The Back to Jerusalem vision is something that thousands of Chinese Christians are willing to die for. At the very least, we otught to find out why.In the prison seminary, we have learned many valuable lessons about the Lord that we could never have learned from a book. We've come to know God in a deeper way. We understand his goodness and his loving faithfulness to us.
God never changes. While we are looking for better methods and stronger men and women, God is looking for weak vessels with no confidence in their own abilities. He does this so that his work will be done his way and so that all the glory will go to Jesus Christ.
The information was collated by the top leaders, who were gathered at the special meeting. The combined total membership of the house church networks present at the meeting came to 58 million people, while the net growth rate of each church group was reported to be between 12.5 percent and 17.5 percent per year. Some experts estimate that thirty thousand Chinese are coming to Christ each day, which works out to more than ten million new believers anually.
One man of faith said, "I expect to die in heathen China, but I expect to rise in Christian China."
A Story of Bian in an ancient Chinese book, Han Feizi(한비자)
The brutal persecution resulted in the church being stripped of all the external things associated with Christianity. Church buildings were confiscated and either demolished or used as warehouses, gymnasiums or storage facilities. Bibles and hymn books were burned, while almost the entire church leadership was removed. Unable to continue as they were used to, many Chinese Christians fell away. Some denied Christ and betrayed fellow believers. Those who decided to remain true to Jesus Christ found all of their religious props removed, leaving only one foundation that could not be moved - the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
Years later, China watchers were able to see how God had been in complete control of events in China throughout the years of silence. What most people believed to be a tragic defeat of the church turned out to be nothing less than a tremendous victory.
Here are just some of the ways the policies of the government prepared the ground for the revival of Christianity:
- Much of China's idolatry was removed during the Cultural Revolution. Thousands of temples and idols were smashed, creating a spiritual void in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people.
- The government's attempts to remove God and deny the existence of the supernatural resulted in mass conversions to Christ when people personally experienced the reality of God and miracles.
- Train lines, roads and airports were constructed, enabling evangelists to easily travel to areas that were formerly inaccessible.
- Mandarin was adopted as the official language of China and is now used in all education and media. Formerly there were thousands of dialects that made communication of the gospel problematic.
- Large-scale literacy projects were undertaken, resulting in multitues of people being able to read God's word for the first time.
- Control of the media resulted in a hunger and respect for the printed word. Christian organizations have taken advantage of this, printing tens of millions of Bibles and Christian books, while radio ministries were quick to broadcast the gospel by short-wave radio into China. Millions of Christians in China trace their salvation to radio ministry.
- During the excesses of the Cultural Revolution people were forced to denounce their wrongdoings and reform their lives. The "culture of confession" this created makes it much easier for people to repent and confess their sins to God when they hear the gospel.
The Jesus Family suffered terrible hardships. Often when this mobile community entered a new town the entire population would come out to beat, scorn, and humiliate them. The opposition didn't deter them, however, and when they preached the gospel there always seemed to be a few people willing to forsake all that they had to follow Jesus.
"God's gifts and his call are irrevocable"(Rom. 11:29)
"Don't pray for the persecution to stop! We shouldn't pray for a lighter load to carry, but a stronger back to endure! Then the world will see that God is with us, empowering us to live in a way that reflects his love and power. This is true freedom!" - Brother Yun
"In China we have learned to trust the sovereignty of God. If we are in prison it is because he wants us there. Then very thing some people may think a failure may turn out to be the point of breakthrough and victory." - Brother Yun
"If I had a thousand lives to live, I would give them all for China." - Hudson Taylor
We soon found that rather than being weakened by the removal of all external props, we were actually much stronger because our faith in God was purer. We didn't have any opportunity to love the "things" of God, so we just learned to love God! We had no plans or programs to keep running, so we just sought the face of Jesus! We had no opportunity to make money, so we spent all our time making disciples!
In the 1970s and early 1980s, we were all one church. There were no significant theological differences between us and no blockages to our fellowship. We had all been deeply touched by God's Spirit. We went to prison together, were beaten together, and bled together. We also preached the gospel together.
