Joe Handley with A3 says that it is difficult to get information in and out of China.

“Fortunately, we do have channels where we’re hearing what’s happening in the church in the country. While they’re under duress and persecution in many cases, they continue to thrive.”

After their church was shut down, one congregation went to a large park dressed like ordinary citizens, but their headphones were tuned in to their pastor preaching. They were then able to meet in small, unobtrusive groups for fellowship.

(Photo courtesy of Baydar Bakht on Unsplash)

“That’s the kind of creativity that I’m hearing come out of the church of China,” Handley says. “Frankly, I think the rest of us can learn from that.

“As things change in the landscape of the global church, what will the biblical ecclesia — the biblical church — look like for tomorrow? How can we equip leaders for the church of tomorrow? That’s exactly what the Chinese church has done.”

Handley tells about one leader’s perspective given in a recent meeting outside of the country.

“We’re going to be okay,” the leader said. “We’re used to this. We lived for years under this kind of pressure, and right now is a season where we simply have to adapt.”

You can help believers in Asia by supporting A3’s leadership development efforts in countries like China, and by praying for these Christians experiencing persecution.

“Pray for the pressure they face,” Handley says. “They’re constantly having to switch. I know one group that has to change their channel for communication every 12 hours or so, simply because they’re being watched.”

Learn more about A3’s leadership development ministries here.

(Header photo courtesy of A3)

Kurt Rovenstine is a partner with a ministry working to spread the Gospel: Bibles for China.  

“Fundamentally, our ministry is just distribution of the Word of God,” Rovenstine said. “But in the last few months, we’ve begun to think about and talk about how can we help with this problem of leadership.”

Rovenstine recounted part of China’s history that included overt persecution of Christians under the leadership of Mao Zedong and has left a leadership void in Christian churches. 

“We had a conversation last night with some of our Chinese folks about how difficult it is to find good preachers that are founded in the Word of God and understand the value of the unaltered scripture and that we’re not Chinese and then Christian, but we’re Christian. And then Chinese,” Rovenstine said. 

Roventsine, alongside Bibes for China, sees a two-fold approach when preparing how to interact with the crisis in China. 

First, while being wary of what is out there, also embrace what is available. 

Many are pulling away from ministry opportunities in China because they may seem messy or imperfect. Rovenstine encourages Christians to not run away, but rather embrace the potential messiness. 

“Ministry in China is going to be messy, and so embrace Bibles for China and other ministries that are doing their best in a difficult circumstance to take advantage of whatever opportunity God has given them,” Rovenstine said. 

Second, pray for leadership. 

Bibles for China has had success recently in distributing Bibles, but has felt a burden when it comes to leadership in China. 

Pray for leaders to be raised up locally and for the leaders to be able to get through the difficult system that is China. 

Pray that the leaders are put in places of influence and authority that allows them to make decisions to help ministries make a difference in China. 

Learn more about how you can pray for leadership in China and support organizations like Bibles for China by visiting mnnonline.org.

Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China spoke about the attempt of the Chinese government to keep harmony and dictate the future direction of the country. 

“When China is difficult in their challenges and restrictions, and, you know, things that make life difficult for the Chinese, this particular issue seems to come to the surface, because it’s such a point of passion for the Christian people,” Rovenstine said. 

The Word of God is the foundational document for Christian belief and teachings. For organizations like Bibles for China, the Holy Bible guides the direction of their ministry.

Though there’s been no official declaration from the Chinese government regarding the CCP version of the Bible, people are questioning what will happen if the CCP Bible becomes the only legal version. 

“And so (Bibles for China has) had to address that, you know, we are committed to the unaltered Word of God,” Rovenstine said.  “And if it ever has changed, we won’t distribute it, we’ll find a different way to do what we do.”

However, Rovenstine said it could be a ten-year process before the CCP Bible is released publicly. 

“I think it’s a talking point for you know, a lot of ministries and maybe even for the government itself, not to say that it’s not happening,” Rovenstine said. “Who knows what goes on behind the walls of the think tanks and working groups of the Communist Party.”

Though the specifics of the CCP Bible are difficult to come by, Bibles for China is taking it very seriously. 

