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Faith in the Wilderness: Words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church
For many Western Christians, the experience of suffering and persecution is remote. For Chinese Christians, on the other hand, persecution is a regular aspect of the Christian life. If a Christian from the West was transported to a Chinese house church, the topic of suffering would be ever-present in preaching and conversation. With decades of persecution under government oppression and a rich theology of suffering, the Chinese house church movement has much to contribute theologically to the global church.
In Faith in the Wilderness, editors Hannah Nation and Simon Liu pull together the insights of the Chinese church for the West. These sermonic letters from Chinese Christians pull back the curtain on the pastoral heart and the hope behind the house church's remarkable faithfulness, awakening readers to the reality of the gospel―the ground of our hope―in the midst of darkness. Readers will be convicted, encouraged, and edified by the testimony of these Chinese Christians.
In Faith in the Wilderness, editors Hannah Nation and Simon Liu pull together the insights of the Chinese church for the West. These sermonic letters from Chinese Christians pull back the curtain on the pastoral heart and the hope behind the house church's remarkable faithfulness, awakening readers to the reality of the gospel―the ground of our hope―in the midst of darkness. Readers will be convicted, encouraged, and edified by the testimony of these Chinese Christians.
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 27, 2022
70 people are currently reading
600 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 7, 2022
I really wanted to like this. I appreciate the exhortation, of course, to learn from the patient suffering faithfulness of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in China. But because I do not share the Calvinist theology of the writers, I found much of the advice strongly tinted with that theology and much of it less helpful than it could have been. I would love to see a similar compendium work with a missiological orientation.
May 9, 2022
I’ve been greatly anticipating this read, and found myself a bit disappointed. Its description online and on the back cover state these are “sermonic letters” written to the West, but in the intro these are revealed to be transcriptions of online sermons addressed to fellow ministers in the East. I’ve just finished reading this in two sittings, and don’t recall any address to the Western church within the book.
Additionally, most of these messages are centered around the pandemic — the messages were given in its early days — and so they seem a little late and it’s odd that this is never mentioned in product descriptions (including on its back cover summary).
These messages didn’t bear much difference in the theology we hear from Western Reformed camps — aside from using Chinese illustrations. A lot of that theology I personally find to be toxic: one writer said on page 89 that humans are unlovable, another on page 83 that Jesus died for Peter but not Judas, another on page 113 said God doesn’t feel sorrow (that Jesus only did when he humbled himself to be human), and another on page 51 that the Father and Spirit abandoned the Son on the cross. These are all problematic to me. (The last verges on heretical violence to the Trinity based on a lazy reading of Psalm 22.) I understand this all is popular theology now, but remain convicted that it’s incorrect and unhealthy.
Lastly, I wish women voices were represented here. It’s nine men.
All that said, some of these messages are strong while others are not so much, which is not unexpected when it comes to an anthology of sermon transcriptions. This book is by no means a waste of time, but it does come off to me as misleading in its marketing and has weaknesses in theology and representation.
Additionally, most of these messages are centered around the pandemic — the messages were given in its early days — and so they seem a little late and it’s odd that this is never mentioned in product descriptions (including on its back cover summary).
These messages didn’t bear much difference in the theology we hear from Western Reformed camps — aside from using Chinese illustrations. A lot of that theology I personally find to be toxic: one writer said on page 89 that humans are unlovable, another on page 83 that Jesus died for Peter but not Judas, another on page 113 said God doesn’t feel sorrow (that Jesus only did when he humbled himself to be human), and another on page 51 that the Father and Spirit abandoned the Son on the cross. These are all problematic to me. (The last verges on heretical violence to the Trinity based on a lazy reading of Psalm 22.) I understand this all is popular theology now, but remain convicted that it’s incorrect and unhealthy.
Lastly, I wish women voices were represented here. It’s nine men.
All that said, some of these messages are strong while others are not so much, which is not unexpected when it comes to an anthology of sermon transcriptions. This book is by no means a waste of time, but it does come off to me as misleading in its marketing and has weaknesses in theology and representation.
June 7, 2022
This is a collection of sermons preached to various house churches in China amid the pandemic, though I find the themes of sin and suffering evergreen. It's true that we face the lion's den each day – it could be the virus today, and something else tomorrow. The first half, if I were to consolidate the chapters, comprise exhortations on living life as salt in the midst of suffering. That is, neither to fall into the sin of self-preservation and desert our neighbours in trouble, nor to tempt God by neglecting precautionary measures. The second half centre on reassurances of an eternal home above life's sorrows and chaos. I also appreciated the meditations on brokenness and loneliness of affliction; only a church so acquainted with suffering can acknowledge these things in ways that don't come across as trite.
Will you continue in your faith if you truly believe you may lose your life?
