James Hudson Taylor: Resting in the Promises of God

UptownChurch Sunday SchoolJuly 19, 2009

“God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies.”

“One of the greatest missionaries of all time.”

Introduction

  • Lifelong missionary in inland China during a critical age of transition
  • Innovator in missions philosophy and large-scale mobilization for evangelism
  • Perhaps most critically, an astounding man of spiritual vigor, faith, and obedience

Historical context: the right man at the right time

Figure 1: A “thematic” overview of 4 millenia of Chinese history

Overview of Hudson Taylor’s Life

Early life and calling to China (1832-1853)

  • Son of James (chemist and lay Methodist preacher) and Amelia Taylor in Yorkshire, England
  • Conversion at age 17, discerned calling to go to China
  • Intense preparations: Mandarin, evangelism, medical training, prayer

Initial endeavors in China (1854-1860)

  • China Evangelization Society (CES)
  • Taiping outbreak – state of siege in Shanghai. Only 5 ports open to foreigners.
  • Adopted Chinese dress and made 10-15 systematic itinerations inland from Shanghai.
  • Marriage to Maria Dyer. Illness and fatigue – return to London. Resignation from CES.

China Inland Mission early years (1860-1876) – growth of systematic mission work

  • Five “hidden years” in London recuperating and regrouping.
  • Translation of Chinese NT (8-13 hrs/day), conviction of the need for more missionaries.
  • BrightonBeach incident in 1865 precipitated formation of China Inland Mission (CIM).
  • Lammermuir Party of 1866: 16 missionaries, 4 children, and the Taylor family. Barelymade it to China alive.
  • Death of daughter Gracie.
  • Survived the Yangchow Riot but lost some supporters and received bad press.
  • Crisis of conscience and spiritual health.
  • “Exchanged life” in 1869 – letter from John McCarthy. Spiritual renewal.
  • More deaths: son, newborn, and Maria in 1870. Furlough in England.
  • Married Jane (“Jennie”) Faulding. Back to China.
  • CIM funding low point. Boat accident. Call for the Eighteen and leading while paralyzed.

Maturation of China Inland Mission (1876-1900)

  • Returned with the party of 18 after recovery. Chefoo Convention.
  • New phase of more widespread itineration inland.
  • Call for the Seventy. Spurgeon championed the movement. Increasing popularity in UK.
  • Cambridge Seven (1885) brought further publicity.
  • Formation of the China Council as Taylor delegates.
  • Pray for 100 missionaries in 1 year. Prayer answered with 102 in 1887.
  • US and global speaking engagements. Niagara Conference, etc.

Crisis and transition of the leadership (1900-1905)

  • Mental breakdown in 1900; Switzerland.
  • Boxer Rebellion later in 1900. CIM suffers 79 deaths (the most of any agency by far).
  • Jennie dies in 1904. Taylor retires from CIM.
  • Final trip to China with son and daughter-in-law in 1905. Passed away on Saturday night before he was scheduled to preach.

Personal legacy

  • Personality: peacefulness, faith, prayer, spiritual disciplines (2am-4am study), humility.
  • Impact on other missionaries: Amy Carmichael, Eric Liddell, Jim Elliot, thousands more.
  • Influential on other Christian leaders: Spurgeon, Stott, Scofield,DL Moody.

Impact on global missions: long-term legacy

  • Most remembered for spiritual inspiration as a man of God than for his missiology, but his impact on missions was vast and global. “Founder of a new era in missions.”
  • Seven core principles of CIM still have an impact on how mission work is done today.

1 Evangelism to the unreached. Focusing mission efforts on preaching the gospel to people groups who have never heard it. Itinerant evangelism prioritized first, with church planting following thereafter. Viewed the two as complementary but CIM focused on the former.

2 Faith missions. His most monumental contribution. Trusting in God to provide all the resources need to accomplish what he calls his people to do. “Prayer alone” fiscal policy: non-solicitation, non-indebtedness, pooling of funds, concern for the giver’s motives.

3 Identification. Contextualization before the word existed. Goal of “becoming Chinese to win the Chinese.” Clothing, diet, home, language, etc.

4 Indigenous leadership. Believed that ultimately the Christianization of China depended on the development of Chinese converts who could lead the long-term church planting efforts.

5 Laypersoninvolvement. Major push to send laymen, single women, and missionary wives as full-time missionaries in the field. “Epoch-making significance on missionary history.”

6 Inter-denominationalism. Not anti-denominationalism but a desire to transcend denominational lines in order to mobilize the largest possible evangelically-minded labor force.

7 Field leadership. All major decision-making relating to the specific operations of the mission made by leaders located in the field itself, rather than by the homeland agency.

Uptown SS – Hudson Taylor1