2010年10月24日 星期日
50 goal for Friday night meeting
tonight prayer time, I felt Lord's direction to ask for 50 for Friday night meeting.
2010年10月20日 星期三
Ohio State Univ. 福音真理座谈报道
Ohio State Univ. 福音真理座谈报道
整个福音真理座谈，华语、英语圣徒的配搭非常甜美，主的灵运行，非常畅顺(smooth)，三个小时，一气呵成……
去年OSU的福音聚会给我们留下一点遗憾：我们接触40多位学生，却只有11位参加聚会，1位受浸（受浸后即不再聚会）。感谢主！去年Elyria的圣徒们带来了一些福音朋友，并有1位受浸归入主。去年参加福音聚会的总人数约30人。
今年参加夏季训练后，又有台湾之行，新泽西训练，我觉得很疲惫，所以当时觉得无力作些什么。但是，夏季训练《以赛亚书结晶读经（一）》的信息提醒我要有卑微的灵、痛悔的心。我就在主面前流泪祷告，为缺少果子、缺乏带人得救的能力、缺乏扩增向主悔改，继续寻求主的怜悯，巴望能看见圣灵的真正工作，因为神“愿意万人得救”（提前二4）。
主以美妙的方式开始作工。主知道我们不想行动，祂就调度万有，从其他地方召会差遣三位新得救的姊妹和两位福音朋友来，我们只好去探望他们，自然而然地就邀到他们的朋友和室友。一下子我们周五的聚会就有了七至八位新学生。这样蒙恩的情形又兴起一位弟兄和我们一起配搭服事。
有一天当我照顾我的小孩时，主开我的眼睛看见书架上一套我从新泽西训练买回来的福音问答60題CD，主就给我感觉使用这些CD让新生们分组进入两三个问答，之后再读一些约翰福音，我们也带圣徒和学生一起看luke54.org 和新泽西成全训练DVD的见证录像。就这样，我们能在福音真理座谈之前把这些新生留在聚会中。
与此同时，我们当地的召会生活有许多迎新生的活动，如Welcome dinner, OSU Oval BFA table, OSU Oval pizza cook out, apple picking, bon fire and dinner。配合参加这些活动，我们得到更多的名单，也向更多的新生传扬福音。许多华语学生参加了这些活动，因此，我不用去发单张，手中却有50个新生名單可以联系。
接着，弟兄们交通到OSU的福音真理座谈。我们马上租下能容纳80人的Buckeye village recreation center，并挑了一个没有美式足球比赛的日子（去年福音聚会碰上了比赛日）。此后，我压力很大，因为有去年那样的“挫折”经历的缘故。故此，我尽力坚定持续地日夜祷告，甚至我的姊妹都在问我晚上究竟有没有在睡觉。我也努力为主作工：架一个网站供学生报名；设计海报贴在校园里；印制邀请卡供散发。我作出一个google doc 以记录新生的联系方式、到会情形、跟进、接送、购物等信息，所有的圣徒都可以根据这个文件上的信息配搭照顾学生。主真是奇妙，让我再次为福音而“疯狂”！
这里有件事值得一提：因为今年中国来的学生太多，有一位新生一时找不到地方住。学校里的一位弟兄打电话给我，问我是否可以让他暂住一段时间。我同意了。现在这位学生不但周五和我们聚会，主日也来聚会，他被我们“一个新人”的见证深深地摸着了，所以一再来参加主日的聚会。我帮他搬出我家后，又带他到Buckeye village 一中国女生处买灯。没想到这位女生去年参加过我们的福音聚会，她曾和一些美国朋友读圣经，却没有向主敞开祷告接受祂。我就邀请她再来参加我们今年的福音真理座谈，但她说她马上要回国了。我就为她和她的家人祷告。最后，她同意和我一起祷告接受主。我深深地被主的爱和主宰摸着：一方面，主用这个经历给我印证，祂与我同在；另一方面，主可以等一整年，就在这位女生要回国之前，让我遇见这位女生，并让她接受主的救恩！
帮这位男生搬到新住处時，我又接触到他的室友及附近的学生，我带他们一起去购物，在过程中我有机会和他们谈到主。结果，这些学生中有一位在福音真理座谈受浸，现在和我一对一读圣经。
福音真理座谈之前的主日聚会，弟兄们向全召会宣布了福音真理座谈的通知。我请弟兄们给我一点时间交通福音真理座谈的负担。主给了我两个经节：
Act 26: 14 And when we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?
