Listener Responses from China

Topic of the Month - Problems and Needs of Church (Part I)

All of us have no experience at all

All of us have no experience at all. Although I have been a Christian for five or six years, I am spiritually weak. Being a coal miner I work more than ten hours every day. After work, I feel so tired that I lack motivation to pray to Jesus and read the bible. Yet "He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap". Our church is growing very fast. In 1995, we decided to plant five churches. Five believers and I were designated to the smallest one to preach God's words. All of us have no experience at all. The deacons of the church also lack experience in serving God. We find that the number of attendance is decreasing. There should be about 500 members but now only about 100 attend Sunday service. We are losing some senior members. We are in need of advice urgently and solicit your prayers.

Yet I have to thank God. Since the first time I preached His word on 17 December, 1995,I have been experiencing His grace . I was transferred to another position last May, which requires only day-time work. So I can listen to your radio programs at night. Some sisters have said that a poor preacher causes a weak congregation. At times I lost confidence in serving God. But

God's Spirit shines on me. I realize that I cannot leave my service because there are still not enough workers. I know that your station has spiritual literature for needy Christians. Could you forward some to me at your earliest convenience?

(#I6856 Heilongjiang, response to 'Voice of Friendship Seminary", "Radio Church," "In Touch", DAWN China" and "Beside Still Waters")

The spiritual quality of us is very low

In the mountainous region where I live, Christians are scarce and scattered, without good shepherds. During service, misinterpreting the Bible is a common sight. The spiritual quality of us is very low. I myself converted to Jesus Christ in I984.Icould barely read, write and understand the Bible. My spiritual growth has been very slow.

Though there are few Christians, there are many denominations and cults: soul-dancing, law-abiding, taking unleavened bread. Those who are excommunicated by the church deceive naive women and even form a church of their own. These churches confuse the truth and obstruct the sacred work of preaching the Gospel. Believers also have disputes about whether we are saved once and for all or several times. Most favored the latter saying.

Up to now, there are about fifty people attending our church service. We have four gatherings weekly: worship service on Sunday morning, hymn-singing on Tuesday night, praying on Thursday night, and Bible-studying on Saturday night. There are only about twenty people attending the weekday night gatherings. Most believers are tied up by household work. The educational level and biblical knowledge of church workers are far from satisfactory. They can hardly lead the church and meet our needs of growth.

(#20533 Henan, response to 'The New Generation")

We are bad witnesses of God

In my church, there is one pastor, two preachers and a seminary student. There are few young believers like me. The congregation consists mainly of old people and they are always at odds with each. The leaders have disputes and quarrels among themselves and even openly attack each other. As such, they have lost the respect from the congregation. Once while the preacher was giving sermon, some brothers and sisters ignored him and chatted all the time. The preacher tried to stop them but a sister fought back right at the spot. Brothers and sisters have lost their love, patience, and humility toward each other. The behavior of some are so bad that even non-believers will not do so. Our church has no growth over years. We indeed are very bad witness of God. I did invite some friends to church. Incidentally, they saw some believers quarrel and even have fighting, they were disappointed and despised us. I am sorry and ashamed of my church. When will it revive?

(#I3979 Hunan, response to "Grace and Truth", "Good Shepherd", "Life Abundant", 'Beyond the Horizon", "Streams in the Desert", "Light a Lamp" and 'Voice of Friendship Seminary")

I am very lonely

l am a disabled village girl. By chance, I tuned into your broadcast in I988 and converted to Jesus Christ. At that time, none of my village people had ever heard of Jesus. Through your broadcast, I learn how to pray to Jesus Christ. In the spring of I992, some preachers came to our village. They brought the Bible to us and built several churches. The Gospel was prosperous at first. Unfortunately, problems emerged then. There are internal problems, like disputes and heresies. There's lack of trust among members. At the same time, We face persecution from the authority. I am accused of listening to overseas broadcast. The gatherings at my home are forced to stop. I am sad to see m any believers backslide. Few of us take the Bible serious. There's no caring and love among believers. I am very lonely and need your help.

(#15643 Sichuan, response to 'The Shepherd's Symposium", 'Voice of Friendship Seminary", "Good Shepherd" and "DAWN China")

We all lack training

Sometime earlier, the authority persecuted our church. We were forced to stop public meeting. Since then, our worship gathering has turned underground. The congregation is subdivided into five smaller groups. Praise the Lord! The number of each group is increasing. We even have more and more children in Sunday school. In view of this, a group of young believers are appointed to teach these children. We do not know how to do this job because we all lack training. Some of us are students and need spiritual nourishment ourselves.

Most children are in their teens. Several of them are quite talkative, naughty and disturbing.

They have bad influence on others. We have given them counsel individually. But only a few have improved. May God help us and let each of them have an attentive heart.

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