China Compass

China Compass
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With more than two decades of experience in the Middle Kingdom, Ben tackles China’s toughest questions while telling captivating stories and challenging Christians to intercede for revival and reformation. Each weekend episode takes on Chinese current events with wisdom and a wealth of experience (ie, lots of stories), while the midweek podcast (aka, The Prison Pulpit) gives persecuted believers a voice, challenging Christians to pray for those in chains "as bound with them." (Heb. 13:3) Follow to stay informed on current events and evangelism efforts, missionary history, and the ongoing persecution of Christians in China.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Pastor Released from North Korean Prison after 11 Years (+ Kids Back from China) │Prison Pulpit #69

    I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day. Please send any questions or comments to our new, secure email: chinacompass@privacyport.com. You can also find China Compass on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/c/chinacompass), which not only allows for donations, but also lets me sort episodes into various collections, making it easier to find all the shows on a certain topic or person.  Last but not least, nearly everything else we are involved (including my little book UNBEATEN) in can be found at PrayGiveGo.us!    Why the Prison Pulpit?  The goal is to remind people to pray for persecuted believers as Hebrews 13:3 teaches: “Remember those who are in prison, as bound with them.” We’ve looked at Wang Yi and Early Rain Church’s writings in the aftermath of their arrest and attack in 2018, but I’ve also regularly turned to other persecuted ministers who have gone before, such as Richard Wurmbrand, to give us a voice literally from prison.    Miracle: Chinese-Korean Pastor Released from North Korean Prison after 14 Years https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/north-korea-pastor-released/   Follow China Compass Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a donation link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to support our China ministry. For everything else, visit PrayGiveGo.us. Hebrews 13:3: Remember those who are in prison, “as bound with them”!

    29 min

  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    Chinese Marijuana Mafia Busted in Oklahoma (+ Fleeing Traffic Police in China)

    On this week’s China Compass, we cover a number of varied news items (and personal stories), including the ones in the title. The Chinese pot bust is at about ½ way point, and my story of running from the Chinese police (for the sake of my little children!) is about ¾ way to the end.  My kids are currently in the middle of their first solo trip into China, and things seem to be going well so far. Here’s what we had to do (practically) to get them ready to survive in 2026 China… VPNs for every device Configure Chinese payment apps (Oops!) Fill out electronic arrival form Go over subway and high speed train schedules   Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast network! I'm your China travel guide in exile, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day.  Feel free to write anytime: chinacompass@privacyport.com. All my books, substack, patreon, and everything else can be easily found at PrayGiveGo.us!   The Millionaire Missionary (BordenofYale.com) - Available on Kindle/Amazon (free PDF) Unbeaten: My Arrest, Interrogation, and Deportation from China (Unbeaten.vip)   20 Arrested for Illegal Pot Farms in Oklahoma https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/crime/2026/02/03/20-arrested-after-investigation-of-illegal-oklahoma-pot-farms-ag-says/88480633007/ Dragon in the Cab: How China Quietly Embedded Itself in American Trucking https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dragon-in-the-cab-how-china-quietly-embedded-itself-in-american-trucking What Tariffs? Inside China’s Rerouted Supply Chains https://thediplomat.com/2026/01/inside-chinas-rerouted-supply-chains/   Now let's take a look at this coming week's Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) cities… https://chinacall.substack.com/p/pray-for-china-feb-8-14-2026   Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a Paypal link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to give to our China ministry. Last but not least, for (almost) everything else we’re doing visit PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, vs 2: the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, therefore ask the Lord for more. Talk again soon!

    1 hr

  3. 4 FEB

    My Kids In China + Praying for Christians in Iran (and Other Muslim Nations)│Prison Pulpit #68

