The Blind Evangelist Who Sees! (China: Chang Shen) #PersecutedChurch

Before his conversion, Chang Shen had been known as a gambler, womanizer, and thief. When he was stricken blind in midlife, neighbors said it was the judgment of the gods for his evil doings. But everything changed when he heard about Christ for the first time. What happened next?

The story is taken from The Voice of the Martyrs Extreme Devotion Apps.

To watch other stories from this series, CLICK HERE https://bit.ly/LegasiPersecutedChurch

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Extreme Question (Rome: Ptolemaeus) #PersecutedChurch

"Are you a Christian?" Three times the question was asked. Three times the answer was, "Yes." Three Christians were martyred. The Roman ruler Urbicus has no tolerance for Christians in A.D. 150 ✝#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #PrayForThePersecutedChurch

The story is taken from The Voice of the Martyrs Extreme Devotion Apps

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Two Ways to Grow In the Information Age #1Book1Week July 2021

 
One of the fascinating books that I read is by Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens. In the book, Harari explores briefly the history of human civilizations from the Nomadic Age to the Agricultural Age to the Industrial Age and now, to the Information Age (which he covered in detail in the sequel, Homo Deus). Many wonderful things happened and I praise God for humanity's progress as we enter the Information Age, also known as the Digital Age. But of course, there are flip sides too. As you probably know, the danger of the Information Age is that we spend too much of our time gathering useless, pointless, or even harmful information rather than information that can help us grow and to live life to the fullest.

In computer science there is an expression “garbage in, garbage out” that also can apply to us humans as we attempt to sort through the info-glut and identify the information that can be useful to us. It means incorrect or poor-quality input to the computer system will produce faulty output. Similarly (but not exactly), the same goes for human mind programming. If we watch cringy TikTok videos and Instagram live for hours, listening to mean-spirited conversations on Facebook and YouTube daily, and read the latest gossip about our favorite celebrities online constantly, then, we are filling our hearts and minds with “garbage.” How, by following the latest news on Ebit Lew vs. Caprice can improve our way of living? Or, admiring Charli D’Amelio's or Bella Poarch's videos on TikTok can make us closer to God? Or, playing Fortnite online can make us men of valor and women of virtue in real life? In short, we can’t! We are what we watch, what we listen to, and what we read.

If you want to grow mentally, maturely, and spiritually, you have to start screening out the info-garbage and feeding yourself with positive, uplifting, stimulating, and meaningful messages. The first step is AWARENESS. We need to be alert to the problem of data smog and make a conscious effort to screen the bad information from the good. We have to be vigilant and avoid falling for the gossip, the grunge, and the garbage in the Information Age. You don’t have to cancel your Netflix or YouTube TV subscription, you just need to learn to discipline yourself to watch programs that build up rather than causes you to fall into sins. You don’t have to quit social media (although I encourage you to do that IF you have nothing good to do on these platforms) but consider limiting yourself to no more than a certain number of hours daily. Maybe 1-2 hours. In the same way, use Facebook and Instagram wisely. As for TikTok, I have nothing good to say except quit and repent.

Then, secondly, make positive, SMALL CHANGES in your daily habits. One way is to read good books. Abigail Van Buren said it best: “If I could give young people one piece of advice, it would be read, read, read! In reading, you will open up new worlds, real and imagined. Read for information, read for pleasure. Our libraries are filled with knowledge and joy, and it’s all there - free for the taking." Women are not always right, but on this point, AMEN sister! ��������� #ServeToLead #GrowingLeaders #LeadersAreReaders #TheInformationAge #GrowMentallyMaturelySpiritually #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my #1Book1Week, CLICK HERE

1) Strength for the Storm (first published, 1988) translated by Arthur Reynolds, CLICK HERE

2) The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (2009) by Ken Robinson, Ph.D. (with Lou Aronica), CLICK HERE

3) Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources (2006) by Martin Lings, CLICK HERE

4) Cults & Isms (1948, 1962) by J. Oswald Sanders, CLICK HERE


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Strength for the Storm (first published, 1988) translated by Arthur Reynolds, Book Review

