(Continued from Part 1, Part 2)… It sounds right, but there is one more part of the equation that many leave out. Who exactly is the “Chinese Church”? Who are the people receiving the bibles?
One smuggling bibles is probably likely to tell you that he has a “network” of people that the bibles get passed on to and they distribute them throughout China. Not knowing much about China, the person sitting in the pew easily accepts this answer. But I want to challenge the “network.” Why? Because statistically one-half to two-thirds of China’s house church Christians are somewhat Charismatic (or liberal theology, such as, speaking in tongues, woman as pastors, and belief that one’s salvation can be lost). If you believe in historical Christianity, are theologically conservative, and/or are a fundamentalist that stands on the Word of God, then this is a problem.
Should conservative churches be using their missions money to help build and equip the charismatic churches?
I challenge the network because we know little about it and we are not allowed to know about it. For the purpose of “security reasons” we have allowed the “who” to not matter and have no accountability.
Is the “network” made up of like minded believers who are in need of Bibles? Is there accountability in the system to deliver the Bibles and make sure they are getting delivered and used? Can the we know about the network and how everything operates?
Think about it this way: If there was a Charismatic church teaching their doctrine in your hometown and where requesting 200 Bibles from your church (to keep teaching their doctrine), would you provided them with bibles? Would you use your missions money to provide that Charismatic church with bibles?
Conclusion: I am not against bible smuggling “if” the church needing the bibles is of “like faith and practice” can’t afford to buy bibles on their own, don’t have a local place to obtain them, and need more than what we could obtain by legally buying them in China. Otherwise, I think there are better places that we could be spending our time and missions’ dollars. For example:
So three post later, what do you think? To smuggle or not to smuggle, that is the question!?
February 1st, 2012 at 7:51 am
I agree 100% with your conclusion. The idea is not to eliminate bringing Bibles into China, but to make sure that these Bible are not being utilized to help a church spread false doctrine. (Although maybe if the charismatics would actually read them, they would come to the knowledge of the truth.) I am not against getting Bibles into China to help fundamental churches who are of like mind and faith. However, we must be careful that Bible smuggling does not replace church-planting, but becomes a help to it. It is good to send a Bible. It is better to send a man with a Bible who will plant Bible preaching, evangelistic churches. If this man needs Bibles, then I say let the Bible smuggler and the church planter work together to bring people to Christ!
February 1st, 2012 at 8:03 am
I too agree with your conclusion. I believe that as the pastor of a church that I need to make sure that the money we are given which in turn we give to missions efforts is being used to the greatest good for the Kingdom of God. I have never been told that there are places that Chinese Christians can get bibles legally. I wonder though how many Chinese Christians are concerned with the government really knowing their business and so do not buy bibles from these legal places.? Keep on working to reach people for Christ!
February 1st, 2012 at 10:03 am
It would be hard for one to say they were against “smuggling Bibles”. However a better use of mission money would be to help church planters of like faith. “Smuggling” Bibles maybe good, but short sighted.
February 1st, 2012 at 10:43 am
I guess my question would be(and this is not being critical of your post just asking) as you have brought up the subject on the churches in China who they are and their doctrines, where did you get your info? Have you been there to see for yourself or are you depending on info from someone else. We are here and we rely on others to give that info. I too want to make sure the right people are getting them, not the charismatics, One statement you made ” government churches” this raises a red flag for me as my family was is foreign missions for 15 years and I know a little about government sponsored or qualified churches. Not being critical just asking.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:23 pm
Brandon – Thanks for the comment. I love the line “It is good to send a Bible. It is better to send a man with a Bible…” I do think there is a disconnect between the bible smugglers and the church planters. Most church planters will most likely say “Yes” to bible smugglers because they offer bibles and materials free of charge. If they say “no” then they will just find someone else.
Jon – Thanks for the comment. I hope these post help us all be better stewards of God’s resources. Christians in China come in all flavors
From what I have observed, many aren’t “afraid” of the government church, they just don’t agree with it. Many don’t even disagree with the government church but like the atmosphere of the “house church” because it is small and you know everyone vs. attending the “mega” government church. Also, there seems to be a good number that “church hop” attending both legal and illegal churches. If one was really scared to buy directly from the government church, then another option could be buying online. The church we work with freely gives out Bibles to attenders that want one.
Tom – Right on! The question isn’t are we for or against the bible and suppling churches with the bibles, but is “bible smuggling” in China no longer necessary because of recent developments. There are still many places that we should smuggle Bibles into. To my knowledge, North Korea is a place that “bible smuggling” is still a necessary ministry.
Danny – Thanks for the comment and good questions. Some of the information is from personal experience and some of it from books, websites, and talking with other workers in China. One point that I stressed in the post was challenging the “network” because usually there isn’t specific details to whom that “network” is made up of, and thus we are not sure where all these Bibles and materials are going. As for the “government church” I am not in favor of them for the most part. The government church, though there are exceptions, were brought into existence to control the Christians in China and the head of these churches is the communist/atheist government, not the Lord Jesus Christ. The post in this series are not an endorsement of those churches but within those churches you are able to purchase bibles (which I have done), the same ones many bible smugglers are smuggling into China.
