Elder Li Jianhua, from Shandong province, lives in a family of five generations who are all Christians, with his grandfather being the first generation of Christian to his grandchildren. He is the third child in his family, and he and his second elder brother are both preachers.
They all have set good examples to the locals. Now, his grandfather and father have all passed away. Elder Li, at sixty years old, said that from his grandfather to his grandson, who are Christians, all have their own experience in Lord.
Elder Li's grandfather's story
Elder Li's grandfather is the first Christian in his family. When he was a soldier serving in Zhang Zijiang's company under general Feng Yuxiang, Zhang, a Christian, gave each solider a small Bible, by which his grandfather started to know God.
Once on a combat mission, grandfather fell into a river. In desperation, he began to pray to God. Thankfully, he reached out and caught a knot of the branch of an elm tree, pulled himself out and survived. After this, he committed himself to the Lord and became a Christian. Later, he returned to his hometown with the small Bible that he had gotten from Zhang. During the Cultural Revolution when all Bibles in his family were confiscated, it was the only one saved by hiding it in the chicken coop.
After the reform and China's opening up in 1979, religious activities were allowed, and this small Bible became a rare treasure.
Elder Li's Story
Due to the particular circumstances of that era and because he was a Christian, Elder Li was under his family's supervision. Therefore, he did not go to high school. He did however, not complain and trusted that all things he faced would not happen if God would forbid them.
He also remembered, around the year 1964, he went to a Bible study with his family members. Later, the church he went to stopped, and then he attended the Bible study at a believer's home, which later was also not allowed.
Right at about that time, Li's story of his encounter with God happened.
At that time, he had had a fever for a long time. He went to the doctor and took penicillin for a week, but he still didn't get better. While his mother was cooking, she heard a voice saying, "God is the best healer. Where else do you want to go?" She suddenly realized that ever since the Bible study had stopped, they had almost forgotten to pray to God. Thereupon, they prayed together. When they were eating the meal, Li asked for a bowl of water and after the meal, he recovered.
Li's eldest brother's story
When church restarted, Li's eldest brother was not active in this. He felt strongly that the Scriptures in the Bible contradicted each other, something he could not understand or accept.
At that time, he was a carpenter and started to build brick houses for others even though he was pleased with his own house. One day while working, by accident he carelessly cut off the large tendon on his foot and so could not walk. He stayed in the hospital for 40 days, but has failed to walk normally again even after repeated treatment.
There is an expression, "man's end is God's beginning". He went home and prayed and pleaded with God. Eventually his foot was healed. Today he is more than 70 years old with no trace of any problems with his foot.
Elder's second elder brother's story
In 1998, Li, together with his second brother and other Christians in his village purchased a piece of land to build a church.
While building the church, they asked some large trucks from the coal mine to bring some earth to lay the foundation. Unfortunately, his second brother, who was directing the truck's backing up, was pushed directly against the wall by the truck, and run over. He himself felt that his ribs had been broken. But several doctors did not find any injuries.
He later said that he felt some amazing sensation, like a wind, flowing though his body. He returned home and laid in bed for two days. By the third day, he was able to preach in church..
Li believe it was a miracle from God. This encouraged the believers to continue and finish the church's construction.
Some time later, he participated in a volunteer class of Shandong Theological Seminary, and now he has also been ordained and has embarked on a road of dedicated service.
Li's second elder sister's story
In 1984, Li's second elder sister had a business making and selling tofu. She had already gotten married and would feed her two pigs with soybean curd residue from her family's business. One time, she took the soybean curd residue that still contained the fermented drink made from the ground beans. Failing to make them into toufu, she and her husband drank the uncongealed beancurd. That night they both had stomach pains and around midnight felt very uncomfortable. Her husband even vomited.
She went to the hospital, got an injection and went home. Mark 16 says that if you drink anything deadly, it will not hurt you. Li's second elder sister and brother-in-law experienced this promise from Scripture. All the while, his sister was warm-hearted in her faith and her family were all Christians.
