Believe it or not, it’s up to me? By Him?

【Preaching the Gospel to Parents】Parents: The Pilgrim’s Progress of the Huafa Clan

Interview compilation/Zimin

Many people sigh: "It's difficult to preach the gospel to people! It's even harder to preach the gospel to parents!"

Is it really that difficult? Our reporter visited several fathers and children and talked about how each of them understood God's will and walked on His path; or they prayed diligently, waited silently, or unintentionally blocked salvation. I hope that as a child, I can use this as a reference, rely on God’s power, start boldly, and wisely preach the gospel to my beloved parents, so that they can all"Be filled early with the love of God, that they may rejoice and rejoice all their days." (Psalm 90:14) - Editor

Why did your parents believe in the Lord?

1. Children update, subtle
The reason why many parents are willing to step into the church is often because they see the changes in the lives or mentality of their children who believe in the Lord, which makes them want to see for themselves. Xie Ruyuan and Xie Liu Guihua are one example. The eldest son and daughter-in-law entered the church with lonely and broken hearts due to business failure. Within a year, the two faces that were originally full of sadness were filled with joy and hope. Uncle Xie and Mama Xie, who had no religious beliefs, had no objection or rejection to Christianity. I was deeply relieved to see my daughter-in-law walking from the valley of tears to the place of springs.

Next, the eldest daughter also entered the church with her brother and sister-in-law. She was once melancholy. After inviting Jesus into her heart, her life took a wonderful turn. With vitality, she actively participated in the church's services and regained the lost things of the past. His interests—playing the piano and painting—suddenly became like a lost boat trying to find its direction, becoming active and sailing forward.

Seeing the transformation of their children, Uncle Xie and Mother Xie could no longer bear it, and decided to enter the church to find out why. In the end, they walked with Jesus like their children.

▲Xie Ruyuan and Xie Liu Guihua saw the transformation of their children, entered the church to find out why, and eventually became Christians. (Photo courtesy/Zimin)

2. Warmth and care, taking off your guard
Different from the indifference in the real world, the warm and friendly atmosphere in the church is always a big reason for people to stay. Uncle Xie admitted that when he first came to the church, he thought that he could grasp the bottom line of "not being baptized easily", so he deliberately kept a distance from the truth mentally. He said: "Subconsciously, I thought that religions are all about persuading people to do good deeds. As long as they are a little bit Just understand the "theoretical rhetoric" of the church, don't be too "fiery", and be careful not to be "trapped" by various rituals immediately."

However, due to a sudden car accident lawsuit, Uncle Xie fell into worry and worry. The cumbersome legal procedures and huge huge claims made the old man anxious all day long and sleepless at night. At this time, the sincere care and prayer companionship of the brothers and sisters in the church immediately became a comfort to Uncle Xie's soul. He no longer closed himself off, let down his guard, and opened his mind.

3. The power of prayer shakes the heart
The car accident lawsuit made Uncle Xie develop the habit of getting closer to God every day. Through prayer, he can lift the burdens and worries in his heart and hand them over to God, which sometimes makes him feel calm and stable. However, at a retreat organized by the church, Uncle Xie met face to face with the real power brought about by prayer. He recalled vividly: "During free time, a teenager was rescued from drowning in the swimming pool. His life was in danger. At this time, the whole church mobilized and prayed for the young man. Finally, the young man who was declared almost dead by the doctor miraculously came back to life!" Uncle Xie prayed in unison to the hundreds of people. His shock is still unforgettable.

▲Jie Ruyuan and Liu Guihua (4th and 5th from right) regard Christ as the head of the family, and the three generations travel together happily. (Photo courtesy/Zimin)

4. Church life, feeling “home”
Uncle Xie and Mama Xie have been living overseas for a long time. Their life as expatriates often makes them feel like they are drifting without roots! Although the appearance shows the resilience of being at home everywhere, the heart is always dreaming of the old and sweet hometown. However, the church, a big family, made them feel like they were "going home." A group of people from all over the world with different cultural backgrounds become one family because of Jesus. Because each other's lives are connected to the same God, we can comfort, support and share each other like brothers and sisters.

