Plight of Central Asian diaspora drives IMB alumnus to press on (March 21, 2024, International Mission Board)
Before former International Mission Board worker Allison moved back to the United States, she’d already developed a deep love for and passion to reach the Central Asian diaspora. Working with Central Asian refugees and asylum seekers in Europe opened her eyes to the felt needs of the people, as well as their spiritual condition. Her friend Aziza’s story often comes to mind.
Make Nepal Hindu Again: Christians Concerned by Rising Religious Nationalism (April 12, 2024, Christianity Today) (Subscription Required)
In an “alarming” development, Indian Hindutva ideology and politics have begun to spread throughout the country, as local experts and journalists report. This proliferation has resulted in a recent spate of attacks and restrictions on Christians reported within the country of 30 million.
Should Christians be neutral about Israel/Palestine? (March 21, 2024, Mission Network News)
Conversations about the conflict between Israel and Palestine are laden with political tensions. Violence has triggered debates and arguments across the globe. The only thing everyone can agree on is that they disagree.
Uzbekistan Turning Down The Volume On Islam (September 20, 2023, Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty)
But sources that attended the meeting and spoke to RFE/RL's Uzbek Service on condition of anonymity said that along with the supposed rise in radical interpretations of the country's main religion, officials raised alarms about an increase in polygamy and the emerging problem of citizens -- including state officials -- attending prayers during working hours. Officials should either "choose religion or work for the state," Aripov said, according to the sources.
25 Countries with the Highest Muslim Population in the World (July 29, 2023, Yahoo Finance)
By 2050, the share of Muslims in the world’s population will come close to that of Christians, 10% of Europe will comprise of Muslims, and India will retain its Hindu majority but will surpass Indonesia to have the largest Muslim population in the world for any country.
Pakistan: New Govt must repeal blasphemy laws to protect Christians (March 11, 2024, Release International)
As Pakistan emerges from its national elections, UK-based Release International calls on the new government to repeal the country’s notorious blasphemy laws and prevent forced conversions.
The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind and Chinese Christianity (April 16, 2024, ChinaSource Blog)
Given the significant influence of American evangelicalism on the development of contemporary Chinese Christianity, how should Chinese Christians critically study and integrate evangelical theology into our practices?
The External Cross: A Pastoral Letter (April 15, 2024, China Partnership Blog)
This pastoral letter, from February of this year, encourages and commends believers for the way they have borne up under the outward persecution of recent year.
China in the Mirror: Challenges and Realities: Reflections on China, Part 1: The Context in 2024 (April 15, 2024, ChinaSource Blog)
The 1990s and 2000s saw a substantial expansion of the space within which the Chinese church was allowed to exist. This space has shrunk considerably in the last ten years. Yet despite the challenges faced, the sovereignty of God is not restrained by human politics. In fact, over the last 40 years basic missiological principles to guide cross-cultural ministry in restrictive environments have been forged in China.
An Exploration of Islam in China: More Context from the ChinaSource Archives (April 12, 2024, ChinaSource Blog)
In order to help our readers better understand how to share the gospel effectively, we’re pulling together some of the most relevant articles from the series, along with a few reflections on Ramadan.
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Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio
Blessing Asia
In October-2022 more than 500 Christian leaders from across Asia gathered in Thailand for the Asia 2022 Congress, sponsored by the Lausanne Movement and various partnering organizations. I had the opportunity to participate in the Congress virtually and was mightily blessed. From Bible exposition to K-pop worship, and through seminars and workshops, the participants were encouraged by the stories of what God is doing in countries all over Asia. Clearly, God is on the move.
A beautiful vision was portrayed in a video of the popular worship song The Blessing, featuring singers from all over Asia. Here it is:
Many of the sessions have already been posted on their website and to their YouTube channel.
One that I found particularly helpful considering all that is going on in China was a presentation titled Church and State Relationship in Asia Today. You can see the video here.
I encourage you to spend some time on their website; there are fantastic resources for understanding God’s work in Asia today.
Original link: https://www.chinasource.org/resource-library/blog-entries/blessing-asia/
Image credit: Andrea Brucker, via Unsplash
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