The Chinese church has experienced phenomenal growth despite four decades of religious repression and persecution. While definitive numbers are difficult to obtain, the Chinese Church Research Center (CCRC) in Hong Kong estimates the church in China has grown from about 840,000 Protestant believers in 1949 to over 60 million today. (While other experts place the number of believers much lower, all are agreed on the fact of the phenomenal growth.) Approximately 90 percent of these Christians meet in unofficial house churches scattered throughout the countrysides and cityscapes of this vast and populous nation.
From an office complex crammed amidst the teeming business world of Hong Kong’s endless high-rises, Jonathan Chao tirelessly researches and ministers to the ever-developing church in the People’s Republic of China, whose border lies only 25 miles from Hong Kong Island. He has demonstrated his special burden for the Chinese church through various activities: he is the founder and director of the CCRC, founder and president of the Chinese Mission Seminary in Hong Kong, and founder of China Ministries International, to mention just three of his many accomplishments. When not in Hong Kong, Chao teaches at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and at Wheaton College in Illinois.
While Hong Kong has been an effective base for Christian missionary efforts in China for the past century, Chao anxiously anticipates July 1997, when Hong Kong—now run as a British colony—will be taken over by China, pursuant to a long-standing political agreement between Britain and China. It is unknown whether the Chinese government will allow Hong Kong Christians like Chao to enjoy their present level of religious freedom. With an eye toward this coming event, Chao spoke about the present and future state of the Christian church in China.
WHAT IS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT’S PRESENT ATTITUDE TOWARD RELIGION IN GENERAL AND CHRISTIANITY IN PARTICULAR?
For the past 45 years, the Chinese government’s religious policy has assured “freedom of religious belief.” In reality, the Communist party would like to see religion completely dismissed from China, and official state policy has been designed to do just that. However, because this plan has been unsuccessful, China’s present policy is to tolerate religion within the confines of government control. To do this, the Chinese government has set up “patriotic religious organizations.” This includes, among others, the organization under which Protestant Christians are supposed to operate, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM).
These organizations are led by the Communist party of China through progovernment clergy. Believers in these religious groups meet in designated places of worship and are led by state-approved pastors. Any Christian activity outside of these government-approved organizations is illegal, and violators are subject to arrest.
HOW ARE CHRISTIAN LEADERS WHO PRACTICE CHRISTIANITY OUTSIDE OF THE APPROVED TSPM CHURCH TREATED?
Many itinerant evangelists and house-church leaders who are not licensed with the government and who engage in evangelism outside the TSPM churches are arrested and often suffer torture. Still, the house churches make up the vast majority of Christians in China today, led mostly by lay leaders who receive no salary and whose basic needs are provided by their churches.
HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS THE ACTIVITY OF THESE CHURCHES?
Since the mideighties, I have visited house churches in villages in many parts of China and have conducted leadership training at these churches and at underground seminaries located in subterranean caves. I have seen all-day Sunday house-church worship services with 300 to 400 persons.
During the last 15 years, the house churches in China have developed considerably. Initially, house churches were independent and separated, but gradually they have united into regional groups of churches. Many of them now have national affiliations. Some of the larger house-church affiliations have over 3,000 full-time evangelists; one of the largest I know of has some 8,000 full-time evangelists at work in every province throughout China.
Committed to evangelism and missions, Chinese Christians train the young people in their late teens and early twenties to become missionaries for several years. These evangelists purchase a one-way train ticket to wherever they feel the Lord is calling them; usually, within three to six months they establish a church. In this way, evangelism and church planting are crisscrossing China, and the gospel is being spread like wildfire.
HAVE YOU SENSED A GREATER SPIRITUAL OPENNESS AMONG THE CHINESE PEOPLE IN RECENT TIMES?
Since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, thousands of Chinese youths have come to Christ, especially in the cities. Also, there is a new openness among the Chinese intellectuals to the gospel. Just two weeks ago I was at a Chinese university, ministering to a group of graduate students and young instructors. They acknowledge an emptiness as they study science and technology and want to know where China is headed, what the meaning of life is, how to rebuild a value system for China.
Once such students in China believe, they simply eat the Bible up. They read it quickly and often lead other students to Christ. So, as a result, many Chinese intellectuals are turning to Christ.
IS THERE A WIDESPREAD DESIRE FOR A FREER CHRISTIANITY?
Yes, especially for freer opportunities to proclaim the gospel. For this reason, many Christians refuse to join the TSPM church. If evangelicals from America align themselves with the TSPM churches or accept invitations to speak at those churches, house-church leaders interpret such visits as endorsing the TSPM, abandoning the lordship of Christ, and forsaking the commitment to evangelism. They wish to preserve the right to preach the gospel in spite of the dangers of persecution for doing so.
