Are we sufficiently thankful for the freedom of assembly?

Would we still assemble in worship if we faced 7 years in prison for doing so?

November 17, 2009:

Dear Prayer Partners,

It’s been nearly 2 weeks since we’ve back and just now we are starting to feel a little bit more readjusted to life here. It’s taken a bit longer this time around to get back into the flow of things. But everyone has been very understanding and is making sure that we are cared for. Thanks for your prayers over these past few weeks. They have meant so much to us.

I would like to ask prayer for a meeting this Wednesday with a couple on our team. We have wonderful teammates and are very thankful that the Lord has brought them to us. But like any relationship, tensions can arise and so must be dealt with. This is called the “storming” phase of team building, and our team has come to that point. So I (S.) will be meeting with the husband and wife to talk about some of these issues.  Please do take a moment right now and lift me up. Pray for me to have listening ears as well as clear words. And pray for this couple not have
guarded hearts and to know that we as their team leaders very much care for them.

Thanks so much for your prayers.

Blessings,
S.

November 24, 2009:

Dear Prayer Partners,

Thank you for praying for our team. The meeting with the family went well. We talked about several issues concerning their adjustment to life here in Central Asia and how it’s affecting their family and marriage. I
emphasized how important their heart-attitude is thru all the transition and difficulties of living here. They responded well, but we will need to continue to talk about these issues. Continue to pray for wisdom for us on how best to build trust as we bring up some of these heart-attitude issues. Thanks.

I (S.) also need prayer for today and this weekend. It’s a long story but the key person who was leading the CP (Church Planting) training for the Factory was pulled in by the authorities this weekend. He was helping to lead a prayer time for foreigners in a registered chrch and it turns out that an agent from Religious Affairs was present. This agent tried to get him to sign some papers stating that what he did was illegal which he refused to do. Now we’ve heard that documents were sent to the capital to get this key person kicked out of the country. I just saw him last night and he asked if I could fill in for the training on Wednesday night – as in tonight! I was scheduled to train this group this weekend as well. So please pray for me to speak with His Power and Might. And with our poultry business still quite busy, pray for much grace and as I try to squeeze out some time to prepare for all this
training.

For those in the US, have a Great Thanksgiving. Even though there is much to do, we will be celebrating with some families on Friday.

Blessings,
S.

Update received November 24, 2009 …

Due to the extremely sensitive nature of their work, the verbatim-entirety of the latest update email from B. & H. has been removed from this site.

Please continue to lift them & their young children up.  As well, please continue to lift up their work.  A good deal of translation has been completed and is starting to be disseminated, so may communication flow smoothly and may a good & powerful impact be made.

November 23, 2009:

Dear praying friends,

Thanks for your prayers.  The Lord has shown much favor and has been answering our prayers.  The 7 visas on Nov 20^th were all approved.  The US embassy visa officer first asked to see if there were those who didn’t speak English and when they said “yes”, he spoke in fluent Mandarin starting with calling one of our guys “[  ]”(brother G.).  The Lord arranged a Christian, an American born in Taiwan who served in an overseas Chinese church to be the US visa officer to interview our group.  The officer was knowledgeable of the house church movement and even knew about Shouwang Church.

After asking a series of questions, he ended his time with the group by stating that this was the first time a group from China (he couldn’t find records of our Urbana 2006 trip) would be attending Urbana, so that it would be important for all to return to China so that many more from China could go to future Urbana conferences.   Two more visas were approved today in Shanghai.  We now have 11 approved with 1 more interviewing tomorrow.

Pray for remaining funds to be raised.  Our original cost estimates have increased.  If you would be interested in supporting a Chinese delegate, please let me know.  Urbana conference, room and board support is around $700USD.    The total cost including the Urbana portion along with the international and domestic airfare, local transportation, after Urbana travel costs is $2,500 USD/person.

Please join us as we gather with other area churches to worship together in anticipation of our day of Thanksgiving.

• Tuesday, November 24th
• 7.30p Worship
• Calvary Baptist Church (7 St. Paul’s Place, Ossining)

Worship will be followed by fellowship over pie & coffee.  Each church is responsible for contributing to the pie-fellowship, so if you’d like to make / bring one (or more!), please arrive at 7.15p.

