Each winter, because the Lunar New 12 months (LNY) approaches, Andrea Lee helps her Chinese language congregation in Southern California, New Life Christian Middle, put together purple envelopes, the standard Chinese language means of giving items in the course of the vacation.
However these aren’t simply any unusual ones hong bao (红包, “purple envelopes”). Whereas they embrace crisp one-dollar payments, in addition they embrace bookmarks with Bible verses designed and printed by the church. In the course of the LNY season, members of the congregation distribute them to newcomers and those that attend church celebrations, which regularly embrace a meal collectively and the pastor's sermon.
“It's a technique to honor Chinese language custom, unfold a way of heat and goodwill among the many Chinese language diaspora,” mentioned Lee, ChinaSource's content material supervisor. “The older individuals within the church are particularly delighted and the youngsters find it irresistible too. The joyful faces of the outdated, the middle-aged and the younger, of all ages, together with the pastor's gospel message and encouragement, foster a way of residence and belonging.”
In Chinese language tradition, the colour purple means celebration, and purple envelopes symbolize luck and prosperity. In the course of the Spring Competition, Chinese language people typically jokingly say to one another, “Gong xi fa cai, hong bao na lai” (恭喜发财，红包拿来), which suggests: “Congratulations in your luck, however give me the purple packet first.” At present, the digital model of this playful follow has additionally moved to the realm of the Chinese language social community WeChat, the place individuals can nearly “pluck” purple envelopes.
On the whole, giving purple envelopes goes solely in a single route: from elders to the (single) youthful era, from adults to youngsters, and from employed to college students. The precise quantity positioned within the purple envelope varies. For individuals who aren’t significantly shut, a nominal quantity will suffice as a symbolic gesture. Solely between family members or on particular events resembling firm events the place bonuses could also be paid to staff is a considerable amount of money concerned.
Christians are more and more appropriating hong bao for the ends of the gospel. In Singapore, a Christian artwork reward firm teamed up with native church buildings to design a collection of purple gospel envelopes (known ashoarseness” in Singapore) representing the 37 miracles carried out by Jesus. One other agency, The Commandment Co., used “God's Creation” as a theme for its purple envelope collection, depicting God's plentiful blessings via colourful patterns.
To study extra about how Chinese language Christians on the mainland and within the diaspora are utilizing purple envelopes for his or her ministry, CT spoke with seven pastors and leaders of church buildings and ministries in 5 cities.
Chinese language diaspora
All leaders of abroad Chinese language church buildings and organizations that CT spoke with confirmed that handing out purple gospel envelopes in the course of the Spring Competition is a typical follow of their congregations, they usually felt optimistic about it.
Agnese Tan, Editor-in-Chief, See journalAngels:
Pink envelopes are a great tool for evangelism, creating a way of welcome and goodwill. We prefer to put a 25 cent coin, a greenback invoice, or a chocolate gold coin inside to represent a blessing and convey a sense of welcoming.
[As Christians], we all know that some will come to eat and “benefit from the church.” However we do it as a result of we actually get pleasure from volunteering to serve others. We achieve this with out anticipating gratitude or something in return, and chorus from complaining that our friends are solely there to eat.
James Hwang, former director of the Chinese language division of the Far East Broadcasting Firm, Los Angeles:
Though my church's purple envelope accommodates solely a symbolic gesture of a greenback, the recipient continues to be blissful to obtain it. His presence permits the pastor to elaborate on the symbolism of the “restoration of all issues” (Revelation 21:5) and to create a selected Chinese language pun (in Chinese language, 一元, “one greenback”, can imply “the start of all issues”). At the side of the determine eight phew (“blessing”), i.e. beatitudes, printed in Chinese language on purple envelopes, on this context embodies the essence of the gospel tract.
Nan Qiu, editor of the Australian version The Herald Month-to-month in Brisbane, Australia:
If we as Christians stay vigilant and don’t succumb to the love of cash related to the secular custom of handing out purple envelopes, then distributing purple envelopes of the gospel can function a technique to be part of within the enjoyable of constructing the Good Information extra down-to-earth. It’s a follow that may accommodate conventional customs whereas serving the aim of glorifying God and benefiting others.
Karen Wong, Christian author, Hong Kong:
Word: In Hong Kong, cash contained in a purple envelope is known as “lai see ” (revenue).