我们都仆倒在地上，我就听见有声音，用希伯来语向我说，扫罗，扫罗，你为什么逼迫我？你踢犁棒是难的。（徒二六14）
在以上这个经节里，主用扫罗自己的方言（即希伯来语）对他说话。
Act 2:6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confounded because each one heard them speaking in his own dialect. 7 And they were amazed and marveled, saying, Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
这声音一响，许多人都来在一起，各人因听见门徒用听众各人的本地话讲论，就感困惑。他们都惊讶希奇，说，看哪，这些说话的不都是加利利人么？（徒二6-7）
当圣灵被倾倒下来时，门徒“用听众各人的本地话讲论”，这样听众才能听得懂。
我根据圣经和圣徒们交通，我们必须使用听众的母语向他们传扬福音。如果主耶稣和一个中国人交谈，祂会用华语。我也交通说，许多华语学生从未有机会听过福音，福音真理座谈给了他们这个机会。
主日之后，我们开始确认参加福音真理座谈的学生。因为学生们开始有期中考试了，我有点担心他们许多人来不了。所以我们继续日以继夜地不住地祷告。至终，我们得到20位学生确认要来，大部分是新生邀来的。我也打电话邀一些社区的福音朋友，他们也答应会来。
周二晚，我们在召会的祷告聚会祷告。英语的圣徒更多地配搭进来，包括饭食服事、钢琴服事，一位英语的弟兄担任真理座谈的讲员，当地的一位带领弟兄在真理座谈前向新人介绍召会。
周三晚上（福音真理座谈前三天）各地配搭的弟兄们有一次conference call 交通。当晚，我的姊妹打电话给一个姊妹，她说自己的室友忽然觉得新的工作很枯燥乏味，想要来聚会并受浸归入主。另外一位我在摘苹果活动中认识的学生确认他要来。之前他已致电问我如何祷告、认罪和接受主，他愿意一试。
福音真理座谈之前的晚上，St. Louis 的圣徒们赶到OSU。他们同着本地的圣徒们，一起交通主在预备福音真理座谈的进展。我们也开始交通各项服事的具体安排。
周六早上，一些学生帮助我们布置会场。其中一位帮忙的学生已经信主，只是对受浸的真理不清楚。他说他家乡的教会要先上课才能受浸。我们于是打开圣经和他查读使徒行传八章、十六章和二十二章，没有一个行传里记载的例子表明人得先上课才能受浸。他于是决定要在福音真理座谈后受浸。布置完会场，我们带学生到我家吃午饭。饭后，St. Louis的学生们想去OSU校园参观；OSU的学生们想回家稍有休息或作功课。就在这时，一位弟兄到我家，他以为我们當時有聚会，我说下午在Buckeye village 有福音真理座谈 ，他正好可以顺路带OSU的学生回家小憩。我真是为主应时的帮助感到奇妙，我们之前没有任何计划，祂就给我们准备好了车辆应付我们临时的需要。
下午四点，服事者们有最后的祷告和交通。五点，我们出去接学生。我们计划接23位学生。
整个福音真理座谈，华语、英语圣徒的配搭非常甜美，主的灵运行，非常畅顺(smooth)，三个小时，一气呵成。会场挤满了福音朋友和圣徒，光成年人就超出70人，一些人只好站在外边，食物也一扫而光。最后呼召时，自动站起来要受浸的就有11位。所以Buckeye village的两个家打开服事受浸。另有位姊妹要受浸，却被她的丈夫拦住，但姊妹临走前表示，她要在感恩节受浸。感谢主！此后，又有一位学生在和弟兄们交通了很久了之后，决定受浸归入主。最后，OSU有7位受浸，St. Louis Missouri Univ.有3位受浸，Akron Univ. 有1位受浸，总共有11位受浸。
我们请新受浸的新人主日来聚会。除了两位外，其他均向整个召会介绍了自己。圣徒们看见这些新人满了喜乐，当带领的弟兄们请新人站起来时，大家都鼓掌欢迎这些新人加入神的大家庭。聚会之后，一位尚未受浸的年长弟兄被主摸着，请这些新人及其他华语圣徒一起出去吃饭。
目前，我们有三位弟兄愿意开始一对一（或一对二，一对三）地带新受浸的圣徒读约翰福音，照顾并顾惜他们。我们将有更多的交通，确定每位新人都有人照顾。
