PERSECUTED CHURCH  COLLECTION

PO Box 1485

Cashiers NC 28717

Jondee_pcc@surfbest.net

www.persecutedchurch.com

 

 

CHINA TRIP REPORT - FALL OF 2002

 

A VISIT WITH THE UNDERGROUND CHURCH

NOW OVER 100 MILLION STRONG

 

1.     CONDITIONS IN CHINA   

 

2.     DISTRIBUTION

 

3.     VISION IN THE WORKS

 

4.     TEACHING THE LEADERS                  

 

5.     IN SUMMARY

 

(Note from Jon Dee)  I was not able to accompany my team that went to China on your behalf.  Business responsibilities kept me in the US.  By faith and with the underpinning of prayer the team went to bless the persecuted.  CJ made all the arrangements for lodging and a meeting room and sent word to all the leaders to come with their wives and children.  We sensed the Lord wanted us to bless these leaders with intimate teaching and a lot of love.  We thank the Lord for His divine protection on this gathering and the safe return of all the leaders to their regions. 

 

Before I turn you over to CJ’s report I must tell you of a wonderful opportunity for further mission that just happened.  Once a month my co-worker and I make a call to China to encourage the leaders that we work with.  Our leader in the region that touches North Korea wanted to know if we would like to assist the underground house churches in what we are now calling the North Korean Project.  I have had great interest in those that have slipped over the border into China and are led to the Lord.  The house churches up there look for and ministers to them.

 

He explained that they have selected 10 North Koreans that have received Christ as their Savior who want to return and share the Gospel with their countrymen.  They will be put into a secret location for two years of intense Bible School training.  After that period of time they will go back across the boarder into their country.  If they get caught in North Korea as Christians they will not be far away from their Martyrs Crown.  With the Lord’s nod, I have with great joy taken on the major expense of this mission for the two year period.  What a wonderful investment into a barbaric country, ripe for the healing and love of our Jesus.  For those of us that will support this mission just think of the future event of standing with these superior warriors in the presence of Jesus.

 

The following is CJ’s report on the gathering in Shanghai. 

 

For indeed, when we (the leaders in China) came to Macedonia, (Shanghai) our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.  Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus (PCC staff), and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you (the Free Church), when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me (the persecuted), so that I rejoiced even more.  (2 Corinthians 7:5-7)  Yes, these verses explain the same joy that the leaders in China had, as Paul wrote when Titus came to him.  

 

CONDITIONS IN CHINA

 

In the last year or more, the persecuted house churches in China continue to grow and build in Jesus Christ, although the persecuting, arresting, threatening, and running never stop.  Yet the Lord never leaves His people as orphans, He just makes everything well in His kingdom with His presence. In these bad circumstances, everything the Free Church does including prayer, support, love, offerings and encouragement, become a great comfort for the Chinese brothers and sisters that are under such suffering---conflicts on the outside, fears from within. With all this support, they know they are not alone and know that all their labor in the Lord is not in vain.

                                                                                  

“We have one hope in Christ,” this is the most wonderful thing in the Lord God.

 

The leaders, who came for this meeting, came from different regions throughout China; the farthest of them had to travel more than 50 hours’ journey by train, some more than 30.  Most of them have been arrested, beaten, or put into prison.  One of them is still on the run, the other’s family was being watched and he had no freedom to do anything, so he had to take his wife and parents and leave his hometown to go to another city. We invited the leaders and their wives, along with their only son or daughter for our meeting.  The subject of the training lessons included: How to do the Lord’s work; marriage and family; financial management; etc.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

We were glad to deliver your offerings to those who are in need of support under persecution, such as the persecuted that are homeless, families whose fathers are in prison, families of the martyred, widows in need, and leaders on the run.

 

With joy we delivered your offerings  to 121 families. 

  1. Region #1, 7 families.
  2. Region #2 will be receiving theirs shortly.
  3. Region #4, 62 families. 
  4. Region #5, 20 families. 
  5. Region #6, 32 families. 
  6. To the leaders we gave a sizable allowance.

 

We sent them your encouragement along with the offering.  We also prayed with them, took photos, and saw them off.

 

We believe, they will return to their region full of faith, love, and renewed strength and hope, because they know that, although they are under suffering and persecution, they are not lonely in the difficulties, but they have all of you going forward with them to get the crown that will last forever.  Can you just imagine the joy these families will experience when they receive these offerings?

 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

 

VISION IN THE WORKS

 

We are now involved in developing two significant events that will shape the future of Christianity in China.  After a year of prayer and patients, we are now following scriptural inspiration and direction by the Holy Spirit to organize operations to bring this vision on stream.  This project is vary ambitious.  Only the Lord can supply the co-workers and the offerings to accomplish this. 

