I have a friend who is a pastor of a large mainstream denominational church in Knoxville. it is on the "right" side of town, the ritzy side and is the biggest church here. He has now gone to China four times to preach and evangelize with the underground churches there and I have had the blessed privelidge or talking to him at length and seeing smuggled out video of what is going on there.

It would humble all, shock everyone to watch the videos. My pastor friend said "Bruce, when I went, I was determined to bring light to the poor chinese churches. After just one visit, I was ashamed of myself and my Christian walk." Underground pastors flocked to him to have him tell them more about Christ to show them more of Jesus. Their hunger was amazing, he said. He told them weeping, not for them, but for himself, "No, my brothers, I need you to show me more of Jesus."

He then confided in me as pastors seldom do. "Bruce, I am pastor of a Wal-Mart church...something for everyone, the greatest programs, for all ages, all sizes, and you will fit in great if you have money and social prestige. But Bruce do you know what my greatest fear is? That my children will end up looking at me as a good businessman who happened to deal in Jesus."

He then confided in me the tremendous depression he feels on returning to minister to his own flock! The contentment, the lukewarmness, the satisfaction with much materiallly and little spiritually kills him, and he is ashamed, yet knows not how to change it.

In the videos, the underground church, now one million strong, have NO buildings, most have no PA systems or musical instruments, and yet they are growing at such an alarming rate the government is getting very nervous. Leaders have been beaten imprisoned, tortured, killed. None allow their faces to be seen on video for fear of repurcussions from the Chinese government. It COSTS to be a Christian there.

Now understand, being a Christian is NOT illegal in China, IF you attend a state authorized Christian church. However, due to the control the government has on them money wise, what is preached is watered down mush, with no "cutting edge". So peorple ae leaving in droves and underground churches are flourishing.

The church is non-denominational, very organized in its hierarchy, and all meet secretly in homes or in literal underground caverns so they can worship freely...and loudly! They have no musical instruments in the videos I saw, simple accapella singing, and joy on every face.

I will let the Lord deal with each from here, but to those who cannot envision how God would function without denominations or church buildings? It can be done. It IS being done.

May God bless us all and bring us to the reality of Him again, and destroy our contentment with Wal-mart worship.

[Amadeus]

I can walk out on the street in front of my house and down the way to KFC, or I can drive down to Wal-Mart, or I can go to any of dozens of other places and do pretty much what I like. This is the freedom of the flesh that we have and of which we partake in here in the good ol' U.S. of A. But.. doing so we reflect little more than the ways of man, which it seems are everywhere in our society.

So where is God and where are God's people? If it happens to Sunday in what was once called the Bible belt you will see some, but do they simply vanish off the face of the earth the rest of the week?

God really is there "all of the time, waiting patiently in line", as an old song says, but how many ever get around to paying Him any heed, this One who waits with infinite patience every hour of the day, seven days a week? And then we remember and begin to understand why Jesus wept...

John,

[ElpidioLGagolinan]

With these posting by Bro. Bruce and Bro. Amadeus, hopefully a wake up call for us who call ourselves Christians. That reminds me of a Bible verse " those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last ". Many will come from a far and sit with me in my throne, but the children of the kingdom will be...Sorry brothers I forgot the whole verse.

[DrFrank]

This is one of the most fascinating statements I have ever read,"I have found truly joyful Christians only in the Bible,in the underground church and in prison". WHAT? Who would ever say something like that?Unfortunately for all of us it was made by the founder of the Voice of the Martyrs,the organization that provides help to underground churches throughout the world who was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison in a Communist country for working as an above ground minister.

Here is the best explanation I have come up with the quote;people who live in states of deprivation draw close to God for necessary comfort and help.That in turn brings the Holy Spirit to them with His incredible joy and peace.The more prosperous people are,the less the need they have for God.People with ample material possessions who live in freedom spend a great deal of time with false gods.PROMOTION ANNOUNCEMENT:Be sure to look for my soon coming message on pornography for further insight.But before leaving I'd like to give you just one more bombshell fact.Oh this is going to hurt.I really hate to do this to you.You might as well get the bad news as soon as possible.At least I hope so.Ok brace yourselves now.Ready? I'll put it in () so it won't hit you so hard.
( a new exhaustive study has shown that unhappiness is directly related to the number of hours spent watching television) WHAT A HORRIBLE ANTI-CAPITALIST STUDY.Of course it is good news for God.I'm certain the fewer the number of cars that are sold the happier He is.

I better leave while I'm still ahead here.