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“城造在山上,是不能隐藏的”(马太福音514下)。我们祈祷,求主使用小石城以马内利华语浸信会,使“这座造在山上的城”能如日头出现、光辉烈烈(士师记531),在新时代中为主发大光,照亮周围的人,使荣耀归于上帝。

们诚挚地邀请您来参加我们教会的各项活动!让我们一同认识主,在祂的愛里彼此搀扶,共走天路。马内利!

    李春海牧师

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4/20/25牧者之言

 宝血 魏愛玲師母– 2025年4月10日早祷
          复活节庆祝活动即将到来,我已经开始思考并做好了庆祝一年中最重要的节日的心理准备。我知道你们也在准备!我们教会的庆祝活动是为了敬拜,并提醒我们耶稣死而复活时为我们做了什么!在我们清晨的祷告和教会里,我们常常祷告感谢耶稣在十字架上为我们流出的宝血!我无比感谢上帝的愛和恩典!我们的言语不足以表达我们对衪的感谢吗?!我想是的。我们必须为衪而活! 魏牧师经常去我们城市的血库献血。他这样做,就是为了救活另一个人,献出自己的一部分生命。我们刚刚在经文里读到:“血里有生命。”如果一个人的血管里没有血液,他就没有生命。有时,当血库血液短缺时,就会举行献血活动,让人们自愿献血。耶稣知道,衪的血将以比献血活动更伟大的方式被奉献。 祂的宝血不只是赐给一人或少数人生命,而是赐给所有接受祂的人生命。我最喜欢的三首赞美诗都谈到耶稣的宝血。其中一首歌词是:“什么能洗净我的罪?唯有耶稣的宝血;什么能使我完全?唯有耶稣的宝血。” 我喜欢的另一首赞美诗是这样的:“羔羊的宝血里有力量,力量,奇妙的大能。” 我正在思考的第三首赞美诗是在我父亲的葬礼上唱的,歌词是:“耶稣,我永远的救主,我的得胜。他寻找我,用衪救赎的宝血赎买了我。” 耶稣宝血的大能是什么?我们为什么要歌颂它?如果你思考耶稣宝血在基督信仰中的意义——它无所不包希伯来书9:22提醒我们,若不流血,罪就不得赦免。如果耶稣没有死在十字架上,没有为我们的罪流出宝血,我们就没有蒙赦免的盼望。这意味着耶稣所流的宝血有能力洗净我们的罪,对我们信徒来说,这宝血的意义重大!今天我们来看耶稣宝血的四大功效。 第一,耶稣的宝血赐予生命(利未记 17:11)。耶稣的宝血洁净我们,使我们与主和好。正是这宝血换来了生命,才使洁净成为可能。以弗所书 1:7 说:“我们藉这愛子的血得蒙救赎,过犯得以赦免,乃是照他丰富的恩典。” 第二,耶稣的血是必需的(歌罗西书1:20,马太福音26:28)。我们回想当年,法老不肯放走以色列人,灭命天使要带走埃及的长子。为了保护长子免于死亡,纯洁动物的血是必要的。这预示着基督有一天会在十字架上流出宝血,保护我们所有接受祂的人……免于永恒的死亡。 第三,耶稣的宝血赐予我们自由(启示录 1:5)。祂愛我们,并用祂的宝血将我们从罪中释放出来!我们不再活在罪的捆绑和定罪之下。耶稣的宝血将我们从罪的惩罚中释放出来。因为祂已经得胜,跟随祂的人也分享祂的胜利!我们不再惧怕与神分离。 第四,耶稣的宝血是完美的(彼得前书 1:18-19)。耶稣的宝血若要发挥功效,祂必须是完美的。因为祂是完全的神,也是完全的人,祂是完美的!罪人需要一位无罪的救主。耶稣用祂完美的宝血洁净了我们,使我们比雪更白。约翰福音1:29说:“第二天,约翰看见耶稣来到他那里,就说:‘看哪,神的羔羊,除去世人罪孽的!’” 所以……祂的宝血赐予我们生命,这是必要的,它赐予我们自由而且是完美的。因着祂舍命的大愛,我们可以相信祂,信靠祂,并拥有永恒的盼望,因我们已被神的羔羊遮盖!我们今天以及在即将到来的复活节庆典中,都应当满心喜乐满怀鼓充满感恩——因为耶稣为我们流出宝血,战胜了死亡,我们因此得着了生命!哈利路亚!!
PRECIOUS BLOOD Elinda West –Early Prayer April 10, 2025
The Resurrection celebration is coming, and I’ve already been thinking about and preparing my heart for celebrating the most important holiday of the year. I know you are preparing, too! Our church celebration is about worship and reminding us of what Jesus did for us when He died and then rose again!  Here in our Early Morning Prayer time and in our churches, we often pray thanking Jesus for His precious blood shed for us on the cross! I’m so thankful for God’s love and grace!  Can our words thank Him enough?! I don’t think so.  We must live our life for Him! Wei Mushr often goes to the blood bank here in our city to donate blood. When he does that, he is giving part of his life so that another person might live. We just read in our scripture that “the life of the body is in its blood.” If a person has no blood running through his veins, he has no life. Sometimes when there is a shortage of blood at the blood bank there will be blood drive so that people will come to volunteer to give their blood.  Jesus knew that His blood would be given in a greater way than a blood drive. Rather than giving life to one or a few other people, His blood gives life to all who accept Him. There are three favorite hymns of mine that talk about the blood of Jesus. In one of them the words say, “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” Another hymn I love says, “There is power, power, wonder working power, in the precious blood of the Lamb.”  The third hymn I’m thinking about was sung at my father’s funeral, the words say, “O victory in Jesus, My Savior forever. He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood.” What is the power of the blood of Jesus and why do we sing about it? If you think about the meaning of the blood of Jesus in Christianity–it is EVERYTHING. In Hebrews 9:22 we are reminded that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. If Jesus did not die on the cross and shed his precious blood for our sins, then we have no hope of forgiveness. That means this blood that Jesus shed has POWER to wash away sins and should mean EVERYTHING to us believers! Today we look at four things the Blood of Jesus can do.
  1. THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS LIFE-GIVING (Leviticus 17:11)
Jesus’ blood purifies us, making us right with the LORD. It is the blood given in exchange for a life that makes purification possible. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s Grace.”
  1.  THE BLOOD OF JESUS WAS NECESSARY (Colossians 1:20, Matthew 26:28)
We think about the time when the angel of death was going to take the first-born sons of Egypt because Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. Blood from a pure animal was the NECESSARY action to protect the first born from death.  This was the foreshadowing of the blood that Christ would one day shed on the cross to protect all of us who accept Him…from eternal death.
  1. THE BLOOD OF JESUS GIVES FREEDOM (Revelations 1:5)
He loves us and has freed us from our sins by His precious blood! We no longer live under the bondage and condemnation of sin.  Jesus’ blood sets us free from the punishment of sin. Because He has the victory, we who follow Him share in His victory! We have no fear of separation from God.
  1. THE BLOOD OF JESUS WAS PERFECT (1Peter 1:18-19)
In order for Jesus’ blood to make a difference, He needed to be perfect. And because He is fully God and fully man, He is perfect! Sinful people need a SIN-LESS Savior. Jesus purified us whiter than snow with His perfect blood. John 1:29 says, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” So …His blood gives LIFE, it was NECESSARY, it gives us FREEDOM and it was PERFECT. Because of His great love to lay down His life, we can believe and trust in Him, have Eternal Hope that we have been covered by the Lamb of God! We need to feel so Joyful, so Encouraged, so Thankful today and in the coming Resurrection celebration … for the life we have because Jesus shed His precious blood for us and had victory over death! Halleluia!!