“If the only legal Bible in China is the CCP version, that’s totally unacceptable, and I think is an indication of the distance between the church and the communist government,” Rovenstine said. 

Rovenstine assures that the Bibles distributed by Bibles for China will always be the unaltered Word of God, and they are watching the situation closely. 

Read more about Bibles for China’s work in China here. 

According to Erik Burklin of China Partner, there is an active effort to make Christianity more “China-friendly.” However, leaders in China’s registered church see this not as an obstacle but rather an opportunity to contextualize their message within China’s culture. In the words of one pastor, “Our goal is to keep the biblical foundation but adapt to the culture, making the gospel relevant to our people.”

To Burklin, this is already an essential part of fulfilling the Great Commission. “We’re trying to figure out the best way of how we can share the good news of Jesus Christ to the culture or to the people that live in today’s culture.”

Yes, there is an active effort by officials to make religion “more Chinese.” But according to Burklin, “Chinese Christians laugh about that. They said, ‘Well, how much more Chinese do you want us to be? We are Chinese!’”

Really, it’s about ensuring that even Chinese Christians put the state first. Pastors are then faced with a complex challenge: trying to fit within the system and doing as the government asks without compromising the biblical integrity of the Gospel.

For example, many Christians around the world have heard stories of a future Chinese “version” of the Bible. Burklin got his hands on a copy of one of these Bibles. The cover was red and designed like a traditional Chinese book. Traditional artwork decorated both the cover and inside pages. And as for the content? “I had team members with me who speak Mandarin. […] they said it was identical to what they knew the true Bible to be.”

Burklin says that with these restrictions, the state is “almost saber-rattling in a way, just warning everybody, ‘Hey, you better toe the line and obey that we are really above all, including religion.’ And the Christians are saying, ‘So be it, but Jesus Christ is still the head of the church.’”

Above all, leaders within the Church in China focus on the fact that “Jesus is the person who brings salvation to the Chinese people. That is the core of our Gospel. That’s why we as pastors or as evangelists are working for the Lord; to let people know about the salvation that is possible through Jesus Christ.”

Follow China Partner’s work here at their website.

Header photo courtesy of China Partner.

Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China says, “It does reflect China’s desire – the party’s desire – to maintain harmony. [They’re saying] ‘We don’t want anybody stirring the pot. We don’t want anybody making waves. We want to be at peace and harmony with one another.’ They legislate that morality, which is very foreign to us here [in the West].”

The proposed law allows officials to detain those in violation for up to fifteen days with fines up to 5,000 yuan ($681).

The law forbids, “the wearing in public places … of clothing and symbols that damage the spirit of the Chinese nation, or that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.” The vague language does not provide concrete examples of what clothing might violate the law.

Additional wording in the proposed law bans “producing, disseminating or publicizing” products, articles or speech that are deemed damaging to China’s spirit.

Rovenstine notes, “What concerns me is how that will be potentially detrimental if everything moves forward to ministry. If we can ban it on a shirt, then we can ban it in a book and we can ban it from a pulpit, or in a conversation on the street. So [with] the sharing of the Gospel, I think there’s some potential there for that to be just yet another challenge for the church in China that already has a number of restrictions against it.”

Who Decides?

In addition to the concerning lack of clarity, there is no language indicating who will decide what is problematic. It’s possible that individual officers may interpret the proposed law differently. How will one know if any particular item will be considered offensive on a given day?

(Photo courtesy of Pedro Serapio from Pixabay)

Rovenstine notes that variety in legal interpretation is already widespread in China.

“One of the things I’ve noticed in China is that laws like this are interpreted in a wide variety of ways all over China. So in one province, there’s one level of freedom or restriction and then another. It’s very, very different because they’re interpreting the law as they see fit.”

Implications for the Church

Giving local officials undefined power to detain people could prove troublesome to the spread of the Gospel.

Pray that this proposed law would not be passed and the Gospel would continue to advance in China despite opposition.

Photo courtesy of Orna on Pixabay.

Pew Research Center released a survey last year on international perceptions in 19 key countries. The found 66% of those surveyed see China’s global influence growing, while only 32% thought the same of the United States.

