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In our part of Sydney quite a lot of Chinese Christians study at university.

And in our part of Sydney there is quite a good university with a good range of courses. It’s very close by, and has good transport links. And not only that, there are many mainland Chinese students at this university, making it an excellent choice for the purposes of befriending and sharing Jesus with fellow students.

However over the years as I have gotten to know Christians in this region, I’ve noticed that the university that Chinese Christians tend to go to is actually quite far away from where they live. Instead of studying close by, there is a strange trend that involves studying at a much further university. One that involves spending hours on public transport travelling across Sydney. Every day, for several years.

And yes, they do get a good education there, but it is strange, given that there is a pretty good university just near by, with great opportunities for connecting friends with their church’s ministry. Why is that?

I wonder if, for many, the thinking is that a university degree from that university will mean a better job, and therefore a higher paying job. And in hope of that extra edge, many will spend long hours travelling across Sydney. In the mean time forgoing the opportunity to make connections with students living quite close by to them.

When I was choosing my university, I know that inside of me there was this strong, burning desire to reach the very furthest I could with the marks I got from school. To get into the very best uni I could, no matter what it took. No matter what it meant in terms of travel. I felt compelled to stretch and secure the best opportunities, and work out the details later.

But of course if I was asked why I chose that university, I would have said that it was a good university. That I want to get a good education. That I want to be challenged. I suppose it convinced others – it was a good cloak. A useful subterfuge.

Of course, there is nothing wrong as such with going to one university or another. But what I want to highlight is how the inclinations of one’s heart may cause people to go to quite extreme lengths in the pursuit of their treasure. It is said, “What the heart desires, the will chooses, and the mind justifies.” And you can see how that dynamic comes into play, even in this simple choice of university.

Is the difference in education really so massive that we travel across Sydney for several years? Is the imagined difference in starting salary really so significant to us that we give up opportunities to befriend and minister to students living close by? Because it does have an impact on the kind of ministry we can do. On the time we have to invest in relationships. Even on our sleep!

The truth about universities is that it doesn’t really matter all that much what university you go to. We believe that it matters, and so choose accordingly – but in reality, employers aren’t all that fussed. They are really much more interested in the quality of the person than the crest on the testamur. So we needn’t worry so much.

Of course there may be great reasons for choosing a far-away university. Just as they may be bad reasons for choosing a close-by university. But what we are concerned about here in either case is what it is that our heart desires above all.

If you are already plugged in at a far-away university and feel convicted, it may be wiser to stay there and grow the relationships that you have already built. But learn now, how the desires of our heart so easily influence our choices. Observe how the desire for wealth or prestige leads to a multitude of seemingly innocent choices. And remember that sin is not primarily bad actions – but hearts that love and serve and worship a lesser god.

1.The strange phenomenon of lowly paid pastors

There is a well recognised phenomenon of pastors not being paid terribly well in Chinese churches.

And it’s not as though on the whole Chinese people are unaware of money issues – quite the opposite in fact. Many church members would be acutely aware of their own remuneration and opportunities for career advancement. Many are very smart when it comes to earning and growing money.

However it is widely acknowledged that when it comes to providing for pastors, Chinese churches tend to maintain a steadfastly blind eye to the financial realities their pastors face. I myself have heard quite shocking stories of the remuneration that church leaders in our city have thought adequate.

But not only that, Chinese pastors are themselves strangely shy of raising the issue of the adequacy of their stipend, preferring instead to appear unworried by their finances.

There is much that could be said in terms of what could be fixed up. But today I thought I would instead shed some light on that strange phenomenon of, on the one hand churches that are slow to address the financial needs of pastors, and on the other hand pastors who are shy of asking for more money. Why is that the case?

2. The Confucian gentleman and money

In Confucianism the virtuous gentleman (junzi, 君子) is someone who exerts a transformative influence on society by developing their virtue and observing the rites. But in his description of the virtuous gentleman, Confucius interestingly portrayed him as being someone who does not give a thought for his material comfort.

Here are some quotes from the Analects of Confucius:

The Master said, “The gentleman seeks neither a full belly nor a comfortable home. He is quick in action but cautious in speech. He goes to men possessed of the Way to be put right. Such a man can be described as eager to learn.”

Analects 1.14

The Master said, “How admirable Hui is! Living in a mean dwelling on a bowlful of rice and a ladleful of water is a hardship most men would find intolerable, but Hui does not allow this to affect his joy. How admirable Hui is!”

