This book is the latest release in Paul Hattaway’s “China Chronicles” series. Each book is published not only in English but also in Chinese, the author’s intent in writing them is “primarily to bless and encourage the persecuted church in China” (page xii). Thousands of copies of these books are distributed for free in the house church networks in China (xii). Those of us in the West reap the benefit of being able to read this important Chinese Christian history.

As the title indicates, this present volume focuses on the province of Fujian. Fujian Province is located along the southeastern coast of China (pages v, 1). As of 2020 it had a population of 41,540,086 (page vi). Fujian has over 2,200 islands and has the greatest forests of any Chinese province, 63% of the land is forests (page 2).

While different ethnic groups live in the province the majority of the population are Han Chinese, making up 98.3% of the population (page vi). The people in Fujian speak a number of different Chinese dialects and languages that are very different from Mandarin, which is the national language (page vii). Some people from Fujian Province have moved to other Asian countries including Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines (page vii). The residents of Fujian are more religious than the people of many provinces in China (page 9), they honor a number of different deities (page 10).

Chuxi Tulou cluster in Fujian Province.
Image: via WikiMedia Commons.

The gospel was introduced in Fujian Province over 1,000 years ago by the Nestorians (page 11). The Catholic Church established itself in the province in the 1300s and about 500 years later Evangelicals came into Fujian (page 11). The gospel message had to overcome significant challenges, securing a foothold in the province in the 19^th century (page 11). However, the province was home to two well-known Christian ministers: John Sung and Watchman Nee (page 11). Although from the 1980s until the present day the province has not had the powerful revival accounts of other parts of China, it does have some notable statistics. There are about 5.8 million Christians (Catholics and Evangelicals) in the province (page 12). This is 14.7 % of the people who live there, this places it 5^th among all the Chinese provinces (page 12). The church in Fujian has had to deal with a lack of Bibles and the challenge of cults (page 12).

The book is comprised of chapters devoted to different decades, key events, and important individuals (pages ix, x). Catholics and Evangelicals are included in the book. Like the other books in the “China Chronicles” series, this present volume also contains pictures throughout the text and appendixes at the end of the book. The appendixes include important facts and figures about the people of Fujian, what may be of particular interest to readers is the attention given to the Christian population in the province.

Misty Morning in Xiamen, China
Image: Jay Huang

In the book the author writes about various missionaries who labored in Fujian. As we begin to consider some of them, I will start by mentioning two men and two women who are among the lesser-known missionaries. These missionaries are: John Wolfe, Amy Oxley-Wilkinson, Margaret Barber, and Leland Wang. There are also others that I did not mention who are included in the book. Those that I did mention each have a chapter devoted to them.

John Wolfe was an Irishman who served in Fujian for 53 years (pages 67-68). He was highly respected by the Chinese believers who referred to him as “The Fujian Moses,” because of their respect for him and his long beard (page 68). In time three of Wolfe’s daughters served in Fujian as missionaries (pages 68-69).

Amy Oxley-Wilkinson, came from a well-to-do family, she left that to serve the physical and spiritual needs of the Chinese, and she had a particular burden for blind children (pages 127, 129). She received the highest honor a foreigner could then receive in China, The Order of the Golden Grain, awarded by the Republic of China’s president (page 132).

Margaret Barber was born in England (page 146), a good part of her ministry was hidden because she gave herself to intercession, but she was highly regarded by some of the most well-known Christian leaders of the time (pages 145-146). She began her ministry as an Anglican missionary but later became an independent missionary (pages 146, 148). She had an impact on a well-known Christian leader mentioned in the book, that person was Watchman Nee (page 152).

Leland Wang was a Chinese national who emerged as a leader in the church in Fujian Province (page 155). He evangelized on the streets and founded the “Chinese Foreign Missionary Union” (page 158). He preached in a number of places around the world and established churches in: “the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East” (page 158).

Two names that many western readers may know that are mentioned in Fujian: The Blessed Province are John Sung and Watchman Nee. They each have two chapters devoted to them in the book (page 11).

John Sung was the son of a Methodist preacher and participated with his father in ministry (page 167). The 1909 Putian (Hinghwa) Revival had a big impact on him (page 167). His ministry was relatively brief. Hattaway, citing a quote of Paul Kauffman, calls our attention to the fact that Sung’s public ministry was only 15 years long (page 166), yet his impact was significant. He ministered not only in Fujian Province but in many other Chinese provinces as well (page 167).

