见证之日The Day of Testimonies
Psalm 118: 24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
浸礼是信徒为主作的最美的见证，它标志着基督徒灵程的起点、
这次浸礼人数是自教会成立以来最多的一次，
在浸礼前的课上，当我一个一个地问他们：”你为什么要受浸礼”？
他们都回答说：”我要跟随耶稣”。
我问他们：”是别人要你受浸礼的吗”？
他们说：”不是。是我自己要的。”
当Horace表达想要受浸礼时，他妈妈有点儿担心，
三位成人都在生命中经历到上帝。张姐妹见证说：”
在聚会中，吴红姐妹讲述了主的奇妙恩典。
第一，在这个过程中，他们真实地经历到了上帝。吴红说：”
第二，主不仅拯救了韩涛，也拯救了吴红。
第三，祈祷有力量。主说：”义人祈祷所发的力量是大有功效的”
第四，团队服侍。在整个过程中，有许多教会弟兄姐妹、
刘姐妹分享说：”我周围像吴红和韩涛这样的朋友很多，
就如诗歌所唱的：”这一生最美的祝福就是能认识主耶稣，
The Day of Testimonies
On March 24, 2024, is a day worth commemorating for our church, because on this day, ten brothers and sisters gave their testimonies through baptism, and Wu Hong and Han Tao also gave their testimony through sharing God’s grace of receiving salvation and healing. This is the day appointed by God, a day of joy and gladness for all brothers and sisters.
Firstly, the testimony of baptism:
Baptism is the most beautiful testimony given by believers to the Lord. It marks the beginning of the spiritual journey for Christians, not the end. Baptists believe that baptism, received by believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is an act of obedience, symbolizing the believer’s faith in being crucified, buried, and raised with the Lord. Being immersed in water signifies the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old self, and resurrection into a new life with Christ. Baptism is a testimony of faith in the resurrection of the dead in the last days.
The number of baptisms this time is the highest since our church started, including 7 children and youths and 3 adults. These children and youths have been involved in church activities from a young age. Through worshiping with adults, Sunday school, Friday fellowship, and other activities, they have been moved and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, recognizing themselves as sinners and willing to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Their baptism is inseparable from the diligent cultivation of all their Sunday school teachers. Their tears shed yesterday in sowing have brought forth today’s joyful harvest.
During the pre-baptism class, when I asked them one by one, “Why do you want to be baptized?”
They all answered, “I want to follow Jesus.”
I asked them, “Is someone else asking you to be baptized?”
They said, “No. It’s my own decision.”
When Horace (he had some developmental delay) expressed his desire to be baptized, his mother was a little worried, fearing that he might not be mature enough mentally and would back out at the last minute. He used to run away when he was sick and saw a doctor, especially when the doctor took out a needle. I reassured his mother, saying, “Don’t worry, a person’s desire to follow the Lord is moved by the Holy Spirit, and the Lord will take care of him.” During the baptism, Horace did great! He wasn’t nervous at all, and he didn’t run away. When I asked them in the baptistry if they were willing to express their lifelong commitment to follow the Lord through baptism, everyone else answered with the standard response, “I am willing.” Ellie, the little girl, was adorable. She replied loudly, “Change!” Her answer was excellent. Indeed, Christians need to renew their minds and change every day, becoming more and more like Christ. These children are blessed because they have eternal life and hope from a young age.
The three adults have all experienced God in their lives. Sister Zhang testified, “Before, I only came to church for fun. But this time, the Lord opened my heart. I deeply experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit last year before my surgery. There is truly peace, joy, and strength in the Lord.” Sister Xie said, “Before coming to the United States, I experienced great trials and difficulties in my heart, almost losing direction in life and the courage to live. Since coming to church, I have felt an extraordinary calmness and comfort in my heart. I am willing to follow Jesus for the rest of my life.” Sister Shen exclaimed, “It’s wonderful to believe in the Lord. It has an impact on our work, life, studies, emotional stability, and even work efficiency.” Brother Zhang, who was taking photos, said to Sister Shen, “When I saw the tears in the corner of your eyes just before you were baptized, I cried too. I felt your love for God. I pray that the Lord will keep you deeply in love with Him and living for Him.” Sister Shen responded, “Thank the Lord for giving me the precious opportunity to receive this blessing from above! Thank you for capturing this beautiful moment for me!” May the Lord keep these ten brothers and sisters living out a more abundant life in the future!
