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China Soul for Christ Foundation

The Cross: Jesus in China

A documentary on fifty years of Chinese Christianity, with a focus on the house-church movement, in four parts: The Spring of Life, Seeds of Blood, The Bitter Cup and The Canaan Hymns. Made by Chinese Christian filmmakers led by Yuan Zhiming, who came to faith after leaving China in 1989.

ProvisionalChurch historyNon-denominational
Where to watch

Why this is listed

The foundation's English page confirms about four hours total, 2003 copyright, narration in seven languages including English and Chinese, and Play Video links for the Mandarin, English and Arabic versions; DVDs are sold at $10 to $20. Produced by a US-based Chinese Christian ministry.

Before you press play

A documentary of testimony from Chinese house-church Christians. First-hand accounts of imprisonment, beatings and loss, told plainly to camera. Some segments are hard to hear. Adults and older teens.

Suited to Adults. Age judgements are ours, not a rating board’s — you know your own family.

How to start

  1. Open chinasoul.org (opens an external site) and read what China Soul for Christ Foundation says about itself before you read anything else.
  2. Read the note above first. It is there so an evening does not go wrong twenty minutes in.
  3. Watch it yourself before you watch it with children, if there are children.
  4. Read the passage it dramatises alongside it. The point is to send you back to the text, not to replace it.
  5. Afterwards, ask what the story added and what it left out. That conversation is worth more than the film.

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