China (MNN) — It’s no secret that China has set restrictions on its Christians, whether those Christians are part of the carefully monitored registered church or the spreading underground church. But are stories of those restrictions all they’re cracked up to be?
According to Erik Burklin of China Partner, there is an active effort to make Christianity more “China-friendly.” However, leaders in China’s registered church see this not as an obstacle but rather an opportunity to contextualize their message within China’s culture. In the words of one pastor, “Our goal is to keep the biblical foundation but adapt to the culture, making the gospel relevant to our people.”
To Burklin, this is already an essential part of fulfilling the Great Commission. “We’re trying to figure out the best way of how we can share the good news of Jesus Christ to the culture or to the people that live in today’s culture.”
Yes, there is an active effort by officials to make religion “more Chinese.” But according to Burklin, “Chinese Christians laugh about that. They said, ‘Well, how much more Chinese do you want us to be? We are Chinese!’”
Really, it’s about ensuring that even Chinese Christians put the state first. Pastors are then faced with a complex challenge: trying to fit within the system and doing as the government asks without compromising the biblical integrity of the Gospel.
For example, many Christians around the world have heard stories of a future Chinese “version” of the Bible. Burklin got his hands on a copy of one of these Bibles. The cover was red and designed like a traditional Chinese book. Traditional artwork decorated both the cover and inside pages. And as for the content? “I had team members with me who speak Mandarin. […] they said it was identical to what they knew the true Bible to be.”
Burklin says that with these restrictions, the state is “almost saber-rattling in a way, just warning everybody, ‘Hey, you better toe the line and obey that we are really above all, including religion.’ And the Christians are saying, ‘So be it, but Jesus Christ is still the head of the church.’”
Above all, leaders within the Church in China focus on the fact that “Jesus is the person who brings salvation to the Chinese people. That is the core of our Gospel. That’s why we as pastors or as evangelists are working for the Lord; to let people know about the salvation that is possible through Jesus Christ.”
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Header photo courtesy of China Partner.
