As in previous years, the National Religious Affairs Administration (NRAA) issued its Christmas greetings to the Catholic and Protestant communities on December 23.

In a small TCM clinic tucked inside a northern China courtyard, Pastor Wang has founded a weekly gathering where scattered workplace Christians find an unlikely sanctuary. “We want a group of Christians who truly have the Lord in their lives,” he said.

For Pastor Jason Kim, the journey to Shanghai was never meant to be a marathon. When he first arrived in the winter of 2007 with his family, the plan was simple: survive one year, claim the experience, and return to the familiar comforts of the United States. He did not know the language, he did not know the culture, and he certainly did not expect to stay.

For many first-generation Christians, stepping into a church for the first time is rarely the result of theological conviction. More often, it happens at moments of exhaustion, crisis, or quiet searching—when faith begins not with certainty, but with need.

Since China's reform and opening-up, its rapid socioeconomic development has been widely recognized. On one hand, people enjoy the convenience brought about by advancements in material goods and technology. On the other hand, a unique group, pastors living in top-tier cities, face immense challenges and tests in life.

A pastor in his 40s from northern China said he chose full-time ministry after realizing that God seeks “soldiers of the kingdom, not an army of people struck down by cancer,” a conviction shaped by his work in the medical field and the sudden illnesses of colleagues.

A soft glow from a cross illuminates a remote Chinese village, while congregants gather to pray and worship. For nearly twenty years, this church has pursued one vision: a community where God truly reigns.