Dear Subscriber,
In this issue, Dr. Jon Fuller points to the essence of Hudson and Maria’s mission work — living out the gospel in new contexts. In our project updates, we relay the effects of your prayers. Please continue to uphold the movie production before the Lord God.
TWO BUTTONS
By Dr. Jon Fuller, Resident Missiologist with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Jon and his wife Marilyn served with OMF in the Philippines and Singapore for many years. He is an Advisor to Half Crown Media. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree in Leadership from Tyndale University. His passion is investing in the next generation, helping them become everything God has called them to be.
It has been encouraging to see excitement build as we announced the cast for HUDSON & MARIA. Our team has had many conversations with people wanting more information about the film. Our three daughters were intrigued with the possibilities of an actor like Jeremy Swift from Ted Lasso playing a character like William Burns. I have officially been confirmed as a “cool dad”.
In one of the conversations I have had recently, a fan of Hudson Taylor said to me, “The most important question for me is whether the gospel will be clearly presented in the film.” I assured him that the gospel would be clearly presented but then added, “… and you will hate it!” My friend understandably looked a little confused.
Hudson Taylor came to China with a deep love for God and a passion to see the Chinese come to know Jesus. He began preaching the gospel almost as soon as he landed in Shanghai, using his little bit of broken Mandarin and lots of vigorous gestures. His passion to share the gospel was admirable but almost completely lost on the Chinese.
After a few days of tireless but fruitless effort, Hudson noticed one young man who seemed to be listening intently to his presentation. Hudson was overjoyed when the man indicated he wanted to ask a question. “Of course,” Hudson responded, “What do you want to know about this message of good news?” The man looked a little puzzled and then asked, “Why do you have two buttons on the back of your coat?” Not only was Hudson disappointed by the question, he also had no good answer to why the British had two buttons on the back of their waist coats.
This incident and many others led to Hudson choosing to put on Chinese dress and wear a Chinese “queue”, shaving his hair on the front and letting it grow into a braid from the back. That choice to identify with the Chinese created a scandal with the foreign community including foreign missionaries but opened doors for Hudson and his team as they moved into inland China.
Our film, and the story of Hudson and Maria is a story of exploring what it means to live out the gospel rightly in a new context. It is a story of setting aside the cultural trappings of British Christianity – the two buttons on the back of the coat, to identity with the Chinese people and explore what it would mean to follow Jesus in this new land. Through the course of the film Hudson and Maria grow in their respect for Chinese culture and the Chinese come to respect Hudson and Maria. As Hudson begins to realize how naïve and ignorant he is, Maria’s knowledge of Chinese culture and her ability to speak fluent Mandarin become very attractive, the seeds of their eventual romance.
One of the most remarkable verses in scripture is Hebrews 5:8 (NIV), “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” The incarnation shows us a God who chose to take on “human form”, to enter into our reality (Philippians 2) so that we could more clearly understand what it means to live rightly in the world. The fact that Jesus, the Son of God and creator of the world (Colossians 1:15-16) would choose to be a learner, is an invitation and a blessing on all of those who follow him as learners in other cultures and contexts. That journey is costly as Hebrews 5:8 suggests. For Hudson and Maria, it meant being shunned and even mocked by their countrymen. It meant asking hard questions about British geopolitics including publicly denouncing the opium trade. At the end of the day though, their humility and willingness to listen and learn earned them the respect of the Chinese people and a hearing for the gospel. For more of that story including what happened to the young man with the question about the buttons, we look forward to sharing our movie, HUDSON & MARIA, with you.
Project Updates and Prayer Items
After months of preparation and pre-production work, we entered the first week of production!
With actor contracts finalized, the cast was announced on July 21. It was received with excitement and many enthusiastic responses.
Our producers suggested a commissioning service before filming begins. On August 2, with hearts full of gratitude, we gathered with nearly 100 adults and children to mark this significant milestone. We invite you to read more about the cast announcement and commissioning service.
During pre-production, one of the producers remarked, “We are reaping the fruit of 15 years of prayer. We have never seen such harmony among a production crew. This is by far the production with the fewest spiritual attacks.” Although time is tight and many moving parts are still being worked out, there has been no impatience or raised voices. People from different backgrounds and faiths are working together with remarkable unity and purpose. The local crew members are not treating this simply as a job; they are putting their hearts into the project. Praise and thanks be to God.
Over the past month, we shared the vision in Hong Kong, Macau, and at the 10th CCCOWE Conference, gathering ideas on how best to follow up with movie viewers to maximize the film’s impact. We invite you to prayerfully consider four questions and share your thoughts through this Google Form.
With cameras rolling, each day brings its own challenges. Yet each day also provides opportunities to witness God’s faithfulness and goodness. Please pray with us:
- Give thanks for God’s abundant provision of resources, a God-loving production team, and talented cast and crew.
- God’s keeping over the entire filming process, which began on August 6 and will continue over the next five weeks.
- Good health, renewed strength, and God’s protection for everyone involved in the project, including family members who have joined from overseas. Pray that everyone would experience and come to know His love.
- Wisdom and discernment for the production leadership as they make countless decisions each day.
- Clarity, creativity, and inspiration for our director, Matt, as he brings the story to life while balancing creative vision with production realities.
- Strong and authentic performances from the actors and actresses, enabling audiences to connect with the emotional journey of Hudson and Maria and experience their story afresh.
- The development of effective follow-up initiatives that will help viewers take meaningful next steps in their faith journey.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer and partnership as we enter this exciting new phase of the project.
August/September 2026 Prayer Meetings
The two Cantonese prayer meetings will be jointly held on Wednesday 12 August at 8 pm Sydney, Australia, time. The Cantonese prayer meeting at month’s end is cancelled.
• Cantonese Meeting: 12 August, 2026 at 8:00 PM Sydney Time
Please find the date and time of our next English, Mandarin, and German prayer meetings below.
• English Meeting: 26 August, 2026 at 8:00 AM Pacific Time /11:00 AM Eastern Time
• Mandarin Meeting: 27 August, 2026 at 7:30 PM Hong Kong Time
• German Meeting: 7 September, 2026 at 20:00 Switzerland Time
For more information, feel free to contact us at:
General: info@halfcrownmedia.com
Chinese Prayer Meetings: admin@halfcrownmedia.com
German Prayer Meeting: de.gebetskoordination@omfmail.com
Sydney Prayer Meeting: davidttcheung@hotmail.com
