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by Tony Lambert, Director of China Research, OMF International Thirty years ago the thought that Christianity had any future in China was scorned not only by the Maoists but by most Western observers. Noted scholar Donald Treadgold of the University of Washington stated: “The evangelicals’ few Chinese converts were swallowed up by history, leaving on the surface of the clashing and mingling tides of Western innovation and Chinese tradition scarcely a visible trace.” (The West in Russia and China. Vol 2. pg. 69) When I first visited China in 1973, there were no churches open in the entire country (apart from two “show” churches in Beijing —one Protestant, one Catholic—for the diplomatic community). Christianity was outlawed and had been exterminated—at least to the visible eye. So it is good to pause, before we consider the future of Chinese Christianity, and ponder the magnitude of what God has done over the last thirty years or so:
This staggering growth constitutes probably the largest Christian revival in 2,000 years of church history. Even secular newspapers and magazines of worldwide reputation are taking notice of the growth of Chinese Christianity as a spectacular phenomenon: “Christianity is becoming popular with China’s urban elite... In its report last year [2004] on religious freedom the American State Department quoted estimates for the Protestant community ranging from 30-90 million. These unofficial tallies would mean that between 2-7 percent of China’s population is Christian... In the past five years especially Christianity has flourished on university campuses... The recent spread of Christianity among this educated elite marks ‘a very critical change’ in the development of the religion in China.” (The Economist, April 23, 2005) “Christianity is China’s new social revolution. There are now more Christians than Communist Party members. It is spreading through town and countryside and Chinese communities abroad. ...The evidence suggests that there may be as many as 80 million members of underground Christian churches in China, unapproved by the State. If these figures are even roughly accurate, then we are looking at a very remarkable development in the history of not only Asia but of all mankind.” (Daily Telegraph, London, July 30, 2005)
URBANIZATION: In another 20 years or so, 50 percent of China will be urbanized. Evangelism of China’s cities—in most of which less than one percent are Christian—must be a top priority. RURAL TO URBAN MIGRATION: Nearly 200 million peasants are already on the move in either seasonal or permanent migration to the cities in search of work—the greatest countryside to city mass migration in human history. Once in the cities, they are often despised. Some turn to crime, drugs and prostitution. The Chinese church must seize the initiative in reaching out to the new urban poor. RURAL DECLINE: Although hundreds of millions of people will still live in the countryside and continue to be a ready audience for the gospel, there are already signs of decline in many rural churches. In many villages, over 90 percent of the young people have left for the cities, leaving only the elderly and children. Poverty and lack of biblical training leave house churches vulnerable to extreme cults such as “Lightning from the East,” which preaches a female, Chinese messiah. Rural churches are powerless to stem this urban flow that is seriously endangering and weakening the long-term future of some rural house churches. Some churches, however, are using the migration as an opportunity to train their young people for evangelism in the cities. THE WEALTH-POVERTY GAP: Widespread poverty afflicts many rural churches. Many unemployed and elderly in the cities are also living on shoe-string budgets. Lack of resources means inability to train pastors and promising young people. Wealthy churches in Shanghai, Wenzhou, etc. are already showing concern for poor, rural Christians in China’s western regions. MATERIALISM & CORRUPTION: Both are now rampant in Chinese society. The TSPM churches, as part of the official system, sometimes fall prey to unscrupulous pastors or religious affairs officials who sell off church property and develop it for personal gain. The house churches are also prone to temptation—particularly from naïve, but unwise overseas churches and organizations who give large monetary donations. SOCIAL CONCERN: The churches have a pivotal opportunity in developing and diversifying special ministries to the huge segments of the population left behind by the economic boom. The government often doesn’t have the resources or personnel to cope. Christian ministries to the blind, deaf, physically and mentally disabled, migrants, HIV/AIDS sufferers, drug addicts, etc. are desperately needed and in some cases are already starting. Both TSPM and house churches are already running clinics, senior citizens’ homes and specialist facilities [e.g. for autistic children (TSPM in Shandong Province), and for severely disabled children (house church, West China)]. THE TSPM CHURCHES: They still remain overwhelmingly evangelical at the grass-roots, but at higher