|
|
|
|
December 2000 |
|
TO CHINA AND BACK It has been six weeks since we returned from China and Hong Kong, but our experiences there have not faded one bit. In fact, they have burned even brighter in our hearts as we have shared those experiences with several churches and groups. People everywhere are waking up to the fact that something very unusual is happening among the Chinese everywhere. "To China and Back" is the name of our book which is in the Jaffray Series and available from Christian Publications or ourselves. It is our story of fifty years ago. Now, we feel like we have some new chapters to add to it. THE SEMINARY IN WUCHANG We mentioned briefly last month that more than 200 future pastors and church leaders are enrolled in this school under very able, dedicated and deeply spiritual leadership. Years ago, when we lived in Wuchang, the pastor of the church was Rev. Joshua Ku, a man a few years older than ourselves who was our close and dear friend. When we were forced leave because of the war, we had a sad parting, knowing that probably we would never meet again on this earth. Joshua spent 20 years in a hard labor camp for his faith, and when released in the mid-70’s, he went right to work gathering young people around him to prepare them to take over leadership. That was the reopening of the present seminary in Wuchang. How it would thrill his heart to see what God has done with the handful of students he selected to join him. THE NEED FOR PASTORS IS ENORMOUS Wuchang is in the province of Hubei and near the lake where Mao and his friends planned the conquest of China. It is also the site of the 1911 revolution which overthrew the Manchu Dynasty and started Chiang Kai-shek on his way to the presidency of China. So it is only natural that this area on the Yangtze River known as Wuhan should be the site of a great movement for God. The seminary located here, and the church which I described last month rising eight stories tall with prayer tower and huge cross on top, are the center pieces of this movement touching the entire province. Their goal is to prepare pastors and send them out to man the churches being started. It is reported that they are starting 50 churches a year in this one province alone! That sounds exciting and miraculous, and it is, but the other side of the story is that there are only 70 ordained pastors for the entire province with hundreds of churches. The need to prepare pastors is very urgent to buy up the opportunities. THE WUCHANG CHURCH ELEVATOR Last month I told about this huge church rising on the property where we once lived. The government building code requires an elevator before the occupancy permit can be granted. Building funds do not include the elevator since most Chinese wouldn’t blink an eye at walking up eight flights of stairs! The building codes of new China, however, requires it. I asked you to pray about helping raise these funds and you have been responding. Already there are more than $500 of the $8,000 needed in the account. Thank you and God bless you as you pray about your part to get this church opened on time. HOW TO HELP Make out a check to First Alliance Church Orlando for any amount you feel led of God to contribute. Then send it to me for processing so the church is not burdened down with the details. Early next year, we hope to send a sizable contribution toward the needed $8,000 through the Hong Kong Field office to be transmitted to the church. Please consider what God would have you do to help open the church by Easter. AN URGENT REMINDER TO PRAY I received an e-mail after the report of our trip to China from a friend living in Hong Kong who reminded me that there is persecution of Christians in China. Unfortunately, it is true that in areas persecution does exist for various reasons. Sometimes it is the result of political issues in an area, or an official who dislikes the church, or because some believers are unwise in their methods. Be aware that these conditions exist, but also be aware that a new day has dawned for the great land of China and that there is a great measure of freedom of religion in many places. We must always keep in mind that Satan will use every means he can to thwart God’s work, but the great and glorious fact is that the church cannot be wiped out. Thanks be to God! CHRISTIANS GO BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY True to form, Christians in one community were required to build a road in town like everyone else. They had been having difficulty with the authorities, but as they prayed for wisdom, God led them to volunteer many hundreds of extra hours of free labor to the project. The officials were impressed that these Christians were not bad people after all, and since no one else volunteer to do the hard labor without expecting pay, they granted them registration and freedom to build a church. One of the great lessons Christians are learning there is that relationships, not lectures or sermons, are more important than anything they do to make a connection between the head and heart of officials. That is a lesson we all need to learn here in America where paganism is making such great strides and engulfing our communities. ONE MILLION HOURS OF PRAYER Recently, the Hong Kong churches met together in a large hall to celebrate the completion of one million hours of prayer for Hong Kong and the Chief Executive Office, Teng Chi-wah. It was a great surprise that he attended the gathering with the 4,000 believers and heard their testimonies and reports how their churches prayed for him. He was deeply moved by their worship songs and especially their prayers for him as the leader of Hong Kong. His role corresponds to that of governor. Christians are demonstrating the powerful effects of the gospel in their lives, and it is having a great impact everywhere. Think what might be happening now in our government if we Christians had spent one million hours in prayer for our own government! Let’s all take this to heart and begin a prayer movement in our churches which will change the course of our nation and the world. ALLIANCE LIFE MAGAZINE CARRIES TWO ARTICLES ON CHINA The December 2000 issue of Alliance Life carries two long articles on China which everyone should read. Let them generate prayer support for Alliance personnel in Hong Kong and Taiwan who regularly visit inland China. Pray earnestly for the pastors and church leaders that they will have boldness to give forth the Word of God and that signs and wonders will follow as in Acts. Pray for the wide distribution of Bibles and other Christian literature in the book stores that are beginning to open in China. THE ALLIANCE PRESS The Alliance Press has opened their first store in south China in a beautiful new church building on a strategic corner of the city. Hundreds of people have already signed up to visit and spend time in the reading room. More stores are contemplated as funds are available. The Director of the Press, and our friend from our days at the North Point Church has a great vision for opening more book stores. They also press on with their publishing work in Hong Kong where Christian activities have increased dramatically during the last three years. There has been no restrictions on the churches at all, but instead strong support from the government continues unabated. Praise God for what he is doing in answer to prayer. JACK AND JENNY MYSTERY BOOKS AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG While we were in Hong Kong, we visited the Christian Literature Crusade book store and introduced my pre-teen Jack and Jenny Mystery series to the proprietor. As a result, the first order for his store is on its way there now, and people in Hong Kong will be able to purchase directly from his store. Please pray that many will discover these books whose stories originate in Hong Kong out of our years of missionary service there. And, please pray for continued good sales here in the States and young people making decisions for Christ. PAUL BARTEL BIOGRAPHY COMPLETED Thanks to your earnest prayers, I have completed the first draft of the Paul Bartel biography. It is now in the hands of my daughter, Joy Peters, who is my professional editor. Hopefully, she will be merciful to me and spare the red ink. As much as I want to be spared the red ink, however, I know that she does a masterful job as an editor. I can highly recommend her as an excellent editor for anyone writing a book because she has the God-given gift and the talent to make a writer and his work look great. DAYTONA INTERIM Four days after we returned from China, we started as interim at the Daytona Alliance Church here in Florida. We have a small apartment in Daytona near the church which serves as our base for the next few months. Please pray that we will be strengthened for this ministry and be able to prepare the people for a new pastor early next year. FORWARD THIS REPORT TO YOUR FRIENDS There are constant requests to be added to the mailing list because people are passing these reports around to their praying friends. Anyone wishing to be added to the list may simply send me an e-mail with their address. And, for the rare person who requests to be remove, I promise to do so whenever requested. Thanks so much for your prayers and your gifts for the Wuchang Church. There will be rejoicing in heaven because so many people shared in this ministry to China and opened the doors of a great church to many people.
|