But by the early 1990s many leaders who were once close brothers in the work of the gospel had become critical of each other. We had always stated that we in China would never form dennominations like those in the Western church, yet we had all gone different ways and built walls between us. The Back to Jerusalem vision had been present for many years, but the house churches were not yet ready to fulfil this call. The Lord knew we could never be effective in our witness to Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus while we remained weak and divided.
"Sometimes foreign Christians visit the house churches in China and make comments like, "The church in China is extraordinary." This is not true. "Normal" Christianity for a believer is surely when we live according to the pattern of the church laid out in the word of God. The chruch in the Book of Acts did not have remarkable experiences and success, they had what should be normal lives and experiences and success, they had what should be normal lives and experiences for any church that claims to have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus! They were the standard for us to follow. Much of the church in the world today, including in China, is abnormal and unbiblical. May we all fall to our knees and seek the Lord's help to live out what he accepts as normal Christianity!" - Peter Xu Yongze
"Oh, how these unreached nations - who do not know God but worship idols - need the gospel of JC! Now is God's time for us to wake up. We must humbly repent and be alert, watch and pray! By the power of the Holy Spirit we will be able to defeat the strongholds of evil and pierce stubborn haerts, so that people will come to the Lord." - Peter Xu Yongze
*The Testimony of Enoch Wang
"Success is obeying God. Failure is when we don't obey God."
2000년에 중국 밖으로 파송할 첫 팀의 인원을 결정할 때 우리는 지하교회의 리더로 적어도 10년 이상 섬기고 하나님의 나라를 위하여 고난을 겪은 경험이 있는 사람, 그리고 사역에 많은 열매를 거둔 사람만을 선발하였다. 이렇게 발탁된 39명의 일꾼들은 하나같이 모두가 강건한 주님의 용사들이었다. 백투예루살렘 사역은 강하지 않고는 결코 할 수 없는 일이다. 그들 가운데 36명이 선교를 시작한 지 불과 며칠 만에 체포되었다! 39명의 사역자 가운데 36명이 체포되었다는 소식을 들었을 때 지하교회가 조금이라도 아찔해했을 것으로 생각하는가? 천만의 말씀이다! 중국 전역의 모든 성도들은 오히려 세 명의 선교사를 무사히 중국 밖으로 파송할 수 있었던 기적에 대하여, 눈물을 흘리며 주님께 두 손 높이 들고 감사하였다!
God wants us to work in teams, not alone. Jesus had a team, Moses had a team, David had a team, and Paul had many people work with him on teams하나님은 우리가 혼자 일하기보다는 팀으로 일하는 것을 원하신다. 성경을 살펴보면 예수님도, 모세도, 다윗도, 바울도 모두 팀 사역을 했던 것을 알 수 있다. 성경에 드러난 바울의 팀:
1.Paul, a Jewish scholar and tentmaker by occupation바울은 유대 학자였으며 장막 만드는 일을 했다(행 18:3); 2.Priscilla and Aquila, olive- skinned Italians브리스길라와 아굴라는 올리브 빛깔 피부를 가진 이탈리아인들이었다(행18:2); 3.Luke, a doctor누가는 의사였다(골4:14); 4.Christians from Cyrene(in today's Libya, Africa). In thoses days, centuries before the spread of Islam, these Christians from Cyrene were most likely dark-skinned구레네(현 아프리카 대륙의 리비아)에서 온 그리스도인들(행11:19-21)은 이슬람교가 전파되기 한참 전인 이때 검은 피부를 가졌으리라 추정된다; 5.Aristarchus and Gaius, from Macedonia in Asia Minor가이오와 이리스다고는 소아시아의 마케도니아인들이었다(행19:29); 6.Zenas, who was a lawyer세나는 교법사였다(딛3:13); 7.Onesimus, a slave오네시모는 노예였다(몬1:10)
History shows us that when people become isolated and inbred, they get genetic defects and grow weak. The same applies to the church. When we work with other peple and churches, we allow ourselves to learn from their different ideas and our mutual strong points surface. God loves the exchange of ideas, because we glean from each other's strengths and the Body of Christ grows stronger as a result.사람들이 격리된 채로 번식하게 될 때에 유전적 결함과 질병이 생긴다는 것은 역사적으로 증명된 사실이다. 교회에서도 같은 원칙이 적용된다. 다른 교회의 성도들과 동역하고 교제할 때, 서롤의 생각을 배우게 되고 각자의 장점들이 뚜렷하게 나타나게 마련이다.
