The only thing changing is who does the boots-on-the-ground Bible distribution. 

“It’s more difficult than it used to be in terms of the details and getting that all set up, the funds in, and the Bibles purchased and delivered, but it’s still effective, and the product and resources are still there, and the opportunity still exists,” he said.  

 Not only are people getting scripture, but lives are being changed. 

For example, Rovenstine recently attended a Bible forum where different organizations shared stories about the efficacy of spreading the Word. 

One of these organizations shared the story about one of their current gospel workers in the Muslim world.

About 40 years ago, this man’s father had been a seafarer and received a Bible at a port in New Orleans. 

This Muslim seafarer was grateful for the gift, but tucked it away and took it home and neglected it, Rovenstine said.

(Image courtesy of Bibles for China)

Years later, his son found the Bible, and it became the pathway to faith in Jesus for him. 

Over time, this man came to faith and was able to connect with Christians, creating content online. 

“It was an encouragement to know that the Word of God, at the right place, at the right time, can make a difference,” Rovenstine said. 

One of Bibles for China’s ministries is to provide Bibles to chaplains who reach out to the Seafarer community. 

And they have a New Testament that is specifically designed in English and Mandarin to give to Chinese seafarers that chaplains distribute at ports all over the world. 

 Rovenstine says, “We are approaching another printing of that particular piece, and we’d love to have help in that process.” 

“The process is still moving forward.”  Rovenstine says, “We’re placing Bibles through networks that we’ve created and partnerships that we’ve created in China. Bibles are printed in China under the press. The oversight there is impeccable, and the scriptures have integrity. They’re not altered. They’re not changed. We help to purchase those Bibles and get them to locations where people may not have the opportunity to have a Bible (otherwise).”

The work of chaplains at these seaports is difficult, Rovenstine says. Often, it feels like the work does not make a difference, but now and then a conversation or a Bible placed in someone’s hands really does. 

Please pray that Bible distributors will be encouraged and that chaplains reaching out to seafarers will have appropriate responses for those with difficult lives. 

Pray for those who receive the Word that they’re drawn to it, that they read it and respond to the truth, that they find God and engage with Him. 

Header image courtesy of Bibles for China

Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China says the Communist Party’s goal is to keep the peace.

“Their goal is for there to be harmony and unity within China, and for them, that is the majority, Han-based, Mandarin-speaking harmony, communist ideology,” Rovenstine said.

From their perspective, if the government can maintain harmony, it can provide for the comfort and prosperity of its people.

(Image courtesy of Bibles for China)

“They’re simply governing their country in a way that they deem best, in their opinion,” Rovenstine said.

To Rovenstine, this is not a surprising move on China’s part. It’s Communist China being Communist China.

At the government level, it would be easier to govern China through control, demanding one language, a singular culture, and a mindset that is “best for everyone.” However, diversity and independent culture suffer.

“There is a very real opportunity for abuse and overreach in a policy such as this,” Rovenstine says.

While this is not an overt attack on Christianity or any other religious or ethnic minority groups in the country, it could be used as the next in a string of policies in China that seek to control, suppress, and assimilate people.

If this new law does lead to religious persecution, Rovenstine thinks individual provinces and leaders will take advantage of this.

To the people in China, Rovenstine says this is not new.

“They learn how to make adjustments in ministry, whether it’s a registered church, house church, or just somebody trying to live their life in China,” he says.

Please pray for wisdom for those who are wondering how this policy will affect their ability to share the gospel and live their lives in a way that’s consistent with Jesus’ model.

Pray for the wisdom to know when to pivot and that believers will be encouraged and will continue to live in obedience to God and to serve in the country where God has placed them.

(Photo courtesy of Karwin Luo/Unsplash)

“The way these articles are framed and the statements that they make, I think you have to be able to dig a little bit deeper to find out what is really the issue,” says Rovenstine.

So what is true?

In the article referenced, China is mentioned alongside Saudi Arabia and North Korea as some of the most dangerous countries to possess a Bible—Rovenstine notes this misrepresents the reality. China is not in the top three for limited access, but it is on the list of countries where access to the Bible is most restricted.

The article also claims the Chinese government is “removing the Bible from online retailers and replacing it with a ‘sanitized’ version.”

“We’ve not seen any of that,” says Rovenstine. “Nobody who’s claiming that has ever shown us that or actually produced one of these compromised Bibles.”

Most significantly, he notes the Bible is not banned in China—but it can be difficult to get one.

