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October 30:
The Testimony of an Elderly Chinese Lady
When the elderly Chinese lady showed up to sing at an ethnic-minority song festival, people were surprised to see her. They had thought she was dead! Actually, she had been seriously ill and word had spread that there was no hope for her recovery. Then she participated in a Christian training session where God convicted her of her need to intercede for a lost friend. She asked God to awaken her at 5 a.m. each day so that she could pray for that friend. He did just that and she began fervent prayer for the salvation of that friend. Then God began to miraculously heal her. She continued to pray for the lost, and soon realized that every time she would lift specific individuals to the Lord in prayer, those very individuals would later stop by to visit with her. One by one, she began to lead them to salvation. By the time that the annual music festival rolled around, she felt strong enough to sing a song from the Psalms that God had placed on her heart. Since then she has helped lead another few dozen people to Christ. Whether this dear lady dies soon or lives for many more years, she has already helped lead many others of her ethnic-minority group to eternal life.
The Key Has Been Prayer
Within a previously resistant people group, 1000 new believers have formed into 150 house churches in three months' time. The one at the heart of coordinating strategy to reach this people group for Christ believes that, although other efforts took place, the key has been prayer. "I cannot state it clearly enough. The single most important ingredient to any movement of God among an unreached people group is prayer." The strategist went on to detail some of the prayer efforts that preceded this growth of Christ's church. Several years ago a young woman spent many months living in China to research the group. She prayed for the people group. She asked her family to pray. She enlisted her friends to pray. Churches back home in America began to pray for the people group. Gradually they heard about other Christians in other countries who were also praying for the salvation of this specific group. Some intercessors even visited China to prayer walk the areas where the people group is concentrated. Almighty God heard the prayers and answered.
October 9:
A Poorly Educated Servant
The 18-year old ethnic-minority Chinese girl was so shy that she had trouble looking people in the eye. But Eva* had experienced the life-changing love of Christ and was determined to share that hope with others. During a discipleship training event, she boldly committed to telling others about Christ. Two months later, she reported that she had led several others to Christ, including a school teacher. Eva explained that as she had shared the gospel during a long bus ride, the teacher asked where she had attended high school and college. Eva replied that she had not attended either high school or college. When the intrigued teacher questioned further, Eva* explained that she had only been formally schooled through the second grade. The teacher was amazed that one so lacking in education could present such truths with such clarity and eloquence. She continued to question Eva about Christ until she was sure that she too wanted to follow Him. There on the bus the educator was led to salvation by a poorly educated servant of the Master.
A Treasured Friendship
Soon after the couple moved to China in late 2001, God brought a good Chinese friend into their lives. They prayed often for Yun Han* and for his business. When the holidays rolled around, Yun Han asked them to plan a Christmas celebration for his employees. They eagerly consented. As a part of the celebration, they showed the Jesus film. Two persons, including Yun Han, accepted Christ that night. The two new believers soon led four more friends to Christ. In less than two years, that group of six new believers has now grown to about 18 home fellowships of 180 believers. God had provided a treasured friendship to allow many others to have an intimate relationship with Him.
September 22:
One Year Later
Departing from China to return to the U.S., the young couple left behind about one dozen new believers in the city that they had been targeting. Upon their return to the China city less than one year later, they found more than 200 new believers grouped into 10 house churches! They were elated that the vision and training that they had shared with the first believers had taken root and resulted in such growth. Although they had thought they were returning to catalyze a church growth movement, they realized that the movement was already underway! During their absence, the God of the increase had continued to build His church. Now they will focus on assisting visionary Chinese believers to reach new and ambitious church growth goals that were set while they were gone. Together they are looking to God to add hundreds of new congregations this year, and thousands in the next three years.
Father's Provision
The two young American men arrived in the China city without as much as a telephone contact. But they knew that they had immediate access to the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Their assignment was to live in the unreached city for the purpose of strategic evangelism. Through prayer, they successfully confronted their first challenge: finding a hotel to spend the first night. When they ventured out the next morning, an English-speaking Chinese man appeared unexpectedly at the door of their hotel. They knew that he was the Father's provision. Step by step they felt their way, knowing that their Heavenly Guide was clearing each path that they would take. The China city soon became home. New friendships were formed. The two young men who had taken giant steps in faith to leave their U.S. homes for China were soon teaching others to take simple baby steps as new believers in Christ.
