Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Words from China

This post was not written by me. It was written by three Chinese House Church leaders (Brother Yun, Peter Xu Yongze, and Enoch Wang) who share a vision for evangelizing the countries between China and Jerusalem. This "Back to Jerusalem" movement is moving many in China to become missionaries and go to these very hostile countries. Below is a selection of quotes from their book that explains their movement. As I read their words I was convicted and moved. I hope you will be as well.

“If we lose our first love and start to focus on our own needs, our spiritual life will shrivel up and die. As long as we strive to obey God's call to take the gospel...revival in China will continue.”


“We encourage Christians and churches around the world not to focus on their own needs and desires! If you do, you will surely shrivel up and die...When you make missionary outreach to nations that have never heard about Jesus the priority of your church, you will not fail to be blessed and revived.”

“Christians and churches that seek blessing for their own pleasure and enjoyment are in danger of idolatry.”

“So many Christians are doing their own thing, and don't know or even seem to care that God's cloud and pillar of fire have moved on! Let's decide to wake up and find out what the Lord is doing and see how we can get involved! The difference between mere “Christian activity” and being a front-line soldier in the Lord's battle is as wide as day and night.”


“If a man picks a hot stick out of a fire and runs with it, the movement will fan the flame back to life. If he sits down and watches it long enough, the fire will diminish and finally be snuffed out altogether. The christian life is one of action for Jesus, not inaction.”


“Some Christians seem to have got the idea that “missions” is “the West to the Rest”. But nowhere in the Bible does it say that missionaries have to be white! They don't need to come from wealthy countries, nor do they need to have graduated from Bible school or seminary. A missionary only needs to be someone who loves the Lord Jesus and has passion to reach the lost world for him.”


“Who then can be involved in the Back to Jerusalem movement? All whom the Lord calls, and who are willing to start by living the Back to Jerusalem life wherever they are. What does this mean? It menas that if you are willing to spill your blood and die for the vision, you are truly a partner of the Chinese church as we march on the strongholds of Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.”


“Why is there still a need for the Back to Jerusalem vision after twenty centuries of Christianity? The problem lies in the kind of christianity practiced by the majority of believers today. For countless millions of people, following Jesus is little more than a cultural experience. Joining a church means little more than joining a social club where they can meet new people and exchange pleasantries about inconsequential matters. If the Bible is read at all, it is from a sense of duty rather than as part of a relationship with its real, vibrant, and life-changing author.”


“Millions of churches around the world, including inside China, are bound by legalism. Obeying man-made rules has become more important than taking the hand of Jesus and walking with him in the cool of the evening.”


“One thing is certain: the billion Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus we are targeting in the Back to Jerusalem vision will never be reached by passionless Christians.”


“Christians are called to exercise “faith, hope, and love”, but for millions of churchgoers in congregations...faith has been replaced by hopelessness, hope has succumbed to disillusionment, and love has been swallowed up by cynicism.”


“True disciples are usually people that few understand. They are viewed as potentially unstable fanatics. Often the same governments that tolerate the existence of mere believers will stop at no ends to completely eradicate any disciples within their borders.

Believers try to follow God, but their prayers and commitment are clouded by indecisiveness. Their prayer goes like this: “Oh Lord, I am so weak. Please send your power. I am weighed down with sin. Please come and relieve me.” If they ever hear the King's call to go somewhere and do something for the sake of the Kingdom, they feel they need extra encouragement before they can safely step out: “First let me check with my wife, my pastor, my boss, and my mother-in-law to see if it's OK with them.”

A believer always seeks assurances that nothing will go wrong if they step out for Jesus. Only when they are are convinced that the coast is clear and no harm will befall them are they willing to take their fist step!

Disciples have a different attitude. In China many disciples beg God to give them just a little of his dynamite power. They pray, 'Oh God, If you will send me just a little spiritual dynamite, I promise I will take it to the darkest area I can find, place it there, and pray you will send your fire from heaven to explode it.'

God always does.

This is how the Gospel has spread so quickly in China."

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