We print at my church lai see envelopes with Bible verses and put a small amount of cash in them. Other than the outer envelope, it’s indistinguishable from the unusual purple envelopes distributed amongst pals and family members.
I’ve additionally heard of unbelieving pals who acquired purple envelopes from church buildings, however after they noticed Bible verses inside along with cash, they felt uncomfortable as a result of they felt they had been being transformed.
One other drawback of the gospel lai see envelope is that recipients don't need to learn verses or Christian messages – most individuals will rapidly throw away a paper card or envelope printed with such phrases.
Chen Daode, Southern Baptist Pastor, Los Angeles:
Pink envelopes and the Spring Competition are cultural symbols of the Chinese language. Christians categorical their love for his or her neighbors with particular objects (resembling purple envelopes) at a sure time (in the course of the Spring Competition), which is a chance to construct relationships, similar to sending out Christmas playing cards at Christmas.
We should always not anticipate an excessive amount of from the evangelistic efforts of the purple envelope distribution course of. The principle objective of distributing purple gospel envelopes is to construct relationships and convey goodwill. That’s the reason we strategy the outcomes of the distribution of gospel purple envelopes with sensible and relaxed expectations.
mainland China
Pastors and church leaders of mainland Chinese language home church buildings advised CT that their church buildings didn’t distribute gospel purple envelopes in the course of the Spring Competition, they usually had not heard of different Chinese language home church buildings doing so. A few of them mentioned they had been “not opposed” to the follow, whereas others mentioned they might “not help” it.
These pastors imagine that the distinction in strategy to distributing purple gospel envelopes between abroad Chinese language Christians and mainland Chinese language Christians in home church buildings is principally resulting from cultural variations attributable to completely different environments.
Word: CT interviewed a number of pastors and leaders in China and two of them are quoted under.
Han Jianshe (pseudonym for safety causes), residence church pastor, Shanghai:
Our companies are the appliance of our theology to particular conditions. I really feel that abroad Chinese language church buildings may be influenced by the gospel motion and place extra significance on evangelism. A tradition of handing out purple envelopes might help obtain the purpose of “reaching info” and assembly “evangelism KPIs” – the rejection fee could be very low, so I can see why this type of ministry mannequin could be adopted.
Nonetheless, the final tradition of giving purple envelopes has declined amongst home church buildings in China. In right now's city tradition, accepting purple envelopes from strangers often results in suspicion fairly than [being perceived as] a pleasant gesture to interrupt the ice.
From my private pastoral perspective, we have now so some ways to evangelise the gospel to individuals, whether or not from the Sunday pulpit or via every day conversations, charity and mercy companies or witnessing within the office.
It’s subsequently not a superb follow to hold out the unfold of the gospel via a declining cultural phenomenon. Furthermore, the customized of giving purple envelopes has people spiritual origins, so we’re extra cautious with this follow (Chinese language Christians with fundamentalist leanings often oppose “fortunate cash” as a result of the thought originated from bribing spirits and gods).
Sean Lengthy, pastor of a metropolis home church in China is presently learning for a doctorate in theology in the USA:
We should be cautious in our strategy to the connection between the gospel, religion and tradition, fairly than merely lumping them collectively.
One of many potential pitfalls of spreading the purple envelopes of the gospel is the danger of materializing the blessings that God bestows on individuals. Even from the perspective of Chinese language tradition, the actual great thing about celebrating the Lunar New 12 months lies primarily in household reunions and expressions of affection, not in profitable cash from mahjong or receiving purple envelopes. Furthermore, from the perspective of the values of the Christian religion, materials blessings aren’t equal to the blessings of the gospel. The best blessing that God supplies for us is in Jesus Christ.
In mild of those potential shortcomings of church buildings handing out purple envelopes, I want to recommend a constructive and modern concept for utilizing purple envelopes within the ministry of care.
When the church spreads the purple envelopes of the gospel to extra successfully embody the spirit of the gospel “it’s extra blessed to present than to obtain”, we may use actual cash filled with purple envelopes to help and assist these in want, resembling refugees and the impoverished. and weak.
However the church wouldn’t put the cash immediately into the purple envelopes. As an alternative, the church would offer an outer cowl and put a gospel leaflet or scripture blessing card inside, after which distribute these purple envelopes with out cash to brothers and sisters who, if moved by the Holy Spirit, would contribute a sure amount of cash. after which distribute them to these in want, expressing Christian love.