Fujian: The Blessed Province, like the other books in the “China Chronicles” series, is rich in information. It demonstrates to us that God’s work is carried forward by well-known Christians and little-known Christians. As each one faithfully does their part this contributes to the overall growth of the gospel. The lives of the Chinese believers offer us both inspiration and challenge. And they show us what God can do with yielded and obedient servants.

Reviewed by John Lathrop

From the Asia Harvest website: https://www.asiaharvest.org/bookstore/Fujian-The-Blessed-Province-The-China-Chronicles-N%C2%BA9-p752236177

Further Reading

Li Shiguang, “Marking Rev. John Sung’s 120th Birthday, Pastor Edwin Su Wenfeng Urges Chinese Christians to Carry on the Fire of Revival” China Christian Daily (November 9, 2021).

“1909 Hinghwa Revival” Romans1015.com

This book is part of Paul Hattaway’s “China Chronicles” series. The series is devoted to preserving the history of Christianity in China, each volume focuses on one particular province in the country. The author plans to have these books made available in Chinese as well, so that believers in China can be made aware of their Christian history and be ‘strengthened, edified, and challenged” by what they read (page xiii). In addition, the author desires to have “a record of God’s mighty acts in China” (page xiii).

Hainan means “South of the Sea,” it is the largest island of China (except for Taiwan) and has a population of over 10 million people (page 1). That being said, it is among the smallest and least populated provinces in China (page 19). Hainan actually is made up of over 200 islands, but most people only know about the main island (page 2). The weather for the majority of the year is both warm and humid (page 2). Powerful typhoons are common for a number of months during the year, and there are potential hazards for people that can be found on the land, these include quicksand and bubbling sulfur springs (page 2). The nickname for Hainan used to be “The gateway to hell,” but later it came to known as “Isle of Palms” (page 3).

Hainan Province, China.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

The original inhabitants of Hainan were the Li people, who “arrived from the mainland at least 2,000 to 2,500 years ago” (page 5). About 80% of the population of Hainan are Han Chinese, though the group is made up of people from different linguistic groups (page 6). The Hainanese, who have their own unique language, are the major group of the Han (pages 7). Also, “more than 30,000 people from Vietnam and Indonesia have been repatriated to Hainan since the 1950s” (page 8). Currently two industries that are major sources of income for Hainan are agriculture and tourism/hospitality (page 14).

The religious beliefs found among the people are diverse, the goddesses Mazu and Guanyin are honored, and their statues can be found along the coast (page 19). They have been worshipped for hundreds of years and are believed to protect fishermen (page 19). In addition to them, many other gods and goddesses are revered in Hainan (page 19). Animism and the influence of shamans can be found in certain areas, and ancestor worship is part of the religious tradition in Hainan (page 19).

Sanya Nanshan Dongtian Park in 2015.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

The Christian message entered into and made an impact in the above-mentioned idolatrous context. Catholics were the first to expose the residents of Hainan to the Christian faith, they did this about 250 years before Evangelical missionaries arrived (page 22). The very first Catholic missionary was Baltasar Gago in the 16^th century, he was accompanied by two Franciscans, whose names we do not know (page 22). Matteo Ricci, an Italian missionary, also had an impact on the island though he never visited it himself, his influence reached Hainan through a family contact he made in Beijing (pages 22, 23). Other Catholics who ministered in Hainan include Pierre Marquez and Benoit de Mattos (pages 23-25). A second wave of Catholic missions was begun in 1849 by French missionaries (page 26).

Lingshui, Hainan in 2013.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

The chapters that follow focus on Christianity in Hainan during a particular time period, or on a particular topic. There are chapters on: the 1890s (pages 46-51), 1900s and 1910s (pages 52-64), 1920s (pages 65-77), 1930s (pages 78-87), 1940s and 1950s (pages 102-114), 1960s and 1970s (pages 115-123), 1980s (pages 130-136), 1990s (pages 137-152), 2000s (pages 197-212), and 2010s and 2020s (pages 213-219). In addition to these there are chapters given to people groups. The Kim Mun people have a chapter devoted to them (pages 88-101), as do the the Indonesians (pages 124-129) and the Li people (pages 181-196). Other chapters in the book are: “When Heaven Came to Hainan” (pages 153-163), “Stories from the Frontlines” (pages 164-180), and “The Future of the Church in Hainan” (pages 220-222).

Below is some significant information from a number of the chapters in the book.

