This is a really incredible post from Beneath Our Feet, a documentary film on persecution that, I am honored to say, has partnered with Within Reach Global.
First of all, if you have not checked out the Beneath Our Feet trailer, do that first! Also, Like Beneath Our Feet on Facebook. That’s where the action is. The full length documentary is coming in 2014 with yours truly gracing a few minutes of the film. I’m stoked!
As a traveler, and one who is particularly interested in social studies and human rights, I find it important to learn as much as you can of a country. How do they stack up in the world? What is their government like? Perhaps this can lead to us better understanding how to approach and bring reconciliation to otherwise difficult situations.
I found this really handy info graphic on breaking down some stats on China.
One stat left out, which is one that I am more interested in, is the amount of Christians living in China. China has a difficult past with religious freedoms and have often been less than graceful in their approach to religion, including Christianity.
During the Mao revolution countless Christians were imprisoned, tortured, and some killed. They closed their borders to missionaries and raised what is known as the Bamboo Curtain. There was a serious concern amongst those cast out of wether or not Christianity would thrive without outside influence during the close off.
When the country opened its borders, and missionaries started to enter back in, they were astonished that the Christians didn’t die out… but, as a matter of fact, it boomed. At the current rate of growth, in 2030, it is estimated that 30% of China will be Christian. For a country that large, that is over 400,000,000 people. Christians will surpass even the entire population of the United States.
History repeats itself. It happened countless times with the Jewish nation starting with Joseph and the persecution afterwards under Moses’ leadership… they just kept growing.
So a few questions pop up:
What is God doing in Asia? What does that many Christians in one country look like? How does God use persecution and restriction as a means of growth and empowerment? What can we, as the western component of the body, learn from our eastern brothers and sisters?
With that… enjoy some of these interesting facts.
At the current rate of growth, in 2030, it is estimated that 30% of China will be Christian. For a country that large, that is over 400,000,000 people. Christians will surpass even the entire population of the United States.
