Common Hindrances to missions in Asia (Part 5)

Let me share with you another experience of mine to illustrate how the Great Commission is being hindered in Asia.

I was in China just over a year ago meeting my co-workers on the field. While I was there, I was told that an acquaintance of mine was also in China doing his yearly teaching sessions with the local Chinese church. (For the Chinese Diaspora in South-east Asia, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand this is the commonest form of “missions” to their “old country”). So I was invited to drop by and say “hi” to him. As I entered the house where he was teaching the local church leaders, I was handed his lecture notes. And to my surprise, I saw that he was teaching on issues that were local to the country that he came from (thousands of miles from China) – the local personalities (presumably his heroes), their “power struggles,” and finally the vital importance of the Reformed Faith. I smelled trouble ahead, so I decided not to meet him and left without doing so.

I had known these local Chinese for many years. They were mostly young zealous Christians who faithfully lived out and shared their faith. However, in the past few years more and more visiting teachers had come to teach them. As they welcomed most every teacher who was introduced to them, they were bombarded with many different teachings. Many of the teachers were wise enough to “major on the majors” and were a blessing to them. But too often, teachers would come with their “special emphasis” on a particular pet topic on church administration, separation, music, prophecy, etc. After they left, the local church spent much time discussing and re-discussing these new things – too often at the expense of more important things. Generally, the commonest things to be set aside are prayer and evangelism.

It has been more than a year since that “Reformed” teacher left but the local church is still affected by the unnecessary divisions and distractions caused by him. While these are taking place, real needful ministries in that church suffer.

There is presently a wonderful window opportunity to share the Gospel in China. I believe that we should grab it. There may come a time again when the window is shut and the Chinese Christians have to huddle in little groups again, or maybe there will come a time when China is filled with churches of every denomination – then maybe this will be a more appropriate time to discuss about the “Reformed Faith.”

The Bible tells us that there is a time for every thing, a “time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

For China, and for most of Asia, this is a time to share the Gospel to a lost a dying Asia! Let’s do our part to encourage this!

Have you read www.goducate.org?