principles from the underground house churches in china

7/27/2019 Principles from the Underground House Churches in China

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PRINCIPLES FROM THE UNDERGROUNDHOUSE CHURCHES IN CHINA

Copyright 2013 GospelFellowships.net - All rights reserved. is volume is

meant for free distribution only and is not to be offered for sale unless offered atcost value. Gospel Fellowships does not receive any royalties from this book nor doauthors mentioned therein.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HolyBible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 byBiblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. (All references tothe Godhead throughout this book have been capitalized by the editors.)

First Edition: October 2013

ISBN-13: 978-1492935575ISBN-10: 1492935573

For more information visit: GospelFellowships.net


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Principle 1

Dependence on theMoving of the Holy Spirit

IN THE Book of Acts the Church was birthed, led, sustained andgrew in the power of the Holy Spirit. For many there is a hesitancyto speak much of depending radically on the moving of the HolySpirit. Today for many sincere Bible believing Christians thisterminology brings to mind many excesses of the worst kind

whether its the sel

sh seeking after the Spirit of God for a feeling,1

an anointing to enjoy for ourselves,2 some sort of extravaganthealing such as gold in the teeth or other blatant extra-biblicalmanifestations that grieve the heart of God. e Devil our enemyalways makes a pseudo3 of the genuine in attempts to deceive4 someand deter others. Some in these charismatic circles claim theChinese Church is experiencing the same manifestations, but this is

not true.e gifts of the Holy Spirit are widely accepted and practiced,in the underground House Churches in China, but certain activities

PRINCIPLE 1 3

1 2 Timothy 3:42 Acts 8:18-193 2 Corinthians 11:154

Matthew 24:24


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like speaking in tongues and prophesying are not emphasized.What makes the charismatic element unique in China is that it is

not disorderly.5

e rural underground Church in China relies upon and evenexpects that when the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is declaredthere will be verication at times with great signs and wonders.6is dependence on the Holy Spirit to move, direct, guide andverify the Gospel is Biblical and needed in the Church. It was notunusual for healings to occur in every village that the pioneers of

the house Church movement went into when they were driven allacross China because of persecution. It must be asked in our lives,how much do we rely and truly depend on the Holy Spirit on adaily basis?

ey are on reChristians with a real vital walk with the LordJesus Christ. ere are no denominations in the rural undergroundChurch. ere are no Methodists, Presbyterians or Baptists, or any

other. ey are just simplyfollowers of Christ. In the undergroundChurch no one has seminary training. eir dependence is uponthe Holy Spirit to teach them.7

Without a strong institutional and hierarchic structure some ofthe house Churches rely on the Holy Spirit for 100% guidance.

Just like the Holy Spirit gave directions to the early Christians, thehouse Churches also receive direct instructions from the Holy

Spirit.During the Communist Cultural Revolution Bibles were scarce

and difficult to obtain. A house Church prayed and asked the LordJesus Christ to give them His Word. ere was an elderly deaconesswho was over eighty years old. She had totally fasted (abstentionfrom food and water) and prayed for nineteen days. She becamelled with the Holy Spirit and would sit in the middle of the house

Church. Everyone would sit around her. rough the unction ofthe Holy Spirit this sister would recite Bible verses loudly andclearly, and every one would write down the words in their books.Every word was the Word of God at the time when there were few

China Underground House Churches 4

5 Brother Zhu6 Romans 15:197

E.A. Johnston


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Bibles in China. God had anointed a sister with a specialcharismatic gift of reciting Bible verses.

God has given us the Holy Spirit not only as acomforter

andguide but also as a life-changing power. Any work done in peoples

lives, without the Holy Spirit is void of any life-changes. InZechariah this truth is shown where it says: So he said to me, isis the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power,but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.8 Yet many are denyingthe life-changing power of God and His Spirit: Having a form of

godliness but denying its power.9

e Holy Spirit gives us thepower to witness, as inActs 1:8, but we must ask Him and we mustsurrender to Him.

