Danyang in Jiangsu Province is an ancient and historical city rich in culture. In the city, a new church called Xinqiao Town Christian Church has been constructed, which can accommodate nearly 2,000 people. Its head, Elder Chen Lingdi, testifies about her journey to faith.
Forty years ago, she was haunted by a strange disease but became healthy ever since she believed in God.
Elder Chen, the head of Xinqiao Church, is 75 years old but just looks like a forty or fifty-year-old. She became a Christian whilst being haunted by an obscure disease. Forty years ago, Elder Chen became pregnant at only 24, but her husband, a school principal, worked away from home. She was afraid of being at home alone. Later, Chen's state developed to a point where she felt scared of seeing or hearing anything. Since then, it had been restless day or night for her, and she couldn’t sleep well. Her doctor said it was neurosis but taking many pills had no effect. After the birth of the child, her illness became even worse. She couldn’t sleep at all. Due to a sore throat, she couldn’t eat. She had been suffering from the illness for 13 years. She was so skinny that she literally became a “bag of bones”.
Apart from physical pains, there were emotional tortures too. Because of her illness, people wouldn’t associate with her, and she made no friends. In order not to be a burden to her husband, she asked for a divorce. Her husband refused it and that was very encouraging to her. After that, she continued to seek treatment. No matter whether it was witch-craft or worshipping Buddha statues, there was no success.
Later, a relative of hers named Gu advised her to believe in Jesus, and Chen, who was so haunted and tortured, immediately expressed her willingness to believe in him. Since then, she began to attend church services in Changzhou, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Slowly she felt relaxed physically and mentally and became happy in her heart. She could also enjoy good meals once again and gradually her health began to recover.
Since her conversion to Christianity, Chen returned to her hometown, Xinqiao Town. There she was very sad to see no churches or worshippers. First, she went to the old Danyang Gospel Church for Sunday services. Then, she was moved to organize gatherings herself. The first gathering had only five people. They sang hymns, read scriptures, and prayed together. In the second gathering, there were as many as 53 people. With the increasing number of believers, they began to rent places to meet in. By 1992, they had finally raised funds to build the current church, which covered an area of about 3 mu (roughly half an acre) and accommodated more than 300 people. Later, she was assigned as an elder.
As the number of believers increased, different places were either building new churches or expanding existing houses. Danyang City was doing the same. Other towns such as Licheng, Lucheng, and Daoshu, started building new churches too. Similarly, Xinqiao Church could no longer meet the growing religious needs of believers. Many years ago, the church had begun to pray for the construction of a new church, asking the Lord to prepare the site. At that time, there was a piece of land of about eight mu (1.32 acres) next to the church. Elder Chen hoped that it could be allocated to the church so that the old church could be expanded for further use.
But there were many difficulties: First, would the landowners be willing to sell the land? Second, there were 60 tombs in the land. How were they going to handle them? Thirdly, there were rugged slopes, ponds, and reeds, which needed to be filled up. The first two issues seemed to be impossible to solve, but with faith, she began to lead her colleagues to pray in the reeds of that land.
They prayed for six years. In the seventh year, the first problem was solved. The next issue was that of the 60 graves. While praying, they communicated with the grave owners and promised to pay them for relocation. In just one or two weeks, the problem was settled. The church finally started construction in 2014.
The whole construction cost more than 16 million yuan, and with a total area of 5,400 square meters, the church can accommodate 2,000 seats. Next to it, a three-story annex room was built, including a training center, canteen, dining room, office, and dormitory, etc. A dedication ceremony was held at the end of 2015.
Her faith testimony and the story of building the church were originally published on the website of Nanjing Mochou Road Church by Li Lan Cheng, the senior pastor of. Pastor Li said that Elder Chen being used by the Lord just like a "Deborah" in the present era. He used a short poem to comment on her testimony:
“From a 'bag of bones',
To a modern 'Deborah',
Preaching and building from stones,
Honor be to God and blessing to men.”
