East Asia Update

Mending Shattered Dreams Measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale, it altered forever the lives of millions of Chinese people. The government statistics tell part of the story. 69,000 dead . . . 18,000 still missing . . . 5,500 children orphaned . . . 5 million homes destroyed . . . 15 million people evacuated . . . 35 "quake lakes" formed . . . 8911 aftershocks in the first 16 days. But only God can measure the number of tears shed, the agonizing screams of parents who lost their children in school collapses, the puzzlement of children suddenly orphaned, the numbers of Chinese people who walked for days to rescue their loved ones, the pain and fear of those who survived only to find that they lost so much. Only He can know of the prayers that were lifted up to Him by Christians all over the world who grieved as one with the Chinese people. Only He can mend the broken hearts and provide for the phenomenal physical needs of the survivors.

"On Monday, May 19, 2008, flights resumed from our town to Chengdu. It was exactly one week after the 8.0 earthquake had hit, rattling all of us who live in Sichuan Province. Approaching Chengdu from the mountains, it looked like it always does until we landed. The airport was full of military and transport planes bringing in supplies and troops. Time had run out for survivors still buried in the rubble, but there was still hope maybe just one more would be found. The military and medical personnel were still working round the clock. Reporters in the area frequently broke down in tears as they reported the news, but then so did the military and the medical personnel during interviews. On the way to the hotel, we saw the earthquake's impact on the emotional condition of Chengdu's residents. The whole of Chengdu looked like a colossal campout. There were few tents, but people were mainly camped out under tarps tied between trees. They had hauled out their beds and tables, pots and pans, and settled in. It's understandable. In the week since the main quake, there have been over 3000 aftershocks reported." Go to: http://easia.imb.org to read more of the journal » Change of Policies In response to a national outpouring of grief, China will waive its one-child policy for those who lost their only child in the earthquake. Many thousands of children were crushed to death in the 7,000 classrooms that fell on them when the quake struck. More than 10 million Chinese students took exams to compete for 6 million available college placements early this month. But for the 9,000 university hopefuls living in the earthquake areas, the exams were postponed. Summer Prayer Focus The long-awaited Beijing Summer 2008 Olympics will begin at 8:08 p.m. on 08/08/08. Pray that Christ's love can be shared effectively with many thousands of Chinese people during special events surrounding the international event. Hot summer weather always comes in combination with warm-hearted volunteers who take their vacation time and pay their own way to share Christ in locations throughout China. Pray for God's protection to be upon them, for His Spirit to lead them, and for Him to use them mightily. On the Web Go to http://easia.imb.org to • Follow the Olympic torch as it is routed through China cities. • Join in our Monthly Day of Prayer and Fasting. • Learn about East Asia volunteer opportunities.

EAST ASIA UPDATE

News

Hope for Japan
One of the most densely populated countries, Japan has adopted a Western lifestyle and accumulated wealth and technology. Yet Japanese are a traditional people who have everything they need, except the one thing they fear or resist accepting: a relationship with Jesus Christ. Japanese are driven by cultural rules handed down through the generations. “The nail that sticks its head up is the one that gets hit” goes a Japanese proverb. Another barrier to the Gospel is adherence to traditional animistic religions, although many Japanese have apathy rather than adherence to faith. Missionary Buddy Brents adds that the Japanese are “locked up in fear of what other people will think about them if they become a Christian.” Missionaries seek lost people through relational evangelism, joining sports, social and business groups.

The going is tough, but God is producing a harvest of Japanese souls

Pray

‘Yet-to-be believers’
He is truly a carpenter following a carpenter. Ima Oka has fashioned tables, cabinets and clocks for 33 years. Ten years ago he heard the Gospel, but only recently was his heart ready for treatment, in the same way Oka treats and matures his wooden creations. After prayerwalking the streets of Osaka, Japan, missionaries Bob and Gloria Gellerstedt encountered Oka in his woodshop and began weekly Bible study in his showroom. In just months, Oka accepted Jesus and was baptized on the shop’s second floor. Oka’s response to the Gospel was unusually quick for Japanese, who may take 40 or more years to come to faith after contact with the Gospel. “You just encourage people, and be patient with people,” says Carlton Walker, a veteran 25-year missionary in Japan. “We call them ‘yet-to-be believers.

CHINA UPDATE

CHINA. Three U.S. college students had experienced discouraging days of futile searching for an ethnic minority group. When they stopped at a noodle shop for lunch, they were encouraged to see a scripture calendar hanging on the wall. After they prayed over their meal, the owner quickly approached them to share that he too was a Christian. They asked about the minority group and found out that the man's house church had already led five members of the group to Christ. He made it clear that they didn't want training from the outside, but said that they did want Bibles in the heart language of the people. The need was conveyed to a Christian worker living in China. It took him a year and a half to secure the books and a 12-hour bus ride to deliver them. In the meantime, the group of five believers had grown to 40 and not only did they want Bibles, but training in how to grow. "That's what we're here for," said the worker. "That's what God has called us to do."

CHINA. Probably because of their advanced years, and most certainly because of their persistence, they were given an incredible opportunity by local authorities to share Christ in specific ethnic minority areas. The older couple had asked several times for permission to tell the local people about Jesus, and been denied. But on their final try, the doors were miraculously and mysteriously thrown open. It became apparent that God's spirit was at work when, in several villages, they shared the gospel with entire village populations assembled by village heads, and in one village, more than 50 persons accepted Christ over a period of several months.