    Today we look at how we can pray for the persecuted Christians in Iran, and other Muslim-majority nations, where believers are isolated and word is scarce. Hebrews 13:3 is a good reminder in these situations, as well. I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day. Please send any questions or comments to our new, secure email: chinacompass@privacyport.com. You can also find China Compass on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/c/chinacompass), which not only allows for donations, but also lets me sort episodes into various collections, making it easier to find all the shows on a certain topic or person. Everything else we are involved in can be found at PrayGiveGo.us!    Why the Prison Pulpit?  The goal is to remind people to pray for persecuted believers as Hebrews 13:3 teaches: “Remember those who are in prison, as bound with them.” We’ve looked at Wang Yi and Early Rain Church’s writings in the aftermath of their arrest and attack in 2018, but I’ve also regularly turned to other persecuted ministers who have gone before, such as Richard Wurmbrand, to give us a voice literally from prison.    Unrest in Iran: How to Pray https://www.opendoors.org.hk/en-US/news/latest/iran-unrest-prayer/ Iran is Killing Christians https://email.revelationmedia.org/iran-is-killing-christians Living as Secret Christians in Iran https://www.opendoorscanada.org/living-as-secret-christians-in-iran/ Christians in Somalia Who Do Not Hide Their Faith https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/christians-in-somalia-aweis-will-not-hide-his-faith/   Follow China Compass Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a donation link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to support our China ministry. For everything else, visit PrayGiveGo.us. Hebrews 13:3: Remember those who are in prison, “as bound with them”!

    33 min

  4. 31 JAN

    Martyrdom of the Stams (Anhui) + Driving In Circles (Lintan) + China’s Deadliest Earthquake (Tangshan)

    On this week’s China Compass, we take a more in-depth look at all of the cities to pray for this coming week, focusing on Anhui (Beheading of the Stam’s + Watchman Nee’s Imprisonment), Lintan (Coal Fired Tuk Tuks, Circular Roads), and Tangshan (Deadliest Earthquake Ever).  Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast network! I'm your China travel guide in exile, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day.  Feel free to write anytime: chinacompass@privacyport.com. All my books, substack, patreon, and everything else can be easily found at PrayGiveGo.us! I’m about to fly back to Malaysia this weekend after a whirlwind trip to LA, Houston, and OKC. And we’ll be joined in Malaysia in the coming few weeks by our two oldest children (as well as another missionary friend). And don’t forget, my kids will be taking their first solo trip into China next week. Exciting times! I wish I could say more, but probably best to wait until everything shakes out and there are stories to tell on the back end.  Oh, in case I haven’t said so already, I did NOT make it into China last weekend, but I did talk to a new friend in China just this evening.   The Millionaire Missionary (BordenofYale.com) - Available on Kindle/Amazon (free PDF)   Now let's take a look at this coming week's Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) cities… https://open.substack.com/pub/chinacall/p/pray-for-china-feb-1-7-2026   Tangshan Earthquake https://disasterhistory.org/tangshan-earthquake-1976 https://www.iccsafe.org/building-safety-journal/bsj-dives/the-great-tangshan-earthquake-one-of-the-worst-earthquakes-in-modern-history-destroys-chinese-city/   Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a Paypal link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to give to our China ministry. Last but not least, for (almost) everything else we’re doing visit PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, vs 2: the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, therefore ask the Lord for more. Talk again soon!

    49 min

  5. 28 JAN

    Interview with a Chinese Pastor (Part III) + New Wave of Early Rain Persecution

    Today we look at the the final part of an interview with a Chinese pastor recently released from prison, followed by some specific prayer requests for members and friends of Early Rain Church who have recently been arrested and harrassed. In China, it seems, persecution never sleeps. Let's pray for our brothers and sisters, as bound with them! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I present a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day. Please send any questions or comments to a new, secure email: chinacompass@privacyport.com. Everything else can be found at PrayGiveGo.us!    Why the Prison Pulpit?  The goal is to remind people to pray for persecuted believers as Hebrews 13:3 teaches: “Remember those who are in prison, as bound with them.” We’ve looked at Wang Yi and Early Rain Church’s writings in the aftermath of their arrest and attack in 2018, but I’ve also regularly turned to other persecuted ministers who have gone before, such as Richard Wurmbrand, to give us a voice literally from prison.    Interview with an Imprisoned Chinese Pastor (Part III) https://chinapartnership.org/blog/2026/01/persecuted-church/   Early Rain Church Prayer Requests (January 25-31) This week, we will pray for believers associated with Early Rain Covenant Church. Earlier this month, there was a series of large scale arrests similar to those in 2018. Seven church members were arrested and confined, while five other members were brought in for questioning and then released. Several of the people arrested are elders of the church. Pray for those who have been arrested and their families… Pray for brothers and sisters in Chengdu and Deyang who have been taken away, are missing, or are under surveillance at home. Pray for God to grant them peace and protection, and to experience God’s presence and strength amidst uncertainty and hardship. Especially pray for the families and children to experience God’s comfort and love in suffering. Pray for the Lord to preserve brothers and sisters in the church, to love one another, and to be united and show the witness of Christ in times of trouble.  Pray for Sister Z, who was taken to jail with her husband. Their two children were taken in with them, and spent the first night at the police station. Now they have been temporarily placed with their grandmother. Pray for a seminary student who was arrested and beaten in Chengdu recently. Pray for God’s comfort and grace to be with him, that he would know the presence of the Lord even in suffering. Pray for comfort and strength for his wife, and for him to be released soon.  Continue to pray for Pastor Wang Yi, who was arrested in 2018 and continues to serve time in prison. Pray for the Lord’s presence to be with him in prison, that he may even be a witness to those with him in jail, and for his family and church on the outside.   Follow China Compass Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a donation link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to support our China ministry. For everything else, visit PrayGiveGo.us. Hebrews 13:3: Remember those who are in prison, “as bound with them”!