- Translated by Charlie Li
江苏省丹阳市是一座具有悠久历史的文化古城。在这里，容纳近2000人的新桥镇基督教堂新堂已经建成，而教会负责人陈玲娣长老分享了自己的信仰见证。
四十年前怪病缠身，一朝信主身心康泰
新桥教会的负责人陈长老，今年75岁，看上去却只有四五十岁。她是在邪魔病痛中信主蒙恩的。40多年前，陈长老才24岁，身怀有孕，身为某学校校长的丈夫在外工作，她一人在家害怕，后来发展到看到什么、听到什么，都是吓人的。从此昼夜不宁，寝食难安。看医生说是神经官能症，吃了很多药都没有效果。孩子出生后，病情更加变本加厉，昼夜不能入睡，喉咙生疮不能进食，一直受病痛13年，瘦的皮包着骨，人称“柴骨头”。
与身体上的痛苦相比，还有感情上的伤害。因为生病，导致人见人厌，没有什么朋友。为了不拖累丈夫，她想离婚。丈夫拒绝了，因为婚约的不离不弃让她很感动。之后继续求医治病，却收效甚微，无论是请巫婆来看，或者烧香拜像。
之后一名顾姓的亲戚劝陈信主，被怪病缠磨痛苦的她当即表示愿意相信，之后开始到常州教会、上海沐恩堂，杭州教会参加聚会，慢慢感觉身心轻松，心灵喜乐。也可以好好吃饭了，身体开始渐渐康复。
家乡传道五人聚会，渐渐成长建立教堂
信主后，陈回到家乡新桥镇，看到这里没有教堂，也没有礼拜，非常难过。她开始时到丹阳老福音堂聚会，后来有感动组织聚会。第一次聚会仅有5个人参加，她们一起唱诗、读经、祷告，第二次聚会时便多达53个人，随着信徒增多，他们开始租地方聚会。到1992年时，终于集资建了现在用的教堂，教堂占地3亩左右，可容纳300多人。后来，她被按立为长老。
芦苇丛中祷告六年，迁坟六十再建新堂
随着信徒增多，各地都在建设教堂或扩建新堂，丹阳市也建成新的福音堂。其他的镇如郫城、吕城、导墅等都建成新堂或正在建堂。同样，新桥教堂也不能再满足日益增长的信徒的宗教需要。多年前，新桥教堂就开始为建设新堂祷告，求主预备地点。当时在教堂旁边，有一块大约八亩面积的地，希望可征收过来建堂，这样老堂可以继续使用。
可是其中困难重重，首先是三个困难要解决。一、这些人家愿不愿意卖？二、里面还有60个坟茔，如何交涉？三、里面有高低不平的坡陇，水塘、芦苇丛，需要填平。尤其前两个看起来简直不能解决，但是带着信心，陈玲娣长老开始带着同工到那块地的芦苇丛中去祷告。
这一祷告就是祷告了六年。第七年，第一个问题解决了，其次是60多个坟，大家一边祷告，一边通过当地人给坟主做工作，给予60个坟补偿，仅一、两个礼拜，问题就得到了解决。教堂终于于2014年开始建设.
整个建设耗费1600多万，总面积5400平方米，可容纳2000座位。旁边还建了三层楼的附属房，有培训中心、食堂、餐厅、办公室、宿舍等。于2015年底举行献堂典礼。
注：陈长老的信仰见证以及建堂经过由南京莫愁路堂李兰成主任牧师整理发布于莫愁路堂网站。李牧师表示，陈玲娣长老犹如当今时代的底波拉一样被主使用，他用一首短诗评价陈长老和她的见证：“当年病弱‘柴骨头’，现为巾帼底波拉。传道授业建圣殿，荣神益人品行佳。”
【见证】江苏丹阳陈玲娣长老：当年病弱‘柴骨头’，现为巾帼底波拉
Danyang in Jiangsu Province is an ancient and historical city rich in culture. In the city, a new church called Xinqiao Town Christian Church has been constructed, which can accommodate nearly 2,000 people. Its head, Elder Chen Lingdi, testifies about her journey to faith.
