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Will emerging churches replace megachurches as Gen-Xers move toward the mainstream? There's some debate whether the megachurch will die out, or if the smaller, less organized emergent churches will need the support of larger churches. We're waiting to see what emerges once Emergent becomes mainstream.

Weblog will return with Monday, December 29. Have a merry Christmas.

More articles:

China:

• China cracks down on unofficial worship | For members of China's unofficial Christian congregations, this is a season of fear as communist authorities crack down on unauthorized worship, detaining activists and bulldozing churches. (Associated Press)
  
  
• China rejects US criticism of religious restrictions | China has rejected a US government report that criticized Beijing for harassing and detaining followers of unofficial churches and for suppressing Falun Gong and other groups labeled cults. (Associated Press)
  
  
• China rejects U.S. rap over religious rights record | China rejected U.S. criticism of its religious rights record as unfair on Sunday, saying the United States should put its own house in order and stop meddling in the practices of other nations. (Reuters)
  
  
• Also: Do They Know It's Christmas? | Seasoned journalist David Aikman is author of the new book Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power. He spoke to NRO about the state of Christians in China. (National Review)
  
  
• After villagers built their church, officials razed it | The Chinese Premier boasts of religious freedom but correspondent Hamish McDonald finds evidence to the contrary in Liugou village. (The Age, Australia)
  
  
• Church demolitions make mockery of China's religious liberty | There was a church on a hill in this little village, looking out over the landscape of cornfields, coalmines and quarries where many of its people work. Then, in June this year, about two weeks after it was completed, officials from nearby Shahe city arrived with a team of workmen and set about demolishing the little church. Now collapsed beams and walls mark where it stood. The mangled cross is rusting on the ground. (Sydney Morning Herald)
  
  
• China cracks down on unofficial worship | The Christmas carol "Deck the Halls" blares over the speakers of the warehouse store as the toddler lunges for a plastic Santa. His mother grabs him by the seat of his pants and hauls him back. (Associated Press)
  
  
• Christmas shows China's dilemma with Christianity | Millions of Christians who belong to "underground churches" will celebrate Christmas shivering in farm fields or quietly singing hymns in parishioners' homes, praying the Chinese police will not hear. (Channel News Asia, Singapore)
  
  
• China pushes Christmas shopping while crushing Christian worship | It's a classic Christmas shopping moment in the unlikely setting of central China - though one that is becoming more common as Chinese, few of whom are Christians, adopt the holiday as a festive shopping season. But for members of China's unofficial Christian congregations, this is a season of fear as authorities crack down on unauthorized worship, detaining activists and bulldozing churches. (Associated Press)
  
  

India:

• 'Hidden agenda behind slashing X'mas holidays' | Kerala Congress (M) leader and revenue minister K M Mani on Saturday took strong exception to the Centre's decision to defer Christmas holidays to January for the Kendriya Vidyalayas and alleged that the move formed part of "the BJP's hidden agenda". (New Kerala, India)
  
  

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December (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47