Food for Thought - The Faith of China

I have had on my mind to do a post about some of the religious statistics about China, and specifically what we've learned about Kailyn's city now that we have that information.  As followers of Christ, adoption is a joy and a gift instituted by God himself, as we as believers have been adopted as sons through faith in his son Jesus Christ.  And in that, God's purpose was to bring us into relationship with him through Jesus that we may grow in the "grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"  2 Peter 3:18.  And so the same goes for earthly adoption, our purpose for bringing a little sweetheart into our home is so much more than to expand our family or to meet the physical and emotional needs of a child (although these are very much a part of it!) 

So I am simply going to try and give you some food for thought to those of you who are interested (there is so much info available) about the state of faith in China, and ask that you would pray for this nation.


Kailyn's City- Yichun, in the Jiangxi Provence (From Wikipedia)

Yichun has a profound Buddihist culture.   The monastic rules for Buddhists at the Buddhist temple  originated from Yichun.  The Yangshan Scenic Spot in Yichun is an important birthplace of Buddhism in South China.  
Here is a recent article on persecution that Christians face  -Fox News Feb 21, 2013

Fox News -Persecution of Christians in China


This is a list of worldwide Unreached Unengaged people groups with populations over 25,000 that have no known full time workers involved in evangelism and church planting.  You can scroll down the page and use the codes given to see the vast need for the Gospel in China.

Finishing the Task-UUPG


Here is what wikipedia shows as a breakdown of religion in China-with nonreligious (atheist/agnostic) as 42% and Christian as 4%.  According to World Population Review the Chinese government  released data confirming China with a population of 1,354,040,000 in 2013.

Wikipedia-Religion in China



So are there legal Christian churches in China?  Yes-but legal churches and Christians must be registered and are regulated by the Chinese government.  Thus-the spread of house churches.

http://www.billionbibles.org/china/three-self-church.html

http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-persecution-in-china-rises-over-40-percent-in-2012-chinaaid-reports-89542/

http://www.chinaaid.org/2011/11/clarifying-some-misconceptions-about.html



We talked to a family who also adopted from China and they told us that they had the option to attend an International Christian Church in Beijjing on Sunday-a local storekeeper (citizen) encouraged them to go but told them he was not allowed to go.  This article testifies to this as well.

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/38782-is-persecution-of-christians-in-china-as-bad-as-they-say




Ephesians 1:5-6   In love  he (God) predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ,according to the purpose of his will,  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Amy

p.s. I have no idea why some of the paragraphs are highlighting themselves white:)