The Evangelize China Fellowship (ECF; Chinese: 基督敎中國佈道會) is an American non-profit 501(c) organization, founded in 1947 by 20th-century Chinese revivalist Andrew Gih.[1] The fellowship consists of churches, missionaries, and affiliated organizations that attempt to bring Christian beliefs to China and persons of Chinese descent.
The ECF founder, Dr. Ji Zhiwen (anglicized as Andrew Gih), was born in Shanghai and became a Christian while a student at Bethel Mission in Shanghai. Moved by the preaching of Paget Wilkes, he became an evangelist at the age of 25. In 1928 he joined the Worldwide Evangelistic Band, led by George Rideout of Asbury College, Wilmore, Kentucky. While on a preaching tour in south China, he met the famed evangelist John Sung (Song Shangjie). They formed the Bethel Worldwide Evangelistic Band in 1931. After Sung left this work in 1933, Gih continued it under the name of Bethel Mission until July 1947,[3] when he founded the Evangelize China Fellowship (ECF) as a Mandarin Church in Shanghai. After Shanghai fell to the Communists, Gih moved his work to Hong Kong, and appointed Paul Shen to open ECF work in Taiwan, resulting eleven years later in seven churches and an orphanage.
In addition to the building of churches, orphanages, and schools; ECF was credited with creating a vast network of Chinese Christians in the Diaspora, and helping Gih attain a level of "notoriety [that] placed him in the company of fellow revivalistJ. Edwin Orr and Billy Graham."[4]
In the first 31 years of ECF, the organization opened 375 churches, seven schools, and two seminaries. [5] As of 2007, ECF comprises one-half of the global organization ECF International which conducts charitable and evangelical activities in 18 countries.
^R. G. Tiedemann - Reference Guide to Christian Missionary Societies in China 2009 - Page 129 0765640015 "Among these were Song Shangjie 宋尚節 (John Sung, 1901–1944) and Ji Zhiwen 計志文(Andrew Gih, 1901–1985), who started their Bethel Bands (Boteli budaotuan 伯特利佈道團) in 1931. When Japan invaded China in 1937, Dr. Shi and .."
^"Allbusiness.com profile of ECF". Retrieved 2007-08-12.
^Paul Spickard, "Revealing the Sacred in Asian and Pacific America" p. 259, ed. Jane Iwamura (Routledge, 2003) (ISBN0-4159-3808-2).
^Donald E MacInnis, "Biographical Directory of Christian Missions", ed. Gerald Harry Anderson (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1999) (ISBN0-8028-4680-7).
Further readingedit
Andrew Gih, His Faithfulness: The Story of the "Evangelize China" Fellowship (London: Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1955)
External linksedit
ECF International
January 01, 1970
evangelize, china, fellowship, chinese, 基督敎中國佈道會, american, profit, organization, founded, 1947, 20th, century, chinese, revivalist, andrew, fellowship, consists, churches, missionaries, affiliated, organizations, that, attempt, bring, christian, beliefs, chin. The Evangelize China Fellowship ECF Chinese 基督敎中國佈道會 is an American non profit 501 c organization founded in 1947 by 20th century Chinese revivalist Andrew Gih 1 The fellowship consists of churches missionaries and affiliated organizations that attempt to bring Christian beliefs to China and persons of Chinese descent Evangelize China FellowshipFounded1947FounderJi Zhiwen 計志文 aka Andrew GihLocationMonterey Park CaliforniaOriginsShanghai ChinaWebsitehttp www ecfusa org Evangelize China FellowshipTraditional Chinese基督敎中國佈道會Simplified Chinese基督敎中国布道会TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinJi du Jiao Zhōngguo Budao Hui ECF carries out programs of evangelism education and relief work in Hong Kong Macau Thailand Burma Singapore Malaysia Indonesia Philippines Vietnam the United States People s Republic of China and Republic of China Taiwan Programs are primarily conducted in schools orphanages and churches with the educational programs focused on providing middle and high school English teachers training 2 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory editThe ECF founder Dr Ji Zhiwen anglicized as Andrew Gih was born in Shanghai and became a Christian while a student at Bethel Mission in Shanghai Moved by the preaching of Paget Wilkes he became an evangelist at the age of 25 In 1928 he joined the Worldwide Evangelistic Band led by George Rideout of Asbury College Wilmore Kentucky While on a preaching tour in south China he met the famed evangelist John Sung Song Shangjie They formed the Bethel Worldwide Evangelistic Band in 1931 After Sung left this work in 1933 Gih continued it under the name of Bethel Mission until July 1947 3 when he founded the Evangelize China Fellowship ECF as a Mandarin Church in Shanghai After Shanghai fell to the Communists Gih moved his work to Hong Kong and appointed Paul Shen to open ECF work in Taiwan resulting eleven years later in seven churches and an orphanage In addition to the building of churches orphanages and schools ECF was credited with creating a vast network of Chinese Christians in the Diaspora and helping Gih attain a level of notoriety that placed him in the company of fellow revivalist J Edwin Orr and Billy Graham 4 In the first 31 years of ECF the organization opened 375 churches seven schools and two seminaries 5 As of 2007 ECF comprises one half of the global organization ECF International which conducts charitable and evangelical activities in 18 countries See also editChristianity in ChinaReferences edit R G Tiedemann Reference Guide to Christian Missionary Societies in China 2009 Page 129 0765640015 Among these were Song Shangjie 宋尚節 John Sung 1901 1944 and Ji Zhiwen 計志文 Andrew Gih 1901 1985 who started their Bethel Bands Boteli budaotuan 伯特利佈道團 in 1931 When Japan invaded China in 1937 Dr Shi and Allbusiness com profile of ECF Retrieved 2007 08 12 計志文 chinese Retrieved 2008 08 17 Paul Spickard Revealing the Sacred in Asian and Pacific America p 259 ed Jane Iwamura Routledge 2003 ISBN 0 4159 3808 2 Donald E MacInnis Biographical Directory of Christian Missions ed Gerald Harry Anderson Wm B Eerdmans Publishing 1999 ISBN 0 8028 4680 7 Further reading editAndrew Gih His Faithfulness The Story of the Evangelize China Fellowship London Marshall Morgan amp Scott 1955 External links editECF International Evangelize China Fellowship website Synopsis of bio of founder Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Evangelize China Fellowship amp oldid 1171220138, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