结论：荣耀归主！如果我们有卑微的灵、痛悔的心去悔改并与祂拯救万人的心愿是一，主是信实的！主确实在大陆来的华语学生中行动，我深感，主爱中国。但在中国，还有亿万人甚至没有机会听见福音。主正在得着这一代年轻人，好将福音带回中国，为主回来前在中国的行动预备！
整个福音真理座谈，华语、英语圣徒的配搭非常甜美，主的灵运行，非常畅顺(smooth)，三个小时，一气呵成……
去年OSU的福音聚会给我们留下一点遗憾：我们接触40多位学生，却只有11位参加聚会，1位受浸（受浸后即不再聚会）。感谢主！去年Elyria的圣徒们带来了一些福音朋友，并有1位受浸归入主。去年参加福音聚会的总人数约30人。
今年参加夏季训练后，又有台湾之行，新泽西训练，我觉得很疲惫，所以当时觉得无力作些什么。但是，夏季训练《以赛亚书结晶读经（一）》的信息提醒我要有卑微的灵、痛悔的心。我就在主面前流泪祷告，为缺少果子、缺乏带人得救的能力、缺乏扩增向主悔改，继续寻求主的怜悯，巴望能看见圣灵的真正工作，因为神“愿意万人得救”（提前二4）。
主以美妙的方式开始作工。主知道我们不想行动，祂就调度万有，从其他地方召会差遣三位新得救的姊妹和两位福音朋友来，我们只好去探望他们，自然而然地就邀到他们的朋友和室友。一下子我们周五的聚会就有了七至八位新学生。这样蒙恩的情形又兴起一位弟兄和我们一起配搭服事。
有一天当我照顾我的小孩时，主开我的眼睛看见书架上一套我从新泽西训练买回来的福音问答60題CD，主就给我感觉使用这些CD让新生们分组进入两三个问答，之后再读一些约翰福音，我们也带圣徒和学生一起看luke54.org 和新泽西成全训练DVD的见证录像。就这样，我们能在福音真理座谈之前把这些新生留在聚会中。
与此同时，我们当地的召会生活有许多迎新生的活动，如Welcome dinner, OSU Oval BFA table, OSU Oval pizza cook out, apple picking, bon fire and dinner。配合参加这些活动，我们得到更多的名单，也向更多的新生传扬福音。许多华语学生参加了这些活动，因此，我不用去发单张，手中却有50个新生名單可以联系。
接着，弟兄们交通到OSU的福音真理座谈。我们马上租下能容纳80人的Buckeye village recreation center，并挑了一个没有美式足球比赛的日子（去年福音聚会碰上了比赛日）。此后，我压力很大，因为有去年那样的“挫折”经历的缘故。故此，我尽力坚定持续地日夜祷告，甚至我的姊妹都在问我晚上究竟有没有在睡觉。我也努力为主作工：架一个网站供学生报名；设计海报贴在校园里；印制邀请卡供散发。我作出一个google doc 以记录新生的联系方式、到会情形、跟进、接送、购物等信息，所有的圣徒都可以根据这个文件上的信息配搭照顾学生。主真是奇妙，让我再次为福音而“疯狂”！
这里有件事值得一提：因为今年中国来的学生太多，有一位新生一时找不到地方住。学校里的一位弟兄打电话给我，问我是否可以让他暂住一段时间。我同意了。现在这位学生不但周五和我们聚会，主日也来聚会，他被我们“一个新人”的见证深深地摸着了，所以一再来参加主日的聚会。我帮他搬出我家后，又带他到Buckeye village 一中国女生处买灯。没想到这位女生去年参加过我们的福音聚会，她曾和一些美国朋友读圣经，却没有向主敞开祷告接受祂。我就邀请她再来参加我们今年的福音真理座谈，但她说她马上要回国了。我就为她和她的家人祷告。最后，她同意和我一起祷告接受主。我深深地被主的爱和主宰摸着：一方面，主用这个经历给我印证，祂与我同在；另一方面，主可以等一整年，就在这位女生要回国之前，让我遇见这位女生，并让她接受主的救恩！
帮这位男生搬到新住处時，我又接触到他的室友及附近的学生，我带他们一起去购物，在过程中我有机会和他们谈到主。结果，这些学生中有一位在福音真理座谈受浸，现在和我一对一读圣经。
福音真理座谈之前的主日聚会，弟兄们向全召会宣布了福音真理座谈的通知。我请弟兄们给我一点时间交通福音真理座谈的负担。主给了我两个经节：
Act 26: 14 And when we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?
