God’s grace and blessings never ceased during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Members of Beijing Nankou Church shared their testimonies of life under the COVID-19 pandemic.
The testimonies were about faith, prayer, spiritual growth, family relations, and social service.
Brother L from Shahe Church: "My story with the Shahe Church"
Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Brother L ran into an awkward situation when he was required to be home quarantined after returning to Beijing for work.
As all restaurants were closed and take-away services were stopped, he had to cook by himself. Unfortunately, the range hood in the kitchen didn’t work well, which made the apartment smelly. Then he bought a high quality exhaust hood from an online store.
Since the machine needed to be installed by a professional, he had no idea what to do because his community prohibited any non-resident from entering it.
Feeling helpess, he suddenly remembered his church had an electric tool which was necessary for the installation. He borrowed it from an elder and then the hood was successfully assembled. He was full of joy and thanks.
Sister X from Beiya Meeting Point: “The Lord establishes our steps”
God gave a precious verse to Sister X on the first day of 2020: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
As a spiritual infant in the Lord, she could not understand that verse because she insisted that everything she had was because of herown efforts.
However, the sudden pandemic forced her to meditate again on God’s word.
She confessed that people could make plans for their life, but their life’s path was determined by God. Sometimes God guides our life through unexpected changes, which causes us to change our plans. The Lord had led her to read the Bible and pray with her child.
Brother L from Hongfuyuan Meeting point: “I speak to please God”
It was four months ago when China imposed a lockdown in Wuhan. All the on-site religious activities were suspended, but Christians in China could attend online services.
Brother L was confused about how to lead services for the Lord. He prayed to God and 1 Thessalonians 2:4 came to his attention: “On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.”
The revelation which pricked his heart, “speak to please God,” became the guideline for his online ministry.
In live broadcast groups, he could not see anybody’s face and did God’s work silently. He said that he really needed to look upon God rather than people and to please God, not others.
He has written and preached 15 sermons for the practical needs of the congregation.
Sister S from Changping Meeting Point: “Be cautious of my tongue - rebuilding a healthy family”
For years, the family of Sister S was in chaos. As her daughter grew older, for years she complained of her hard feelings and grievances to her child.
Growing up in a quarreling family, her daughter had to endure her complaints. During the pandemic, the Holy Spirit rebuked her when she was trying to say something bad about her husband. She had an epiphany that grumbling would make the tense relationship between her daughter and the father worse and not good for family relations.
“Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect (James 3:2),” she thanked God for transforming her life.
“Thanks to the change in my life that the Lord has done, I speak words of blessing about her father to her. This gives her a good image of her father and she knows that he is a father who is responsible for their family and loves her. Then she can feel safe and have faith and hope in her future marriage.”
Sister Y from Xingshou Meeting Point: “Pass the Lord’s love”
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:1,4)
The family of Sister Y experienced joy and peace amid the sudden pandemic that interrupted people’s regular life.
On the snowy early morning of February 3, 2020, she received a notice saying that her community was recruiting volunteers who were supposed to help residents register to receive a pass so they could enter the neighborhood compound.
Nobody registered because the coronavirus pandemic was very severe then. She earnestly prayed on her knees, “Lord! I would like to what I can for the community security. I ask that the Lord will open a way for me and keep me safe all the time.”
After the prayer, she laid down all her concerns. Wearing a cold coat and a mask, she came to the neighborhood committee. As the only volunteer, the moment she saw many residents queued in a long line for registration, warmth flooded her heart. She starting work.
Back home in the evening, her husband waited to eat until she returned so they could enjoy the prepared dinner together.