CHINA. It took a long time for their neighbors to warm up to the American family. But after six years and a handful of new Christians, the family was finally able to establish the first church in the community where they lived. They had tried befriending the villagers, had prayed over the sick people in the villages, and had even hired some of them for a construction project. But nothing really impacted the people until, in the cold of winter, they distributed some quilts handmade by Christians in Minnesota. As best they can tell, that was the turning point for the ethnic minority group. Barriers were broken down and hearts began to open.

EAST ASIA UPDATE

Bibles in China Two American men were traveling in a location so remote that they claimed even the cows stared at them. There they gave a "linguistically challenged presentation" of the Gospel to a Chinese man and left him a Bible. When they returned to visit him two weeks later, he had accepted Christ! Once again God's sword had cut straight to the heart of man. Throughout China there is a great hunger for God's Word. An American summer teacher was amazed when one of her Chinese students asked for permission to just touch the teacher's Bible, not dreaming that she could hold it, read it, and even own it. A house church trainer was moved when he realized that several ladies in his group shared one Bible, not only in class, but in their daily life. Many others have witnessed the inexpressible joy of Chinese friends receiving a Bible for the first time. Tragically, China has long been known as a country where Christians and seekers have limited access to Bibles. It is true that Bibles can be purchased at government-sanctioned registered churches, and it is also true that Amity Printing, the publishing arm of the government churches, has printed 41 million Chinese Bibles in recent years. But the numbers pale as one looks at the needs of as many as 60 million Chinese Christians, and more than one billion lost people. Despite the dearth of adequate Bibles for her own people, China will produce one-quarter of all the world's Bibles by 2009! With Amity relocating to a larger facility, Bibles in 90 languages ranging from Slovakian to Swahili will soon roll off its presses and be exported to countries around the world, including the U.S. and Great Britain. To meet the demand of the world's most populous country, some are taking great risks to make large quantities of Bibles available. A house church leader was arrested last August in northwest China and charged with receiving three tons of Bibles from a source outside of China. In December of last year, the Chinese owner of a Christian bookstore near Beijing's Olympic Village was detained and charged with the illegal printing and distribution of Christian literature. Bibles are purportedly being illegally published, stored, and shipped in locations throughout China. Hundreds of thousands of Bibles are also being distributed popular tourist destinations worldwide to Chinese people with hands outstretched to receive them. Please join us in praying that everyone who longs to read God's Word will have access to a Bible. Go to www.peopleofchina.net for more prayer requests for China. What Volunteers Are Saying Asked about their most meaningful experience while in East Asia, recent volunteers replied: "Everything was meaningful. I loved my time inside China. I loved the people oh so very much. Every contact was amazing." "I was really encouraged by the Chinese believers there. It was amazing to see how much they do with so little, and how excited they are to come in contact with American believers." "Visiting villages of unreached people groups and putting a face on missions by experiencing the needs of the people. Also, I believe we were an encouragement to the team on the field." Are you ready for a meaningful volunteer experience? Go to http://easia.imb.org/jobs.htm to check out exciting opportunities or contact eavolunteer@pobox.com To the Ends of the Earth From Frontline Workers "We asked the Lord where He would have us go to finish the task of reaching unreached peoples. Our people gave us a list of the current needs and this group stood out. So I wrote back and said, 'Who are these people?' And the response I got was, 'They are a sub-group who live far out in the Northwest. They have not been engaged. They've been on our list for 10 years. No one has been interested.' There were no other Christians praying for them, advocating for them, living among them. And there were no known believers. And we know that the task is to bring the Gospel to every language, to every tribe, to every tongue. And to finish that task, we need to engage those people groups that are that isolated and unengaged. And we really felt the Spirit say, 'We want you to go there and help finish the task.' And so that's how we ended up living where we live." University Graduates China had nearly five million university graduates in 2007, but almost one-fifth of them had not yet found jobs in early 2008. Since China reopened its doors three decades ago, 1.8 million postgraduate degrees and 240,000 doctorates have been awarded. Tibetans Severe winter weather left 1.65 million people, most of them Tibetan, snow blind and frostbitten in the Qinghai province. Tourism in Tibet rose 60 percent last year following the 2006 opening of a direct train route into its capital, Lhas

Commission Stories

News from the Home Front--Vermont

As the second least churched state in America, Vermont cries out for spiritual assistance. Can you hear the cry of her heart? Does it call to your own heart? Why not join Terry Dorsett and his team of missionaries in reaching Vermont with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

A Word from the Director:

Watching your children follow the Lord is a blessing beyond description. The first Sunday of March I watched my 17 year old daughter lead a group of 9 teen musicians as they led over 100 adults in a time of praise and worship. It brought tears to my eyes to watch my daughter serve the Lord in such a way. Later that same week I had lunch with a Christian business man who was present for that service and with tears in his eyes he talked about how moved he was to see teens leading adults in worship. May God be praised as He allows us to see our children walk in truth.

Sadly, many parents today are seeing their children turn away from the church. My heart breaks for the next generation and I often ask the Lord to show me what I can do to pass the torch to those younger than I. Sometimes their styles are different than what I'm used to, but their hearts are on fire for the Lord and their spirits are in tune with the Holy Spirit. I see part of my mission as helping mature the next generation in a way that is godly and biblical without destroying the creativity God has put in their hearts. What is your mission? What are you doing to reach the next generation? You do not have to compromise the truth or follow the world's patterns, but you do have to be willing to listen and learn from the "mouth of babes." May God show each of us how to reach the next generation in our circle of influence.