Brother Enguan from the Lixin underground house Churchnetwork gives this testimony: We were one of the most heavily-persecuted Churches in all of China. e police regularly sweptthrough our area and conducted sting operations. Every year more

than one hundred leaders would be arrested. Christians in our areawere not Christians for long before they were rounded up by thepolice. You would have one believer who had been a believer for sixyears and had served ve and a half of those years in prison. It wasnot uncommon to have believers that were baby Christians onlybeing saved for a month or more before being martyred for theirfaith. is was life in those days. ose were hard days.10

Let us suppose we were being threatened with jail and beatingsfor proclaiming the Gospel. Would we do it? Many of us hardly

witness now. e early Christians after being threatened did notpray for protection, or for safety, or for God to punish those that

were threatening to hurt them. Here is what they prayed: Now,Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak YourWord with great boldness. Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform

signs and wonders through the Name of Your holy servant Jesus. Afterthey prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. Andthey were all lled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God

PRINCIPLE 1 5

8 Zechariah 4:69 2 Timothy 3:510

Brother Zhu


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boldly.11 God the Father was pleased with their prayer and shookthe house and gave them boldness. God and His Holy Spirits

power was with them. Beloved sisters and brothers, do you wantthat? Ask the Father, He wants to give you His Holy Spirit, but itrequires your full surrender. Pray as our sisters and brothers did inthe Book of Acts. Pray as our persecuted sisters and brothers do inChina and wherever they are persecuted. God wants to send,through you and me, the Gospel and signs and wonders throughthe holy Name of His Son Jesus.12


11 Acts 4:29-3112

Luke 18:8


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Principle 2

Jesus Christ as Lord andHead

THE CHINESE believers see the Gospel of Jesus death andresurrection in all their activities. Out of a great love for this Saviorthey speak to Him and of Him often to everyone they meet. esimplicity of the message of the cross of Christ13 has gripped themand persecution has allowed the Church as a whole to keep this as

their main message. In every meeting of the underground Church,Jesus Christ is given the rightful place as Head14 of the meeting andHe is recognized in the midst.15

Many people in China carry the cross of Jesus. ey see theverse as literal: And whoever does not carry their cross and followMe cannot be My disciple.16 And the verse: en Jesus said toHis disciples, Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny

themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.17

PRINCIPLE 2 7

13 1 Corinthians 2:214 Colossians 1:1815 1 Corinthians 5:416 Luke 14:2717

Matthew 16:24


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Brothers and sisters carry the cross in China where many areimprisoned, beaten, tortured and even put to death. ey say: e

cross helps us to confess our sins and be right with Jesus. To carryour cross we have to walk side by side with Jesus to give a testimonyof His love for salvation. We understand the persecution in Hebrewschapter 11 and we walk with the Lord. For this reason He gives usHis power and the presence of Jesus is with us. Our faith is only inHim and He gives us strength to endure.18 We are the salt and thelight of this world.19 How will people know if we dont tell them?20

We must be obedient to Jesus commands so that He can return tous. e whole world must hear about Jesus salvation and then Jesuswill come back to us.21 Many of us have been imprisoned manytimes. We dont know what the next day will bring. When weexperience jail, beatings, electric shock, and other torture we feelthat Jesus is with us. He wont let us suffer more than we can bear.22

We experience how Jesus was crucied on the cross to carry our sins

and we understand the cost of sin. at is why we love Him somuch. We understand what He did for us to forgive us our sins. Wefeel sorry for our torturers. We say like Jesus said from the cross:Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.23

We also want them to know about Jesus and we try to tell them.We are ready every day to die. So we must be ready every day toface God in heaven.

We want to bring Jesus to the world because He wont returnuntil all the world has heard the Gospel. Every Christian knows it istheir responsibility to tell others the Gospel. We want to bring theGospel to all of China, and then from there to Jerusalem. e Lord

will reign forever when He comes back. In the meantime if we mustsuffer a little, He will give us strength and dry our tears. e


18 2essalonians 1:419 Matthew 5:13-1620 Romans 10:1421 Matthew 24:1422 1 Corinthians 10:1323

Luke 23:34


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suffering is only for a short while.24 Please be obedient and take upyour cross and walk next to Jesus.