Friends, the word “saga” applies here, but not in the facetious, over-wrought sense in which we so often use it.  This is serious stuff.  Please read D.’s chronology, from the top and scroll down, and keep our millions-upon-millions of brothers and sisters in your fervent, faithful prayers, in anticipation of the free worship we’ll share together in Heaven.

In case it seems like it’s just “we Christians” who care about the Church in China, read here for perspective from the Wall Street Journal …

October 19, 2009

I was about to send exciting news of praise as well as prayer requests for recent security concerns.  However, both my praise and prayer concerns need to be put in the back burner for now.  After my time with two Beijing leaders, I realized that my local brothers are engaging in intense spiritual battles at a different magnitude that need your prayers this week.  
 
 *Pray for Pastor G.  I don’t know if words can describe his situation, but imagine leading the largest church network in Beijing with the normal stresses of shepherding 1,500 people in a couple dozen locations.  The work load is so heavy that the only time he can meet with people is often after 10pm.  On top of the regular stresses of pastoral ministry, Pastor G told me tonight that he was called into the police station recently and was verbally abused while four of his meeting points have been physically blocked by the police since July.  When I asked if it was worse now than during the Olympics, he said that actually it was worse last year when 200 police raided 8 of his locations.  In any case, I haven’t seen Pastor G so worn and tired.  I asked how I could help and he just said, “Pray for me.  I’m exhausted.  This was supposed to be my sabbatical year, but it hasn’t worked out that way”.  Only the Lord knows the level of burden Pastor G is enduring.  J. baked him some carrot cake since Pastor G was her former English student.  What we can do for now is pray for Pastor G that the Lord will strengthen him at this time.   
 
*Pray for Pastor T.   The burden for Pastor T is no less, as this coming Sunday will be the last Sunday of worship at the current location.  The police have forced the landlords to give up the current rented church space of a weekly attendance of almost 1,000.   A church building campaign to purchase new space has already been raised ($2.5 million USD), but another 1.2 million USD is needed in 8 days in order to purchase property.  Pastor T believes that this kind of faith is going to shake the foundations of financial security of the church.  Unless church members are willing to sacrifice out of cost rather than surplus, there will be no spiritual strength for future missions and kingdom impact.  If the funds are not in next week there will be no space for worship and the church leadership decision is to worship outdoors in the park which would most likely lead to a clash with police followed by arrests.   Pastor T is a close friend whom even during this critical time has personally shared with me, “I am at peace.  Whatever happens is in the Lord’s hand”.  Two Sundays from now could shape the future urban church in China or make the headline news (or both).  Pray for God to raise 1.2 million USD in 8 days for the church to purchase property to openly worship.  Pray for the church leaders and members to stand firm during pressure from the authorities. 
 
(The church is willing to receive gifts from abroad for those who feel led.) 
 
Please pray for our two local brothers, Pastor G and Pastor T.  Pray for their spouses, their family and their congregation during this time of hardship.  For those who want to join with me in a fast these next few days, please do so. 

October 25, 2009

This Sunday morning sermon from Pastor T was one of the most inspiring messages I’ve heard of courage, peace and joy in the midst of great uncertainty and challenges ahead.  During the worship service, I was moved to tears as I only see this kind of courage in the movies (ie: the final scene of Braveheart).   This is the last Sunday of worship in the rented office space.  Authorities have pressured the landlords to kick out the church and thus have already ended the rental contract on Friday Oct 30th.   Everything must be moved out in 5 days.  Wed night Oct 28th will be the last prayer meeting at the church. 
 
Pastor T shared about the blessings,  the memories and the milestone significance these past 3+ years in the rented office space with over 300 baptized at the location.  He shared about how the Chinese church during persecution went underground and Christianity became an internal personalized faith as many suffered due to the external environment.  The church slowly grew to involve families in homes which grew into a movement of millions called the house church movement.  From the homes, the urban church moved to rented office space as it entered a new era becoming a visible presence in the community and an active part in engaging society as a future mission sending church.  This was the milestone for the Chinese church as it has “risen to the surface”.  It stood firm last year worshipping openly and boldly even after the raid and constant harassment on its members.  The leadership of the church has a strong leading from the Lord to move forward in purchasing their own location as the next stage of the Chinese church.  There is no going back to the homes or to rented offices as the church continues forward to have a gospel impact in society and a missional impact in the world. 
 
