On October 26th, 2012 I was able to venture through northwest China on the last day of Ramadan. Before our team left for Beijing, I was able to explore the mosques and witness the devotion of these people. Yet, it is that same devotion that continues to widen the margin between them and our savior Jesus Christ.
I met some wonderful people that morning. People that shook my hand, invited me in and allowed me to film their practice of worship. I shared my faith with a group of adolescents in front of the last mosque you see in this film. The questions they began to ask afterwards not only affirm the observations narrated by John Piper, but those questions led me to believe that we're placing most of our attention in the wrong places. Within this country, there are hundreds of millions of people that have no idea who Jesus Christ is.
I wondered if I would ever shake these hands again. If I would ever see these smiles in a different place.
The narrative of this film comes from a letter written by our ministry contact in China. It was read by John Piper at a conference called "Radiate" in 2009. Our contact has been serving in China for the last ten years or so and has been able to articulate a perspective that not many of us would ever be able to understand. Piper closes with an excerpt from Romans 15: 20-21.
Paul writes:
It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written:
“Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”
I shot this film in an effort to encourage the body of Christ to pray and support the Gospel as it continues to spread throughout China.
May we pray for our brother in China as he continues to serve in this region.
May we pray for our brothers and sisters that still do not know the Gospel.
May we be open, challenged and embrace the calling that Christ has for us to serve the nations abroad.
Audio Excerpt: John Piper "Holy Ambition: Paul's and Ours" TCX Radiate Conference 2009
Music by Mychael Danna – "It's a Process" and "More"
Filmed on location in Gansu, China