• 1890s: Hattaway says that Presbyterian missionaries regularly served in Hainan, in fact, they were the only missionary society that had workers on the island for decades (page 46). The missionary force during this time period included a steady stream of women (page 47).
• 1900s and 1910s: One interesting piece of information about this time period is that when churches in other provinces in China endured terrible persecution from the Boxer rebels, the small number of Christians in Hainan were, for the most part, untouched (page 53). Citing Brown, Hattaway tells us that between the years of 1909 and 1917 Evangelical church members grew from 375 to 1,642 (page 54). In 1915 the Presbyterians expanded their work into different areas of the province (page 56). They taught the new believers to be generous in giving both their time and money to God (and others), they also taught them to be self-supporting and not rely on foreign funds (pages 56. 57). A prominent missionary during this time period was Frank Gilman who served in Hainan for 32 years (page 60). He, along with his first wife, Marion, were very involved in planting mission stations in various places in Hainan (page 60).
• 1920s: During this decade medical missions remained the main way that people were made aware of the teachings of Christ, the Presbyterians continued to run the sole hospital on the island (page 66).
• 1930s: A key missionary couple served in this decade, Henry and Louise Bucher (pages 83-87). They served in Hainan (page 83) and also in Thailand (page 86).
• Kim Mun People: Hattaway tells us that after more than a century since the first members of this people group (who can be found in China, Vietnam, and Laos) became believers in Jesus they still do not have even one page of the Bible translated into their language, though they do have some audio and video gospel materials (page 101).
• 1940s and 1950s: This chapter tells us that persecution caused the church in Hainan to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than on foreign help (page 103).

Rice fields near Xinlong, Hainan in 2015.
Image: Anna Frodesiak / Wikimedia Commons

• The Indonesians: The author tells us that there are about 6000 Indonesians in Hainan, who live in the county of Qionghai (page 124), “approximately half of the Indonesians who settled in Hainan were Christians” (page 125). Today, most of the Indonesians in Hainan are committed Christians (page 129).
• 1980s: The author labels these years as “a decade of harvest” (page 130). The churches throughout Hainan were overflowing by 1987 (page 131).
• 1990s: When the 1990s began less than 1% of the population of Hainan claimed to be followers of Jesus Christ (page 137). During the 1990s the church experienced remarkable growth. Part of this was due to the implementation of a house church ministry strategy of a Baptist missionary and his family (pages 141-144). Hattaway, citing an unpublished missionary report, informs us that in one network between April 1993 and April 1998 the number of believers grew from less than 100 to 55,000 (page 144). And the number of churches during this time grew from 3 to about 550 (page 144). The intentional focus on evangelism and discipleship in the house churches contributed to their tremendous growth rate (page 147). At the peak of the revival at this time the number of Christians in Hainan doubled every 7 months (page 147)!
• Stories from the Frontlines: This chapter informs us that the revival in Hainan over the last 30 years has witnessed miracles, signs, and wonders which have helped spread the gospel (page 177).
• 2010s and 2020s: The text dealing with these decades tells us that the revival in the house churches in Hainan eventually spilled over into the Three-Self Registered Churches (page 216).
• The Future of the Church in Hainan: The closing chapter of the book informs readers that the church in Hainan is currently experiencing the worst persecution in its history (except for the persecution that occurred during the Cultural Revolution), nonetheless there is hope that the church will endure, indeed flourish, in the midst of this hostility because of its foundations and strong history (page 222).

This current volume, like the others in the “China Chronicles” series, contains photos throughout the text, it also has an appendix at the back of the book that contains tables and maps.

Hainan: Pearl of the South China Sea continues in the tradition of the earlier titles in the “China Chronicles” series, it shares a part of Christian history that has largely been hidden from view. This book helps pull back the curtain so we can see what God has been doing in a country that in recent decades has a reputation for hostility to the message of Jesus Christ. God is at work in the world, and Hainan is one of the places where He is working, and we can have confidence that He will continue the work that He has begun (Phil. 1:6).

