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” 2 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 ques- tions 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 opportuni- ties 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.