Opinion | Why learning to love China isn’t like any other school subject (September 22, 2024, South China Morning Post) (Subscription required)
Learning patriotism is learning of the heart rather than of the mind. It has neither the logic of mathematics nor the precision associated with learning to write Chinese characters. Yet as a curriculum priority the way it is taught needs to be well-understood and practised with skill, and its expected outcomes need to be clearly specified.
Lanzhou: A City People Leave (September 5, 2024, China Partnership)
This month, we are praying for the city of Lanzhou in northwestern China. Lanzhou is the capital city of Gansu Province, and was an important station on the ancient Silk Road. The city sits on the banks of the Yellow River, and is known for its famous beef noodles. In today’s article, several local pastors introduce us to Lanzhou.
Lanzhou: Muslims—A Blind Spot in Our Love (September 9, 2024, China Partnership)
Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, is well-known for its large Muslim population. Gansu Province is usually regarded as the birthplace of Islam in China, and with a history of more than 1,300 years. Most Muslims in Lanzhou belong to the Hui ethnic group. Today, several Lanzhou house pastors shared how they believe their Han Chinese churches have failed to love and reach out to their Muslim neighbors, and how this has hindered the Spirit’s work in their city.
Reaching the New Unreached (September 6, 2024, ChinaSource)
Increasingly, pastors, youth ministers, and parents are encountering young people re-evaluating their gender or sexual orientation. When discussing issues related to homosexuality, how can we respond in a way that opens the door to further conversation, rather than shutting down the possibility of hope? How can we answer in a way that touches the essence of the gospel and invites Jesus into their lives?
When God Calls Us to Stay (September 9, 2024, ChinaSource)
Even before the civil unrest and the pandemic, Hong Kong was already known for its sky-high housing prices and tough conditions for raising kids. Still, God guided us on a journey of grace and reconciliation, calling us to stay and serve his church.
Guided by the Divine in the Shadowed Valley (September 10, 2024, ChinaSource)
Many believers find their way to Christ through trials, through zealous missionaries, or by the gentle invitation of other believers. But for me, it was the shattering tragedy of 1989 that plunged the nation into despair, which quietly led me into the embrace of God.
China is a ‘fire-breathing dragon on government steroids’ whose tech will surpass Western firms in a decade, U.S. think tank says (September 20, 2024, Fortune) (Subscription required)
It’s time to reject the view that “China can’t innovate,” says a leading U.S. think tank, as Beijing tries to foster its own advanced technologies to get a strategic edge against Washington.
Must countries choose between the west and China? (September 19, 2024, Financial Times)
We should also pay attention to the perspective of “in-between” countries: those that do not unavoidably have deeper economic ties to one particular bloc. The in-betweeners include (much like the old non-aligned movement) a large majority of the world’s developing countries. If the global economy fragments into integrated blocs, it would leave a lot of them with a conundrum.
Why US-China bipolarity is good for Asia (September 20, 2024, Lowy Institute, The Interpreter)
Fatalists believe China is already an unassailably dominant force in Asia. US primacists see China as weak, vulnerable and ultimately containable. Others, including US allies such as Australia and Japan, champion a third way – a multipolar Indo-Pacific that could arrest China’s ambitions for regional hegemony.
‘Guzi’ stores: How to connect offline to China’s Gen Z and Alpha? (August 19, 2024, Jing Daily)
The proliferation of ‘Guzi’ stores are reviving offline malls, creating cute cultural hubs and attracting young consumers through animation, comics and gaming merch.
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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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