Reviewed by John Lathrop

This book is volume 6 of Paul Hattaway’s China Chronicles Series. It focuses on the province of Xinjiang, which is located in the northwest area of China, it serves as a passageway “between China and the rest of the world” (page 1). It is the largest province in China and borders the countries of “India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Mongolia” (page 2). The province began being called Xinjiang in 1759 when it was given this name by rulers who were part of the Qing Dynasty (pages 4, 21-22). The author also mentions other interesting facts about this province, including its population numbers, which, with one exception, have grown over the years (page 3), that Marco Polo visited this area (pages 6-8), and that Islam is believed to have entered the province in AD 708 (page 8). Xinjiang has been the entry point not only for Islam but for a number of other religions as well including Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity (page 15). Islam spread in this area through the use of force (pages 24, 26). Hattaway says that the province has experienced great cruelty throughout the centuries (page 13). In early 2021 it was believed that there were about 15,000 mosques in the province, this is, at least in part, due to the presence of the Uyghurs (page 29).

Xinjiang Province within China.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

But the focus of the book, as is true of all the other books in the series, is the Christian history of the area. Hattaway says that the history in this province can be divided into two major eras. The first concerns the significant impact that Nestorian Christians had in the area from 7^th century through to the 13^th century, and the second is the spread of the faith in the last century and a half (page 13). The author further notes that Swedish believers carried on significant ministry in Xinjiang and that Muslims in this province came to faith in Christ, hundreds of them (pages 13-14). In the book he covers Catholic missions (pages 43-54) but he indicates that Catholics make up a very small part of Christians in Xinjiang (page 54). The majority of the text is given to a consideration of Protestant missions and native Chinese workers. Hattaway says that today there are approximately “twenty times as many church members” in Evangelical Christianity as in Catholicism (page 54). As readers work their way through the book, they will find that many of the chapters are given to consider particular decades of Christian history. There are chapters devoted to the 1890s (pages 55-65), 1900s-1910s (pages 66-77), 1920s (pages 101-116), 1930s (pages 124-135), 1940s (pages 153-161), 1950s-1960s (pages 196-203), 1970s-1980s (pages 204-216), 1990s (pages 217-230), 2000s (pages 231-253), and the 2010s (pages 273-281). In addition to these chapters there are others devoted to key missionaries who served in Xinjiang and important events that took place there.

One chapter is devoted to George Hunter who was born in 1861, he was a Scottish missionary who served in the northwest part of China for 57 years carrying on significant ministry to Muslims (page 78). Hunter was called the “Apostle of Turkestan” (page 78). He could preach in 7 different languages (page 82), did not like the limelight (page 78), and never married (page 79). It seems that he did not see a lot of conversions as a result of his ministry (page 85). However, he remained undeterred in the work of evangelism (page 87). He was a picture of commitment.

This photograph of the Pamir mountains was taken near Karakoram Highway in Xinjiang.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

In addition to the chapters I have already mentioned there are some that focus on other topics as well. These included chapters on: The Modern Back to Jerusalem Movement (pages 254-272) and the Future of the Church in Xinjiang (pages 306-310). Throughout this book you will find the names of people who have engaged in Christian ministry in Xinjiang.

As is true of all of the volumes in the China Chronicles Series, this volume contains a wealth of pictures throughout its pages. It also contains extensive facts and figures in the tables found toward the back of the book. Paul Hattaway has once again brought to light some Christian history that we would likely not find on our own. This volume demonstrates that not all of God’s heroes are household names. Some have served very faithfully outside of the spotlight. Their life stories are truly challenging and inspiring.

Reviewed by John P. Lathrop

Henan is book number five in Paul Hattaway’s series “The China Chronicles.” This series focuses on true accounts of Christianity in China; it is thus a work of history. The author points out that this book is not the same as the one he wrote in 2009 called Henan: The Galilee of China; the text of this current volume contains changes, improvements, and new material not found in the earlier book (page xvii).

In speaking of the history of Henan, Hattaway says that it extends back approximately 3,500 years (page 2). At one time Buddhism was popular (page 2). Perhaps surprisingly, during the course of its history thousands of Jews have lived in Henan (page 3), they have been in the province for 2,000 years (page 9). The population of the province is currently close to 100 million (pages vi, 7) and it has more Christians than any other province in China (page 7). This is not because the church has not suffered persecution, on the contrary, the church there has suffered much (page 7).

The author says that Christianity has been in Henan for more than 1,300 years (page 17). Though it has a large Christian population today, the gospel did not bear much fruit for most of this time, it was not until the 1970s that significant growth took place (page 17). The first to bring the Christian message to the province were Nestorians, they arrived in the AD 600s (page 18). In the late 1500s Jesuit (Catholic) missionaries arrived (page 19). Evangelical missionaries did not arrive in Henan until the late 1800s (page 23).

