Chinese Church

Today I went to a Chinese Church in Yokohama. I arrived at 10:30 and left at 5pm. From 9:30 - 10:45 was a Japanese language service. 11:00 was the Chinese service, with a Japanese interpretor, which ended about 12:30. There were maybe 20-30 folks in the Japanese service (mainly 2/3/4th generation Chinese who live in Japan who don't know Mandarin) and probably 150-200 in the other service. The message was on Psalm 16. I don't know what the pastor said, but I did hear a few words in English, like "Jimmy Carter" and "peanut." There were hymns, again mainly Western hymns sang in Chinese. Whenever there was scripture to be read, the entire congregation read it together out loud...the verse was on an overhead projector. The pastor was probably in his 70's, but was very animated and seemed to be very nice.

After church was lunch at the church. I don't know if that is every week or not. At that time I was hooked up with a guy who was my interpretor for the rest of the day. Lunch was rice, soup, pickles (not like you're thinking), some sort of smelly fish, and something else I can't remember.

After lunch, the group broke up into various groups...some to practice music, some to take care of kids, and I was with about 9-10 folks in a small group. We sang a few songs. One was a English song, but the words were in Chinese, so I tried to remember the English words and remembered some, but not all. After the songs, we had cake for the ones who had a birthday over the last couple of months. They had candles on the cake and they sang Happy Birthday in Chinese and then in English (probably for me). After that, folks gave their testimonies on how they came to know God and what they were feeling in their lives. One guy there wasn't a Christian, and they talked to him a while and answered his questions. The spirit was moving! It was really cool.

Afterwards, we went to Denny's for dinner. One of the guys who ate with me knew English really well, Chinese natively, and could speak a lot of Japanese and a little German. He offered to pay my dinner, so I said thank you in Chinese, Japanese, English, and German. :) It is amazing how many people I've met that know at least 3 languages...and Asian languages at that!

One of the guys said something interesting. He said that he thought that Communism coming to China was in a way *good* for the church...and before you judge that hear the explanation. He said that Communism helped destroy a lot of the religion (Buddhism) in the country, which helped the people be ready for the gospel. An interesting thought at least. Right now, the estimated number of Christians in China widely varies, but some estimates are around 100 million. It may be soon (if not already) that there are more Christians in China than the US.

While I've been here, I've been to a Western/Japanese church, a Western church, a pure Japanese church, and a Chinese church. Of all those, I felt the love of God most in the Chinese church.

It is also interesting on the questions that people ask when they meet you. In one church, it was only 'where are you from' and 'why are you here.' All folks ask that. In another church is was 'Are you from a Christian family', which was an interesting question. In another church and with other folks I've met, it has been 'what is your church background' or 'what type of church do you go to.' In the Chinese church, it was 'are you a Christian' and 'how long have you been a Christian.' They were, I think, about the only ones to ask if I was actually a Christian! Let's think in our lives...how many people do we see every day or work with every day, do we ask 'are you a Christian?'

Are you a Christian? Have you really met the one true God? Have you been low, or lonely, or felt empty, or felt that life was pointless, or felt that you needed something miraculous in your life? Have you just cried out to God and told Him? He has a way to change your life. By Himself coming to the earth, living a perfect life as a human, being killed, and coming back to life, we can meet Him. I have. In English, His name is Jesus. In Japanese, it is Iesu (or Kirisuto). In Chinese...I can't pronounce it. :) I'm not going to tell you what to say to Him or what to do. When you are introduced to someone, they don't tell you 'say this and that' or 'do this and that.' It is a relationship you have to have with the person. So go for it...just start talking and listen. One good way to listen, other than listening to the still small voice you hear, is to read the Bible...He's already said quite a bit. Things like "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

--David