China to “take up the last baton” of eration between Asians and Westerners? as reality. It is difficult to back down and the Great Commission. There is no sup- Can Asians play the critical role of link- admit that we may not have gotten all of port for the church in China to “finish the ing the church in China with the world- our facts correct. Others have been silent Great Commission” by itself. There is no wide body of Christ? I hope that in the and cautious on the subject refusing to historical evidence that the gospel traveled not too distant future there can be an- endorse the visionary figure. The larger only in a westward direction (from Jeru- other issue of this journal devoted to community of Christians serving in Chi- salem to Europe, to North America, then reports of different BTJ related efforts il- na has interpreted this silence as unsup- to China), and that by taking the gospel lustrated by effective fruits and synergis- portive or even anti-BTJ. Many have felt from China to Jerusalem, the Great Com- tic partnerships. they were misunderstood. It will take a mission will be completed. very generous dose of humility and grace So, in practice, what is most impor- Wu Xi began serving China during the mid- from the Spirit to swallow our pride and tant about BTJ for you (and your agen- 70s, just before China’s Open Door policy was accept our very limited understanding. cy or your church)? It is very significant implemented. He served in many different What is most important in BTJ? The- for you to look at the future and to what capacities including working with Chinese oretically and theologically, all of us you and your agency can do. That will scholars studying in the West, frontline evan- will agree that the focal point should be be far more constructive than adding gelistic work and church mobilization for Chi- God’s desire for, and prompting of, the fuel to the debate about who says what na. Wu now lives in Asia.  church in China to become involved in and when. All of us have made mistakes

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID

P.O. Box 4343, Fullerton, CA 92834 FULLERTON CA PERMIT NO. 98

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

16 ChinaSource / Spring 2006