5. Jesus laid down his life, salvation is real
The two elders of the Jie family who have been exposed to different religions unanimously believe that Jesus was crucified on the cross and "entered the world" to save all people, which is very close to the inner needs of human nature. Uncle Jie, who has read other religious scriptures, said frankly: "Man's sins Our nature is deeply rooted and originates from our ancestors. It is absolutely impossible to become a saint just by worshiping illusory gods and chanting scriptures. Only by relying on a savior with supernatural power can we become innocent from sin. "

Why don’t your parents believe in the Lord?

1. All talk without practice, lack of life testimony
True faith is by no means limited to dogmatic adherence, but a life change that naturally reveals itself in life. Because parents know their children’s personalities, temperaments, and habits very well, the most convincing evangelistic action is to allow them to see with their own eyes the transformation of their children after they believe in the Lord. The testimony of life is like the fragrance of Christ spreading in the home, confirming the authenticity of oral tradition.

The young couple Guangchi (pseudonym) and Lida (pseudonym) have been enthusiastic about church service since they were baptized, and they are a new generation that is favored by the church. Guangchi lives with his parents. On weekdays, when the couple goes to work, the responsibilities of cleaning, cooking and taking care of the grandson fall on them. However, because they are busy with various church ministries, Guangchi and Lida often have to participate in services after get off work or on weekends, and have no time to take care of their families.

Seeing that their son and daughter-in-law were busy all day long, Guangchi's parents were quite dissatisfied. "You say Jesus loves you all the time. Could it be that Jesus told you to just focus on the church and not have a family?" "You ask me every day to go to church and believe in God. If I believe in religion like you do, your mother and I will never believe it. !”

His father's reproach was like a wake-up call, making Guangchi realize that the situation was serious. After communicating with the pastor, Guangchi and Lida suddenly understood. It is good to be enthusiastic about the church, but if this neglects the care of the family and causes the family to reject the church, they need to adjust their steps in time and find a balance point again so as not to lose their reliance. Christ is the light and salt of opportunity.

▲The beautiful testimonies of children’s lives open the hearts of parents to accept salvation. (Photo courtesy/Zhai Shuling)

2. Urging to be baptized and lacking empathy
A catechumen elder who has participated in many church activities said that he is most afraid of others asking: "Why haven't you been baptized yet?"

Originally, it was a relaxing and joyful thing to follow your children to church, but sometimes brothers and sisters focus too much on the urgency of baptism, which backfires and makes many unprepared parents shy away from going to church.

A wise pastor once told his colleagues in the care department: "Don't urge a certain seeker to be baptized. Just care and visit him regularly and pray for him. Let God decide what the outcome will be." It is precisely because the pastor is so gentle and humble. , his considerate attitude made this elder willing to continue going to church without interruption for several years.

▲If we pray sincerely and continuously, the Holy Spirit will help us move our parents with unspeakable sighs. (Photo courtesy/Zhang Jun)

3. Criticism and lack of tolerance and love
When Christian children preach the gospel to their parents, their attitude must be considerate and peaceful. Don’t get angry and criticize because of your unbelief.

Liu Yi, who lives in New York, skillfully avoided direct conflict with her when leading her mother to believe in the Lord, but silently and continuously prayed for her. Only God can change people's hearts. People's knowledge and words are extremely limited, and arguing and refuting often makes the other party feel disgusted.

Once, Liu's mother asked her daughter, "After I believe in Jesus, will I no longer be able to play mahjong?" The smart Liu Yi did not provide an absolute answer. Instead, she said, "Mom, just pray, and Jesus will let you make the right decision." I will give you peace of mind." Unexpectedly, after praying for a while, Liu's mother decided not to play mahjong anymore, which made Liu Yi full of awe of God's actions in her mother.