“Right now the Bible is relatively accessible. I mean, we still have a great number of requests and opportunities to do Bible distribution.”

(Photo courtesy of Bibles for China via Facebook)

Having a Bible or buying one is not illegal in China. People traveling to China can also bring their Bible, even as a gift for someone within the country. However, they can’t be purchased just anywhere, and printing of the Bible is limited by the government. Bibles for China works with Amity Printing Press, which has approval to print a limited number of Bibles a year.

“They’re printed by the millions,” says Rovenstine. “That’s not enough, but we want to make sure that what is being printed is accessible to those who may not have the opportunity to possess a Bible.”

There are still several challenges with distributing the Bible in China. There simply are not as many Bibles available as there are people who want access to one, and the underground church faces greater challenges than the registered church. On top of that, there is still a need to reach areas of China that are more rural or have lower economic positions. Rovenstine notes there are some places the Bible could be available but not accessible simply because it hasn’t been translated into different minority languages.

“There’s still challenges, absolutely, but there’s still opportunity that we need to be pursuing and taking advantage of, until those opportunities are not available to us anymore.”

He asks believers to continue supporting Bible translation and distribution around the world.

“Over a million Bibles that Bibles for China has had the privilege of helping to distribute are in the hands of people just like me who are reading those Bibles, and the Holy Spirit is working on their lives in those moments. I thought that’s really cool, that the Bible is doing its good work, and we need to make sure that good work is available to anybody who has a desire for that.”

How to Pray:

• Pray for the good work of Bible translation and distribution.
• Pray Bibles for China continues to have opportunities to do the work they’ll called to—that roadblock and logistics would be eased, so they can continue to put Bibles in the hands of those who desire them.
• Pray God would soften the hearts and attitudes of those in China who are making decisions around distribution.

Header photo courtesy of Bibles for China. 

Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China says, “It’s a big deal if you’re Chinese, or know anybody that is from China or has Chinese heritage. That is a major celebration. The country shuts down. Everybody goes to visit family… It’s a time of great celebration, but it’s also an opportunity for ministry and outreach. Just to maybe if someone in your circle is Chinese to reach out and wish him a happy Chinese New Year and kind of strengthen that relationship that you have with him.”

Christians in China

Unfortunately, the changing year in China likely won’t mark a change in the attitudes toward Christians. Rovenstine says the church continues to face a tightening of reins. For many, the current restrictions bring to mind years where the older generations faced significant opposition to church activity.

“There is an opportunity within the church where there’ll be some kind of coming together. People who experienced some of the freedom of 2000 to 2016, ’17, ’18 – in there, when things seemed to be opening up – maybe are now having to step back and ask those who went through more difficult times, ‘How do we manage this?’”

(Image courtesy of Bibles for China)

In the West, that discussion can be a difficult one. Many times, it is challenging to get information passed between generations. However, in China, Rovenstine is hopeful the cultural differences will work to assist the younger generations.

“One of the wonderful dynamics of the Chinese culture is that respect for the past and the elders that have gone through things that younger people have not. So there’s a culture there that is very conducive to that kind of passing along with wisdom. I think we need to be praying for the church that wisdom does get passed on.”

Rovenstine is hopeful that the New Year celebration will be a time for some of that wisdom to be passed on. In addition to discussions within the church, Rovenstine says that with all the traveling and family time, the Chinese New Year is a great opportunity to give a truly meaningful gift.

Sharing Scripture as a Gift

One of their partner churches requested Bibles to pass out as part of their church celebrations. Rovenstine encourages Christians in or outside of China to consider making that part of their New Year celebration as well.

“For somebody that has a friend that’s of Chinese heritage, or recently come from China, to be able to acknowledge that significant celebration in that individual’s life and culture, and then to provide a gift of this children’s Bible to them that they could use, either in their own reading or maybe to take back to China.”

If you would like to share a Chinese Bible with someone who needs one, request one here. If you want to support the ministry of Bibles for China, click here.

Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Bruce Emmerling via Pixabay

Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China says they’re working carefully and patiently as new laws add limits. “It’s never our goal to break a law or put our Chinese brothers and sisters in danger,” he explains. “But there’s often a question as to what a regulation really means.”

The new regulations also pressure believers to align more closely with the Communist Party. Rovenstine says practical challenges are growing too: “Getting funding into China is a challenge. Organizing the distributions are a challenge because of the permissions that are required.”

There is a great need for the Living Word in China (Representative photo: Chinese farmer; photo courtesy of Zhengfan Yang via Unsplash)

Another major hurdle is staying connected with local partners without putting them at risk.

