Rare Look at the Underground Church in China

4 For we know, brothers and sisters[b] loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. ! Thessalonians

As we continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, I'm amazed how God works. Jesus wasn't born into a Royal family, nor was he born into a family blessed with prestige and money. Jesus entered the world through a working-class couple. They didn't stay at the finest Inn, but in a place where the animals stayed. Nor did this baby entered the room in the finest birthing room in the newest hospital in the suburbs, but outdoors at the mercy of the elements. God wanted to experience life through the eyes of the common man. Entering this world in the life form of a baby and growing up and experiencing this life allowed God to reach more people with the gospel message.

God chose to take the hard road by working through persecuted people. Randy Alcorn's book, 'Safely home' has taught me that the greatest Christian revival is taking place in the country with the greatest number of human rights violations. While the government of China tries to stamp out the underground Christian church by sending it's pastors and believers to prison, the gospel reaches farther than it ever has before. One underground pastor smashed a glass on the floor with his foot to illustrate this point. Each time they attempt to smash an underground church, the shards of the gospel travel farther and spread to more people than it ever did before.

God works through the harshest of conditions.

While you may be lamenting the loss of a loved one this time of year and feeling the deep emotional pangs of that loss, you can rest knowing that the same God who is working in the lives of persecuted Christians around the world is the same God who wants to help you navigate this deep, profound sadness. As we spend time reading God's word, praying and lamenting to Jesus Christ, and meditating and memorizing the scripture verses, you will sense a deeper connection and feel the presence of God's holy spirit.


God truly does work through the harshest conditions of life.