Global Chinese Ministries Newsletter - March 2008

Edited by Tony Lambert, OMF Director for China Research

AN AGING POPULATION

The China National Committee on Aging recently reported that the number of elderly people above 60 is now 143 million—11% of the total population. From 1982-2004 the average annual increase in the elderly population has been 3 million—this is 2.9% per annum which is way above the average general population increase of only 1.9%. There are now 21 provinces which have become “old age” regions.

The rapid increase in the aging population is putting tremendous strains on medical and social services. This is particularly true in the villages where 85 million elderly live (or 66% of the total elderly population). In general, there is a lack of medical care and of health insurance in the rural areas. Also, the massive emigration of young and middle-aged people to the cities means more and more elderly people cannot necessarily rely on the traditional care once given by the extended family or clan to the elderly (Ming Pao, 29 October 2007).

CHINESE CHURCH STATISTICS

All the evidence points to continuing rapid growth of the Chinese church.
The highly inflated “guesstimates” so often going the rounds overseas hardly seem necessary in view of the reality.

This time last year a national religious poll whose results were published in both People’s Daily and China Daily estimated 40 million Protestants—double the figure given out by the China Christian Council (CCC) in the last year or two. Even this 40 million figure is very likely highly conservative. However, so far as we are aware, all the figures often quoted for 50, 60 or 70 million Protestants are based on hearsay, or at most on “leaked” information without any documentary evidence. House-church growth due to the disparate nature of the different networks is notoriously difficult to quantify.
Here are some more statistics given out by the CCC which are further evidence of healthy growth in recent years:

Shanghai
210,000 church members (2007)
187,000 “ “ (2005)
150,000 “ “ (2000)
Guangdong
320,000 (2007)
200,000 (1997)
180,000 (1993)

The CCC figures refer to adult, baptized members of Protestant churches and meeting points affiliated to the CCC/TSPM. They do not include the larger community of children under 18 and of seekers. Nor do they include the members of house churches. However, they provide a good, conservative, bottom-line benchmark.

A DAY IN MY LIFE—A CHILD LABORER’S DIARY

“I get up at 3 a.m. with my mom. After washing my face, I accompany her to the wholesale market to get vegetables to be sold at the retail market. While mom is selling the vegetables I return home to prepare breakfast. After eating with my brother I rush back to the market so that mom can come home for breakfast. Once mom has returned to the market I will be able to go to school.

“At noon I return home first to prepare lunch for my brother and myself, and then I go to the market to free my mom for her meal. After her lunch, I will go back to school to continue my afternoon classes. In the evening I return home to do my homework while taking care of my little brother and preparing dinner at the same time. Then we wait for mom to have dinner with us. Eventually we go to bed. This is a typical day of mine.”
This harrowing story was written by a child laborer. She added that her mom had recently told her not to go to school but to help her at the market instead as her brother would be starting school soon and she could only afford sending one child to school. “But I wish so much to continue schooling!” was her pathetic plea.

There are now 150 million peasant farmers working in China’s cities. They account for 80% of all construction workers, 80% of miners, 60% of factory workers and 50% of workers in the hospitality industry. Many face rejection and discrimination and lead unimaginably hard lives.

Let us return to the little girl who lost her opportunity to go to school. It is important to encourage believers and the Christian community to be involved in helping children. It is equally important to raise farmers’ awareness of the need to educate their children and to call for society’s efforts to develop rural townships and villages. We also need to advocate equality between the sexes in education and to call for an overall consistent system of education. This is our duty as a church.

(As reported by a Chinese theological student in ANS, December 2007.)

CHINESE IN IRELAND

There may be as many as 145,000 ethnic Chinese in the Republic of Ireland (Eire). Of these, about 80,000 live in the capital, Dublin. However, there are only two small Chinese Christian fellowships in Dublin and one in Cork. This may be because the predominant faith in Ireland is Roman Catholicism and evangelical Christianity is weak. Pray for the establishment of a strong Christian witness among Chinese in Ireland and for more fellowships to be established.

CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY

China is a multi-cultural country. In addition to the Han, there are 55 ethnic groups recognized by the government. (Most overseas experts would place the true figure for distinctive ethnic people groups at more than 450—see, for instance, Operation China published in 2000.)

God has raised up many churches in the richer coastal area which are now involved in cross-cultural ministry. Some have sponsored Christian leaders from poorer inland and northwestern provinces to attend two-year training courses. Other churches are running one-year training courses for minority church workers. Some Christian businessmen from coastal areas have opened shops in various regions to share the gospel with minority people.

One church in the northwest sent a couple to a remote region to do church planting among ethnic minorities. It takes more than 10 hours by car to arrive there from the church. After four years, they now have a church with more than eighty believers including Mongols, Hui (Chinese Muslims) and Tibetans. Han Chinese workers report difficulties in adjusting to local living conditions, cultural differences, and spiritual warfare as many groups are still held in bondage by animism, Buddhism or Islam.

Some workers in China say taking the gospel back along the Silk Road to Jerusalem is their long-term goal. Some are learning languages in preparation for future missionary work. As there are so many unreached minorities within China, churches should concentrate on outreach to these ethnic groups within China first to gather more cross-cultural experience, and wait on God for clear guidance before getting involved in cross-cultural ministry outside China.

(Based on a recent article from Christian Communications Ltd., Hong Kong.)

Copyright 2008 by OMF International