“What we want to do is be able to interact with and see the process and have conversations and encourage our brothers and sisters in China,” he says.

Even with restrictions, God provides encouragement.

“We continue to receive requests for Bibles, and we do our best to meet them — it just takes more time,” adds Rovenstine.

On another occasion, Rovenstine’s team couldn’t meet with the Bible school they support through donations. However, God provided another way to meet the graduates.

“As providence of the Holy Spirit’s guidance would have it, we arrived and worshiped on a day where they were celebrating a significant anniversary of that Bible school, and they had the students sing two songs for the congregation. One of the students that was graduating preached the message!” shares Rovenstine.

It was a reminder that God is still at work — and that their efforts are bearing fruit.

Please pray for more open doors for the ministry. “Pray for opportunities that may arise that we’re yet unaware of, that God would lead us to a place to be able to deploy resources,” says Rovenstine.

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Header photo: Guard in Nanjing (photo courtesy of Abderrahmane Habibi via Pexels).

On January 1, China will begin enforcing a revised Law of Public Order Offenses. The measure updates the Public Security Administration Punishments Law and bans organizing or inciting others to participate in superstitious, sect, secret-society, or illegal religious activities.

Kurt Rovenstine of Bibles for China says the concern centers on how the law defines religion. “That’s where there’s concern is this last ‘illegal religious activity’, because it’s ill-defined,” he says.

Chongqing, China (Pphoto courtesy of Zekai Zhu via Pexels)

Rovenstine explains that when key terms are vague, enforcement can expand beyond public order into restricting faith practice. That ambiguity could open a legal pathway to limit some Christian activities.

“That just seems like an open door for someone that doesn’t really know what’s religious, legal or illegal, maybe to take advantage of that and make life a little more difficult for some of our friends there [in China],” says Rovenstine.

Under the revised law, violators can face five to ten days in detention or a fine of up to one thousand yuan. More serious cases could bring up to fifteen days in detention and higher fines.

It may not feel like a dramatic shift overnight, but it is another step toward narrowing freedoms. The broader pattern of legal and ideological restrictions includes banning foreign missionary activity, limiting access to online ministry, controlling sacred music, and tightening laws that restrict teaching children about Christianity.

Pray for wisdom for Chinese believers as they navigate daily Christian life and Gospel sharing.

“There’s wisdom and boldness to function within a world that has new laws every month that they have to try to navigate through,” says Rovenstine.

Another prayer request is for more Chinese to have access to Scripture, so they can endure trials with the wisdom and encouragement found in God’s Word. Visit Bibles for China to join a noble calling of providing a living water for the Chinese believers!

Header photo:A close-up of a Chinese STOP sign (photo courtesy of Tao Yuan via Unsplash).

Bibles for China’s Kurt Rovenstine attended the YouVersion celebration Monday in Oklahoma City. He says, “It was a reminder to us — as a ministry that works in Bible distribution — of the importance of Bible distribution.

“It celebrated the growing desire for people to find truth and that people are searching for truth – and the Bible is a place where they’re going to find that.”

(Photo courtesy of Brooke Cagle/Unsplash)

The ceremony highlighted testimonies of individuals coming to faith through Scripture accessed digitally.

Yet, Rovenstine also underscores the reality that not everyone has access to the Bible. In China where his ministry serves, Bible apps can be controlled.

“The digital piece is a challenge, and YouVersion in most parts of China is probably not available,” says Rovenstine.

“So part of that encouragement at that celebration was also a reminder that online and digital is great, but it also can be restricted. If you don’t have it physically, it may not be available. So we’re reminded that whereas the Bible is very accessible and desired by many, it’s still a challenge.”

Pray that the one billion YouVersion downloads will result in one billion transformed lives. Pray also that more people in China and around the world get their hands on God’s Word.

Header photo: YouVersion Bible app (Photo courtesy of Priscilla du Preez/Unsplash)

New restrictions from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claim greater authority over religious expression, this time in the digital sphere. 

Just eighteen short paragraphs make up “Regulations on the Online Behavior of Religious Clergy,” published September 15. But together, the articles state that online preaching and teaching can be shared only through government-licensed platforms. Teaching children, raising funds, and using AI in evangelism online are also prohibited, along with much more. (Read the full English translation of the articles here.) 

(Courtesy of Bibles for China)

“The internet is a wonderful thing. But it’s also the renegade information stream in the world. There is very little accountability,” says Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China.