Elder Li's nephew's story
Elder Li's nephew is no more than a few years younger than him. When his nephew was still a kid, he fell down into a well because he was too young to step over it. While floating on the water with his legs in the air, he was later pulled out by four adults. The neighbors said that the well god had protected him, but the family knew it was the One in heaven who had protected him.
Elder Li said, his father was 94 when he left this world to be with the Lord, and had always been in good health. In 1996, he went out for a bike ride before a heavy snowfall. When it snowed, he stayed home and passed away the following day.
His mother was also very devout and loved God. When she was 14 years old, she experienced God first hand. At that time, she had stomach pain. Reminded by her grandfather that Jesus had been healthy for 33 years, she started to pray. From that day on, she has never been ill. Now, she is already 93 years old.
Current situation of Elder Li's family
Through different eras, before liberation to after liberation, and then into the opening up era, Elder Li's family has hosted many pastors and his mother's serving them is little known. The older mother often prayed for the marriage of her four sons. Then four sisters-in-law came to Elder Li's family and believed in the Lord.
Now Elder Li's children have all been baptized. His two grandchildren attend Sunday School. His son is so busy that he seldom goes to church, and his daughter is studying theology in eastern China.
Since 1990, Elder Li and his second eldest brother have for nearly 30 years been running a small factory together. They used the profits of the factory to build a church, support missionaries and do some Gospel-related work.
A few years ago, the CCC/TSPM in Zoucheng City, Shandong Province, needed 7 million RMB to build a main church. The two brothers donated a total of more than 3 million RMB which was all the assets of their factory at the time. Now the church owes about 1 million RMB in debt, but they are already planning to open a nursing home.
Elder Li said it is a pity that a lot of people now are not as zealous as before. People used to walk dozens of miles to attend a Bible study. However now they are reluctant to go to church, even if it is near their home. The more comfortably they live, the less their soul longs for God.
He also said that many Christians like to hear testimonies, but it is not enough to just listen to others. The most important is that everyone should have their own experience of God, without which one would not be able to stand in the face of great difficulties and setbacks.
If one had a life and death experience like his second eldest brother did, all other things that happen in life wouldl not matter much any longer.
However, he also said that everything cannot be generalized. Even thoug some don't have such an experience of God, they are still very enthusiastic. Like the believers in Macedonia who proved to be true believers, they were zealous and loved the Lord. "