Analects 6.11

The Master said: “A gentleman seeks the Way, he does not seek a living. Plough the fields and perchance you may still go hungry. Apply yourself to learning and perchance you may yet make a career. A gentleman worries whether he will find the Way, he does not worry that he may remain poor.”

Analects 15.32

The Master said, “There is no point in seeking the views of a Gentleman who, though he sets his heart on the Way, is ashamed of poor food and poor clothes.”

Analects 4.9

And so you can see the kind of attitude that the Confucian gentleman has towards money: content with meagre things, not at all concerned for his material comfort, yet never compromising on his ability to perform the rites with all colour and dignity.

3. The Confucian gentleman and the Chinese pastor

But you can also begin to recognise what lies deep in the cultural background for many Chinese churchgoers and pastors when it comes to money. You can already see how it shapes what many people expect of pastors, and also what many pastors expect of themselves.

This may be why pastors are often shy about talking about their financial needs or expressing any concern with their stipend – they feel that to do so would undermine the very virtue that is crucial to their standing. It makes them unvirtuous, and disqualifies them from truly being that virtuous pastor which is their role.

And correspondingly, congregation members also want to see this. Unconsciously, this is their ideal for the virtuous leader among them. Someone who is completely devoted to the Way, and not at all troubled by their material comfort.

At this point the not-too-subtle influence of Confucianism is unlikely to be directly challenged. Because after all, Christianity also has a discomfort with greed! Confucianism and Christianity seem to speak with the same voice about those leaders who pursue financial gain (eg. 1 Timothy 3, 1 Timothy 6, Titus 1)!

But this is only true if we read the New Testament selectively. Because while Paul warns about those who pursue financial gain, he also talks quite unashamedly about money and his own financial needs (eg. Romans 15, 2 Corinthians 8-9, Philippians 4). These passages we read – and inwardly we cringe! To ask for money so openly – ugh!

But why do we cringe? Why do we find Paul so awkward in these chapters?

It may be that, unlike Paul, at this point we still have a worldview influenced more by Confucianism – than by the gospel.

Here is an index of this quarter’s postings (June  ’11 to August ’11). Clicking on the titles will take you to that post.

WordPress stats show that the blog is regularly something like 100-300 hits a day – thanks everyone for reading! If you are on Twitter, you can follow me (@hongus) to get notified when I post an article.

This quarter featured a series of updated stats in June-July on Chinese immigration, powered from an online tool from the Department of Immigration (1 June, 5 and 6 July).

In August, there were a series of reflections on leadership in Confucian culture influenced churches, particularly regarding the Rectification of Names and the Doctrine of the Mean (3, 11 and  30 August).

A common pastoral issue I have come across in many churches are Christians who have been in churches for quite a few years, who are now finding themselves becoming spiritually dry. And on 19 August I suggest one possible cause of that. This one is worth sharing with your ministry team!

June 2011

01 Uni students from China (2002-2011)

July 2011

05 Age profile of settlers from China in 2010
06 The number of settlers from China – 1991-2010
19 The appearance of growth

August 2011

03 Confucianism – and what leaders are meant to do
11 Confucianism – and the rectification of names
30 Confucianism – and the rectification of names (part 2)
31 List of postings: June ’11 to Aug ’11

In the previous post I shared with you the Confucian concept of the Rectification of Names – and the example of a pastor who does not behave like a pastor. And we saw that in churches influenced by Confucianism, such a pastor would be looked down on and despised.

However there is something else as well to point out by way of application for Chinese churches. And in many ways it’s the opposite of that pastor who dresses down, who goes barefoot, who has an earring.

Because by contrast, there are pastors who have a dignified bearing. who dress well. who are reverent in the way they speak. who are smooth in their performance of all the appropriate ‘rites’ as a pastor – but who at the same time are virtually useless in advancing the mission of God in their area!

And so when it comes to exercising church discipline, they are hesitant. When it comes to speaking out about respectable sins, they are quiet. When it comes to stretching the church beyond the comfort point for the sake of God’s mission, they will hold that off for yet another season while they consolidate the church.

One can imagine such a pastor in a Chinese church – they look pastor-ish, and may in fact have served for many years. Their congregation may be very happy with him - because he seems so right. And that’s because he matches so well what they look for in the externals. Like the ruler of the earlier post on the Doctrine of the Mean, he may be considered such a great figure because he has managed to maintain harmony in the church family for all these years!