Terry Dorsett (Contact Terry at this address: terrydorsett@charter.net)
To visit the Green Mountain Baptist Association website click here

Preachables from China

CHINA. The overseas couple only knew of one Christian in the ethnic minority group that they were seeking to reach for Christ. Her name was Rita. They had tried to contact her, but her phone number didn’t work and they didn’t have an address. Seeking the Father’s guidance, the wife faithfully lifted up Rita during times of prayer and fasting. One day the couple traveled to a remote area. They stopped in a market town and before they knew it, had been invited into someone’s home for a feast. As they struggled to communicate using their limited Chinese, the father of the home said, “Soon my daughter will arrive. She can speak some English.” A few moments later, the daughter showed up. She smiled at them and said, “Hello. My name is Rita.”

CHINA. While training a new believer, they asked her to lead in a prayer. She was reticent to do so, but with encouragement, overcame her fear and voiced a prayer to God. Several days later she led her sick niece to salvation in Christ. The niece died the next day. The aunt told the trainers that if she not had the experience of praying in public, she never could have told her niece about Jesus.

CHINA. An American mom and her children had accidentally gotten locked out of their China home. While they waited at the guard house of their apartment complex, the mom took the opportunity to tell their Chinese guard about God's love for him. When her husband arrived with the key a short time later, he joined in the conversation. After a short time, the guard opened his heart's door to Christ, receiving Him as Savior even before the family returned home to unlock their own door.

CHINA. For long difficult years they labored faithfully among an unreached people group that was uninterested and even resistant to the gospel. The Christian workers welcomed prayer intercessors, volunteers, and other partners to join them in the task. As members of the minority group began to turn to Christ, the workers and their partners rejoiced. But then they watched with heavy hearts as some of the earliest believers of the group underwent beatings, incarceration, and other forms of persecution. Through the years, the new believers have persevered. Last year 150 members of the minority group accepted Jesus into their hearts.

CHINA UPDATE

Frigid Weather Greets Chinese New Year

Havoc resulted when China's worst winter weather is 50 years coincided with its traditional Lunar New Year celebration. Millions of people trying desperately to return to their home towns for their most important holiday were confronted with closed airports, derailed trains, and highways frozen over with ice. Still they persisted, waiting at train stations and airports for days at a time, in the hopes of seeing their loved ones. As the crowds grew, troops were sent in to maintain order at transportation hubs. A stampede at the Guangzhou train station resulted in many injuries and the death of one woman. Harrowing tales were told by those stuck in cars, trains, and buses for 20 hours or more for trips that would normally last only a few hours.

The crisis that impacted 20 of China's provinces has since subsided, and most of China's residents are slowly returning to their places of residence and work. But the winter will long be remembered for nightmarish inconvenience, dashed dreams, and loss. An official mid-February estimate of 107 deaths is most likely conservative. More than 1.5 million people were evacuated from their homes and at least 350,000 homes collapsed under the weight of record snows. One-tenth of the country's massive forests suffered damage. Power lines were downed by snow and ice, resulting in the loss of electricity to millions, and pipes cracked in the freezing temperatures, resulting in the loss of water to millions more. Impassable roads resulted in a shortage of food supplies in many locations. Recovery is expected to take many more months.

Let's continue to pray for all who are suffering, asking God to supply their needs. Pray that Christians in China will be sensitive to special ways that His love can be shared during the aftermath of such devastation.

Winter Wonderland

As the cold weather raged, God poured out special blessings on His children, resulting in these inspiring reports from the front lines.

"When my flight got snowed in during the recent snowstorm, I was a bit frustrated that my agenda to travel to another country had been interrupted. But the snow that paralyzed my city for a few days and kept me stuck there was a means God used to remind me of some profound lessons. During those days of being "stuck," I met people, shared truth with families and had opportunities I would have otherwise missed if things had gone according to my plan. Praise God for working great things out of a challenging situation."

"During the coldest winter in the history of China, we learned that we really can survive without electricity, tap water, television, internet, and transportation. A big pot of vegetable soup shared with neighbors can put smiles on their faces and opened doors to tell them of His love. One dozen eggs, three pounds of rice, and three heads of cabbage will feed six Chinese families. Because we endured the cold and lack of conveniences along with our neighbors, a bond was formed. We became more aware of our weaknesses, and we found new strength in Him."

"Southern Cross Chinese New Year's 2008 distribution was a tremendous success with people coming to faith and over 10,000 Chinese tourists receiving their first copy of God's Word along with Gospel testimonies! With fewer volunteers on fewer teams than last year, He was able to equal the distribution! God answered our prayer that He would allow nothing to stand in the way of these dear people getting a copy of His Word, a Jesus Film and other Christian literature."

Claiming the Year For Christ

This is the "Year of the Rat" according to China's ancient calendar that recycles zodiac signs over a 12-year cycle. Not only has it resulted in a run on hamsters at pet stores in China, but it's all about "carpe diem" for Mickey Mouse who is sporting Chinese garb at Hong Kong's Disneyland. Let's pray fervently that long before 2008 ends, it will be know as a "Year of Christ" in China as millions of people accept the salvation that He freely offers.

• Hong Kong now has 1.5 mobile phones per resident!

• For the first time since 1949, passenger ship travelers from China disembarked in Taiwan

Current Requests: last updated December 11, 2007
1. As Christian workers pour out their lives in service in China, new generations of missionaries are being developed in churches all over the United States. Pray today that Sunday School teachers, pastors, and missions workers among children will impart love for the peoples of the world and passion for reaching the lost to the children who are under their tutelage.

2. Pray that Christian mothers serving overseas will find ways to balance their many responsibilities so that they can spend quality time among the people, sharing Christ's love. In some cases, this means finding reliable household help. In other cases, it means including their children in evangelistic activities, or having the husband more involved in primary childcare. Thank God that He sees and knows each situation and is willing to give the answers needed as His children look to Him.

3. After surpassing a record goal last year, Southern Baptists will be challenged to give more than ever to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this month. Pray that all who are committed to reaching the world for Christ will resist resting on laurels of years past and will give sacrificially. Praise God for working through this offering to provide for Christians workers all over China and the world.