4/13/25牧者之言

Santi 的见证

2024年12月21日,我们教会在华人超市门口举牌传福音时,一位菲律宾的主内弟兄看到我们很感动。第二天,在我们举行圣诞庆祝时,他特地来到教会参与圣诞庆祝。从那以后,他常常把他写的灵修发给我。他的见证如下:
我的名字是 Santiago Lalis,朋友们叫我 Santi。我出生在菲律宾南部最偏远地区之一的一个极度贫穷的家庭,是11个兄弟姐妹中的一员。我的父母是佃农。我的父亲很小就成了孤儿,他和两个兄弟姐妹是由亲戚抚养长大,但这些亲戚从未让他们上学。我的母亲从小照顾她失明的母亲,也因为没有资源而未能上学。我的父母在双方家族中都没有继承任何财产。他们不得不从我母亲的舅舅那里买下半英亩的贫瘠土地,以便能搭建一座小屋,并让我们的家畜有一点活动空间。
我五岁时就已经开始帮忙下田,同时尽可能接受社区提供的免费基础教育。我记得我们家在我成长过程中非常艰难,几乎无法维持生计。尽管如此,在全能上帝的帮助下,我还是在1958年以班级第一名的成绩毕业!但由于极端的贫困,我无法升入高中。我不得不停学六年,一直在寻找帮助,甚至写信给国会议员,但始终没有回应。当我意识到几乎没有希望时,我只好离家出走,前往菲律宾首都马尼拉,最后在一个为早市顾客供应餐点的小餐馆里洗碗。我设法就读于马尼拉夜校高中,但我每天得工作15个小时洗碗。高中生活更加艰难,我没有时间看书,也无法利用图书馆,只能在课堂上把老师讲的内容全部背下来!你猜怎么着?这方法真的对我奏效了!在全能上帝的帮助下,我又一次以全班第一的成绩毕业,于1968年成为毕业致词代表。之后,我可以自由申请任何大学,接下来的故事,就是我人生的延续!
在我努力把握毕业时作为毕业致词代表(Valedictorian)所获得的免费教育机会的过程中,我一心专注于学习,几乎没有意识到自己其实并不渴望拥有女朋友。当时我在法学院最好的朋友,正担任马尼拉市的检察官,他向我介绍了他妻子的表妹——名叫Rose,她是一位注册护士,早在1972年就被美国的浸信会医疗中心(Baptist Medical Center)招募到美国工作,那时她仍是单身。我们通过书信联系,最终在1985年她回菲律宾度假期间第一次见面,并在马尼拉结婚!她回到美国后,为我递交了担保申请,六个月后我就来到了阿肯色州与她团聚!我们的婚姻几乎没有长时间的恋爱过程,双方也都没有提前规划这一切!对我来说,这又是上帝所赐的一个神迹!我和妻子没有亲生孩子,但我们非常蒙福,有许多侄子侄女,其中一些是在我们家中长大的!
我记得,在那个贫穷的小村庄成长时,因为家境实在太差,没有人会相信我们11个孩子中会有人能上高中。但我们的全能神是行神迹的神!祂能移山来彰显祂的能力!谁能想到我会成为一个“重生的基督徒”?我一直以为自己已经是一个好基督徒,不需要“重生”。直到我明白了一些重要的事:
基督信仰与宗教之间有着极大的区别。

