“they cannot destroy the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ”
“They used persecution, violence, handcuffs, swords, labor teams and prison. They shamed us in public displays, took away all our rights and privileges of daily life. They have closed our churches, burned our Bibles and put our pastor in jail, but they cannot destroy the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Chinese Christian
Carl Lawrence, The Church in China (Bethany House Publishers, 1985), p. 35.
Allen Yuan
Quote from the section on Allen Yuan in the book “Jesus in Beijing” :
Singing got started shortly after 7:00 P.M., with a number of Chinese hymns and then one familiar to the foreigners attending the meeting: “The Old Rugged Cross.” The tune was familiar, but the informal congregation sang it in Chinese. Yuan explained, “This song has great meaning for me because I was in jail for twenty-one years. There was no Bible, no Christian fellowship. Only two hymns encouraged me. One was Psalm 27. The other was “The Old Rugged Cross.’
—
Some thirteen of Yuan’s twenty-one years in prison were spent in a labor camp in China’s chilly northeastern province of Heilongjiang, not far from the Russian border. It was here that Yuan encouraged himself during prisoners’ “smoke breaks” by walking back and forth in the camp compound singing “The Old Rugged Cross.”
—
One his release in 1979 …Yuan refused to register his house church, and steadily continued to preach, to welcome foreign visitors, and to help discipline and baptize growing numbers of new converts from Beijing’s student and professional community.
—
…now eighty-eight, his round face creased with a wrinkly smile and his hearing getting worse, seemed as energetic as ever. “Even when we are old we work for Hum until one day when He comes back,” Yuan said.
—
David Aikman (2003). Jesus in Beijing (58). Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
12.26.11
Time Changer
I think this is the first time I have ever shared a movie script on my blog, but this is worth the read. It is from a movie called “Time Changer” and gives a challenging thought about teaching and preaching the standards of Christ apart from his name.
This script is taken from the beginning part of the movie when several professors/board members of Grace Bible Seminary are meeting to discuss the approval of a statement from the seminary for a book that one of the professors (Dr. Russell Carlisle) has written. Everyone on the board of the seminary must be in agreement with the book, thus a unanimous vote. One of the professors (Dr. Norris Anderson) has a problem with the book and thus the script from their conversation is below (remember this conversation is taking place in 1890):
Norris: “One of the themes in Dr. Carlisle book is the encouragement to proclaim the moral standards taught by Jesus to all people.”
Carlisle: “And what is wrong with this premise?”
Norris: “And I am quoting from page 67, ‘even if it is apart from his name and if people are rejecting the authority of Jesus Christ in their lives, we must still teach the ways of Christ for the better interest of society, the Lord’s teachings are best for all.’”
Carlisle: “The Lord’s teachings are best for all.”
Wiseman: “You can’t not be disagreeing with this statement Norris.”
Norris: “No, but what Dr. Carlisle is implying is that we can put forth the standards of Christ apart from his name…and I think this is deadly.”
Wiseman: “Are you saying that it would be wrong to simply tell a boy to not to steal?”
Norris: “If this is all the information we give the boy, yes, I believe it would be.”
Carlisle: “Oh, come now Norris!”
Norris: “Without the authority of Christ mankind is merely left to compare ideas. A morality becomes a matter of opinion. One person says ‘it is wrong to steal’, the next person says ‘it is not’. No standard is set. We need to tell this boy the Lord Jesus Christ said not to steal.”
Carlisle: “Well I agree this is best, but we cannot always mention the name of Jesus, it may not be received. Especially by those already offended by the church or brought up in another religion.
Norris: “But Jesus is the authority behind these commands and people need to understand this fact. If we remove his authority then we have no basis on which to command.”
Wiseman: “We understand what you are saying Norris, but do you think you might have taken this thought to an extreme?”
Norris: “It is quoting a source without giving credit to the person who said it. When we quote Shakespeare , we always say ‘Shakespeare said this’. It should be the same with the scripture. Observe the Old Testament as our example. How often do we read where the prophets first say ‘thus saith the Lord’ before they speak.”
Wiseman: “Yes Norris, however, these moral standards taught universally would greatly benefit social behavior.”
Dean: “Here, here.”
Norris: “Gentlemen, Gentlemen, please hear me. Satan is not against good morals, he is opposed to Jesus Christ. A man can have good morals his entire life, yet you and I know He will go to hell when he dies. It is Jesus Christ that everyone needs and the devil knows this more than all of us.”
Carlisle: “Dr. Anderson!”
Norris: “Satan’s goal is to remove the name of Christ from his commands and when we do this people are deceived into thinking if they live a good life they will receive God’s approval and obtain heaven.”
Carlisle: “I think we can use morals to attract people to the Lord.”