China Update

Time to Celebrate

Holiday celebrations may have wound down in the U.S. following Christmas and New Year's, but are just kicking into high gear in East Asia. As you read about the upcoming festivities, please pray that God will use Chinese and Mongolian Christians to impact their family, friends, and even strangers during this time.

Chinese New Year's

The Lunar New Year will fall on February 7 this year, and as always the major holiday of the year will be celebrated widely throughout China. Much of the country will be on the roads, the rails, or in the air as China's people head to their family homes for visits that will be highlighted with New Year's Eve feasts. Offices, schools and businesses will shut down for a few days. Red envelopes filled with new money will be exchanged. Greetings of "Happy New Year" will resound during the daylight hours and sounds of firecrackers will be heard late into the evening hours.

Mongolian White Moon Festival

Although its culture and language is markedly different than that of China, Mongolia also celebrates its most important family holiday at the beginning of the Lunar New Year. During Tsagaan Sar, family and friends enjoy visiting with each other, exchanging khadags: blue silk scarves that symbolize goodwill, and devouring buuz: steamed dumplings filled with minced mutton or yak meat. Traditional games are played and oral histories are shared.

Christmas in China

God worked mightily at Christmas to draw Chinese people into His Kingdom. Rejoice with us as you read these exciting reports from those who participated in the Christmas in China project for U.S. university students:

"Workers had been praying about a Christmas party for months, hoping that 100 people would attend. But 450 showed up and half of them raised their hands to accept Christ!"

"We saw 27 come to know the Lord through the team's efforts and God's grace. We had the largest Christmas Party we've ever had, and the 170 plus people who attended heard the Gospel and 14 received Jesus that night

Eye On China

Numbers are climbing in many societal realms of China's populace.

• Students: China now has 25 million university students, five times that of nine years ago.

• Singles: More than 45 percent of Chinese people aged 15 to 35 are single.

• TV viewers: With televisions in 99.89 percent of its homes, China now has more than 1.2 billion TV viewers.

• Wealthy: China had 108 billionaires last year, up from only 15 the year before, and now has more billionaires than any country but the U.S.

• Displaced: Four million more China residents will soon join the 1.4 million who have already been relocated from the Three Gorges Dam area in recent years
  

• Would you like to pray for China? Perhaps you can't physically walk the streets of China, but you can still pray! Take a virtual tour of the places and people of China, praying as you go along. Click on this link. Virtual Prayer Walk

NEWS FROM CHINA

CHINA. While in the countryside sharing about Jesus, the young overseas Christian worker was interrupted by an 18-year old who enthusiastically helped him finish the story that he was telling. Not only did the 18-year old prove to be a Christian, but he introduced his farmer parents and three younger siblings who were also believers. The 18-year old explained that before his grandfather was martyred more than 50 years ago, he had accepted Jesus as the result of the witness of some American Christians. The grandfather went to the grave telling his son to never forsake Jesus. During all these years, the farming family has never owned a Bible. But they still remember some of the precious stories that were passed down by one who paid dearly for his faith in Christ.

CHINA. He is a leader in a house church network. Although he was the primary church planter in 16 house churches, he saw the network quickly grow to more than 80 churches when he began to work closely with other church planters. Eleven of those churches suffered persecution. Some were even closed. But he continues to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, saying "When we lose one church, we start three."

CHINA. The highly educated young physician was led to Christ while in medical school by an illiterate woman who cleaned her dormitory. When she was invited to a house church, she accepted. At the first meeting, she was so moved by God's Spirit that she wept and wept. She continued her involvement with the house church for several years. As they began dividing into new groups for the sake of reaching more people for Christ, she accepted the leadership of one of the groups. Just as the cleaning lady had stepped out of her comfort zone to share Christ, so too is the doctor determined to step out to reach others for His Kingdom.

CHINA. The American lady had traveled in a smoke-filled bus for six hours to get to her target evangelism location. As she and her traveling companion checked into the hotel, she found herself getting irritated with the slowness of the young Chinese lady at the hotel reception desk. But as God reminded her of the need for patience, she and her friend made a point of reaching out to the receptionist, even inviting her to eat with them. Over a meal that night, they had opportunity to share the gospel with their new friend, as well as with some others who joined them. Even though it was the first time that the hotel worker had heard about Christ, she eagerly accepted Him into her heart.

Eye On China

Numbers are climbing in many societal realms of China's populace.

• Students: China now has 25 million university students, five times that of nine years ago.

• Singles: More than 45 percent of Chinese people aged 15 to 35 are single.

• TV viewers: With televisions in 99.89 percent of its homes, China now has more than 1.2 billion TV viewers.

• Wealthy: China had 108 billionaires last year, up from only 15 the year before, and now has more billionaires than any country but the U.S.

• Displaced: Four million more China residents will soon join the 1.4 million who have already been relocated from the Three Gorges Dam area in recent

Virtual Prayer Walk
(from Preachables, East Asia Newsletter, published by IMB)

News from and about China

Christianity Sparks China ’s New Cultural Revolution ( July 15, 2007 , Orlando Sentinel, by Robert L. Moore)
Christianity in China has come a long way since 1870. That was the year that violent Chinese mobs in the city of Tianjin , enraged by rumors that French missionaries were kidnapping babies, massacred every Christian they could get their hands on. In those days, China 's citizenry saw Christianity as a tentacle of Western imperialism, and as such viewed it as a threat to their country's very existence. But the role of Christianity in China today could hardly be more different from what it was then.