One night I was in Western China and the Spirit of the Lordlled the room. Everyone fell to their faces and started crying andcalling out to the Lord. During these meetings I couldnt sleep fortwo days and two nights. I couldnt stop praying. e Holy Spirit

was so strong. Young people began to call out, Yes, Lord, I amwilling to die in that country for you.25 Such is the sovereign callingof Jesus as Head of His Church for believers in the end times to go

to speci

c countries for His Gospel witness.Instead of fancy Bible schools and seminary buildings theseprecious Chinese believers at times meet in caves: On a recent visitto China, they were introduced to our underground seminaryschool and witnessed rsthand the high cost of following the Lordin China. ey visited the secret seminary school one evening.Dressed in dark clothing, they ran silently across aeld and crawled

through the small cave opening undetected. While there theylearned the real sacrice these students make on a daily basis. Forsix months of the year, these students live in the cave, leavinginfrequently and only under the protective cover of darkness. eirday starts at 6 A.M., with prayer and devotion. Around 8 A.M. thestudents receive their rst meal of the day, which is a bun withmincemeat. ey usually dont eat again until dinner, which

features the same meal as breakfast. eir intense education takesplace between these two small meals. After a rigorous day oflearning, they fall asleep on a bed of hay on the cave oor.26

e urgency to share Jesus Christ with the world is deeplyengrained in these believers hearts as well as believing andproclaiming the soon literal coming of the Lord. We can learnmuch from this example to keep the message simple27 and to not be

as much focused on our church programs, ministries and resources.When Jesus Christ becomes the centre and Head of the Churchagain the message is simple, the way made plain and the power is

PRINCIPLE 2 9

24 Romans 8:1825 Brother Ezekiel26 WorldServe Missionary Report27

2 Corinthians 11:3


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given28 by the Holy Spirit to accomplish the task of spreading theGospel.29


28 Acts 1:829

Matthew 28:16-20


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Principle 3

e Spirit of Martyrdom

AS THE underground Church in Chinahas been baptized in are

of intensely severe persecution this has produced a theology ofsuffering with Christ.30 ey have realized that all suffering isbecause of Christ and for Christ.31 It was clearly told to Paul the

Apostle, that he was persecuting Jesus Christ directly when he waspersecuting the early Church believers.32 ere is a willingness inthe Church in China to suffer for Christ as the normal cost ofbeing a believer. It is accepted as the will of God at times to suffer33

and to even expect severe persecution. is type of sufferingproduces a joy34 and sense of privilege that they are willing toidentify with their precious Lord who has saved them.35

Suffering and persecution has not built a resentment againstChina or its government but rather a deeper love for all the Chinese

who are simply sinners in need of Gods great love.36 In othercountries we need to deeply learn and try to understand this lesson

PRINCIPLE 3 11

30 1 Peter 4:1-231 John 15:18-2032 Acts 9:533 1 Peter 4:1934 1 Peter 4:13-1635 Acts 5:4136

John 3:16


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that we are to love our enemies as our Lord taught us.37 As thespirit of antichrist and persecution comes to us we need to learn the

same theology of martyrdom38

that this young undergroundChurch has learned so well.One beautiful example of this optimism in the face of severe

persecution can be read in one of the hymns of the undergroundChurch: In the dark night, owers are more fragrant. In the darknight, footsteps are more determined. A journey in the dark, isclose to its end. Remember to remain faithful to God!39 Such a

dark night of persecution is coming to many. May we be of goodcheer and leap for joy40 even as we reect the character of GodsSon to others.

e Church thrives under pressure, that was the very birth ofthe Church. ey were persecuted in Jerusalem and all over. In theScripture, especially in Acts, they went out after being arrested andbeaten and they went rejoicing because they were worthy to suffer

for the Name of Jesus. I think its a great privilege, but its notsomething you seek, because then that is the wrong attitude.41

e pressures of persecution for the Name of Christ, and anunwarranted hatred will come against you in the end times simplybecause you adore and worship Jesus Christ. Will you be able tostand in that day?