- Translated by Karen Luo
北京一教堂举办摄影展与分享见证活动
疫情期间，上帝的恩典与赐福没有停止。
北京基督教会南口堂先后号召弟兄姊妹参与“疫情中的感恩生活”主题摄影展及“疫情中的美好见证”分享活动。
摄影展分为“抗击疫情”“灵修生活”“信徒相爱”“家庭生活”“亲子时光”“运动春游”“美丽风景”七大主题。
本文图集为部分弟兄姊妹的摄影作品。
见证分享活动分为“信心祷告篇”“灵命成长篇”“家庭和睦篇”“服务社会篇”。
以下为部分弟兄姊妹的分享见证。
沙河聚会点L弟兄“我和沙河教会”：
【腓4：6-7】应当一无挂虑，只要凡事借着祷告、祈求和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神。
神所赐出人意外的平安，必在基督耶稣里，保守你们的心怀意念。
疫情期间经历尴尬遭遇，当我回到北京，准备上班时，按照防控要求需要居家隔离14天。
由于外边饭店没开门，外卖也暂停，只能自己做饭，家里油烟机又不给力，搞得满屋子（公寓式）很大味道，于是自己在网上买了个高配油烟机。
必须由专业师傅来安装，可是小区规定疫情防控期间，本小区以外人员不能入内，如此尬遇让我不知所措。
正一筹莫展时，突然想到教会有个电锤，便和L长老联系借用，顺利借到，成功安装，心内无不喜乐感恩。
北亚聚会点X姐妹“耶和华指引我们的脚步”：
【箴16：9】人心筹算自己的道路，惟耶和华指引他的脚步。
2020年的第一天神赏赐给我一句宝贵的话语：“人心筹算自己的道路，惟耶和华指引他的脚步。”
对于一个在主里还是婴孩的我，不能理解这句话，因为我觉得，今天所拥有的都是自己努力得来的。
但是2020年突如其来的疫情，让我重新默想神的话语。
是的，人可以为自己的人生做计划，但最终要走的人生道路由神决定，神有时通过突如其来的变化引导我们人生方向，年前做好的计划一下子全都打乱。
感谢主在这特殊时期藉着祂的话语引领我和孩子一起读经祷告。
宏福苑聚会点L弟兄“照样讲，讨神的喜欢”：
【帖前2：4】但神既然验中了我们，把福音托付我们，我们就照样讲，不是要讨人的喜欢，乃是要讨那察验我们心的神喜欢。
武汉封城至今已经四个多月的时间了，虽然疫情环境下信徒不能像以往那样正常聚会，但我们可以藉着网络直播聚会敬拜。
在“网络直播群”中当怎样摆上自己为主作工呢？
起初，我也有些迷茫困惑，于是我向神祷告。
祷告后读经，帖前2：4节的经文入眼入心：“但神既然验中了我们，把福音托付我们，我们就照样讲，不是要讨人喜欢，乃是要讨那察验我们心的神喜欢。”
“照样讲，讨神的喜欢”，扎心的启示成为我在疫情当中事工的指南。
是啊，“网络直播群”中做工，看不见人，一个人在家默默去做，真的需要看神不看人，讨的是神的喜欢不是人的喜欢。
有了如此的看见，我就依然像疫情之前聚会那样，每一次在直播群中带领敬拜，都同样证道分享神的话语。
截止目前，针对疫情环境和众肢体灵命建造的实际需要，已先后撰写并宣讲了15篇讲章。
昌平聚会点S姐妹“谨守口舌——重建和谐家庭”：
【雅各书3：9-10】我们用舌头颂赞那为主、为父的，又用舌头咒诅那照着 神形象被造的人，颂赞和咒诅从一个口里出来，我的弟兄们，这是不应当的。
多年来我的家庭一直不和谐，随着孩子的渐渐长大，心中的怨气和委屈不免和孩子说，这样的光景持续有数年之久。
孩子生长在不和谐家庭本来受其伤害，还要承接来自母亲的诉苦，疫情期间当我再说她爸爸不好时，圣灵光照责备我，我顿时悔悟，在神面前认罪。
孩子本来和她爸关系紧张，在我这里又听到关于她爸爸的负面消息，更加剧父女间裂痕，更无益于家庭关系的改善。
“若有人在话语上没有过失，他就是完全人”，感谢主翻转我的生命，从主那里支取爱的力量。
因主对我的改变，我在孩子面前说祝福她爸爸的话，树立他好的形象，让孩子看到爸爸是对家庭负责的爸爸、爱她的爸爸，让孩子有安全感，对今后自己的婚姻充满信心和憧憬。
兴寿聚会点Y姐妹“传递主爱”：
【诗23:1】耶和华是我的牧者，我必不至缺乏。
【诗23:4】我虽然行过死荫幽谷，也不怕遭害，因为你与同在，你的仗，你的杆，都安慰我。
一场突如其来的新冠肺炎疫情打乱了人们的生活节奏，但我和我的家人却感受到一种喜乐、平安。
2020年2月3日的清晨，大雪纷飞，我收到了社区居委会发来的通知，给小区居民办理出入登记证。
当时疫情很严重，没有人报名，我转身去了卧室，跪下来恳切地祷告说：“主啊！
我愿意在这危急时刻为社区安全做一些力所能及的事，求主在此事上为我开通道路，保守我一切安全。”
祷告完后，我放下一切的顾虑，穿上棉服，戴上口罩，来到了居委会。
当我看到现场除了居委会工作人员外，只有我一人志愿者，看到社区居民排成长队都在等待办理出入证时，一股热流涌入心中，开始忙碌起来。
到了晚上，回到家中，老公早已把晚饭准备好了，等我回来一起吃。
God’s grace and blessings never ceased during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Members of Beijing Nankou Church shared their testimonies of life under the COVID-19 pandemic.