Strength for the Storm (first published, 1988) translated by Arthur Reynolds

This is the subtitle of the book: "Spiritual lessons - from Wang Mingdao, John Sung and other Chinese preachers - which prepared the Church for suffering." Did you catch that? "Prepared the Church for suffering"!? Not to avoid suffering or to philosophized suffering or to think positive about suffering but to prepare, to expect, and to get ready for the imminent coming of suffering to the church. Jesus Christ reminds His followers, "In the world, you shall have tribulation" (John 16:33). Paul told Timothy the cost of following Christ, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). The glorified Christ said to the church of Smyrna, "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). It is no doubt, based on Biblical witnesses, that the true Church of God a.k.a. committed Christ-followers WILL suffer persecution in some form and to some degree or another. But I want to warn us about these two things. First, suffering for doing evil or wrong things doesn't count (read 1 Peter 2:20, 3:17). If you're an irresponsible citizen of Malaysia or teach false teachings, then, the suffering you are experiencing is deserving. And secondly, don't fall into a destructive psychological behavior martyr complex (victim complex) where you seek suffering to 'prove' your commitment. There is no room for victim mentality in the people with the mind of Christ.

"By their sturdy faith and indomitable courage the churches in China, like the church of the Thessalonians, have become a pattern for believers beyond their boundaries," writes Arthur Reynolds, who was an OMF missionary in China and Japan in the 30s to 60s. "From the time of the Boxer Rising in 1900, if not much earlier, the Christians in China have learned to live with persecution. No period of testing has proved fiercer, longer-lasting, or more widespread than that which began before mid-century, in which one upheaval followed another. More recently the situation for the Christian community has somewhat eased. But there is still a long way to go." In this dark period of China, the light of the Gospel shine slowly but surely. It all begins with the sovereignty of God and the promise of the Messiah when He said, "On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). It was He who send pioneer missionaries to China from all over the world and through their persevering and sacrificial work, God raised a unique group of Chinese Christian leaders, to whom He gave special gifts of preaching and teaching. Their ministries were to "build up the churches and prepare them to face the fiery trials ahead." The spiritual lessons covered in the book are actually translated sermons by men such as Wang Mingdao (an example of Peter's restoration), John Sung (one of my heroes of faith), Marcus Cheng, David Yang, Wilson Wang, C.K. Cheng, and Min Ruji. Of course, there were many other outstanding men and women of God in the history of Christianity in China. These are just the samples of the faithful men and their message.

What makes these men outstanding? Arthur Reynolds explains: "In my view, it is the combination of three notable features. 1) Their gifts and abilities; 2) Their character and conduct; and 3) Their readiness to endure hardship. In other words, they have exercised a powerful and influential ministry of preaching; they have lived lives of known integrity; and as the consequence of their loyalty, both to the Lord and the Faith, they have experienced hardship, loss, and persecution. They have been refined in the fire." These lessons were written with sweat and blood! I have been encouraged and challenged when I read this book. Their doctrine is Christ-centered, their content is Bible-saturated, and their style is Eastern-sound and heart-warming. My favorite chapters are Unfolding the Gospel (Chp. 1), Exalting the Lord Jesus Christ (Chp. 2), Challenging Young People (Chp. 7) & Encouraging the Downhearted and Troubled (Chp. 8). As I closed this book, I wonder, are we - Christian preachers and teachers in Malaysia, especially in Sarawak - preparing the church for suffering? Have we personally suffered for Christ? Or, are the false gospels of health and wealth, liberalism and pluralism, tolerance and cowardice blinded us from proclaiming the true Gospel of Christ that saved us? The storm is coming… are you ready? #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #1Book1Week #GrowingLeaders #LeadersAreReaders #StrengthForTheStorm #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain 

Read other related book reviews too:

I Remember John Sung (1976) by William E. Schubert https://legasitv.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-i-remember-john-sung-1976.html

A Biography of John Sung (2004) by Leslie T. Lyall https://legasitv.blogspot.com/2017/08/book-review-biography-of-john-sung-2004.html 

Sit, Walk, Stand (1957) by Watchman Nee https://legasitv.blogspot.com/2018/08/book-review-sit-walk-stand-1957-by.html 

Watchman Nee, Man of Suffering (1998) by Bob Laurent https://legasitv.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-watchman-nee-man-of.html 

The Coming Chinese Church (2013) by Paul Golf https://legasitv.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-coming-chinese-church-2013-by-paul.html

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#1Book1Week June 2020

This year I have the surge and desire to reread Christian books :) And what great books they are! Here are my #1Book1Week book lists for June 2020 (to see Jan-May listings, go to https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/):

1) The Cross: Crucified with Christ and Christ Alive In Me (this version, 2019) by J. C. Ryle. Ryle, an English Anglican Bishop, is a wise man of old. I love his expository thoughts on the Gospels. This book used by God to save me from the burden of my sins. So timely and richly Word-centred. "As the sun gazed upon makes everything else look dark and dim," writes Ryle, "so does the cross darken the false splendor of this world." True!

