"Historically, the concept of “autonomy, self-support, and self-propagation” for the Chinese Christian church was first proposed in the late 19th century by Western missionaries in China, such as David Livingstone. Its core principles were: Autonomy—governance and pastoral care of the church by Chinese believers; Self-support—funding of church expenses by Chinese believers; Self-propagation—evangelism by Chinese believers. This aimed to localize the Chinese church: by achieving economic self-sufficiency, cultivating local leadership, and independent evangelism, the church would adapt to its local environment and ensure long-term development. This original intent was positive, helping Chinese Christianity break free from external dependence and foster an independent, mature local faith community. However, after 1949, this pure “Three-Self” principle was thoroughly distorted."
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Sources
Vivian Ren (pseudonym), "A Chinese Christian’s Testimony: Lifting the Veil on China’s “Three-Self Church”", Bitter Winter (December 19, 2025)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Religion_in_China
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Religion in China
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