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Jewish Diaspora & Chinese Returnee Leading Returnees Ministry in China

Jewish Diaspora & Chinese Returnee Leading Returnees Ministry in China. Jonathan Li, Dr. Theol. BICF-IMS. I. Diaspora. Origin of the term δι ασπείρω: I scatter, I spread about διά , between , through, across σπ είρω , I sow, I scatter δ ι ασπορά, an ancient Greek, scattering.

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Jewish Diaspora & Chinese Returnee Leading Returnees Ministry in China

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  1. Jewish Diaspora & Chinese Returnee Leading Returnees Ministry in China Jonathan Li, Dr. Theol. BICF-IMS

  2. I. Diaspora • Origin of the term • διασπείρω: I scatter, I spread about • διά, between, through, across • σπείρω, I sow, I scatter • διασπορά, an ancient Greek, scattering

  3. Biblical Roots • Greek Translation of Hebrew Bible (LXX) • Deut. 28:25, thou shalt be a dispersion in all kingdoms of the earth • Ps 147:2, The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel

  4. Diaspora-Captivity/Exile Three major captivities in Jewish and Israelite History: • AssyrianCaptivity, 722 BC, destroying Israel, the Northern kingdom • Babylonian Captivity, 587-586 BC (3 times), destroying Judah and Solomon Temple • Roman Captivity, 70 AD, destroying Jerusalem

  5. Babylonian Captivity • Captivity 3 times, (605 BC, 597 BC, 586 BC) • During the captivity, Jews developed • Synagogue System:pray and worship • Canonized Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) • Rabbinic Judaism: Revival of Jewish Religion • Scribes (teacher of Torah), Rabbi (sages of Babylonian) • Babylonian Talmud：Mishna (oral Torah), Gemara (commentaries on oral Torah), Midrash (commentaries on Tahakh)

  6. Jewish Return • First Return, Zerubbabel, 538 BC, To build Holy Temple (Ezra 1-3) • Second Return, Ezra, 458 BC, To build Holy People (Ezra 7) • Third Return, Nehemiah, 445 BC, To build Holy City (Nehemiah)

  7. Theological Reflections • Temple — God is with us • Torah— Word of God is with us • Jerusalem — Living in God’s kingdom

  8. Rebuilding God’s Temple • Led by Zerubbabel, Joshua, Haggai, etc • Rebuild authentic worship and prayer life • Worship God：Central of From Solomon Temple to Synagogue

  9. Rebuilding God’s People • Led by Ezra, Scribe, Teacher of Law • Ezra 7:10:For Ezra prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. • Reread the Word of God, to build new generations

  10. Rebuilding God’s Kingdom • Led by Nehemiah • Jerusalem — territory • City of God • Nation of God • Kingdom of God • Rebuild God’s territory

  11. II. Chinese Diaspora • Chinese emigration thousands of years ago • The mass emigration • 19th century, economic reasons • 1949, political reasons • 1980s-1990s, economic and political reasons • Overseas Chinese population 70-80 millions • Northern America, Southeast Asia, Europe, etc.

  12. Overseas Chinese Christians • CCCCOWE Research 2011 • Churches: 9600-10000 • Para church organizations: 3500-4000 • Chinese Christian populations: 3 million? • Mission organizations: 100? • Missionaries: 2000?

  13. III. Chinese Returnees

  14. 出国留学与回归统计 Number of studying abroad and returned students National Bureau of Statistics of China, China Statistical Yearbook, p693

  15. 海歸每年人數

  16. 海歸累積人數

  17. Impact to Country • Significant Contribution to China • 81% of members of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Academia Sinica) 中国科学院 • 54% of members of Chinese Academy of Engineering 中国工程院 • 78% of university presidents • 81% of professors, 63% of Ph.D supervisors • 78% of heads of research centers and labs

  18. Impact to Church • Urban church’s growth • Although migrant workers had the early influence in the early 2000s • Christian returnees contribute to the urban church leadership

  19. Christian Returnees 基督徒海归 • Leaving China due to various reasons (education, work, marriage, etc.) • Receiving Christ overseas mainly • Receiving Bible training overseas • Experiencing church life overseas • Becoming church leaders and ministers (some) • Going back to China

  20. Current Situation • Dropout Rate 流失率 • In recent conference concerning Chinese returnee ministries, a new consensus of 80-90% Christian dropout • Which means the accumulative of 81,550 Christian returnees (10% of 815,500) is only 8150-16,310 remaining • Impact to Urban Church is Insignificant • Impact to Country is Inconsequential

  21. IV. Returnee Ministry • How to do returnee ministry? • What are church’s responsibilities?

  22. To start Mandarin Service/Church • BICF International Mandarin Service IMS • Vision • Biggest returnee church (it is) • Strongest Chinese congregation • Healthy model church in China

  23. To Build Returnee’s Network , ICF • Independent returnee’s fellowship • Local church returnee’s ministry • ICF returnee’s ministry • Receive and follow-up • Ensure Spiritual Growth and Equipping • Encourage to Serve

  24. To Reach Locals through Returnees • Same language • Same culture • Same background • Same people

  25. Concluding Remarks Iam a returnee!

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