Henan Province, China. In 2020, total population was estimated at over 99 million people.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

As Hattaway recounts the history of Christianity in this province, the reader will encounter the names of many Christian workers, both men and women. Some of them were missionaries who came to China from other countries and some were national workers. Readers who have some knowledge of missions will recognize names like Jonathan Goforth and Marie Monson. The author gives considerable space to discussing the ministries of Jonathan and Rosalind Goforth (pages 55-70) and Marie Monsen (pages 99-116). Readers who are more familiar with the Chinese church will recognize the names of Brother Yun, Zhang Rongliang, and Peter Xu Yongze.

In addition to individuals the author gives attention to some of the house church movements. These are the churches that are not part of the government approved Three-Self Patriotic church. The networks he writes about are: The Born-Again Movement (pages 155-178), The Nanyang Church (pages 198-217), The China Gospel Fellowship (pages 218-234), and the Fangcheng Church (pages 252-278).

Henan is a very balanced book in that it includes accounts about the hardships of the church in the province and the miracles that have taken place through the ministry of the church there. The church has experienced tremendous growth. One of the factors that has contributed to this growth is the uncompromising commitment of the Chinese believers to stand for Jesus no matter what. The book contains some very notable accounts of people being raised from the dead. An eighteen-year-old girl was raised after having been dead for three days, this took place after hours of worship and prayer (pages 207-208). In another very powerful account a man was raised from the dead. A Chinese believer went to a morgue three days in a row to pray for a dead man, after the third day the man came back to life (pages 213-217). Interestingly enough, the man who prayed for the dead man did not see the miracle happen, he heard about it later (page 216).

Reviewed by John Lathrop

Read an excerpt: Marie Monsen – The Mother of the Chinese House Churches

Asia Harvest’s page about Henan: https://www.asiaharvest.org/henan-inside-chinas-revival-a-new-book-by-paul-hattaway

This book is volume 4 of Paul Hattaway’s series called the China Chronicles. This collection of books is devoted to providing an extensive account of the history and progress of Christianity in China. In recounting this history among the Tibetan people the author tells his readers about key events and individuals. One message that comes through very clearly is that trying to reach Tibetans with the gospel is not an easy task. It is a rough mission field. There are a number of reasons for this. First, the land is large. In addition, the terrain is rough and the weather can be quite severe. On top of all these things the dark spiritual forces at work in this area are very powerful. The demonic activities described in this book greatly exceed those that we might typically hear about in the West. But as the book demonstrates, even this darkness cannot stop the gospel from advancing. In the pages of this volume you will encounter some Christian people that “the world was not worthy of” (Heb. 11:38 NIV). Their commitment and steadfastness to the cause of Christ is truly amazing.

The Tibet Autonomous Region in China.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

The Tibet Autonomous Region consists of 474,300 square miles (page 1). If the Tibetan areas located in other Chinese provinces are added in, the figure increases to about 750,000 square miles. The population in the Tibetan Autonomous Region in 2020 is 3,370,598 (page viii). However, on average, the population density in this area is only seven per square mile (page viii). Though different elevations can be found in this region the altitude average is 14,800 feet (page 1).

The Nestorians, who have been in China since AD 635, were likely the first Christians to share the gospel there. However, a citation from a book by Martin Palmer dates the Christian presence there even earlier (page 22). In later history both Catholic and Protestant missionaries worked in Tibet. Early Catholic missionaries to Tibet include: Antonio de Andrade (pages 25-36) and Odoric of Pordenone (pages 37-38). Years later other Catholic missionaries served in Tibet, among them were Ippolito Desideri (page 40-41), Evariste Regis Huc, and Joseph Gabet (pages 43-44). For about 600 years, Catholics were the only missionaries in Tibet preaching Christ (page 47).

The first Evangelical missionaries came to Tibet in 1877 (page 47). Once this happened those who entered the area came from a number of different organizations including: the Moravians, the China Inland Mission, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, and the Assemblies of God. This list is not complete but it gives you some idea of the variety of groups that ministered there. James Cameron, an Englishman, was the first Evangelical to serve in Tibet (page 48). After him others followed these included: George Parker (pages 52-54), Cecil and Eleanor Polhill (pages 62-64), Annie Taylor (pages 65-74), William Christie (pages 90-108), Albert Shelton (pages 118-129),Victor Plymire (pages 164-185), and Frank and Annie Learner (pages 194-203). One well-known name that can be found in the book is Sundar Singh, who was an evangelist from India (142-150). Pentecostals may be surprised to learn that both Lester Sumrall and Howard Carter ministered in Tibet in the 1930s (page 186-188).