Ready for Baptism
Sitting in a living room in a coastal China city, the host was explaining to the small gathering that there would soon be a baptism on a nearby beach. He encouraged the new believers to follow Christ in baptism. Suddenly Wang Yong*, a nonbeliever, announced that he too wanted to be baptized. It was an awkward moment. The leader explained that, in order to be baptized, one must first accept Christ into his heart. "But I want to accept Christ," Wang Yong said. "I want to accept Him right now." The group rejoiced as he did just that, voicing a prayer of repentance and accepting the gift of salvation freely offered to him through Christ Jesus. He was ready indeed for baptism, and they were reminded once again that God is constantly working to draw people into His kingdom.
September 4:
Starting With A Fresh Slate
The discipler was surprised to realize that there was an idol shrine in the home of the new believers that she was training. She quickly showed them scriptures that explained how displeasing idolatry is to the True God. In immediate obedience, the new Christians gathered their tools, dismantled the idol shrine from the wall, and carried it to the garbage dumpster. There they used a hammer to smash the head of the graven image. The neighbors watched with amazement. At the next discipleship meeting held in their home, it was apparent that they had added a new white board to their furnishings. They explained to the discipler that it was to be mounted on their wall to be used as a Bible teaching aid. Having cleansed their home of demonic influences, they were starting with a fresh slate.
Christmas in the Summer
When the young Chinese boy asked his father about God, his father beat him and warned him not to ask again. The boy's mouth was silenced, but his heart continued to question. When he became a university student, he enrolled in a summer English program being conducted by visiting Christian teachers. One of the topics was Christmas. During a lesson about the holiday, the teachers performed a simple Christmas program. The questioning student observed with rapt attention as one of the teachers walked down the aisle of the classroom carrying a star. Portraying wise men, three more teachers followed the star. Then the star stopped over a makeshift stable. Suddenly the student knew that the truth that he had been searching for was Jesus. Now he lives to make that truth known. He has recently received additional beatings: not from his father anymore, but from authorities. These beatings resulted not from him asking about God, but from him boldly telling others about God.
August 12:
On the Job Training
For one year, the Christian workers had targeted a particular factory in the huge city that they were seeking to reach. They had visited the factory several times to share Christ and had faithfully prayed for the factory workers. Then a curious thing happened. A group of believers began to meet in a building right behind the factory. There they began to worship daily. Now as the factory workers go about their tedious labor from dawn to dusk, they can clearly hear the singing and the Bible teaching of the Christians. Those who had prayed so fervently for the factory workers were both amazed and amused at God's innovative provision of "on the job training" for the laborers.
A Bus Ride That Changed Two Lives
The small group of traveling evangelists had been arrested and detained overnight. They had been searched and questioned, and their Bibles, spiritual journals, and other materials had been confiscated. Finally a fine was imposed on them, and they were released. Now depleted of most of their travel funds, they were barely able to scrape together enough money to buy tickets for the sleeper bus back to their home base. While on the long bus ride, they began to share Christ with a young junior high teacher. When the teacher indicated that she didn't want to hear anymore, an older lady who had been listening to the conversation from her bottom bunk asked them not to stop. She said that she did want to hear more! She went on to tell them that her vision had been blurred for a long time, but as she had listened to them talk about Jesus, her eyesight had improved. There on the bus, she accepted Christ into her heart. So impacted was the junior high teacher by this testimony that a few hours later, she too accepted Jesus. Two new lives on one bus trip: all in all, not a bad ride for a group that was heading home after being expelled for preaching the gospel!
How Will They Know Unless Someone Tells Them?
The Christian teacher sensed that there was a struggle going on in the heart of the brilliant young student. Finally she was able to talk with him and hear his thoughts. "I have been educated from childhood to be an atheist. But every time after participating in this class, I think about what we discussed. The experience of singing a song from God and reading a verse from God is brand new to me. Some day, maybe God will come to my heart and I will not hesitate to greet him, because you let me know he stands for loving, caring, and understanding." How will they know unless someone tells them?
July 28:
An Anticipated Birthday Gift
The 20-year old Chinese woman showed up at her birthday party hoping that the evening would hold something sweeter than cake. "Where's the good book?" she asked as she walked into the room. Ever since a Christian friend had started telling her about Christ a few days earlier, the spiritually hungry Chinese lady had become eager to secure a Bible, the amazing book that she had heard about. So when she was invited to a birthday party held in her honor, she began to anticipate that she might be given a copy of the treasured book. That night at the party she did indeed receive a Bible. One night later she gave her heart to Jesus and received something even more special: the gift of salvation.
