The New Normal for the Church in China

Presenters: Joann Pittman, Senior Vice President, ChinaSource and  Michael White, Strategy & Operations, ChinaSource

Description: The past couple of decades in China have been marked by increasing openness. One result was the expansion of the space for religious belief and practice. Since Xi Jinping came to power in 2012 and set about reestablishing Party-state control over all sectors of Chinese society, the space for religious life has begun to contract. New regulations governing religious affairs have been issues. Old regulations that were largely ignored are now being enforced. The government is employing a wide range of technological platforms to monitor and guide social behavior. For many Chinese believers, especially those who are younger and do not have memories of the harsh climate before the 1990s, this is a “new normal.” In this webinar Joann Pittman and Michael White, of ChinaSource will describe what this new normal looks like and explore ways in which the Church in China is responding to and adapting to the changes. They will also look at what the changes mean for the global ministry community serving the Chinese church.

Presenter Bios:  Joann Pittman is the senior vice president of ChinaSource and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She is the author of Survival Chinese Lessons and The Bells Are Not Silent: Stories of Church Bells in China.

Michael White works with ChinaSource on strategy and operations.  Prior to joining ChinaSource, Michael has spent 30 years working in China at different times as a university lecturer, a non-profit executive and as a corporate executive.  He continues to serve on several non-profit boards and enjoys working with emerging Chinese leaders.  He has a particular interest in marketplace ministries and business as mission.

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