Whenever I thought of coming as a missionary to China, I pictured conducting Bible studies in secret and using code words for Christian lingo; however, my experience here has been far from that. The first day here we met with an American pastor, Jake. He told us that it is not illegal to be a Christian in China nor is it illegal to own a Bible; therefore, we should have nothing to hide in our ministry here. He told us when people ask why we are there to tell them that we are Christians and we have come to tell them about Jesus. No secrets. No code words. Churches are supposed to be approved by the government; however, a true Christian church would never be able to gain that approval, so churches must be kept on the down low. But even with this secrecy, churches print promotional materials and distribute them to locals.
Our ministry in China has mainly consisted around building relationships. Jake wants us to begin the process of disciple-making for him. We have been going out on to college campuses and meeting students. So many of them want to be our friends simply because we are American! They almost treat us like celebrities! We get their contact information and set up times to hang out with them. Many of us have had meals with Chinese locals, some have been invited to people’s homes, and two girls were even invited to a wedding! We tell them upfront why we are in China – to tell people about Jesus. Many have no idea who we are even talking about. This opens the door for us to share the Gospel. As we get to know these students, we find out who is interested in the Gospel and offer to share more with them. At the end of our time here, we will pass on those interested in Christianity to the Church here, so they may continue to pour into them.
This past Saturday, my team did ministry in a different capacity. We went to a church which was actually a basement apartment. From the outside, you would never know what was going on inside. There we picked up clothing that the church members had collected to give to the poor. We then took a bus to the slums of Harbin. The conditions there were terrible. Walls were made out of stacks of discarded lumber. Doors were merely curtains. Everything was filthy. This neighborhood was a stark contrast to our westernized neighborhood. We walked around handing out clothing. Many of the people who lived in this neighborhood had moved to the city from more rural areas looking for work. Most were uneducated and did menial jobs such as sweeping the streets. When we finished walking around, we played with the children. Hanging out with these kids was so fun. They were so full of life. Despite their circumstances, these children could still play and have a good time.
When I think about what we are doing in China, it seems so simple, yet it is the single most important thing we could be doing. We are bringing the Gospel to the lost. This process of disciple-making is Biblical and reflects the early church in Acts. I, as well as many on my squad, have asked ourselves the question, “Why don’t we live so intentionally at home? Why don’t more American Christians intentionally make friends to spread the Gospel and disciple those who are new in their faith?” The American Church has much that can be learned from our Chinese brothers and sisters.
Church where we collected clothing
Children from the slums
Entrance to a home in the slums
