Wednesday, September 26, 2007

China: a billion rebukes


Yesterday I heard yet another radio show on the church in China. There is tremendous growth, tremendous opportunity, and tremendous NEED. Today is the pivotal point in the developing Chinese church with a reported five million Christian converts per year. Many regions, depending on local officials, still experience varying degrees of persecution, oftentimes very intense forms. All of the experts agree that the single greatest need is for pastoral training in sound doctrine to prevent the widespread parasitism of cults. With the momentum and sheer size of the church in China, such a cult take-over could make the Mormons look like a gang of goons on a streetcorner by comparison.

And so it struck me - here we are in America ... reformed believers ... with more doctrinal training than we know what to do with ... almost bloted [to be crass: constipated] with teaching ... and so little output ... so little impact. Could it be that God has raised up the reformed believers in America for such a time as this? The one thing that our bleeting brothers and sisters most desperately need - right teaching - is the one thing that, for all our faults, we most certainly possess.

So why aren't the borders of China being flooded with reformed American teachers? We ought to be jumping out of our skin to get over there. Brethren - let's talk about it [Calvinists are good at that] - then let's DO SOMETHING.

Abraham's children will be like the stars in the sky. If the current statistics are anywhere near accurate, China alone will account for several galaxies. We have what they need. Christ's sheep are starving but the wolves are feasting. Brothers - to arms.

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