The testimonies were about faith, prayer, spiritual growth, family relations, and social service.
Brother L from Shahe Church: "My story with the Shahe Church"
Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Brother L ran into an awkward situation when he was required to be home quarantined after returning to Beijing for work.
As all restaurants were closed and take-away services were stopped, he had to cook by himself. Unfortunately, the range hood in the kitchen didn’t work well, which made the apartment smelly. Then he bought a high quality exhaust hood from an online store.
Since the machine needed to be installed by a professional, he had no idea what to do because his community prohibited any non-resident from entering it.
Feeling helpess, he suddenly remembered his church had an electric tool which was necessary for the installation. He borrowed it from an elder and then the hood was successfully assembled. He was full of joy and thanks.
Sister X from Beiya Meeting Point: “The Lord establishes our steps”
God gave a precious verse to Sister X on the first day of 2020: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
As a spiritual infant in the Lord, she could not understand that verse because she insisted that everything she had was because of herown efforts.
However, the sudden pandemic forced her to meditate again on God’s word.
She confessed that people could make plans for their life, but their life’s path was determined by God. Sometimes God guides our life through unexpected changes, which causes us to change our plans. The Lord had led her to read the Bible and pray with her child.
Brother L from Hongfuyuan Meeting point: “I speak to please God”
It was four months ago when China imposed a lockdown in Wuhan. All the on-site religious activities were suspended, but Christians in China could attend online services.
Brother L was confused about how to lead services for the Lord. He prayed to God and 1 Thessalonians 2:4 came to his attention: “On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.”
The revelation which pricked his heart, “speak to please God,” became the guideline for his online ministry.
In live broadcast groups, he could not see anybody’s face and did God’s work silently. He said that he really needed to look upon God rather than people and to please God, not others.
He has written and preached 15 sermons for the practical needs of the congregation.
Sister S from Changping Meeting Point: “Be cautious of my tongue - rebuilding a healthy family”
For years, the family of Sister S was in chaos. As her daughter grew older, for years she complained of her hard feelings and grievances to her child.
Growing up in a quarreling family, her daughter had to endure her complaints. During the pandemic, the Holy Spirit rebuked her when she was trying to say something bad about her husband. She had an epiphany that grumbling would make the tense relationship between her daughter and the father worse and not good for family relations.
“Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect (James 3:2),” she thanked God for transforming her life.
“Thanks to the change in my life that the Lord has done, I speak words of blessing about her father to her. This gives her a good image of her father and she knows that he is a father who is responsible for their family and loves her. Then she can feel safe and have faith and hope in her future marriage.”
Sister Y from Xingshou Meeting Point: “Pass the Lord’s love”
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:1,4)
The family of Sister Y experienced joy and peace amid the sudden pandemic that interrupted people’s regular life.
On the snowy early morning of February 3, 2020, she received a notice saying that her community was recruiting volunteers who were supposed to help residents register to receive a pass so they could enter the neighborhood compound.
Nobody registered because the coronavirus pandemic was very severe then. She earnestly prayed on her knees, “Lord! I would like to what I can for the community security. I ask that the Lord will open a way for me and keep me safe all the time.”
After the prayer, she laid down all her concerns. Wearing a cold coat and a mask, she came to the neighborhood committee. As the only volunteer, the moment she saw many residents queued in a long line for registration, warmth flooded her heart. She starting work.
Back home in the evening, her husband waited to eat until she returned so they could enjoy the prepared dinner together.
- Translated by Karen Luo
Church Members Share Moving Stories during COVID-19 Lockdown