2) Jesus, A Visual History: The Dramatic Story of the Messiah in the Holy Land (2014) by Donald L. Blake Sr. Very scholarly and yet fun to read - a combination (seem rare nowadays) that excites me to explore the topic. This book reminded me of another similar book with colorful pictures, graphics, historical titbits, and Scripture explanations by Stephen Miller's The Jesus of the Bible. I recommend both!

3) The Coming Chinese Church: How Rising Faith In China Is Spilling Over Its Boundaries (2013) by Paul Golf. In the past, the West send missionaries who were willing to sacrifice themselves (even die) to preach the Gospel to the Chinese people. The minorities that become Christians were being persecuted, and just like in the Book of Acts, they strive and prosper during hardship. As they grew in numbers, God moved their hearts to bless other nations, too, by sending missionaries to preach the Gospel back to the West and the rest of the world. They do this to honor their spiritual heritage and driven by the vision that God has called them to, namely, Back to Jerusalem.

4) The Disease of the Health & Wealth Gospels (2006) by Gordon D. Fee. These so-called 'Gospels' or 'Christian' teachings are prevalent and damaging in the Church today. I appreciate this book because of its fair treatment of these controversial themes, and it is based on solid exegesis of the Scripture. Mr. Fee is known for his co-author book, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth... and true to its title, it is worth reading it.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeader #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #TheCrossOfChrist #ChineseRevival #JesusTheMessiah #HealthAndWealthFalseGospels

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The Coming Chinese Church (2013) by Paul Golf, Book Review

The Coming Chinese Church: How Rising Faith In China Is Spilling Over Its Boundaries (2013) by Paul Golf with Pastor Lee

While I'm away for an Instagram break (https://www.instagram.com/legasi.tv/), I finished three other books but didn't get to share it. It’s okay, end of this month I will write a short summary for each book 😉

Now about this book: Wow! God really works in China as more and more people are turning to Him for salvation and hope. In the past, the West send missionaries who were willing to sacrifice themselves (even die) to preach the Gospel to the Chinese people. The minorities that become Christians were being persecuted and just like in the Book of Acts, they strive and prosper during hardship. As they grew in numbers, God moved their hearts to bless other nations too by sending missionaries to preach the Gospel back to the West and to the rest of the world. They do this to honor their spiritual heritage and driven by the vision that God has called them to, namely, Back to Jerusalem.

As always, I'm inspired by how simple and trustful their faith is. Admittedly, their knowledge of the Scripture (in the past) was not that good but with what they know, they really believe in God with all their hearts and souls. Two main weapons of the Chinese Church are 1) praise & worship and; 2) strong prayer life. No wonder God can do so many miracles in their midst! ⚡ (Personally, I think the coronavirus pandemic that started in Wuhan last few months is both natural and spiritual warfare. Just like how people are 'programmed' to hate the Jews in the past and even today; in the same way, this pandemic causes people to stigmatize the Chinese from China)

The believers work hard, the Devil works even harder, but God's will always win 💪 Are you ready? The Chinese Church is coming! #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeader #1Book1Week #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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BOOK REVIEW The Ruler's Guide: China's Greatest Emperor and His Timeless Secrets of Success (2017)

The Ruler's Guide: China's Greatest Emperor and His Timeless Secrets of Success (2017)
by Chinghua Tang

"The ruler has only one heart," says Tang Taizong, the greatest emperor of China (598-649), a good leader and wise ruler, "but it is the goal of many people. Some want to win it by bravery, some want to win it by eloquence, some by flattery, some by cunning, some by satisfying its desires. The ruler is being assaulted from all sides. Everybody tries to sell him something in order to attain power and wealth. If he drops his guard for one moment, he can make a serious mistake and get into trouble. That is why it is difficult to be a ruler." Just change the word ‘ruler’ to ‘leader’ and The Ruler’s Guide automatically become a leadership book.

