In my hometown, gatherings are often held in small groups that are located conveniently for the elderly, the sick, and the disabled.
My house is one of the locations for small group gatherings. More than 20 years ago, my family became a host family. Initially, I didn't realize that I was serving the Lord. As I knew, it was only for my convenience so we gathered at my house.
At that time, my husband and I were lacking faith and understanding. On Saturday nights, my husband usually went to gather in Xinzhuang—a village around two miles away, and sometimes they met at my house.
Having no root of faith, we were attacked by Satan—my husband stopped attending gatherings without reason and others did not come to my house either. It was an attack from Satan, but we did not realize it at that time.
With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we realized it was Satan who frightened and disturbed us. As the result, we hadn't attended a gathering for more than three years. But I still read the Bible from time to time—a young brother gave the Bible to me as a gift. The Holy Spirit enlightened me and showed me how great my sin is and how great God's love is—He never leaves or forsakes me.
In the winter of 1999, some people who were refining small pots of oil came to the empty place by our yard to refine oil. One young worker Guilin who is a believer often came to our house to preach the gospel in his spare time. I told him I had believed in Jesus before, but not in the last three years. Even though I wanted to believe in Jesus, I couldn't go to church.
He said, "Is it okay to have a gathering at your house?” “Sure”, I replied. He said he would ask others to gather at my house, and I agreed.
Then my husband and I started to host the gatherings and serve the Lord again. Gradually, we realized that we were serving the Lord through gathering. It’s not easy work since the devil often attacks and disrupts Lord’s ministry.
In the first two or three years, some people rumored that we believed in "heresy" and insulted us with harsh words. I felt bad and began reading the Bible (I didn't like reading the Bible at that time), and God enlightened me with these verses:
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for, in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)
God’s word comforted and encouraged me so much that I didn't mind what others said about me with rumors, slanders, and insults.
Then, Satan used people among us to create conflicts, saying that I was not willing to host them. A few members who did not know the fact stopped coming to my house at the gathering time. But one Wednesday afternoon, the Lord’s servant came back suddenly and asked, “Where should we meet this afternoon?” “Liuzhuang”, they replied. The gathering in our house resumed.
Besides, people from the Church of Almighty God or Eastern Lightning heretical cult also came to disturb us. At first, we didn't know they were from Eastern Lightning because they said they were believers. Many members were deceived, slandering us as traitors, and suggesting moving the meeting place to somewhere else. They stopped coming to my house at the gathering time again. Surprisingly, God sent his servant to lead the gathering on one Wednesday night (the gathering time) during that period of time, and they followed the servant to attend the gathering.
“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42)
