GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS FROM CHINA

 

There is no question about it—China is an amazing country where the unexpected is always happening! This month’s report will be filled with some thrilling stories that once again confirm that China is living in Book-of-Acts-days as God moves throughout the land in amazing ways. Yet, while most of the news is exciting, there is a dark side we all wish could be changed. Along with the great blessing, persecution and unreasonable and stringent laws make life unbearable for hundreds of thousands of people. It behooves the Church to do what it did in Acts 12—come together in concerted intercessory prayer that will release those held in bondage just as miraculously as Peter was delivered from prison.

 

NEW CHRISTIAN PUBLICATIONS MEETING NEEDS

 

A report from the China Link Team in the June/July issue states that cooperation between several groups in translation and publication is making possible a much-needed Bible Survey publication called “A Tour through the Bible.”  The first lessons from Genesis to Exodus are scheduled for release in September 2007. This will be a great asset to lay preachers and elders who often carry very heavy loads of several house groups that may number into the hundreds. With little training available to them, this publication will meet a tremendous need and improve the quality of ministry of these dedicated workers.

 

CHINESE OUTREACH MINISTRIES

 

COM is reaching Chinese students on more than 40 college campuses and witnessing a great response among the scholars studying at these institutions.  Their goal is to increase the number of colleges where staff is working, and to build a new training center and headquarters in the Mechanicsburg, PA. area where they are located.  The $700,000 project has already been blessed with the receipt of $334,945 towards the new building which will make possible the training of recently converted Chinese scholars who are preparing to return to China. Strengthened with this special training ministry, they will become more effective leaders in China as they find positions in important universities, government service and industry. For more information and the way to contribute, log on to www.chinaoutreach.org

 

THE NEXT GREAT WAVE OF EVANGELISM

 

University students in China are showing signs that they will be the next great wave of evangelism in China. In the last issue of CHINA CLIPPINGS it was reported that evangelism is leaping forward among China’s university students.  On more than 30 campuses, large and growing groups of students are being hailed as the next wave of evangelism, as even professors in some of the most prestigious universities are leading Bible studies. With China’s more than 130 million believers, and millions of students, the potential is mind-boggling. The emerging church in China is poised to become the greatest missionary sending nation in the world, and as in the past, students will be at the forefront of this new wave. Dr. Howard Brant writing in the Emerging Missions Network e-mail of July 2, 2007 said that “those watching what is happening in the Back To Jerusalem movement indicate that while the enthusiasm is definitely with the less educated house church movement, the potential for a real breakthrough will be its alliance with what is called :”The Third Wave.” – the growing number of university students who are coming to the Lord through the ministry of the vast number of ‘English Teachers in China.’” 

 

REGISTERED CHURCHES ARE PART OF THIS PICTURE ALSO

 

Recent statistics released by the registered church reveals tremendous growth in these churches that have registered with the government and consequently enjoy a much greater measure of freedom from persecution than house churches. It must be emphasized that the great majority of Chinese believers in registered churches are led by godly pastors who teach the whole counsel of God. There was a period in the 60s through 80s when great restrictions were placed on these churches and pastors were restricted in their preaching. To faithfully report what is actually happening in these churches today, we must recognize that the situation has totally changed, and pastors are no longer required to submit sermons prior to preaching them. According to this latest report, there are 18 million baptized believers in 32,000 registered churches that have an additional 16,000 preaching points. Zhejiang, Yunnan and Shangdong Provinces lead the way with more than a million believers each, and even Xinjiang Province, that far western province with a huge Muslim population, boasts of 131,000 believers. Gansu, for decades a difficult region that resisted the gospel because of the Tibetan influence has 262,000 believers! Beijing is reported to have 39,000 believers while Shanghai rejoices in 160,370 believers.  Still, it should be remembered that 80% of China’s Christians are found in house churches that continue to suffer persecution and severe restrictions on their activities. See www.ChurchInChina.com under the section Registered Churches for more information.

