The Chinese, "Back to Jerusalem Movement" House Churches Send Missionaries

China's Brave Move to Missions:

"In the west, church mission committees struggle valiantly in hopes of getting people to attend a missions conference. Prospective missionary candidates often want to go where they don't have to learn a foreign language, the climate is comfortable and they don't have to worry about civil unrest, crime or terrorists. Mission boards have hundreds of urgent needs, and yet the number of missionaries is declining.

What's the problem ? When needs are greater than ever, enthusiasm for the worldwide cause of Christ is replaced with lethargy, and concerns for comfort override a willingness to sacrifice.

In contrast to the West's dismal picture, the Chinese, "Back to Jerusalem Movement" (BacktoJerusalem.com) exemplifies sacrifice and boldness for Christ. Groups of house churches boldly envision sending 100,000 missionaries along the Silk Road back to Jerusalem. The good news was first preached in Jerusalem, and traveled westward to Antioch, Rome, Europe, North America and finally to eastern China. But Chinese leaders have feared that the gospel stalled in central China. In the early 1940s a small group of students from Northwest Bible Institute in Shaanxi Province formed themselves into the "Back to Jerusalem Evangelistic Band. " The passion of these house churches is to take the gospel full circle along Silk Road routes to Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims all the way back to Jerusalem.

Since then, some Christians have cautioned that the Back to Jerusalem vision might be overly simplistic and idealistic. So far, there are few known "results" from this movement. Yet, our Chinese sisters and brothers' commitment is a great inspiration for world missions. Who knows how God will use them to win the least-reached nations?

1. House churches commission and send their best people-experienced leaders who have suffered great hard- ship for the kingdom and have had fruitful ministries.
2. Missionary training includes topics beyond basic cross-cultural communication - how to witness in jail, escape handcuffs and suffer and die for the Lord.
3. Few church leaders have earthly possessions to prevent them from going.
4. Innovative financing makes everyone's involvement possible. For example, each rural family is encouraged to dedicate a chicken and its eggs to the cause of missions.
5. The leaders of the movement gratefully trace their heritage to Hudson Taylor and believe; "God's work, done in God's way, will never lack Gods Supply".
6. These leaders see themselves not as an army of elephants, but as an army of termites who know how to work underground to destroy the walls of Islam and Buddhism.

7. Chinese missionaries expect to face torture and prison, but many have already endured decades of suffering in China.

8. House churches expect revival to continue in their midst as long as they remain obedient to the task of taking the gospel back to Jerusalem. ……………………

(World Pulse; "World Shapers- The Brave new world of Chinese missions " Jim & Carol Plueddemann pg 8, Jan 23,2004)