While doing research on Chinese society in Beijing this summer, I met a surprisingly large number of recently converted Chinese Christians. And I wasn't the only one aware of the rising tide of Christian conversions. The evidence is undeniable: Despite the government's official doctrine of atheism, its general disapproval of religion, and its occasionally ruthless suppression of those Christian groups that it views as threatening, millions of Chinese are now choosing to convert.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/views/orl-moore1507jul15,0,745276.story

China Sees Activists as Olympic Threat ( July 23, 2007 , AP)
China 's intelligence services are gearing up for next year's Beijing Olympics, gathering information on foreigners who might mount protests and spoil the nation's moment in the spotlight. Government spy agencies and think tanks are compiling lists of potentially troublesome foreign organizations, looking beyond the human rights groups long critical of Beijing , security experts and a consultant familiar with the effort said. They include evangelical Christians eager to end China 's religious restrictions, activists wanting Beijing to use its oil-buying leverage with Sudan to end the strife in Darfur and environmental campaigners angry about global warming.

The effort is among the broadest intelligence-collection drives Beijing has taken against foreign activist groups, often known as non-governmental organizations, or NGOs. It aims to head off protests and other political acts during an Olympics the communist leadership hopes will boost its popularity at home and China 's image abroad. "Demonstrations of all kinds are a concern, including anti-American demonstrations," said the consultant, who works for Beijing 's Olympic organizers and asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to talk to the media. The government, he said, is "trying to find out what kinds of NGOs will come. ... What are their plans?"

While foreign governments often monitor potentially disruptive groups ahead of big events, Beijing this time is ranging farther afield, targeting groups whose activities would be considered legal in most countries. Officials in China 's overseas diplomatic missions are also being tasked to gather information on groups, the consultant said. When The Associated Press reported in May on plans by U.S. and other Christian groups to proselytize at the Olympics, the press officer at China 's U.N. mission contacted the AP seeking more information.

Preachables Volume 86: September 7, 2007
CHINA. When they sat down with a group of deaf acquaintances to eat a meal, the overseas visitors were introduced as followers of God. As a brief discussion in sign language ensued, the visitors were asked if it was their tradition to pray before eating. They acknowledged that it was and asked if they might lead the group in a prayer of thanksgiving. Everyone agreed. When the person praying invoked the name of Jesus, it became clear that one of the deaf men was very confused. Touching the middle finger of each hand to the opposite palm, he duplicated the sign for Jesus to the man seated next to him and asked what it meant. It was a word that he had never before heard or seen. The visitors were excited to be able to tell him in a language that he could understand of the Savior's love.

CHINA. They had only been in China for one year when they had to leave because of their overt witness. It was so hard to understand. The young overseas couple had sensed His leading as they had been preparing to move even closer to the core of the unreached people group, and now it appeared as they would be far away from them. Knowing that it would be a long time before they could return, they cried out to the Lord, questioning how He would allow them to be separated from the very people that He had called them to reach. But as they adjusted to their interim setting, they realized that He had placed them in the very location that they needed to be. Not only were they able to serve in an evangelistic training center targeting the very people group that they had adopted, but they were able to spend long hours in learning the difficult minority language. The wait is now behind them and they are headed back into China, bolstered by the special season of learning that God prepared for them.

CHINA. "Do you mind if I pray for you," she asked the noodle shop owner. "I don't see many customers in your shop. I'm a Christian and God hears my prayers. He never fails to answer." The shop owner readily agreed to allow the American lady to pray for his shop and to also let her tell him and his employees about Christ. Two weeks later he received Christ. When she had asked to pray for him that day, the lady evangelist had no way of knowing that the witness of the shop owner's Christian father-in-law had prepared him for that moment. Likewise, the father-in-law could not have known when he witnessed to the man earlier that God was preparing to send an American woman to draw the net. Since receiving Christ, the shop owner has become very active in telling others about the Savior and hosting house church gatherings. He is following in the footsteps of those who were faithful in witnessing to him.

We Have Moved

Apologies for not posting for the last several months. My wife and I have moved from Little Rock, AR to Arlington, TX. It has taken some time to get settled into our new home. Sandwiched in between unpacking boxes, taking care of a lot of stuff was a music mission trip to Monterrey, Mexico with our church FBC Arlington, and a teaching trip to California. I do promise to be more diligent in posting about missions in the future because there is much good news to be reported. From Asia, to South America, even in the Northeast section of our country, God is doing some great things that need to be celebrated.
Blessings to all who read this blog and send me commments from time to time.

News from IMB

Here are some excerpts from the IMB report at the 2007 SBC. (Just in case some may have forgotten).

Hundreds answer call to missions commitment at Southern Baptist Convention meeting 6/15/2007

By Don Graham SAN ANTONIO (BP)—KGB agents had arrested Shokrat* before, but this time was different. Instead of being taken for interrogation, he was tortured.

Messengers to the 2007 Southern Baptist Convention meeting in San Antonio listened, transfixed, as the former Turkmen pastor described how agents forced a gas mask over his head and waited for him to suffocate. As he struggled for breath, the mask was removed momentarily, then replaced and the cycle repeated.

Shokrat’s skin was pierced by hypodermic needles. He was choked, beaten and shocked with electricity. Threats to torture his family and friends, rape his wife and murder his children were made. He endured this abuse for days, not because he was a spy, but because he had chosen to tell a story of suffering and sacrifice not unlike his own – the story of Jesus.

Shokrat’s powerful testimony came as part of the International Mission Board’s annual report to the convention on June 12, where hundreds of Southern Baptists answered an altar call to greater missions involvement. IMB president Jerry Rankin said Shokrat’s story, and the stories of persecuted Christians everywhere, serve as evidence of a lost world desperate to hear the Gospel.

