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"I...will praise your name for your love and faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things, your name and your word." - Psalms 138:2  The Gift of One Complete BibleDuring the Cultural Revolution in China, (1966-1976) the government systematically sought out and destroyed every copy of the Bible that could be found. This forced both pastors and churches to carry on their meetings secretly, using only the scripture they had committed to memory or portions they had managed to hand-copy. One hidden and protected Bible was donated to a group of 25 Chinese pastors. Each pastor represented literally thousands of believers meeting in homes with only small bits of scripture at best. Among these 25 pastors, they had to decide what to do with one single copy of the Bible desired by over 50,000 people. The following story shows the impact of the gift of "One Whole Bible." The Pastors Must Meet "To the Pastors and fellow laborers in Christ, As you may have heard, our dear friend Grace has entrusted us with her copy of the Bible that she has been carefully guarding these last several years. In a few weeks, we will meet to decide what to do with this precious provision from God. Until then, press on." A secret meeting of the 25 pastors was scheduled because a Bible had been entrusted to one of them by an elderly woman who had been protecting it. The woman, known by many of the pastors in the group, had carefully guarded the hand-written copy for the last ten years during the Cultural Revolution in China. Where she obtained the Bible was uncertain, but these pastors knew that it was complete and in excellent condition, thanks to its caretaker. An Emotion-filled Meeting When the appointed day came, the pastors quietly gathered in an obscure home in a remote village of China. Some of these men had walked days to reach the tiny village, staying off main roads and thoroughfares to remain unnoticed. Upon arrival, they entered the small home filled with the warm smiles and muted greetings from their fellow pastors. On a table in the center of the room was the much anticipated object that each had trekked to see. Each one revered this Bible like a museum piece, an object so rare and valuable it deserved to be placed under glass. Had a Western observer been present, they might have assumed the table held some great treasure, but to these men circled around the table, the value was incalculable. None of them could have imagined the fate that would befall this precious Bible. At the time an object of reverence and overwhelming thanks, within hours it would be torn in pieces. Finally a pastor stepped forward and very gently picked up the Bible. He lovingly held it to his chest as tears began to flow. If only he could keep it! Although it was a serious offense to possess a Bible, every person in the room would willingly endure anything to own a copy. Who Will Get the Honor of Owning This Bible? While each man in the room deeply desired to take the Bible, there was no one person who was more deserving than the others. No single pastor's ministry had greater impact for God than the others. Each man had spent years faithfully serving the Lord. All had suffered imprisonment for their faith, many on multiple occasions. Each pastor in the room represented literally thousands of believers who longed to have a copy of the Word of God. Some were older, some had been in ministry longer, but none of those factors could determine who should have the Bible. Everyone wanted it, but no one could justify pleading his own case. As the intact Bible was carefully passed from pastor to pastor, each one knew that to possess it for his church would mean denial for all the others. No one felt worthy. As each man briefly held the whole Bible, the poignancy of the moment would often overwhelm him before he tearfully passed it on to the man beside him. Unified in Prayer Once all of the pastors had an opportunity to hold the Bible, it was placed back on the table. A white cloth was then laid over it, and the 25 pastors kneeled on the hard floor around the table and spontaneously began to pray. |
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For hours their voices rose in praise to God for His protection, for His love, and for their salvation. They prayed for one another and for their ministry to continue to flourish. They prayed for those who were in prison. Finally their prayers turned to focus on the simple book lying on the table. They begged for God to give them wisdom. What would He have them do with this one precious copy of the Bible? They spent the entire day in prayer, hoping for an answer. Then it came to them. In a remarkable sign of inspiration they agreed that each could posses it... if it were divided. Dividing the Word The 25 Chinese pastors stood motionless around the table as the Bible -- the first complete copy many had ever seen and the only known copy in the region -- was ripped into pieces right before them. Tears flowed steadily. Except for the sound of tearing paper, the room was silent. Each rip meant another section of God's Word was broken from the primitive bindings that had held it together. Before this meeting, the thought of tearing apart a Bible would have been considered an unholy desecration. Yet in this case, it was as liberating as the grace it contained. The ripping of God's sacred Word was not being done at the whim of an armed militia; it was torn by their own hands. Rather than tearing to destroy this holy manuscript; it was torn so that each pastor could take a section home to copy by hand so more copies could be made. Once that portion of God's Word was reproduced, they were to exchange it with their fellow pastors who had done likewise. As they concluded, they prayed in complete unity and asked God to one day provide every believer in China their own personal copy of His precious Word. Walking away with their sections of Scripture, each pastor realized that he was carrying the light that would change his region for Christ. In the following years, all 25 pastors remained faithful to their commitment, and with each new section, they painstakingly hand copied each verse, word for word. Eventually many had a complete copy of the Bible, and from them, more copies were made by hand. The Bible In China Today For years, WorldServe has provided the means for hundreds of thousands of Bibles to be distributed under the leadership of the underground Church. Individual conversions, rapid church growth, and discipleship training have been the most encouraging results of supplying Bibles. Today, the underground church in China composes more than 80 million believers. This growth, however, has outpaced supply to such a degree that more Bibles are needed today than when the 25 pastors prayed decades before. The desire of every believer in China continues to be personal ownership of God's Word. Through your financial support of WorldServe, you are partnering with precious servants of God supplying Bibles to the underground church in China today. Your dollars can be effectively converted into Bibles placed into eager and waiting hands in the underground church. Please pray for these believers who are sharing God's Word with those who are waiting. Donate $25 USD/$37.50 CDN to provide ten Bibles. |
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