Zhejiang: The Jerusalem of China is the third book in Paul Hattaway’s ambitious project known as the China Chronicles. Each volume in the series presents the Christian history of one the provinces in China. The author’s desire is to preserve a record of God’s work in China for subsequent generations of believers (page xii). In this book, as in previous volumes in the series, the author provides the reader with a lot of detailed information.

Zhejiang is a small province, however it has a sizeable population, the 2010 census lists its population at 54.4 million people, that figure was expected to grow beyond 62 million by the year 2020 (page 1). Its area is slightly over 39,000 square miles (page 1), and it has been referred to as a land of both great beauty and great variety (page 1). For a time it was an area that had many different languages (page 2). Wu is currently the most common language used in Zhejiang, though Mandarin is closing in on it for prominence (page 3). The majority of people in the province, 98.8 percent, are Han Chinese (page 8).

Zhejiang Province within China.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

In AD 635, a Nestorian Christian named, Alopen, brought the gospel to China (page 9). This fact shows us that Christianity has had a presence in China for a very long time. The report of a massacre that took place in Ganpu in AD 878 indicates that there were Christians in Zhejiang at that time, they were specifically mentioned in the report (page 10). When Marco Polo visited Zhejiang in the 1280s he noted that the Nestorian Church was the only church there (page 11), the Catholic Church established their work in the province in the 1600s (page 12). The first Evangelical missionary entered the province in 1843, his name was D. J. MacGowan, from the American Baptist Missionary Union. (page 12). The next year, Divie McCartee, a Presbyterian missionary arrived, as did Ann Aldersey, who was “the first female Evangelical missionary to live in China” (pages 12-13). In those early days there were a number of languages spoken in Zhejiang, because of this, missionaries had to learn the languages of the towns they lived in (page 14).

In addition to these groundbreakers many others labored in the province, both foreign missionaries and native Chinese. Foreign missionaries included: William Russell from Ireland (pages 15-17), Walter Lowrie, an American, who became the first Evangelical to be killed in China (pages 17-19), William Aitchison (page 20-22), Griffith and Margaret John (pages 25-26), and George and Grace Stott (pages 38-42). James Meadows served in Zhejiang for over fifty years (page 93). The well-known missionary, Hudson Taylor and his wife, Maria, and later his second wife, Jennie also ministered in Zhejiang (pages 26-34). In addition to these there were also a number of single women who served in Zhejiang, these included: Josephine Desmond (pages 77-78), Edith Sherwood (pages 79-80), and Etta Manchester (pages 78-80). All of these women were martyred on the mission field (pages 78 and 80). Other foreign missionaries are also mentioned in the book. In addition to the foreign missionaries a number of Chinese also participated in gospel ministry in the province these included: Y. T. Zia (pages 44-47), Mrs. Liu (pages 54-56), Wang Laijun (pages 86-88), Ren Chengyuan (pages 96-98), Dora Yu Cidu (pages 98-101) and Miao Zizhong (164-173). Another well-known preacher who ministered in Zhejiang was John Sung (pages 107-110).

Today the province of Zhejiang has the largest percentage of Christians in China (page 22, 227). Interestingly enough, the majority of these believers are men (page 227). This notable achievement has not come easily. Persecution has come along with the growth. Some of the believers in Zhejiang have paid the ultimate price, but even those who were not killed, at times, endured long and cruel torture. Another notable dynamic of Christianity in this province has been the evidence of the supernatural, which has occurred at different points in its history. An evangelist in the 1800s named Xiang prayed for the sick and saw them healed (page 48). Manifestations of the supernatural, such as deliverance, took place though local Christians (page 108). Healings also took place through the ministry of John Sung (page 110) in the 1900s. In the 1960s and 1970s the Christians in Zhejiang were used of the Lord in supernatural ways, this contributed to the spreading of the gospel (pages 139-140). Healings also took place in the 1980s and 1990s (pages 158-161, 179). Suffering and signs of supernatural power are two things that marked the followers of Jesus in the New Testament and they have characterized the experience of the believers in Zhejiang too.

One factor that has contributed to the strength of the Zhejiang church has been the emphasis that was placed on self-support. Missionaries told the believers in this province that they needed to support their own ministry work and not depend on foreign assistance (pages 36, 116).

