Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Shenzhen Christian Church Last Sunday I accompanied some Americans to visit the open church in Shenzhen. The Shenzhen Christian Church has 3000 members and operates multiple worship services. They even have a Korean service. The church also operates a bookstore where you can buy Bibles, Bible encyclopedias, handbooks, books on basic Bible doctrines, etc. The Bibles sold for around US $1.00 each. I asked if they had a limit on how many we could buy and they said "no, buy as many as you want". Another surprise was the Sunday School. We visited the Sunday School where 30-40 kids were singing "Every little friend ought to know that Jesus saves". After the service around 100 people gathered in the front of the church where they were being prepared for baptism. After church we went out to lunch with some brothers and sisters. They told us that, in addition, to their Sunday church - they also attend home meetings where 12-30 people meet together. One brother said that, in his district alone (Shenzhen has 6 districts) 3000 people met in home groups. They have great freedom to share their faith and have not encountered any kind of opposition. Several of the people who came to lunch with us were "not yet Christians". They attend church, but have not yet believed. I should add that Shenzhen is next door to Hong Kong and is probably more like Hong Kong than any other Chinese city. Conditions in other parts of the country may be greatly different from what we heard and witnessed here. Still, the country is changing at a rapid pace. Please keep praying for China. 12:32:30 PM    comment []

© Copyright 2005 Allan Smith. Last update: 11/6/2005; 7:15:47 PM.