Overview
Slightly smaller than the United States, China has the world’s largest population of 1.3 billion.
Previously a world leader, China declined after its Cultural Revolution crippled the economy and took millions of lives.
Since 1978, however, China has shifted toward market economics and has risen as the world’s second largest economy. China has experienced the fastest growing church movement in history—from 2.7 million evangelicals in 1975 to over 75 million in 2010. Today, 6.24 percent of China’s population is evangelical.
As a side effect of rapid growth and past persecution, Christian leaders are scarce—in 2010, some groups reported only one trained leader for every 7,000 believers or even every 40,000 in some areas. A shortage of printed Bibles and literature has also afflicted the church, with some congregations sharing a single Bible. As a result, the Chinese church has been susceptible to false teaching.
Chinese culture suffers from growing materialism, rampant corruption, and the world’s highest number of suicides. Additionally, China’s birth restrictions have prompted roughly 23 million abortions per year, according to the U.S. State Department.
How You Can Make a Difference
Ways To Give
Evangelism & Discipleship
One of the many Bible schools assisted by Christian Aid Mission in China offers one- and two-year programs, with training primarily focused on evangelism and the cost of discipleship. Seven days a week, faculty lead morning prayers at 5 a.m. and evening prayers at 9p.m. Every Saturday, students divide into groups to evangelize their community. Due to the school’s excellent standing, home churches often invite students and faculty to preach and lead worship. They travel in pairs on bicycles to over 40 house churches in the school’s vicinity. Over 120 students graduate from this Bible school each year. Students become teachers at the school, return to serve in their home churches, or plant new churches in various regions throughout China. GIVE NOW to help evangelistic and discipleship ministries like this one in China.
Community Engagement
A Bible-based drug rehabilitation center founded in 2007 in Yunnan Province addresses the growing problem of drug abuse in the southern provinces, where heroin and other illicit drugs come across the border from Myanmar. The school’s 18-month program helps addicts recover through the living Word of God. Patients also learn vocational skills to help them reenter society. GIVE NOW to help community engagement ministries like this one in China.
Compassion
Brother Johnny, the leader of an indigenous Chinese ministry assisted by Christian Aid Mission, discovered a Buddhist orphanage housing 50 destitute Tibetan. Far from civilization and without modern technology, the orphaned children lived primitively, bathing only once every six months. Johnny’s burden for those children led him to return that same year with five other believers. The group worked to obtain, transport, and install a hot water heater at the orphanage. Their act of compassion has greatly improved the sanitary conditions at the orphanage and caused the Tibetan people to welcome them into their community. Johnny and his ministry team have also arranged to provide nutritious food to the orphanage, and are showing gospel films to groups of Tibetans interested in learning more about the gospel. GIVE NOW to help compassion ministries like this one in China.
Exclusive Stories from the Mission Field
Help Bring Gospel Transformation in China
A man living in a remote area of towering mountains had been born with deformed legs, and when he contracted COVID-19, native Christian workers who knew him from prior aid deliveries covered his medical bills and living expenses.
Enable Workers to Lead People to Christ in China
A shaman said to have influence over good and evil spirits recently became terminally ill and received a visit from native Christian workers. They explained the gospel to him and prayed with him, and the next day he called saying he was completely healed. “He decided to follow Jesus and throw away all the tools and instruments for shamanic practices,” the native ministry leader said.
Assist Messengers of Christ’s Grace in China
Workers at a native ministry train Christians to help carry out visits to congregation members and others in need, resulting in gospel opportunities. Through direct training and/or observation of workers, the members are equipped to comfort, counsel, teach basic Bible knowledge and share the gospel.
Help Spread the Salvation Message in China
A woman accepted Christ three years ago, at a time when she often fought with her husband and in-laws. Since then native Christian workers have discipled her in Bible study and prayer, and her relationship with her unbelieving husband has improved so much that he sometimes attends church meetings.
Provide Gospel Training and Tools in China
Praises that a teenager who experienced the care and teaching of native Christian workers recently put his faith in Christ, as God’s Word broke the bondage of belief in ancestral deities. At the same time, discipleship through trainings, camps and Bible studies strengthened the faith of young people and others.
Help Send the Word of Life in China
The pandemic forced church members to spend more time with family, and native Christian workers encouraged them to share personal stories and literature with relatives. Praise God that workers and church members saw lives transformed in Christ as they connected more deeply with family members.