An article by Jackson Wu about honor and shame in the Chinese church appeared in the October 2011 issue of Global Missiology. (Permission granted for use of image above.)
To what extent does Chinese culture emphasize the value of honor and shame? How does honor and shame affect the beliefs and practices of the church in China? When Westerners visit or serve there, what should they be aware of—concerning themselves and Chinese cultural values?
Here’s an article with many insights and suggestions. “Authority in a Collectivistic Church: Identifying Critical Concerns for a Chinese Ecclesiology” by Jackson Wu (pseudonym), appeared in the October 2011 issue of Global Missiology. The author has graciously given me permission to promote his article on my blog and include it on my Resources page. Don’t be put off by the title. It’s a readable paper about honor-shame dynamics in the Chinese church—born of much research and ministry experience living among the Chinese.
Wu’s article provides an overview of how honor and shame is woven into the beliefs and practices of the church in China. “In particular,” Wu summarizes, “we see that collectivism and an honor-oriented value system are fundamental to Chinese identity. Our examination of Scripture highlights key areas of overlap between a [Chinese] community and biblical conceptions of the Church.”
Wu’s applications include …
“Chinese church leaders can become more conscious of their decisions in light of western influences and their own cultural assumptions.”
“Missionaries can assess their strategies and better serve Chinese churches.”
“The reflections offer a richer reading of the biblical text.”
Vibrating with life, the tender green needle dives
From blue-sky canopy, atop redwood womb
Abandoning brightness of glory for dust
And beatific worship for earthly gloom
Where great Alexanders follow each another
A circle of death brings piercing pain
Feeding sour bleeding malignancy
And endless rack of travail again, again
Which hovers behind all actions of power
And goblets of wine, fine garments of purple
So the blood-red newborn goes gently to war.
Suddenly, bells jingle abrupt interruption
Dashing through eons of ice, ages of winter
An end to despair? Of selfish consumption?
Has the Just One arrived? The climax begun?
This newborn sparkle still diving through space
Flashing glimmers of purpose and destiny
Through dank moldy air, through dusty grey curtains
Soaring with hope, gliding through tense atmosphere
Give life, speak justice against criminal horror
To oppressor or good enough family man
As the blood-red newborn goes gently to war.
O can it be? a genuine true possibility?
To glimpse the belly-laugh of history?
This lion-lamb blend of divinity
Piercing garbage man hooker of slavery
With transforming comfort, death-killing purpose
Thou thirst-quenching river, nourishing mountain
Touch anyone dead, touch anything broken
Laugh at the wise, the best or worst politician
Leaven of life for all flesh and all cultures
Suffering hero in victory story
The blood-red newborn went gently to war.
Where do we breathe your invasion of kindness?
But in slice and dice, peel-and-cry sing-alongs
Heard in kitchen and hut among all who believe
Touching eyes and lips with seeing and sweetness
In warm stoney mansions, cold smokey shelters.
The hammer of life pounds our hearts and our limbs,
With cosmic surprise, mysterious beauty
Your light, your shadow grows culture of mercy
For eros for cooking for playing for work
Embracing the cosmos of human endeavor
The blood-red newborn went gently to war.
So what must I do, Thou blood-red arrival?
Receive your intentions, make room, just listen?
Ask, ask for grace, seek beauty for trembling
Yearn like the desert wash waits, waits for rain
Seek surprise intervention, the heart’s liberation
From addiction to mirrors and cancerous I,
And I will discover the glorious Other
Is in me for beauty, for fullness, for joy.
And gazing high in tearful truth and pulsing love,
By glory received and returned … I believe
The blood-red newborn went gently to war.
==================== Note: This is a poem I wrote this in 2006.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory
–Ephesians 1:11–12 ESV
The “inheritance” is a powerful proof of family identity. From the perspective of honor and shame, it was regarded in ancient times as proof of bloodline—of respect, honor, wealth and blessing conveyed by the father to his son. It is still thought of in this manner, but in ancient times the significance is magnified many times compared to our modern day.
Verse 11 says, “we have obtained an inheritance…” Concerning this inheritance, some comments:
It is “in him”—in Christ. Through our union with Jesus Christ, what we have received is of inestimable honor and value.
This was decided along ago, “predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will” … there is a sublime, divine intelligence … a divine social pact in the Trinity that through “counsel” developed a “purpose” and then put the plan into action.
There is an Author and a Story, indeed, and “we have obtained an inheritance,” we are included in the Story! This is an awesome honor and privilege.
In verse 12,
The “inheritance” is a powerful proof of family identity. From the perspective of honor and shame, it was regarded in ancient times as proof of bloodline—of respect, honor, wealth and blessing conveyed by the father to his son. It is still thought of in this manner, but in ancient times the significance is magnified many times compared to our modern day.
Furthermore, “we have obtained an inhertance”…
In him, in Christ. Through our union with Jesus Christ, what we have received is of inestimable honor and value.
