Book Description

For the Chinese Churches on the Chinese mainland, the Back to Jerusalem Movement became the catalyst for the evangelical revival of the church and a turning point in their missionary role in the propagation of the gospel. Originally founded in the 1940s as an eschatological movement with the aim of preaching the gospel westwards towards Jerusalem to prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, by the 1980s, despite persecution, Back to Jerusalem was known not only in the western part of China but also by the Chinese house church leaders who fled outside to the West for asylum. However, as a modern evangelical movement, the Chinese Churches' Back to Jerusalem Movement is under scrutiny for its theological foundation and authenticity. This book seeks to answer questions and criticism and fill the gap in Bible Studies and biblical criticism. The author traces the historical roots of the Back to Jerusalem Movement in China and establishes the scriptural sources in both the Old Testament and New Testament for the benefit of the Chinese Churches today and for their vision and development in the future. Recent mission history has thrown up some resounding slogans that owe more to pragmatic zeal than to clear biblical teaching. Ezra Jin demonstrates that the well-known 'Back to Jerusalem' phrase need not fall victim to that accusation. He surveys in careful exegetical depth the place of Jerusalem/Zion both in the eschatology of the book of Isaiah and in the theology and practice of the Apostle Paul. On this foundation he claims that 'Back to Jerusalem' can be properly understood as a missional vision with biblical roots and that it should not be identified with Christian Zionism, dis- pensationalism, or (at the other extreme) replacement theologies. In fact he strongly warns his Chinese churches to have the theological maturity to avoid such views. is call to the Chinese church is to see 'Back to Jerusalem' as a part - a theologically and strategically significant part, but still only a part - of that wider biblical mandate that summons all Christians of every nationality to engage in God's world-wide mission from all nations to all nations. Christopher J.H.Wright, Langham Partnership, author The Mission of God Discover the Back to Jerusalem movement. This book invites serious reflection and leads to growing expectation with regards to the Back to Jerusalem vision as a movement from all nations, not only from China. Stimulate your imagination on how you can engage in this emerging movement out of this documented history of a committed few. As a respected leader in China, author Rev. Ezra (Mingri) Jin speaks for Christians throughout the nation but he is increasingly being heard around the world. His amazing story has been written up in the Wall Street Journal and in the Chicago Tribune. Don't miss it. Luis Bush, Transform World Connections Ezra Jin was born in Heilongjiang, the North-East part of China. He graduated from Beijing University and Yanjing Seminary. In 2002, he studied abroad in Fuller Theological Seminary. Under the supervision of the well-known New Testament scholar Dr. Seyoon Kim, he completed his research entitled, ""'Back to Jerusalem with All Nations': a Critical Examination of the Biblical Foundations of the 'Back to Jerusalem Movement' of Chinese Churches,"" and received his D.Min degree. In 2008, he returned to China and started Zion Church in Beijing. Pastor Ezra Jin is the founder of China Christian Seminary (Beijing) and is currently the New Testament and Urban Ministry Professor. He is also the co- founder of the Mission China 2030 and Church Planting Partner. His work also includes ""Emerging Urban Churches in China"" (CCRC 2014).