This book offers a unique historical documentation of the development of the ambitious religious entrepreneurism by leaders of the Early Rain church (and later Western China Presbytery leadership), in an effort to gain social influence in China through local institution-building and global public image management.

Li Ma is currently a research fellow at the Henry Institute of Christianity and Public Life at Calvin College, USA. She is the author of three books, including Surviving the State, Remaking the Church (with Jin Li) and The Chinese Exodus, and Towards Aslan's Kingdom: A Guide to The Chronicles of Narnia (with Jin Li). She holds a PhD in sociology from Cornell University.

Introduction; Part I Consolidation; 1 Dissidents and liberals; 2 Redeeming the public sphere; 3 City to city; Part II Expansionism; 4 Second Reformation; 5 Covenant Reformed School; 6 "Splitting-Style Church-Planting"; Part III Radicalization; 7 Challenging Caesar; 8 Global networks; Conclusion