A Parent's Influence
She had been too stubborn to receive Christ earlier. Having been taught by her primary school teachers that there was no God, she had accepted the atheistic doctrine as truth. When she was in middle school, her parents became believers. But even though her father prayed for her every night, she resisted his witness. Then one night, alone in her room, she went through an intense time of fear and questioning. Shortly thereafter she viewed the Jesus film that her parents had brought home, and understood the price of love that Christ had paid on Calvary. Now she is a believer.
June 23:
A Baptism To Remember
Thousands of Chinese Christians are being baptized every week, with proportionately few of the baptisms taking place within traditional church buildings. Bathtubs, lakes, rivers, and swimming pools are likely sites for those who seek to follow Christ's example of immersion. At least one new Chinese believer was baptized recently in a public bath house. The site was of his choosing, and the two Christians who had committed to baptizing him did not realize until they were actually inside the bath house that they would not be allowed to wear any clothing into the bathing area. This presented a dilemma for the two western men who were reticent to shed their inhibitions - not to mention their undergarments! But bolstered by the joy of the new believer who had already stripped off his clothes and was announcing to other male bathers that he was preparing to be baptized in accordance with the wishes of Jesus, the two Christian workers decided that for the sake of the One who gave His all for the salvation of mankind, they were willing to bare their all. So it was off with their clothes, and on with the baptism! Surrounded by curious bathers, the new believer was lowered into the public bath waters during the very non-traditional baptismal observance.
God's Prescription for the Soul
The sole new believer in a China village has taken seriously the challenge to share his newfound faith with others. He knows that the gospel of salvation is a precious gift that can literally save the lives of others. Reflecting on the Good News that has taken root in his heart, he said, "It is like everyone in my village is sick and I have received the medicine."
May 21:
Jesus Split Time
She hiked up to the village to visit the only believer in the rural community. But when she arrived, she was disappointed to discover that the woman was not at home. The woman's husband was there, however, and he was in an argumentative mood. As he began criticizing Christianity, the visitor responded by telling him Bible stories. Gradually the man began to listen attentively. The visitor continued to tell about Jesus, using a timeline to explain that Christ's coming had brought hope for all mankind. Suddenly the man cried out, "Jesus split time!" Before long, he had asked Christ into his heart. With his newfound faith, his criticism has been silenced, and the Christian population of the village has been doubled.
Fruits of Their Labor
As the young couple nears the end of a two-year China assignment, they are torn between wanting to stay and needing to fulfill other obligations. They know that someday soon they may return to China for an extended time of service. They know too that they can entrust to the Father's keeping the 200 new Christians whom they have led to the Lord. They realize that the fruit of their labor has far surpassed anything that could have been accomplished in their own strength. Not only have they seen exponential growth among the new Christians, they have also witnessed the spiritual growth of individual believers. To add to their joy, they have received confirmed reports of new believers in another country as the result of the witness of one whom they have been discipling. The days have been long, the challenges great. But as they turn their thoughts homeward for a while, the fruits of their labor will remain and will continue to multiply far beyond anything they had anticipated.
May 2:
Sharing Christ in Spite of SARS
The recent SARS scare has caused many to avoid traveling to China for the time being. But those who have continued to share Christ in China in recent days have had the joy of seeing Him work. God's Spirit continues to sweep throughout the land, drawing many new lives unto Him. "Yesterday afternoon he became our brother," wrote one Christian worker. "There were five new decisions last week," reported another. "Several more were added to the Kingdom," said yet another. "Upon hearing the truth for the first time in his language, he accepted Christ," rejoiced still another. Ongoing witness equals ongoing decisions as the Father deploys His obedient servants in the continuing China harvest.
The Word Spreads in His Time
Ever since she had accepted Christ as Savior, Ming* had tried to share the Lord Jesus with the people in her ethnic-minority village. For five years she had shared her testimony with family and friends every time she returned to her home village. To her disappointment, no one believed. Nobody even seemed interested. But upon returning home most recently, she was met by several dozen villagers who wanted to ask her questions about Christ. They told her that last summer a group of foreigners had backpacked through their market town. The next day the villagers had discovered many packets of books, pamphlets, and VCDs scattered along the roadside. The VCDs that had been left behind depicted the creation of the world, the fall of mankind, and the coming of the Savior. Having seen the film, they were now ready to listen. They were waiting to ask Ming if Jesus really was the Son of God who can wash away the sins of those who believe in Him. Ming joyfully responded to their questions, and witnessed 20 of them come to faith in Christ Jesus.
