Nine Significant Features of the Chinese House Church

Although none of the top leaders of the traditional networks is female, many of the movers and shakers in individual churches are. These women have made their mark on the largest revival in history, as well as the largest missionary movement ever.

The women serve in the background and do so swiftly and effectively, accomplishing more in a short period of time than many men are able to who might expect to be rewarded for their efforts. These women don’t ask for recognition—in fact, they shun it. Rather, they work as if they are working directly for the heavenly Father.

The women in the underground House Church movement will often set up for a meeting, preach the sermon, feed the attendees, and then clean up after everyone else has departed. They are self-sacrificing warriors and heroes, and, collectively, they are one of the main reasons for the rapid growth of Christianity in China.

 

6. The Absence of Foreign Denominations

Foreign missionaries need to be credited with planting the seeds of the gospel in China. Fruit is still being produced thanks to the past efforts of these missionaries, who labored to till the soil of Chinese hearts. However, the presence of these foreign missionaries, followed by their absence, had more of an impact on the Chinese church than could have been imagined. Their continued presence, coupled with stifling control measures, would undoubtedly have had a negative impact on church growth.

We can understand this issue through the illustration of child rearing. A child needs the care of parents while he or she is growing up. The parents’ love, attention, devotion, and sacrifice all contribute to the raising of that child. However, if the parents become overbearing and don’t ever teach, or allow, their child to make his or her own decisions, the consequences can be disastrous for the child’s maturation process.

Similarly, missionaries and missions organizations often have a hard time with the final phase of missions work, which is to allow the native church to take leadership and to make its own decisions. They often delay recognizing their “offspring” as an equal when it is fully grown.

In the case of the Chinese church, its umbilical cord to foreign funding was severed the hard way. The separation process was difficult for the Chinese, and it was equally challenging for the missionaries. No one would have willingly chosen the road that the underground House Church has had to travel, nor would anyone have willingly accepted the fire that the House Church has had to go through. However, out of the forced separation has come a church that is now independent, self-sustaining, and thriving in an environment that makes it possible for the Chinese and foreign churches to maintain a healthy relationship of mutual respect and support.

Tags: chinese, church, featured, house

Category: Church History, Spring 2018