Or will you give up your faith and try to save your life?
Will you continue in your faith if you truly believe you may lose your life?
Or will you give up your faith and try to save your life?
May 12, 2022
What can the Western Church learn from Chinese Christians? Edited by Hannah Nation and Simon Liu, Faith in the Wilderness presents words of exhortation from the Chinese Church.
God’s Sovereignty in the Pandemic and Persecution
In a moving foreword by Timothy Keller and an insightful introduction by Hannah Nation, we get a glimpse of the current situation in the Chinese House Church. The pandemic and persecution are the background of this book, and brokenness, redemption, and hope are the main themes. Though there is sorrow in suffering, fiery trials show the true character of our faith. God is involved, actually behind it all, and challenging you in love.
God’s sovereignty is stamped across this book. Understanding that God is in control should cause us to speak out on his behalf, calling out sin, while pointing to the cross. Jesus is the King who brings peace, truth, hope, and love. Every chapter is a gold mine, full of wisdom and simple sentences that are strikingly profound: “In the midst of a pandemic, we should not only begin storing up food but we should also store up the bread from heaven that can feed us spiritually and give us the hope for eternity.”
Practical Theology and a Sense of Reality
While you might assume this book is full of practical advice for facing persecution, it is actually filled with theology. Sin, heaven and hell, and redemption are discussed and shown to be important. But this theology does not return empty. It provokes love and joy for fellow Christians. Ideas of trying to earn salvation by good works and pursuing things of this world are combated. The notion of diligent work and hard study for a happy life in the future is dismantled. The importance of not wasting your life, taking spiritual responsibility, and pursuing Christ are championed.
I was gripped with a sense of reality while reading. Danger is all around us. We live precarious, delicate lives. But we do not live in fear. Rather, we go out with boldness for the gospel and courage in the God who can shut the lions’ mouth. “The mission of a Christian is fearless faith in a deadly world.” An emphasis on the eschatological life of faith puts things into perspective. Suffering prepares us for honor in heaven. Death is always at our doorstep.
Live a Life of Greater Faith
After reading this book, I am challenged to live a life of greater faith. I am reminded to pray for my brothers and sisters in China who are facing persecution. I found myself wanting to read more of their encouraging words. Their reward is great, and we have a great God. I am encouraged by their testimonies, stirred by their stories, and hope for the day we will walk out of the wilderness of this world. We will see the calm sea of glass. Our faith will become sight.
I received a media copy of Faith in the Wilderness and this is my honest review.
God’s Sovereignty in the Pandemic and Persecution
In a moving foreword by Timothy Keller and an insightful introduction by Hannah Nation, we get a glimpse of the current situation in the Chinese House Church. The pandemic and persecution are the background of this book, and brokenness, redemption, and hope are the main themes. Though there is sorrow in suffering, fiery trials show the true character of our faith. God is involved, actually behind it all, and challenging you in love.
God’s sovereignty is stamped across this book. Understanding that God is in control should cause us to speak out on his behalf, calling out sin, while pointing to the cross. Jesus is the King who brings peace, truth, hope, and love. Every chapter is a gold mine, full of wisdom and simple sentences that are strikingly profound: “In the midst of a pandemic, we should not only begin storing up food but we should also store up the bread from heaven that can feed us spiritually and give us the hope for eternity.”
Practical Theology and a Sense of Reality
While you might assume this book is full of practical advice for facing persecution, it is actually filled with theology. Sin, heaven and hell, and redemption are discussed and shown to be important. But this theology does not return empty. It provokes love and joy for fellow Christians. Ideas of trying to earn salvation by good works and pursuing things of this world are combated. The notion of diligent work and hard study for a happy life in the future is dismantled. The importance of not wasting your life, taking spiritual responsibility, and pursuing Christ are championed.
I was gripped with a sense of reality while reading. Danger is all around us. We live precarious, delicate lives. But we do not live in fear. Rather, we go out with boldness for the gospel and courage in the God who can shut the lions’ mouth. “The mission of a Christian is fearless faith in a deadly world.” An emphasis on the eschatological life of faith puts things into perspective. Suffering prepares us for honor in heaven. Death is always at our doorstep.
Live a Life of Greater Faith
After reading this book, I am challenged to live a life of greater faith. I am reminded to pray for my brothers and sisters in China who are facing persecution. I found myself wanting to read more of their encouraging words. Their reward is great, and we have a great God. I am encouraged by their testimonies, stirred by their stories, and hope for the day we will walk out of the wilderness of this world. We will see the calm sea of glass. Our faith will become sight.
I received a media copy of Faith in the Wilderness and this is my honest review.
December 15, 2022
Life-Changing Book
This was an amazing book.
Truly one of the best recent Christian books I have read.
Thoughtful, honest, and life-changing.
I thoroughly loved this!
Definitely check it out.
My own church continually says that in 50 years or less, China will have the most Christians in the world. This is a combination of the powerful house church movement, the terrible persucation, and the amazing faith that can thrive even when Christianity is banned and missionaries are barred.
Inspiring book.
4.8.5
This was an amazing book.
Truly one of the best recent Christian books I have read.
Thoughtful, honest, and life-changing.
I thoroughly loved this!
Definitely check it out.
My own church continually says that in 50 years or less, China will have the most Christians in the world. This is a combination of the powerful house church movement, the terrible persucation, and the amazing faith that can thrive even when Christianity is banned and missionaries are barred.
Inspiring book.
4.8.5
May 8, 2022
I really enjoyed and was encouraged by this collection of sermons from various Chinese house church pastors on the topic of suffering, hope, and perseverance in the faith against the backdrop of the pandemic and much political and economic uncertainty. One of the things that living overseas has taught me is how much bigger God and the church is as I have been able to get to know other brothers and sisters in the faith from all over the world. This collection of sermons offers us an encouraging glimpse into how God is working in parts of Asia and reminds us that God’s kingdom is indeed a global kingdom.
July 14, 2022
I’ll be honest: this book didn’t feel like the easiest book to read. Not because it isn’t well-written or the content isn’t good, because it is.
It wasn’t easy to read for the same reason it was translated and shared with us — we Western Christians need to be awakened from our comfortable stupor. It wasn’t easy for me to tear my eyes away from all my distractions and read sermons from courageous men risking their well-being to encourage suffering Christians.
This book is a gift to the church in the West. We would do well to sit at the feet of the Chinese church and learn from them. Thank you Hannah and Simon and The Center for House Church Theology!
It wasn’t easy to read for the same reason it was translated and shared with us — we Western Christians need to be awakened from our comfortable stupor. It wasn’t easy for me to tear my eyes away from all my distractions and read sermons from courageous men risking their well-being to encourage suffering Christians.
This book is a gift to the church in the West. We would do well to sit at the feet of the Chinese church and learn from them. Thank you Hannah and Simon and The Center for House Church Theology!
November 15, 2022
This is a devotional compilation written by pastors in the Chinese Church. I did not enjoy the style of writing presented in this book (this I believe falls upon the editing and translating), but I did enjoy the content and the view it presented of Christian ministry.
October 24, 2025
This is a collection of essays written by Christians in China during the pandemic. It is interesting to hear about what was important to them theologically during that crisis time. The last essay is particularly inspiring.
June 27, 2022
A reminder of how incredibly luck we are.
October 24, 2025
I enjoyed and profited from this book of 9 sermons preached by bold Chinese house-church pastors. What an amazing book!
February 24, 2025
I found this book to be amazing, and I intend to keep it to reread it sometime.
A group of Asian pastors met for a conference in Malaysia, and then the pandemic broke out, and they were unable to go home. In particular, the Chinese delegates made a bold move to livestream the convention so that those in lockdown in China would have access. They chose to do this knowing that they would face harsh persecution for it when they returned to China.
This is a book of the sermons they preached at this conference. I find their words amazing.
They speak forthrightly of Christianity, of faith, suffering, persecution, and of the troubling times. Often in the Western church, we do not speak as openly or as expectantly of suffering as those in China do. They are more intimately familiar with it.
If you want comfort for your suffering, you want to hear from someone who's "been there" and held fast to their faith. That's why I want to keep this book, for future comfort, for future troubles.
"If you had the opportunity to hear a house church pastor preach today, you would likely hear them discuss Christian suffering and you would have a fifty-fifty chance of them focusing on either suffering through persecution or suffering through the pandemic. Often, to your surprise and perhaps confusion, they would interchange these two topics." - Hannah Nation in the Introduction
"Now if you take a hit to your reputation, if you get persecuted a little bit, knowing what Jesus did for you, can you bear that shame, knowing that He took the ultimate shame so you could have the ultimate honor? Yes, if you meditate on Jesus' humiliation...." - Timothy Keller in the forward to those of us in the west.
"Those who follow Jesus, those who are truly united to Him must suffer." - Hannah Nation in the Intro
"Just as becoming one with Christ reveals to us our brokenness and the way of the cross, so it also reveals to us that the kingdom is at hand." - Hannah Nation
"Those on the margins often preach the gospel more boldly, fearlessly, and humbly that those at the center, for they have nothing to lose and no stakeholders to upset." - Hannah Nation
"Our hope is not in princes and power, but rather in the Savior who unites us to himself, his death, and resurrection." - Hannah Nation
"Let the light shine in the darkness." - house church motto
"Because he represents the people, the king should be the first to confess. But most kings do not confess their sins; and if they do confess, they do not repent." - Guo Nuyun
"Later, the prophets of Israel were increasingly reticent to speak up, so that the Bible refers to them as 'silent dogs.'" - Guo Nuyun
"What we need the most now is to repent, rather than to 'stay strong;' to confess our sins, rather than to boast of ourselves; to bear responsibility, rather than to shift blame; to speak up, rather than to keep silent." - Guo Nuyun
"Rather than believing in ourselves, we believe in Jesus, who upholds us when we fall, who comforts us when we give up, who strengthens us when our strength is drained, who loves us when we are in pain, who does not give us up even when we are hopeless about ourselves." - Guo Nuyun
"I hope that in such despair you will begin to lose hope in humanity and begin to have hope in God, in this Jesus who can save us." - Guo Nuyun
"A Christian will not go along with sinners in their evil deeds. This is why those who fear God will not be welcomed among those who flatter power and money." - Simon Liu
"Before I became a Christian, I gave a foreigner the Art of War and Guiguzi, thinking these were the crown jewels of Chinese culture. After he finished them, I asked, 'Aren't Chinese people full of wisdom?' He unexpectedly replied, 'How can these books teach people to do evil? Isn't this turning people into demons?' We find ourselves immersed in an educational and cultural system in which demons are clothed as angels." - Simon Liu
"Because they have the desire to masquerade as God, people love themselves more than they love others." - Simon Liu
"If you were in the lion's den, you probably wouldn't cry out, for you might wake the lions and lose your life. [And yet Daniel answered the king.] ... The most dangerous times and places are often also the safest. Being with the lions was safer than being with people. Daniel slept better than the one who slept in the palace." - Simon Liu
"The real question is not whether you have a risk-free faith, but whether you can continue to believe in the midst of risks and dangers. Will you continue in your faith if you truly believe you may lose your life?" - Simon Liu
"What is faith? Faith is not thinking about our own lives. Faith is giving up our lives and selves to the God in whom we believe." - Simon Liu
"Those who are afraid of death and care about this life too much do not dare to serve the Lord. They will probably not face much persecution, either; their faith is not worthy to be tested." - Simon Liu
"You are to be a new creation. Did Jesus save you from greed? From lust? From your desire for power? If you cannot escape worldly lust and corruption, if you do not stop sinning, how can you claim Jesus has saved you? You may still be spiritually dead." - Simon Liu
"The road of faith goes uphill. If you do not progress, you will fall backwards. A faith without much effort does not know true belief. It is a faith not worth having." - Simon Liu
"We are called to practice death every day; to follow closely our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us." - Simon Liu
"In the midst of a pandemic, we should not only begin storing up food but we should also store up the bread from heaven that can feed us spiritually and give us the hope for eternity." - Yang Xibo
"Our sins are against a God who is infinite, eternal, righteous, and glorious." - Yang Xibo
"In Hell, they still curse and insult God. They continue to sin, so they will continue to be judged. The doctrine of hell leads us to understand that we are full of sin and even hell may not remove our sins." - Yang Xibo, speaking of Revelation 22:11, "Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy."
"By calling it a covenant of salt, the writers are saying that the covenant will keep forever." - Yang Xibo
"Martin Luther said, on the one hand, we should not fall into the sin of fear and self-preservation so that we desert our neighbors in trouble. If we don't help them, we sin against God and mankind. On the other hand, we should not act foolishly, neglect precautionary measures, despise the effects of medicine, and even enjoy company with the infected to show our fearlessness and optimism." - Yang Xibo
"When Paul says, 'I count everything as loss,' his 'everything' refers to all seeking dignity, value, and security from the things of this world in which we live, and it is opposed to the kingdom of God." - Brian Li
"Because this world was cursed by God, there is no way to find value and dignity in this world." - Brian Li
"Knowledge without love is like an iceberg under the moonlight, exerting excessive chilliness; and love without knowledge is like a forest fire scorching and raging through the dry season, causing incalculable losses." - Victor Guo
"The grace of the Lord urges us to repent, rather than to indulge in sin." - Victor Guo
"The text [Philippians 1:9-11] also talks about being blameless. The word 'blameless' originally meant flat, like a road without ditches or potholes that cause travelers to trip." - Victor Guo
"But this process of breaking free from God's commands is self-destruction disguised as freedom." - Chen Li
"When suffering happens, ask God to grant you power to endure, to produce perseverance through suffering. Let those around see that you are still able to find joy in God. If suffering is caused by sin; repent. If it is a trial from God, seek his good purpose, and manifest his righteousness through living out this purpose in suffering. If it is Satan's attack, rise up by the victory of God's Son on the cross and wage war against the devil." - Chen Li
"Let us be especially careful to not be other people's God." - Chen Li
"In reality, even though we may have prepared to pay the price for our faith, we still feel pain, have sorrow, and are overwhelmed by stress to the point that we find ourselves out of breath when trials come upon us. We humans are weak. It is normal for us to sorrow in our sufferings. Paul tells us to weep with those who weep." - Noah Wang
"Many people think they have received the gospel, but in fact, they have only accepted an idea, which is not the same." - Noah Wang
"But in our prayers, you will find that our faith is mixed with much self-righteousness." - Noah Wang
"The Bible teaches us that faith is not characterized by focusing on oneself; it is not about satisfying oneself, but about directing your attention to the Savior." - Noah Wang
"When you suffer, God is involved in it. He loves you more than you love yourself." - Noah Wang
"Often our lives and faith go wrong because of our superficial understanding of the truth. As Hosea 4:6 says, 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.'" - San Shou
"It is unnecessary to take grief and mourning as signs of either lack of faith or spiritual maturity." - San Shou
"True Christians are not those who no longer commit sin, but those who repent. This requires faith. We hate our sin, and we lift up our heads to look to our Lord Jesus Christ who completely forgives, so that we can enjoy fellowship with him and all other Christians." - San Shou
I had not noticed before that the hope of the 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 passage before as being related to the phrase, "Since we believe."