 

  1. We will be starting Bible schools (not seminaries) in the seven regions of China.  One region at a time and then spreading into each province.  The details I can not reveal to you because the communist government can adjust to find the secure locations that will be used.
  2. We have put out a call to House Church apostles in the US to assist in this effort.  This gathering will take place in November 02.  Seven will be chosen to work with the seven leaders in China. 

 

Because of the persecution many leaders have to stay on the run and they don’t get a good solid foundational teaching on Christ and His church.  They don’t get to disciple others properly because they have to move around so much.  The enemy loves this because it produces unlearned and discouraged leaders.  The Lord continues to bless them though with His power and Holy presence.

 

The Lord tells us in Ephesians to produce maturity so that the saints will be equipped for ministry.  The question is how to do this under the threat of the communist government.  The Lord has inspired a plan that we saw working in the Northwestern part of China in   May 2000.  An apostle we named Paul received this vision from the Lord and had a secret working Bible School.  This project we are calling “FBS” and the apostles in the US will be assisting the apostles in China to accomplish it.

 

TEACHINGS FOR THE LEADERS

 

 

The account below describes how the Lord blessed the leaders through the teaching and gathering:

 

1) Aug 27, 2002 The first day

 

The first teaching came from a Chinese brother, who’s more than eighty years young. He shared the book “How to Work For the Lord”, which was written by Wachman Nee. Everybody shared his or her experience and what he gained when he read the words of Lord’s servant.  We learned and shared things such as: “The first responsibility of the Lord’s worker is to make sure of his calling.  If there’s no calling, there’s no worker and so no mission.”  “To know the Lord is not empty talk.  A person who knows the Lord has never been put down by the Lord.  And it was only he who bowed down before the Lord that the Lord could use and entrust him.”  “The Lord will not provide His power to us to do a mission that He never called us to do.” “A true believer is he who lives for God, and not for himself, so he works just as a yielded instrument, so that he might fulfill Mighty God’s desire.” “The one who serves the Lord must believe fully the true God.”  “We thank God if He lets us work for Him; we also thank God if He doesn’t let us work for Him, because we are not connected with the Lord by the Lord’s mission, but by Lord Himself.”

 

One of the leaders, whose region had been greatly persecuted from last year until now, indicated there had been about eighteen co-workers and leaders arrested in his area.  They were sentenced from one to three years labor in prison. Some of those who attended are still on the run at the present time.  However, when they were talking, they still gave thanks to the Lord, because it’s true that it was not the mission and work that connected them to the Lord, but the Lord Himself. The leader shared with me that, at first when persecution came and their books and houses were taken away and most of their ministry had to be stopped, they had asked the Lord, “Why is this happening?” The teachings encouraged them.  So they received them with joy, giving thanks to the Lord.

 

Both the teaching and sharing help improve the workers’ spiritual lives. Meanwhile, sharing is the best way of communication and connection between the leaders that come from different regions.

 

We had a nice dinner together after the lessons.

 

2) Aug 28, 2002, the second day.

 

A much needed teaching on marriage was next on the agenda.  Brother Dia and his wife joined our team and have a mission to teach this to leaders that have focused on ministry to much and injured their marriage. They are a very good couple.  I met them last year in one of the regions that is far away from this city, and heard about their very good reputations from the students and local co-workers in the training center. They brought us lessons about Christian marriage and family.

 

For Chinese house church leaders, they frequently spend most of their time in the gospel field and the Lord’s ministry, or running from one area to another area. Regarding marriage and family, many had the wrong conception that the Lord’s work is much more important than their family or their spouse.  Thus, they frequently ignore the cultivation and protection of their marriage and family, which leads to a bad family relationship or being attacked by an evil spirit, and even brings hurt and destruction to the family.

 

They not only taught lessons to our leaders and their wives, but they also practiced them as well.  They showed them how to express their love and improve their affection to each other through praise (to deposit) in their daily life, allowing praise to become a blessing to each other.

 

For some couples, this is really a challenging lesson. I still remember that one couple mentioned that, when the husband learned to tell his wife that she looks very beautiful today, the wife looked him and responded, “You are lying!”  On normal days, this man puts all his time and heart in the Lord’s work, in gospel preaching, and in shepherding believers.  He never takes his wife with him when he goes out to do God’s work.  He did bring her this time, because of our invitation, which was the first time for him to take her with him in his service.

 

 The messages of these lessons will require significant adjustments in order to restore the leaders’ families and service.  Meanwhile, some of couples’ successful relationships became good examples and encouragement to the others.

