Faithful Disobedience by Wang Yi is an insightful and powerful book that offers a unique perspective on the theology and practice of the Chinese House Church movement. As a pastor, activist, and political dissident, Wang Yi's personal experiences and insights are invaluable for anyone seeking to understand the complex religious and political landscape of modern China.

One of the most compelling aspects of this book is the author's boldness in speaking truth to power. Wang Yi fearlessly exposes the injustices and persecution faced by House Church leaders, challenging the Chinese government's restrictions on religious freedom.


But Faithful Disobedience is not just a political manifesto; it is also a deeply theological work. Wang Yi offers a compelling vision of the Church as a prophetic and counter-cultural witness to the world, and his insights on the role of suffering, martyrdom, and the Kingdom of God are both challenging and inspiring.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand the theology and practice of the Chinese House Church movement. The book's unique viewpoint, combined with the author's boldness in rebuking the powers that govern Chinese life, make it a valuable and important contribution to the conversation on the global church.

This is one of the most important books I have read in the last few years. It is a collection of essays, sermons, blog posts, and articles from key House Church Leaders in China. What I know of the Chinese church has largely been shaped by books like "The Heavenly Man" or Watchman Nee. This book completely changed my preconceptions and idea of what the church is currently like in China. Chinese churches are largely urban and some even operate out in the open although they are unregistered with the government. The primary author, Wang Yi is currently serving a 9-year prison sentence.

It is clearly contextual, Chinese, theological, and devotional. Most of the writings center around the issues facing the church in China, particularly opposition and persecution. It is important to hear from the Chinese church in their own voice. The American church has much to learn from the posture and attitude of these Christians. Their own theological working through the issue of church and state is worth considering.

The pastoral letters written before their impending arrest reminded me of the early apostolic fathers. They are so rich and often moved me to tears.

The translation into English is well done. They are easy to read and engaging. Most of these works can be read quickly, but I think this work is worth reading through slowly. I think this is a must-read for all Christians.

I received a free advanced copy of this book and then immediately purchased my own physical copy.

look inside Christian culture on the ground in China and experiences from one who has lived through it. Rather than being a consistent narrative, this is a collection of writings from leaders within China’s house church (unregistered churches that choose not to be censored by the Chinese government). I’m reading this we learn about Wang Yi, who is currently in prison.

This book is the ever reminder to be aware of the freedom we have to worship freely without worry of persecution. It’s also a reminder to pray for the churches in China, and other places where freedom is limited.

I highly recommend it, even if you don’t always agree with the theological teachings, you can appreciate the unwavering commitment to sharing the gospel.

What a powerful, timely, and encouraging read. I was worried about reading this book in translation but it ended up being great. I think the stories of this are so important for the American church to read and understand. Definitely a book I will be passing around our church.

Extremely insightful, well translated writings from the house church movement explaining the history and stance of the house churches. Western Christians would do well to learn from Chinese believers and read the perspectives in this book regarding church and state.

One does not need to agree with the writings compiled in this book to glean helpful insight on how one might respond to governmental persecution.

Essential reading if you want to understand the Church in China and the history of the persecuted Church more generally. A wake up call to complacency in the western Church and a guide to prayer.

What is God doing in the Chinese House Church? In Faithful Disobedience, IVP presents writings on Church and State from the Chinese House Church Movement.

Edited by Hannah Nation and J. D. Tseng, this book is a precious treasure. The ability to read first-hand accounts of our persecuted brothers and sisters is a modern miracle, and one that we should not take for granted. It is now a historical book that will prove to be prophetic guiding as Jesus draws near.

Articles, Talks, and Sermons
The main feature of this book is the manifesto by pastor Wang Yi and his church, Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China. He is known for his advocacy for the rights of Chinese Christians and house churches, and was arrested in 2019, sentenced to 9 years in prison. He is currently undergoing his imprisonment. While the book is quick to note that we are not to heroize him, for he is still a mere man. I can’t help but pray for his faith and for the other Chinese Christians enduring persecution.

In this book, Yi clarifies his theological stance on the house church and its relationship to the Chinese government. The book is a collection of articles, talks, and sermons. It is divided into three parts: Part I: Our House Church Manifesto, Part II: The Eschatological Church and the City, and Part III: Arrest and the Way of the Cross. Reading this book was a harrowing yet hopeful experience. I most appreciated the introductions, notes, and glossary — giving proper context to the work as a whole and to those who are persecuted in our present-day.

A Paradigm Shift
I was greatly inspired by learning about the house church movement. They are defined as being unregistered, not secret, theologically engaged, not uniform, and Chinese. Reading about Wang Yi’s “radical openness” and his sermons, described as “beautifully crafted, logically organized, educational experiences in Christianity,” was moving.

This book will cause a paradigm shift for those who are unfamiliar with the Church in China. It will help you “look deeper than the commonplace ‘persecuted Christian’ narratives that are so prevalent and that limit our ability to actually hear from churches outside the West.” I was amazed at how this book came to be, both from a technical standpoint with translators and the help of the Internet, as well as from a cultural standpoint with the tensions around Christianity in China. I prayerfully anticipate how God will continue to move in his Church.

Witness the Work of God
From an academic standpoint, the theological and cultural impact of this book is one-of-a-kind. Hannah Nation concludes the book by examining where Wang Yi and his contemporaries best fit in the landscape of theology. She finds them Reformed in their posture toward the city, hinting of liberation and neo-Anabaptist theology with regard to the state, and situational in nature harkening to the writings of the early church under the Roman empire. She leaves with a pressing question: How ought Christians to think about the church meeting digitally?

While we know the story of the Church has a happy ending, we also know that Jesus promised persecution. With a global missional mindset, you will feel the burden of Christ’s love for his church and the hope of the gospel message for the world. All will be challenged and ultimately encouraged to persevere in faith. This book is a beautiful witness to the work of God and the faithfulness of his beloved children.

I received a media copy of Faithful Disobedience and this is my honest review.

Loved learning about being Christian in China is like. And what they go through for their faith. And what they are willing to risk.

Faithful Disobedience Dec 6


This book discusses churches in China, the churches in the 1980's were more open and free until the Chinese Communist Party clamped down on churches in the 2010s.
Wang Yi, a prominent pastor of the Early Rain church believed in acting free, meeting openly, publishing churches and not going underground - he was arrested in 2019 and he is still imprisoned today, his sentence in for 9 years.

The Chinese House Church is described as having 5 characteristics - the house churches of today are not the small, rural churches of yesterday because now they are mostly in urban centers. 1. They are unregistered with the People's Republic of China so they are not under government oversight. 2. They are not secret, they spread by word of mouth. 3. The house church is theologically engaged, they study theology and have groups dedicated to it. They believe in Jesus virgin birth, being saved from sin and in Jesus 2nd coming. 4. It is not uniform, there are Evangelical, reformed and catholic house churches. 5. The house church is Chinese, it is not established by foreigners as it was in the past.

Wang Yi states that the visible church is the one true public voice in China and it should not give up this role.

A timeline that shows the history of the church in China is shown, as is the Chinese legal church, the Three Self Patriotic Movement and how it differs from the real, house church.

Persecution, hardship, being imprisoned and living the way of the cross is discussed in the remained of the book in great detail.