Comments on: Do Chinese Students Need An American Jesus?

By: R.P.BenDedek

R.P.BenDedek — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:39:43 +0000

I certainly don’t want to offend anyone – but there were several things I noted in the article and in the responses that I would comment on. I must state from the beginning that I do not believe at all that any foreigner can in anyway justify breaking the law of China to preach or teach in China unless his entry is for that purpose.

1. Your description of American Students compared to Chinese, is the converse of my experiences with the Chinese over the last 5 years. Spoiled, nasty, childish, lazy would adequately describe the lower end of the scale (which can sometimes be very weighty). On the high side, the Chinese students are as you describe them. It must be stated that economics also plays a large part in the attitudes I see on a daily basis. Many students did not do well in Primary and High school and so have very bad attitudes at College.

2. Patriotism – while true – is also a charade. To understand Chinese culture and express it in English succinctly – they are extremely ‘politically correct’. Love of the motherland is not always love of the motherland but ’saying what I must say because I am Chinese’. To hear the otherside of the story is always an eye opener. Most students end up being straighforward with me because I know their true thoughts and tell them so.

3. I have had whole classes of ‘Christians’ for the want of a better word – Tianzhu jiao and Jidu jiao (catholic and christian) who thought nothing of talking about religion and God – but at the moment, my students are aghast if I ask if there are any Christians or Muslims in the class. ‘Of course not!’

4. Your self-enlightment in relation to ‘American Christian’ goes further than Christianity. I am not American but have the same reservations that Asians do about Americans. (I am a white Australian). As you point out, the Chinese believe in the superiority of their 5000 years of glorious history, AS MUCH AS Americans believe in the superiority of everything American. Though it may not be in the conscious mind, it is nevertheless there, and it does come across. As one reply indicated – the slightest offence or misconception can offend the Chinese. One should never offend the Chinese person’s feelings.

5. In my opinion there is little that is stereotypical about the Chinese because they as a nation and people are undergoing vast changes and they are all at different levels of ‘enlightenment’, education and economic standing.

6. As I understand the Bible (OT/NT) the basic message is that people are ‘chosen or called out by God’. The Chinese are already the culturally chosen ones. The Christian message is always about the Love of Jesus or Hellfire. If there is one thing I do know about the Chinese, it is that for all their dedication to Family and duty, so many never FEEL love. They know love – but don’t feel love, and the amount of depression and loneliness I have witness in the last 5 years tells me that if you want to truly bring the light of the gospel to the Chinese, then show them what ‘love is’ – SHOW THEM – not tell them.

These are just my observations. We all have different experiences and encounter different people and we all see the world through our own worldview.

By: Heisthatheis

Heisthatheis — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 21:55:45 +0000

Two books well worth reading on this subject

TRUE SON OF HEAVEN: How Jesus Fulfills the Chinese Culture by David Marshall

GODS PROMISE TO THE CHINESE:by Dr. Ethel Nelson, Richard E. Broadberry, & Dr. Ginger Tong Chock

Overview of the book
http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v20/i3/china.asp

Read the reviews on this one
http://www.amazon.com/True-Son-Heaven-Fulfills-Chinese/dp/0970227817

By: Gregpaul49

Gregpaul49 — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 07:28:22 +0000

The majority of Buddist do not act like Buddist monks. Why do Chinese students expect the majority of Christians to act like Christian monks?

By: scott pursley

scott pursley — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:46:45 +0000

First, perhaps the simplest difference between the west and the vast majority of Christianity in the 2/3 world is poverty. Chinese Christianity adds to that equation the prospect of government repression, and possible imprisonment. The veneer of materialism, and love of leisure that stultifies many western people,is much thinner in places where praying for your daily bread is literal.

Christianity in South America, Africa, India and China is fraught with the weaknesses that come from lack of access to theological foundations. From my perspective this is directly connected to the Western Churches declining generosity, and stewardship of the great abundance of wealth concentrated in the US. Because the American church is so spiritually dead it has little extra with which to come along side the nations to offer the two things we actually can bring to the table: theological depth and money. I am involved (with many others) in a movement of prayer seeking to call out to God for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit on this generation of the American Church. I see no other hope.

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:12:15 +0000

Amen, amen, and amen. American Christians are weak and are unwilling to suffer. It seems now we are focused more on “Getting America back to God” or “Returning to our Christian Culture as a Christian nation” than proclaiming the gospel and the greatness of Jesus Christ to the nations. God has blessed you richly for what you are doing, and He will continue to do so. Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom in this matter.

