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May 2007 |
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NUMBER OF CHRISTIANS IN CHINA
Last month, it was reported here that a high ranking official in the Chinese government stated in the official newspaper Xinhua that there were 130 million Christians in China. This was reported in The Church Around the World bulletin insert. The March 24-31 issue of World Magazine reported the number at 125 million Christians! Marvin Olasky writing for World Magazine reports “It’s been nine months since I visited China and reported to you the wildfire growth of Christianity in the largest country of the world—and that growth seems to be continuing. One Beijing official recently estimated that the number of Chinese Christians has reached 125 million." [It is also reliably estimated that 30,000 people a day are turning to Christ. That figures out to almost one million a month!] "Compare that enormous surge with the number of arrests last year for religious reasons—600 according to the US-based religious rights group China Aid Association—and it seems as if the Chinese Communists are trying to stop a charging water buffalo with a pea-shooter.”
According to Olasky in World, Government policy varies enormously from region to region. Chinese Christians say, “China is a waffle- not a pancake, and a swimming pool of syrup in one square does not keep officials in the next from throwing Christians into prison.” It is interesting to note the strange nuances at work in China.
TBN NEGOTIATING BROADCASTING RIGHTS IN CHINA On May 2nd, Paul Crouch, Jr showed clips of his father, Paul Crouch, founder of TBN, in China meeting with the highest Chinese officials including the Vice Premier of China as they were negotiating broadcasting rights for Trinity Broadcasting Network. Crouch announced from China that an agreement was reached in principle to allow TBN to broadcast to certain areas in China with the possible eventual opening of the whole country to the network. “Please pray,” Crouch pled with his audience, “that this will become a reality and no obstacles will develop. Many hotels and the embassy already carry TBN programs and hundreds of letters are being received from Hong Kong and other parts of China thanking God for the programs being aired.
BACK TO JERUSALEM On the same program, Paul Crouch, Jr interviewed the famous Chinese pastor, Brother Yun, whose thrilling story is told in The Heavenly Man. You can view this entire program on the archives of TBN for May 2 and on my web site www.ChurchInChina.com. It is a thrilling report of the preparation of 100,000 Chinese missionaries getting ready to plant a witness in all of the countries from the Great Wall of China to the Wall of Jerusalem. In that area known as the 10/40 window there are more than 50 countries with the least opportunity to hear the gospel. Brother Yun is only one of many groups preparing Chinese workers for this task of obeying the Great Commission. Log on to www.tbn.org or www.ChurchInChina.com
CHINA OUTREACH MINISTRY REPORT Not long ago on a Saturday night, at the University of Michigan, a surgeon, Dr. Y and the leader of the U of M COM team, were invited to the home of newly-arrived from China, surgeon Dr. W. His wife had just joined him two weeks earlier, and so it was a time to celebrate and get acquainted. Dr. W and his wife had recently viewed the film Facing the Giants with 22 other Chinese scholars. At the dinner table, the conversation centered on the film. “For three hours, all of us talked about how to know God, how to overcome the science/faith issue, and what it means to pray to Him,” reported the U of M leader. Dr. Y took the lead in explaining his own new found faith in Christ and he explained how to accept the Lord if they chose to do so. Everyone returned home late that evening. On Sunday morning, Dr. Y telephoned the U of M leader, and excitedly shared with him that Dr. W and his wife had already prayed to accept Christ. That evening, the couple shared their new-found faith with the leader. Pray for scholars all across the country who are finding Christ in settings like this.
China Outreach Ministries is facing a huge challenge. They feel the urgent need to build a new headquarters building that will include a training center for just such scholars who find Christ in America, and who are preparing to return to China where they will fill important positions in government, hospitals and universities. The need seems staggering-- $700,000, but COM believes that God is leading and with Him, all things are possible. Already $350,000 has been received for this project. You can have a part in making this center a reality in the near future. Contact COM on their web site www.chinaoutreach.org or by e-mail at chinaout@aol.com Be part of this outreach that will have a profound affect on China for years to come.
CHINA SOURCE EXPERIENCING GREAT OPPORTUNITIES China Source based in Fullerton, California reports a unique and pressing need developing among Chinese Christian CEOs in several key Chinese cities. A Mr. Liu, a respected businessman from a major city attended a China Source Conference designed to teach businessmen better business methods as well as how to integrate their faith into their business. Mr. Liu was so impressed, he returned home and shared the concept of the CEO Fellowship with a friend. As a result, they spread the word among their colleagues, and soon, they had formed five fellowships with more than 100 men and women in them! More and more Chinese businessmen are seeking ways to inform the thousands of workers in their factories about Jesus Christ. China Source has two major priorities: (1) support the multiplication of CEO Fellowships across China, and (2) equip these influential people to share their faith and solve the mounting social issues of homelessness and lack of skills among rural migrants. To find out more information about them, log on to www.chsource.org
REPORTS FROM 10/40 WINDOW COUNTRIES The Chinese Church sincerely believes that God has raised them up to become the largest-missionary sending nation in the world. They are praying for 100,000 messengers to travel through the 10/40 Window countries planting churches. This area, however, is the most resistant area of the world toward the gospel and persecution is rife in most of these lands. India is plagued with opposition to Christianity in some provinces where terrible atrocities are taking place. Uzbekistan has imprisoned several Christians and made life difficult for all believers. China continues to imprison house church Christians for various “crimes” such as illegal meetings and distribution of Bibles. Myanmar (Burma) has been particularly cruel to Christians as has Vietnam. Malaysia has laws that forbid Malays (Muslims) from converting to Christianity on pain of death. Indonesia suffers from extremes from Muslims determined to obliterate Christians from the country. Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and most of the Mid-east countries take stern measures against converting to Christianity. Yet these are the countries the Chinese missionaries are entering even as we write this report. Pray earnestly for these hundreds of believers suffering for Jesus. To join with a reliable Chinese group training messengers, contact prayer@lfdusa.org
The TBN interview with Brother Yun of The Heavenly Man fame, can be seen in it’s entirety on the “Life In China” page. This interview also includes a very thrilling clip of the Back To Jerusalem movement origin and progress. It will be very inspiring to see and hear Brother Yun explain his passion for this ministry.
Also, take time to go to the page “Images of China” for several very exciting slide shows about various aspects of China and Chinese life. It will wet your appetite to pray for this amazing country. Return frequently to the site because it is changing almost every day.
Take a few minutes to look at my books by clicking on the pictures for more information.
Yours for the Cause
of Jesus Christ in China,
Anthony Bollback |
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