I have to choose between reading Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Chinghua Tang's The Ruler's Guide because if I read one and then I don't like what I read, I won't read the other one. I'm glad I've chosen (if you believe in human's freewill) The Ruler's Guide. Probably I will read The Art of War soon. In this 160+ pages book, Chinghua Tang, Shanghai-born who runs his management consulting firm, Concorde Universal Inc. in New York, presents conversations between Taizong and his wise and talented advisors that reveal core aspects of leadership, management, government and personal legacy. I don't like the fact that he killed his brother to gain the throne but after he became China's emperor, he was a change – not perfect – man. When he founded the Tang dynasty (his dynasty lasted about 300 years, the longest), Taizong was only 28 years old. He was a fierce warrior who killed about 1,000 enemies on the battlefield but more than that, he is a great leader on par with Augustus, Genghis Khan and Napoleon.

The format of this book is simple. The primary source for the quotes based on the conversations between Tang Taizong and his advisors is from The Zhenguan Executive Guide (670-749) and then organized into 12 topics/chapters, namely:

#1 On Being Emperor

#2 On Human Resources

#3 On Moral Character and Talent

#4 On Management

#5 On Remonstrance

#6 On Virtues

#7 On the Art of War

#8 On Crime and Punishment

#9 On Frugality

#10 On the Rise and Fall of an Empire

#11 On Parenting and Educating the Next Generation

#12 On Being Well Remembered

What makes Tang Taizong extraordinary are many, but three (3) are most admire: 1) Personal Leadership. He assembled a team of advisors who are much older and wiser than him before he assumed the throne; 2) Polymath Leadership. He was a gifted administrator, a master military strategist, a mighty warrior, an archer, hunter, horseman, poet, composer, philosopher and calligrapher; and 3) Tolerance Leadership. He allowed women to speak especially in his relationship with his wife. He also, although he was closer to Taoism, was very tolerant of religion. He allowed both Christianity and Islam into China for the first time and was, indirectly, the cause of Buddhism's being planted in Tibet. Taizong has many shortcomings, but I love the way he admitted it and daily he tried to improve himself. "Today, [Tang Taizong] is revered as among the greatest emperors of China," writes Chinghua in the last chapter. "As a wise and rational monarch, he is a role model for all rulers. And his dynasty is recognized as one of the most glorious eras in Chinese history." Love this book!

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Book Review: Sit, Walk, Stand (1957) by Watchman Nee

Sit, Walk, Stand (1957) by Watchman Nee
 Compiled and Edited by Angus I. Kinnear

Nee To-sheng or Watchman Nee (1903-1972) is remembered for his leadership of an indigenous church movement in China, as well as for his books especially The Normal Christian Life, which continue to enrich Christians throughout the world. Beginning in the 1930s, Nee helped establish local churches in China that were independent of foreign missionary organizations and were used to bring many into the Kingdom of God. From these roots sprang many of the house churches that continued to meet after Western missionaries were forced to leave the country during the Cultural Revolution. Arrested in 1952 and found guilty of a large number of false charges, Watchman Nee was imprisoned until his death in 1972. Sit, Walk, Stand was compiled from the spoken ministry of Nee at Foochow during "the spacious days of the evangelistic witness in China just prior to the Japanese war, when the author and his fellow Christians enjoyed a liberty in the service of God that is rare today,” writes Kinnear.

In this small book or rather, in his sermon talks, Nee "expresses [the believers'] triumphant assurance in the finished work of Christ." To show this, Nee summed up the epistle of Ephesians ("the highest spiritual truths concerning the Christian life") into two parts, and three sections as follow:

A) Doctrinal (Chapter 1 to 3)

1. SIT: Our Position in Christ (1:1-3:21)

B) Practical (Chapter 4 to 6)