levels, pastors and theological students are being forced to study the official “theological reconstruction” campaign that waters down basic foundations of the gospel, such as justification by faith and the uniqueness of Christ. The TSPM relies on government backing and if that were for any reason withdrawn, the whole system of government-controlled churches could collapse (as happened in Eastern Europe). The fight for the soul of the “official” church will continue. If theological reconstruction prevails, then the TSPM churches could fall into the lackluster liberalism that has had devastating effects on the Western church. However, many of the TSPM’s most brilliant pastors and young theological graduates remain steadfastly evangelical and are working to combat such trends. HOUSE CHURCHES: At their heart, they are thoroughly evangelical. However, they are sometimes prone to divisions over secondary issues or personalities of the leaders. Some large rural groups are increasingly reliant on overseas funding. Others, particularly in the cities, are self-supporting. Some are prone to indigenous cults or extreme teaching from abroad (Prosperity Gospel, Toronto Blessing etc.). House churches can be expected to diversify to cater to every social group in China. They already range from large rural networks of mainly poorly educated peasants to highly sophisticated urban fellowships for students, graduates and business persons, as well as for returning scholars. CHILDREN AND YOUTH: Prohibitions on ministry to young people under the age of 18 still stand, but in practice many TSPM and house churches discreetly run Sunday schools, youth activities and summer camps. Nevertheless, passing on the faith to the younger generation remains a weak spot in the Chinese church overall. There is a chronic lack of basic Sunday school materials and properly trained children’s workers. INTELLECTUALS: It is striking how many educated Chinese are turning to Christ—both inside the country and overseas. There is a danger some remain “culture Christians” only—divorced from the grassroots churches and taken up with intellectual discussion. But many have truly converted. They provide much needed spiritual and theologically-educated leadership for the churches. THEOLOGY: The need to develop a fully biblical and thoroughly Chinese theology to engage with a rapidly changing Chinese society is great. Under persecution, some house churches became anti-intellectual and suspicious of cultural or social engagement. This needs to change, and there are some encouraging signs among the younger, urban house-church leaders. THE MEDIA: Despite continual government control, the media are slowly becoming more open to Christian influences —particularly in “pre-evangelism.” There are now more than a dozen privately-owned Christian bookshops in China and several hundred Christian books have been published legally within the country (not including the limited range published by the TSPM). Educated Christians are adept at downloading Christian materials from the Internet and producing their own DVDs. The global church needs to monitor the situation closely so as to be ready to help on a massive scale if and when restrictions are suddenly or gradually loosened. Gospel radio, as well as evangelistic and discipleship materials produced overseas and in Hong Kong, will still be a major support for the Mainland church in the foreseeable future. CROSS-CULTURAL MISSION: There are encouraging signs that both house church and some TSPM Christians have already sent evangelists to Tibet, the Muslim Northwest and the many minority groups in the Southwest. Results have been erratic due to lack of proper theological, linguistic and cross-cultural preparation. Several hundred house-church Christians have begun training to take the gospel through the Muslim world as part of the “Back to Jerusalem” movement. Despite much hyped publicity overseas, this movement is still in its infancy and faces many challenges before large numbers can be properly trained and sent out. However, the prayer support and interest is increasing within China. The rural churches have much zeal, but little understanding of even the large Muslim communities within China, let alone overseas. However, educated Christians in places such as Shanghai and Wenzhou are much better placed to take the gospel abroad as they travel on business. After several decades it is likely that China will take its place alongside South Korea as a new, major sending-base for cross-cultural mission. The church in China is already—or will soon be—the largest evangelical Christian community in the world. This is a standing testimony to God’s grace and the power of the gospel. This church will integrate more fully with the worldwide Christian community. It has much to teach us. It is vital that Christians overseas have a spirit of humility and servanthood and a willingness to listen and to learn. They must act in partnership rather than impose their own agendas or re-impose old denominational or missions structures of dominance. |
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THE FUTURE OF CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA