What is the Bring The Books 2014 Campaign?
Bring The
Books is an ongoing
project to equip the rural church in China. Although historically China
has been closed and restricted, we have seen this change: today we have the
opportunity to openly and legally work alongside the Chinese church. Bring The Books wants
to make the most of this moment and meet the critical need of the young Chinese
church for growth and discipleship.
For the
2014 campaign, we are aiming to equip 3,000 rural churches with a Christian
resource library. Each library will include 70 books that are all legally
approved by the Chinese government and will include authors such as John Piper,
Max Lucado, J. Oswald Sanders, Richard Foster, Tedd Tripp and Dennis Rainey.
The cost of each library is $300, which includes the content specifically
chosen for each location, as well as shipping.
The
libraries are ready to go; as soon as the funding has been raised, ZDL can ship
the books. Please note that our minimum target for the crowd-funding portion
of the Bring The Books campaign is $100,000. However, we are seeking to raise $900,000 in total to
equip 3,000 rural churches with libraries -- resources they need to continue to
grow and deepen in their faith and discipleship journeys.
Total Cost for 2014 | 3,000 rural church libraries @ $300 each =
$900,000
More about the need
The Background
China has one of the largest Christian populations in the world (Operation World 2010).
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Yet this figure is still only a fraction of the country's
overall 1.3 billion population.
Over the last ten years, ZDL has seen continuing significant
growth in Christianity in China
as a result of (a) the official acceptance by the Chinese government of
Christianity, and (b) the opening up of mass media and internet access (China is predicted to overtake the total internet usage of the US and EU combined by 2015).
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Observing this growth, David Aikman, former Beijing bureau chief for Time
Magazine,
noted: “Within the next thirty years,
one-third of China's
population could be Christian, making China one of the largest Christian
nations in the world.”
However, there is a
critical shortage of mature leadership and Christian
resources. On average, there is only one Christian bookstore for every 350,000
believers. All of these are located in cities. Rural Chinese believers, who
are already at a disadvantage with a lower average income of only $108 per
month, are further challenged in their growth by the inability to access
resources for teaching and guidance. With literacy rates in China having
climbed to 96%, they are now able to benefit tremendously from these
discipleship resources.
An Urgent Situation
China stands at a cross-road.
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It has the potential to become a Christian nation with the
number of believers far outnumbering any other country in the world. As
much of this early growth came during intense suffering and persecution, there
were less questions about faith as the need for these believers to cling to
Christ was both paramount and central. However, external persecution has been
largely replaced by acceptance and prosperity -- and at great potential cost to
the Chinese church. With China
forecasted to assume the largest economy in the world by 2018, materialism is a
major threat. To navigate the challenges of increasing affluence (as evidenced
in the European and North American church), strong discipleship of the Chinese
church is vital.
Almost two centuries ago, Napoleon Bonaparte, seeing the
potential impact of China,
advised: ‘“Let China sleep, for when she wakes
she will shake the world.”
China
has awoken. Will she shake the world by standing strong and deeply
entrenched in the Word of God? Or will we see the promising growth of the
church derailed by a secular materialistic society?
The Potential
Though China
alone makes up almost 20% of the world's population, the impact of China
embracing Christ could extend far beyond the borders of this nation. This
is the Chinese century -- and the impact of China will continue to grow on a
global scale. Specifically, China
is primed to stretch its influence into the last unreached nations of the world
- the Middle East, Africa and other Muslim
countries forming part of the so-called "10/40
window"
(see http://www.joshuaproject.net/10-40-window.php for
more information).
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If we can support the Chinese church now to
mature and stand up, we will not only be
helping them reach the 1.35 billion people in China but also equipping them to
reach some of the most un-reached nations in our world today. Almost 50% of
the entire global population live within China
and it’s bordering nations including countries like North
Korea, Pakistan
and Afghanistan
– imagine what a healthy and strong Chinese church could do!
The Solution
Mass-produced
resources are essential to meet a challenge of this geographical and numerical
scale. These resources need to allow for the discipleship of Christians
at every level of maturity.
ZDL recognizes that a dual strategy is needed: one for the
cities and one for the countryside. The urban church has grown in affluence and
sustainable models exist to reach them. Bring
The Books is a
focused strategy for the rural churches. In particular, providing a
library to a rural church equips a community to take ownership of their own
spiritual growth and provides leaders with tools to shepherd their people.
These libraries are discipleship hubs for the community and will have an
enduring and long-term impact.
ZDL has been
working legally within China
for over ten years and is uniquely positioned to do this through:
1. A full-time team of 40 people based in Beijing, focused on equipping the church
through the translation, contextualization, editing and publishing of Christian
content.
2. Extensive networks with churches in every province of China
and a strong desire and commitment to support their brothers and sisters.
3. The libraries will be stocked from over 180 books, which ZDL
has already legally published in China and tailored to the needs of
each rural church.
Who are we?
ZDL is a Christian publishing company which was established in Beijing, China
in 2003. ZDL is short for "Zhao Dao La", which is the Chinese for "I've found it!". ZDL was established as a "Business as Mission" organization and has pioneered the legal
translation, publication and distribution of Christian resources in China.
ZDL is committed to making Biblical, life-changing content
available in China
so that all Chinese -- both urban and rural -- can access, understand and apply
Biblical truths in their lives for the building up of the Church and
fulfillment of the Great Commission.
More info on ZDL is found at this link:
http://www.zdlbooks.com/english
How can you support?
(A) Funding
Total Cost for 2014 | 3,000 rural church libraries @ $300 each = $900,000
Give generously as God leads you.
(B) Spread the word
Not everyone can give as much as they would like monetarily, but
you can still contribute. Please help us support this project by
spreading the word about this campaign, both by sharing it using the Indiegogo
sharing tools and telling others about Bring The
Books.
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"When you come, bring the cloak.....
also the books,
and, above all, bring the parchments"
(2 Timothy 4:13)