AN INTERVIEW ON THE CHURCH IN CHINA

The Great Commission calls us to spread the Gospel to all corners of the Earth, no matter the cost. Many of us are called to talk about God’s word to our colleagues and friends who may not know Christ yet. Others, like Jason Chan, do it in a system actively working against God and His people. Read on to hear how Jason responds in faith to the challenges of ministering in a country that suppresses faith in Jesus.

1. Tell me about yourself. And what was your role in helping the church grow in China?

I converted to Christianity as a freshman in college, the time I was first touched by the gospel of Jesus Christ. For a year and a half after that, I struggled to find a good house church in China until I came across an underground house church in Beijing. Since finding that church, I worshipped with them for about five years before I felt called to take up the cross of full-time ministry. Since I finished my first round of graduates in 2008, I worked for 11 years to shepherd the flock 50 that comprised our underground church ministry in Beijing. In 2019, I decided to sharpen my theology by attending seminary school. However, the Chinese government closed the Christian school my kids attended, which forced me to put back my studies until COVID-19 broke out. Then on September 2021, I brought my wife and kids to Canada as well.

2. What is the biggest challenge the church in China faces?

The Chinese government has brainwashed its people to hate Christianity to their core. If they even see a small surge of people coming to the same community to worship together, they will be eager to report the event to the government. This complicates our evangelism efforts in two ways. First, preaching the gospel publicly on campus comes with immediate arrest and imprisonment. Students on campus are all too eager to gain the approval of their peers and the government by snitching on any proselytization events. Second, we can’t be too eager to bring newcomers to church immediately.

3. Even with the church facing persecution and other challenges given its political environment, how have you seen the church continue to grow in China?

The rise and dominance of the Chinese Communist Party have created a spiritual vacuum. Under the banner of atheism and the ban on religion, people in China have developed a great spiritual yearning. Even with the massive wealth growth in the past century, an emptiness remains in the people’s hearts. Amid this need, God has also called many Chinese Christians to take the call and shepherd the growing flock in China. I, myself, was convicted in my walk with God thanks to a group of Korean missionaries. Their lives represent the models of Christian living that we wanted to adopt in our own lives. Together with our diverse skill sets and technological advances, God has helped our church grow beyond our wildest dreams. Better yet, these churches are evangelical, keeping close with the Gospel found in the Bible.

4. How can we as a church pray for you?

First off, please pray for my studies. I am currently enrolled in a Doctorate of Practical Theology so I can be better equipped in ministry. Once I complete my doctorate, I plan to return to China to continue my work spreading the Gospel in China. I ask for prayers in completing my doctorate with strength. Moreover, pray that I can gain practical experience serving the church during my time here in Canada. I also ask that you pray for my wife. She is working a full-time job to care for the family, and we pray for spiritual and physical strength to support each other and our children. We also want you to pray for my three kids. Although they love schooling here, we are concerned about how they will adapt to schooling underneath greater spiritual constraints in China.

5. How can we as a church pray for the church in mainland China?

The biggest thing I want you to pray for is for qualified, faithful servants to be called to serve in China. Several ministers who train in North America see themselves staying for the long term and abandoning their call to serve God in China. This makes it harder for the church in China to sustain its rapid growth with sound doctrine.

I also believe earnestly that God has a plan for the political and societal situation in China. God is preparing us for big things in China, but I’m not sure what that looks like. I pray that you will give all of us serving in China clarity to know what God wants of us and for us to answer faithfully when the time comes.