我们都仆倒在地上，我就听见有声音，用希伯来语向我说，扫罗，扫罗，你为什么逼迫我？你踢犁棒是难的。（徒二六14）
在以上这个经节里，主用扫罗自己的方言（即希伯来语）对他说话。
Act 2:6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confounded because each one heard them speaking in his own dialect. 7 And they were amazed and marveled, saying, Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
这声音一响，许多人都来在一起，各人因听见门徒用听众各人的本地话讲论，就感困惑。他们都惊讶希奇，说，看哪，这些说话的不都是加利利人么？（徒二6-7）
当圣灵被倾倒下来时，门徒“用听众各人的本地话讲论”，这样听众才能听得懂。
我根据圣经和圣徒们交通，我们必须使用听众的母语向他们传扬福音。如果主耶稣和一个中国人交谈，祂会用华语。我也交通说，许多华语学生从未有机会听过福音，福音真理座谈给了他们这个机会。
主日之后，我们开始确认参加福音真理座谈的学生。因为学生们开始有期中考试了，我有点担心他们许多人来不了。所以我们继续日以继夜地不住地祷告。至终，我们得到20位学生确认要来，大部分是新生邀来的。我也打电话邀一些社区的福音朋友，他们也答应会来。
周二晚，我们在召会的祷告聚会祷告。英语的圣徒更多地配搭进来，包括饭食服事、钢琴服事，一位英语的弟兄担任真理座谈的讲员，当地的一位带领弟兄在真理座谈前向新人介绍召会。
周三晚上（福音真理座谈前三天）各地配搭的弟兄们有一次conference call 交通。当晚，我的姊妹打电话给一个姊妹，她说自己的室友忽然觉得新的工作很枯燥乏味，想要来聚会并受浸归入主。另外一位我在摘苹果活动中认识的学生确认他要来。之前他已致电问我如何祷告、认罪和接受主，他愿意一试。
福音真理座谈之前的晚上，St. Louis 的圣徒们赶到OSU。他们同着本地的圣徒们，一起交通主在预备福音真理座谈的进展。我们也开始交通各项服事的具体安排。
周六早上，一些学生帮助我们布置会场。其中一位帮忙的学生已经信主，只是对受浸的真理不清楚。他说他家乡的教会要先上课才能受浸。我们于是打开圣经和他查读使徒行传八章、十六章和二十二章，没有一个行传里记载的例子表明人得先上课才能受浸。他于是决定要在福音真理座谈后受浸。布置完会场，我们带学生到我家吃午饭。饭后，St. Louis的学生们想去OSU校园参观；OSU的学生们想回家稍有休息或作功课。就在这时，一位弟兄到我家，他以为我们當時有聚会，我说下午在Buckeye village 有福音真理座谈 ，他正好可以顺路带OSU的学生回家小憩。我真是为主应时的帮助感到奇妙，我们之前没有任何计划，祂就给我们准备好了车辆应付我们临时的需要。
下午四点，服事者们有最后的祷告和交通。五点，我们出去接学生。我们计划接23位学生。
整个福音真理座谈，华语、英语圣徒的配搭非常甜美，主的灵运行，非常畅顺(smooth)，三个小时，一气呵成。会场挤满了福音朋友和圣徒，光成年人就超出70人，一些人只好站在外边，食物也一扫而光。最后呼召时，自动站起来要受浸的就有11位。所以Buckeye village的两个家打开服事受浸。另有位姊妹要受浸，却被她的丈夫拦住，但姊妹临走前表示，她要在感恩节受浸。感谢主！此后，又有一位学生在和弟兄们交通了很久了之后，决定受浸归入主。最后，OSU有7位受浸，St. Louis Missouri Univ.有3位受浸，Akron Univ. 有1位受浸，总共有11位受浸。
我们请新受浸的新人主日来聚会。除了两位外，其他均向整个召会介绍了自己。圣徒们看见这些新人满了喜乐，当带领的弟兄们请新人站起来时，大家都鼓掌欢迎这些新人加入神的大家庭。聚会之后，一位尚未受浸的年长弟兄被主摸着，请这些新人及其他华语圣徒一起出去吃饭。
目前，我们有三位弟兄愿意开始一对一（或一对二，一对三）地带新受浸的圣徒读约翰福音，照顾并顾惜他们。我们将有更多的交通，确定每位新人都有人照顾。
结论：荣耀归主！如果我们有卑微的灵、痛悔的心去悔改并与祂拯救万人的心愿是一，主是信实的！主确实在大陆来的华语学生中行动，我深感，主爱中国。但在中国，还有亿万人甚至没有机会听见福音。主正在得着这一代年轻人，好将福音带回中国，为主回来前在中国的行动预备！
2010年10月18日 星期一
10-16 Gospel Truth Forum experience
Last year we were very frustrated about OSU gospel, we contacted over 40 students and only about 11 attended GTF, and only 1 baptized, after baptism, the new one immediately did not want to see us. I was so thankful that some saints from Elyria brought gospel friends and they 1 baptized. Total attendance of the GTF was under around 30.