By: dws

dws — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:36:54 +0000

I think we all admire those who suffer for their faith. But this, again, is a mixed picture. Some Chinese I know are quite materialistic and keep their faith secret because they don’t want to jeopardize their jobs. Not too different from here. I do agree that there has been a change in the past ten years, that the students now all say they want to go back to China, while before most wanted to stay here.
I generally have a problem with running down any part of Christ’s Body, including American Christians. There is much that testifies of Christ here. One can of course call people to change on specific points, but worrying about whether we are too “American” is pointless.
Here is one point for Chinese evangelism. They rarely respond to attempts to make them feel guilty. The communists did this. They are most interested in a) whether God really exists, objectively, and b) relationship and community, i.e. finding a place where competition does not drive everything. If they conclude God is real, their guilt feelings will be awakened, but I wouldn’t start there.
Interestingly, my friend who became a Christian avoided the local Chinese church for years. She said they put too much pressure on her. She liked our church where she could just come and not feel she had to make a decision too early. So American Chinese may not be the best evangelists for mainline Chinese.

By: rastassin

rastassin — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:28:15 +0000

If I could add on to your response Michael:
As “American” Christians we are responsible for the exporting of American Christianity thrughout the world. In that way we have hid Christ and failed to proclaim the Gospel. It is only right and proper for Michael to point out these flaws that we might remove the plank so to speak. I disagree that it is “uniquely American”. There is a proper desire for Godliness and humility in self criticism.
Though I do agree with your point about Communist Chinese availibility to the Gospel, sometimes even at the cost of their family relationships, which inspires me in my faith.

By: Michael Spencer

Michael Spencer — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:11:36 +0000

Critquing American evangelicalism is not “blaming America” and it’s not saying other cultural expressions of Christianity are trouble free. But the differences in materialism and the willingness to suffer are stark.

By: dws

dws — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:04:04 +0000

I have taught Chinese Christians in grad school for the past 12 years. Several observations: first, you are indeed going with a stereotype. We find that the Chinese students do well in “book work” but when they finish with their Ph.D.’s they have not generally doing better work than others. The strong focus on memorization in their education system leaves them a little behind in creativity, lab work, and general visual-spatial ability (”modeling things in your head”). Some do well, others less so. Second, I have seen several communist Chinese come to Christ, including a personal friend, and I don’t see them as less open to the Gospel, actually probably more open than others. What I have found is that an intellectual apologetic approach works well– especially things like books on intelligent design of the universe, general apologetics like C.S. Lewis, systematic theologies like J.I. Packer, etc. They all say they have been taught for years that Christian belief is irrational and unscientific, and feel a disconnect when what appeals to their heart seems to contradict what they are told is intelligent.
Last, it seems a uniquely American trait to want to “blame America first”, to roll in guilt about our Americanness. I have lived in several countries and I can tell you the churches in other countries are quite immature in many ways. Infighting, dead orthodoxy, anti-intellectualism, prejudice against other cultures, etc. are all there. Yes, you can’t separate your Americanness from your faith, so stop apologizing for it already. Americans tend to shoot low, intellectually, but also are uniquely hospitable and open to new people, and those are powerful gifts for spreading the Gospel in a world full of pride and prejudice.

By: mcamp

mcamp — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 01:48:49 +0000

As someone who has worked at a college in China and done ministry in China and Japan and has worked with international students in a context that is 90% asian, I have to take issue with a little bit of your portrait of Chinese students. You really are dealing with the best and the brightest when you see Chinese students in America. A very small percentage of the students in China can affort college (even though it is highly subsidized.) Among those that are able to go to college, most cannot make it to a foreign country, especially not America. If the student is truly a middle class Chinese, they will likely have to expend not only their immediate family’s, but also their extended family’s savings to go to America. The cost of the colleges is high, the cost of living is high, the cost of travelling is high and to go to a foreign country, often the student will have to pay off all of the government subsidies for their education up to the point they leave the country. There is an extreme price for Chinese to study in America and it is the limiting factor for most. That is one of the reasons that Chinese are so studious; they have the expectations of all of their family bearing down on their shoulders. (note: this is also true for most of the college students from the lower classes that study in Chinese colleges.)
Regarding the students being exceedingly mature; this is part of the system in China. From, at the latest, junior high school, Chinese schools are competitive. They will have number one schools on down. Most of the top ranked schools are boarding schools. Students must leave home very young and be virtually on their own. It forces a level of maturity on them. But much of it is also the deeply seeded confucianism that is present in the culture and greatly moderates their behavior.
As to students in China, I taught at the number two normal (teachers) university in my area. A certain percentage of the students worked very hard, but a large percentage would spend all evening in internet bars playing Counter Strike or various other games. Alcoholism is rampant as well as laziness. They are not on the same level as American colleges, but the reality in China is not what most people imagine. Chinese teenagers are still just that, teenagers.
As far as American Christianity goes, it is pretty awful. But Christianity, there’s another story. When Chinese see Christianity expressed within communities of believers close up, they are often struck to the core. That is true even when they are in America.
China is a country that is very close and dear to my heart. I will pray for you and your ministry among your 8 chinese friends as well as the other internationals at your school.
Blessings,
todd