But the great tragedy is that in many cases such pastors may in fact be doing their churches a disservice. Like tigers, they promise sound pastoral leadership – but like paper tigers they only perform the motions of pastoral leadership: the shaking of hands, the subdued clothes, the warm and inoffensive pastoral visit.

Unfortunately because they seem so right, churches may content themselves with such paper tigers leading their churches and ministries. And as a consequence such churches slowly turn their attention to maintaining the form of church, while leaving the mission of God largely unfinished…

Related to the previous post on the task of the ruler is an important project in Confucianism known as the Rectification of Names (zhengming, 正名). One of the things that a ruler and his people must do is call things by their correct names – which are not necessarily the ones that are given to them.

And so for instance you might have someone who holds the position of a government official – but look at his behaviour! he is rude, he is undignified, he is only interested in personal gain and not the good of the people. He may hold the position of government official – but it is recognised that he does not truly deserve the title of government official.

Here is a father – but look at what he does! he is a drunkard, he allows his lodgings to fall into disrepair, he does not care about his appearance. Yes, he may have a family – but everyone in the village knows that he does not truly deserve the name of father.

And so there is this concern in Confucianism for things to truly correspond to the name given to them. Here is a quote from The Analects:

Duke Jing of Qi asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, “There is government, when prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son.” ”Good”, said the duke, “if indeed; the prince be not prince, the minister not minister, the father not father, and the son not son, although I have my revenue, can I enjoy it?”

Confucius, Analects 12.11

And so the Rectification of Names was a means by which things were either to be called their correct names (that is, the name corresponding to behaviour), or people are meant to live up to the name that they have. Either the people go about calling that government official a thief – or he behaves like a government official should!

This was important for Confucius in the task of governing the state. Unless this is done, “affairs cannot be carried on to success.” Again from The Analects:

Zilu said, “The ruler of Wei has been waiting for you, in order with you to administer the government. What will you consider the first thing to be done?”

The Master replied, “What is necessary is to rectify names.”

“So, indeed!” said Zilu. “You are wide of the mark! Why must there be such rectification?”

The Master said, “How uncultivated are you, You! A superior man, in regard to what he does not know, shows a cautious reserve. If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success. When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music will not flourish. When proprieties and music do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know now to move hand or foot. Therefore a superior man considers it necessary that the names he uses may be spoken appropriately, and also that what he speaks may be carried out appropriately. What the superior man requires, is just that in his words there may be nothing incorrect.”

Confucius, Analects 13.3

The Rectification of Names is important, not just so that there can be confidence in kingdom-wide communications. But that throughout the kingdom, things actually accord with their names.

From all this you can see that the emphasis is very much on outward behaviour. It would not be true to say that behaviour is unimportant in the West, nor that being is unimportant in the East. In both East and West ideally being and behaviour are consistent. But a clear point of difference is that in the West, being is primary, and behaviour secondary. You are a father regardless of how you behave. You are an official regardless of how you carry out your duties (until you get relieved of them!!). However in Confucianism behaviour is primary – it is this that determines the true name of things.

What are the implications for churches influenced by Confucianism – such as Chinese churches?

You will notice that there is an often unconscious standard that people are held up against. Youth in the church should behave like this. Pastors should dress like this and do visitation. The pastor’s wife should behave like that - the focus being on the externals - things such as deportment, gravity, dress, manner of speech, and the performance of rituals.

I know that some pastors try to break stereotypes by dressing down, going barefoot, getting an earring – sometimes in order to make a theological point. This works well with a Western audience because you are already thought of as pastor, and you can thereby change, you can redefine what it is that pastors do through your behaviour. The comment will be: “oh! I didn’t know pastors could do that – I guess they can!” Because in this context, being preceeds behaviour.

However this does not work in Chinese contexts. If a pastor were to do that, all that happens is that the Chinese will not think of you as a pastor at all – but some kind of clown. Someone who holds that title – but does not really fit it. The comment, with a derisive snort, will be: “that’s our ‘pastor’ – just look at him!” Because in this context, behaviour preceeds being.

Of course this doesn’t just apply to roles such as pastors, elders, leaders and the like – the same applies to concepts like worship, fellowship, calling. One might explain the theology behind true worship – but what will still be foremost for them will be the externals of what a ‘worshipful’ service is like. Because you are dealing with the being of things – which is only of secondary interest.

And this may explain some of the smirks, the disdain, the unwillingness to engage at a theological level that you may sometimes notice in a Chinese church…

What are leaders meant to do? What makes for a good leader?

