Publications
(1) In the early years, we helped the Chinese Christian Scholars Association in North America publish six volumes of Christianity and China, a collection of conference proceedings.
(2) Books and media resources by Rev. Grant Chen:
1) Blessings Spiritual Feast series: Matthew, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Revelation
2) Message collections: When Tearful Eyes Look Toward Glory: An Exposition of the Beatitudes and When the Heart Flies toward the Throne: An Exposition of the Lord’s Prayer
3) Topical works: The Concept of Ultimate Reality, Seeking the Truth Beyond Traditions, and Perspectives on Cultural Mission
4) CD/DVD: Blessings Gospel and Revival Messages, three series
(3) Selections from The Blessings Magazine: Through the Fog of Science, Life’s U-Turn, and Life’s U-Turn 2
Devotionals
Blessings Spiritual Feast: Matthew
It is no accident that the Gospel of Matthew is placed as the first book of the New Testament. Its content clearly shows that the truths of the New Testament continue the message of the Old Testament, forming one continuous line and revealing the universal scope of God’s salvation across ethnic boundaries.
This Gospel is written in a concise and refined style. The author’s deep interest in the Messiah leads him to give careful attention to this central theme, drawing the reader’s focus to it throughout the book. The Sermon on the Mount has long been familiar in the Western tradition as a guide for daily conduct and as a standard of moral teaching. Although Matthew was written for a Jewish audience and therefore naturally reflects certain Jewish concerns and a more limited perspective, the author also seeks to help readers understand that Christ’s redemption extends to all humanity. The many distinctive features of Matthew make it a Gospel well worth careful study.
The Blessings Spiritual Feast series is written in a devotional style. It guides readers to reflect deeply on each passage of Scripture, absorb its essence, grasp the key verses, and apply the Word to daily life—turning it into prayer and worship and enjoying a spiritual feast.
Blessings Spiritual Feast: Acts
Acts is a remarkable book. It describes how the risen Lord, through the Holy Spirit and by means of the church, proclaimed the gospel on earth and expanded the kingdom of God.
The Holy Spirit is the central figure in this book, and the apostles are messengers of the gospel. Their footsteps reached major cities throughout the Roman Empire. Though few in number, they carried incomparable power and brought about a world-shaking impact. This book is written in a devotional style, with explanatory notes on the biblical text to help readers understand the background and grasp the spiritual lessons.
Blessings Spiritual Feast: Romans
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Among the letters of the New Testament, perhaps no book has sparked as much theological debate and discussion as Romans. Yet perhaps no other letter has won the affection of so many believers.
The content of this book not only presents a carefully structured and tightly reasoned theological system, but also reveals the Apostle Paul’s profound insight into God’s plan to save humanity.
Through this vessel, uniquely shaped by God’s skillful hand, the Holy Spirit unveils to the church a perfect picture of salvation, bringing deep blessing to readers throughout the generations.
Blessings Spiritual Feast: 1 Corinthians
The church in Corinth was established by Paul during his second missionary journey, a process marked by many trials and difficulties.
Because Corinth was a city filled with idols and marked by moral decline, the church there inevitably faced constant testing. After Paul left, many internal problems arose within the Corinthian church: factions, sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, marital conflicts, eating food sacrificed to idols, head coverings for women, disorder at the Lord’s Supper, chaotic gatherings, and even the denial of the resurrection. All of this deeply troubled Paul. Perhaps no other church caused this outstanding apostle such profound sorrow.
The theological issues addressed in this book—including ecclesiology, eschatology, Christology, and pneumatology—were all written in response to the circumstances of the time. Paul sought to help the believers in Corinth recognize the truth and live in a way that pleases God.
Blessings Spiritual Feast: Revelation
Revelation is the final book of the Bible, and most of its content is recorded through visions and symbols. From the third century BC to the mid-second century AD, there were many apocalyptic writings within Judaism and Christianity. These writings used distinctive images, metaphors, and numbers to interpret truth, with the purpose of exhorting, warning, rebuking, correcting, and challenging their readers. John emphasizes that the contents of this book are accurate and true, not fictional or fabricated.
