CHINA

Watching His Word

…so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

In a visit to China’s Shandong University, a graduate student requested to write an article for a regional magazine (see magazine cover below). Our University program is designed specifically to generate questions that allow for faith, hope and love answers to be heard clearly and effectively. Although evangelism is strictly prohibited, answers to direct questions regarding personal beliefs are allowed without censure. From the article and accompanying translation on pages 3-5, you will see the accomplishment of His desire and the achievement of His purpose.

Shandong Province is situated in the eastern part of China on the lower reaches of the Yellow River. The province has a total area of 156,000 square kilometers (about 60,235 square miles) and a total population of over 90 million.

Nobody really knows how many Christians there are in China. Accurate statistics are hard to come by because there is no systematic or standard reporting system and the numbers change rapidly. Estimates for members of registered (government sanctioned) congregations range up to 15-20 million, with more than 37,000 congregations meeting in church buildings referred to as churches and 25,000 meeting in other locations, referred to as meeting points. But there are also many millions of believers, perhaps 45-80 million of them, who meet in house churches that are not government approved. Even by placing the estimate at the high end of 100 million total Christians, one is reminded that there are still more than one billion Chinese who don't know Christ!

When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them …Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." Matt 9:37-38