Pastor T asked “Can we be assured that we have a place to worship next week?  No.  Can we be assured that we will NOT have a place to worship next week? No.  We do our part in preparing, but ultimately we trust in God.”
 
As of this Sunday, 2.8 million USD has been raised with another $1.47 million USD (my figures of $1.2 million last week were not correct) needed by Wednesday (in 3 days).  We are encouraged to hear that churches from different parts of China and overseas (a church in NYC has donated $20,000 USD, a ministry in Australia $5,000 USD… and other individuals) who are also coming to stand together with the church during this time. 
 
The church is ready to worship in the park.  It’s not the cold weather that will be the greatest challenge… 
 
Next Sunday will be a showdown to see His provision.  More to come…
 
What can you do? This is spiritual warfare.  We can do only one thing: Pray for His provision in times of need!

October 31, 2009

 Thanks for all your prayers.  We received news today that the church leaders’ decision is to worship in the park.  In 8 hours Sunday morning 10am (Beijing Standard Time), there will be an outdoor service in freezing temperature at a local park in Beijing.
 
*Pray especially for Pastor T and the church leadership that God will give them strength to stand strong during this time as they will be breaking new ground in a test of faith.
 
*Pray for leniency and openness from the authorities to be able to see that churches and Christians benefit society.  Pray that the positive elements in the Chinese government toward Christianity will have a larger voice than those who are against Christians in the government.  Pray against Satan’s schemes and that those who are against us will be put to shame and lose their power and positions of influence.  
  
*Pray for the church worldwide to stand alongside in prayer and support for our Chinese brothers and sisters during this time.  Many who have a peripheral knowledge of China and/or the situation on ground may tend to criticize.  Pray for unity within China and overseas as the Chinese church makes a stand to surface from underground to have visible kingdom impact in their communities.    
 
*Pray for J. and me as we stand alongside tomorrow with our beloved Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ.    We realize the risks to our long-term presence in even sharing this news with you, yet we realize that our Chinese friends are facing much greater risks and would treasure your prayers tomorrow and the days to come.    We trust in God and His providence that He has a divine plan and we are at peace with what is in store ahead.   
 
*Pray for our children.  This week all three children (J., M., and B.) have come down with flu symptoms with fevers and cough.   Whether this is the swine flu or not, pray for us as we are experiencing attacks from the enemy on our children.  Pray for spiritual and physical protection and healing for our kids.   
     
*Thanksgiving!  His goodness and mercies are new every morning.  Great is His Faithfulness.

November 4, 2009

1) Praise God that after more than seven days, all kids are well now and able to go to school tomorrow. 
 
2) Visas- we will be submitting our visa applications for renewal tomorrow. Last week in Beijing a 20 year China veteran M and businessman’s visa got denied.  Two months ago a similar veteran from Shanghai with a multinational company was kicked out.  While we understand the risks that comes with our kind of work, we trust that all is in His hands. Pray for the visa office for favorable acceptance for our family.
 
3) SW, the HC we attend. Last Sunday we met at the park.  The snow storm was God’s protection as His presence was there. Still waiting for the new location, for more funding.  Since kids were sick, J. stayed home to care for kids.  After service, Pastor T thanked me for representing our family in standing together with them.  Our Chinese brother and sisters have much more at stake. Pray for courage and peace during this time.

November 11, 2009

Pray our visas as they will be picked up tomorrow at the police station.  I apologize for the misunderstanding, but while our visa applications have been accepted, final approval is given during visa pickup.  If our visas are not approved tomorrow, our family will have 2 days left.   In light of what is happening on Sundays, please especially pray for our visas to be approved.  It seems counter intuitive but Pstr T shared with me that it is not a coincidence that our worship in the park came before our visa approval to test our faith. 
 
Pray for Pstr T as he was detained on Sunday morning and could not attend the service.  He was released later that day.  Around 700+ people showed up to worship with a human chain surrounding the church.  This church is moving from the hidden underground to become an open worship for all.  Believers are not afraid to sing and praise God in the open.  In moving in this direction, the urban church in China is becoming a “City on a Hill” (Matthew 5). 
 