(Ed. note: CT is aware of missionaries who work with TSPM in good faith and who report that their work is helping Chinese Christians.)
THEOLOGIES OFTEN ARISE FROM PARTICULAR HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. DO YOU SEE ANY PARTICULAR THEOLOGICAL EMPHASIS EMERGING FROM THE CHINESE CHRISTIAN CHURCH?
Through years of persecution, Chinese Christians have developed a theology of suffering; they call it the “Theology of the Cross.” This way of life emphasizes faithfulness to Christ, following him at all costs. And they have paid the costs. These Christians believe that suffering is concomitant with discipleship, with faith in Christ.
Along with this theology of suffering, Chinese evangelicals see that the Christian life really arises from union with Christ’s death and resurrection. I think many Christians understand the cross simply as Jesus’ objective work, accomplished. But unlike the Chinese believers, they often fail to see that the cross is also where we are nailed when we believe in Jesus, where we are united with him in his death, burial, and resurrection. Christians in China have not invented a new theology. They are simply reliving New Testament Christianity.
WHAT CHALLENGES AND ISSUES ARE CHINESE CHRISTIANS FACING NOW AND IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE?
I think the greatest challenge for many Chinese Christians will occur when China opens up more and large numbers of foreign mission groups come. Many house-church leaders wonder how their people will respond to an influx of financial attraction and theological diversity. Will their faith, developed through the years of persecution, be diluted? Will their unity as Christians be fragmented into quarreling denominations, as has happened in the churches in the former Soviet Union and as existed in China in preliberation years? And they also fear the return of “missionary imperialism.”
Some older house churches are so afraid of these possibilities that they refrain from even meeting outsiders, including overseas Chinese Christians. They fear they may lose, by outside influence, the purity of faith that has taken 45 years to gain.
WHAT DO YOU SPECULATE WILL HAPPEN WHEN CHINA’S PRESENT PREMIER, DENG XIAOPING, DIES?
It is quite likely that the transition of power will be smooth. Assuming the political situation remains as it is now—rather stable—the church will also probably stay the same for a while. Eventually, however, I think Chinese Communist religious policy will become more tolerant as China continues to pursue a market economy and becomes more open. There will probably be less persecution, and house churches might even become legalized.
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CHINESE PROTESTANT CHURCH IF THIS HAPPENS?
The TSPM church will likely undergo internal reform. True believers in that church will purge it of the government-appointed clergy, who are considered by many as rascals uninterested in spiritual growth. As the government withdraws its control and accepts that Christianity is a positive influence for China, then the TSPM churches will become purer. Christianity will then become a vital force for the rebuilding of Chinese morality, culture, and society.
IN JULY 1997, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE OVER HONG KONG. WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BECOME OF THE CHURCH THERE?
According to the “Basic Law,” which will govern Hong Kong after June 30, 1997, there are to be three mutual understandings regarding religion: mutual respect, mutual nonsubmission, mutual noninterference. I think the Chinese churches in Hong Kong will continue to enjoy freedom of worship after 1997. Likewise, seminaries will continue. There is no need for China to close the doors of existing churches in Hong Kong.
But will China allow the church of Hong Kong to grow in the way that it has, letting churches establish sanctuaries in apartment buildings, where most fellowships meet today? Also, nearly half of the primary and high schools in Hong Kong are run by churches that teach the Bible. Will the new government allow such church-sponsored schools to continue teaching the Bible and having devotions?
IT SOUNDS AS IF YOU HAVE YOUR DOUBTS.
I do.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR CHRISTIANS OUTSIDE CHINA TO KNOW OR DO TO HELP THE CHINESE CHURCH?
My dream for Christians who love China is that they would develop and work on missions to China. I pray that Westerners will see themselves as we overseas Chinese see ourselves: as helpers and partners with the church in China. Let the Christians in China take the lead. Respect them. Work with them, and assist them as they need it.
I urge young people in the West to hear God’s call. China will become the largest mission field in the world as we enter into the next century. If God calls you to full-time ministry in China, study the Chinese language and culture well. We need Christians from around the world to do the work of evangelizing China. It is too big for any one country or group to handle the task.
The next ten years are most critical. This is the time of harvest for China. If we do not harvest when the crop is ready, the opportunity will be wasted.
It is a strange phenomenon that when the church enjoys freedom, people cease to grow spiritually. But when there is persecution, hearts flourish. While China’s door is politically only half-open, the door of China’s heart is quite open. But it will not remain so for long. When the political door opens wide, the door to people’s hearts will gradually close, and Christian ministry to China will be harder, even though it will be freer.
Thomas F. Taylor is the director of the Institute for Ministry, Law & Ethics (e-mail: imlemain@aol.com).
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