2013-09-25T08:20:27-07:00

Last updated on: September 25, 2013 at 8:20 am   By

Here’s an interesting article posted at NBCnews.com, “Why big American businesses fail in China“ I think it does an excellent job capturing the practical ramifications of many Chinese social dynamics. Here is an excerpt–– Spend any time in China, and you quickly learn the power of guanxi, or social connections. Guanxi drives business deals and government contracts. It’s the invisible glue that ties people together. It’s the sense of connection and mutual obligation that Chinese society prizes in personal relationships.... Read more

2015-08-13T02:40:53-07:00

Last updated on: August 13, 2015 at 2:40 am   By

In Part 1, I said that China matters because biblical truth is at stake. Today, I want us to look at a second reason people should think about China. The inspiration and authority of Scripture are at stake. By this, I mean people’s recognition of the Bible as God’s inspired and authoritative word. Christians believe that the one true God inspired the Bible. Through this revelation, God will bless all nations, in accordance with his covenant with Abraham. God is... Read more

2013-09-19T08:19:36-07:00

Last updated on: September 19, 2013 at 8:19 am   By

Why would someone need to know more about China in order to understand the Bible better? Isn’t the Bible bigger than any particular culture? Yes. And that’s exactly why theologians (and anyone else who reads the Bible) should learn about China. First of all, what am I not saying? I am not saying China somehow plays a major role in the Old and New Testaments. For example, some people claim that China is mentioned in Isa 49:12, “Behold, these shall... Read more

2013-09-18T08:20:53-07:00

Last updated on: September 18, 2013 at 8:20 am   By

The following is one of the most significant quotes I’ve ever read about contextualization. I thought you would benefit from it all well. It is extremely relevant for anyone concerned for the gospel. Regarding Paul’s letter to the Colossians, Dean Flemming writes, “Paul’s approach to the Colossian syncretism reveals an artistry’s sensitivity, not a commander’s heavy hand. He refuses to impose a pre-packaged, one-size-fits-all theology and praxis as a guard against syncretism, as sometimes happens today. We can learn from... Read more

2015-08-14T22:53:40-07:00

Last updated on: August 14, 2015 at 10:53 pm   By

There are some fundamental reasons why missionaries are very slow to change their ways. It sometimes feels easier to help someone believe in Jesus than to convince a missionary to accept different methods of ministry. I stumbled onto some reasons that may begin to explain this. A Typical Conversation In conversation with others, I find people mistake me as saying one of two things, neither of which is my meaning. Before stating these mistaken impressions, I’ll first give a general... Read more

2015-08-13T04:12:13-07:00

Last updated on: August 13, 2015 at 4:12 am   By

Ideally, we can share the biblical story orally and visually. In other words, what people see in a model will reinforce what they hear with their ears. *** If you would like a copy of the packet (in English) I made presenting this model, click here. *** For a very scaled down version of the model in Chinese, click here. Biblical theology is foundation to all theology and ministry We must not let biblical story be confined by systematic theology,... Read more

2013-09-10T08:10:19-07:00

Last updated on: September 10, 2013 at 8:10 am   By

以辱为荣：Honored through Shame Jesus overturns the world’s understanding of honor and shame. When people give their loyalty to Christ, they have died and are raised with him. They share in his honor and shame. Although not of the world, they are to live in it. In a sense, they become aliens and exiles within the world. As the true image of God, Christ manifests the divine glory. As a man, he represents all humanity (being “the last Adam,” 1 Cor... Read more

2013-09-06T13:30:00-07:00

Last updated on: September 6, 2013 at 1:30 pm   By

So, do you think this could be the next big method people use to do evangelism? This is hilarious. Maybe this is an updated version of “Evangelism Explosion”? If you have a problem with the link, you can also click here. Read more

2013-09-05T08:08:41-07:00

Last updated on: September 5, 2013 at 8:08 am   By

How are we to understand Christ within the grand narrative of Scripture? After all, Jesus himself said that all Scripture was about him (cf. Luke 24:27, 44–48). Previously, I said that the box represents the world enslaved to sin. The bottom line/side of the box is a time line of biblical history. The smaller box on the right signifies Israel within the world. God the Father Raises Up A King Thus far, the model has readied us for Christ’s arrival.... Read more

2013-09-03T08:13:21-07:00

Last updated on: September 3, 2013 at 8:13 am   By

This post depicts Israel within the biblical story. The summary follows the picture below. God established Israel for the sake of the nations. God made a covenant with Abraham, promising that through his offspring, all nations would be blessed. (As a significant side note, Paul explicitly calls this promise “the gospel” in Gal 3:8). Israel is God’s strategy to overcome the curse and death ushered in by the failure of humanity beginning with Adam. In time, God rescues Abraham’s descendents,... Read more

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