It will be easy to follow the multitudes, the manywho will be

turning away from the faith.42 Yet our Lord desires us to stay trueto His calling and Name by His grace. He states to the Church atPhiladelphia: I knowyour deeds. See, I have placed before you anopen door that no one can shut. I know that you have littlestrength, yet you have kept My Word and have not denied MyName.43 Also in the city of Pergamum: Yet you remain true to


37 Matthew 5:4438 It would do us well to read accounts of martyrs and study the New Testament Scripturesin

light of this theme.39 Canaan Hymn Book40 Luke 6:2341 Brother Andrew42 Matthew 24:10, 1 Timothy 4:143

Revelation 3:8


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My Name. You did not renounce your faith in Me, not even in thedays of Antipas, My faithful witness, who was put to death in your

citywhere Satan lives.44

May God nd us with these faithful Churches that happily andwith hope endured much for the kingdom of God and did notallow compromise and lukewarmness to cause them to drift awayfrom being bold for the Lord. is falling away is shown in 2 essalonians: Dont letanyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the

rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the mandoomed to destruction.45 May God preserve us in that day andallow us to faithfully cling to Jesus Christ as our hope and salvationto be willing to bear the loss of all things for His Name sake.46 Ourgreat security in Christ is never at jeopardy as long as we continueto abide in Him daily.

We can sit at His feet as He prepares a table in the presence of

our enemies.47

e Great Shepherd of the sheep will keep us. Let usstay close to our Master so that none of these things will overwhelmus. ese words should bring strength to our souls for these comingdays and a desire to do the will of the Father.

In the rst century the Apostle John wrote: Do not besurprised, My brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.48

Now, 2000 years later, let us not be surprised when the entire

world system will hate us who call ourselves after the Name ofChrist. Be valiant for His testimony, for very soon suffering andmartyrdom will not be mere abstract theology but a practicalreality. May we learn of the Lord how to endure now for that timethat is coming upon us. His grace is sufficient,49 He will bear usup in that day for His glorys sake.

PRINCIPLE 3 13

44 Revelation 2:1345 2essalonians 2:346 Philippians 3:847 Psalm 23:548 1 John 3:1349

2 Corinthians 12:9


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Also, may God continue to build in us a profound respect forthose martyrs that have gone on before us in the Church,50 and to

help us realize that the Christianity in our day needs moresoberness in ita martyr spirit that will proclaim the Gospel at allcosts to the world around it.


50

Hebrews 13:3


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Principle 4

God Actually AnswersPrayer

WITH MANYin the Church prayer is treated as the last thing we dobefore God. We use prayer to ask Him to fulllin many casesour own carnal plans. With thousands of books written on prayermany of us have still not placed prayer as the most importantChristian activity we do, corporately51 or privately.52 We have

special times for prayer once in a while, expecting that God shouldhear us and then go back to our normal lives without an intensereliance on God through prayer.

All the growth of the house Church movement in China stemsfrom a base of intensely fervent prayer.53 Whole congregations cryout to God with weeping and tears in intercession for the lost intheir country and for their persecutors.54 Such passionate praying

will shock and disturb many of us, yet the Church there trulybelieves that God answers genuine prayer. As with the widow who

PRINCIPLE 4 15

51 Acts 4:23-2452 Matthew 6:653 James 5:1654

Philippians 3:18


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cried out to the judge,55 so this house Church movement cries outto God day and night and God hears them. If we realized that God

would hear such praying, we would spend much more time as aChurch in the blessed place of prayer and intercession. Persistentintercessory prayer may often go on in many undergroundmeetings for up to three or four hours at a time in duration.

It is argued that over 80% of the believers in the undergroundhouse churches in China believed in the Lord Jesus Christ becausethey have either seen or experienced some miracles, signs and

wonders. How else can you convince atheists there is a One TrueGod? God also testied to it by signs, wonders and variousmiracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according toHis will.56

One underground Church pastor upon returning to Chinafrom America, stated to his movement: Our brothers in the Westknow how to plan, but we know how to pray.

ere is such a great commitment to pray that many in theunderground Church wake up at 5 A.M. every morning to worshipand pray before they start their day of manual labor. Prayermeetings gather at this early hour of the morning and there is evena hymn written with the title: 5 A.M. in China. Some of the wordsare: When dawn arrives in China you can hear people praying.ey are rejoicing in the great love that unites all the peoples of the

world. ese prayers soar over the highest mountains and melt theice offthe coldest hearts.57

Should this not move us to spend much time with ourHeavenly Father who is eager to hear the prayers of His children? Ilove the Lord, for He heard my voice;He heard my cry for mercy.Because He turned His ear to me,I will call on Him as long as Ilive.58

e Lord will hear our cries as we seek His face daily andbelieve that what we ask in the Name of His Son He will answer.59


55 Luke 18:756 Hebrews 2:457 Xiao Min58 Psalm 116:1-259

John 14:13-14


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Prayer must be the rst thing a local Church does and not the last.Prayer declares our dependency on the Lord for everything. We end

up being paupers by not accessing all the riches of Christ Jesus60

through prayer.

