Messi mess, Olympics and movies: Here’s what Hongkongers Googled in 2024 (December 26, 2024, Hong Kong Free Press)
Lionel Messi, the closure of gym chain Physical, Donald Trump and box office hit “The Last Dance” were among the most Googled people and events in Hong Kong in 2024, according to the search engine’s year-end report.
What is neijuan, and why is China worried about it? (December 24, 2024, The Guardian)
The buzzword – which went viral after a student was filmed working on his laptop while riding his bicycle – reflects a mix of competitiveness and hopelessness amid China’s slowing economy.
Challenges and Opportunities for the Pulpit in China’s Urban House Churches (December 23, 2024, Chinese Church Voices)
With the rapid progress of industrialization, urbanization, informatization, and globalization, on the one hand, many new urban house churches have sprung up and thrived like bamboo shoots after the rain. On the other hand, some urban house churches have gradually shrunk, stagnated, and even split apart. It is the responsibility of this generation of pastors to face the challenges of urban house churches head-on and, through faith and prayer, rely on the Holy Spirit to respond to these challenges.
Christmas Celebrated in China’s Christian Communities on Sunday (December 23, 2024, China Christian Daily)
Many churches have marked Christmas in advance as Christmas Day, which falls on Wednesday this year, is not an official holiday in China. It is said that many house churches have celebrated the festival days or even a month ago due to safety concerns, while a large percentage of registered churches observed it last Sunday.
Xiamen: Pray for New Testimonies of God’s Power (December 23, 2024, China Partnership)
There are not good testimonies to share with others. We keep repeating the testimony of the older generations – but in our generation of younger churches, it doesn’t seem like there are many stories to tell. Pray for us to have more deeply rooted, godly lives.
Stories of Life-Changing Encounters in Church on Christmas (December 22, 2024, China Christian Daily)
On Christmas Eve in 2009, he wandered the streets after work, with nothing particular to do. He noticed a church packed with people and, out of curiosity, went in. The warm reception from the church staff and the cozy atmosphere of the Christmas Eve service deeply moved him. Although he didn’t quite understand what the pastor was saying, he was infected by the fervent atmosphere when the call to respond came during the church service, and resolutely went up to receive the pastor’s blessing.
China’s Catholics in 2024: A Year in Review (December 22, 2024, The Catholic Reporter)
If the 1950s and ’60s were an era mostly of state persecution in China, 2024 was a year mostly of state control over the Church.
Ministering Cross-Culturally: A 150 Percent Person (December 20, 2024, ChinaSource)
You and I will never be a 200 percent person. But there are enough shared values and beliefs in divergent cultures for us to appreciate and begin to understand another culture, always as an outsider, but with a growing capacity to respond to new expectations and values in culturally appropriate ways.
Xiamen: Longing for Depth (December 19, 2024, China Partnership)
If Xiamen churches are to grow and mature, they need to reflect deeply on Christ’s goodness. As one pastor shared, he is praying for “discipleship within the church, and evangelism and missions outside.” While sobering, this critical look at what the Xiamen church needs can encourage us to pray for Xiamen believers and for the church in China.
How China turns members of its diaspora into spies (December 26, 2024, The Economist) (Subscription required)
China’s hacking of American computer networks and its efforts to steal Western military and trade secrets have made headlines in recent years. But it has also been pursuing a more subtle campaign, one that involves bribery, blackmail and secret deals, and which uses people of the Chinese diaspora to carry out surveillance, information-gathering and influence operations around the world.
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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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