Since the churches in Baoji, China's northwestern Shaanxi Province, resumed in-person worship services on June 14, 67 churches in this city have successively resumed Sunday services.
On July 5, the first Communion service since worship services resumed was held at Jiajia Village, Guo Town, Chencang District. There are similarities and differences between rural Christian churches and urban churches. Congregations in the rural churches are with earthy fragrance. Their worship shows their humble, honest, true love, respect and praise of the Lord.
The predecessor of the church in Chencang District, Baoji was Guo Town Church, which was founded in 1943. The church began with a small courtyard that could only accommodate ten persons but is now a four-floor structure of brick and concrete built in a bungalow style. Nearly more than 300 believers can gather in the 700 square meter structure which includes space for dining and accommodation.
Sister Zhang, 82 years of old, testified that after she became a Christian, her whole family also came to the Lord. She said that before she believed in the Lord, she suffered from a variety of ailments, including migraines, severe insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, a weak heart, sore back and legs, and eye problems. Since she couldn’t care for her daughter she gave her youngest daughter to others to care for. After she believed in the Lord, she was cured of these diseases and reunited with her youngest daughter.
Sister Zhang added that has been a person of strong character all her life. She was baptized as a Christian in the fall of 1990. In the first 10 years, she worked as an accountant in a company. After becoming a Christian she worked as a deacon in a church for the first 10 years. In the next ten years she began a preaching ministry after going to the Baoji Huoquan Church for training at the age of 60. After she turned 70 she began to work in the church as a receptionist.
As a receptionist she welcomes people to the church. She gets a lot of exercise as she hosts people, showing them where to go and helping them find their way when they come to church. During the past 11 winters she has never caught a cold even though she hasn’t worn the usual warm, padded clothing made of cotton.
Sister Zhang keeps sharing the Gospel every day. She said that except for church time, she gets up at 4:30 every morning, prays at 5 o 'clock, and starts to read the Bible after washing her face. After 9:30, she will take a walk to the park near her home for exercise. During this period, if there is an opportunity to talk to others, she will tell them how her physical illnesses improved after she believed in the Lord. Finally, she will teach others the Bible and the peace and blessings that they too can receive from believing in Jesus.
In the past 31 years, she estimates that she has preached the Gospel to more than 2,000 people. Even though the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible for people to go to church, and unable to get out of the house, she preached the Gospel to others on the phone. Every now and then, she calls the children of relatives in distant places, and tells them the blessings and peace of Jesus.
In the past few weeks she invited her grandson to attend church where he listened to the sermon and believed in Jesus.
- Translated by Sophia Chen
宝鸡陈仓区虢镇基督教会举行复堂后第一个圣餐主日聚会
宝鸡市基督教界自2020年6月14日恢复实体聚会以来，在这20多天时间里，全市共67所基督教堂已陆续平安恢复主日实体聚会活动。
7月5日这天，陈仓区虢镇贾家崖村举行了的第一个圣餐主日聚会，也是第四个主日。感受到了农村基督教会与城市教会既相同也有其不同之处。农村弟兄姊妹带有泥土香味，有谦卑憨厚、实实在在的爱主、敬主、赞美主的崇拜风格！
宝鸡陈仓区虢镇基督教会的前身，为宝鸡县基督教虢镇教会，成立于1943年。由当年十多人的租借虢镇城权家巷小院落，发展到今天总建筑面积达已达到700多平方米、可满足近300多信徒聚会、吃饭、住宿需求的砖混结构四层楼房及板材钢瓦平房主堂。
张兰姊妹今年82岁了，分享道，她自己信主后，全家都信主了。她说她信主前，患了多样病，有偏头痛、严重失眠、肠胃病、心脏衰弱、腰酸腿疼，还有眼疾，最小的女儿给了人。她说她信主后，这些病全好了，给了人的小女儿也和她相认了。
张姊妹接着说，她这一辈子性格是个要强的人。过去在单位是个好职工。在1990年秋天受洗成了基督徒。信主前10年在单位当会计，信主后30年来，第一个10年在教会作了10年执事；第二个10年，是60岁那年到宝鸡活泉堂参加培训后，回来后做讲道事工。这第三个10年，因为已经到了70岁，干上了教会做接待工作，这一干，又是过了10年。