    20 min

  6. 26 JAN

    China Keeps Relaxing Visa Rules, Macau Propaganda, 1st Chinese Police Encounter

    I just flew back to the States, after just a week of re-adjusting to the time here in Malaysia. When this podcast dropped on the 24th, I'll was somewhere between Macau, HKG and LAX.  This week we discuss China’s current tourist climate, as well as the transit-without-visa (TWOV) scheme, followed by a short look at whether China’s role is as a David (Underdog) or Goliath. Then, after working through a pro-China propaganda piece about one of my favorite cities, Macau, we look at all of the cities to pray for this coming week, including the one where my China career nearly ended as soon as it had begun.  I'm your China travel guide in exile, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day. Email anytime: chinacompass@privacyport.com. All my books, substack, patreon, and everything else can be easily found at PrayGiveGo.us!   The Millionaire Missionary (BordenofYale.com) - Available on Kindle/Amazon (free PDF)   China Inbound Travel Info https://mize.tech/blog/inbound-travel-china-a-massive-opportunity-unfolds/ Is China a David, or a Goliath? China is already the economic Goliath it does not want to be seen as Andrew Sharp, Nikkei Asia opinion editor China’s year-end numbers underscored the brute force of its export machine: a trade surplus tipped at about $116 billion…according to JPMorgan economist Tingting Ge. But there was no victory lap. Exports have defied the gloom for 2025, but the domestic economy is still sputtering. Henny Sender writes that China "does not see itself as a giant imposing its mighty production machine on its neighbors and partners. Instead, it sees itself as frail and vulnerable; a country with neither the resources for food security nor energy security; a David rather than a Goliath." Pro-CCP Macau Propaganda https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202412/1325081.shtml   Now let's take a look at this coming week's Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) cities… https://chinacall.substack.com/p/pray-for-china-jan-26-31-2026 (Available Jan 25)   Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a Paypal link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to give to our China ministry. Last but not least, for (almost) everything else we’re doing visit PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, vs 2: the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, therefore ask the Lord for more. Talk again soon!

    1 hr

  7. 24 JAN

    Flashback: Eric Liddell: Scotland to Shandong (in Chariots of Fire) + Dictator Xi Struggles with Corruption

