Development of Chinese Church Leaders: A Study of Relational Leadership in Contemporary Chinese Churches

Confucianism and its influence on culture in East Asia has profoundly impacted Chinese churches and the development of their leaders. As a cultural force it continues to affect the perceptions and practices of Chinese pastors and how they lead. This work seeks to build an indigenous approach to developing church leaders by understanding the theoretical, and the situational foundations, of relational leadership from both cultural and biblical perspectives. The research is further enriched through case studies and interviews observing the practices of leadership in contemporary Chinese churches. Dr. Lui's ground-breaking study of the Church in China brings to light the wonderful role of local leadership in nurturing congregations through the turbulent times of social transition. The research on developing leaders builds on studies in leadership and the role indigenous cultures have on the transmission of faith. Comparing cultural insights from traditional values with the biblical understandings of local congregations, Dr. Lui brings a new appreciation for the role of informal mentoring from one generation to the next. This important work explores the role of leadership development during the period of China's emergence on the global stage. Doug McConnell, PhD Provost and Senior Vice President Professor of Leadership and Intercultural Studies Fuller Theological Seminary OTTO LUI is the Associate General Secretary of Christian Communications Ltd. (CCL). He holds a MDiv from Lutheran Theological Seminary, Hong Kong and a PhD from Fuller Theological Seminary, California, USA. He has been involved in ministry within China since 1995 and continues his work in developing church leaders in both Hong Kong and mainland China. Otto currently lives in Hong Kong with his wife and two daughters. Langham Monographs is an academic imprint that serves evangelical scholars from the Majority World by disseminating their work widely in an affordable and accessible format.