April 16:
The Ultimate Change Agent
Liu-ching's* mother noticed a change in her daughter during the Lunar New Year holiday. The young Chinese woman had accepted Christ while living away from home, and had returned to her parents' home with new life in Christ. After telling her parents about the transforming work of God's love, her mother exclaimed, "I want to know this man too! Let Him change me!" Change her He did! She immediately ran next door to see her neighbors and tell them, "You need Jesus. He has changed my life." The she hurried to her best friend's business to tell her, "You need Jesus. He's the only one who can change you." She rushed to tell her siblings and in-laws, "Jesus has set us free. He can do that for you." Having had her life transformed, she is now enthusiastically introducing others to Jesus Christ, the ultimate change agent.
Never Away From the Father's Sight
When Jen-gang* was nine-years old, his father was murdered. Due to the circumstances of the killing, the child was hidden away in an orphanage for his safety. But the Heavenly Father knew his whereabouts. When Jen-gang was 15, he heard the gospel from a Christian visitor sent by God to the orphanage. The teenager accepted Christ into his heart. As he began to walk as a child of the Father, the pain and humiliation of his lonely childhood days began to fall away. He received a scholarship to a prestigious high school, and was later admitted to college. There he met two Christian workers who helped disciple him. Now the 20-year old house church leader is busy introducing others to his new Father -- the one he will have for eternity!
March 28:
When Do I Have to Give This Back to You?
The first time the young Chinese woman held a Bible in her hands, she trembled with excitement. Looking into the eyes of the giver, she timidly asked, "When do I have to give this back to you?" The Christian friend replied, "This is yours. You don't have to give it back." Tears rolled down the cheeks of the one who had received her own copy of the most precious book of all.
Misplaced Devotion
The Taiwanese couple were devout Buddhists: so devout that the husband had participated in Buddhist ritualistic ceremonies and the wife had mutilated her scalp and body with burns to reflect that devotion. Together they had performed acts of service and given money to appease the Buddha that they were worshipping. But when an earthquake devastated Taiwan in 1999, the couple suffered tremendous financial loss. They begged their gods for deliverance, but no help came. Finally in desperation, they began to listen to the witness of their daughter who had accepted Christ while studying in the U.S. Even though they had resisted her witness many times, she had persisted in calling and even faxing to them from America to tell them about Jesus. They finally turned to Jesus to save them and to carry their burdens. Now they speak boldly of the one and only true God who lives and reigns in their hearts.
Sharing Christ With Five People
Several Chinese believers who were seeking to reach a city for Christ were encouraged by their spiritual mentor to share Christ with five persons each prior to their next training time. But when they met together a week later, only one of them reported that he had done so. They listened with interest as the one who had completed the assignment shared that only four of the five to whom he had witnessed had accepted Christ. Then, pointing to a friend who had accompanied him to the training session, he said, "But I brought the fifth one with me." Before the end of the evening's training session, that "fifth" one had also accepted Christ into his heart!
March 14:
Giving The Buddha
"I'm sorry I gave you the Buddha. I know now that we must worship the one and only true God." That was the message written on a card given by a Chinese student to an American volunteer who had spent two weeks in China sharing Christ. Early in his visit, the young American had received a tiny Buddha figurine from the Chinese student. But after the visitor told the student about the Savior's love, the student realized that the statuette of a "god" really hadn't been a very good gift selection at all. In light of his new awareness of the One and Only True God, he felt that an apology was in order.
Dirty and Scruffy Men
Seeking to reach a China megacity of one-half million people for Christ, the Christian worker hoped that he could first locate the few existing Christians and mobilize them to share the good news. After an intensive few days of city exploration involving Christian volunteers from another Asian country, they finally located a small pocket of believers who indicated interest in reaching others. Four Chinese people showed up for the first training session. The mobilizer struggled inwardly with his own limitations of faith as he looked at the dirty, scruffy men. Thinking that they looked more like street people than potential evangelists, he wondered exactly what God was doing. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the window and pulled back the curtains. Turning to the men, he asked two questions. The first was, "How many Christians are there in this city?" They quickly arrived at a consensus indicating that only a very small portion of the city had heard of the love of Christ. Then he asked the second question. "How do you think that God feels about this?" To his amazement, the men fell to their knees and began to weep. He too dropped to his knees and joined them as they cried out to God to have mercy on their city. Together they poured out their hearts before the Lord, asking Him to use them in the task. The mobilizer knew at that point that God had assembled a team that was going to be used mightily for His Kingdom.
