New Destination: China
I have trouble containing my excitement when the Lord opens doors for new ministry through Remember. The needs of the persecuted church can be overwhelming, and there are many challenges to effectively meeting that need, but when the doors open we become the channel for the outpouring of God's blessing on His people.
In just a couple of days, a Remember team will be heading to China to search for the best way to do just that. It will be a survey trip - seeking out the widows and orphans of martyrs, identifying their needs, and developing the right contacts to meet those needs. The travel details of the trip are confidential to protect the safety of all involved, but please pray for this trip! The eyes of the world are on China, as the Olympic torch faces massive protests and world leaders scrutinize China’s violations of human rights and oppression of Tibetans.
But underneath the surface is a problem that goes largely unreported. The problem starts with an amazing praise—the church is growing in China! Not the church buildings that exist in major Chinese cities so that the government can show that it “allows” Christianity, but the living, vibrant underground church is spreading through China at an incredible rate.
And though the Chinese government will not admit it, the Communist leaders cannot help but feel their power threatened by the movement of the Spirit of God. That knowledge, combined with the increased international scrutiny, has led to a major crackdown on Christianity. As our Chinese contact puts it, “the Communist government is stepping up its persecution of Christians as the Summer Olympics approach and the Games are held.”
The pastors of the underground church are routinely targeted. In fact, having spent time in prison is one of the highest marks of a dedicated, mature pastor! A “first offense”—preaching Jesus Christ or passing out Bibles, for instance—can mean years in prison. A second offense can double or triple that time, and it only gets worse from there. And prison is not a semi-comfortable cell where the pastor simply bides his time until release; religious prisoners are routinely beaten and tortured or sent off to suffer in a labor camp.
One by one they serve their time, and without hesitation return to the work that they have been called to.
I can only imagine the suffering that their wives and children must endure, and serving them is the core of Remember’s ministry. This survey trip is geared to identify the specific needs, and find the best way to meet them. Please pray for those traveling on behalf of Remember, as well as the local contacts. Pray for safety, for wisdom, and for the guiding of the Holy Spirit to exactly the people we should minister to.