During a presentation at the 216th General Assembly, Qi noted that many people in the Chinese Christian community do not care for his work, preferring the likes of Italian Renaissance art to interpret their faith.

Qi, who is both artist and art historian, pointed out that 16th-century Italian artists often chose to not use 1st-century scenes but portrayed the gospel message through depictions of contemporary people, settings and dress. Artists throughout the ages have depicted the good news by means of cultural traits with which they were familiar.

Qi has done the same, employing an authentic indigenous style for his Chinese Christian art.

He employs a variety of traditional Chinese forms and materials in his artwork. At the same time, he freely incorporates global stylistic

techniques ranging from flat Egyptian profiles to modern Cubism, and everything in between.

The characters in Qi's works are clearly Chinese. They wear Chinese clothing and move through a world of Chinese landscapes and architecture. The time-honored Chinese colors of blue, green, and red are brilliantly incorporated in Qi's gouache paintings. He also brings the ancient methods of tight, hand-worked silk to his rich tapestries.

Chinese often feel that Christianity belongs to Western cultures, Qi said, but "I think the gospel message belongs to the Chinese people as well. I wish to use my artwork to change ordinary Chinese opinions. I want people to say, 'Oh, I recognize this, and it makes sense.'"

Indeed, Qi's portrayals of Biblical characters remind us that Christ belongs to all peoples, that Christ is God's Word for the whole world.