184 Believers Receive Baptism in Xinjiang

184 seekers were baptized into Christ in Mingde Church, Urumuqi, Xinjiang, on July 10.

"When seeing the Lord Jesus adding to the number those who are being saved again, the whole church will sing ardently, 'Ring the bells of heaven! There is joy today, For a soul returning from the wild! See the Father meeting him upon the way, Welcoming His weary, wand'ring child...' " Says Rev. Fan Chenguang. 

The pastor said that the baptism ministry started in April. The believers who have the faith for two years would at least join in the training courses for seekers and learn the twelve lessons of the mission book called New Life. They finish the course at the end of June.

Then the church staff will testify their faith in three days. Once approved, the believers are asked questions by the pastors and declare their belief in the Apostle's Creed and the Christian faith.

The Christian history in Xinjiang can be traced back to the 7th to 14th century when Nestorianism, an earlier sect of Christianity, was popular with the locals but this faded gradually.  

In 1896, the gospel was preached in the region again by British missionaries, following the trend of western missionaries in China. Half a century later, the "Xinjiang Chinese Christian Church", the former of Mingde Church, was founded under the promotion of  Rev. Li Kaihuan and his wife Zhai Mingxia from China Inland Mission. 

Mingde Church is the current largest church in Xinjiang, which can hold more than 2000 people and was completed in 1995.