It is true that serving God is not in vain, and laboring for the Lord is not futile (it is never wasted or of no purpose).
- Translated by Sophia Chen
从爷爷开始，到底下的孙子辈，山东邹城李建华长老一大家子已经是六代基督徒了。李长老在弟兄中排行老三，和二哥都是传道人。
五代同堂的一家人成为当地的美好见证。现在，父亲和爷爷已经离世归主，李长老本人也到花甲之年，他说，六代信主，不仅是因为家族信仰的传承，更因为每个人身上都是有着实实在在的经历。
爷爷的故事
爷爷是家里的第一个基督徒，当时在冯玉祥将军部下张子江连队当兵，张子江是一个基督徒，给每个士兵发了一本小圣经，在军旅生涯中，爷爷开始知道了天上的这位神。
在一次作战任务中，爷爷过江的时候不幸落水，绝望的爷爷开始向这位上帝祷告祈求，后来他伸手抓到了一个榆木疙瘩，爷爷获救，自此彻底归主，成为一名基督徒，后来他把这本小圣经带了回去。文革期间，家里的圣经都被查抄，这本小圣经放在鸡窝里没被收走，79年改革开放后允许聚会，这本圣经就成了宝贝。
李长老的故事
在那个特殊的年代，因为信主，李建华长老家里受管制，他因此没有上高中读书，但他并不埋怨，他说，这一切的环境都是经过神允许的。
李长老还记得，自己64年左右随家人参加聚会，后来教会停了，就开始在信徒家里聚会，再后来信徒家里也不让聚了。李长老就是在这个时候经历了神。
当时他长时间发烧，找赤脚医生，打了一个星期的青霉素都不退烧。本来家人准备带着去大医院看，母亲在做饭的时候，心里就有一个声音说，“这么大的医生你不求，去哪里还得这个针（治病的针）？”母亲恍然大悟，是呀，不聚会了都忘了祷告，后来一家人便一起祷告，做好饭，一家人正吃饭的时候，李长老就开始要水喝，喝了一碗水，吃完饭就没事了，他被医治了。
大哥的故事
79年改革开放，教会也逐渐开始恢复聚会，大哥却一直不太热心，因为他觉得圣经上很多话语自相矛盾，不能接受。大哥是木工，81年开始用砖建房子了，想到自己的房子还是土坯房，心里有点不太平衡，干活的时候一生气，不小心砍断了脚上的大筋，不能走路，去医院四十天，接上就烂，却总是接不上，不能正常走路。
人的尽头是神的开头，实在没有办法的大哥就回家求这位上帝。后来蒙了医治，现在大哥70多岁，脚上一点毛病都没有。
二哥的故事
98年，李长老（李长老和二哥一起经营着一家小工厂）、二哥和庄上的一些基督徒计划买地建教堂。建堂时他们找煤矿的大卡车拉土去垫地基。谁知，倒车的时候，指挥倒车的二哥被大车直接挤到墙上了，因为司机是小车司机，开大车不太熟悉，把二哥挤墙上后又直接被碾了一圈。当时二哥就听见肋骨“卡擦卡擦”响，血都往头上涌。
而好几个医生却没看出伤来。那边煤矿车队的经理赶过来对二哥说：“没事的，你信的上帝会保佑你的。”
二哥后来说，他当时就感觉有一阵清风进到自己里面，便拿掉氧气，回家了。二哥便躺床上，李长老继续指挥建教堂。第三天还能在礼拜上讲道。但是自己不能起来，需要有人扶。后来贴膏药才好。
李长老说，他们后来才明白这里面也有神的奥妙，如果一开始医院就看出来，就要住院接骨，这样的话，信徒建堂的心就会受影响，教堂就可能建不起来。而当时呢，虽然受了重伤，第三天就看着没事了，还能起来讲道，信徒就很受激励。
后来二哥参加了山东神学院义工班，现也按立了圣职，走上了专一事奉的道路。
二姐的故事
二姐的经历也很奇妙。八四年的时候，二姐在生产队上做豆腐，当时二姐已经结婚生子，家里养了两头大猪，平时就拉矿食堂的豆腐渣喂猪。有一次看豆腐渣流下来的水还很白，也就是说里面还有豆汁，能做个小豆腐，二姐便让小外甥去邻居家借盐卤，借的不太够，豆腐还不成个。后来二姐打算那就喝豆腐脑吧，两个孩子都闹着要喝。姐说睡觉去，明天还要上学，俩个大人喝了，后来还剩一点，就倒了喂猪了。
结果两人到了夜里就觉得胃就不好了，姐夫就往外吐，姐姐没吐出来，就觉得不舒服。第二天早上，姐姐要起来喂猪的时候，才发现两个猪都死掉了。后来发现邻居家小孩错给了老鼠药。
二姐去了医院，打了一针就回家了。马可福音16章里说：“若喝了什么毒物，也必不受害”，姐姐姐夫的经历正如经上说的一样。一直以来，姐姐信仰都很热心，一家人也都是基督徒。
侄儿的经历
侄儿和李长老差不了几岁，小时候一起玩，路过水井，大孩子一跨就过去了，侄儿还太小，一跨不小心掉进去了，结果就在水面上漂着，四脚朝天，只有中间沾一点水。后来四个大人手拉手下去把他救了上来。周围不信主的人就说是井神在保护他，但家人都知道，真正保护他的是天上我们信的那一位。
……
李长老说，父亲离世归主时94岁，身体一直很康健，96年下大雪之前天还出去骑车玩，下雪了就待在家里。第二天早上就安详的离世了。母亲也是很虔诚爱主的，母亲14岁经历神，当时正肚子疼，外公对外婆说的一句话，“你呀，没信心，耶稣在世上33年没生过病”，这句话进到她里面，她自己便做了一个祷告。“到现在为止，母亲已经93岁了，从未生过病”。
李长老一家人的现状
从解前到解放后，再到开放后，李长老一家接待了许多传道人，母亲都是默默无闻的服侍。老母亲常常为他们兄弟四个的婚姻祷告。妯娌四个来到李长老家里都信了主。
现在李长老的孩子们也受洗了，两个孙子也在上主日学，儿子太忙了，去教会的时间比较少，女儿则正在华东读神学。
从90年开始，李长老和二哥就一起做一个小工厂，做了近30年，用厂子的受益来建教堂，资助传道人，做一些福音工作。前几年，邹城市基督教两会需要建一个中心堂，需要700万，他和二哥把这些年厂子的所有资产共计300多万都拿了出来。现在他们这个堂还欠着100万左右的外债，但他们已经又开始筹备着要办养老院了。
李长老感慨道，现在很多人的爱心都冷淡了，以前人们走好几十里去听道，现在家门口都不乐意去，越安逸越不渴慕。
他感慨道，很多基督徒喜欢听见证，光听他人的见证不行，关键还是要有自己的经历，没有自己的经历的话，遇到一些大的患难、挫折就站立不住，特别是像二哥那样有过生死经历的话，什么都不叫事了。不过，李长老也说，凡事不能一概而论，有的没有经历，也很热心。像马其顿的信徒一样，经过自己的查考，说这是真信仰，他们也很热心，很爱主。“但侍奉不是徒然的，劳苦不落空，这个是真的。”
一家六代信主的见证：信仰不仅是家族传承，更需要实实在在的经历
Elder Li Jianhua, from Shandong province, lives in a family of five generations who are all Christians, with his grandfather being the first generation of Christian to his grandchildren. He is the third child in his family, and he and his second elder brother are both preachers.