PRINCIPLE 4 17

60

Ephesians 1:18


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Principle 5

e Body of Christ is theChurch

MANY TIMES we are preoccupied with the idea that the buildingwhere we worship is the Church. Yet in the early Church andBiblical record, God calls the people themselves the Church.61

One of the main desires in church planting in North Americais the constructing of a church building after a group of believers is

established.

is is not always helpful.

e true work of God is notdependent on money and resources to grow but rather on heartsthat have been affected by the Gospel of our Lord. If we focus onbuilding structures and churches, we can subtly deceive the peopleto depend on such structures62 and not the living Lord.63

No structures, except the living structure of the body of Christ,are necessary in the rural underground Chinese Church. Almost the

entire movement does not own buildings but rather they make useofelds, caves64 and homes. What is most important to them is the

PRINCIPLE 5 19

61 Ephesians 4:12, Ephesians 2:19-2262 Matthew 24:263 Psalm 2:1264

Hebrews 11:38


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people of God.65 Such was the burden of Paul the Apostle who sawthe people as being the Church and the crown of his reward.66is

was also the burden of the early Church which acknowledged thepriesthood of all believers67 where every part of the body had a jobor function. ey did not believe in leadership that controls thebody of Christ but rather serves and equips it.68

is does not undermine the great usefulness of a building orstructure where it can be used for a gathering of people, who arethe Church. Some servant leaders of the rural underground house

Church networks in China meet in a barn with animals walkingaround as they pray and receive instructions from the Lord formillions of believers. Meeting in a barn or even an old unoccupiedchurch building is not wrong in itself. ough the undergroundChurch in China is not as free as other nations to meet in varioustypes of buildings, the Church is still growing and abounding inthe work of the Lord. May we never see the building as the Church

but only the people as Gods true Church set apart unto JesusChrist.

Bibles in the rural underground Church in China are scarce attimes, and it is common that fellowships have handwritten copiesof verses and Epistles similar to the early Church days. e Chineselove their Bibles greatly and treat them as the most cherished itemthat they own or have in the world. Some of the current servant

leaders in the rural underground Church, early on, would gladlytravel a full day, one way, to just be able to borrow and read a Bible.Most preaching, especially in the earlier days of the movement, wasfrom verses they had memorized.69

As the Holy Spirit teaches the Chinese Church, they are notreservoirswho selshly keep what they learn; rather, they are clearand unobstructed conduitsthat ow to others. e believers have an

unconditional and uncompromised love for each other.70 ey love


65 1 Peter 5:2, Hebrews 13:1766 1essalonians 2:1967 1 Peter 2:5-968 1 Peter 5:2-469 Psalm 119:11, Jeremiah 15:1670

Galatians 5:13


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each other according to Christs command.71 Our Chinese brethrenare walking Bibles for they have memorized much of it. We must

do likewise for if we in the West have our Bibles con

scated, howwill we still minister to others if we cannot recall Gods Word?72

e underground Church in China has such a reverence for theLord and His Words and they see themselves in the proper light ofGods holiness. A short Chinese hymn73 that reects their humblehearts in realization that they were sinners in need of a Savior says:Lord, how great You are! You didnt abandon us. We are dust. We

are no better than worms and moth, but You took pity on us. Youcared for us, and chose us. Such words show the humble attitudewe should come to Gods Word with to receive life, instruction andtruth.74

e underground Church in China operates like a body andone part does not demand to be recognized above the rest. OneChurch leader who with 7 others oversees many million believers

was asked if titles are used for them. He responded by saying, No,we dont think like that. Were all just brothers and sisters. Allbelievers in that house Church network know who the leaders areand respect them but they do not demand to be recognized by titlesand other various elevated positions.

e underground Church in China is basically a pure NewTestament Church. No one is called doctororpastor, they call each

other brother and sister. What they do is dened by function orgifts, not title. One may be gifted as a teacher so he teaches.

