MISSIONARY

The Untold Story Has to Be Told

 

Dear friends,

Do you know how the Gospel entered China?

Do you know how many missionaries lived in China?

Do you know what pushed them forward?

Do you know the hearts beating inside them as they sacrificed themselves one after another?

Do you know what they actually did in this foreign land and what it means to you?

Today, they will tell us.

 

Mission and Vision

In China Soul for Christ Foundation’s Newsletter in November 2011, we asked for prayers: “The birth and development of Chinese churches are inseparable to the sacrifices and contributions of the Western missionaries.  We should never forget those who dug the first well.  However, the story of The Gospel into China is yet to be told. The world is eagerly waiting for their stories to be told and to be passed down to the generations to come.  We owe it not only to the Chinese church and society, but also to the Western church.  It is for His kingdom.  May Thy will be done!”

Five years later, by the grace of God and with the support of many churches and organizations, Missionary is finally completed. These are the visions that pushed us forward:

First of all, let the history be completed.  Though text and visual materials about Western missionaries into China have gradually been made available in recent years, they are largely scattered and hidden to the general public.  The work of gathering, organizing and presenting their stories to the world is not only necessary but also urgent.

Secondly, let our gratitude be expressed.  God sent tens of thousands of Western missionaries to China to accomplish His amazing works with the Cross.  The blood of missionaries not only built the first Chinese church, but also erected the first modern school, the first modern hospital ……. In every corner of China’s modernization left the footprint of God’s servants.

Thirdly, let the truth be unveiled.  Though missionaries came to China unavoidably by force and cultural conflicts, God’s kingdom transcends cultures, nationalities and politics. Missionaries are totally different from the imperialists. They came to help China. They brought the Good News to the Chinese.

 

A Prayer by Tullian Tchividjian, Author and Speaker, Grandson of Billy Graham

Thank you, God, for your enlightening words through these documentaries for me and for us, and to learn your ongoing activities in China.  You have not left that country to its own devices.  For generations and generations, you have sent men and women into China to bring the Good News of the Gospel, and that work of yours continues today.  I pray that you would carry these important documentaries into the right places and put them into the right hands, and that they will have a big mighty impact for your kingdom in China and beyond, and that they will raise awareness of Christianity and the importance of Christianity not just for the individual but for culture as a whole. 

I thank you, for my friends from China Soul for Christ Foundation, for their commitment for China, their love for Chinese people, but ultimately their love for you Jesus.  I pray for your protection, for your guidance, and for your direction.  For all the help you can give to further their mission, the mission that you have called them to, the mission that ultimately Jesus leads and we follow.  I pray you will do all these things and much, much more.

In Jesus name, Amen!

 

A Historical Study of the Gospel into China

Episode One:  KNOCK

This is a collection of stories about knocking on doors and seeing them open and close: from the Legend of Saint Thomas in the Han Dynasty to Nestorian Christianity in the Tang Dynasty; from Erkeunor Arkaim in the Yuan Dynasty to Catholicism in the Late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. The main characters include Emperor Taizong, Marco Polo, Kublai Khan, Francis Xavier, Alessandro Valignano, Matteo Ricci, Johann Adam Schall von Bell, Ferdinand Verbiest, Xu Guangqi, and Emperor Kangxi.    

Episode Two:  PLANT

From Robert Morrison to the Opium Wars, from Hudson Taylor to the Boxer Rebellion, the arrival of these missionaries led to the rise of the local church. Over two centuries, these missionaries spread the Gospel with their lives. Their lives were planted as seeds of faith. They landed; they took root; they sprouted; they produced abundant fruit.  

Episode Three:  SHINE

From the first school to the first hospital; from the first orphanage to the first rehabilitation center; the first laboratory, the first newspaper, the first sports team, even the first participation in the Olympic Games - you can find the footprints of missionaries in every corner of modern China.

 

Purpose and Audience

The Missionary book and DVD set, in both Mandarin and English, provides a historical background for the context of missionaries in China.  In God's view, it outlines the spread of The Gospel from the Han Dynasty in the first century to 1952 when all missionaries were expelled from China.  It recounts God’s mighty work in Chinese churches as well as Chinese society through multiple generations. 

Through five years of research, Missionary gathers a large amount of first-hand historical facts, including archival photographs and historical footage.  Various perspectives are represented through interviews with prominent Chinese and Western scholars in the field. 

Missionary serves as educational material for Sunday school, Christian fellowship, seminary courses, personal study and evangelism.  It will open eyes for those who have never heard of Jesus and His unfailing love.

 

In Their Own Words

“We shouldn’t go to China to try to change the culture. We shouldn’t go and try to say that we are better than China. We go to love China. “

– Robert Morrison, the first protestant missionary to China

“If I had a thousand pounds, China should have it. If I had a thousand lives, China should have them. No! Not China, but Christ. Can we do too much for Him? Can we do enough for such a precious Saviour?”

 – Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission

“China is a great land and has a great future before it. I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to do what I could to make it what it ought to be.”

– Calvin Mateer, Founder of China’s first college, in a letter to James D. Mooney, November 27, 1906

“Tell the mother of little Horace to tell Horace that his father's last wish was that when he is 25 years of age, he should come to China as a missionary.”

– Horace Pitkin, a Yale graduate martyred during 1900 Boxer Uprising

 

Feedback and Review

“The documentary is a panoramic view of God’s hand in the Gospel’s advance in China. I was moved to tears multiple times. The Missionary is informative, encouraging, and inspiring. You will walk away with a renewed appreciation for missionaries and God’s heart for the entire world.”

  • Bret Avlakeotes, TH.M, D.Min, Senior Pastor, Spring Hills Community Church

“We loved...loved...loved Missionary and were deeply moved by God's story of His work in China. The documentary portrays challenges of various cultures working together.  It is very encouraging for us Westerners to see the fruit of labor and answered prayer over God's time. It encourages us in our faith.”

  • Charlie and Dorene Gilmer, a Christian couple

“So many God’s messengers give their lives to this land. Wherever God’s love touches, wherever God’s spirit descends, life is transformed; a nation is revived. Because God creates life, being with Him means life, means vitality, means civilization.”

  • Jeff, Computer Engineer in Silicon Valley

“Words cannot express how grateful I am for my friends at China Soul for Christ Foundation. These documentaries are comprehensive and accessible. They tell the story of God's love and commitment to China for generations. I was brought to worshipful tears as I watched. I experienced great conviction and comfort as I came to the fresh realization that while God doesn't need us to do his work in this world, he chooses to use broken down sinners like me, like you. I cannot recommend these documentaries highly enough."

  • Tullian Tchividjian, Author and Speaker, Grandson of Billy Graham

 

Recommendations by Chinese Church Leaders

Thank God!  Missionaries did not forget about China, our ancient country!  Tens of thousands of missionaries came to China and brought not only the Gospel, but also seeds of China’s modernization.  We watched Missionary.  It is eye-opening. We all agree that this documentary tells a profound story in a very accessible way.  The book and the three DVDs could well be used by churches, seminaries, fellowships, and individuals as educational and evangelical tool.  It will encourage more and more people to follow the examples of the missionaries to spread the Gospel to every corner of the world.

  • Thomas Wang, Founder of Great Commission Center International
  • Paul Yung, Director of Worldwide Bible Society
  • Daniel Tan, Advisory Pastor of Christ Church of the Bay Area
  • Liu Tong, Senior Pastor of River of Life Christian Church
  • Stephen Kwan, Senior Pastor of Home of Christ in Cupertino