Studying Revelation is a great blessing, especially in this troubled and disaster-filled age. Its message assures us that believers can find comfort amid all of life’s adversities and afflictions, because even when the floods rise, God still reigns as King. The “Lamb of God,” who was slain on the cross, has already destroyed the devil through death. Therefore, all who follow him may also share in his victory in eternal glory.
The Blessings Spiritual Feast series is written in a devotional style. It guides readers to reflect deeply on each passage of Scripture, absorb its essence, grasp the key verses, and apply the Word to daily life—turning it into prayer and worship and enjoying a spiritual feast.
When Tearful Eyes Look Toward Glory: An Exposition of the Beatitudes
People commonly assume that blessing is something obtained from outside oneself. Yet in the Beatitudes, the Lord Jesus makes clear that the secret to being blessed does not lie in what a person possesses, but in the quality of that person’s life. When we become poor in spirit, mournful, meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, and pure in heart—and when our actions make peace and we are willing to be persecuted for righteousness’ sake—we are truly blessed.
The first step toward blessing is to recognize our own spiritual poverty. A broken heart and tearful eyes are necessary experiences on the journey toward the source of glory.
Testimonies
Life’s U-Turn
(Traditional Chinese Edition)
With surpassing wisdom and skillful hands, Almighty God has shaped the lives of Blessings-supported seminarians, enabling them to find the dawn of eternity amid the darkness and uncertainty of life. This book presents selected salvation testimonies from Blessings-supported seminarians between 1996 and 2010. Though they come from very different backgrounds, each has experienced new birth through the Holy Spirit and shares a common commitment to cultivate new ground in the field of cultural mission. We firmly believe that God will continue his work in them, shaping them into mature workers for his kingdom.
Life’s U-Turn
Simplified Chinese Edition
With surpassing wisdom and skillful hands, Almighty God has shaped the lives of Blessings-supported seminarians, enabling them to find the dawn of eternity amid the darkness and uncertainty of life. This book presents selected salvation testimonies from Blessings-supported seminarians between 1996 and 2010. Though they come from very different backgrounds, each has experienced new birth through the Holy Spirit and shares a common commitment to cultivate new ground in the field of cultural mission. We firmly believe that God will continue his work in them, shaping them into mature workers for his kingdom.
Life’s U-Turn 2
Evangelistic Literature
Seeking the Truth Beyond Traditions
This book gathers Rev. Grant Chen’s gospel-related articles published in magazines such as Overseas Campus, Blessings, and Behold, as well as some of his lectures to scholars. Some of the content gives special attention to explaining the relationship between Chinese culture and the Christian faith, since this is often one of the greatest obstacles for Chinese people in coming to faith.
Reading this book draws readers toward a deeper desire to know this approachable God and to enter into the richest treasury of truth.
When Scripture Meets Short Stories
This booklet offers one hundred short stories paired with one hundred Scripture passages to illuminate God’s Word, helping readers understand the meaning of the biblical texts and find encouragement. An audiobook disc is also included, allowing readers to listen as well as read.
Through the Fog of Science
Science has had a profound influence on culture and has often shaped the intellectual currents of each generation. For this reason, since the launch of Blessings magazine in October 2001, we have paid close attention to issues related to science and faith. This book collects and organizes science-related articles published over the magazine’s first eleven years, with the hope of clearly guiding readers through the fog of science and into a personal encounter with the Creator who loves and saves us.
The Concept of Ultimate Reality
Interreligious dialogue is an important model of mission in this century. This book is an attempt at dialogue between Christianity and New Confucianism. It is divided into four parts. First, the author gives a broad introduction to the development of metaphysics in Chinese philosophy, from the classical texts to Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism. The second part takes two modern New Confucian scholars, Tu Weiming and Cheng Chung-ying, as examples, comparing their views on ultimate reality and the influences that shaped them. The third part offers a detailed comparison between the two great traditions of Confucianism and Christianity, seeking to establish a creative dialogue between them. Finally, the book discusses the significance of this subject for mission.