This year after summer training, Taiwan trip, and NJ training I was physically pretty exhausted. So basically not ready to do anything, but the Isaiah training reminded me to be in lowly and contrite spirit to continue prayer in tears with repentance of the lack of fruit and power of God to save people, and lack of increase. Continue to ask the Lord for mercy, plus the desire to see the real work of the Holy Spirit since God desires all men to be saved.
The Lord started to work in a wonderful way, The Lord knew that we are not going to move, so He stirred saints and the environment to send us three new sisters and two gospel friends from other localities, so we have to go to visit them, so spontaneously invited their friends and roommates. All of sudden we had 7-8 new students come to our Friday night meeting. This situation also stirred up one more brother willing to coordinated with us to serve together.
Also one day I was taking care my baby, Lord somehow opened my eyes to see in the bookshelf there was the 60 Q & A of gospel forum CD I bought from NJ training, so Lord inspired me to use these for the new students to have them in a separate group to get into 2 to 3 questions and answers, then read some Gospel of John, plus we have saints & students watch testimony videos on YouTube put out by luke54.org and from NJ training DVD.
So we kept new students before GTF week.
The entire church also has many activities, ex. Welcome dinner, OSU Oval BFA table, OSU Oval pizza cook out, apple picking, bon fire and diner. Through all these events we got more names and more opportunities to preach the gospel to new students. I was amazed how many Chinese students attended these events. So I had not passed out one track, but in my hand, I have more than 50 names.
Around this time brothers mentioned about the GTF for OSU, so we immediately rented the Buckeye village recreation center which can seat about 80 people. Picked up a day without football (Last year the GTF date was a football day). After that I was under very heavy pressure, since the kind of “failure” we experienced last year. So day and night tried best to continuously pray. Even my wife asked me do I really sleep. Also worked very hard to set up a website for students to sign up and designed poster to post on campus, plus printing tracks to pass out, setup Google doc to track contact information and meeting attendance, plus follow up, ride, shopping information. So all the saints can see information online to coordinate together. I was amazed how the Lord moved me to be crazy again for His gospel.
