GANSU IN THE NEWS

 

Some gleanings from the October China Link provides a very exciting report on West China’s Gansu Province, once an isolated and extremely difficult region to reach. In 1950, at the time of the collapse of the Nationalist Government, there were twenty Christian and Missionary Alliance churches in Gansu with an estimated membership of 1200 believers. Praise the Lord, there has been exponential growth throughout the region. During the past 50 years much has happened as the Communists took over. There were years of great repression, persecution and death throughout China, but this report states that today, the church in Lintan has 3,000 members, Minxian has 3,000, Wudu has 4,000 and Wenxian has 3,750!  Rejoice that today there are 650 church fellowships in the province with more than 110,000 baptized believers. Only God could do such a thing in the midst of severe persecution and misery.

 

You probably are asking, "How did this amazing growth occur?" The reason puts all western churches to shame. It happened because faithful believers never stopped sharing their faith and leading others to Christ, and faithful leaders kept preaching, witnessing and evangelizing! Another amazing fact is that many of the leaders are farmers and lay workers with very little theological training who are consumed with a passion to make Christ known regardless of the cost. Isn’t it time to examine our own motives and churches in the light of this shining example of what it means to serve Jesus?

 

NORTH POINT CHURCH SENDS TEAM TO CAMBODIA

 

The English language church in North Point began an outreach to Hong Kong about 50 years ago and the editor had the privilege of being the pastor for more than 8 years. Today, that English Church still carries on as part of the North Point Church which averages 4,000 in attendance on a Sunday. A report that arrived recently tells the thrilling story that the youth pastor and a children’s English Department teacher traveled to Phnom Penh, Cambodia with six young people on a short term mission trip. The local pastor in Phnom Penh was so excited about a new ministry they were using, Kid’s EE, and thought it would be great to train the Hong Kong team to make use of it in Hong Kong. There is no Kid’s EE in Hong Kong, but with the assistance of the Cambodian pastor and team, these young people were trained and equipped for this unique ministry. These six young people are now using it in Hong Kong at their international school and God is blessing. What a challenge. A mission team from Hong Kong is trained in Cambodia for a ministry not yet in Hong Kong! That’s how the gospel is spreading from person to person with great blessing and growth.

 

TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN – BACK TO JERUSALEM

 

According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, ten thousand Chinese become Christians every day.  That’s 70,000 a week or 3,650,000 a year! At the time of the Communist takeover in 1950, there were less than 2 million baptized believers while today it is reliably reported that there are as many as 130 million believers! The Asia Times reporter Spengler recently wrote that China may soon occupy the role the United States has filled for the past 200 years as the major center for mass evangelism and missionary activity. He adds that “if this occurs, the world will change beyond our capacity to recognize it.” He uses the word “earthquake” to describe the impact on Asia, the 10/40 Window and the Chinese Diaspora scattered in every nation of earth. Rather than being concerned that the USA will probably be replaced as the major missionary sending nation in the world, we should give ourselves more earnestly to prayer and throw our resources into the battle for the soul’s of lost people. Chinese training centers are located in many areas of China and Asia where valiant men and women are being prepared to penetrate the strongholds of Satan. Chinese workers are already in several limited access countries living their lives for Christ in most dangerous situations- and doing so joyfully as bond slaves of Jesus Christ.

 

A NEW DAY HAS DAWNED IN CHINA

 

A Christian Study Center in Beijing University has just completed their fiscal year of operations with all bills paid, thanks to many who are supporting this outreach to China’s most prestigious university. During the past six years, 140 pastors and teachers have graduated from their Christian Studies M.A. program, twenty are now teaching in seminaries in China, some work with other religious organizations, and even the Government Ministry of Religion.