February 28:
A Baby in a Manger Scene
The Chinese housekeeper accepted Christ on a Wednesday in December. By that Friday, she had led three other people to the Lord! That weekend she headed home to her village to tell her family and anyone else who would listen about the love of Christ. Unlike some who require a string of witnesses over a long period of time before accepting Christ, the housekeeper had accepted Christ five minutes after first hearing of His love. When she exclaimed, "I believe. I believe. I believe.", the one who was sharing the good news was so surprised that he asked if she had heard the story of salvation previously. "No," she insisted. She explained that as she had gazed at the baby in a manger scene, she has already sensed that there was something very special about the child. When someone told her the story of Jesus' saving love, she immediately recognized it as truth and believed.
The Fellowship of Saints
The young American followed closely behind his Chinese friends as they made their way to a house church meeting in the dead of night. Down the dark alleys they walked until they arrived at the site of the gathering. As they entered the modest home and were seated, they pulled out their Bibles that had been discreetly concealed in their clothing. The host, one who had been imprisoned for years for his belief in Christ, held a Bible that was worn and tattered from decades of use. At some point during the gathering, the American shared his purpose in moving to their city and told them of churches in other countries that pray daily for the church in China. The Chinese brothers and sisters wept. He told them stories of God's moving in places throughout China where they had not been able to visit. Again they wept. But nobody was more deeply moved that night than the foreign visitor. Having been embraced by the hospitality of the Chinese Christians, moved by their tears, and stirred by their prayers, he left the gathering knowing that he had been in the fellowship of saints, and in the presence of God Himself.
January 17:
An Unforgettable Christmas
Even though they considered their Christmas party to be a failure from the standpoint of organization, they rejoiced that seven Chinese people accepted Christ! The Christian hostess explained that everything seemed a bit off kilter. Neither the songs nor the games went as planned. But the Holy Spirit acted in a mighty way as she and others simply shared the truth. Using a small bracelet with colored beads, and picture cards depicting a manger, a cross, and an empty tomb, they told about the love of Jesus. Then one by one, seven young women prayed to accept Christ into their hearts. Not a bad party after all!
Special Instructions
As the new Chinese believer explained his dilemma, the Christian worker breathed a prayer of thanksgiving for the man's evangelistic zeal. He smiled as he decided that the man's expressed "problem" was the best one imaginable. The new believer, having just heard a discipler say that Chinese Christians should be careful in sharing their faith, had expressed dismay as he told the group that he had already told ten other people how to accept Christ! It had not occurred to him that special instructions were required to share with others. He just wanted to tell them about Jesus! Now he wanted to know if he had done something wrong. He was assured that, to the contrary, he had done exactly as the Father had commanded.
Familiar-Looking Old Man
As she pulled out her teaching aids and began to tell stories to the people of the village that she was visiting, she thought that one old villager looked vaguely familiar. It seemed as if she should know him from somewhere. But her thoughts were diverted as she began sharing one Bible story after another with the group. She ended with the story of the cross, after which the familiar-looking old man and one other person immediately professed faith in Christ. As the older man prayed in his own dialect to receive Christ, the group rejoiced together over his decision. Then he went into his dwelling and brought out a framed picture of himself. Suddenly the Bible teacher realized why the man had seemed so familiar. A friend who had traveled to the village years earlier had given her a photo of the same man. His was the face that she had featured on her people group website! His was the face on her prayer calendar! She wanted to shout with joy that the God who had used this man's face to call others to prayer, had now worked in his heart to call him to relationship with Christ.
January 3:
The Kindness of Visiting Christian Physicians
After experiencing the kindness of visiting Christian physicians, a 20-year old Chinese lady decided to place her faith in Jesus. Chinese Christians had tried to lead her to the Lord previously, but she had resisted their witness. When an overseas medical team visited her town, she sought them out for physical healing. Even though she arrived after they had closed the clinic for the day, they reopened their medical kits and proceeded to treat her. Shortly thereafter, a Chinese evangelist explained to the lady that the only reason the physicians had come to their community was because of their love for Christ. She listened carefully as he explained the beauty of God's love and purposes, and then she accepted Christ into her heart.
Cover Over Their Heads
Their task was to locate and map an unreached people group scattered throughout a mountain range. Covering 50 miles on foot in four days' time, they had encountered discouragement and physical fatigue, had endured freezing cold temperatures and blinding rain, had shouldered 50-pound backpacks, and had been lost for hours at a time. But God had provided cover over their heads in the village dwellings of strangers, and food for their stomachs at the campfires of people they had not previously met. The journey was gruelling, but God's grace was sufficient. His presence and provision were constant.
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