They all have set good examples to the locals. Now, his grandfather and father have all passed away. Elder Li, at sixty years old, said that from his grandfather to his grandson, who are Christians, all have their own experience in Lord.
Elder Li's grandfather's story
Elder Li's grandfather is the first Christian in his family. When he was a soldier serving in Zhang Zijiang's company under general Feng Yuxiang, Zhang, a Christian, gave each solider a small Bible, by which his grandfather started to know God.
Once on a combat mission, grandfather fell into a river. In desperation, he began to pray to God. Thankfully, he reached out and caught a knot of the branch of an elm tree, pulled himself out and survived. After this, he committed himself to the Lord and became a Christian. Later, he returned to his hometown with the small Bible that he had gotten from Zhang. During the Cultural Revolution when all Bibles in his family were confiscated, it was the only one saved by hiding it in the chicken coop.
After the reform and China's opening up in 1979, religious activities were allowed, and this small Bible became a rare treasure.
Elder Li's Story
Due to the particular circumstances of that era and because he was a Christian, Elder Li was under his family's supervision. Therefore, he did not go to high school. He did however, not complain and trusted that all things he faced would not happen if God would forbid them.
He also remembered, around the year 1964, he went to a Bible study with his family members. Later, the church he went to stopped, and then he attended the Bible study at a believer's home, which later was also not allowed.
Right at about that time, Li's story of his encounter with God happened.
At that time, he had had a fever for a long time. He went to the doctor and took penicillin for a week, but he still didn't get better. While his mother was cooking, she heard a voice saying, "God is the best healer. Where else do you want to go?" She suddenly realized that ever since the Bible study had stopped, they had almost forgotten to pray to God. Thereupon, they prayed together. When they were eating the meal, Li asked for a bowl of water and after the meal, he recovered.
Li's eldest brother's story
When church restarted, Li's eldest brother was not active in this. He felt strongly that the Scriptures in the Bible contradicted each other, something he could not understand or accept.
At that time, he was a carpenter and started to build brick houses for others even though he was pleased with his own house. One day while working, by accident he carelessly cut off the large tendon on his foot and so could not walk. He stayed in the hospital for 40 days, but has failed to walk normally again even after repeated treatment.
There is an expression, "man's end is God's beginning". He went home and prayed and pleaded with God. Eventually his foot was healed. Today he is more than 70 years old with no trace of any problems with his foot.