 

China Graduate School of Theology in Hong Kong, China, was privileged to have Dr. Kevin Xi Yi Yao, one of their theology professors speak at nationally renowned Wuhan University to a full auditorium of lecturers and students on the subject "Christianity as a World Religion." He reports that it was followed by an enthusiastic and professional discussion. (Incidentally, the editor used to conduct weekly English Bible studies there before the Communist takeover with more than 100 regularly attending.) Visit their web site: www.cgst.edu  

 

Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, NY has a large enrollment of American Chinese and foreign students in their Chinese Bi-cultural Pastoral Ministries M. Div. Program. Their stated goal is to equip men and women called to serve the Chinese Church in North America and Overseas. An increasing number of Chinese churches are sending missionaries around the world and to China, and will be part of that great missionary outreach stretching from China to Jerusalem. For more information, visit their web site: www.nyack.edu/ats 

 

CHINA DENIES BIBLES BANNED AT 2008 OLYMPICS

 

The shocking report that China was going to ban Bibles in the Olympic village where athletes will stay turned out to be a totally false rumor! According to Reuters News Service, the report first appeared in the Italian sports newspaper La Gazzette dello Sport. It was then picked up by the Catholic News Agency and spread to the US media. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a news conference, “The Chinese government has not come up with any such rule. China’s religious affairs authorities and the Olympic organizers HAVE NOT- and COULD NOT- issue a rule banning Bibles in the Olympic Village.” Reuters reported that Liu said “foreigners were allowed to bring in religious objects or materials for personal use, and there would be no change to this during the Olympics.”

 

 The government has also declared that religious services for foreigners will not be lower than previous games.  It was acknowledged that China is aware that large numbers of religious faithful will be among the athletes, coaches and tourists participating in the games.. 

 

China is deeply concerned about religious demonstrations during the games and has been taking steps to restrict the movement of house church leaders and dissidents by removing them from circulation. Prayer is requested that all religious leaders and people will use wisdom before and during the games, and avoid unnecessary confrontation with the government authorities.

 

NOT ALWAYS A ROSY PICTURE 

 

Received from ASSIST News Service and Michael Ireland in October is the disturbing report that a well-known house church leader, Mr. Zhou Heng was arrested for receiving a very large shipment of Bibles.  He has operated a registered bookstore called the YaYi Christian Book Room which sold books and materials that were published legally and officially inside China. He was arrested and charged with “illegal business operations” because the Bibles had not been legally printed in China. This shipment of Bibles was reportedly donated by South Korean churches and intended for distribution to local believers free of charge. China permits a limited number of Bibles to be printed each year by Amity Press. Mr. Zhou faces a 15 year sentence. A recently released inmate reported that Brother Zhou was beaten in prison severely by other inmates and prison guards. Usually inmates are encouraged to beat up religious prisoners and receive extra privileges for doing so.

Ye Xiaowen, director general for Religious Affairs said on October 17 that China plans

 

Gospel Recordings reported that a pastor and his wife were brutally murdered in their home in Central Asia recently. They were engaged in recording ministries similar to those of Gospel Recordings, Inc. This organization has made a world-wide impact for more than 50 years on many countries as they have provided recordings in most national languages to pastors and missionaries. Learn more at www.globalrecordings.net

 

Some pastors and workers still held in prison include:

·        Pastor Zhang Rongliang, arrested December 1, 2004 for having illegal Bibles in his possession. He is suffering from hypertension and diabetes and is not receiving adequate medical help.

·        Pastor Gong Shengliang was arrested in April 2001 and charged with using a “heretical organization to undermine the implementation of law”- a favorite for an unregistered church. He heads up a relatively small house church of 100,000 believers!

·        Li Ting is serving a 15 year sentence for her role as editor of an underground church magazine. She is forced to work long hours with little food

 

Full sets of the Jack & Jenny Mystery Series almost gone

 

There are only 15 complete sets of this popular children’s series left. When they are gone, Book 6, “Hijacked” will no longer be available. Books 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 have a larger supply on hand and will continue to be available. Each book costs $2.00 or $12.00 per set of 6 plus $4.00 postage for a total of $16.00. Two sets @ $24.00 plus postage of $5.50 postage for a total of $29.50. More than 2 sets, please write for postage quote. Send e-mail to AGBollback@cfl.rr.com