“Numbers can be overwhelming – 1.6 billion people have not yet heard the name of Jesus. … Yet God’s desire is for all the world to know Him, and He sent us with the responsibility to be His witnesses,” Rankin said. “He’s not waiting on our response. God is moving in providence and power, stirring through political disruption to open doors to countries and people groups where we would have never imagined missionaries being able to serve.”

Rankin cited the thousands who have come to faith in the nations of the former Soviet Union, the IMB’s missions emphasis for 2007-08, since the collapse of the communist superpower. Turkmenistan is among the Soviet republics that gained independence in 1991. Though Shokrat may never be able to return to his home, he continues his work to spread the Gospel there thanks to a partnership with John,* an IMB missionary serving in Central Asia. With the support of Lexington Baptist Church in Lexington, S.C., Shokrat and John have developed a training program to disciple leaders in the Turkmen church. Now, churches there are growing again, even thriving under severe persecution, Shokrat said.

Messengers also heard another story from the former Soviet Union, that of Genady Krechin, a former businessman with ties to the Russian mafia. Genady first heard the story of Jesus from a Russian believer and gave his life to Christ. Now, in partnership with IMB missionaries Brad and Lori Stamey and Crestview Baptist Church in Shelby, N.C., Genady pastors a small house church in Moscow. Thanks to the help of local believers like Genady and Shokrat, Rankin reported that in 2006 Southern Baptist missionaries and their partners baptized more than 475,000 new believers, planted some 23,000 churches and discipled more than 500,000 Christians.

Rankin also praised Southern Baptists for enabling God-called missionaries to go by giving the largest Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in history – $150,178,098. “Because of your faithfulness in giving,” Rankin said, “784 new missionaries were appointed and sent out to the ends of the earth.” Many of those missionaries were responsible for breaking ground on work among 104 “unengaged” people groups last year – peoples among whom no evangelicals were previously working to share the Gospel. “I thank you, not on behalf of the International Mission Board, not on behalf of your missionaries around the world, but I thank you on behalf of the millions of lost people that will hear the story of Jesus for the first time because you gave and God-called missionaries can be sent in increasing numbers,” Rankin said. “We are told in Romans 10:13 that whoever believes in the name of Jesus, whoever responds in faith to the story of Jesus, can be saved. But then we are confronted with the questions, How can they call on Him of whom they have not believed; and how can they believe on Him of whom they have not heard; and how can they hear the story of Jesus except we be sent? “A lost world is waiting. Multitudes are dying. … We’ve been equipped with all we need to reach the lost world. It’s a story, just a simple story. It’s a story of how Jesus touched your life and saved you. … A world is waiting for someone, perhaps you, to say ‘I’ll be the one. I’ll go and join others and tell the story of Jesus.’”

Tom Eliff, senior vice president of spiritual nurture, closed the IMB’s program with a special invitation and altar call to greater missions commitment, telling Southern Baptists they have an opportunity to either lead the way or fall into the shadows. “God has a yoke for you in terms of world missions that perfectly fits you,” Eliff said. Are you willing to consider what else God might have for you? “Some of you know this is going to be one of the most transforming moments of your entire life. Others know that you’re going to go back to your church … and suddenly it’s going to be catapulted into the farthest regions of the world.”

Messengers answering Eliff’s invitation left behind a sea of empty chairs as they stood or kneeled before the convention center’s 75-foot-wide stage. Nearly 100 people signed cards committing themselves to exploring the possibility of serving overseas as a Southern Baptist missionary. Eliff prayed over their calling. “Oh, Father, we sense that we are running out of time. How can we put our heart around the billions of people who desperately need to know You? “God, I pray You hold our feet to fire … I pray You won’t let us rest until we are right in the yoke You have for us. … We rejoice to see those who will come to know You in these next years because of what You, by Your grace and goodness, have done in this moment. And forever we will walk and talk on the streets of glory with those to whom You’ve called us to tell the story.” *Last name withheld for security reasons

NEWS FROM GUAYACIL

Meet José, trancultural missionary from Ecuador (From http://guymuse.blogspot.com/)

When José Chillambo first appeared three years ago for our church planting training, all he could talk about was missions. He is a fairly new believer, but has always had a one-track mind about missions. The tougher the territory, the more excited he gets! Over the years, we have seen him mature and develop spiritually. It has become evident to all of us that the Lord is calling him to serve as a transcultural missionary.

In August of this year, Jose will be sent by the Guayaquil house churches to serve on the IMB Xtreme Team in Peru. He will be our first "homegrown" transcultural missionary to be sent out to the ends of the earth from the Guayaquil house churches. The Xtreme Team is not for just anybody. It is, to say the least, quite eXtreme...

"People who live in the easy-to-reach places have heard the Gospel. The people
in the hard-to-reach places haven’t...How will they be reached? The Xtreme Team is Western South America’s answer.If traditional forces can’t get in, Special
Forces must be trained. If traditional strategies aren’t reaching them, Xtreme
strategies have to. The Xtreme Team leaders will train teams of young men to
reach people in the most isolated and difficult-to-access places. The training
will produce the best trained mission force in the region. They will be
physically, mentally and spiritually ready to reach people who have been
overlooked for centuries.This one is definitely not for everyone. Those who
cannot or will not do tough physical work, or those who are not willing to
suffer for the Lord better look elsewhere. The Xtreme Team members will go where the rest of the world is unable, or at least unwilling to go. They will explore
some of the most extreme, isolated and inaccessible places on earth and take the
gospel to those who live where no one else has reached..."

This is where Jose's heart lies: going where the Gospel has never gone before. It will take $200/month to support Jose. The Guayaquil house churches have already begun to raise his support. It comes in amounts ranging from a few pennies to a few dollars per week. Our goal is to support him financially for two years in this missions venture.

