Rev. Jen’s Dream: Equip the Church in China
June 22, 2016 • Chinese
Anticipating what would have been the 90th birthday of Rev. Isaac Jen, ReFrame Ministries (BTGMI) is releasing a special anniversary issue of Rev. Jen’s book, Systematic Theology.
The book, first published in Chinese in 1974, the year Rev. Jen started the Chinese media ministry of BTGMI, was and still is one of the few systematic theology resources available in China.
“We are printing this special memorial edition both to honor Rev. Jen’s contribution to Chinese ministry and to fulfill his desire to provide solidly Reformed resources for believers and church leaders in China,” explains Pastor Jerry An, current ministry leader for BTGMI Chinese media outreach.
“Our plan is to send this book as a free gift to churches and seminaries in mainland China,” Pastor An adds.
Laisin Cheung, BTGMI Chinese ministry administrator, says the idea came as the staff was taking inventory of resources tucked away in the BTGMI vault. “Jerry immediately recognized that there was still a need for a resource like this, and we began to dream how God could use this book for ministry today,” says Laisin, who also served as the editor for the book.
They did some research online and discovered that the book, which remains very popular in China, had been published on a website without their knowledge. When they contacted the publisher, he was grateful to learn the original source of the book, because he had royalty money he wanted to give the Jen family.
“The Jen family wholeheartedly backs the project and decided that the royalty funding would serve as seed money for printing the anniversary edition of the book,” notes Laisin. “In fact, the family is financially supporting the entire project.”
BTGMI printed 2,000 copies of the memorial edition. The majority of the books will be distributed to Chinese pastors at a September 2016 mission conference in South Korea. The remaining copies will be strategically sent to church leaders in Taiwan and mainland China.
Rev. Jen passed away in 1998 and the family is thankful that their father’s ministry will continue through this book. Rev. Jen’s son, Casey expressed, “Thank you for all of your work in this important Gospel project.”
BTGMI Director Kurt Selles comments, “During 1987-1993, when I was a missionary in Taiwan, I saw Rev. Jen’s Systematic Theology widely used by seminaries and churches. Later, in my 13 years in Beijing, I witnessed that this book was equipping many young pastors with a solid Christian theological foundation. Now many of these pastors are church leaders. The memorial edition of this book will not only remember one faithful servant of God, but also show how God continues to use one person’s faithfulness as a blessing to many.”
Join us in praying that God will use this book to strengthen the church in China as pastors become better equipped to disciple believers and offer the Gospel to seekers.