Forty years ago, she was haunted by a strange disease but became healthy ever since she believed in God.
Elder Chen, the head of Xinqiao Church, is 75 years old but just looks like a forty or fifty-year-old. She became a Christian whilst being haunted by an obscure disease. Forty years ago, Elder Chen became pregnant at only 24, but her husband, a school principal, worked away from home. She was afraid of being at home alone. Later, Chen's state developed to a point where she felt scared of seeing or hearing anything. Since then, it had been restless day or night for her, and she couldn’t sleep well. Her doctor said it was neurosis but taking many pills had no effect. After the birth of the child, her illness became even worse. She couldn’t sleep at all. Due to a sore throat, she couldn’t eat. She had been suffering from the illness for 13 years. She was so skinny that she literally became a “bag of bones”.
Apart from physical pains, there were emotional tortures too. Because of her illness, people wouldn’t associate with her, and she made no friends. In order not to be a burden to her husband, she asked for a divorce. Her husband refused it and that was very encouraging to her. After that, she continued to seek treatment. No matter whether it was witch-craft or worshipping Buddha statues, there was no success.
Later, a relative of hers named Gu advised her to believe in Jesus, and Chen, who was so haunted and tortured, immediately expressed her willingness to believe in him. Since then, she began to attend church services in Changzhou, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Slowly she felt relaxed physically and mentally and became happy in her heart. She could also enjoy good meals once again and gradually her health began to recover.
Since her conversion to Christianity, Chen returned to her hometown, Xinqiao Town. There she was very sad to see no churches or worshippers. First, she went to the old Danyang Gospel Church for Sunday services. Then, she was moved to organize gatherings herself. The first gathering had only five people. They sang hymns, read scriptures, and prayed together. In the second gathering, there were as many as 53 people. With the increasing number of believers, they began to rent places to meet in. By 1992, they had finally raised funds to build the current church, which covered an area of about 3 mu (roughly half an acre) and accommodated more than 300 people. Later, she was assigned as an elder.
As the number of believers increased, different places were either building new churches or expanding existing houses. Danyang City was doing the same. Other towns such as Licheng, Lucheng, and Daoshu, started building new churches too. Similarly, Xinqiao Church could no longer meet the growing religious needs of believers. Many years ago, the church had begun to pray for the construction of a new church, asking the Lord to prepare the site. At that time, there was a piece of land of about eight mu (1.32 acres) next to the church. Elder Chen hoped that it could be allocated to the church so that the old church could be expanded for further use.
But there were many difficulties: First, would the landowners be willing to sell the land? Second, there were 60 tombs in the land. How were they going to handle them? Thirdly, there were rugged slopes, ponds, and reeds, which needed to be filled up. The first two issues seemed to be impossible to solve, but with faith, she began to lead her colleagues to pray in the reeds of that land.
They prayed for six years. In the seventh year, the first problem was solved. The next issue was that of the 60 graves. While praying, they communicated with the grave owners and promised to pay them for relocation. In just one or two weeks, the problem was settled. The church finally started construction in 2014.
The whole construction cost more than 16 million yuan, and with a total area of 5,400 square meters, the church can accommodate 2,000 seats. Next to it, a three-story annex room was built, including a training center, canteen, dining room, office, and dormitory, etc. A dedication ceremony was held at the end of 2015.
Her faith testimony and the story of building the church were originally published on the website of Nanjing Mochou Road Church by Li Lan Cheng, the senior pastor of. Pastor Li said that Elder Chen being used by the Lord just like a "Deborah" in the present era. He used a short poem to comment on her testimony:
“From a 'bag of bones',
To a modern 'Deborah',
Preaching and building from stones,
Honor be to God and blessing to men.”
- Translated by Charlie Li
[Testimony] Grassroots Church Elder: From a ‘Bag of Bones’ to Heroic ‘Deborah’
