Called To Be A Light; Then Forced To Assemble Lights
By Jeremy Reynalds (12/08/04)
Christian doctrine calls its believers to be lights in a dark world.
However, pastors of the Underground Church in China are not only called to be lights. Many times they are imprisoned and forced to assemble Christmas lights under incredibly harsh conditions.
According to a press release from WorldServe Ministries, a special Christmas project is reminding Christians of the circumstances faced by these pastors.
WorldServe Ministries' Lights of Christmas program does not call for a boycott of Christmas lights, but promotes awareness about the conditions under which they are constructed.
Tom Henry of WorldServe Ministries said the project encourages prayerful support of the persecuted pastors in China.
"Their only crime is proclaiming and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ," Henry said in the release. "It's important that we pray for these pastors and the work they are doing."
According to WorldServe, persecution of the Chinese underground church has been growing recently. During this year alone, well over 600 pastors have been arrested and sent to prison because of their evangelistic activity. An estimated 80 million believers participate in secret, illegal church gatherings in China.
To bring awareness to the plight of the imprisoned pastors and their families in China, WorldServe Ministries created the Lights of Christmas initiative. The program, WorldServe commented, promotes an awareness of the conditions in China and serves as a reminder to support the Underground Church through prayer and financial support.
According to the release from WorldServe, through the financial generosity of thousands of people worldwide, pastors' families are able to survive until the pastors are released from prison. Once released, the funds help the pastors receive medical treatment to recover, as nearly all of them need a time to recuperate from the inhumane treatment they suffered while in prison.
The support also allows the ministry to continue uninterrupted. In most cases, a $50 contribution provides basic necessities for a family of four for an entire month.
When imprisoned, WorldServe reported, pastors undergo very poor living conditions and brutal beatings. Many are forced to work between 16-20 hours each day assembling strands of Christmas lights. This is done without tools, causing their fingers and hands to bleed from threading the tiny wires through plastic holders and fitting in the plastic bulbs - with a quota of 5,000 bulbs per day. If their work is not satisfactory, they are beaten and forced to re-do the so-called "substandard" work as well as the next day's quota. "When we talk to these blessed brothers and sisters in China about the conditions in which they preach and minister, their response is full of humility and love and grace," Henry said in the release. "They ask for prayer and support for their families, and for themselves they ask for prayers focused on perseverance. They also request prayer for more souls to be won for Christ.
"But these pastors do NOT ask for prayers for the persecution to end," Henry added. "Persecution to them is directly proportionate to the great work to be done for Jesus Christ. They see their prison time as a unique ministry opportunity."
Henry said American families can participate in the Lights of Christmas program to remind them of the persecuted church as they celebrate the birth of Jesus.
For a $50 donation, contributors receive a number of gifts that include a prayer reminder of a hand-painted ornament with the Chinese symbols for "hope," and the true story of an imprisoned underground pastor who was beaten and forced to assemble Christmas lights. In the story the pastor shares his personal struggles and prayers for his family while in prison
To participate, individuals, pastors or church groups can call 866-562-2224 or visit www.thelightsofchristmas.org.
WorldServe Ministries assists the suffering and persecuted Church in closed and restricted-access countries around the world. The ministry encourages and supports Christians in order to continue the advancement of the Gospel and the expansion of church planting efforts around the world.
For more information about WorldServe Ministries visit www.worldserve.org
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