Voices from China

Edited by Tony Lambert, OMF China Researcher

FROM COMMUNIST CADRE TO GOSPEL PREACHER

A preacher in Jiangxi province wrote recently to Christian Communications Ltd. in Hong Kong:

“I have believed in the Lord for 12 years. I quit the Party and my role as a cadre, to become a preacher. I and my family are serving the Lord wholeheartedly. The church I am leading has more than fifty people. But I feel deprived spiritually and knowledge-wise. I cannot comprehend the mysteries of God’s word, such as the book of Revelation and Matthew chapter 24. Please send me some commentaries so I can learn more about them.”

THE HEALING POWER OF GOD

It is encouraging to read this testimony of God’s sovereign power to heal today in the official church magazine Tianfeng. (December 2005) Mrs. Yan from Anhui province writes:

“I became a Christian in March 2005. On May 8, 2005 I had a health emergency caused by gallstones. I was told I had numerous gallstones and the doctor told me I needed immediate surgery. I was dumbstruck—I had become a believer only two months ago; how could this happen? But sisters from the church prayed incessantly with me and even took turns bringing food for me in hospital.

“When I signed the operation form I felt like I was signing my own death certificate! I did not dare even tell my mother. I prayed, ‘Dear Father in heaven please lead me safely through this operation. The twins are only 11 years old and need their mother.’

“In the weeks preceding the operation I would pick up my Bible and cry as soon as the twins left for school. Then some brothers and sisters from a small town invited me over. They all kneeled down and prayed for my health, asking God to lead me in grace, and that my gallstones would be dissolved with the help of the medicine I was taking. In Christ I was not alone any more. My appetite improved and my gallstones stopped hurting. I was feeling so vigorous I often rode my bike to visit friends and share the gospel.

“When a month had passed, I went back to hospital for a check. It was the same doctor who had examined me the month before. When he saw me he said: ‘It would be unheard of for gallstones to dissolve so quickly, so be prepared for an operation!’ My biggest gallstone had been 21 millimeters long. I thought to myself: God says He will heal us, God will save me! And, indeed, the result of the examination was very good. All the smaller gallstones had already dissolved and the doctor decided I would not have to undergo an operation after all, as long as I continued to take the medicine.

“Thanks be to God whose love saved me! My children and I will praise God whose boundless mercy we have experienced. God cured my fear and helplessness and taught me we can overcome any difficulties if we trust in him.”

A RURAL PASTOR IN YUNNAN

The Zhaotong region in northeast Yunnan may have 150,000 Christians today—mainly Miao. A century ago God greatly used the Methodist missionary Samuel Pollard and a great revival among the tribal people broke out. It is wonderful to hear of continuing blessing in this impoverished region today from a Han Chinese pastor living there.

“I am 53 years old, and been a Christian for 16 years since 1990. The Great Commission has been burning in my heart. In 1993 I began personal evangelism. In 1994 I did the course for China Dawn evangelists broadcast by FEBC. Over the next five years in the eight rural districts of our county I planted 16 new churches and trained 38 evangelists. Altogether 2,502 people came to Christ. I have given myself entirely to the work of evangelism. This is the result of God’s Spirit directing my life.

“More recently we have planted another church with 26 members. We need 300 Hymns, Bibles, commentaries and the schedule of gospel radio broadcasts.”

MIGRANT FACTORY WORKERS

The world’s most populous country, with what seemed like a bottomless pool of low-skilled workers, is experiencing a labor shortage in its big manufacturing regions. There is a shortage of workers at hundreds of Chinese factories, particularly in Guangdong and Fujian, two provinces at the heart of China’s export-driven economy.

Wages are going up, and workers are demanding—and getting—better working conditions and benefits. Minimum wages which averaged US$58-74 a month in 2004 (excluding benefits) have climbed about 25 percent over the last three years in Shenzhen Beijing and Shanghai. Wages at larger factories operated by multinationals, which are typically US$100-200 a month, are also rising.