干教会接待工作，要在教会门口迎来送去，她的身体也得到了锻炼。这过来的11个冬天，她从来不穿绵衣绵袄，连感冒都没有。
张姊妹每天坚持传福音。她说她只要不来教会，她每天早晨4：30起床，5：00开始祷告，洗完脸后，开始读圣经；9:30后，到离家不远的公园去散步锻炼身体。走在路上和在公园散步锻炼时，碰上那些能搭上话的人，先讲如何健康身体，如果能说到一块去了，就给他们讲自己信主前是如何如何有病，信主后，身体一天比一天棒。接着讲圣经，讲信主后得耶稣祝福的平安、福分。
初步算下来，31年来，能传福音二千多人（次）。在疫情期间，去不了教会，但也没有使这项事工停止。因出不了门，她就在电话上传福音。几乎是隔三差五的给那些远房把我叫姑婆、叫姨婆的孩子们打电话，在电话里讲信耶稣得祝福、得平安好处。就在前两个礼拜，就有把她叫姨婆的外孙子来教会，听道信耶稣了。
Since the churches in Baoji, China's northwestern Shaanxi Province, resumed in-person worship services on June 14, 67 churches in this city have successively resumed Sunday services.
On July 5, the first Communion service since worship services resumed was held at Jiajia Village, Guo Town, Chencang District. There are similarities and differences between rural Christian churches and urban churches. Congregations in the rural churches are with earthy fragrance. Their worship shows their humble, honest, true love, respect and praise of the Lord.
The predecessor of the church in Chencang District, Baoji was Guo Town Church, which was founded in 1943. The church began with a small courtyard that could only accommodate ten persons but is now a four-floor structure of brick and concrete built in a bungalow style. Nearly more than 300 believers can gather in the 700 square meter structure which includes space for dining and accommodation.
Sister Zhang, 82 years of old, testified that after she became a Christian, her whole family also came to the Lord. She said that before she believed in the Lord, she suffered from a variety of ailments, including migraines, severe insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, a weak heart, sore back and legs, and eye problems. Since she couldn’t care for her daughter she gave her youngest daughter to others to care for. After she believed in the Lord, she was cured of these diseases and reunited with her youngest daughter.
Sister Zhang added that has been a person of strong character all her life. She was baptized as a Christian in the fall of 1990. In the first 10 years, she worked as an accountant in a company. After becoming a Christian she worked as a deacon in a church for the first 10 years. In the next ten years she began a preaching ministry after going to the Baoji Huoquan Church for training at the age of 60. After she turned 70 she began to work in the church as a receptionist.
As a receptionist she welcomes people to the church. She gets a lot of exercise as she hosts people, showing them where to go and helping them find their way when they come to church. During the past 11 winters she has never caught a cold even though she hasn’t worn the usual warm, padded clothing made of cotton.
Sister Zhang keeps sharing the Gospel every day. She said that except for church time, she gets up at 4:30 every morning, prays at 5 o 'clock, and starts to read the Bible after washing her face. After 9:30, she will take a walk to the park near her home for exercise. During this period, if there is an opportunity to talk to others, she will tell them how her physical illnesses improved after she believed in the Lord. Finally, she will teach others the Bible and the peace and blessings that they too can receive from believing in Jesus.
In the past 31 years, she estimates that she has preached the Gospel to more than 2,000 people. Even though the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible for people to go to church, and unable to get out of the house, she preached the Gospel to others on the phone. Every now and then, she calls the children of relatives in distant places, and tells them the blessings and peace of Jesus.
In the past few weeks she invited her grandson to attend church where he listened to the sermon and believed in Jesus.
- Translated by Sophia Chen
Baoji Church Holds the First Communion Service after Lockdown
