00:00When you hear the word Christianity, you probably don't think China.
00:06You might think of the U.S., Europe, maybe even Africa or South America, but probably not China.
00:14China is usually associated with things like Taoism,
00:17where life is about harmony with nature and the belief that chi, our inner life,
00:23or our inner force, is what guides us through the universe.
00:27For thousands of years, philosophies like Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism
00:33have shaped Chinese culture in the way people think about Chinese culture.
00:37But something really fascinating is happening here.
00:40Quietly and pretty largely, across China, Christianity has been growing at an incredible pace.
00:48In fact, many researchers believe that within the next few decades,
00:52China will become the largest Christian nation in the entire world.
01:01Millions of believers are gathering in churches, some officially recognized, and some underground,
01:07seeking faith, meaning, and relationship with Jesus.
01:11It doesn't just start yesterday either.
01:12China and Christianity have been connected since 500 A.D.
01:16Through the Silk Road, where China would trade silk between the Middle East, Arabia, Persia, and India,
01:22it is believed that there were two Indian missionaries that brought the gospel to China,
01:27and it struck one of the emperors, and ever since, they've been printing up Chinese Bibles,
01:34spreading the gospel, and bringing people to Christ here in China ever since.
01:38It's so cool to experience it firsthand here myself in China.
01:43I used to live here, and funny enough, I had my coming to Jesus moment here in China.
01:48About 10 years ago, I was baptized at the church I'm going to show you guys today,
01:52and I had my coming to Jesus moment here in China.
01:56There's something so special about China, you guys,
01:58and I'm so excited to show you what a modern-day Christian church looks like here in Shanghai.
02:04Hi, guys. Good morning from my beautiful Shanghai.
02:07I am on my way to church.
02:11Yeah, I think this is so interesting because a lot of people don't know that China is the biggest Christian
02:16nation on planet Earth.
02:18There are more Christians in China than anywhere on planet Earth, and I think it's amazing.
02:25And yes, there are legal churches here.
02:28A lot of people don't know that.
02:29I've been attending this church for over 10 years.
02:31I got baptized at this church, so it means a lot to me.
02:37It's called, you'll see.
02:39I'll show you the church.
02:40There are plenty of churches, though.
02:42So the one I'm attending is an international church.
02:45They speak Chinese and English, but maybe I can show you guys a couple more churches, too,
02:49because, like I said, there's tons of different churches you can attend here in Shanghai.
02:54So I'm going to head over there.
02:55I'm going to get some food first because I'm kind of early.
02:57The church service starts at 2 p.m.
02:59There's a 9 a.m. service, but that service is only in Chinese.
03:05And then there's a 2 p.m. service that is in Chinese and English.
03:09So I'm going to go to the 2 p.m. service.
03:11It's a nice way to meet people.
03:13I can speak Chinese, but I prefer the English-speaking one, obviously.
03:19And yeah, let's go over there.
03:21I have to hit line one.
03:23It's on line one.
03:24Like I said, I'm going to get food first, and then I'm going to head over there.
03:26I got my Bible in my purse.
03:29I'm so excited.
03:30I'm really, really excited to go to church.
03:31I haven't been to this church in like 2 or 3 years, obviously.
03:34I haven't been here.
03:35I'm not here all the time, but I've been attending this church for over literally 10 years.
03:40So let's head out.
03:41Let's go.
03:42Let's go get some food first.
03:43All right, you guys.
03:44Here's my quick breakfast before I go to church.
03:46I got an avocado, matcha, and coconut smoothie.
03:50Used to eat these.
03:51Oh my gosh.
03:53I used to tear these up.
03:54They're so good.
03:55Favorite, most delicious smoothie on planet Earth.
03:58Extremely filling as well.
03:59And then I got myself a little breakfast wrap.
04:04I was just, I don't know if you guys can hear me, but I was just people watching.
04:10I love to people watch.
04:11I don't travel these countries just for, hold on.
04:15And I don't travel these countries just to take cute videos and not learn anything.
04:22So, you know, man, there's a guy blowing a cigar right in my face.