Zhejiang: The Jerusalem of China is yet another volume that demonstrates what can happen when the faithfulness of God and the faithfulness of men and women meet. The Lord has brought about a significant work in this province, even in the midst of opposition and adversity. May those of us who live outside of China be both challenged and inspired by our brothers and sisters in Christ who have lived, and do live, with a firm commitment to follow the Lord.

Reviewed by John Lathrop

Preview: https://books.google.com/books/about/Zhejiang.html?id=slivDwAAQBAJ

Asia Harvest page: https://asiaharvest.org/zhejiang-the-jerusalem-of-china/

Further Reading

For more on Alopen and the spread of the story of Jesus into China, see historian Woodrow Walton’s article, “The Resurgence of the Gospel, Part One: The Medieval Prologue and the Remapping of the World”

Paul Hattaway has a great deal of knowledge about the church in China; this knowledge comes not only from his research but also from his direct involvement with the church there. He has written extensively about China and the Chinese church. Some of his books about China include: The Heavenly Man, Operation China, and China’s Christian Martyrs. This present volume, Guizhou: The Precious Province, is volume two of what is perhaps his most ambitious project, The China Chronicles. This is a series of books devoted to exploring the history and spread of Christianity in each of the Chinese provinces. It is estimated that when this project is complete it will consist of about 22 volumes.

The province of Guizhou is located in the southern part of China. It is made up of very challenging terrain, 87 percent of the territory is mountains (page 5). It has a population of 35 million people, people from over 80 ethnic groups (page 2). Hattaway says that about half of the villages in the province do not have electricity and there are some areas of Guizhou that have not been explored (page 5). It is one of the poorest parts of China (page 6). Between 60 and 70 percent of the people in rural areas are illiterate (page 6).

In this book, the author gives a brief history of Christianity in the province. He writes about the beginnings of the Christian faith there and provides information about its development in subsequent years. He describes the people groups, the missionaries, and the challenges. Pictures are included throughout the text. As the information in the previous paragraph suggests bringing the gospel into this area would be challenging. And it was. There were geographic challenges as missionaries had to navigate some very difficult terrain. Living challenges, including poverty, weather, and health. And then there was the added challenge of ministering to people many of whom could not read. Some of the people groups who live in Guizhou include the Miao, the Hmu, the Nosu, the Bouyei, and the Dong.

Guizhou Province within China.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

This book is markedly different from the first book in this series, Shandong: The Revival Province, in one respect. In that book, the reader can find mention of many well-known missionaries, people such as Jonathan Goforth, Lottie Moon, and Eric Liddell. In Guizhou: The Precious Province, I did not find the names of missionaries that I recognized. Though they are unknown to me they are known to God. Some of the missionaries whose stories are told in this book include: James Broumton, Charles Judd, Jane Kidd, James Adam, Samuel Clarke, and Samuel Pollard. In addition the stories of national workers such as Wu Guosheng, Liu Wenyuan, Wang Bin, Pan Xiushan, and Jiang Zongxiu are also told. One interesting note regarding foreign missionaries in this province is that they came almost exclusively from the China Inland Mission (pages 61,102).

References to the supernatural are found in a number of places in this book. For example, in the decade of the 1910s, one missionary who did not have much of a belief in the demonic, conceded that some of the spirit-priests in this area had access to supernatural power because they could put white hot chains on their necks without being hurt (pages 84-85). In the decade of the 2000s there is a reference to signs and wonders taking place, this includes deliverance (page 189). Guizhou: The Precious Province records both the victories and the defeats that the church has suffered in this area. One of the challenges the missionaries encountered was the lack of a written language. They had to overcome this obstacle in order to make translations of the Scriptures for the people. The harsh realities of being a believer are not left out. Persecutions, imprisonments, and executions are mentioned. One of the words that I particularly noticed in my reading was the word “torture.”

The sacrifices and investments that foreign missionaries and national workers have made for Guizhou have borne fruit. There are now 2.7 million people there who call themselves Christians (page 16). That is good news, but as the author points out, there are still many millions who have not become believers in Jesus.

As was the case in the first volume in this series, near the end of this book there are charts. These charts provide information about population totals, religious beliefs, and languages spoken in the various areas in the province. If you are interested in Christian history, Christianity in the Global South, or more specifically Christianity in China, this book will be a welcome addition to your library. Its contents will inform, inspire, and perhaps, challenge its readers.