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let you light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

November 13, 2009

PTL!  Our visas have been approved for another 2 years.
 
Pray for Pastor T and many members are under tremendous pressure.  Congregation members are being threatened including Ja., a former employee of X Consulting, who is our kids SS teacher.  He was called into the police station and threatened by the police.  Yesterday, the police threatened his landlord and now Ja. and his roommate D. (our X Consulting employee) are being kicked out of their apartments.  Ja. and D. are both in their mid 20s.  Students are being threaten that they will not graduate and others are being harassed at work.  The whole church is under attack but is holding ground and standing firm. 
 
I will be sending some English translated announcements from the church with more explanation why they are standing firm.   I am quite sure that this will be a watershed moment for Chinese church as these events enfold will change the course of the church in China. 

November 15, 2009

We received the message that our worship location had been changed this Sunday to an auditorium instead of the park.  Upon entering the auditorium, I asked Pastor T if things were ok.  He seemed a little frazzled and tried to say it would be ok soon.  Apparently, two of our pastors were detained outside their homes as they were trying to leave for church service.  I asked one of the wives (J.’s friend) what happened and she said that 6 people surrounded her husband and wouldn’t release him.  Pastor T then went up to the podium and announced that we would not begin worship until our 2 pastors were released.   We kept on singing hymns for over an hour and a half. At 11:30am, the first pastor arrived and there was an applause.   We officially begin worship service at 11:40am as the second pastor was in the taxi on the way.  The choir then put on their robes and service officially began.  The other pastor arrived at 12:15pm at the end of the service.  Outside the auditorium, there were a dozen plainclothes police waiting around as we departed. 

I noticed a few media personnel were in the worship service.   The story now is becoming headline news since Obama is arriving tonight into Beijing.    The media attention is a mixed blessing as on the one hand there is temporary protection, but on the other hand it is exactly what irritates the Chinese government which may cause a harsher response later.   After speaking with others, my sense is the crisis will continue to escalate and could possibly end in a major crackdown.  Pray for a peaceful resolution that can provide Shouwang church a place for worship, but also save face for the government.  Pray for president Obama to be able to handle this delicate situation with care and diplomacy which will be a win situation for all.

Send me an email if you are interested in helping.  In the meantime, please continue to pray for Pastor T and Shouwang church.

November 19, 2009

 I met with Pastor Tian Ming (actually his name is now on international news) on Tuesday morning.  Pray for him as he needs some time to process what has happened these past few weeks.  I won’t go into the details, but I was introduced by a friend to an article on WSJ (see above) that described very accurately our Sunday auditorium experience. 

Pray also for another friend who is on our Lausanne committee Pastor CQ from Wan Bang church in Shanghai with around 2000.  Their worship location was closed down and were forced the congregation to meet in a 3Self meeting point with assigned government pastors, which was a terrible worship experience.   Several hundred decided to worship outside the meeting point instead.  Like Shouwang church in Beijing, Wan Bang in Shanghai has no place to go and are planning to worship outside as well.  Since I’m not in Shanghai, my facts are secondhand. 

On Friday, Nov 13^th, the NHF Youth Group and several others from our church took the train into New York City for a night on the town. Shortly after arriving at Grand Central and walking through its congested corridors, we boarded the subway and 15 minutes later found ourselves at Columbus Circle. After snapping a few pictures of the early Christmas lights, we entered Time Warner Center and grabbed a bite to eat at Whole Foods. Some folks grabbed light salads and seasonal fruits while others gravitated toward the heavier pork ribs and the famous chicken curry. When everyone had finished their meal, we walked over to Terminal 5 for the David Crowder Band’s Church Music Tour concert. The opening bands, Seabird and Danyew, were surprisingly very good and the David Crowder Band had a New York Times worthy performance. Click here for NY Times article. Click here for our pictures.

NHF’s “At the End of Slavery” viewing event has been postponed until later in the winter season.  Stay tuned for details.

IJM’s “Weekend to End Slavery” is still on, so check out their website for information about how to speak up to abolish modern-day slavery, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer.