2. WALK: Our Life in the World (4:1-6:9)

3. STAND: Our Attitude to the Enemy (6:10-24)

In the first section of the letter to the Ephesians, Nee notes the word "sit" (2:6), which is the secret of a true Christian experience. God has made us sit with Christ in the heavenly places and every Christian must begin his or her spiritual life from that place of rest. "Christianity does not begin with walking," writes Nee, "it begins with sitting." He continues, "Most Christians make the mistake of trying to walk in order to be able to sit, but that is a reversal of the true order… Christianity is a queer business! If at the outset we try to do anything, we miss everything. For Christianity begins not with a big DO, but with a big DONE." We are invited at the very outset to sit down and enjoy what God had done for us; not to set out to try and attain it for ourselves. We must start with "sit" and not "walk" or "stand." Walking implies effort, whereas God says that we are saved, not by works, but "by grace… through faith" (Ephesians 2:8).

In the second section, Nee select the word "walk" (4:1) as expressive of our life in the world, which is its subject. We are challenged to display in our Christian walk conduct that is in keeping with our high calling. Nee rightly observes that "too many of us are caught acting as Christians. The life of many Christians today is largely a pretense." So what we should do? He says, "Our life is the life of Christ, mediated in us by the indwelling Holy Spirit himself, and the law of that life is spontaneous. The moment we see that fact we shall end our struggling and cast away our pretense. Nothing is as hurtful to the life of a Christian as acting; nothing so blessed as when our outward efforts cease and our attitudes become natural – when our words, our prayers, our very life, all become a spontaneous and unforced expression of the life within." Though Christian life begins with sitting, sitting is always followed by walking. We found our strength in sitting down, then we must begin to walk. Sitting is our position, while walking is our practice.

And finally in the third section, Nee emphasizes the key to our attitude towards the enemy contained in the one word "stand" (6:11), expressive of our place of triumph at the end. Yes, Christian experience begins with sitting and leads to walking, but it does not end there. Every Christian must also learn to stand. "Each one of us must be prepared for the conflict," encouraged Nee. "We must know how to sit with Christ in heavenly places and we must know how to walk worthy of him down here, but we must also know how to stand before the foe." Who is our archenemy? It is Satan and his fallen angels! Ephesians 6 is Paul's plea for us to stand against them. But we stand not by our own might and determination, we stand "merely on the ground which the Lord Jesus has gained for us." Nee confidence that when our eyes are really opened to see Christ as our victorious Lord, we can stand firm. No doubt!

I breathe "amen" as I finished reading this book; I gave praises to God for these refreshing words; I repositioned myself to sit near to Him. I'm reading Ephesians again in the new light! Dear friends, the Christian life really consists of sitting with Christ, walking by Christ, and standing in Christ. Watchman Nee concludes this precious book this way: "We begin our spiritual life by resting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus. That rest is the source of our strength for a consistent and unfaltering walk in the world. And at the end of a grueling warfare with the hosts of darkness, we are found standing with Him at last in triumphant possession of the field." Unto Him… be the glory… forever. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

More on Watchman Nee:

1) Secrets of Watchman Nee: His Life, His Teachings, His Influence (2005) by Dana Roberts (click HERE: http://richardangelus.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-secrets-of-watchman-nee-his.html)

2) Watchman Nee: Man of Suffering (1998) by Bob Laurent (click HERE: http://richardangelus.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-watchman-nee-man-of.html)

Pray for North Korea: Will Be the Next World's Greatest Revival?

[This article originally appeared on the Open Doors Australia blog by Mike Gore. Edited version, mine]

Over the last few weeks I’ve read post after post on my newsfeed of the tension increasing between North Korea and the US, South Korea and China. It made me think particularly of the church in North Korea. On top of being one of the most oppressive countries in the world, North Korea is also the hardest place on the planet to be a Christian. It’s illegal to own a Bible, and Christians face severe punishment and life in a labour camp if their faith is discovered. I heard from a friend and colleague, Ron Boyd MacMillan, about the time he met a believer who shared about the greatest revival in the modern world. It was in a country under a harsh dictatorship, yet it was a dictator that God used to bring revival–in China.

A toast to Mao Zedong

Statues of Mao

Just months after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, Ron met Mr. Bao in China. Mr. Bao was a professor by day, but at night taught the Bible in underground churches. Ron was invited to meet with Mr. Bao and other Christians in Beijing. Shortly after he arrived, the Chinese Christians raised their glasses and shared a toast, to Mao Zedong–one of the worst dictators in the modern world. Ron was confused, he asked Mr. Bao, “Surely Mao was a monster?”