Reviewed by John Lathrop

Publisher’s page: https://spckpublishing.co.uk/guizhou-791

Preview: https://books.google.com/books/about/Guizhou.html?id=05xjDwAAQBAJ

Read John Lathrop’s review of Shandong: The Revival Province, Volume 1 of The China Chronicles.

Paul Hattaway is the founder and director of Asia Harvest, a ministry that seeks to equip the Asian church to reach its unreached people groups. He has done missionary work in China for thirty years. In addition to his missionary work he is a prolific author. He has written many books, most of which focus on Christianity in China. Shandong: The Revival Province is the first volume of The China Chronicles. This is a series of books that Hattaway is publishing that examines in detail the history of Christianity in the various provinces of China. Once it is complete this series will consist of about 22 books.

Many believers around the world are aware that Christianity has experienced tremendous growth in China. The church has, and is, growing by leaps and bounds in spite of experiencing significant persecution. Current estimates are that there are over 100 million Christians in China (page xiii). The author says that no one can take credit for this revival, it is the work of Jesus Christ (page xv).

This first book in The China Chronicles examines the foundations and growth of Christianity in the province of Shandong. The 2010 census indicates that at that time 95.8 million people lived there, the province covers over 60,000 square miles (page 1). The area is a little larger than the state of Georgia but has about 10 times as many people (page 1). Today approximately 5 million people in the Shandong province identify themselves as Christians (page 9). This is about 40 times more than there were in 1949 when Communism began (page 9). As you read this book, you will see that the revival truly is a group effort that has caused many to come to Christ. The Lord used many of His servants to bring about this growth, some of them were native Chinese and some were missionaries from other countries.

Those who are familiar with missions history will recognize the names of some of the missionaries who labored in this province:  Jonathan Goforth, Lottie Moon, Marie Monsen, and Eric Liddell (the Olympic runner whose life was featured in the film Chariots of Fire). It is interesting to note that these missionaries came from different denominational backgrounds. Goforth and Liddell were Presbyterians, Moon was a Southern Baptist, and Monsen was a Lutheran. Other lesser-known missionaries also made significant contributions to the gospel cause. These include Griffith John and Hunter Corbett. Corbett served in China for 57 years (page 19). Timothy Richard was another, his application to be a missionary was rejected by a major missionary organization, however, he did become a missionary and at the end of his career, he was regarded as one of greatest missionaries to China (pages 28-30). Lesser-known national workers, such as Wang Baogui, also played an important role in the spread of the gospel; he had a burden for the lost and reached out to areas in Shandong that had not been evangelized (pages 23-24). Another influential Chinese leader was Ding Limei who was involved in evangelism and theological education (pages 97-100). Some of the more well-known Chinese preachers who ministered in Shandong were Andrew Gih, Watchman Nee, and John Sung (pages 139-144). The reader will also be introduced to a significant church movement known as the Jesus Family (pages 158-172).

The largest revival in Christian history: PneumaReview.com speaks with Bible smuggler and missionary to Asia, Paul Hattaway, about his ministry and new autobiography, An Asian Harvest.

PneumaReview.com: You are the founder of a ministry called Asia Harvest. What prompted you to start this ministry and what types of work does Asia Harvest do?

Paul Hattaway: Our primary goal is to equip Asian believers to reach the remaining unreached people groups in their countries. Basically wherever there are tribes and people groups left who haven’t heard the Gospel, we want to help them be saved and walking in fellowship with the Lord Jesus. We currently support more than 1,500 evangelists working among over 800 people groups.

PneumaReview.com: How long have you been involved in this ministry? Where did you serve and what did you see God doing there?

Paul Hattaway: October 2017 marks 30 years since I met the Lord, and just six months after my conversion He called me to serve Him in China, so it has been a while. I went on a 6-week trip to carry Bibles to China but the Lord had a surprise in store and it was the start of a 30-year involvement!

Over the years our ministry Asia Harvest has expanded and now includes work in over a dozen Asian countries. We are privileged to serve in are China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos and others.

PneumaReview.com: Shortly after you became a Christian you became “a donkey for Jesus.” Where did expression this expression come from?

Paul Hattaway: Being a ‘donkey for Jesus’ was a term created in the 1980s to describe the many Christians who travelled to Hong Kong to carry Bibles across the border to the spiritually-starving Christians in Mainland China. It was a great honor to be a donkey for the Lord this way and it was the start of my service in the kingdom of God. Several other ministry leaders we know also had their start this way.