 

Again, we enjoyed our dinner with our dear leaders.  All gave thanks to our dear Lord.

 

3) Aug 29, 2002  A testimony,  Lord’s supper, Tour

 

Praise the Lord, He knows everybody well.  We know that in all things He works for the good of those who love Him.  Yesterday’s teaching message became alive and real today. While one couple was sharing, they were both in tears.  They said that what Dai and Mrs.Dai shared is exactly the same problem that his family was facing. He (the husband) had learned that wives should completely submit to their husbands and that a husband has absolute autocracy over his wife.  This caused many problems and crises in their family. The teacher helped him correct his misconception, and helped he and his wife out of their trouble.  The Lord’s love filled this family again, and we give our praise to the Lord.

 

We had the Lord’s Supper together, examining ourselves before Him and in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.

 

Moses is a leader who is on the run.  Many of his co-workers have been arrested and sentenced to two or three years labor in prison. Last year, the government accused them of disturbing the social order and gathering illegally when Titus, one of the leaders, was arrested in a house church gathering.  After that, a wide range of persecutions followed, and since then, Moses began his life on the run. Similar to other persecuted families, his house was watched; the police can rush to his house at any time if they find he is coming back home. Even in these difficult circumstances, his 17-year-old son still said, “I feel I’m the happiest child in the family.” He doesn’t complain about anything to his parents or the Lord.  Praise the Lord.

 

In the afternoon, we had a wonderful tour in the city. It’s a pity that one of the families (Moses) had to leave because of their other schedule. Leaders rarely have such an opportunity in their normal life.  Meanwhile, this was also a good opportunity for them to practice what they had just learned to praise and express love to each other.

 

After that, we invited them a sumptuous dinner.  Of course, it is the gracious and loving Christ who gives our suffering leaders and their families such a happy and thankful day. Glory be to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

4) Aug 30, 2002   Financial management & baptism

 

The Lord told us to use whatever gift we have received to serve others, and faithfully administer God’s grace in its various forms. Jesus also said we can’t serve both God and money. Today Hou gave our leaders the teaching of financial management and how to be a good steward in the Lord’s ministry.

 

Because this world always focuses their eyes and heart on the visible money, but not on the invisible God, and based on Matthew 6:24 & Luke 16:13, he shared about the evil spirit of the money.  He taught the leaders that they should learn to release the control of finances, and not be controlled by the money spirit. Just as 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work”.

 

On the other hand, teacher Dai taught another lesson to two new believers.  He shared with them a total of six lessons about being a new creation in Jesus Christ, including: (1) the assurance of salvation and eternal life, (2) how to pray (3) how to read the Bible (4) how to be filled with the Holy Spirit, (5) church attendance and tithe, (6) baptism and being the Lord’s witness (Act 1:8).

 

In the afternoon, both of them were baptized. Glory be to the Lord God!  Praise Him. Hallelujah!!

 

IN SUMMARY

 

Paul’s last letter to his beloved son Timothy, knowing that he had just a short time to live, wrote these words;  “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  2 Timothy 2:1&2.

 

 

My - my, we have come along way.  Not only are we of the Free Church sending our offerings, our encouragement, and our love, we are now going to send them our apostles to strengthen their resolve to build upon the foundation that Paul speaks of, which is the church that Jesus designed.  It has been my experience to teach them and yet I come away learning more than what I had given.

 

As much as we detest the persecution of our brothers and sisters, it continues to do its perfect work in preserving the Lord’s Church, as we take note of the The Persecuted Church in Revelations 2:8-11.

 

  " And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,  These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:  "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.  "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." (underline by Jon Dee)

 

PCC now has a secure way of getting your offerings to China by wire transfer.  We will no longer take them to China (with our knees shaking) in money belts.  Instead of only sending them once a year, we will now send them as they are needed.  In the past, many of you have waited to send your offering until I was about to leave for China.  May I encourage you now to send your love gifts monthly if you can?  So that when your gift is needed it is there to be used.

 

To the new subscribers we want you to know the staff of PCC feels privileged and counts it a blessing to serve the Lord’s suffering church.  It is our purpose not to bring attention to ourselves or PCC as an organization.  This mission is covert and is not advertised.  Only by word of mouth do we grow, or the Spirit leading Christians to find us.  Please share this mission with your Christian family.  We are all volunteers that pay our own expenses.  This fact makes us different than most missions.  If you contribute to the persecuted through us, at the end of the year you will receive a tax deductible receipt  I sincerely pray for God’s blessing upon all that read this report.  Until next time.

 

Living in His design, and loving it,

 

Jon Dee (my Chinese name)