ChinaSource

WHO WE ARE

Our Mission
ChinaSource is a trusted partner and platform for educating the global church on critical issues facing the church and ministries in China, and for connecting Christians inside and outside China to advance the kingdom of God globally.

WHAT WE DO

Engage
Through our online platforms, conferences, and contributions in both the Christian and secular media, we facilitate informed discussion around critical issues facing China and its church. We believe that an informed understanding of China and of the experience of the Chinese people, both historical and contemporary, is critical to effective service. Our knowledge resources are not tied to promoting any particular projects; nor do we side with either the registered or the unregistered church, or with any denomination. We seek a balanced perspective through openness and honesty in all our research, relationships and communication. We participate in dialog both at the academic level as well as among those engaged in practical China ministry.

Collaborate
Our relationship with those we serve goes beyond merely providing information. We value the unity of the international community, recognizing the unique gifts and roles of each part as all work together toward the accomplishment of united purposes in and through China. We believe that wise stewardship of gifts and resources, strategically deployed, results in multiplied effectiveness. Over two decades we have developed a broad network of relationships. Among these leaders, ministry practitioners, and resource providers, we play a catalytic role, making connections through convening, both formal and informal; through referrals; and by providing platforms for sharing resources and expertise.

Serve
The desire to foster effective service in China and among Chinese globally lies at the heart of our mission. We value holistic service, lived out through relationships, word and deed, and resulting in transformed individuals, families and communities. By serving those who serve, we play a unique role in advancing God’s purposes in and through China. In so doing we prioritize the development of indigenous leadership with local distinctives as well as a sense of its place in the larger universal body of Christ.

ChinaSource is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the state of California.

History
Formed in 1997 at the Billy Graham Center of Wheaton College, ChinaSource began as a collaborative effort of several North American evangelical entities. Recognizing the growing importance of China on the world scene, these organizations came together to create a clearinghouse of information and relationships serving the global Christian community.

A year later, we launched the ChinaSource Journal (later renamed ChinaSource Quarterly) as a platform for China ministry leaders and practitioners to share their expertise around specific themes. We undertook an extensive survey of organizations serving in China, examining where and how their work was being done.

Throughout the 2000s we held consultations, beginning in North America and later in Asia, that brought together leaders from scores of organizations to share updates, develop new strategies, and explore practical avenues for collaboration.

In 2000, ChinaSource merged with the Institute of Chinese Studies, a research organ founded in the late 1970s at the US Center for World Mission for the purpose of promoting outreach to Chinese people groups. In Asia, we began holding consultations that brought together leaders from many organizations to share updates, develop strategies, and explore practical avenues of collaboration.

In 2002, we held the first China Challenge conference, providing a venue for churches, agencies, and individuals interested in exploring opportunities in China. This conference was held annually until 2011.

With the wave of urban migration sweeping over China in the mid 2000s, the focus of ChinaSource shifted to China’s cities, where a new generation of church leaders was beginning to emerge. To better serve this growing need, we facilitated consultations around urban ministry, business as mission, and migrant worker ministries. These consultations brought together both Chinese and expatriate believers. Multi-agency initiatives were launched in these areas to fuel the development of new ministry efforts.

In the 2010s we began building our online presence, providing balanced and timely information about China and the church in China through our content and online training programs. New initiatives focused on Christian education, mentoring leaders, and stewardship and generosity have brought multiple agencies together with Chinese Christians to address some of these concerns.

In an era when the roles of both Chinese believers and foreign workers are changing, ChinaSource continues in its commitment to serve as the premier resource for relevant China knowledge and as a catalyst for effective partnerships.