Since Jiancheng (pseudonym) became a church deacon, he cannot help but talk to his wife about church ministry or interpersonal problems at home. One day at the dinner table, Jiancheng started talking about a dispute he had with a co-worker. Just as he was inadvertently criticizing the other person, his mother, who was silent by the side, suddenly said, "I thought people in the church were more caring. It sounds like this." "The church seems to be no different from the rest of the world!" Jiancheng was surprised by his mother's reaction. He did not expect that his casual remarks would inadvertently create a negative impression of his mother on the church.

Because of his mother's unexpected comments, Jiancheng realized that the words and deeds of Christians can affect the people around him at any time. Any negative comments about church personnel will cause misunderstandings among unbelieving family members and confusion about church life. In view of this, Jiancheng remembers to "speak more good things that build up others in everything" so that both the speaker and the listener can benefit.

▲The old aunt recognized God’s love from the young man’s love and was baptized. (Photo courtesy/Zhai Shuling)

4. Abandoning tradition and lack of caution to pursue the future
Chinese people pay attention to drinking water and remembering its origin. It is a very common phenomenon to enshrine photos and memorial tablets of ancestors at home. Christians know very well that worshiping ancestors is tantamount to worshiping idols, so they often use this method to persuade parents to clear away ancestor worship items, causing a "family revolution." The believing children say, "This will make the home unclean." The reaction of their parents is It’s: “Does it mean that now that you believe in Christ, you can forget your ancestors?”

在處理這類敏感話題時，子女切忌操之過急。尊重父母價值觀的同時，兒女應將聖經上的教導放在心裡，隨時準備好，溫柔真誠地回答，並強調基督信仰並不是教人數典忘祖，乃是在真理基礎上，調整敬拜對象，然而內心深處，始終緬懷先祖的寶貴榜樣及家族的文化傳承，並用不同的方式表達追思。¹

▲Love your family with God’s true love. It is easiest for your family to see and feel it, so that you can glorify God and follow Him happily! (Photo courtesy/Guo Rui)

【Note】

1. In the process of preaching the gospel, many parents cannot pass the test of ancestor worship at first. The focus topic of the 39th issue of this magazine (Spring 2015): From ancestor worship to ancestor respect, this topic has in-depth discussions and practical teachings. Please go to the website of "The Kingdom of God Magazine" http://www.shen-guo.org/ to read it.

Pastor Du Tianxin of the Church of Truth in New York responded to Liu Yi’s beautiful testimony:

It is not difficult to preach the gospel to parents and family members, but we make it difficult. If you use your flesh, your flesh, and your human wisdom to preach the gospel with all your heart and soul, what you will get in return is resistance and strife. How worthless! Paul said, "My words and my preaching were not in perverse words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith may not rest on the wisdom of men but on the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1) (Joshua 2:4-5) Paul taught two simple yet effective ways to preach the gospel:

1. The power of the Holy Spirit
Pray sincerely and without interruption. The Holy Spirit will use unspeakable sighs to help us move our parents, spouses, and children, touching their heartstrings and making them long for God. "It is not relying on power, not relying on ability, but relying on the Spirit of God that things can be accomplished." (Zechariah 4:6b) The prayer of faith is the most effective way to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit.

2. Demonstration of power
You must truly love the Lord and obey the Lord’s teachings. Your personal life is constantly transforming and changing. You must live out God’s love and love your family with God’s true love. It is easiest for family members to see and feel it, and over time it will become a clear proof of the power of the gospel. Because of our changes in the Lord’s love, how can our parents not glorify God and follow Him happily!

Author profile

Zi Min, who grew up in Taiwan and settled in New York, likes to listen to stories, tell stories, and write stories; he looks for the spark of life, the philosophy of survival, and the miracle of life in stories.