This marks the final issue of theSALT Bimonthly. As we bring this chapter to a close, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your faithful support, encouragement, and partnership over the years. We look forward to staying connected and trust that our paths will cross again in the Lord’s service.

East Asia has been the focus of our ministry for three decades. During this time, we have witnessed extraordinary change. We saw a region once marked by spiritual drought transformed into a flourishing landscape of gospel growth. Yet within little more than a decade, we have also watched it enter a new season of winter.

Today, the East Asian church faces immense challenges. In many areas, increasing restrictions, frequent interrogations, church closures, and heightened surveillance have created an atmosphere of uncertainty and pressure. Summer camps and other ministry activities remain difficult or impossible to conduct, while concerns over communication security continue to grow. In several locations, churches have been raided, believers questioned, and ministry leaders detained, reminding congregations of both their vulnerability and the cost of being a faithful witness.

These challenges extend beyond any single city or province. Across the nation, mounting pressure on physical gatherings has driven many churches to meet online or in small home-based fellowships. While these alternatives provide continuity, they often weaken personal fellowship and bring new security concerns.

At the same time, churches are facing an increasingly serious leadership succession crisis. Social pressures and demographic changes have resulted in shrinking numbers of younger believers, aging congregations, and a growing shortage of full-time ministry workers, particularly in rural areas. Economic difficulties have compounded these concerns, reducing tithes and offerings, hence limiting resources for ministry expansion, leadership development, and care for believers.
In summary, the church in East Asia currently faces three major challenges:

• An increasingly restrictive external environment.
• Prolonged economic pressures that constrain ministry resources.
• Significant shifts in social and spiritual values that affect church life and leadership development.

Yet even in the midst of these difficulties, the church continues to persevere. Believers and ministry leaders remain committed to gathering, discipling, and serving wherever opportunities remain. As one chapter closes for us, we remain deeply grateful for the privilege of having witnessed God’s work throughout these remarkable years. We ask for your continued prayers that His church in East Asia will stand firm in faith, grow in wisdom, and continue to bear lasting fruit in the years ahead.

With Sincere Thanks & Appreciation, 
The SALT Team