04:27Anyways, um, I was just people watching and there's some kids here and they're all doing homework.
04:33It's Sunday.
04:36Mmm.
04:38Mmm.
04:40Mmm.
04:40Mmm.
04:41It's Sunday and there's a lot of kids here doing homework.
04:45And it is true.
04:47Man, they're so, Chinese people are so hard on their kids, but I see it as a form of love,
04:52you know?
04:54Like, love doesn't always look like, do whatever you want, you know?
05:02Love doesn't always say, I'm prioritizing your comfort.
05:05Sometimes love says, I'm going to prioritize the way your life turns out, you know?
05:12So that you have a good life, so you don't have to struggle, so you don't have to get the
05:15low-hanging fruit.
05:17I care about you deeper than you just being happy in this moment.
05:21And so, yeah, it's just what I was thinking about today.
05:25Chinese people definitely love their kids, but they're very hard on them.
05:28And I see that as a different kind of love.
05:31And the reason this country is so beautiful is because of that reason.
05:35China's beautiful.
05:36This country is so prosperous and gorgeous and safe and, man, China is such a force in this world.
05:45And I know the reason is because of parents.
05:48Parents are the backbone of China.
05:52They don't play around with their kids.
05:57And it's the reason this country is flourishing.
05:59It's parents.
06:02They play no games with their kids.
06:05It makes me think about God.
06:10God is the same way with us, I think.
06:13He doesn't want us to have, you know, he wants us to have a good life.
06:19You guys, I'm reporting here from Shanghai, China.
06:23My city.
06:24This city is so nostalgic for me because I literally became a traveler here in China.
06:29It feels very full circle.
06:31I, when I first moved here, I knew nothing about traveling.
06:34I knew nothing about the world.
06:35I knew nothing about nothing.
06:36I had no idea I was going to go on this epic journey to try to visit all these countries.
06:40I had no idea.
06:41I didn't know anything about anything.
06:43I was extremely confused and just, I don't know.
06:48It was random.
06:50Long story short, years later, I visited all these places all over the world and set out on a mission
06:56to visit all the countries.
06:58I'm reaching out for help, so I have a GoFundMe that I've been trying to raise for over a year.
07:04And I would love to raise the entire thing this very month.
07:09It would be really cool if we could raise the whole thing.
07:13I came up with a game plan, so if 1,800 of you guys donated $25, we'd reach the goal.
07:20I think we can do it.
07:21If I didn't tell you why, I was in China now, so my game plan is just to wait in
07:26China until hopefully, possibly, the airport opens up in the next two weeks.
07:33So that's my plan, my GoFundMe, we would reach the whole thing, and it would be an amazing help.
07:41I'll be here in China waiting out the airport to see if I can get to Qatar or Dubai in
07:48the next two weeks, so we can conquer the Middle East and the top of Africa.
07:53But even if that's not possible, we'll figure out a plan B.
07:57We'll figure out a different part of the world to go to, so very excited.
08:01In the meantime, I'll be showing you guys around this gorgeous country of China that I love so much.
08:05It's going to be epic.
08:08Okay, so this church I'm going to is located right here.
08:13Hangshanlu in Chinese.
08:17That's where you need to go.
08:26So the church is right behind me, but the service doesn't start until, uh, not until 2, so I've got
08:31about 40 minutes, and you can see everybody outside waiting.
08:35So the church is right behind me, and you can see everybody outside.
09:05So the church is going to be the church, and you can see people outside.
09:27It's really awesome.
09:35Oh, here we go.
09:42Oh, here we go.
09:48Let your hands go and be free
09:51Let your hands go and be free
09:54Let your hands go and be free
09:58Let's try
09:59In darkest night
10:02You will close my door
10:06I love you
10:08And only where's the power?
10:13And only where's the rain?
10:16Or I love you
10:20And only where's the power?
11:24In every circumstance, in every season, we are more than conquerors.
11:54Beautiful, beautiful.
11:57Just beautiful.
12:04In the first season, thank you.
12:07One thing I saw.
12:08You
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