On the morning of January 10, 2023, CCC&TSPM held a video conference with the Singapore Four Denominations Chinese Churches Committee (hereafter referred to as “SFDCCC”). Rev. Xu Xiaohong, Chairperson of National TSPM, Rev. Wu Wei, President of CCC, and Rev. Shen Xuebin, Vice President of CCC, attended by video link. The two sides communicated on the situations of churches in the two countries since the COVID-19 outbreak, and had an in-depth and friendly exchange on theological reflection in the post-pandemic context, as well as the ministries of the Chinanization of Christianity in China and so forth.

The exchange was hosted by Bishop Low Jee King, Board member of SFDCCC. Rev. Goh Nai Lat, Chairman of the Board first gave a speech and congratulated the reopening of the Holy Trinity Cathedral on December 12, 2022. He appreciated the years-long friendly interactions between CCC&TSPM and SFDCCC, and expected to sustain the beautiful friendship between each other through this meeting. He also made an invitation to CCC&TSPM to visit Singapore.

Rev. Xu Xiaohong then delivered a speech and extended greetings on behalf of CCC&TSPM. Rev. Xu said that we were all facing the common problem of how to develop the church in the post-pandemic era. He stressed that the Church in China was now actively promoting the Chinanization of Christianity in China. The ultimate goal was to make Christianity more acceptable by the Chinese people and to integrate Christian culture with the excellent traditional Chinese culture through the Chinanization, so as to completely reshape its image as a “foreign religion”. He also extended gratitude to SFDCCC for their donations to the Church in China during the pandemic, and welcomed them to visit in the future.

Rev. Wu Wei, who attended the meeting in Beijing, greeted the participants of SFDCCC through video conferencing, and especially expressed thankfulness to Mr. Kua Wee Seng, Consultant of SFDCCC. Rev. Wu said that the fellow workers of the two sides had reviewed their former interactions and it was the Lord’s grace and love that connected us together.

Bishop Titus Chung, President of National Council of Churches of Singapore, Bishop Lu Guan Hoe, Vice President of NCCS, and Rt. Rev. Teoh Boo Cheow, the synod moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Singapore and Vice President of NCCS, responded to the greetings separately.

During the exchange and sharing session, Rev. Goh Nai Lat suggested that CCC&TSPM consider inviting some overseas Chinese churches to get involved in the studies and exchanges on Chinanization of Christianity in China, which could promote further understanding and engagement from all walks of life. Rev. Xu Xiaohong and Rev. Wu Wei responded respectively.

Finally, Bishop Titus Chung rounded this exchange off with a thanksgiving prayer.

Ms. Gu Jingqin, interim chief of the Overseas Relations Department of CCC&TSPM, and other members of CCC&TSPM participated in this virtual meeting.

Translated and edited by Bei Sang.