Another may be gifted in hospitality so they serve in that capacity.eir gift makes room for them to serve. ey feel that titles divide.To them the Church is a familial entity; every member is essential.e Chinese see the Church as a family functioning as the body ofChrist.75

ey truly have a faith in the body of Christ and that JesusChrist is the Head above the rest and He alone is the gloried One.

PRINCIPLE 5 21

71 John 13:3472 E.A. Johnston73 Canaan Hymn Book74 2 Timothy 3:1675

E.A. Johnston


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Principle 6

e Back To JerusalemMovement

YOU MAYgo Westward from Gansu, preaching the Gospel all theway back to Jerusalem, causing the light of the Gospel to completethe circle around this dark world. I said, O Lord who are we that

we can carry such a great responsibility? e Lord answered, Iwant to manifest My power through those who of themselves have

no power.76

And such was the call given to a dear underground Churchworker in China in the 1920s. is vision to see the Gospel goacross to the ends of the earth77 has been kept alive by the Lord inthe underground house Churches for many years and now it hasbegun to be fullled with hundreds of workers going out. What theLord showed many of the house Church leaders was that the

Gospel wentout west, north, south and east from Jerusalem.

isprogression occurred so that all of Europe, Southern Africa and

eventually the Americas were saturated with the Gospel. Now thatthe Gospel has reached over to China it will continue to go Westuntil it nishes its course around the globe back in Jerusalem.

PRINCIPLE 6 23

76 Mark Ma77

Acts 1:8


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e burden these dear brethren have is for over 100,000missionaries to be sent out from the underground house Churches.

is is not even the direct number they are aiming for because theirgoal is the total evangelization of many closed countries betweenChina and Jerusalem until the Lord Jesus Christ comes back. So theburden they have is to not stop this mission until the secondcoming of the Lord!

Many of our missionaries will be captured, tortured, andmartyred for the sake of the Gospel, but that will not stop us. e

Chinese Church is willing to pay the price.78

ese preciousbelievers believe the Bible truth that our Lord taught us: Very trulyI tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, itremains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hatestheir life in this world will keep it for eternal life.79 ey believethat imprisonment and death will not mean failure but success as

the Gospel will go forward inch by inch through the testimony ofJesus Christ in these precious end times martyrs. ey are not building church buildings as they do this work orlarge ministry headquarters but are accomplishing this work in anunderground fashion just as the Lord is working through them inChina. is allows gatherings of believers to spread rapidly, to beexible and thus give all resources to the spreading of the Gospel.

May this powerful example rouse the Church in America andother Nations to be burdened for the lost and unreached peoples ofthe world. May we realize that all Christians are Missionaries! Andmay we walk in the power of the Spirit as sent-out ones. Let us joinin prayer and support for this last days work of the Lord by ourChinese brethren. May God protect this movement from men,methods and humanistic methodology and allow it to be a pure

work of the Holy Spirit to reach those trapped in the spiritualdarkness of Mohammedanism, Hinduism and Buddhism.


78 Brother Yun79

John 12:24-25


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Principle 7

e True Mission of theChurch

THE CLOSING Words of Jesus Christ to His early disciples for theirmission of making disciples of the nations has also become themission of the Church in China.80 Even the newest converts in theunderground Church get the immediate burden to tell everyone ofthe great Savior of China and the world. [Every Christian is

encouraged to witness daily and do the work of an evangelist.81

]erefore they do not just rely on a special few as missionaries butthe entire underground Church of China is a throbbing missionarymovement spreading the glorious Gospel of our Lord.

In many countries, we have special times to promote the needfor missions and the spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet do

we have the same burden for this mission as the early disciples did?

May we learn that the entire Church, meaning every one of us, is amissionary called to spread this Good News to everyone in thenations of the world.82

PRINCIPLE 7 25

80 Matthew 28:16-2081 2 Timothy 4:582

Mark 16:15


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e underground Church in China has ourished and grownunder the continual guidance and dynamic leading of the Holy

Spirit of God. May God birth a similar movement all over theworld apart from any specic denomination or church. May Godraise up all in the body of Christ to be active,83 unied84 andgrowing85 in the Good News of our risen Lord.