This was decided along ago, “predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will” … there is a sublime, divine intelligence … a diviine social pact in the Trinity through “counsel” developed a “purpose” and then put the plan into action.
There is an Author and a Story, indeed, and “we have obtained an inheritance,” we are included in the Story! This is an awesome hono and privilege.
In verse 12, Paul speaks of the immediate context of his time and role in the grand Story, when he says, “so that we who were the first to hope in Christ…” He is aware that,
Paul and his fellow believers have a special honor: that of being “the first to hope in Christ.” They are part of the first generation, the first in their local lineage, the first in their respective families to put their hope in Christ.
They are among the very first ones, therefore, to have the privilege of living in Christ, “to the praise of his glory.”
This passage overflows with honor and glory.
speaks of the immediate context of his time and role in the grand Story, when he says, “so that we who were the first to hope in Christ…” He is aware that,
Paul and his fellow believers have a special honor: that of being “the first to hope in Christ.” They are part of the first generation, the first in their local lineage, the first in their respective families to put their hope in Christ.
They are among the very first ones, therefore, to have the privilege of living in Christ, “to the praise of his glory.”
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
–Ephesians 1:7
Concerning family and blood, Jerome Neyrey says,
…the most important institution in antiquity was the family, which conveyed to its members their personal identity and social standing. … all the members of the family share in its reputation: all rejoice in its honor and all share in its shame. Honor, then, is symbolized by family blood” (Neyrey, p. 21).
Remember that in Ephesians 1:5 we were “predestined for adoption …” From the perspective of honor and shame, adoption into God’s family makes more sense when understood as a transaction secured by family blood. Jesus, the Son of God, shed his blood for the forgiveness of our trespasses. Our trespasses, our sins, are what separate us from God. It is the source of our inescapable guilt and total shame before God.
But “we have redemption through his blood for the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace.” This then becomes the base of our new identity, having our guilt and shame removed to secure our new righteousness and honor before God.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places
–Ephesians 1:3 ESV
“Blessed be” is another way of saying “honor to.” Consider the dynamics, the motion, the extent of blessing and honor in this verse: “Blessed be the God … blessed us in Christ … with every spiritual blessing …”
Here in Ephesians 1:3, honor is being directed toward God, who, in turn, has honored and graced us in Christ … with a transcendence so high and vast that it is “in the heavenly places.” On the one hand it is almost unimaginable, but on the other hand Paul states it in the past tense (he “has blessed us in Christ”)—it is complete … finished … a settled fact.
The Fatherhood of God toward Christ is extended to us—what an honor!—for the simple matter of fact that we as believers are IN CHRIST.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. –Ephesians 1:2 ESV
“Grace to you and peace…” is on the one hand a salutation, common to most of the Pauline epistles; as a salutation it seems routine … and yet it is also embued with a sacred vitality and action ‘in the moment.’ It is as though the words are alive as they are being spoken, accomplishing actual grace and actual peace in the hearers’ hearts. This is an example of the merging of humanity and divinity that should characterize the life of the Christian, no matter how mundane or routine the moments may seem.
With the phrase “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” the apostle Paul assumes the role of co-benefactor by giving these words of greeting. It is as though by speaking these words, or having these words read to a community of believers, that the hearers actually become recipients of the grace and peace of God. From an honor and shame perspective, Paul assumes the role of benefactor, of blessor, in conjuction with his Father God and with his Lord, Jesus Christ.
The role of Paul as a kind of co-benefactor with God the Father and Jesus Christ is modeled after the way God chose to bless Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3. God blessed Abraham and also told Abraham that he would be a blessing. “…I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing” (Gen 12:2). Amazingly, the honor is given to man to use God’s Word to bless others. This glorifies God as the source of the blessing, it honors the person using God’s Word to bless others, and it honors those who are willing to receive the blessing as they in turn also pass this blessing in Chirst Jesus on to others. See my note on Genesis 12:1–3 concerning the seven bestowals of honor.
It is a wonderful privilege for Mission ONE to partner with indigenous ministries. How encouraging to hear stories of great faith and great acts of God in bringing the transforming love of Jesus Christ among unreached peoples. Below is a recent story from one of Mission ONE’s long-standing partners, Hindustan Bible Institute. This story comes from the most recent quarterly report from the HBI India Team. One of the stories contained in the report is below, featuring Pastor K. Albert.
Pastor K. Albert, part of the HBI India Team, doing strategic evangelism, church planting, and holistic ministry in India
The Pastor went to a village named Peravali to organize a wedding. There the Bridegroom’s mother Anjanamma suffered from the oppression of evil spirit for a long time. While the marriage procession was going on, suddenly Anjanamma was unable to talk and this created a great confusion in the function. Her family members took her to the hospital.
All the medicines which the doctors gave proved futile. Her condition remained the same. Then she was brought to the church again. The Pastor prayed for her and cursed Satan in the name of Jesus. The spirit was unable to resist the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. It left her body at once and she started to praise the Lord.
