Empowered by the Holy Spirit, so we can all do this
As important as giving people the Bible is, it also opened many doors of ministry to us. By the early 1980’s, a few years after China opened in 1978, we had already distributed tens of thousands of Bibles all over China.
Many house church workers would ask me, “How is it possible that you as one single local church with limited personnel and resources could deliver so many Bibles to China?” I told them it is because we are a Spirit filled praying church with a vision from God to reach China. We also have contacts with many overseas Spirit filled churches with thousands of believers who want to help China. Thus we can organize a large and successful Bible delivery ministry (called then “Donkeys for Jesus”) and daily deliver large quantities of Bibles to China. They then said, “If that is so, please come and teach us about the Holy Spirit. We want to know Him and His power so we can do ever greater things for Him.” Thus the testimony of the Bibles opened doors all over China for me and so of our co-workers and other Spirit filled ministers from many nations. Thus for the last three decades we have been going throughout this nation conducting meetings, teaching the word and imparting what we have to the people.
We have prayed for literally tens of thousands of people, many being leaders, who have been filled with the Holy Spirit. Of course that brings the fire of God (fervency in ministry to God and others), gifts of the Holy Spirit, a burden for the lost, a prayer language (tongues) and a heavenly vision. Many believe this has been one reason for the present revival in parts of China. Some of this is documented in the book “Jesus in Beijing” by David Aikman.
Even to this day the delivery of Bibles (or the purchase of Bibles inside China to distribute to house churches) and other Christian books is one reason we have so many open doors for ministry. Even after the Sichuan earthquake, being able to purchase many thousands of Bibles to distribute through the official churches we were working with, gave us even more open doors. Much of the funds for this were provided by our supporters.
But it is important to encourage the Christians in western countries that they can do what we do too. It is not just giving money for Bibles, but to actually minster to people. If they are filled with the Holy Spirit, they can teach and impart to others. It begins in their home (Jerusalem) and eventually they might go to the ends of the earth (China and other nations).
Many Charismatics are mistaken in putting their focus on big and famous ministries (Reinhard Bonnke, Joyce Myers, etc.) from the West. While they have their calling, we all are also called to do the works of God. Actually the most effective way of ministry may not be speaking to huge crowds of thousand, but constantly really minister to God’s servants and handmaidens in their own local churches. We can all do this, but we must first be baptized in the Spirit.