"All of creation that once labored and groaned is now [in Revelation 12:1] filled with brilliance, and all things are restored to order." - Paul Peng
When I read Paul Peng's description of the crystal sea in relation to other Biblical passages, and how the sea often represents overwhelming chaos, or being overwhelmed by something, I thought of Jesus walking on the sea.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us." - Romans 8:18
I liked Laura W.'s review: "It wasn’t easy to read for the same reason it was translated and shared with us — we Western Christians need to be awakened from our comfortable stupor. It wasn’t easy for me to tear my eyes away from all my distractions and read sermons from courageous men risking their well-being to encourage suffering Christians."
Most of the reviewers were very positive, but a handful said that they'd thought it was a series of sermons from the East for the West, but it is more like we are listening in as they are encouraging each other over there. I can see how the reviewers would get that mistaken impression. The front says, "words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church," and the back says, "For many Western Christians, the experiences of suffering and persecution is remote ..." So I can imagine people putting those two descriptions together into "words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church for many Western Christians..." But that's not at all what was said, or intended.
Did I originally think the book was going to be from the Chinese Church to Christians in the West? Yes, I did. Was I disappointed? No. Did I think I'd been tricked by the wording? No.
A group of Asian pastors met for a conference in Malaysia, and then the pandemic broke out, and they were unable to go home. In particular, the Chinese delegates made a bold move to livestream the convention so that those in lockdown in China would have access. They chose to do this knowing that they would face harsh persecution for it when they returned to China.
This is a book of the sermons they preached at this conference. I find their words amazing.
They speak forthrightly of Christianity, of faith, suffering, persecution, and of the troubling times. Often in the Western church, we do not speak as openly or as expectantly of suffering as those in China do. They are more intimately familiar with it.
If you want comfort for your suffering, you want to hear from someone who's "been there" and held fast to their faith. That's why I want to keep this book, for future comfort, for future troubles.
"If you had the opportunity to hear a house church pastor preach today, you would likely hear them discuss Christian suffering and you would have a fifty-fifty chance of them focusing on either suffering through persecution or suffering through the pandemic. Often, to your surprise and perhaps confusion, they would interchange these two topics." - Hannah Nation in the Introduction
"Now if you take a hit to your reputation, if you get persecuted a little bit, knowing what Jesus did for you, can you bear that shame, knowing that He took the ultimate shame so you could have the ultimate honor? Yes, if you meditate on Jesus' humiliation...." - Timothy Keller in the forward to those of us in the west.