Will you pray for Jose? He will need all the prayer support he can get!

CHINA UPDATE

Left: Chinese tourists spend holidays visiting many of China's scenic wonderlands.

Summertime and Anytime

Summer and travel are often considered to be synonymous. Family vacations, trips to exotic locations, and restful get-away weekends are on the docket for many. There is a lot of travel going on in China as well. How incredibly thankful we are for the hundreds of volunteers who are spending their hard earned vacation time and money to share Christ in China this summer. We praise Him also for the hundreds more who live and travel throughout China year-round so that the gospel can be proclaimed. Here are a few exciting travel stories from workers in China.

Never Been Asked
Headed home from a training conference, an overseas Christian worker used some photos to initiate a conversation with a Chinese man seated next to him on a plane. That led into an opportunity for him to share his Christian testimony. As the plane was landing, he asked the Chinese man if he wanted to believe in Jesus. Oblivious to onlookers, the man began to weep copiously and then said that although he had been told about Jesus before, nobody had ever asked him if he actually wanted to receive Jesus. Now that the question was out there, he had a ready reply. "Yes!"

New Friend, New Brother
Riding a bus into an unreached area where they had never been, the two Christian workers were befriended by a curious passenger. The man asked about their plans for the day and when the workers replied that they were canvassing the area to better understand it, he invited them to his home. That night the two Christians shared the gospel with five people in the man's home and two of them accepted Christ into their hearts.
Testing the SoilChristian workers had been targeting the ethnic-minority area for several years. Prayer walkers had been sent in, followed by literature distribution teams. Then an agriculture team came to visit. As they were driving down the road praying for guidance, they sensed God telling them to stop the jeep right where they were. They looked out into a nearby field and saw four men working. Approaching the men, they asked for permission to test their soil. In the process, they found the soil to be too acidic and were able to help the farmers correct the problem. That led to relationships with several fathers and sons who farmed together. Four men in their 60's soon accepted Christ. One year later, 18 persons in their previously unreached village were Christians.

Pedal to the Metal

Chinese people are pedaling electric bicycles to beat the price of gas and avoid traffic jams. More than 16 million of the electric cycles were purchased last year and sales may reach 30 million this year. The vehicles can run for 48 kilometers before having to be recharged and emit no noise, odors, or pollutants

News from China

PREACHABLES (FROM HEART FOR CHINA)

CHINA. The Christian worker thought that he was visiting a small clinic in the slums of his city to connect with some village evangelists who were in town. But God had something else in mind. At the clinic he found a mother sobbing over her deathly ill newborn baby. As Christians prayed over the four-day old baby, six men who worked in construction with the baby's father sat nearby not saying a word. The Christian worker picked up the tiny form and was able to detect a pulse and shallow breaths. He carried the baby outside of the dimly lit clinic to better see what was going on. As the light touched the baby's eyes, the baby boy gasped and started crying. Peasant onlookers thought that the infant had truly been revived from the dead. Accompanied by the parents and their friends, the Christian worker took the baby directly to a teaching hospital with neonatal facilities. There they encountered a Christian physician who was willing to treat the baby, despite the inability of the parents to pay up front. When the baby was out of danger later that afternoon, the entire group went out to eat. Over the meal, the Christian doctor, the village evangelists, and the overseas worker led the baby's parents and the six friends to Christ. It truly was a day of miracles, and a day that caused the Christian worker to renew his commitment to making Christ known in China.

CHINA. A small group of house church leaders felt exhausted when they returned from a training conference. Since it was the first time that three of them had ever flown, it had been quite an adventure. As they piled into a van and began their journey into their city, they bowed their heads while one of them voiced a fervent prayer of thanksgiving. Then they turned their attention to the driver. Although he had heard the gospel many times, he had not yet received Christ. One of the men removed his hat as a sign of reverence as he began to share about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Then another one invited the driver to pull to the side of the road if he was ready to receive Jesus. The driver stopped the van immediately, bowed his head, and accepted Christ. As "hallelujahs", "amens", and other sounds of praise filled the van, the men realized that the fatigue that they had felt at the beginning of the ride was now overshadowed by renewed determination to reach the multitudes of lost people in their city.

CHINA. A Christian was sharing Jesus with a 16-year old seeker in a public shopping arcade when a security guard walked over and snatched the gospel tract from his hand. Feeling as if he had been caught redhanded, he turned to the guard and said, "Yes, I have already talked with this young man. He showed interest. I am not forcing him to do anything. If he should decide to believe, it's his own decision." As the guard flipped through the pages of the tract, the evangelist prayed silently. But when he saw that the guard was on the last page, he simply could not be silent. "Sir, do you know Jesus?", he asked. To his surprise, the guard responded that he did. Then the guard handed the tract to the 16-year old and said, "Here. Read it."

News from the Big Country

The following is a report from a colleague who travels into the big country from time to time.

It was an interesting trip to a different province from where I am usually
found. About a month ago, some friends contacted me with the request
that I return to visit them soon for they had some exciting and important
information to share. I agreed to stop by on my next trip to that
part of the country and then shared with them my schedule for when that might
be. I confess that these brothers and sisters are ones that I always look
forward to visiting with and learning of how the Father is blessing the work in
their area of the country.