One thing interesting was because too many students came this year, one student could not find a place to live, we have a brother on campus called me and asking if I am open for this student to move into our 733 Stinchcomb house on campus temporary, and I agreed, now this student is meeting with us on Fridays and also on Lord’s day, he was impressed by how we have this one new man meeting on Lord’s day, so keeps coming back. When he moved out, I was helping him to move out, then he said he needed to go to Buckeye Village to pick up a lamp, when I went with him, I saw this young lady who sold lamp to him actually was the one who attended our last year 10/10 GTF, who was study Bible with American friends and never open to the Lord to pray and receive Him, so I asked her she can come again, since we will have another GTP, but she said she is going to go back to China, so I prayed for her and her family, and she finally agreed to pray with me to receive the Lord, I just felt the Lord’s love and sovereignty to arrange this to show me that He is with us, and also He waited for the whole year for me to meet with this lady again before she goes back to China to receive Him into her heart to get saved.
Also after moving this young man to his place, one more student came to see him, so got to meet one more student, plus another roommate, then help them to go shopping, get chance to talk to them about the Lord, one of this one got baptized and reading Bible one on one with me now.
The Lord’s day before the GTF, Church announced this event and I asked the brothers to give me some time to share with the whole church about the burden of the GTF, Lord gave me 2 sets of verses.
Act 26: 14 And when we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?
In the above verse Lord spoke to Saul with Saul’s own dialect.
Act 2:6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confounded because each one heard them speaking in his own dialect. 7 And they were amazed and marveled, saying, Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
When the Holy Spirit outpoured, They all speak to people with the mother tone so they can understand.
I shared with the saints according to the Bible, we should use the mother tone to preach gospel, if Jesus talk to a Chinese he would use Chinese. Plus my feeling before the Lord that many Chines does not even have a chance to hear the gospel, this meeting is to give them this chance.
After Lord’s day, we started to go to confirm students attendance of the event, since students started to have midterms, I was a little worried not many could make it, so continues with unceasing prayer day and night, eventually we have confirmed about 20 students are coming, most of them are invited by the new students. I also called some community friends and they promised to come also.
Tuesday night, we also prayed in the church prayer meeting, and involved more non-Chinese speaking ones to help with setup food, play piano, also one English speaking brother on the panel, and have one church leading brother give the introduction of the forum to introduce church to new ones.
Wednesday night (3 day before GTF) we had a conference call for all brothers from all localities to fellowship together. During this time, my wife called one young sister, and she told my wife all of sudden her roommate felt so boring of her new job and wanted to go to church and get baptized. Also another student I met at apple picking called me to confirm his sign up. He called me earlier and asked me how to pray and confess his sins and received the Lord, he wanted to try it out.
One night before the GTF, St Louis saints arrived, with local ones, we meet one more time to fellowship what the Lord has moved so far for this event. Plus some practical arrangement.
In the Sat (GTF day) morning, we had some students helped us to set up the meeting place; one student has already believed the Lord but not sure about baptism. He said his church at home needs him to go to classes before he can be baptized, so we showed him Act 8, 16, 22, none of the cases in Acts, people need to go to class to get baptized, so he decided to get baptized. So even before the GTF, we already have two decided to get baptized. Also after setup the chairs, we took students for lunch @ 733 Stinchcomb, after lunch, students from St Louis wants to visit OSU campus, OSU students wanted to go home rest or do homework, all of sudden another brother just showed up at 733 stinchcomb saying he thought we have activities here, I told him it is later at Buckeye Village, so he just provided ride for OSU students to go home, I was amazed again for the Lord instants provision of ride without us plan for it.
Then we serving ones met again at 4 PM for final prayer and fellowship. 5 PM all go out the ride students we planned providing ride for 23 students.
During GTF, it was very smooth, the place was packed with people and saints, we had 70+ adults and some had to stand outside, and ran out of food. At the end 11 stood up to receive the Lord and wanted to get baptized, so we had to open two saints’ homes in Buckeye village to accommodate the needs of baptism. But after the baptism we counted only 10 got baptized, not sure which one we missed. One more wanted to get baptized but was stopped by her husband, but she said before she left, she will get baptized during Thanks Giving time.