Norris: “Yes!, but the ultimate issue of Christianity is the authority of Christ and the devil is attacking this authority by convincing us to teach morals alone. Look at our families. They are weakening, records are showing that over 5% of marriages end in divorce and our young people are becoming more disrespectful. Now, I believe this is a direct result of eliminating the authority of Jesus Christ from his commands.”
Carlisle: “Norris!”
Norris: “In the case of telling this boy not to steal, if I can not tell him that this command is from the Lord I would rather say nothing and let him steal and then perhaps someday he will ‘sense’ his need for the Saviour.”
Carlisle: “You could not possible derived all of this from one statement Norris.”
Norris: “See where the statement leads Russell.”
Carlisle: “I think you are taking it down your own path just nicely, sir!”
Dean: “Gentlemen! Dr. Anderson, Dr. Carlisle I strongly encouragement you both to meat privately to resolve your differences and I pray you will allow the Lord to be your Mediator, when you are in agreement we will all reconvene, until then, let us commit this matter to prayer. This meeting is adjourned.”
“…send the Gospel to the heathen world.”
“The Christian is not obedient unless he is doing all in his power to send the Gospel to the heathen world.”
“I cannot understand how any man or woman can believe in the Lord’s coming and not be a missionary, or at least committed to the work of missions with every power of his being.”
– A. B. Simpson
“The concern for world evangelization…”
“The concern for world evangelization is not something tacked on to a man’s personal Christianity, which he may take or leave as he chooses; it is rooted indefeasibly in the character of the God who has come to us in Christ Jesus. Thus it can never be the province of a few enthusiasts, a sideline or a specialty of those who happen to have a bent that way. It is the distinctive mark of being a Christian.” – Dr. James S. Stewart
“I never made a sacrifice.”
A stirring appeal to the students of Cambridge University made on December 4, 1857 by David Livingstone:
“People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa….Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us [Rom 8:18]. I never made a sacrifice.”
“Quantity is nothing; quality is what matters.”
“Send us people with initiative, who can carry themselves and others too; such as need to be carried hamper the work and weaken those who should be spending their strength for the heathen. Weaklings should be nursed at home! If any have jealousy, pride, or talebearing traits lurking about them, do not send them, nor any who are prone to criticize. Send only Pauls and Timothys; men who are full of zeal, holiness and power. All others are hindrances. If you send us ten such men the work will be done. Quantity is nothing; quality is what matters. ‘FORWARD EVER; BACKWARD, NEVER!’” – C.T. Studd
“everything into Christ’s undertaking”
“Most men are not satisfied with the permanent output of their lives. Nothing can wholly satisfy the life of Christ within His followers except the adoption of Christ’s purpose toward the world He came to redeem. Fame, pleasure and riches are but husks and ashes in contrast with the boundless and abiding joy of working with God for the fulfillment of His eternal plans. The men who are putting everything into Christ’s undertaking are getting out of life its sweetest and most priceless rewards.” – J. Campbell White
JOHN, GRIFFITH (1831-1912)
JOHN, GRIFFITH (1831-1912)
Welshman sent to interior China by theLondon Missionary SocietyBorn at Swansea, educated at Brecon College, and ordained to the ministry of the Congregational Church (1855), John was an explorer for the London Missionary Society (LMS) after China’s ports were opened to foreign commerce (1842). He passed through the Yangtse gorges and penetrated Szechuan province even before Hudson Taylor, the first missionary to inland China. He eventually settled in the city of Hankow.
John was as fluent, eloquent, and persuasive a public preacher in Chinese as in Welsh and English. Mighty with his pen, he also contributed greatly to the united Protestant literary ministry. He chaired the Central China Tract Society. He produced in Mandarin (the national spoken language) the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, as well as the New Testament in Wenli (the literary language).
Protestant lay people and missionaries throughout China held him in high honor, and he was equally esteemed in Great Britain. The University of Edinburgh bestowed the D.D. degree on him (1889). The Congregational Union of England and Wales elected him chairman (1888). The large Griffith John College (a high school for boys) in Hankow kept his memory fresh until the communist regime closed the institution about 1950. P.BEAVER
Douglas, J. D., Comfort, P. W., & Mitchell, D. (1992). Who’s Who in Christian history (372). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.
| Posted in Articles, China Profiles, Chinese History, Quotes | No Comments »
“That’s our church!”
The other night my daughter and I were sitting on the couch watching a friend’s ordination on TV taking place at our sending church. Here is a short dialogue that took place between us:
After a few minutes she turns to me and in an almost surprised voice says “that’s our church!”
I replied “yes, thats our church!” being surprised myself that she remembered it.
A little while later she said “that is really far away, right?”
I replied “yes, it is really far away.”
Then she said in all seriousness “maybe we can take a taxi and go find that church!”
I think she loves her home church!
Past Related Post:
- Funny Quotes from the Birthday Girl
- Once Again, Funny Quotes From A Funny Kid
- More Quotes from Our Two/Four-Year-Old
- Quoting a Two-Year-Old