“A church in the Northwest sent a married couple to a remote area to establish a minority group church. The remote area is accessible by a 10-hour drive from the couple’s church. They have been doing this work for four years and have established a church with more than 80 people that is made up of Mongolian, Hui, and Tibetan believers.”
These words are found in the article, “Cross-cultural Ministry in the Chinese Church” (HT: @TGC_IO), one of the most encouraging articles I’ve read recently.
Where is this “church?” China.
Who is this “church in the Northwest?” They are a group of Chinese believers.
Who is this “married couple?” They are Chinese believers who are members of this church in China comprised of Chinese believers.
Where is this “remote area?” China.
Who is this “minority group?” They are some of the 341 unreached peoples living in China.
But I thought China was a missionary-receiving country containing one of the largest numbers of unreached peoples in the world? Yes, that is correct.
Can this young Chinese Church in China plant churches among unreached people groups in China? They already did.
For centuries we went and the Spirit did exactly what the Word told us He would do. Now, the Church in China (which is massive in number) is allowing that same Spirit to lead them to the unreached people groups among them and beyond.
If you read the article linked above, you will see that Chinese believers:
1) Are catching a vision of lostness among the unreached people groups within their own country and are carrying out the Great Commission.
2) Are recognizing the geographical and cultural challenges required to engage in cross-cultural disicple making that leads to church planting and are not afraid of those challenges.
3) Are capitalizing on the opportunity to prepare themselves for church planting abroad by doing it at home among unreached peoples.
We in the West have much to learn from our Chinese brothers and sisters. With an estimated 1200 unreached people groups living in the West (360 in the US/180 in Canada), we must recognize the strangers next door. In a day when most church planting efforts within the United States and Canada are among reached people groups, the greatest need of the hour is cross-cultural church planting among the unreached peoples. And how many times do we send church planters to other countries without any expectation for them to gain experience in such activities at home?
The Church in China is far from perfect. However, She has much to teach us. Are we humble enough to hear what the Spirit is saying to us through our brothers and sisters?