not allowed without their permission. Evangelism is discouraged. All outreach to children is strictly banned. They even decree that certain parts of the Bible cannot be preached, such as the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. They are not allowedto teach on divine healing, or the deliverance of demons. The entire Book of Revelation is banned!
In the house churches we simply couldn’t adhere to such control and interference. We believe that Jesus is the head of his church, not the government. We broke away from the Three-Self Church and took a firm stand against all attempts to bring us under its control.
In response, the authorities in China launched a long-running “bird-hunting” season. They cannot stand those free birds who refuse to come under their control. Sometimes they manage to trap birds and cage them behind iron bars, but even within those cages the free birds have laid eggs and reproduced, winning many souls to the Lord in prison.
At this time I started my career of “fleeing evangelism”. That is, we preached the gospel and then had to flee from one place to another being pursued by the police, just like Jesus had told his followers to do: “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.” Matthew 10:23.
In July 1981 I narrowly escaped going to prison after I was arrested while leading a meeting of 120 house church believers. As the police car drove me to the station the tyre deflated and I was able to escape into the night. That night as I lay down on the wet ground I cried out to God, “Why are they treating us like this? Why can’t you protect us?”
The Holy Spirit reminded me of two Scriptures:
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21.
“Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:20–21.
The Lord again reminded me of his call to preach thegospel to the west and south. God’s grace is sufficient for me, and his ways are higher than ours. We must submit ourselves to God and embrace whatever he allows to happen. Sometimes there are times of peace, other times struggle and persecution. But both are from the Lord, to mould us into the vessels he wants us to be.
At the time most of our co-workers couldn’t go home because the police were searching for them. If they returned home they would be arrested immediately. Therefore they fled to different counties and towns to preach the gospel.
Even my own wife couldn’t go home. The police went to our homes and confiscated all our belongings. Our ministry became nocturnal. We met in the night-time and slept during the daytime, so that our chances of being identified were minimized.
We all received much encouragement from the example left for us by the early church. We realized what was happening to us was not new. Multitudes of believers had suffered similar trials over the centuries and yet had patiently endured to the end.
The Word of the Lord comforted and strengthened our hearts. “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” Hebrews 10:32–34 .
For many centuries the gospel struggled to gain a foothold in the stubborn land of China. Our soil was too rocky to accept the root of the gospel, but in his time God accomplished his purposes and established his church. Suffering,persecution and imprisonment
In the house churches we simply couldn’t adhere to such control and interference. We believe that Jesus is the head of his church, not the government. We broke away from the Three-Self Church and took a firm stand against all attempts to bring us under its control.
In response, the authorities in China launched a long-running “bird-hunting” season. They cannot stand those free birds who refuse to come under their control. Sometimes they manage to trap birds and cage them behind iron bars, but even within those cages the free birds have laid eggs and reproduced, winning many souls to the Lord in prison.
At this time I started my career of “fleeing evangelism”. That is, we preached the gospel and then had to flee from one place to another being pursued by the police, just like Jesus had told his followers to do: “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.” Matthew 10:23.
In July 1981 I narrowly escaped going to prison after I was arrested while leading a meeting of 120 house church believers. As the police car drove me to the station the tyre deflated and I was able to escape into the night. That night as I lay down on the wet ground I cried out to God, “Why are they treating us like this? Why can’t you protect us?”
The Holy Spirit reminded me of two Scriptures:
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21.
“Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:20–21.
The Lord again reminded me of his call to preach thegospel to the west and south. God’s grace is sufficient for me, and his ways are higher than ours. We must submit ourselves to God and embrace whatever he allows to happen. Sometimes there are times of peace, other times struggle and persecution. But both are from the Lord, to mould us into the vessels he wants us to be.
At the time most of our co-workers couldn’t go home because the police were searching for them. If they returned home they would be arrested immediately. Therefore they fled to different counties and towns to preach the gospel.
Even my own wife couldn’t go home. The police went to our homes and confiscated all our belongings. Our ministry became nocturnal. We met in the night-time and slept during the daytime, so that our chances of being identified were minimized.
We all received much encouragement from the example left for us by the early church. We realized what was happening to us was not new. Multitudes of believers had suffered similar trials over the centuries and yet had patiently endured to the end.
The Word of the Lord comforted and strengthened our hearts. “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” Hebrews 10:32–34 .
For many centuries the gospel struggled to gain a foothold in the stubborn land of China. Our soil was too rocky to accept the root of the gospel, but in his time God accomplished his purposes and established his church. Suffering,persecution and imprisonment
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