In Confucianism, the leader receives the Mandate of Heaven in order to rule. His task in ruling is to maintain harmony in the realm. And in particular it is to maintain the proper balance between heaven and earth, and between heaven and mankind. The fundamental idea in Confucian leadership is one of maintaining balance and stability and harmony.

This is related to the key Confucian concept of zhong 中 which is often translated as ‘middle’ or ‘centre’. But in key Confucian works such as The Doctrine of the Mean (中庸) zhong means much more than that merely ‘centre’ in a geometric sense. In order to preserve the mandate of heaven, the ideal ruler must attain the virtue of zhong in their own person. It is the ability to avoid extremes, to be calm and dignified and measured in the midst of turmoil. And this virtue allows them to occupy the central territory as the ruler.

You must remember that Confucius taught during a time of great upheaval in China, when the different kingdoms were constantly at war with each other. His great desire was to bring about peace and harmony back to a land – and Confucius taught that it was the virtue of the ruler that influenced others around him – bringing propriety and harmony to the land.

And you can imagine the picture: government ministers are rushing to and fro, flustered and alarmed at the latest rumours that a neighbouring state has incited an uprising in their own territory. They speak in raised, shrill voices. Their decisions are reactive and impulsive. But in their midst is one who is calm and measured. He does not run or shout – he sits calmly. He is not consumed by worry or anger – he is measured. Ah! here is someone worthy of the title of ruler! Because, you see, he behaves like a ruler does. He understands the way of heaven, and the way of man. He has the virtue of zhong 中 – and he exudes that to others around him.

What then does the leader ‘do’? You can see then that in Confucianism leadership isn’t really about ‘doing’. Instead it’s about maintaining harmony and stability when everything is unsettled. And that’s achieved by maintaining a calm, moderate, dignified outlook.

Notice that this is quite different understanding of what the leader does, compared to the Western approach. Western leadership is all about the leader taking people from one place to a better place. Fundamental to the Western approach to leadership is change! movement! direction!

What does this mean for churches influenced by Confucianism – such as Chinese churches?

It means that the ideal pastor is thought of as someone who does not upset the boat. But rather mediates a stable and harmonious community. When there are distressing times, the pastor is the one who is expected to be level headed and calm and unperturbed – and exudes that calm to others. When people are upset he is able to go to them and appease them. When people have set the church in turmoil he can bring peace once again.

And it means that the pastor who intentionally generates change. who makes people have to now do something different. who disrupts harmony by unnecessarily raising issues from the past, who causes people to feel ‘bad’ – this is thought of as a bad pastor, because he does not fit the model of ideal rulership. He does not exhibit the virtue of zhong 中 or promote harmony.

As a result, some pastors conform themselves to this role, because this is also their image of an ideal ruler. And so they look to maintain the harmony of their church community – never being extreme, but always being measured. Never at the edge, but always with the majority. Never generating conflict, always maintaining harmony.

And once again, you can imagine the scene: the deacons are worried and troubled, they don’t know what to do. But in the centre, the pastor sits: calm, untroubled. “Why do you worry?” he asks calmly. “It will work itself out in time.” And the deacons feel themselves pause and step down a notch, because of his calm. Ah! here truly is someone worthy of the title of pastor!

Which explains why in Chinese churches, some pastors are loved, while others are despised. Yes, those despised ones may be called ‘pastor’ – and in fact they may be great leaders in the Western sense! But they are not thought of as truly fitting that title of ‘pastor’ – because what is fitting is someone who exemplifies zhong 中.

Have you been growing lately as a Christian, I wonder?

Or has your growth stalled for the last few years?

Many Christians that I meet find that, after many years of being a Christian, often serving quite faithfully in many of those years, they find that they have somehow stopped growing. There is no sense of direction or movement or excitement any more in their Christian life. There is no firey zeal as there once was. And instead there is only the average, unexciting existence as a Christian. And so they look back with wistful longing, perhaps with doubt, on their earlier years as a firey Christian.

Or was their past Christian experience really all that great..?

Today I want to suggest that in many cases, they may only have had the appearance of growth all along.

Because when one first becomes a Christian – there is a lot to learn. And so yes, the early years of their Christian life are filled with the joy and the excitement and exhilaration of discovering all the wonderful things in the Bible. And arguing through huge issues such as the sovereignty of God with their friends. Discovering the depth of thought that has gone into the doctrine of the Trinity. Perhaps wrestling with origins of evil. And certainly, seeing the breathtaking clarity of the gospel over against the worldview around them.

