China (MNN) — Chinese across the nation have cleaned their homes and purchased red outfits for their annual celebration of Chinese New Year. Despite China’s official adherence to atheism, most Chinese fully embrace Zodiac tradition.
“The Chinese Christians, however, use this as a way to reach out to their communities, and to their friends and their families,” says Erik Burklin of China Partner.
Burklin likens the Chinese New Year to America’s Thanksgiving. It’s a busy time of travel when many people head for their childhood homes to reunite with extended family.
“You have to imagine 1.4 billion people taking trains and planes,” Burklin says.
The commotion is palpable, and it’s intensified by lengthy travel distances.
Since many urban dwellers grew up in the country, homebound routes can last many hours or even days. Burklin spoke with one believer who has a 30 hour train ride home. She said the confined travel quarters are an open witnessing opportunity, a perspective Burklin says is shared by many Chinese Christians who want to glorify Christ and make him known.
“Their love for Jesus is more important to them than what the government tells them they can and cannot do,” he says.
Courtesy of Maud Beauregard via Unsplash
Many people are coming to faith through these efforts, and Burklin thinks the growth becomes especially apparent at the Chinese church’s two main baptism events. These take place on Christmas and Easter.
“The Easter baptisms are huge, and I think it has direct connections to the Chinese new year,” Burklin points out, “because during that time, many people share their faith with their family members.”
When asked what to make of widespread persecution in China, Burklin says there is no way to escape that reality. Yes, persecution abounds, he says, but then again: the situation is markedly better than it was under the violent hand of Mao Zedong.
“If they survived Mao Zedong’s 30 years of oppressive control, what’s happening now with Xi Jinping is a drop in the bucket,” he says. “They’re thankful for the relative freedom that they have, including the house churches.”
The current administration is pushing to infiltrate every aspect of life with communism.
“Well guess what: they’re not going to be successful because communism will never win over Christ and his church,” Burklin says.
China Partner is focused on prayer ministry, training, and provision of books and ministry tools to church leaders. Burklin says the team has plans for this year involving at least eight Chinese cities, with several trainings scheduled at seminaries and Bible schools across the country.
“All this is to equip the next generation of pastors and church leaders so that they can reach out to their own people,” he says.
Please continue to pray for the faithfulness of Chinese church leaders, especially those who are suffering. Burklin says one pastor friend who was imprisoned for seven months spent the time writing letters and encouraging his congregation.
“And I think that would be the prayer for those of us from the outside,” Burklin says. “That we don’t forget about these dear brothers and sisters who are living inside that system and have no choice in the matter, yet they trust the Lord, they love the Bible, they share about their faith in Jesus. They are witnesses. That’s who we need to continue to pray for.”
Featured photo courtesy of RDNE Stock project via Pexels