Kurt Rovenstine, President of Bibles for China says, “Whether we like it or not, China has an incredible amount of influence in the world. They’re leading the world in trade. When you import and export around the world, there are initiatives that they have instituted that are giving them influence in places [where] other nations are losing influence.”

(Photo courtesy of Bibles for China)

This also makes China a key nation where biblical impact has lasting echoes worldwide!

Unfortunately, China is increasing restrictions on Gospel outreach, so Bibles for China has refined its ministry focus.

Rovenstine says, “Westerners are much less prevalent in the work that we do. We’ve put our faith in and tried to empower and equip and supply local partnerships. We’re still distributing Bibles at at a very good clip through the partnerships that we have through the registered Church.”

Pray for China to become a platform for Christ’s message of salvation to the world.

“China’s making a difference in the world. We want to make sure that difference that they make is a godly difference.”

Support Bibles for China’s ministry.

Header photo of the Great Wall of China. (Photo courtesy of Bruce Rottgers/Unsplash)

“We basically were on a listening tour,” says Rovenstine. “How has the last three years been? What are your ministry needs? What can we do for you? How can we help you?”

They found out that many believers in rural China have Bibles, but now the challenge is understanding and learning from Scripture.

“How do we help those people who have a Bible correctly read and interpret it and understand context?” says Rovenstine.

Local partners said one solution is training more teachers of the Word. Christian leaders in rural provinces often lack opportunities for biblical education. Meanwhile, those in the cities have options to grow in their understanding and knowledge of Scripture. A city pastor may have several years of studies while rural leaders have little to no training.

Rovenstine says, “We’ve always believed that the Bible is enough. But we also know that the Bible tells us that there’s great value in teachers and leaders and those who explain the truth that’s been given to them through the Scriptures.”

Bibles For China is exploring ways the ministry can come alongside leaders in rural China with encouragement, support, and biblical resources. Since the ministry already has the means to distribute printed Bibles, one natural next step would be to begin distributing study Bibles and other materials for teaching Scripture. Whichever methods are used, Bibles For China wants to continue encouraging and supporting those leaders who are working to disciple Chinese believers.

Rovenstine had the privilege to meet many on his trip and asks for prayer for them.

He says, “They’re doing the work, and they’re hanging in there, and God’s blessing them and reminds us that we serve a faithful God. And that should be very comforting and challenging to us as believers.”

Pray for God to continue to show His faithfulness to those serving Him in China. May He give them strength and tenacity to grow His Church.

Photos courtesy of Bibles For China.

Bibles For China supports registered churches to faithfully share the Word of God. The ministry partners with local Christians to distribute Bibles where most needed and promote the teaching of Scripture.

Kurt Rovenstine says, “At Bibles for China, one of the things that we feel like is our opportunity, our mandate is to be Bible advocates against all kinds of attacks on the Word of God.”

Whether in a house church or one of China’s registered churches, Chinese Christians face a variety of challenges. Current concerns include alterations to the biblical text and state surveillance cameras installed in church buildings. Read more here.

“They’re both trying to do their very best to be ministers of the Gospel, true to the Word of God, in the context that God has called them to work in,” says Rovenstine. “And, you know, we celebrate that. We support that.”

Rovenstine invites believers to pray that God would give the Church of China wisdom and unity while continuing to follow their calling.

“That just God would move in China in a fantastic way and that there would be unity amongst the Body of Christ,” says Rovenstine. “And that we not get caught up in the things that divide us but celebrate the things that unite us, especially in China.”

On a recent visit to China, Rovenstine witnessed one of Bible For China’s distributors mentor a younger leader. They discussed a current difficult situation and began to make plans together for future ministry opportunities.

“That’s what the call is all about,” says Rovenstine. “It’s not running from where you are. It’s saying, ‘God, you’ve placed me in this moment. And I’m going to do my very best. And I’m going to dream for the future. And I’m going to plan to let you do incredible things in and through my ministry right where I am.’”

Learn more about the work of Bibles For China and pray for Chinese Christians at BiblesForChina.org.

Photos courtesy of Bibles For China on Facebook.