Culture
Chinese-Western Cultural Exchange: Retrospect and Prospect
The year 2007 marked the bicentennial of Robert Morrison’s arrival in China. His original purpose in going to China was mission, yet his arrival also opened a new chapter in the history of modern Chinese-Western cultural exchange. In October of that year, the Center for the Study of Christianity and China held an international academic conference in Los Angeles, inviting more than thirty scholars and experts from mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and other regions for in-depth discussion. This book is a collection of papers from that conference, covering topics in history, society, culture, theology, and contemporary realities.
The Spirit of Chinese and Western Cultures and Future Directions
In April 2009, the Center for the Study of Christianity and China and the School of Social Sciences at Shandong University jointly held an academic symposium on “The Spirit of Chinese and Western Cultures and Future Directions.” More than forty China-based scholars and professors shared the results of their research. This book is a collection of papers from that conference, including forty-three essays that explore topics such as traditional culture, Chinese-Western comparisons, science, and religion.
Church and Society in the Context of China’s Modernization
In October 2010, the Center for the Study of Christianity and China and Chung Yuan Christian University in Taiwan jointly held an international academic symposium on “Church and Society in the Context of China’s Modernization.” The symposium brought together fourteen scholars from mainland China, five scholars from Taiwan, as well as scholars from Hong Kong, the United States, Finland, and other regions. The twenty-two papers in this volume cover a wide range of topics and are organized into three major categories: theoretical reflection, studies of key figures, and historical review.
Christianity and the Public Sphere
In December 2011, the Center for the Study of Christianity and China and the Center for the Study of Society and Religion at East China Normal University jointly held an academic symposium on “Christianity and the Public Sphere.” The symposium explored the emergence, development, characteristics, and functions of the public sphere from multiple perspectives, as well as its relationship with Christianity. Since the public sphere first emerged in Western societies, where Christianity has been an important tradition, the two have been historically connected.
Christian Print Media and Modern Chinese Society
In October 2012, the Center for the Study of Christianity and China and the Institute for Religious Studies at Sichuan University jointly held an academic symposium on “Christian Print Media and Modern Chinese Society.” Christianity has long placed great importance on the ministry of the written word. Beginning with the first missionary to China, Robert Morrison, one of the key emphases of mission work was evangelism through printed materials. This work gradually expanded beyond the proclamation of Christian doctrine to include the introduction of modern knowledge, thereby making a significant contribution to the modernization of Chinese society.
Chinese Christian Studies: Inaugural Issue (No. 1)
This journal is a semiannual academic publication sponsored by the Center for the Study of Christianity and China. It was founded in 2014. Its primary purpose is to study the influence of Christianity on Chinese society, history, scholarship, education, culture, politics, international relations, and related fields.
Chinese Christian Studies: 2014 Issue 1 (No. 2)
This journal is a semiannual academic publication sponsored by the Center for the Study of Christianity and China. It was founded in 2014. Its primary purpose is to study the influence of Christianity on Chinese society, history, scholarship, education, culture, politics, international relations, and related fields.
Perspectives on Cultural Mission
“Cultural mission” is centered on the gospel. It challenges inherited and secular worldviews with a biblical worldview, with the ultimate aim of transforming and elevating culture as a whole. The early apostles used the truth revealed by God to transform worldviews shaped and transmitted through Greek culture. The Latin Church Fathers infused Latin culture with a biblical worldview, allowing it to be deconstructed and then reconstructed in Christ. The ultimate goal of cultural mission is to bring the truth of Christ into every sphere of culture.
Christianity and China, Vols. 1–6
This journal was edited by Dr. Zhongxin Wang and sponsored by the Chinese Christian Scholars Association in North America. Published annually, it ran for six volumes from 2003 to 2008, with support from our foundation. Since the mid-nineteenth century, China has undergone tremendous changes, many of which have been closely connected to the influence and contributions of Christianity. Today, as Chinese society continues to experience unprecedented change and faces various problems and crises, Christianity remains an important cultural resource for social and cultural renewal.