All people who came to the wedding were awe struck. Even the Hindu people who came to the wedding glorified the name of Jesus Christ. Now she stands as a great witness for God amidst the non-believers. All glory and praises to our Lord Savior Jesus Christ!
Dr. Paul R. Gupta with his wife Linnet. Dr. Gupta is Director of Hindustan Bible Institute (HBI), in Chennai, India. Mission ONE has been partnering with HBI to support indigenous evangelists and church planters since in the early 1990s.
The challenge for the Western church is to invest in the equipping of leaders in India, Africa and the poorest nations of Asia. The opportunity is vast, and the needs are critical. The Lord is waiting for the rich to partner with the poor to make disciples of the nations.
I remember reading this book three years ago when it first came out. The book chronicles the story of HBI. It is a fascinating account of the formation of a community of Christian leaders pursuing the enormous vision of discipling the whole nation of India through a church-planting movement. Dr. Gupta tells the story, and Dr. Lingenfelter writes commentary on the story.
The book made an enormously impact on me.
I was amazed at the level of strategic thinking, the constant revisiting of their vision, and the willingness by Dr. Gupta and the leadership of HBI to make significant and difficult choices to obey God and think big.
I thought to myself over and over again—there is so much here for Western Christian leaders to learn—about leadership, about vision, about strategy—from what God has done in India through this ministry.
I was thrilled to tears to observe a leading voice (Dr. Lingenfelter) in the North American evangelical Christian mission community—to so thoroughly endorse the strategy of cross-cultural partnership to disciple the nations.
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3–5 ESV)
Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi is, among other things, a letter that celebrates partnership. Here are some introductory observations about this theme based on Philippians 1:3–5.
Paul remembers the believers in Philippi. It seems he thinks of these Philippian believers often, evidenced by the phrase, “always in every prayer of mine for you all.” We learn from Paul that a healthy partnership is a heart-to-heart connection which deeply affects what we think about. Partnership is not just a passing experience, devoid of long-lasting impact on our lives. A healthy partnership has “relational staying power.” This encourages us to define partnership not only by what is accomplished (although that is important), but more significantly by relationship—the people we come to know and love and work with toward a common vision.
Paul prays for the believers in Philippi—a lot! In any cross-cultural ministry partnership, one evidence of health is the quality and quantity of prayer. Paul indicates that he prays for the Philippian church all the time; he is thinking about them and cannot help himself. It seems he prays for them night and day. This adds a cosmic dimension to the relational depth between him and the Philippian believers. This is way beyond just human friendship. This is a human relationship, a community, a fellowship which has its origin and life in the divine. Paul prays for them, and, according to verse 19 of chapter 1, they also pray for Paul: “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” Prayer keeps the relationship alive, active, full of the energy of the Holy Spirit, even though they are geographically distant.
Paul’s affection is joy. Paul describes his prayer for them as “my prayer with joy.” It is no surprise that he remembers them: there likely is great joy in his memories. Paul writes from prison in Rome, so the sweet memories of the saints in Philippi is a source of encouragement to him. A healthy partnership has positive feelings: joy, affection, hope. An unhealthy partnership has feelings of neutrality (neither hot nor cold), disappointment, distrust.
Paul’s partnership has divine purpose—“the gospel.” This is a “partnership in the gospel.” The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. The gospel carries with it the divine expectation of God, namely, that the blessing of salvation in Jesus Christ will be extended by his church to all nations, all peoples, everywhere. The gospel is not just a set of beliefs or doctrines, it is so much more than that. The gospel is a dynamic, global, divine mission and blessing—rooted in the Person of Jesus Christ—and extended through his body, the church—to all peoples. Paul identifies himself in Romans 1:1 as “a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” The gospel of God is thoroughly infused with mission; Paul is sent on mission as an apostle; Paul’s life gives testimony to the fact that the gospel requires enormous sacrifice, adventurous journeys, and suffering.
The fact that Paul’s life has so divine a purpose because of the gospel, is an aspect itself of the glorious goodness of the gospel. Yes, Paul must sacrifice. Yes, there is pain. Yes, there are times of despair. But knowing Jesus Christ in His purpose and mission far exceeds all the negatives. This gospel, this Savior, is so strong, so beautiful, so glorious, so worth dying for. In Philippians 3:8, Paul writes, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” With the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ at the center of it all, it is a mission of blessing; it is also the blessing of being on mission.
I can now ask myself: To what extent am I remembering the brothers and sisters in Christ for whom I am advocating, and with whom I am partnering? Do I pray for them like Paul did—“in every prayer of mine for you all”? Can I add to or deepen my prayers for the saints with whom I am partnering? Is there joy in my memory of the ones in distant lands for whom I serve as an advocate; can that joy be enhanced or rekindled through my prayer for them? Do I fully embrace Christ’s divine expectation? Am I wholly committed to this mission of blessing and this blessing of mission—through cross-cultural partnership?
I am under conviction. What a challenge, and what a joy. What trembling and delight we can have being engaged in “a partnership in the gospel.”