Arriving in my friend's city last week,
I found that my friend had brought together several leaders
from another province that represented an amazing House Church network of
friends. These friends, from a nearby province, had traveled many hours by
train to meet with me and discuss the possibilities of our assisting them in
efforts to both grow in the Lord as well as grow by reaching the rest of
their province for Christ! This new network represented some 16
associations with over 80,000 members and around 550
churches. Their dream was to learn how to assist their lay-led bodies
to be more solid in their faith while also boldly moving forward in reaching
their people. As we talked, I was touched of the Lord's spirit when I
learned that this body has only 26 years of history and that they have only 20
full-time paid workers in the midst of their over 550 churches.
Having said this, their goal is to multiply both churches and multiply lay
leadership for the new churches they wish to develop. Wow, what faith
these people have in the Holy Spirit as their teacher and the Bible alone as
their "instruction book!" Surely, God will continue to bless such
faithfulness.

Please pray for us all as we seek God's leadership in learning how partnership is best accomplished for His Kingdom! Blessings as you serve.

Good News from Vermont

Some of you may be following the ministry of Terry Dorsett in Vermont. Although there are setbacks from time to time, this email proves the efficacy of prayer. Rejoice with Terry in answers to prayer, and join him in prayer for the needs listed

Dear Prayer Partners,

I am pleased to report that the Faith Community Church went before the zoning board this evening to have the building zoned for a church. It was approved in SIX MINUTES, with no stipulations!!!!!! Thanks for praying, it worked!

That was a big hurdle and now God has taken care of it.

We meet with the Fire and Safety people next week, pray that that meeting goes well too.

So far we are still on target to close on June 29 as planned and begin work the following week on renovations.

We still need to raise some $$ for the renovations, that detailed info is below.

Keep praying, it is working!!

Terry Dorsett, in VT

Faith Community Church, Barre VT

Cost Estimate for Renovation:
Physical Work:
Electrical work: 2000
Fire alarm system: 5000
Carpet: 16500
Painting: 1230
Sheetrock/lumber 12000
Platform lumber 1000
Sign: 2500
Miscellaneous 5000
Contingency 9046
Total Materials Cost: 54276

Items to be purchased:
Refrigerator 1000
Video projector 1000
Two Computers 2000
Sound system 5000
Case of Bibles 275
Youth room furnishings 3000
Office furniture 3500
Vestibule area furniture 5000
Total Cost for Items: 20775

Total Renovation Cost: 75051

Cash On Hand: 17552

Outstanding Pledge: 20000

Amount to be raised: 37499

Links

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Let's see how it works

How Churches are Started in Ecuador

Guy Muse shares how churches are started in Guayaquil:

This is a typical story of how house churches get started in Guayaquil..

Mónica was hired to clean the house of a believer, Martha. Mónica
began to open up with Martha about the problems she was having at home with the man she was living with. Martha would cry and pray with Mónica. She openly shared Christ telling her He could heal her life and home if she would just trust him. Mónica thought it too good to be true what Martha shared.

One day Mónica decided to invite Martha to come to her house to share the Gospel with her family. Martha took along Marlene, a gifted evangelist from the house church she attends. Marlene and Martha arrived at Monica's and gathered the family together to dialogue about spiritual matters. Monica felt strongly that she should give her heart to Christ. She was certain that she would be the only one to do so. Much to her surprise, Medardo, her daughter Aneida, and her live-in boyfriend David ALL gave their hearts to the Lord! From the very beginning, Medardo and David were changed dramatically by the power of Jesus working in their lives. Monica and Aneida were overcome with joy in the Lord.That was September 2006.

Marlene, Martha and others began 45-minute weekly bus trips to disciple their new converts. Both couples decided early on that it would be best to get legally married. Recently they were all baptized.(see video here) In Mónica and Medardo's home they proudly display their framed new believer diplomas--Baptism, Discipleship I, Discipleship II, and Christian Marriage Certificate. In all I counted TEN framed certificates on their walls! Several others have since been won to the Lord. These new beleivers are being discipled by Medardo and Mónica. Both just completed our 7-week COSECHA to help them with their own church planting. They will now proudly add their new "Church Planter" certificate to their wall collection!

This past Sunday, Barbara Rivers and I were invited to visit the new church that meets in their home. We sang song after song as everyone wanted to make sure their favorite was sung. Medardo shared his testimony and a short devotional thought on faith. It was evident that he had worked hard on it all week knowing his "teachers" would be present.

Prayers were voiced, the offering was collected, and words of encouragement were shared by several. Medardo and Monica shared that just this past week their other daughter, Maria, had also accepted the Lord!!! They are overcome with joy that their whole family--including grandpa--has joined the family of God!

After a lunch of chicken and rice, everyone gathered around Monica's sister, Rosa, to share Christ with her. She listened intently to all the testimonies of how Christ had changed everyone's life. Words cannot describe how precious it was to hear testimony after testimony of how Christ has totally transformed their lives, brought them happiness, freed them from the shackles of sin, and given them a purpose for living. Medardo even shared he had lost 20 lbs. since becoming a Christian. He called it "sin weight" that was taken away when he gave his heart to Jesus!

Monica's sister Rosa has SEEN the change in her family's lives, and knows it is for real. Yet she was not yet ready to give her heart to the Lord. She will though, it is just a matter of time!

After worshipping, sharing, eating, picture taking, and visiting together for nearly three hours everybody went home happy.

This is how house churches get started in Guayaquil. For all my years of studying and preparation, reading books, attending conferences, strategizing, fussing and fuming, church planting boils down to...

1) Someone going to share the Good News of the powerful life-ransforming life that is found in Christ.

2) Making disciples of those who respond by walking alongside them in their initial steps of life in Christ.

3) Baptizing as soon as possible those who believe.4) Teaching them to observe all
Jesus commanded.Should church planting really be any more complicated than that?
If we will do our part, Jesus promises to do his part and BUILD HIS CHURCH

Read more about Guy's work in Guayaquill at http://guymuse.blogspot.com/