He says the new regulations are a natural progression of where the CCP is taking the nation. 

“[In] the last year, there’s been restrictions on gatherings — who can gather where, and with what kind of supervision, the restriction of any kind of foreign influence on in-person meetings,” Rovenstine notes. “That has continued to progress in a way that gives China much more control in the ‘Sinicization’ of all things religious and Chinese.”

He says while the September 15 restrictions are not surprising, they are disappointing, “because the regulations not only affect the churches in China, but it is targeting a lot of people who are working outside of China and trying to get content into China.” 

Think of Christian leaders in China who have been walking the line between government regulations and following Christ. The new rules will require creativity from them and from believers outside of China in order to disciple others and share the gospel. It will call for risk. 

“It’s a ‘wait and see’ [situation]. I do think there will be a lot of people from outside of China [who] will challenge this. It will be a game of chess on the internet,” says Rovenstine.

Let this news help you pray more strategically for fellow Christians in China. A brother who works in China told Rovenstine, “Our response [to Chinese Christian leaders who feel trapped] is to feel their frustration and pray for the courage and tenacity in the midst of new challenges every day.”

Rovenstine adds, “[Pray] that God would give them creativity and courage to know [what] He’s leading them to do, to continue to be the spiritual leaders within China and be obedient to the Word of God and not the mandates of man.”

Header photo courtesy of Karwin Luo/Unsplash.

Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China explains, “Proselytizing kids in China is against regulations and policies, and it’s pretty closely monitored.” 

Whether you’re a Christian or a Chinese Communist Party member, it’s clear why kids are so important: “You affect kids, you change a generation,” says Rovenstine. 

Christians want the next generation to know Jesus personally. The Chinese government has different goals. This summer, officials in Shanghai trained kids to reject the religious groups the government has deemed illegal or xie jiao (“evil cults”).

(Photo courtesy of Jerry Wang via Unsplash)

Bibles for China works legally in China, without opposing the government. But Rovenstine says the situation calls for prayer and action. 

“Anytime there’s a challenge, God equips His people with creativity, opens doors and creates avenues for the gospel to move forward in spite of what is inhibiting it,” Rovenstine says. 

Today, Bibles for China is printing children’s Bibles in Mandarin outside the country, plus other resources. These can be carried into China by hand.

“I had an email [recently] from the gentleman that took some of our children’s Bibles. He’s been sharing them with people that are headed back to China, and they’re taking them back two and three at a time,” Rovenstine says. This method isn’t a problem because the Chinese government “is just trying to make sure they’re not being printed and distributed in mass.”

Pray that every Bible and resource reaches the right family and child at the right time with the good news of Christ!

Pray that God will open the eyes of kids being taught false things about God. Pray that they will look for truth and find it in Scripture. 

Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Note Thanun/Unsplash. 

Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China said the report is sobering but no reason for Christians to slow down.

“I’m not here to debate the data or even to analyze it as much as to say how easy it is to get caught up in what we feel and what we hope, rather than what may actually be the reality,” he says. 

The new report is a shift away from the narrative circulated in the 2010s. The story then was that China would soon be the nation with the most Christians in the world. With Pew’s adjusted data, it estimates that in 2010 China’s Christian population was 2.3 percent. Its original 2012 report put China’s 2010 Christian population at 5.1 percent (or 70.9 million).

To learn more about Pew’s revised approach, read pages 120-22 of its report How the Global Religious Landscape Changed from 2010 to 2020.

(Photo courtesy Bibles For China)

Discipleship needed

Rovenstine says he’s reminded that life is challenging and ministry is hard. “There may be a re-analysis of the re-analysis moving forward, but we have to keep doing the work.”

Gospel ministry in China is still a mix of growth and challenge, such as reaching young people. 

“When we go to rural China, we see a lot of older Christians. The younger Christians are a little harder to find,” Rovenstine says. “That informs us a little bit as to [deciding] ‘Where do we work? Who do we partner with?’ so that we can maybe help reach another generation.” 

Since it is illegal in China to evangelize children, Bibles for China is limited in what it can do. But among the Chinese diaspora, they distribute a special storybook Bible for kids. Learn more about that in this 2024 report. 

In the meantime, pray for the gospel to advance in China! 

“That definitely is a prayer for the Christians in China: ‘How can we creatively reach [the] next generation when that’s technically, in many ways, illegal?’” Rovenstine says. 

Header photo: Bibles for China provides people in rural China access to the Bible. (Image courtesy of DEZALB via Pixabay.)