January 2024 RCMI Newsletter
The Unnamed Pastors of China
Dear Friends of RCMI,
"Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." (2 Timothy 4:2)
In front of the National Security Bureau, an unnamed Chinese pastor said to his wife, "I'm still a preacher, and you are still a pastor's wife. Yesterday we were living by the Gospel, and tomorrow we shall still be living by the Gospel -- the One who called us yesterday was God, and He will still be God tomorrow."
"I Am a Preacher"
Chinese Special Police
These two years, life for Christians in China has not been easy. Most foreign missionaries have already left China -- the extreme regulations on religious activities and the government's urgent "Clear-Them-All-Out" policy has effectively cut Chinese Christians off from the outside world. In such an environment, holding in-person Sunday meetings has become more and more difficult. However, there are now so many churches in China that it would be far too costly to conduct surveillance on every church! For this reason, though many large churches have been targeted, many others have been able to continue meeting together without too much trouble.
Student Fellowship
A Small Church
Pastor Samuel Lau, Secretary-General of RCMI,
shares about his recent visit to churches in China:
RCMI Church Development Update
The goal of RCMI's Church Development arm, represented by the "C" in "RCMI," is to assist the church of China in various aspects of its development. Pandemic restrictions beginning in 2020 prevented us from going and visiting our coworkers in China -- we were only able to meet and interact with them online. But this year we have finally been able to go inland and visit our dear family members there!
We discovered that many churches are facing considerable difficulty and challenge since the pandemic. First of all, it has affected everyone's income, and many church members have left cities where they were living and either gone back to their homes in the countryside or moved to look for work opportunities. Also, after people got used to meeting online, returning to in-person meetings is taking time for people to get used to. For the time being, many churches have chosen to continue meeting online while also conducting in-person meetings.
We also found that churches in many areas have recently been facing extreme pressure -- some have been investigated, and others have even been forbidden to hold meetings. However, among those we work with, pastors and co-workers alike are firm in their resolution and faith to meet opposition with courage and reliance on the Lord's strength. So we are asking everyone to join your hearts with ours and pray for them!
May the Lord protect churches, pastors, and coworkers -- keep them from discouragement and give them wisdom and strength to face these outside pressures as well as the challenges of shepherding the flock.
Listening to the heart-cry of those we visited, we heard that the greatest need of pastors, teachers, and coworkers right now is guidance and enlightenment from experienced ministers and, simply, the support that comes from partnership. Accordingly, RCMI is adjusting our direction and focus to provide better support to the mainland Chinese church.
Our main church development focus used to be "teaching"; now it is "coaching." In the future we will spend more time and effort to connect pastors with one another, encouraging their fellowship and interaction. Also we plan to focus on caring for the wives of pastors, preachers, and coworkers -- to promote and support small groups establishing a new avenue for fellowship so that these women don't feel so isolated. We believe that the health and strength of pastors' marriages and families directly affects the health and strength of the entire church. For this reason we covet the prayers and offerings of believers to support and expand this ministry.
Sincerely,
Pastor Samuel Lau
Preach the Gospel In Season and Out of Season!
The Tenacity of the Chinese Church
To outsiders, It seems that China politicizes everything. Chinese are emigrating, and many Christians have left China, especially the more highly educated -- those who are relatively well off. Another aspect of what is happening is that God is continuing His work in China, so that more and more people are hungry for His Word. So many are hungry to learn, hungry to hear the Gospel! Just as Pastor Samuel testified above, "...among those we work with, pastors and co-workers alike are firm in their resolution and faith to face opposition with courage and reliance on the Lord's strength."
Now is the time for you and RCMI to partner to support the Chinese church -- to rise up and take advantage of the favorable circumstances that God has given us -- to win more souls for His Kingdom!
On Campus at Beijing University
Young Person Yearning To Hear Good News
At the end of his report, Pastor Samuel makes an earnest request to each of us to pray for the Church of China, that God will protect them and open doors for them. Also, please pray for RCMI, that we can respond appropriately to the needs of this generation and the international situation -- that we can transform the methods and manner of our ministry while maintaining an unchanged vision to serve churches of China and Chinese all over the world with hearts of love -- may God receive all the thanks and praise!
Sincerely,
The Secretary-general of RCMI, Pastor Samuel Lau, and his coworkers