Elder's second elder brother's story
In 1998, Li, together with his second brother and other Christians in his village purchased a piece of land to build a church.
While building the church, they asked some large trucks from the coal mine to bring some earth to lay the foundation. Unfortunately, his second brother, who was directing the truck's backing up, was pushed directly against the wall by the truck, and run over. He himself felt that his ribs had been broken. But several doctors did not find any injuries.
He later said that he felt some amazing sensation, like a wind, flowing though his body. He returned home and laid in bed for two days. By the third day, he was able to preach in church..
Li believe it was a miracle from God. This encouraged the believers to continue and finish the church's construction.
Some time later, he participated in a volunteer class of Shandong Theological Seminary, and now he has also been ordained and has embarked on a road of dedicated service.
Li's second elder sister's story
In 1984, Li's second elder sister had a business making and selling tofu. She had already gotten married and would feed her two pigs with soybean curd residue from her family's business. One time, she took the soybean curd residue that still contained the fermented drink made from the ground beans. Failing to make them into toufu, she and her husband drank the uncongealed beancurd. That night they both had stomach pains and around midnight felt very uncomfortable. Her husband even vomited.
She went to the hospital, got an injection and went home. Mark 16 says that if you drink anything deadly, it will not hurt you. Li's second elder sister and brother-in-law experienced this promise from Scripture. All the while, his sister was warm-hearted in her faith and her family were all Christians.
Elder Li's nephew's story
Elder Li's nephew is no more than a few years younger than him. When his nephew was still a kid, he fell down into a well because he was too young to step over it. While floating on the water with his legs in the air, he was later pulled out by four adults. The neighbors said that the well god had protected him, but the family knew it was the One in heaven who had protected him.
Elder Li said, his father was 94 when he left this world to be with the Lord, and had always been in good health. In 1996, he went out for a bike ride before a heavy snowfall. When it snowed, he stayed home and passed away the following day.
His mother was also very devout and loved God. When she was 14 years old, she experienced God first hand. At that time, she had stomach pain. Reminded by her grandfather that Jesus had been healthy for 33 years, she started to pray. From that day on, she has never been ill. Now, she is already 93 years old.
Current situation of Elder Li's family
Through different eras, before liberation to after liberation, and then into the opening up era, Elder Li's family has hosted many pastors and his mother's serving them is little known. The older mother often prayed for the marriage of her four sons. Then four sisters-in-law came to Elder Li's family and believed in the Lord.
Now Elder Li's children have all been baptized. His two grandchildren attend Sunday School. His son is so busy that he seldom goes to church, and his daughter is studying theology in eastern China.
Since 1990, Elder Li and his second eldest brother have for nearly 30 years been running a small factory together. They used the profits of the factory to build a church, support missionaries and do some Gospel-related work.
A few years ago, the CCC/TSPM in Zoucheng City, Shandong Province, needed 7 million RMB to build a main church. The two brothers donated a total of more than 3 million RMB which was all the assets of their factory at the time. Now the church owes about 1 million RMB in debt, but they are already planning to open a nursing home.
Elder Li said it is a pity that a lot of people now are not as zealous as before. People used to walk dozens of miles to attend a Bible study. However now they are reluctant to go to church, even if it is near their home. The more comfortably they live, the less their soul longs for God.
He also said that many Christians like to hear testimonies, but it is not enough to just listen to others. The most important is that everyone should have their own experience of God, without which one would not be able to stand in the face of great difficulties and setbacks.
If one had a life and death experience like his second eldest brother did, all other things that happen in life wouldl not matter much any longer.
However, he also said that everything cannot be generalized. Even thoug some don't have such an experience of God, they are still very enthusiastic. Like the believers in Macedonia who proved to be true believers, they were zealous and loved the Lord. "
It is true that serving God is not in vain, and laboring for the Lord is not futile (it is never wasted or of no purpose).
- Translated by Sophia Chen
Testimony from Five Generation Christian Family: Faith Is Real Experience, Not Just Family Inheritance
