The recent Olympics saw President Bush make a public visit and statement to a church in China. This was, like all Chinese events, very controlled as this was a church that was registered with the Chinese government. The real spiritual movement in China is flourishing with the house churches that the government is aware of but does not control. Even the paranoid Chinese government cannot control the Holy Spirit. This event reminded me of an old article I penned when our president visited China in 2005.
I am again reminded of the way God desires us to unite beyond all the restrictions that governments, prejudice and even religion seeks to separate us. When we seek that which we have in common, which can be found in the love of Christ, rather than that which we have that can divide us we can do so much to better the world in which we live and reflect that love of the God in whose image we are created. The article was written to encourage churches to come together but it makes the point that all of us should find reasons to unite in love.
What Does China Know That Can Help Us?
Dr. Bill Drees
It was a typical Sunday evening in November, 2005; I was recently making my way to one of the fifty churches that make up the Kershaw Baptist Association which I have the privilege to serve. I was listening to PBS on the radio when the story suddenly caught my attention. They were discussing matters brought to attention by the President’s recent trip to a government-sanctioned church in China. The discussion turned to the underground church that is flourishing in China. The Chinese government is one of the most oppressive governments in the world yet they are aware of the growth of the underground church. The next remark by the reporter got the attention of this old DoM. “As long as the underground churches remain independent and do not form associations, the government does not fear their power”. I couldn’t turn my radio up fast enough! What? Could it be that the Chinese government better understands what we have been trying to get our own pastors and churches to grasp? There is power when churches come together and form associations!
To those who ask; “Do we need associations today?” If China does not fear our military or economic power yet fears churches coming together to form associations, that should tell you something about the power of associations. When the body of Christ comes together in a community, county, state and nation …well, isn’t that what we preach about? Yet, too often we try to do it as ‘lone ranger’ congregations and pastors. I meet with and talk with DoM’s from our state and all over the nation and find similar situations. Pastors and churches are so busy doing individual ministry that they often fail to know and see the advantages of coming together as a local association, state convention or denomination.
It is frightening how often I encounter church members and pastors who do not realize the resources that they already have at their disposal as a member of the association. I wish more of our pastors and churches knew more about who we are as Southern Baptists and how we really function with associations and denominations. It will make them proud. It is also amazing how much more we could all do if we would take full advantage of the very thing that the Chinese government fears. We have the freedom to come together; pool resources (as Paul did with churches in the New Testament, we didn’t invent this idea) to reach out in ministry and evangelism in a way that none of us can do individually. Yet, while we have this freedom we rarely take full advantage of the opportunity to get together and truly marshal our forces in Kingdom ministry.
We have good participation from most of our churches, but I could not help hearing that radio broadcast proclaiming the threat and fear that churches forming into associations caused the Chinese government and I wondered, “How much more could we threaten and strike fear into the heart of the enemy if we really came together as fifty churches with one heart and mind?” Isn’t that what Jesus prayed in Gethsemane so the world would know God sent Him (John 17:21)? Do we still need a local association of churches today? I still think our heavenly Father likes to distribute power through us coming together in that fashion. I don’t think the Chinese government fears the power of an association of churches for nothing. Think we can learn from them? We still have that freedom to come together in a powerful way, wouldn’t it be a shame not to take full advantage of what we already have?