"환난의 많은 시련 가운데서 저희 넘치는 기쁨과 극한 가난이 저희로 풍성한 연보를 넘치도록 하게 하였으니라 내가 증거하노니 저희가 힘대로 할 뿐 아니라 힘에 지나도록 자원하여"(고후8:2-3)
When the Lord tells us to do something he always provides.하나님께서 우리에게 무엇인가를 명하실 때에는 언제나 그 뒤에 그분의 예비하심을 두신다.
We have noticed that many Christians in the West have an abundance of material possessions, yet they live in a backslidden state. They have silver and gold, but they don't rise up and walk in Jesus' name. In China few of us have any possessions to hold us down, so there's nothing preventing us from moving out for the Lord. The ministry of the Chinese church is like that of Peter at the Beautiful Gate. He told the crippled beggar, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!"우리는 서방의 많은 그리스도인들에게 넘치는 물질이 있으나 활동력은 매우 약함을 잘 알고 있다. 그들은 금과 은을 소유하였지만, 그리스도의 이름을 위하여 그들의 소유를 내어놓지 않는다. 중국에 있는 우리는 하나님을 향한 시선을 방해할 정도의 물질을 가지고 있지 않기에, 주님을 위하여 힘차게 일어서는 것을 방해할 요소도 없다. "은과 금은 내게 없거니와 내게 있는 것으로 네게 주노니 곧 나사렛 예수 그리스도의 이름으로 걸으라"(행3:6)
Satan will not surrender without a bloody fight! But when the devil fights against God's children he is fighting against God himself, and our Lord's weakness is much stronger than the devil's strength.사탄은 피비린내 나는 전쟁 없이는 결코 물러서지 않을 것이다! 하지만 사탄이 하나님의 자녀들을 대적할 때는 실로 하나님을 대적하는 것이며, 하나님의 연약함은 마귀의 강함보다 더 강력하므로 우리가 염려할 필요가 없다.
Any believers who truly wants to obey God will make trouble.하나님을 진심으로 섬기기 원하는 신실한 성도라면 언제나 문제를 일으키게 될 것이다. Someone who merely wants to avoid conflict and maintain the status quo will not achieve much for the Lord.제자리만 지키려 하고 대립을 피하려 하는 사람들은 주님을 위해 많은 것을 성취할 수 없다.
Western Christians often ask us why there is persecution in China and other countires and not in the West. There are several possible responses to this question, but we would like to start by asking one question in return: "Do you boldly preach the truth of God's word to sinners inside and outside your churches?" If you do, you will soon find out that there is persecution wherever you are.서양의 그리스도인들은 왜 중국의 교회에만 핍박이 있으며 서양에는 없는지에 대해 자주 묻는다. 여러 대답이 있을 수 있겠지만, 그 전에 한 가지 질문을 하고 싶다. "여러분은 여러분의 교회 안과 밖에 있는 모든 죄인들에게 복음을 담대히 전합니까?" 만약에 그렇게 한다면, 여러분이 있는 모든 곳에 복음으로 인한 핍박이 존재함을 깨닫게 될 것이다. "무릇 그리스도 예수 안에서 경건하게 살고자 하는 자는 핍박을 받으리라"(딤후 3:23)
A flower or plant that looks upward and outwrad flourishes and reflects the beauty of the Creator, but one that turns inward soon dies and its true beauty is never revealed to the world.고개를 들어 하늘을 향하는 꽃은 번성하여 창조자의 아름다움을 드러내지만, 자신을 향하여 안쪽으로 고개를 돌리는 꽃은 곧 죽게 되어 자신의 아름다움을 세상에 자랑치 못하게 된다.
Obeying man-made rules has become more important than taking the hand of Jesus and walking with him in the cool of the evening. The Christian life has become an endurance test, and all traces of life and joy have long since evaporated!오늘 날 교회의 문제가 인위적인 규칙을 따르는 것이 예수님의 손을 잡고 함께 동행하는 것보다 더욱 중요해진 것이다. 그리스도인의 생활은 하나의 인내력 시험으로 전락하였고 그 생명력과 기쁨은 소멸된 지 오래다!