    I'm sitting at the Hong Kong airport and due to some technical issues in uploading this week's podcast, which I recorded Friday in Malaysia, I am sharing an older episode that has been on my mind today as I just finished reading another biography of Eric Liddell. I'll be talking more about him in the near future. Enjoy!   Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast Network! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. You can follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). You can also email me with any questions or comments @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. You can also find easy links to everything we are involved in @ PrayGiveGo.us!   Summary Today I begin by discussing Jimmy Lai (the Hong Kong Tucker Carlson) and his bold comments about Xi Jinping (2:11), followed by looking at the Chinese dictator's struggle with his military and his weaponization of China's endemic corruption (12:42). Next we look at China's flip flopping its private tutor laws (22:18), which I know quite well. Finally I talk all about Shandong (29:50) and share fascinating stories of the missionaries and martyrs who lived and died there, including the famous “Chariots of Fire” Olympian Eric Liddell (41:29).   In the News:  Jimmy Lai’s Criticism of Xi Jinping: https://hongkongfp.com/hong-kongs-jimmy-lai/ https://hongkongfp.com/2024/12/19/chinas-problems-with-the-west-could-only-be-resolved-by-xi-jinping-stepping-down-jimmy-lai-tells-security-law-trial/ Xi Jinping’s Military Troubles: https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/China-up-close/Analysis-China-military-in-disarray-over-Xi-s-monopoly-on-power https://www.cfr.org/blog/six-takeaways-pentagons-report-chinas-military https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/05/china/china-xi-military-purge-analysis-intl-hnk Xi Jinping’s Tutoring Ban Backfires https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/China-up-close/Analysis-How-Xi-Jinping-s-tutoring-school-ban-backfired   Pray for China Province of the Week: Shandong (East of the Mountains) Shandong on China’s Eastern Seaboard is matched up with the state of Virginia for prayer. See which Chinese province your state is praying for @ PrayforChina.us! Wikipedia Profile: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shandong Asia Harvest Overview & Intro: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/shandong https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/shandong/introduction-to-shandong-province   Shandong Missionaries & Martyrs: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/shandong/1899-sidney-brooks https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/shandong/1945-eric-liddell https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/shandong/1967-pastor-tian https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/shandong/2003-zhang-hongmei   Recommended Resources:  Shandong: The Revival Province (China Chronicles #1) https://www.asiaharvest.org/bookstore/Shandong-The-Revival-Province-The-China-Chronicles-N%C2%BA1-p283331051 UNBEATEN: Arrested, Interrogated, and Deported from China  www.Unbeaten.vip

    59 min

  8. 21 JAN

    Life Through the Eyes of a Chinese Pastor Prisoner (On Probation) │Prison Pulpit #66

    Today on the Prison Pulpit we go even deeper with the Chinese pastor we quoted from last week, who recently spent a couple of years in prison (and is now on probation). In today’s longer interview, he tells us how to better pray for persecuted pastors, especially their families and churches, and more. I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I present a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day. Please send any questions or comments to a new, secure email: chinacompass@privacyport.com. Everything else can be found at PrayGiveGo.us!  One last thing: I’m now set up on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/c/chinacompass), which now only allows for donations, but also lets me sort podcast episodes into various collections, making it easier to find all the episodes on a certain topic or person, like Tibet, Pastor Wang Yi, or Richard Wurmbrand.   Today in passing I mentioned my little autobiographical memoir, Unbeaten, a few times. You can read the story of my 2018 arrest, interrogation, and deportation by getting the little book here: Unbeaten.vip   Why the Prison Pulpit?  The goal is to remind people to pray for persecuted believers as Hebrews 13:3 teaches: “Remember those who are in prison, as bound with them.” We’ve looked at Wang Yi and Early Rain Church’s writings in the aftermath of their arrest and attack in 2018, but I’ve also regularly turned to other persecuted ministers who have gone before, such as Richard Wurmbrand, to give us a voice literally from prison.    Interview with a Pastor on Probation Today we are going to take a look at the situation in China through the eyes and words of a house church pastor in a smaller Chinese city. The interview, published by China Partnership, can be read in full below: https://chinapartnership.org/blog/2026/01/the-cost-of-following-jesus-to-jail/ https://chinapartnership.org/blog/2026/01/witness-to-persecutors/   Follow China Compass Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a donation link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to support our China ministry. For everything else, visit PrayGiveGo.us. Hebrews 13:3: Remember those who are in prison, “as bound with them”!

    34 min
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About

With more than two decades of experience in the Middle Kingdom, Ben tackles China’s toughest questions while telling captivating stories and challenging Christians to intercede for revival and reformation. Each weekend episode takes on Chinese current events with wisdom and a wealth of experience (ie, lots of stories), while the midweek podcast (aka, The Prison Pulpit) gives persecuted believers a voice, challenging Christians to pray for those in chains "as bound with them." (Heb. 13:3) Follow to stay informed on current events and evangelism efforts, missionary history, and the ongoing persecution of Christians in China.

Information

  • Creator
    China Compass
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    170
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    China Compass