February 6th, 2012 at 10:11 am
There are a lot of things going in in church ministries that are not necessary as they once were. I am into the church planting idea myself. Train nationals and watch the Lord work thru them planting other churches. The churches we started on the field are now starting other churches.
February 6th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
I think that while some of the things you bring up are legitimate concerns we need to be careful about not having all the information needed before making blanket statements concerning the efforts of other missionaries and their ministries. The “bible smugglers” I know, do know where the bibles are going and not just sending them where ever to whom ever.
You have alot of misinformation from what I’ve read. You may not even know it, so I am not accusing you of intentinally putting out false information. Just don’t be so pressed with yourself and how you do it that you hinder the work that God has led others to do.
China is a big place and just like all large countries there are vast differences in each area. Hope you take this in the spirit that it was intended, not looking to a great debate. In Christ.
February 6th, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Danny, exactly! Bible smuggling was a legitimate ministry that, for the most part, no longer needs to be done in China. This type of ministry is always meant to be “temporary” or until the doors open, and in this area in China they have. The hard question then for those smuggling bibles is “what do we do now?” Most can easily keep smuggling but I love what you offered in your comment, plant churches and train national leadership. China is in need of this type of laborer in great abundance. Thanks for the comment.
Also, are you in China? I would love to hear more about your ministry.
February 6th, 2012 at 8:39 pm
Fred, thank you for the kindness in your comment. Two things I tried to make a point of in the first post of this series is that these post are not against “bible smugglers” themselves (the ones that I have met or know about seems to be godly men) and that I am willing to learn more about this ministry if my information or perspective is wrong.
Sorry for any blanket statements in the post, I can understand how that is annoying. Anyone who feels there “bible smuggling” ministry is falsely represented by these post, then I welcome their comments.
Also, in the first post I mentioned…”I may be wrong in some of my assumptions and information. Thus, I am willingly to learn from those who are leading the way for bible smuggling in China.”
You stated the post did bring up legitimate concerns but also I didn’t have “all the information”. I would love to hear your thoughts on this in more detail. Also, please let me know the “misinformation” and I am more than willingly to be accountable and correct it where correction is needed (I have no intention of purposely putting out false information. I welcome the correction as this blog helps with accountability in being open in the matter).
Yes, I do agree a lot of bible smugglers know where there bibles are going BUT they don’t. What I mean is, how many people can you know? Most have friends and church planters in the country that they supply, but that generally is a small number of the Bibles they are smuggling in. Then they have the “network” … in which they must take someone’s word for it. The bible smugglers probably don’t speak Chinese and don’t live in China. You miss a lot. You interpret things wrong. And everyone puts on a show for visitors. Thus they have to trust the advice of “others” much the same way a pastor has to trust a missionary about his field. Eventually there could be something lost along the way.
I hope this series of post don’t hinder others and their work for God, but to help people realize a door has been opened, times have changed and we need to focus more effort to preaching the book than smuggling the book (in China).
I hope you read the same kindness in spirit that I read in your post.
(Please advise me on the “misinformation” that you stated I have given.)
May 17th, 2012 at 2:53 pm
I agree that there’s probably better ways to help china’s christian church then to travel there to smuggle bibles dollar for dollar. There’s a big concern with the limited bibles and training resources for Christians which has opened a big door for occults to come in such as the eastern lightning and others. As far as your concern for resources going through charismatic ministries, you lost me. A huge role of the revival in china is because of those charismatic pastors and ministries. I think what is most important is that chinese church is able to not only able to to have access to the word of God, but also training on sound doctrine And pastoring. One concern with the national church is that they can still control the teaching and theology similar to the English church back in the day. If you’re that concerned with women pastors springing up in communist china, that’s fine, I just don’t share the same concern. I think the church should work with each other instead of fighting over what they don’t agree on. Theres several ministries that are doing great work in china, and if you want to work one with the same s.o.f. As you, that’s great. However that doesn’t mean we should boycott other ministries. Just my opinion.
May 17th, 2012 at 11:12 pm
Hey Kenney,
Thanks for the comment. I think we are coming to different conclusions because we have different “assumptions”. 1) You are assuming there is a “big concern” with limited bibles and training resources. Living in China and working in house churches, I do no see this “big concern” for a lack of bibles and training resources. 2) Cults are growing because in many ways are more bold in their approach. 3) I agree that a part of the “revival in china” is because of the charismatic pastors and ministries, you assume this is a good thing, I don’t. I don’t believe charismatic doctrine is “sound doctrine” and thus uniting with them would hurt our purpose of “training in sound doctrine and pastoring”. 4) I am concerned with “women pastors” because I believe they are not pastors according to the Word of God. You assume they are. 5) You are assuming unity is more important than truth. I assume the opposite.
I agree there are a lot of people and ministries doing a great work in China. I even agree that that are many things (in reference to opinion) that we can overlook for the unity of the body and furtherance of the Gospel. At the same time, the line has to be drawn somewhere, otherwise we will be accepting and including many cults that have a “Christian appearance” to them.
I have noticed that many working in China misinform many in the USA about the true condition of the “Church in China”…such as the lack of bibles, resources, the unity of the chinese church, revival etc. The reality of missions in China and the perception of missions in China truly are contradicting. Then again, China is a big place, and as someone once said “everything you heard about China is probably true somewhere in the country.”
I hope that helps clear things up a little.