Leaders of China Christian Council held video talks with the United Bible Societies.
Rev. Wu Wei, president of China Christian Council (CCC), and Rev. Shan Weixiang, vice president and director-general of CCC, met with Michael Perreau, director-general of the United Bible Societies (UBS), on October 11, according to CCC&TSPM.
Reviewing the previous cooperation and exchanges, they shared mutual missing amidst the epidemic with a discussion about the challenges they faced, looking forward to mutual visits after the epidemic.
Perreau introduced Mr. Bernard Low and Mr. Daniel Loh, who succeeded retired Kua Wee Seng as directors of UBS China Partnership, asking them to introduce themselves. After that, Michael Perreau mentioned that he was stepping down as president of the United Bible Society, sharing his experience of serving in that position.
With gratitude for the help of Consultant Kua Wee Seng to the Bible ministry of Chinese churches for decades, Rev. Wu hoped that the Societies would continue to support and help Chinese churches, welcoming them to come to China after the epidemic.
Responding to the challenges faced by Chinese churches, Rev. Shan said that some people might think that Christianity could be developed naturally in the Chinese context. However, Christianity has been introduced in China for more than 200 years, without being naturally localized in China, which required believers’ subjective efforts. He stated that it was not easy for more people to understand Christianity and for Christians to witness the Lord through their transformed lives. He highlighted the sinicization of Christianity which could make more people know about Christianity. Shan also affirmed the launching of a new style of Bible decorated with patterns of flowers and the moon during the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, as the new version was well accepted by Chinese people.
In favor of the notion of contextualizing Christianity in the Chinese context, Mr. Perrau said that people should read the Bible in their mother tongue and understand the Bible in their cultural background. He also prayed for the future Bible ministry and the indigenization of Christianity.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