After that, one more student talked to brothers for a long time and finally got baptized. We asked all of them to come back on Lord ’s Day to introduce them to the whole church, I think only two missed, the church was so joyful to see them and clapped the hands to welcome them when leading brothers asking them to stand up. The afterwards, one older brother who not baptized yet was touched and invite all of them to go out to eat and paid for around 19 saints.
Now we have at least 3 brothers willing to start one on one or one to two/three reading Gospel of John with these newly saved ones, to care and cherish them. Will have more fellowship to make sure every one is cared for.
In conclusion, glory to the Lord, Lord is faithful if we have a lowly and contrite spirit to repent and join one with His desire to get people saved. Plus Lord is really moving among the Chinese speaking students from China, I felt Lord loves China, there are billions there not even a chance to hear the gospel, and the Lord is gaining this generation to bring gospel back to China to prepare His final move in China before He comes back.
This year after summer training, Taiwan trip, and NJ training I was physically pretty exhausted. So basically not ready to do anything, but the Isaiah training reminded me to be in lowly and contrite spirit to continue prayer in tears with repentance of the lack of fruit and power of God to save people, and lack of increase. Continue to ask the Lord for mercy, plus the desire to see the real work of the Holy Spirit since God desires all men to be saved.
The Lord started to work in a wonderful way, The Lord knew that we are not going to move, so He stirred saints and the environment to send us three new sisters and two gospel friends from other localities, so we have to go to visit them, so spontaneously invited their friends and roommates. All of sudden we had 7-8 new students come to our Friday night meeting. This situation also stirred up one more brother willing to coordinated with us to serve together.
Also one day I was taking care my baby, Lord somehow opened my eyes to see in the bookshelf there was the 60 Q & A of gospel forum CD I bought from NJ training, so Lord inspired me to use these for the new students to have them in a separate group to get into 2 to 3 questions and answers, then read some Gospel of John, plus we have saints & students watch testimony videos on YouTube put out by luke54.org and from NJ training DVD.
So we kept new students before GTF week.
The entire church also has many activities, ex. Welcome dinner, OSU Oval BFA table, OSU Oval pizza cook out, apple picking, bon fire and diner. Through all these events we got more names and more opportunities to preach the gospel to new students. I was amazed how many Chinese students attended these events. So I had not passed out one track, but in my hand, I have more than 50 names.
Around this time brothers mentioned about the GTF for OSU, so we immediately rented the Buckeye village recreation center which can seat about 80 people. Picked up a day without football (Last year the GTF date was a football day). After that I was under very heavy pressure, since the kind of “failure” we experienced last year. So day and night tried best to continuously pray. Even my wife asked me do I really sleep. Also worked very hard to set up a website for students to sign up and designed poster to post on campus, plus printing tracks to pass out, setup Google doc to track contact information and meeting attendance, plus follow up, ride, shopping information. So all the saints can see information online to coordinate together. I was amazed how the Lord moved me to be crazy again for His gospel.
One thing interesting was because too many students came this year, one student could not find a place to live, we have a brother on campus called me and asking if I am open for this student to move into our 733 Stinchcomb house on campus temporary, and I agreed, now this student is meeting with us on Fridays and also on Lord’s day, he was impressed by how we have this one new man meeting on Lord’s day, so keeps coming back. When he moved out, I was helping him to move out, then he said he needed to go to Buckeye Village to pick up a lamp, when I went with him, I saw this young lady who sold lamp to him actually was the one who attended our last year 10/10 GTF, who was study Bible with American friends and never open to the Lord to pray and receive Him, so I asked her she can come again, since we will have another GTP, but she said she is going to go back to China, so I prayed for her and her family, and she finally agreed to pray with me to receive the Lord, I just felt the Lord’s love and sovereignty to arrange this to show me that He is with us, and also He waited for the whole year for me to meet with this lady again before she goes back to China to receive Him into her heart to get saved.
