A Hebei church held a retreat and evangelistic meetings between October 4-6.
In Daming County Church, Handan City, China’s northern Hebei Province, the retreat and meetings were hosted by Wang Zhenhe from Nanjie Church in Daming County, with Elder Fang Lingquan and Elder Peng as the speakers. During the three-day event, the retreat was held during the day and meetings for catechumens at night.
In the first two days, based on Psalm 67:1-7, Elder Fang shared two sermons with the themes "God's Blessings to People" and "Those Blessed Should Bless Others".
In the first sermon, he mentioned that the Israelites of that time believed that God's blessing was to make them materially rich, citing some misconceptions that believers had about blessing today. Through the parable of the prodigal son and other bible stories, he exhorted the congregation to believe in God's mercy and blessing which was to bring rest to all things. The two stories of God’s promise to Abraham and Jacob’s experience of crossing the ford of the Jabbok pointed out that God’s blessing was giving a promise to return to rest so that people could live in peace for generations.
In the second sermon, Fang talked about his experience of preaching the gospel to his fellow patients when he was hospitalized with eye diseases, encouraging believers to pass on the blessings they received from God. He pointed out that God first chose one member of the couple to be a channel of blessing. Sharing his own mission experience, he used the examples of Paul and modern missionaries to state that it was extremely important to share the gospel, even in difficulties. He emphasized the importance of the concept of universal mission, indicating that global revival was the real revival. In addition to this, he encouraged listeners to bring unbelievers to participate in the evening meetings.
In the last day, citing Acts 11:24, Elder Peng shared the story of Barnabas who was filled with the Holy Spirit and was a good person that led many people to believe in God.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
