Wednesday, August 23, 2006
A Hero in Chains
To paraphrase Paul's instructions to Timothy, "Preach the Word when it's convenient; preach the Word when it's not."
Zhang Rongliang was recently sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison for doing just that. "Brother Z.", as he is called, had already been in jail five times for his "illegal activities" as a leader in the Chinese house-church movement, endured beatings with iron rods and bayonettes and had even been shocked with an electric cattle prod. We told his story in the November/December 2004 issue of Ministries Today.
"Like a New Testament apostle, Zhang bears the brand marks of suffering," J. Lee Grady writes. "But he also has seen New Testament-style miracles." In 1980, he founded the Chinese for Christ movement--a vast network of churches that had grown to an estimated 10 million members by 2001. "During one of his imprisonments, Brother Z. was put in charge of a work team and given unusual freedom to move around the camp's outskirts," Grady writes. "As a result, he actually planted churches among rural villagers during his detainment."
Although I've never met him, Brother Z. is an encouragement to me. With its unhealthy devotion to self-actualization, it's easy to be distracted by the trivial obsessions of Western Christianity. Yet somewhere, half a world away, a man sits in prison--and the furthest thought from this man's mind is reaching his destiny, awakening his inner greatness or enjoying his best life now. If these things were important to him, Brother Z. would have called it quits after his first prison term.
While success in ministry is a worthy goal, Brother Z.'s commitment reminds us just how radically different the Kingdom's definition of success is from that of the world. As a friend put it to me earlier this week, "the call to ministry is a death sentence" for those who follow Jesus' example of finding their lives by losing them.
We may not be able to physically obey Jesus' instructions to visit Brother Z. in prison, but let's pray that justice is carried out on his behalf and that he will be released to his family and friends. If history is any indicator, it's probably not a prayer he would think to ask for himself. More than likely, his request, like Paul in chains, would be, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel" (Eph. 6:19).
Matt Green, editor
Ministry Today
Please consider joining me in writing Zhang Rongliang a letter of encouragement in prison. For more information on how to do so, visit The Voice of the Martyrs' prisoner list for China.
Zhang Rongliang was recently sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison for doing just that. "Brother Z.", as he is called, had already been in jail five times for his "illegal activities" as a leader in the Chinese house-church movement, endured beatings with iron rods and bayonettes and had even been shocked with an electric cattle prod. We told his story in the November/December 2004 issue of Ministries Today.
"Like a New Testament apostle, Zhang bears the brand marks of suffering," J. Lee Grady writes. "But he also has seen New Testament-style miracles." In 1980, he founded the Chinese for Christ movement--a vast network of churches that had grown to an estimated 10 million members by 2001. "During one of his imprisonments, Brother Z. was put in charge of a work team and given unusual freedom to move around the camp's outskirts," Grady writes. "As a result, he actually planted churches among rural villagers during his detainment."
Although I've never met him, Brother Z. is an encouragement to me. With its unhealthy devotion to self-actualization, it's easy to be distracted by the trivial obsessions of Western Christianity. Yet somewhere, half a world away, a man sits in prison--and the furthest thought from this man's mind is reaching his destiny, awakening his inner greatness or enjoying his best life now. If these things were important to him, Brother Z. would have called it quits after his first prison term. While success in ministry is a worthy goal, Brother Z.'s commitment reminds us just how radically different the Kingdom's definition of success is from that of the world. As a friend put it to me earlier this week, "the call to ministry is a death sentence" for those who follow Jesus' example of finding their lives by losing them.
We may not be able to physically obey Jesus' instructions to visit Brother Z. in prison, but let's pray that justice is carried out on his behalf and that he will be released to his family and friends. If history is any indicator, it's probably not a prayer he would think to ask for himself. More than likely, his request, like Paul in chains, would be, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel" (Eph. 6:19).
Matt Green, editor
Ministry Today
Please consider joining me in writing Zhang Rongliang a letter of encouragement in prison. For more information on how to do so, visit The Voice of the Martyrs' prisoner list for China.
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I appreciate Matt's comment, "With its unhealthy devotion to self-actualization, it's easy to be distracted by the trivial obsessions of Western Christianity." We often see this self-focus even in the context of Christian leadership. As Paul exhorts us in his letter to the Galatians, we are to constantly choose to walk in the Spirit (let the Spirit drive our activities) setting aside our affections for the things of this world. Brother Z exemplifies this Spirit driven life.
Allen Quist
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Allen Quist
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