The Church in China: How it Survives and Prospers Under Communism

by Carl Lawrence

In spite of a repressive regime and the Cultural Revolution, China's body of believers is perhaps the largest in the world today! Mao's "Cultural Revolution" attempted to wipe out all vestiges of Christianity in China. How did this group of believers not only survive but grow under the intense persecution of a repressive regime? Carl Lawrence lived in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia from 1964 through 1979. He directed thousands of hours of Christian radio programming beamed into Red China. Through contacts with many organizations, the author has been able to gather a wealth of documented information and thrilling testimonies concerning the underground (house) church in China. Students of church-growth and mission strategy will bind this a fascinating journey behind the Bamboo Curtain to look at China's Church today.

169 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Randy Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carl Lawrence is a well respected and well-known writer, and while this book has much to offer the reader, it is not without serious flaws. For much of the book the book's narrative kind of floats around from one unknown speaker to another, until one is never sure who is speaking. This gives the book an anchorless feel to it and when combined with the sense of third hand or fourth hand feel of some of the stories this becomes a real problem. (Though this is understandable for by their very nature these stories are without any documentation and are completely unverifiable). When this becomes serious is when the stories continued to become increasingly wondrous, so does their credulity. Until the stories start to include accounts of people being raised from the dead, which (for me) finally stretch the book to the breaking point. This is unfortunate because the first two chapters of this book which deal with the Mao period from 1949 to 1985 (particularly the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1968 in which it is estimated that up to 30 million people were killed) is very strong, particularly the second chapter where Lawrence deftly and beautifully shows the revival of Phoenix-like Church, in which the house church of China was born.

[Joe Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book 23 yrs ago and from that point on I started pursuing missions. 20+ mission trips later I still go back and reread chapters.

[Lisa Jones]

If you want to see how the house churches have transformed over the years this is a good book for that.

[Jeremiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, good testimonies what Chinese Christians have gone through.