Secondly, the testimony of Wu Hong and Han Tao.
During the gathering, Sister Wu Hong recounted the wonderful grace of the Lord. Wu Hong and Han Tao are a deeply loving couple. Their studies and lives were smooth sailing, excelling in their careers and having a beautiful family. However, unforeseen events occurred. On January 20th of this year, Han Tao, who had always been strong and healthy, suddenly felt unwell and was rushed to the emergency room. He underwent heart stent surgery. After the surgery, he was greatly affected emotionally and was hospitalized again. It was during this process that they came to know and experience the Lord. At the end of their testimony, they sang “10,000 Reasons,” bringing tears to the eyes of some brothers and sisters. Here are my reflections on their testimony:
Firstly, they truly experienced God during this process. Wu Hong said, “Everything is God’s best plan.” During this time, when she was at her strongest physically, she had the strength to take care of Tao; their college-aged son stayed at home, bringing her comfort; when he was ill, many friends were there to help; her boss gave her time off, and her colleagues took over her work, allowing her to take care of Tao, and so on.
Secondly, the Lord not only saved Han Tao but also saved Wu Hong. Previously, their pattern in their marital relationship was that the husband took care of everything for the wife, and the wife relied on the husband for everything. Now, Wu Hong said, “I told my husband that from now on, we will both rely on the Lord and help each other.” The mighty power of God saved Tao from the bondage of illness, granting him true freedom. When Tao fell ill, Wu Hong was almost in a state of collapse, but through the experience of caring for her husband, she became stronger and more mature. Most importantly, her soul found peace, and she was filled with joy and strength in all things.
Thirdly, the power of prayer. The Lord said, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16b). During this period, many brothers and sisters prayed for them, including prayer groups on WeChat, church morning prayers, Wednesday evening prayers, and more. Each visit from pastors and coworkers showed significant improvement. It was miraculous that on February 7th, the day Tao was transferred to the emergency room at Baptist Health Hospital, as soon as I entered the room, he opened his eyes. I asked him if he wanted to believe in the Lord. He said loudly, “I believe in the Lord, and from now on, I will follow Jesus on the path of eternal life.” That day, he made a decision to follow Jesus. Hong mentioned that on the evening of March 7th, she felt a warmth lasting for 1-2 seconds. The next day, she saw a scripture posted in the WeChat prayer group about God’s hands surrounding her. On March 8th, Tao was discharged from the hospital. Every time the doctors visited him, they were amazed and moved by his rapid recovery.
Fourthly, teamwork is essential in service. Throughout the process, many church brothers and sisters, colleagues from their workplace, and friends took turns delivering meals, accompanying them in the hospital, and visiting them. It truly showed the power of love from everyone! May the Lord remember the selfless care and love of each one.
Sister Liu shared, “I have many friends like Hong and Tao around me. They are all good people, but they have not believed in the Lord yet. Perhaps when people themselves are too perfect, it’s difficult for them to feel the need for the Lord. This time, I truly saw God’s work in Tao and Hong. It’s a miracle that they could come to know the Lord and walk into His embrace in such a short time! I pray that more of my friends will be moved to believe in the Lord soon!”
As the hymn sings, “The most beautiful blessing in life is to know the Lord Jesus, the most beautiful blessing in life is to trust in the Lord Jesus.” Thank God for giving us this testimony. May our church have more people testify for the Lord in the future, glorifying His holy name! Amen!