In China there is an urgency to share the Good News withothers. e thinking is simply that they have received such a

wonderful Gospel, so how could they keep silent and not share it

with others. You can almost hear the believers saying: Hurry Up!Hurry Up! Lets share this Good News with everyone! It is notsurprising therefore that God birthed in the hearts of these simpleChinese rural famers a strategy to share the Gospel to every closedcountry westward of China. Many young Chinese believers aregoing out 100% without provision or money but trusting in theLord so that they could share the Good News with others.

We have much to learn from this example of the urgency toshare this Good News given to us in Gods Son. e Holy Spirit is reminding us to learn from the ChineseChurch and for each one of us to start witnessing. Here is an easystart:

Please examine in 1 Peter: But in your hearts revere Christ asLord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks

you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this withgentleness and respect.86

a.) Reveremeans to set yourself apart for the Lord so He can useyou through His Holy Spirit. Simply pray and say, Lord I want tobe obedient to You. I would like to give my testimony to anyone whoasks me. I need You and Your Holy Spirit to do the work through me. Isurrender to You. Please help me.

b.)Writing out your testimony. Now we need to get ready. Howdo we get ready to run in a race for a mile, with aprize of amilliondollars? Will we be fast right away? No. Will we give up right away?


83 1 Corinthians 10:31-3384 1 Corinthians 12:12-1485 Ephesians 2:19-2286

1 Peter 3:15


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No. Will we practice? Yes. What do we do? Write out in not morethan half a page what Jesus means to you and how He saved you.

en memorize your testimony. Please ask Christian friends tolisten to your testimony to practice.Here is a song that describes what Jesus did.O what a wonderful, wonderful day, day I will never forget; After

Id wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Savior I met. O what atender, compassionate friend, He met the need of my heart; Shadowsdispelling, with joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart.

Heaven came down and glorylled my soul, When at the cross theSavior made me whole; My sins were washed away and mynight wasturned to day, Heaven came down and glorylled my soul!87

You could use similar thoughts to write out your testimony, orif you have a testimony where you remember the details of how theLord Jesus saved you, then use those words. Since this is a personalexperience no one can argue with you.

c.) e next step is to memorizeone verse of Scripture such as:Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No onecomes to the Father except through Me.88 Try and use yourmemory verse if given an opportunity during a discussion.

d.) Now you are ready to give adefense,89 meaning an answer toanyone who asks you about your hope, but please do not argue.

e.) Sharing in love. Please give your testimony with humbleness

and respect of the person you are speaking with. It is essential thatyou love the person and that you do not make yourself to appearbetter than that person. We are all sinners saved by grace.90

What is yourprize?First, you are vying for a living soul wherethe Word says: What good is it for someone to gain the whole

world, yet forfeit their soul?91e soul has a greater value than allthe gold, all the diamonds, all the oil, all the money in the world.

Furthermore, all the angels in heaven rejoice when a sinner comes

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87 John W. Peterson (1921-2006)88 John 14:689 1 Peter 3:1590 Ephesians 2:891

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to God.92 Moreover, there is a soul winners crown laid up for youin heaven which is a great reward for eternity.93 Now please pray

again, after having prepared and think of

ve people that do notknow Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you an opportunity to giveyour witness to one or more of the ve people. e Holy Spirit willprepare the way.

After you give a witness Satan will immediately come and tellyou, that you have failed. He wants to discourage you from evertrying again. We must understand that there might be good soil or

bad soil.94

Please also understand that maybe you will be planting aseed, or you are watering a seed or sometimes God will allow you toharvest a soul.95 You will always have done the job provided you

witness. Only the Holy Spirit can change a mans heartnot you.e Holy Spirit will bring the new birthnot you. We are Godsservants as we witness in love, and with our lives and our voices.

Wont you start now before the night is upon us?96 It is Jesus

command and He says to you and me: If you love Me, keep Mycommands.97 And He said to them, Go into all the world andpreach the Gospel to all creation.98

[Editors Note: e revival in China continues. Manyunderground Churches still have an abundance of converts andnew Christians joining. e tremendous move of Gods Spiritin therural underground Church inChina is evident despite men. As

happened in great revivals past men took control and quenched theHoly Spirit. Some of this is starting to happen in the Chineseunderground Church. We must understand that the Church inChina is not perfect. Some leaders are now permitting disunitybetween house Church networks. So onemust make it clear thatthis is a movement of God and thus we have much to learn fromGod working among these believers. It is also true that when men


92 Luke 15:793 Daniel 12:3, Revelation 3:1194 Mark 4:3-995 1 Corinthians 3:696 John 9:497 John 14:1598

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start to add to what God is doing, disunity follows. Let us pray thatthe Lord continues the great revival in China in all areas and that

the Holy Spirit does not withdraw despite imperfect men.]