"Those who follow Jesus, those who are truly united to Him must suffer." - Hannah Nation in the Intro
"Just as becoming one with Christ reveals to us our brokenness and the way of the cross, so it also reveals to us that the kingdom is at hand." - Hannah Nation
"Those on the margins often preach the gospel more boldly, fearlessly, and humbly that those at the center, for they have nothing to lose and no stakeholders to upset." - Hannah Nation
"Our hope is not in princes and power, but rather in the Savior who unites us to himself, his death, and resurrection." - Hannah Nation
"Let the light shine in the darkness." - house church motto
"Because he represents the people, the king should be the first to confess. But most kings do not confess their sins; and if they do confess, they do not repent." - Guo Nuyun
"Later, the prophets of Israel were increasingly reticent to speak up, so that the Bible refers to them as 'silent dogs.'" - Guo Nuyun
"What we need the most now is to repent, rather than to 'stay strong;' to confess our sins, rather than to boast of ourselves; to bear responsibility, rather than to shift blame; to speak up, rather than to keep silent." - Guo Nuyun
"Rather than believing in ourselves, we believe in Jesus, who upholds us when we fall, who comforts us when we give up, who strengthens us when our strength is drained, who loves us when we are in pain, who does not give us up even when we are hopeless about ourselves." - Guo Nuyun
"I hope that in such despair you will begin to lose hope in humanity and begin to have hope in God, in this Jesus who can save us." - Guo Nuyun
"A Christian will not go along with sinners in their evil deeds. This is why those who fear God will not be welcomed among those who flatter power and money." - Simon Liu
"Before I became a Christian, I gave a foreigner the Art of War and Guiguzi, thinking these were the crown jewels of Chinese culture. After he finished them, I asked, 'Aren't Chinese people full of wisdom?' He unexpectedly replied, 'How can these books teach people to do evil? Isn't this turning people into demons?' We find ourselves immersed in an educational and cultural system in which demons are clothed as angels." - Simon Liu
"Because they have the desire to masquerade as God, people love themselves more than they love others." - Simon Liu
"If you were in the lion's den, you probably wouldn't cry out, for you might wake the lions and lose your life. [And yet Daniel answered the king.] ... The most dangerous times and places are often also the safest. Being with the lions was safer than being with people. Daniel slept better than the one who slept in the palace." - Simon Liu
"The real question is not whether you have a risk-free faith, but whether you can continue to believe in the midst of risks and dangers. Will you continue in your faith if you truly believe you may lose your life?" - Simon Liu
"What is faith? Faith is not thinking about our own lives. Faith is giving up our lives and selves to the God in whom we believe." - Simon Liu
"Those who are afraid of death and care about this life too much do not dare to serve the Lord. They will probably not face much persecution, either; their faith is not worthy to be tested." - Simon Liu
"You are to be a new creation. Did Jesus save you from greed? From lust? From your desire for power? If you cannot escape worldly lust and corruption, if you do not stop sinning, how can you claim Jesus has saved you? You may still be spiritually dead." - Simon Liu
"The road of faith goes uphill. If you do not progress, you will fall backwards. A faith without much effort does not know true belief. It is a faith not worth having." - Simon Liu
"We are called to practice death every day; to follow closely our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us." - Simon Liu
"In the midst of a pandemic, we should not only begin storing up food but we should also store up the bread from heaven that can feed us spiritually and give us the hope for eternity." - Yang Xibo
"Our sins are against a God who is infinite, eternal, righteous, and glorious." - Yang Xibo
"In Hell, they still curse and insult God. They continue to sin, so they will continue to be judged. The doctrine of hell leads us to understand that we are full of sin and even hell may not remove our sins." - Yang Xibo, speaking of Revelation 22:11, "Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy."
"By calling it a covenant of salt, the writers are saying that the covenant will keep forever." - Yang Xibo
"Martin Luther said, on the one hand, we should not fall into the sin of fear and self-preservation so that we desert our neighbors in trouble. If we don't help them, we sin against God and mankind. On the other hand, we should not act foolishly, neglect precautionary measures, despise the effects of medicine, and even enjoy company with the infected to show our fearlessness and optimism." - Yang Xibo
"When Paul says, 'I count everything as loss,' his 'everything' refers to all seeking dignity, value, and security from the things of this world in which we live, and it is opposed to the kingdom of God." - Brian Li
"Because this world was cursed by God, there is no way to find value and dignity in this world." - Brian Li
"Knowledge without love is like an iceberg under the moonlight, exerting excessive chilliness; and love without knowledge is like a forest fire scorching and raging through the dry season, causing incalculable losses." - Victor Guo
"The grace of the Lord urges us to repent, rather than to indulge in sin." - Victor Guo
"The text [Philippians 1:9-11] also talks about being blameless. The word 'blameless' originally meant flat, like a road without ditches or potholes that cause travelers to trip." - Victor Guo
"But this process of breaking free from God's commands is self-destruction disguised as freedom." - Chen Li
"When suffering happens, ask God to grant you power to endure, to produce perseverance through suffering. Let those around see that you are still able to find joy in God. If suffering is caused by sin; repent. If it is a trial from God, seek his good purpose, and manifest his righteousness through living out this purpose in suffering. If it is Satan's attack, rise up by the victory of God's Son on the cross and wage war against the devil." - Chen Li
"Let us be especially careful to not be other people's God." - Chen Li
"In reality, even though we may have prepared to pay the price for our faith, we still feel pain, have sorrow, and are overwhelmed by stress to the point that we find ourselves out of breath when trials come upon us. We humans are weak. It is normal for us to sorrow in our sufferings. Paul tells us to weep with those who weep." - Noah Wang
"Many people think they have received the gospel, but in fact, they have only accepted an idea, which is not the same." - Noah Wang
"But in our prayers, you will find that our faith is mixed with much self-righteousness." - Noah Wang
"The Bible teaches us that faith is not characterized by focusing on oneself; it is not about satisfying oneself, but about directing your attention to the Savior." - Noah Wang
"When you suffer, God is involved in it. He loves you more than you love yourself." - Noah Wang
"Often our lives and faith go wrong because of our superficial understanding of the truth. As Hosea 4:6 says, 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.'" - San Shou
"It is unnecessary to take grief and mourning as signs of either lack of faith or spiritual maturity." - San Shou
"True Christians are not those who no longer commit sin, but those who repent. This requires faith. We hate our sin, and we lift up our heads to look to our Lord Jesus Christ who completely forgives, so that we can enjoy fellowship with him and all other Christians." - San Shou
I had not noticed before that the hope of the 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 passage before as being related to the phrase, "Since we believe."