“God has a use for monsters too!” Mr. Bao replied. “Mao said we were going to build heaven on earth. He said we would build it through truth. He said we could only do it by faith–in each other. He said we would be part of an eternal China. Then he organised us. Gave us hymns to sing. He instituted rituals of confession and repentance, called ‘struggle meetings’. He even forced us all to get together into small groups and expound a ‘sacred’ text together. At the height of it all he would gather us together at Tiananmen Square. Millions would crowd in, especially the youth. Mao would walk out onto the balcony and spread his arms sideways, palms raised almost in the crucifixion position–the crowd would thunder back their adulation, slapping their little red books to their breast. He wouldn’t need to say a thing.”

Ron asked what was he doing, playing god? “Exactly!” was Mr. Bao’s response. “He taught the Chinese people how to worship.” Meo Zedong became a ‘god’, a jealous god. No other gods were allowed. He closed the churches, jailed pastors, burned Bibles – he tried to wipe out the church, and many Christians died.

So How Does that Bring Us to the World’s Greatest Revival?

After Mao Zedong’s death in 1976, freedom increased, people were able to travel around the country. So Christians went from village to village with the gospel. Mr Bao was one of them. He said, “We would start telling them about Jesus Christ and the people would shout, ‘Stop–we want to believe!’ I would tell them wait a minute. You haven’t heard the whole story yet, and they would say, ‘No, this is the God who Mao taught us to look for. We thought it was Mao who would save us, but it cannot be because he died. We see now that it must be Jesus.’” By the mid 1980’s, it’s estimated 50 million people had come to faith in Jesus.

“That’s why we say Mao brought us this huge revival,” said Mr Bao, “He created a society full of worshippers and when their object died, they became a society of seekers intent on finding another god. Mao thought he was the largest annihilator of the church; in fact he was doing the pre-evangelism on a scale unique in human history. Mao meant it for evil but God meant it for good. Mao was used to prepare this country for the greatest outpouring of the Spirit ever seen in his church. He’s God’s fool! He planted in the people’s hearts the desire for true religion then failed them so spectacularly that they kept seeking until they found the one true God.”

What Does this Mean for North Korea?

The Kim's statues

For decades, the people of North Korea have been ruled by the Kim dynasty. People are forced to worship their ‘dear leader’ Kim Jong-un, who promotes himself as an all-powerful god. They must attend weekly meetings and memorise communist ideology. They even have a kind of religion written by Kim Il Sung known as ‘Juche’. They have limited TV channels and websites, and an underground market to purchase goods from abroad. Some North Koreans even think he can read their minds.

Sound familiar? What would happen in North Korea if the current leadership dissolved? North Koreans have been taught to worship the Kim’s as gods–as their saviour. What will happen when they are free to hear about the One True Saviour, Jesus?

Oh yes!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: I Remember John Sung (1976) by William E. Schubert

I Remember John Sung (1976) by William E. Schubert

This is my second books on John Sung, Chinese greatest evangelist. First one is A Biography of John Sung (2004) by Leslie T. Lyall or previously known as John Sung: Flame for God in the Far East. This book is much shorter but compare to other biographies of Dr. Sung, this one is more personal because William Schubert “was Dr. Sung’s intimate friend… who knew him, prayed with him, worked with him and has shown sympathy for him in his difficulties.”

“John Sung,” writes Dr. J. Edwin Orr for a review, “was one of the most colourful characters of all time, an evangelist of striking spiritual power as well as a prophet whose eccentricities matched some of those known through the Old Testament.” Schubert wrote this in his first paragraph: “Dr. John Sung was probably the greatest preacher of this century. I have heard almost all the great preachers from 1910 until now, including R. A. Torrey, Billy Sunday, Henry Jowett, the great holiness preachers, the Methodist bishops, including Bishop Quayle, even Harry Emerson Fosdick, who set a great example of the homiletic art, though I did not agree with him, and finally Billy Graham. Yet John Sung surpassed them all in pulpit power, attested by amazing and enduring results.”