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Epilogue:e Call To

Gather as Fellowships

THIS BOOK has been prepared to encourage believers to gather insmall gatherings under the Headship of Jesus Christ.99 us no

man is head over the fellowships as a whole that gather in this way.ough servant leaders are submitted to, there is no one brotherover all fellowships controlling them. True submission to authorityin the Church should not be because of someone who was voted inor hired but because of their spiritual walk with the Lord. uspeople submit to them willingly seeing Christ formed in them anddesiring to emulate their walk with the Lord.100

Each Gospel Fellowship meeting is autonomous and accountableto the Lord directly,101 and as the Lord networks groups togetherthey will mutually submit to each other for accountability as theSpirit leads them. Leaders will be raised up by the Lord as Hebrings out their giftings.102 When gatherings multiply and expandsome brothers will have responsibility over many groups toshepherd them.103 We believe there is a movement of the Spirit to

gather believers as the Bride of Christ. We believe this book is

EPILOGUE 31

99 Colossians 1:18100 1 Peter 5:3101 Revelation 2:7102 Ephesians 4:11-13103

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simply a response to what the Lord is already doing in these lastdays, to purify and grow His Church and His Kingdom.

Even though being called of God to start a gathering does notdemand that you be accountable to another spiritual brother, thereis great wisdom in seeking to be under an elder brother. It is helpfulto be connected with other brothers in the local area that you canrespect and unify with who are in already established housechurches. Even if a brother is involved in a denominational church,it can be wise to be spiritually submitted to104 that brother

although the new gathering of believers will not be under thatdenomination. Yet, in a time of apostasy especially, there will besituations where you cannot submit to other pastors in your areaand you are free by the leading of the Lord to start a new workthough it can come with ridicule and misunderstanding.

You do not need permission to gather as the Church in groupsof even just 2-3 believers.105 You do not need permission to break

the Lords Supper or baptize someone who is clearly following JesusChrist as a disciple.

e rst step to starting a house Church is to pray. HouseChurch ministry must be birthed in prayer. ough it is a simplestep, without prayer and Gods leading, we invite trouble.106 Prayeris the foundation of every true work of God that builds the Lordskingdom. us to begin to pray and cry out to the Lord together in

small gatherings will be a healthy atmosphere for the Lord to beginto show favor to the humble.107 From there also allow the Lord topractically guide and be Head of the meetings. Gospel Fellowships is about Jesus Christ.108 He is thepurpose for everything.109 He is the reason for us gathering.110 His


104 Ephesians 5:21105 Matthew 18:20106 Larry Kreider107 1 Peter 5:5108 Hebrews 12:2109 Colossians 1:16110

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Name is the greatest Name.111 He is the Head of the Church.112 e Life of the believer.113 e glory of God!114 Jesus and Him

alone should be our attention. Many have not yet experienced andknow115 this glorious Name above every name.116

May God give us arm faith in the work of the Holy Spirit tonetwork and birth gatherings in local areas as we follow the Lord inobedience.

At midnight the cry rang out: Heres the Bridegroom! Comeout to meet Him!117 Blessed are those who wash their robes,

that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go throughthe gates into the city.118

Lord, Your Church will never fail. We look to You as the end of theage approaches. May all glory be to the Lamb. May His Gospel beshared with all. Please do this Father for Your Names sake and honor.We long to be with You in robes of white in endless eternity. RedeemYour Saints at the appointed time. Gather Your Elect to be a Bride for

Your Son. rough Your Spirit work a work no man can put his nameon so all glory will be given to You. Amen.

EPILOGUE 33

111 Isaiah 45:23, Philippians 2:9-11112 Colossians 1:18113 Galatians 2:20114 John 1:14115 John 17:3116 Philippians 2:9

principles from the underground house churches in china

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