According to Kurt Rovenstine of Bibles For China, “The situation in China – when it comes to religious freedom, the ability to get the word of God, those kinds of things – is very much a fluid situation.”

Bibles For China works alongside the registered church in China, which allows them to print and distribute Bibles legally and openly to pastors and congregations throughout China. But even working within the regulations and guidelines provided by China’s government presents problems both for those already in China and those looking to travel there.

For example, some believers in China have reported concerns that state officials are modifying the content of printed Bibles in order to make the text better reflect the values of China and the Communist Party. While this may be happening in some places, Rovenstine says that “We are extremely confident that the Bibles that we purchased within China from Amity Press – which is an international Bible-printing organization – are unaltered.”

Still, it’s something Bibles For China and their local partners are watching. Local churches “have assured us that if the Bible changes, if it is altered so that it no longer reflects the most accurate translation available to us from the original manuscripts, then we will no longer distribute it.”

It’s a difficult problem. Rovenstine recalls a conversation with a group of Bible translators and distributors during a recent conference: “The Word of God is important. But it’s God, the power of the Holy Spirit, the protection of God Almighty, that’s keeping the word what it ought to be.”

So even as China’s Christians remain diligent, they also trust that God will direct them. They’re praying that “God directs us to help keep what He wants us to have, exactly the way it needs to be so that the truth of the Gospel […] can be discovered within the pages of the Bible.”

Beyond Bible alterations, the Church in China is also wrestling with surveillance issues, such as cameras accessible by the state and installed in church buildings, and online registrations that subject some Christians to high levels of scrutiny.

China’s state-level control isn’t running completely rampant. After all, tourism and international commercial markets are important to China’s economy. This balance by China’s leaders has made it difficult to get funds to believers in China who need Bibles. If you want to help support Bibles For China financially, you can do that right here.

If you don’t want to give, you can pray for Christians facing complex politics. “It’s not overt,” Rovenstine says. “It’s not as if they’re coming in and arresting people and closing churches.

“Keep praying for those folks, that God will continue to give them that strength and determination in the midst of the challenges that are before them.”

Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.

Among other things, Kurt Rovenstine of Bibles for China says unemployment rates remain high. After “two or three years of shutting factories, people [are] waiting for things to restart, and that doesn’t kick off [very] quickly.”

Even though most restrictions have been lifted, the way many people live their daily lives has changed. “There’s a little bit of a loss of ambition,” Rovenstine says. “People had plans and goals and aspirations, and now there’s not quite so much of that.”

But how does this affect the church in China? Unsurprisingly, it creates some practical obstacles. “We’re seeing an increase in Bible costs, which is [the] result of the economic situation, which makes[…] what we can do a little more difficult.” If you want to help support Bible production financially, you can do that right here.

Plus, not every restriction has been lifted. In China, some restrictions were put into place during the pandemic that were minimally connected to controlling the spread of COVID-19. “We’re really stepping back and looking at, ‘How are those restrictions that weren’t strictly COVID-related going to come back into play?’” Rovenstine says. “‘Will they add more?’”

Bibles for China works with the legal and registered church in China. As a result, “[w]e have some opportunities [that] others may not. But we still wonder if there’s not more to come that might make life difficult for all believers within China.”

Rovenstine says Christian leaders can step up to the challenges facing the people of China. “There is the opportunity to speak into people’s lives when they’re facing discouragement and an uncertain future. [They’re] not sure what the next couple of years will hold in terms of, ‘Can we pay our bills, can we keep our air mortgage, can we take steps forward that we had planned to take before all this happened?’

“I think the church can step in and give words of hope, in terms of the Gospel.”

People are feeling desperate, both emotionally and spiritually. “[They’re asking,] ‘How can I have hope in the midst of my crumbling dreams?’ And so my prayer is that the Church takes advantage of that, speaks into that, and offers true hope, not hoping that things of this world.”

Pray that God would equip the Church in China to respond in the face of these crises. “I love the idea of these younger people whose whole perspective of where they’re headed has changed. Maybe [they will] have the opportunity to refocus on on true hope, rather than on hope that changes with every shifting wind.”

Learn more about Bibles for China and their work right here.

Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.