Atheist now passionate to grow China’s Church

For many years, atheism was all Shan knew—firmly believing that there was no God. He filled his life with the many pleasures the world offered him, with little or no regard for others. He had no respect for the Church in China, and refused to ever read a Chinese Bible. “I loved to gamble,” says Shan. “And I loved to drink.” 

Determined to share Chinese Bible 

But Shan’s view of living changed drastically when his health declined—paving the way for the Lord. “One year my throat was hurt,” he says. “The doctor told me I had Pharyngitis. I was ill for a long time and could not get well.” Desperate for healing, God drew Shan to an elder Christian lady in his village who was determined to share a Chinese Bible with him. “She shared with me and tried to persuade me to believe in Christ. My throat was healed and I accepted the invitation.” 

Never heard the Gospel

Shan began to spread the Gospel throughout his village—realizing the desperate need for Christ and His life-giving Word outside the walls of the Church in China. “God has moved me and encouraged me to do His work ever since. He made me realize that many people in these villages have never heard about the Gospel. Many are captured by cults and other religions. It is just like a flock wondering everywhere without a shepherd.” “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”—Matthew 9:36 (NIV) 

Faithful Servant

Shan now travels throughout China spreading the Gospel. “God loves me. His grace is always with me. Therefore, I am willing to follow Him to be a faithful servant. I have decided to leave the world behind, and I want to win more souls for Christ.” 

An interesting update on the China’s churches from Christianity Today:

In China, there are five government-sanctioned religions - Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism - and a government-affiliated association monitors and supervises the activities of each of these faiths. Only state-sanctioned churches in China are allowed to distribute Bibles.Protestant churches are required to register and operate under the government's China Christian Council (CCC), the umbrella organization that monitors Protestant churches in China together with the Three-Self Patriotic Movement.

Many Protestant Christians, however, refuse to work with the CCC/TSPM, arguing that God is the head of the church and not the government. China has an underground Christian population estimated to be as high as 100 million, although experts are quick to point out the difficulty in obtaining the real count.Please pray for the Church in China. You can make a difference, right here in the U.S.