In 15 flaming years, since Dr. Sung came back from United States to his hometown China, he was on fire for the Lord blazing the Gospel throughout the nation, burning himself out for his God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Can you imagine, he preached on average 3 times a day, 2 hours each time (that 6 hours x 7 days = 42 hours per week!). He was like John the Baptist fearlessly rebuke people’s sins and thus drew countless thousands to repentance in tears. Churches were revived and Bibles sold out. Dr. Carleton Lacy of the Bible Society in China told Schubert that he “always knew where Dr. Sung was holding meetings by the increased orders for Bibles”. Schubert lists at least four secrets of Dr. Sung’s lasting success: #1 Immersed in the Word of God, #2 the Power of Daily Prayer, #3 Filled with the Holy Spirit, and #4 Trained new Converts to become Evangelists.

What amazing is that the Lord Jesus have revealed to Dr. Sung early in his ministry that his life would follow an outline of five periods (each three years) namely: “Water, Door, Dove, Blood, and Tomb.” First period, “Water” a preparatory time began in November 1927 when he was brought back to China. The second period was the “Door” period, from November 1930 to November 1933, where many doors were opened for him to begin a wider ministry in China. The third period was the “Dove” period, November 1933 to November 1936, where the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church in China. The fourth period was the “Blood” period, from November 1936 to November 1939, where wars happened and many Christians were persecuted. And lastly the fifth “Tomb” period, from November 1939 to November 1942, where many door closed and he was shut up too, hospitalized and officially no public ministry since. The Lord extended his time (like that of King Hezekiah in the Old Testament) to two/three years. Dr. Sung eventually died in 18th August 1944.

“So, as we remember John Sung,” wrote Schubert for his closing, “we pray that God will produce another, perhaps even greater, evangelist in this century. God often calls His leaders from the ranks of Jesus’ persecutors. When this man, or men, come on the scene, then China and the Far East will be aflame for God with the preaching of the irresistible Gospel.” To China and all the world, I pray, Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: Watchman Nee, Man of Suffering (1998) by Bob Laurent

Watchman Nee: Man of Suffering (1998) by Bob Laurent

This book is as good as the other in the Heroes of the Faith series, if not, the best so far (I’ve read those of John Bunyan, John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, Martin Luther, William Tyndale, Jonathan Edward and C. S. Lewis). It has had major impact in my Christian life and thought, my own walk and faith since I read it. Reading biographies of faithful men and women of God to me is the best investment in reader’s life and time.

After I read a biography of Sadhu Sundar Singh of India, I then read about John Sung of China. From there I discover Watchman Nee (or Nee Shu-Tsu) an influential Chinese pastor, theologian, and author. Watchman Nee was truly a man of God and this book gives details of his life of suffering. He never tried to defend himself when falsely accused or make someone else look bad no matter the circumstances. He endured suffering with great patience and faithfulness. His mentor Margaret Barber really prepared him for the life of suffering. Her motto that became his’ is this: “I WANT NOTHING FOR MYSELF; I WANT EVERYTHING FOR THE LORD.” He was a man of faith, generosity and a superior student of the Word of God. Nee “studying through the New Testament at least once a month and memorizing huge sections of the Old Testament, while often praying up to four hours a day.”

Ever since I read this book, I cannot forget the way Nee denied himself to the very end, refusing to defend himself in court or at all. Out of all the books in this series, this one probably my favourite. One of great lessons I learned from this book is that I shouldn’t waste my time arguing when accused by others and not to think of myself more highly than I should. (This is hard to do especially for me). A truly humble person does not need to defend himself because he knows that he is right with God, and that is why Jesus did not defend himself. Continually, I have asked myself Did Watchman Nee take it too far? Should he defend himself? For me, I will. But had he done so, his life wouldn’t be as impactful as he is today.