*****

International Justice Mission (IJM) is sponsoring the Weekend to End Slavery on November 14-15.

The Weekend to End Slavery is a 2-day united effort across this country to educate communities about modern-day slavery, and mobilize to end modern-day slavery in our lifetime.  The Weekend to End Slavery will involve learning about modern-day slavery & injustice, sharing the message of hope that abolition is possible, and advocating with members of Congress to use their power to end slavery.

• Saturday, Nov. 14th, 6.30p: dinner & viewing of “At the End of Slavery” (IJM-produced film about modern-day slavery, shot on-location in Philippines, India, Cambodia and the United States).  Includes a live-webcast address from Gary Haugen, President & CEO of IJM.
• Sunday, Nov. 15th, 2.30p: afternoon Worship with a special brief presentation by newhope4justice, NHF’s own mobilization to pursue God’s heart for justice in our community.

For more information about modern-day slavery and the film, “At the End of Slavery,” click here.

For more information about International Justice Mission, click here.

NH4J (NewHope4Justice) had a wonderful first meeting — eating, talking, questioning, mulling and praying together over issues of global and local poverty and justice.  The readings that Kim F. prepared for us were interesting, troubling, moving and inspiring, all at once.  We’re excited to keep moving through the book “Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger,” Scripture passages in Isaiah and Amos, and other special readings which Kim F. selects for us.

As always, everyone is welcome to drop in at any time to eat and chat with us.  Please feel free to contact Kim F. for more information about our book and further readings.  Come join us for our next meeting:

• This Thursday, November 12th, 7.00p @ Cathy C.’s home
• Topic: “The Affluent Minority: Idols & Injustice”
• Readings: Rich Christians…, Chapter 2; Isaiah 1-2; Amos 2
• Further Readings: please contact Kim F. for relevant PDFs & summaries

Last night, about 12 brothers & sisters from NHF attended the one-night-only movie event hosted by Hillsong United, “We’re All In This Together.”  The documentary was preceded by 30 minutes of interviews with and performances of new songs by Hillsong United.  The North-American screening of this film, chronicling Hillsong United’s observations from their recent world tour, was also the official launch of The I-Heart Revolution, a movement to look outside ourselves and to the needs of others, so that local initiatives can be transformed into a collaborative global impact. 

We were mightily humbled, moved, wounded, inspired and blessed by “We’re All In This Together.”  We are both eager to listen for God’s continuing guidance, and ready to move in obedience to battle poverty & injustice both near and abroad, for His Name and unto His glory.  Some key quotes and links can be found after the jump …

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”  (C.S. Lewis)

“The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved.”  (Mother Teresa)

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”  (William Wilberforce)

Consider this: it is easy to think that we have nothing in common with those halfway around the world.  But, we are all alive and breathing at the same time.  This is no small commonality.

Consider this: maybe there is less love because we train ourselves to look past need.

Consider this: the roots of injustice are in focusing on ourselves.  Do we dare to go inside injustice?

In the Bobi Internal Displacement Camp in Uganda, Ugandan refugees lived (and continue to live) in squalor and completely inhumane conditions.

Consider this: the earth is ruled by human judgment, and human judgment is never just.

“I am only one; but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.  I will not refuse to do something I can do.”  (Helen Keller)

Consider this: the One story is the greatest act of injustice, and the greatest act of love.  “I don’t know anything.  Except the One thing.”  (Joel Houston)

Consider this: the Message is perfect.  What messes the Message up are the people trying to deliver it — Christians.  But God takes pride in using us anyway.

Question: can we be transparent enough for people to see the Jesus within us?

Consider this: preaching doesn’t come only from the pulpit.  It also comes from the people who follow Christ.

Consider this: the church is not a social club for Christians.

“The church exists for those outside it.”  (William Tyndale)

Question: can you, will you, put feet to your vision?

“Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence.  Yet it is the one essential, vital quality of those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change.”  (Robert F. Kennedy)

“We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.  We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.  We are prophets of a future not our own.”  (Oscar Romero)

Voiceover throughout the film provided by Robert F. Kennedy (excerpts of his Day of Affirmation Address, University of Capetown, Capetown, South Africa, June 6, 1966).