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

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Transcript of Jewish Diaspora & Chinese Returnee Leading Returnees Ministry in China Jonathan Li, Dr. Theol....

Jewish Diaspora &

Chinese Returnee

Leading Returnees Ministry in China

Jonathan Li, Dr. Theol.BICF-IMS

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

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

Diaspora-Captivity/Exile

Three major captivities in Jewish and Israelite History: • Assyrian Captivity, 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

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)

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)

Theological Reflections

• Temple — God is with us

• Torah— Word of God is with us

• Jerusalem — Living in God’s kingdom

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

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

Rebuilding God’s Kingdom

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

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.

Overseas Chinese Christians

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

III. Chinese Returnees

National Bureau of Statistics of China, China Statistical Yearbook, p693

Number of studying abroad and returned students出国留学与回归统计

年份 每年歸國人數2007 44,000

2008 69,300

2009 108,300

2010 134,800

2011 186,200

2012 272,900

20072008 2009 2010 2011 2012

44,00069,300

108,300134,800

186,200

272,900

海歸每年人數

年度 海歸累積人數

2007 44,000

2008 113,300

2009 221,600

2010 356,400

2011 542,600

2012 815,500

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

44,000

113,300

221,600

356,400

542,600

815,500海歸累積人數

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

Impact to Church• Urban church’s growtho Although migrant workers had the early

influence in the early 2000so Christian returnees contribute to the urban

church leadership

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

Current Situation

• Dropout Rate 流失率o In recent conference concerning Chinese returnee

ministries, a new consensus of 80-90% Christian dropout

o 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

IV. Returnee Ministry

• How to do returnee ministry?• What are church’s responsibilities?

To start Mandarin Service/Church

–BICF International Mandarin Service IMS–Vision • Biggest returnee church (it is)• Strongest Chinese congregation• Healthy model church in China

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

To Reach Locals through Returnees

• Same language• Same culture• Same background• Same people

Concluding Remarks

I am a returnee!