In late September, I came across a copy of "Operation World" by Patrick Johnstone. This is a very well-known book in the missionary world, as it highlights the spiritual needs and Gospel advancements in every nation of the world. Since I don't actually own a copy of this book, I decided to flip through the section on China to see what it said. The presentation on China seemed very accurate and helpful, and one paragraph in particular caught my eye:

"Witnessing Christians and itinerant preachers have spread the gospel far and wide, but many provinces, districts, and towns are still unreached. Yet it is this outreach that is most violently opposed by the authorities. Pray that they may be ever more bold for Jesus and implement their missionary strategy for China.."

What struck me as I read these words was this: Why do we pray that Chinese Christians who are "violently opposed by the authorities" would "be ever more bold for Jesus" when most of us missionaries are not willing to boldly face violent opposition ourselves?

Many foreign missionaries in "closed" nations such as China encourage the local believers to take risks that they are not willing to take themselves. Who do we think we are? Do we see our continued active presence on the mission field as inherently more valuable than our local Chinese brothers and sisters?

We rejoice when Chinese Christians boldly testify of Jesus, risking their homes, families, businesses, and even their own lives, but very few of us would ever take those same risks ourselves. In fact, as foreign missionaries in China we simply cannot risk as much as the Chinese even if we wanted to! The worst punishment for a foreigner sharing the Gospel in China is to be deported and maybe fined. A Chinese believer engaged in the same activities could face much graver consequences, including physical harm, the loss of a job or home, and even time in prison.

So even though we foreign Christians have much less to lose than the Chinese, we often encourage them to be bold witnesses for Jesus while we exert much effort in protecting ourselves from any chance of facing persecution. If anything, it should be the other way around. Knowing that we are risking so little of our livelihood, shouldn't foreign missionaries should be the boldest Christians in the nation of China?

Something is wrong with this picture. If we are going to pray for boldness and perseverance for our local Chinese brothers and sisters in the face of persecution, then we must be willing to walk that same road ourselves. We must stop thinking that we are indispensible on the mission field and instead come alongside our Chinese brothers and sisters in boldly proclaiming the Gospel!