China Mission Memoir
The Most Unlikely Missionaries: Serving God’s Kingdom in the Middle Kingdom, J.M. Gurvsy. Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications, 2023. Softcover, 219 pages.
Over the last few decades, the Reformed faith has found roots in China. This has happened despite government strictures and outright persecution. There are networks of Reformed and Presbyterian churches and they continue to grow. This growth happens in multi-faceted ways; for example, through certain churches covertly sending missionaries to China. This memoir is written by one such missionary.
We don’t know much about the author and that’s intentional. Even the name on the front cover of the book isn’t real. The back of the book reveals only that the author “is a minister of the gospel in a biblical, confessional Presbyterian denomination in North America.” Many of the names of people and places inside the book are likewise obscured for security reasons.
The author, his wife, and their five children served in China from 2017 to 2019. The memoir relates how the author went from being a pastor in rural Pennsylvania to foreign missionary in one of the most populous cities in the world. We follow their trials and triumphs until they finally land in China in 2017. There they have to adjust to a radically different culture, as well as struggling to learn Mandarin.
Now you might be wondering how it’s possible to write a memoir about just two years of missionary service. However, there’s a lot that happened in those two years. One of the most dramatic developments had to do with the security situation in the city of Chengdu, where Gurvsy and his family were serving. Another dramatic development had to do with the health of his wife. These events, especially the latter, conspired to cut short the author’s time in China.
As I just mentioned, Chengdu is where most of the action takes place. If you’ve heard of this city, it’s probably because of the Early Rain Covenant Church and its pastor Wang Yi. Pastor Wang was publicly critical of the Chinese regime and he was arrested and imprisoned. The Early Rain Covenant Church was closed down. The Most Unlikely Missionaries mentions this situation and adds some helpful context.
I highly recommend this book for a couple of reasons. One is that it’s just a fascinating story of missionary service, a story which may inspire others. It may not inspire you to serve in China, but perhaps somewhere else either long-term or short-term. Second, this memoir also reminds us of the ongoing need in one of the world’s largest nations. So many lost souls, but also many churches in need of our support. The Most Unlikely Missionaries puts this great work on our radar, so we may pray for it and support it where and when we can, also in our own circles.
Originally published in Clarion 74.03 (February 28, 2025)
