FIRST STEPS
Why I Joined GoLiveServe in China
– An Associate’s Perspective
I am a young professional who served as a tentmaker for four years in Beijing. They were amazing years filled with personal discovery, rich experiences, spiritual impact, professional growth, and authentic relationships built for a lifetime. Opportunities for outreach and discipleship were plentiful in and out of the workplace, as I sought to be like Christ for His honor and pleasure.
As rewarding and fruitful as those years were, there were challenges on multiple fronts – ministry, vocation, spirituality, family, and emotional health – that often threatened to derail me from completing His work. I could not have stayed on course without the support and encouragement of my mentors and the GLS network.
Unique Privilege for Unique Times: Tentmaking
To understand the importance of joining a supportive network, one must first understand the unique privileges and challenges of tentmaking. Through their professions, tentmakers can access social groups that ministers usually cannot access at the church. These include key influencers in society such as company CEOs and government officials.
Not only is the vocation of tentmaking unique, but also the responsibilities of tentmakers are unfamiliar and demanding. In China’s dynamic economy, job descriptions may look similar to those in North America, but in practice include many challenges and complexities that increase the pressure of working in a cross-cultural environment.
Although tentmaking is a challenging task, for those of us called by God to this unique role, there is no greater adventure. We can witness for Him with our every word, decision, action, and attitude “24/7”.
I had the privilege of leading a Bible study at work during lunch time with two colleagues, one believer and one non-believer. The believer became stronger in her faith and witnessed to our entire department. She eventually led our department head to the Lord, who is now in heaven. My role was simply to live out my professional life with integrity and intentionality.
Career Mentoring
For long term effectiveness on the field, selecting a suitable professional platform is vital. Developing a strong marriage between vocation and personal interest is also important. Simply put, we won’t last long in our jobs unless we enjoy doing it. Mentors who are knowledgeable about tentmaking and in tune with China’s political, social, and economic realities could illuminate choices that match personal passions with missions.
That was why I transferred from another sending agency after one and a half years of living in Beijing. I wanted to serve young professional women in and through my profession, but the previous agency had very few professionals and was less able to guide me in marketplace ministry.
GLS helped me to approach my career strategically. Sometimes, the best job in terms of skills and experiences, salary and benefits, career mobility, and growth potential may not be the best job when considered against other factors relevant to tentmaking – one’s ministry, stage in life, family, or even long term viability in China.
On the flip side, those jobs that serve the latter interests well may not yield the greatest dividends for career success. This tension in making career decisions exists for many tentmakers.
Therefore, exchanging insights with other kingdom-minded professionals in China is critical to a tentmaker’s continued effectiveness. Being connected to the network also gave me access to experts on both sides of the Pacific.
Soul Care
My mentors also helped me to see the importance of self-care. Through regular visits and emails throughout the year, they asked the right questions and spoke truth into my issues. My life became open for inner transformation and breakthroughs, which enabled me to help others.
Specific, concerted prayer is essential for ministry effectiveness. The network mobilizes regular prayer support for me through daily prayer emails and monthly prayer meetings. The pastoral staff was also quick to activate the prayer chain in emergencies. I felt heavy burdens lifted from my heart whenever I am reminded of the prayer support at home.
Like-minded Community
There was never a moment when I could not share my heart and struggles with my fellow associates. In cities like Beijing, international churches provide Christian fellowship, but fellow tentmakers can hold one another accountable to their vision and purpose in ways that heterogeneous and loosely organized small group structures cannot.
As part of the same network, we shared the same Kingdom values, the same love for the people we worked among, and the same desire to make Christ known in the workplace. We have our own jobs but because of our common interest and commitment, our friendship start on a higher level than a typical Christian community.
Expanded Ministry Opportunities
Another reason why I joined this network was to do ministry with other professionals. My friend, PL, is a prayer partner as well as a fellow associate of GLS. When we discovered that we share a desire to disciple young professional women, we launched a women’s small group. Given our busy work schedules – I as a training manager at a large corporation and PL as business director of a brand new IT startup company – our integration of ministry, friendship, and organizational affiliation was efficient and energizing. It deepened our community as we lived and served together, and yielded more fruits as well.
No organization or network can meet the needs and preferences of everyone. In selecting the right network, Christian professionals must consider their mission prayerfully and identify the support that they need to achieve their best on the field. Self-awareness is pivotal.
My China tentmaking experience is a story about God’s faithfulness. Through the community of like-minded peers and mentors whose words, lifestyles, gifts, and service inspired and taught me, I was able to serve the young Chinese working women that He had called me to influence. May you also experience His guidance and providence in your journey!