 

ALLIANCE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN NYACK, NY SETS THE PACE

 

ATS is an unusual seminary with a Chinese Bi-cultural Pastoral Ministries Program that is preparing Chinese Christians for world-wide ministry. This division of ATS provides master-level trained pastors, missionaries and lay leaders to serve the multiplying number of Chinese churches in North America. An increasing number of these churches are involved in cross-cultural ministries and are sending out well-equipped and ministry-skilled men and women to meet the growing demand worldwide for Chinese workers. The Chinese Studies Program is unique in that it trains students in the theological, cultural, and linguistic nuances of the Chinese Church while this program is also an integral part of the larger seminary.  Thus, students interact with Anglo students as well as with international students from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and South East Asia. For all Chinese young people who hear the called of God for ministry, please earnestly pursue contact with ATS. Log on to their web site at www.nyack.edu/ats

 

GANSU, INC SURGICAL TEAM IN CHINA AGAIN

 

The Gansu Examiner, the news letter of Gansu, Inc states in their July issue that they have begun their seventeenth year of restoring sight to poor, blind individuals in northwest China. For many years Dr and Mrs. Bill Conrad have led the teams to the remote communities of Gansu where they have performed literally thousands of cataract surgeries. Again this summer, several teams of doctors and nurses have returned to carry on this work of restoring sight to the blind and giving them the Word of Life for their hearts. In report No. 3 in mid-June, Peggy Conrad wrote: “We have already seen many bilaterally blind patients, who have had very mature cataracts. It is just so gratifying for us to see someone come in led by others with a broom handle for help, and then to see them the next day with smiles and mobility, once again taking up their bed and walking.”   More than 150 surgeries have been completed thus far this summer and many more are scheduled. Anyone interested in a weekly report or in contributing to this most worthy project, please contact volunteers@gansuinc.org to be added to the mailing list.

 

ALLIANCE RADIO REACHES THOUSANDS OF FACTORY WORKERS

 

Radio programs prepared at the Alliance Radio Studio in Hong Kong are broadcast to the thousands of factory workers living in cramped and poor dormitories in the Pearl River Delta and other major cities. More than 2,000 CDs have been sent to these rural workers who have come to the big cities of Shenzhen, Shanghai and Dongquan seeking employment. They are also being used in factories by Christian businessmen seeking to make Christ known. The response has been very encouraging.  Look at their web site: http://www.cmaradiohk.org for more information and to make contributions.

 

NOW SOME BAD NEWS – CHINA FACTS TO PRAY ABOUT

 

• The one-child policy still is the law of the land, and by it, some provincial governments are bringing in large amounts of revenue through penalties exacted against those who violate this policy. Unfortunately, it is reported that the rich can buy their way to have more than one child by bribery. Pray for the poor believers who struggle under this oppressive yoke.

• In an unusual move, China executed the chief man in charge of food and drugs because of bribery charges. The sentence was imposed to deal with two crimes: corruption and unsafe food and drugs, both associated with bribery.

• During the Cultural Revolution of Mao, residency permits or “ho kou” prevented people from unauthorized movement to other cities. Although the system is not strictly in effect as in previous years, millions of rural workers have flooded the cities seeking employment. The problem is that these workers have no legal rights to education for their children in the cities, so most couples leave their children at home with the grandparents. This is creating many serious social problems and unrest.

• The government has admitted that there are at least 12,000 people suffering with HIV/.AIDS in Beijing alone! Experts say this is just the tip of the iceberg as they conservatively estimate that at least 10 million are infected nationally. This will have serious consequences for the government and is an undeniable public health problem.

• In a World Serve news item, it was reported that Mrs. Chang and her husband were with a group of Christians when 100 police officers raided the home and arrested everyone. Unbeknown to the family, the police also went to Mrs. Chang’s home and arrested her twelve year-old twin children. One other was not taken. This is the first time children have been reported arrested because parents were involved in a house church meeting.  World Serve is assisting with the support of the third child and asks prayer for the family and others detained.

• These facts were gleaned from the Pray for Chinese e-mail letter.

 WE’RE BACK FROM HAWAII

 

God opened the way for us to return to Honolulu for a visit to our former church, Kapahulu Bible Church, where we participated in a wedding for a very dear friend and also had opportunity to once again preach in the morning service. The blessing of the Lord was on the trip and ministry. We were encouraged that a group of KBC people are planning a trip to China to visit a young mother who was a teenager when we pastored the church. She and her husband and twin sons now reside in China where they are engaged in teaching opportunities.