The only way to live the life God has planned for you is to repent, call out to God from your heart, and ask him to give you a vision from heaven that will result in many lives being blessed.하나님이 계획하신 인생대로 살기 위해서는 먼저 회개가 이루어져야 한다. 마음속 깊은 곳에서부터 하나님을 찾고 많은 이들의 삶을 축복할 수 있는 천국의 비전을 구하라.
It always pays to do what the Lord tells us to do. Don't argue, don't fight it, and don't try to work out all the details with your mind. Just do it. That is one mark of a true disciple of JC주님이 말씀하시는 대로 행하면 유익한 일이 생기는 법이다. 주님이 말씀하시면 따지지 말 것이며, 싸우지도 말 것이며, 모든 구체적인 사항을 머릿속에 정리하려고도 하지 마라. 그냥 말씀대로 행하라. 이것이야 말로 진정한 그리스도의 제자임을 나타내는 하나의 증표이다.
"If you haven't discovered something you are willing to die for, then you haven't yet found anything worth living for진실로 죽음을 택할 수 있을 정도로 소중한 그 무엇인가를 발견하지 못했다면 살아갈 만한 진정한 가치 역시 발견하지 못한 사람이다."
God cannot use a person who wants a safe and comfortable Christian life. If your only aim in life is to get yourself to heaven, then you are not likely to take many other people with you. Many Christians have somehow become deceived into spiritual selfishness, gorging themselves on the latest Christian teaching, books, semonars, music, and fads. When we spend all our time edifying ourselves and not seeking to win the souls of lost humanity, we are in deep trouble! Ironically, the more we feed our souls without serving God's purposes in the earth, the more out souls get sick of the food and bloated with information하나님은 안전하고 안락한 믿음의 삶을 살고자 하는 그리스도인들을 결코 사용하지 않으신다. 당신의 유일한 목표가 천국 가는 것 자체에 있다면, 당신은 결코 많은 생명을 천국으로 인도할 수 없다. 많은 그리스도인들은 최근의 기독교 가르침, 각종 신학에 관한 책, 그리고 세미나, 음악, 기독교적인 유행을 좇는 영ㅈ거 이기주의에 사로잡힌 듯하다. 잃어버린 인류의 영혼을 구하지 않고, 주어진 모든 시간을 자신의 품성을 높이는 것에만 투자하면 우리는 절망적인 상황에 이를 수밖에 없다. 이 땅을 향한 하나님의 비전을 따르지 않은 채 우리의 영혼만 살찌우면 우리의 영혼은 결국 그로 인하여 병을 앓고 영적 비만 상태에 이르게 될 것이다. "배부른 자는 꿀이라도 싫어하고 주린 자에게는 쓴 것이라도 다니라"(잠 27:7)
Have you ever wondered why some churches have a problem with lukewarm, backslidden Christians? We have found that backsliding is mostly due to a lack of witnessing for the Lord. Pastors often think people backslide because they cannot hold onto certain theological truths, but the problem is usually disobedience, not theology. The longer a person disobeys God, the colder their heart grows. The gospel is a gospel of action, not a gospel of self-preservation. The pursuit of doctrinal purity in and of itslef only results in legalistic bondage if you have no intention of also obeying God's command to proclaim the gospel throughout the earth신앙인이 죄에 빠져 드는 대부분의 경우 그 사람이 생활 가운데서 주님을 증거하지 않았기 때문에 일어난다. 어떤 목사들은 사람이 어떤 신학적인 진리를 의지적으로 지키지 못하는 까닭에 죄 속에 빠져든다고 생각하지만, 문제는 신학에 있지 않다. 오직 불순종에 있을 뿐이다. 사람은하나님의 말씀을 오랫동안 불순종하면 할수록 그 마음이 차가워진다. 복음은 행동하는 것이지 자기를 보존하는 것이 아니기 때문이다. 복음을 전하라는하나님의 명령을 따를 생각 없이 교리의 순결함 자체만을 좇는 것은 율법주의에 이르게 할 수밖에 없다.
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