But these jobs are not easy. The women and men put in ten hours a day, six days a week, churning out one garment after another. Much of the time, they have to move far from their families to get work. Most live with five or six others in rooms that have no electricity or running water. Sometimes it’s a fight just to get paid. (New York Times, 19 April 2006)

This thoughtful secular article does not touch on the moral and spiritual effects of the greatest migration to the cities in human history now underway in China. Young, impressionable—and sometimes naïve—rural people leave their families to earn more money in the cities. Crammed into crowded dormitories they are prey to abuse and tempted into immorality by city life.

We hear of “shop churches” set up—basically, small retail stores with room behind or above the premises for small house-church meetings. Also, Chinese and overseas Christian entrepreneurs use their factories for evangelism and meetings—which are often ignored by local authorities eager to attract investment.

Can big city TSPM churches reach out effectively to the millions of migrant workers in such cities as Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing? Traditional meetings are unlikely to cater for their particular needs. House churches may be better placed, but also need to rethink effective strategies.

Some 200 million people fall into this category of migrant workers. Most are unreached. Pray the Lord of the harvest will will raise up effective workers. Those most effective may be those who are migrant workers themselves who have come to Christ. Over the last two years one man from Anhui working in Beijing has gathered about 1,000 believers from migrant workers working in the suburbs of the city into some dozen house churches. Yet this is but a drop in the ocean. Pray God will raise up thousands like him!

TRIALS OF A RETIRED LAWYER

Mr. Lei, a retired lawyer in the south-central province of Hunan wrote to FEBC:

“I lost my parents at an early age and grew up in extreme poverty. But all was under the control of God’s providence. I did not believe in anything. Later, through accepting Mao Zedong thought, I was able to work for the government. After I retired from this, I worked as a lawyer for five or six years. But sickened by the corruption in society, I gave up legal work. In late 1995 I accepted the Lord Jesus and the triune God. But in the winter of 1997 I was persecuted and imprisoned for two months. In early 2001 I again experienced persecution and was locked up for more than a month. God was with me and I continue to preach the gospel in prison. I was unafraid.

“After I was released I wanted to take legal proceedings against the police, but my family and the church did not agree. So I have continued in prayer. Now our rural and township meeting points have grown in number to over 40 with more than 2,000 members! But they lack unity.”

AGAINST SUPERSTITION

While on a visit to Chengdu, China’s vice-minister of civil affairs railed against traditional funeral customs. In particular, he condemned the burning of paper money and other paper objects at funerals as “creating an air of superstition, which also looks vulgar and obscene.” Under new government burial regulations, those who continue to burn paper money at funerals will be “punished.” (UPI, 25 April 2006)

It remains to be seen whether a paper decree will have much effect in ending a common custom. Every town has shops which sell the offending paper “hell” money with gruesome figures of gods and fake amounts running into thousands of dollars. Many people are still very superstitious. Christians will sympathize with the government drive against superstition. But it is doubtful whether enforcement by decree will work; only inward obedience prompted by the Holy Spirit will break through the shackles of harmful traditions.

EVANGELISM IN JIANGXI

A Christian in the southern province of Jiangxi recently wrote a letter reporting much encouragement in evangelism among students.

“The growth in evangelism here is amazing. In every university and college there are many students becoming Christians. It’s not that we spread the gospel to them, but rather students evangelizing students! They have rented a place themselves and invite evangelists to preach the gospel to them. So all the churches feel short of workers. Several owners of big shopping centers have become believers. They organize meetings for all their workers, and invite preachers to share the gospel. In some shopping malls they even beat drums and gongs at the entrances to draw people in! Then they start preaching to them—it’s almost like street evangelism. [NOTE: this has been strictly forbidden in China since 1949.] But this drew the attention of the authorities who issued a document prohibiting the public proclamation of religion. So some house churches have stopped meeting. Our cell group is seizing this opportunity to concentrate on Bible study and personal spiritual development. We feel if we are not properly equipped we will have no strength to serve God in many different ways.”

EDITOR’S NOTE:

We have included some prayer requests from the above first-hand information from China. But as we have a double issue for the summer months, why not read the reports again prayerfully in August and ask the Holy Spirit to draw you out in prayer as he directs?

Likewise the Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26
Copyright 2006 OMF International