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Bring The Books 2014

Discipling the body of Christ in rural China by providing rural churches with libraries of legally printed Christian books.

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Bring The Books 2014

Bring The Books 2014

Bring The Books 2014

Bring The Books 2014

Bring The Books 2014

Discipling the body of Christ in rural China by providing rural churches with libraries of legally printed Christian books.

Discipling the body of Christ in rural China by providing rural churches with libraries of legally printed Christian books.

Discipling the body of Christ in rural China by providing rural churches with libraries of legally printed Christian books.

Discipling the body of Christ in rural China by providing rural churches with libraries of legally printed Christian books.

David Wright
David Wright
David Wright
David Wright
1 Campaign |
Beijing, China
$9,560 USD 11 backers
9% of $100,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

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).  

                                     


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). 




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.  

                                    

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).


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.

*************************************



"When you come, bring the cloak.....

also the books,

and, above all, bring the parchments" 

(2 Timothy 4:13)

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Choose your Perk

featured

Ten Libraries!

$3,000 USD
Grateful thanks for your donation + An electronic photograph of the libraries which you have helped to establish + For one of the libraries which you are supporting, a choice of the location (from a list provided by ZDL)
1 claimed

Thanks!

$10 USD
We appreciate your support for our work.
0 claimed

On the way to one library!

$30 USD
Grateful thanks for your donation.
0 claimed

One Library!

$300 USD
Grateful thanks for your donation + An electronic photograph of the library which you have helped to establish
7 claimed

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