A church in a village in China’s northeastern Liaoning Province has attracted believers from several neighborhood villages, some of whom have to travel up to 10 kilometers in order to attend the gatherings.
On Sunday, August 21, Elder Liu Li, leader of Lingshan Church in Lishan District, Anshan City, Liaoning Province, drove 25 kilometers to preach in the Sunday worship at the meeting point in Yaotun Village, Datun Town, Qianshan District, Anshan City.
Located in the southern suburbs of Anshan City, Yaotun is a small mountain village famous for its abundance of Nanguo pears.
Right before arriving at the church, Elder Liu saw two elderly female believers at 74 and 82 years old respectively pushing their bicycles on foot which were used as both crutches and "walkers”, given their physical conditions. After being asked if they were tired after walking over five kilometers, they said, "Thank God, I am not tired! It is His grace that we can still attend the service."
The church leaders explained that this meeting place with God has a history of more than 20 years. At first, gatherings were held in the home of a female believer surnamed Ma and other members. As the number of believers grew, the church moved and expanded to this new location. Believers have done their best to make offerings and build the new church.
The completed church covers a construction area of more than 1,000 square meters (0.27 acres), including the main building of over 500 square meters (0.135 acres) and two auxiliary buildings. The indoor facilities are complete, encompassing audio systems, seats, and fans. With two air-source heat pumps, churchgoers attending onsite meetings in the church will not feel cold in winter. The meeting point has attracted believers from several surrounding villages, such as Shipailu Village, Dongbaishi Village, Xibaishi Village, Dongfangshen Village, and Yingbuluo Village. Ma, one of the original founders of the church claims that there are more than 100 believers, some of whom come from as far as more than 10 kilometers away.
Elder Liu Li, sent by Anshan Municipal Christian Council, delivered a sermon titled "What I Want", which split into seven different points.
(Reported by a special contributor of the Gospel Times in Anshan, Liaoning Province)
- Translated by Shuya Wang
在中国东北的辽宁省的一个乡村教会信徒遍及附近几个村，最远的走20多里路来聚会。
2022年8月21日主日，由辽宁省鞍山市立山区灵山基督教会的负责人柳利长老驾车25公里，来到了千山区大屯镇腰屯村基督教聚会点参加主日崇拜。腰屯村，位于鞍山市郊南部，这是一个以盛产南国梨闻名的小山村
车行驶在快到教堂的路上，2位老女信徒推着自行车行走，一个74岁，一个82岁，因为身体的状况，把自行车既当作拐棍也当作“助力器”。当她们被问：“走了十多里路来，累吗？”她们说：“不累，感谢主！我们还能来聚会就是恩典。”
据教会负责人说：这个神的聚会点已有二十多年的历史，起初是在马姊妹和其他肢体的家中聚会。随着信徒人数的增加，教堂搬迁到现在的地址进行扩建。对于建新堂，信徒们尽自己最大的能力来奉献、来做工。
落成后的教堂占地面积1000多平方米、教堂建筑面积500多平方米，还有办公室等两座附属建筑等。教堂里面设施比较完备，音响、座椅、电风扇等一应俱全。、教堂有两个大的取暖设备“空气能”，到冬天信徒不会冷。聚会点吸引了附近的石牌路村、东白石村、西白石村、东房身村、英不落村等地的信徒前来聚会。教会最初创始人之一马姊妹说：最远的要走20多里路来教堂目，前信徒有百余人。
鞍山市基督教两会差派柳利长老为这里的弟兄姊妹们讲道。他以《所要我得的》为题，分七个方面为主证道。
（福音时报特约撰稿人于辽宁鞍山报道）
记辽宁鞍山大屯镇腰屯村教堂
A church in a village in China’s northeastern Liaoning Province has attracted believers from several neighborhood villages, some of whom have to travel up to 10 kilometers in order to attend the gatherings.
On Sunday, August 21, Elder Liu Li, leader of Lingshan Church in Lishan District, Anshan City, Liaoning Province, drove 25 kilometers to preach in the Sunday worship at the meeting point in Yaotun Village, Datun Town, Qianshan District, Anshan City.
Located in the southern suburbs of Anshan City, Yaotun is a small mountain village famous for its abundance of Nanguo pears.
Right before arriving at the church, Elder Liu saw two elderly female believers at 74 and 82 years old respectively pushing their bicycles on foot which were used as both crutches and "walkers”, given their physical conditions. After being asked if they were tired after walking over five kilometers, they said, "Thank God, I am not tired! It is His grace that we can still attend the service."
The church leaders explained that this meeting place with God has a history of more than 20 years. At first, gatherings were held in the home of a female believer surnamed Ma and other members. As the number of believers grew, the church moved and expanded to this new location. Believers have done their best to make offerings and build the new church.
The completed church covers a construction area of more than 1,000 square meters (0.27 acres), including the main building of over 500 square meters (0.135 acres) and two auxiliary buildings. The indoor facilities are complete, encompassing audio systems, seats, and fans. With two air-source heat pumps, churchgoers attending onsite meetings in the church will not feel cold in winter. The meeting point has attracted believers from several surrounding villages, such as Shipailu Village, Dongbaishi Village, Xibaishi Village, Dongfangshen Village, and Yingbuluo Village. Ma, one of the original founders of the church claims that there are more than 100 believers, some of whom come from as far as more than 10 kilometers away.
Elder Liu Li, sent by Anshan Municipal Christian Council, delivered a sermon titled "What I Want", which split into seven different points.
(Reported by a special contributor of the Gospel Times in Anshan, Liaoning Province)
- Translated by Shuya Wang
A Rural Church in Liaoning Province, Northeast China
