Pastor Li, who pastors in North China, has had quite a legendary experience, serving the Lord for more than twenty years. He is grateful to God for pushing him into a desperate situation that made him heed the call.
During the lockdown period of the pandemic, many people could not do anything, but he seized the opportunity while queuing for nucleic acid tests to share the gospel with people. Also, he had a peculiar way of evangelizing that immediately got people hooked. However, as soon as they became curious to hear more, he would say nothing and refuse to preach until after three days of requesting.
At 30 years old, Rev. Li had a high-ranking official position and a successful career but did not believe in God. Because of a situation in which he wholeheartedly supported someone but ended up offending others, he had no choice but to retreat and return to his hometown. During this time, his wife, who had been a believer since she was a child, began to inspire him to read the Bible at home in his spare time.
During his first time in church, he sat among the congregation and flipped through the Bible faster than the preacher. The preacher felt the difference and thought there was an "old servant" sitting in the audience.
After attending church for a long time, Li occasionally sensed the call of God but was unwilling to obey.
Frustrated with his unsuccessful official experience, he decided to venture into business. "I used to reserve the best projects for myself and give the second best to others. It turned out that the projects I gave to others all came to fruition, and they became rich, but the ones I kept for myself all failed." He then thought to himself that he could farm, so he bought a very good piece of land. In the eyes of others, it would produce good crops as long as the winds and rains were favorable.
That year, he had his eye on another piece of land, but it was not as good as his own, so he recommended it to a friend to buy. However, the crops he grew on his land turned out to be crooked and unfruitful. Once again, his friend had a bountiful harvest while he suffered significant losses.
Then Rev. Li finally realized, "I was so intent on making money that I kept rejecting God's call, which made me unable to achieve anything."
Since he could not achieve anything,Li finally surrendered and started praying. As a result, his home became a gathering place for many believers to pray.
He admitted that in those days he used to feel that God was calling him to go to the mountains, but at the thought of hardship, he chose to run away whenever he encountered the calling. Nowadays, he spends a lot of time praying, praising, and studying God's word. Gradually, a change has occurred in his heart.
One day, the believers gathered at his home as usual, singing one of Xiaomin Canaan Hymns, "Why Not Leave That City?” He sensed that the Lord wanted him to leave the "city of sin and strife". He asked the Lord, "Lord, where are you taking me?" The Lord said, "I will lead you on a new path." He and his wife then prayed about it.
In 2000, Li and his wife were confident that the place God was calling them to was City A, a capital city in a particular province. However, previous church missions to City A had failed, so they only sent church workers to remote mountainous areas.
Some people judge behind their backs, saying, “They know how to look for a place; they must be going to the big city for the sake of luxury and to make merry." Pastors also thought they would not be gone long based on experience, with some saying they would see results in three months.
But Li was sure the call was from God. His wife set out with two outfits, and he with only one, a large pile of gospel tracts, and 500 yuan.
Both of them got in a car and went to the provincial capital, found a cheap place to stay, and started distributing gospel tracts on the streets every day. Due to their consistent efforts in spreading the tracts, by the third day, there were not many left.
On the third day, when the pastor saw that he had only 35 yuan left, he planned to give 30 yuan to his wife for her return trip home. He kept 5 yuan for himself to use to continue distributing the remaining tracts before meeting his fellow soldiers.
On that very day, while his wife was distributing the remaining gospel tracts, a female Christian approached her and asked, "What are you going to do?" His wife did not hide anything and said, "We are here to build a church to save souls." The female believer got very excited and said, "Finally, I have met you!” She explained that for three years she had been wanting to dedicate her home as a reception place and kept praying for this."
That day, the pastor and his wife went to her home and stayed there, and it became a meeting point. Within a month, one or two hundred people gathered there. The pastor's wife and the female Christian prayed while the pastor went out to distribute tracts and preach the gospel. Many people learned about this place and came to listen to the gospel. During this time, Li was ordained as a pastor.
In the eyes of men, it would have been impossible for them to persist for three months; even three days would have been difficult without the work of the Holy Spirit. But the pastor obeyed the Lord's leading to leave his hometown, and God made a way for them.
To this day, they have stayed there for 23 years. The church has grown healthily, and their children and grandchildren all devoutly adore the Lord devoutly.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