And so yes there is a lot of growth – in information – in those early years.

But then some people also get involved in Christian ministry. And begin serving in the Sunday School, or as Bible study leaders. Or perhaps by doing evangelism among their friends. And once they start that, they discover again that there is so much to learn: how to write Bible studies. How to handle the Old Testament properly. How to tell the gospel to someone. How to answer tricky questions. How to use the photocopier and organise a team and run a camp and give a talk and choose leaders. And that whole adventure of ministry – and learning the skills of ministry – is very exciting. Suddenly they see how they can play a part in encouraging others, leading another person to Christ, even being part of the leadership team.

And so yes, again there is a lot of growth – in skills – that comes after those early years.

And I suppose that after a while, people could find themselves advancing even further in learning, opening up greater heights of theological study. No longer are they learning words like: Trinity, eschatology, perspicuity. Now they are learning to use words like: Tridentine, proleptic, perichoresis!

And in terms of skills, one could similarly push oneself to recapture that sense of growth, that sense of movement as a Christian, by learning the arcane skills of preaching, or the politics of being on a church committee.

However far they go, inevitably, most of these Christians will get the sense that things are not quite right. They will get the sense that things have plataeued off. And they no longer have the sense of growth and progress in the Christian life that they once had.

I want to say that for many of these Christians the problem is that for many years they have only had the false appearance of growth. They thought they were growing all those years – but really, that was only the excitement of learning about theology. And for some, the learning of ministry skills.

Growth in information – yes. Growth in skills – sure.

But not true growth as a Christian.

Because true growth as a Christian is growing to love God more. And growing to fear him more. Longing for his return more. Growing to hate sin more. Growing more zealous to do good works… this is true growth as a Christian!

Realistically, there is only so much you can learn in terms of information, or in terms of skill. And after that…what? But in terms of our love for God, our fear of him – this what we are created to grow in, for the rest of our lives, and on into eternity as, with new eyes, we behold his unveiled glory.

And so for many Christians, they may have thought they were growing as a Christian – when in fact for many years they had substituted true growth, for growth merely in information. Or in skills.

In fact I have met people who have progressed so far and so high in Christian leadership and ministry that they are now one of the key leaders at their church. They are respected leaders. But when you ask them careful questions – you may discover that they know nothing about the love of God. They do not fear him. And, despite all they have attained – their position, their respect, their qualifications even – you wonder if they really are Christians in the first place.

And so, if you wonder why you’ve stopped growing. Perhaps you might want to consider whether you have really grown at all in the things that really matter.

Or whether, for all these years, your growth has only ever been in information. And skills.

Here is another graph generated from Immigration data, showing the number of permanent settlers, who were born in China, by year of arrival.

…and here is that data in a table if you need the actual numbers.

It’s interesting that there was actually a dip in 2010… That’s only about three quarters what was in 2009. Is this a blip? or does that mean that migration from China is tailing off…?

Okay. So while we all wait with baited breath for the 2011 ABS census,  I’ve found another awesome source of up-to-date stats about Chinese ministry. It’s from the ‘Settlement Reporting’ online tool at the Department of Immigration.

Here for instance is a graph showing you the number of people who settled in Australia in the 2010 calendar year, who were born in China. And the strange age brackets are not my fault…

And in case you really want it, here is a table with that data.

This is useful because it gives us a pretty up to date snapshot of what migration is like right now. Last year, 18,907 additional people who were born in China decided to settle in Australia!

Several years ago I posted a graph showing the number of overseas students from several Asian countries (see “Uni students from China“). It was quite shocking because it showed the huge and continued growth of students from China compared to the relatively small and flat levels of students from other Asian countries. That graph showed the levels from 2002 to 2007, and here it is again:

But, how has that picture changed since?

Here is a graph I put together with recent data from Australia Education International (AEI) showing what has happened since then (click for a larger graph):

You don’t need to know anything about stats to see that the China line has only shot up even higher, while all the other lines have remain flat. In March of this year, AEI recorded 80,700 higher education students from China – almost double what we saw back in the 2008 post (where China was at 48,695)!

You might also remember that the last ABS census held in August 2006 – and we are due for another census in August of this year. But even now you can tell that once the data is released, the figures for Chinese students will have almost doubled!

For those who want the actual numbers, here they are:

All this means that those doing university ministries increasingly cannot ignore Chinese ministry. And those wanting to reach the Chinese have to work harder to reach the increasing number of students that come to Australia each year…