This book is a good introduction to who Watchman Nee was (and his friends), and what he stood for. It will bring tears to your eyes and inspire you to a deeper walk with Christ, or maybe inspire you to take that first step. “If I were called to die for Christ, would I defend myself to save my own life?” This is my life question as I continue to serve in student ministry.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Pray for China: Jesus Appears to a Shaman

Ting (not a real name) made a living summoning the darkness. As the local Shaman, villagers in her surrounding area of northwest China would seek her out for the wisdom of the spirits.  And their requests were many: Who should I marry? What must I do to be successful? What does my future hold? Why am I sick? Have I offended the spirits? Ting delighted in her success. Word of her abilities drove thousands of the curious and desperate to seek her divine counsel, which she was eager to give. But only for a price. And then the spirits demanded a price of their own…

Without warning, Ting’s health started to deteriorate. In just over the course of a few days, she was bed-ridden and completely paralyzed. Her illness perplexed doctors. No one had any answers, and they were running out of time. Every passing moment could be Ting’s last. She couldn’t even speak of her agony. Or her fear of death, which seemed inches away and creeping closer. She fell into a deep sleep. And in the midst of her slumber, she heard a voice summoning her in her dreams. Ting says,

“I was in the back seat of a taxi as my brother drove me towards an endless darkness. But then three men, who were wearing brilliant white robes, approached. But their light was so bright, I couldn’t see their faces. They told me I must make a choice. And as they spoke, two other men wearing black robes invited me to follow them. I knew in my heart one of the men wearing a white robe was Jesus. So I followed Him.”

When Ting woke up, she found she could move. Miraculously, her body was working again, and she felt her strength returning. Ting immediately remembered her dream. And she knew she’d made the right choice when she followed the man in white. In her heart-of-hearts, Ting knew He was the power behind her restored body. He was the reason she was alive. And she was eager to place her life into His hands. So Ting immediately gave her heart to Jesus.

Jesus had appeared to her. And He had healed her. And because of this one monumental encounter, without any other shred of evidence, she was willing to risk everything. When her family abused her, she could’ve denied Christ, and saved herself from tremendous pain. Like the seed sown among the rocks, Ting could have given up when persecution came (Mark 4:17-19). But she endured, holding fast to the Word of God who became flesh within her as she dreamed upon her death bed. A dream that changed everything. Without God’s radical intervention, how else would Ting have believed?

Believers in Ting’s area of China face the most severe persecution.  And much like Ting’s experience, the persecution is driven on a personal level—from friends, family members and the community. Conversion to Christianity is an utter disgrace—a slap to the face of the family and a treasonous act to the community. If Christians are discovered, they will be disowned by their loved ones. And banished into exile. Ting knew the risk. But Jesus had moved so powerfully in her life—through her dream—she no longer wanted to summon the darkness. But to serve her Saviour. Our Saviour.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Taken and edited from https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/stories

Pray for China: Bible-Smugglers Arrested

In May 2017, several men split into three small groups to cross into mainland China. With bags stuffed with Bibles, they timed their entries 20 minutes apart to increase their odds of getting copies of God’s Word into the communist country. The final group and a member of the second group, however, were stopped by customs officials in Shenzhen, one of China’s largest cities, while on their way to Guangzhou. The men were detained for 10 hours and, after being questioned by 50 officials, were banned from the country for three years.

The men, plus another Bible smuggler not tied to their organization who happened to be crossing into China at the same time, were interrogated for six hours. Officials confiscated everyone’s Bibles and other Christian materials. “These books are forbidden in China,” one official said, pointing to the Bibles. “They are foreign-published.”

Since opening in 1987, China’s only government-approved Bible printer, Amity Printing Company, has printed more than 115 million Bibles. However, the majority of these Bibles are for export. The relative few that remain in country are sold by China’s official Three-Self Patriotic Movement churches. Even so, Amity alone cannot meet the Chinese citizens’ demand for the Bible, as Bibles wear out and as new people become believers.

During the men’s detainment, most of the 50 officers looked through the materials and flipped through the Bibles. Many officers wore body cameras and recorded everything. At least two officers remained with each worker and monitored their every move — even while they were in the restroom. The smugglers had to sign a paper admitting they broke laws regarding Bible smuggling and each paid a small fine. They were then transported in police vehicles to the district police office, where they were held for another four hours while officials processed their passports. Once finished, they were forced to sign deportation papers and were told they are not allowed back into China for three years. Armed police officers and undercover agents then drove them to the border and made sure they bordered a bus back to Hong Kong.

One smuggler said he only felt love and forgiveness for the officials involved during the ordeal.“I felt bad for them because they didn’t realize they were barring the one thing from their country that would bring good news and hope and truth to them,” the man said. “The love that I experienced for these officials was the same love that sent Jesus to the cross, and the same love that caused him to cry out: ‘Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.’”

[Sources: The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) website]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.