Also after moving this young man to his place, one more student came to see him, so got to meet one more student, plus another roommate, then help them to go shopping, get chance to talk to them about the Lord, one of this one got baptized and reading Bible one on one with me now.
The Lord’s day before the GTF, Church announced this event and I asked the brothers to give me some time to share with the whole church about the burden of the GTF, Lord gave me 2 sets of verses.
Act 26: 14 And when we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?
In the above verse Lord spoke to Saul with Saul’s own dialect.
Act 2:6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confounded because each one heard them speaking in his own dialect. 7 And they were amazed and marveled, saying, Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
When the Holy Spirit outpoured, They all speak to people with the mother tone so they can understand.
I shared with the saints according to the Bible, we should use the mother tone to preach gospel, if Jesus talk to a Chinese he would use Chinese. Plus my feeling before the Lord that many Chines does not even have a chance to hear the gospel, this meeting is to give them this chance.
After Lord’s day, we started to go to confirm students attendance of the event, since students started to have midterms, I was a little worried not many could make it, so continues with unceasing prayer day and night, eventually we have confirmed about 20 students are coming, most of them are invited by the new students. I also called some community friends and they promised to come also.
Tuesday night, we also prayed in the church prayer meeting, and involved more non-Chinese speaking ones to help with setup food, play piano, also one English speaking brother on the panel, and have one church leading brother give the introduction of the forum to introduce church to new ones.
Wednesday night (3 day before GTF) we had a conference call for all brothers from all localities to fellowship together. During this time, my wife called one young sister, and she told my wife all of sudden her roommate felt so boring of her new job and wanted to go to church and get baptized. Also another student I met at apple picking called me to confirm his sign up. He called me earlier and asked me how to pray and confess his sins and received the Lord, he wanted to try it out.
One night before the GTF, St Louis saints arrived, with local ones, we meet one more time to fellowship what the Lord has moved so far for this event. Plus some practical arrangement.
In the Sat (GTF day) morning, we had some students helped us to set up the meeting place; one student has already believed the Lord but not sure about baptism. He said his church at home needs him to go to classes before he can be baptized, so we showed him Act 8, 16, 22, none of the cases in Acts, people need to go to class to get baptized, so he decided to get baptized. So even before the GTF, we already have two decided to get baptized. Also after setup the chairs, we took students for lunch @ 733 Stinchcomb, after lunch, students from St Louis wants to visit OSU campus, OSU students wanted to go home rest or do homework, all of sudden another brother just showed up at 733 stinchcomb saying he thought we have activities here, I told him it is later at Buckeye Village, so he just provided ride for OSU students to go home, I was amazed again for the Lord instants provision of ride without us plan for it.
Then we serving ones met again at 4 PM for final prayer and fellowship. 5 PM all go out the ride students we planned providing ride for 23 students.
During GTF, it was very smooth, the place was packed with people and saints, we had 70+ adults and some had to stand outside, and ran out of food. At the end 11 stood up to receive the Lord and wanted to get baptized, so we had to open two saints’ homes in Buckeye village to accommodate the needs of baptism. But after the baptism we counted only 10 got baptized, not sure which one we missed. One more wanted to get baptized but was stopped by her husband, but she said before she left, she will get baptized during Thanks Giving time.
After that, one more student talked to brothers for a long time and finally got baptized. We asked all of them to come back on Lord ’s Day to introduce them to the whole church, I think only two missed, the church was so joyful to see them and clapped the hands to welcome them when leading brothers asking them to stand up. The afterwards, one older brother who not baptized yet was touched and invite all of them to go out to eat and paid for around 19 saints.
Now we have at least 3 brothers willing to start one on one or one to two/three reading Gospel of John with these newly saved ones, to care and cherish them. Will have more fellowship to make sure every one is cared for.
In conclusion, glory to the Lord, Lord is faithful if we have a lowly and contrite spirit to repent and join one with His desire to get people saved. Plus Lord is really moving among the Chinese speaking students from China, I felt Lord loves China, there are billions there not even a chance to hear the gospel, and the Lord is gaining this generation to bring gospel back to China to prepare His final move in China before He comes back.
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