"All of creation that once labored and groaned is now [in Revelation 12:1] filled with brilliance, and all things are restored to order." - Paul Peng
When I read Paul Peng's description of the crystal sea in relation to other Biblical passages, and how the sea often represents overwhelming chaos, or being overwhelmed by something, I thought of Jesus walking on the sea.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us." - Romans 8:18
I liked Laura W.'s review: "It wasn’t easy to read for the same reason it was translated and shared with us — we Western Christians need to be awakened from our comfortable stupor. It wasn’t easy for me to tear my eyes away from all my distractions and read sermons from courageous men risking their well-being to encourage suffering Christians."
Most of the reviewers were very positive, but a handful said that they'd thought it was a series of sermons from the East for the West, but it is more like we are listening in as they are encouraging each other over there. I can see how the reviewers would get that mistaken impression. The front says, "words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church," and the back says, "For many Western Christians, the experiences of suffering and persecution is remote ..." So I can imagine people putting those two descriptions together into "words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church for many Western Christians..." But that's not at all what was said, or intended.
Did I originally think the book was going to be from the Chinese Church to Christians in the West? Yes, I did. Was I disappointed? No. Did I think I'd been tricked by the wording? No.
September 11, 2022
quite interesting perspectives.
November 3, 2025
5.0 Stars
This book has not only changed the way I see persecution but it has also made my faith stronger.
It is the second book I've ever read that changed my heart and made me cry (the first book is the Bible).
There were two chapters in particular that were so heavy that I had to take a break from reading. But I was so happy I was led back to this book a month later.
Many people (even me before reading this book) undermine Chinese Christians, preachers, theologians, and pastors who risk their lives to teach the gospel. I think ethnocentrism, and, to some extent, our comfort with the familiar Western society's way of preaching the gospel have led us to forget that Jesus commanded EVERYONE GLOBALLY to make disciples and spread the gospel to the WHOLE WORLD, not spread the gospel only in the western hemisphere. Therefore, we should be admiring and thanking the genuine Chinese Christians for their contribution to ministry as well as moving with the will of God in their restricted capitalist society.
The narrator did a fantastic job, and he really gave the book a compelling edge.
I love this book and would recommend it to anyone.
This book has not only changed the way I see persecution but it has also made my faith stronger.
It is the second book I've ever read that changed my heart and made me cry (the first book is the Bible).
There were two chapters in particular that were so heavy that I had to take a break from reading. But I was so happy I was led back to this book a month later.
Many people (even me before reading this book) undermine Chinese Christians, preachers, theologians, and pastors who risk their lives to teach the gospel. I think ethnocentrism, and, to some extent, our comfort with the familiar Western society's way of preaching the gospel have led us to forget that Jesus commanded EVERYONE GLOBALLY to make disciples and spread the gospel to the WHOLE WORLD, not spread the gospel only in the western hemisphere. Therefore, we should be admiring and thanking the genuine Chinese Christians for their contribution to ministry as well as moving with the will of God in their restricted capitalist society.
The narrator did a fantastic job, and he really gave the book a compelling edge.
I love this book and would recommend it to anyone.
January 29, 2025
What I liked: I love the idea of this—ten sermons from Chinese pastors. It is encouraging and convicting to hear Chinese pastors encouraging persecuted Christians in China to love, follow, and obey God. The American church needs to be reminded of this and our eyes need to be opened to the reality of persecution so we can pray for and support our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.
What I struggled with: I wouldn’t classify all of the sermons as expository, though they each were encouraging. For example, many of the pastors had a base text but spent much of the chapter jumping around to other passages and not necessarily expositing the main text. It was also from a strong 5 point Calvinism perspective which may be an obstacle for some.
What I struggled with: I wouldn’t classify all of the sermons as expository, though they each were encouraging. For example, many of the pastors had a base text but spent much of the chapter jumping around to other passages and not necessarily expositing the main text. It was also from a strong 5 point Calvinism perspective which may be an obstacle for some.
June 23, 2022
I don't want to be harsh, because what is included in this book is not poor, it's just not at all what I expected. This book contains a handful (9) transcribed sermons from Chinese pastors, organized loosely into the categories Brokenness, Redemption, and Hope. If you want to hear some competent messages on those topics, sweet, this is for you - but I expected (and I'm totally willing to take the blame for my own incorrect expectations) insights into the lives and activities of Chinese Christians, or specific messages from their pastors to us in the West.
Not a bad book, just not much to recommend.
Not a bad book, just not much to recommend.
April 27, 2023
I’m giving this three stars, not because of the content itself, but for the delivery. Faith in the Wilderness is a collection of 9 sermons from Chinese pastors on various topics, but they were from the time of the pandemic. Unfortunately, transcription doesn’t make for the best flow in reading. (This was also true in Elisabeth Elliot’s Suffering is Never for Nothing). Also, this was marketed as being from the Chinese church to the West, and that wasn’t actually what this was. I guess I’m just a bit disappointed based on what I was expecting. I absolutely believe the church in the west can and should learn from our Chinese brothers and sisters, but this book wasn’t the best in my opinion.
April 17, 2023
This is a beautiful collection of sermons from Chinese pastors, from the time of pandemic in 2020-2021. As a "westerner," I truly appreciated the cultural references and applications from within the authors' political context. The challenges of persecution that the Chinese church faces are so beyond anything we've seen in the United States. The messages contained in the book are encouraging and enlightening, and reading them helps me feel more connected to my brothers and sisters on the other side of the planet.
May 9, 2023
This is a compilation of sermons by Chinese pastors addressed to Chinese believers (not Western believers, as the book's blurb would lead you to believe). I know some of these pastors, but as grateful as I am for them, the sermons are quite bland. Moreover, around half of them are about how to suffer well in the midst of the covid pandemic, and they speak about the pandemic in almost apocalyptic terms, but we now know it was greatly overblown. I wish they had been a bit more cautious before propagating that narrative.
August 8, 2022
Definitely intend to re-read this book! Through the messages shared in it, the book offers help and great encouragement that comes from God’s Word and the Chinese pastors’ own perseverance which God has sustained. Each chapter helped me to set my heart and mind on Christ and the future glory God promises to all who believe in Him. So timely a read during pandemic and trials to remind us of real hope from our Creator.
November 26, 2024
A collection of sermons from the Chinese Church, originating in a pandemic context, and translated for the benefit of Western (and other) readers, that we might learn from them. The sermons are mainly focussed on themes of suffering, and faithful living in the light of it. I most benefited from "A Deadly World" by Simon Liu (Daniel 6), "Sin and Hell" by Yang Xibo (Mark 9) and "On the Other Side of the Sea" by Paul Peng (Revelation 15).
December 1, 2025
I started this early in the year but found I wasn't in the right head space to engage with the reflections of my Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ. That said, I was eventually able to slow down and found these meditations on faith, hope, brokenness, and redemption, written during Covid to be a real blessing. These are fellow believers who have known suffering in ways I as an American have not. Their wisdom and their ability to see Christ in all things is deeply encouraging.
January 15, 2026
A much needed reminder for me of the real persecution that many Christians face, and more importantly, what standing firm both looks like and costs. The stories, perspectives, and challenges from the Church in China cut off much of the fat and fluff that often exists in our comfortable (relatively speaking) American sermons and books. The Gospel seems to become more simple and clear when presented in the context of persecution and trials.
May 18, 2024
Sermons from eight house church pastors in China, these messages focus on the struggles of Chinese believers during the Covid pandemic. These are of mixed quality in terms of application to North Americans, but several are excellent, especially the last chapter by Paul Peng, pastor of the Blessings Reformed Presbyterian Church, preaching on Revelation 15.
October 4, 2023
Greatly valued being able to hear the words of these pastors. I valued hearing what often felt as simple messages yet it helped me know what are the essentials of the Gospel that I need to cling to. Under times of duress, the significance of the simplicity stands out.
May 16, 2022
Every Christian should read this book! Especially the sermon on testing your faith was beautiful!
July 28, 2022
It is more a 4.5 stars for me. It gets better as it goes on.
December 19, 2022
Highly recommend anyone wanting to explore the theology of suffering and hope
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March 16, 2024part two goes hard: "christ's righteousness does not require overtime. you do not need to be exploited and overworked to be of value."
April 11, 2025
Not what I was expecting or looking for, but encouraging.
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