  1. 问题不在于宗教,而在于耶稣基督!
  2. 人若不是从水和圣灵生的,就不能进神的国(约3:5)!
  3. 1989年,我在阿肯色州小石城参加葛培理布道大会时回应了呼召,从那时起,我相信我成为了一位“重生得救的基督徒”!

我在菲律宾是一名注册律师,后来移民到美国,开始在阿肯色州小石城的前Holiday Inn West宾馆做服务员。1986年,我被评为“年度第一员工”。那时我同时做着三份工作:在Holiday Inn做服务员,在Little Rock Hilton也做服务员,之间还兼职做房地产经纪。
后来我转为全职做房地产,同时攻读护理专业,最终成为了Baptist Medical Center的注册护士。在那段时间,我还在工作间隙参与了“我的珠穆朗玛”挑战赛,反复从地面爬到十楼又下楼,最终成为共同获奖者。我生命中一个特别的时刻,是我有机会与后来成为美国第42任总统的那位——当时的阿肯色州州长——合影留念。
如今我已经81岁了。我极度自豪地夸耀我的全能神,是祂引领我走到今天!这不是关于我,而是关于祂!虽然我的年纪增长了,但我的心灵却更加年轻、更加富足!这就是我的故事——一段被苦难与坚韧之泪浇灌的生命旅程,是一个在人类几乎无法逾越的困难中生存下来的真实写照。总而言之,我在学业和职场中所经历的一切困难与成功,都是主所安排与设计的。我以前说是“靠我自己走过来”,但其实全都是靠神的恩典!
愿读者们能从我经历的点滴中得着一点启发。我为我人生中所遇到的所有困境感恩,因为正是这些困境教会了我宽容、同情、自制、坚忍、智慧,以及许多我原本不会知道的美德!”

每日灵修 ——Santi Lalis,2025年4月6日
以下是一些我们每天都可以背诵、默想并在生活中实践的经文:

  1. 箴言3:5-6:这节经文鼓励我们完全依靠上帝的智慧和引导,而不是依靠自己的聪明,无论在生活的哪个方面。
  2. 以赛亚书41:10:这节经文给我们带来安慰和确据,提醒我们:神总是在我们遭遇困难时扶持我们!
  3. 诗篇23篇:这段经文美丽地表达了神的看顾和供应,把祂描绘成牧人,引导和保护祂的羊群。建议你慢慢地读,并默想其中的意象与应许。
  4. 约翰福音3:16:这是所有基督徒的“根基经文”,强调神的爱以及藉着信靠耶稣基督才能得着的救恩。
  5. 马太福音11:28:这节经文为正在受苦的人带来安慰,指出唯有在耶稣基督里,我们才能找到真正的安息。
  6. 腓立比书4:6-7:这一段经文的重点包括:
  7. 1)用祷告取代恐惧与焦虑:当我们忧虑时,应当祷告并向神陈明我们的需要;(2)神的平安会保守我们:神的平安是一种能力,能够保守信徒的心怀意念;(3)信靠基督是关键:我们的平安来源于我们与耶稣基督之间的信心关系。
  8. 罗马书8:28:这节经文确保我们,即便在苦难中,神仍为爱祂的人预备最好的。我们必须通过顺服神的话语并让自己的意愿与神的旨意对齐,才能真正经历这应许的丰满。
  9. 约书亚记1:9:这节经文鼓励我们要刚强壮胆,因为无论我们做什么,去到哪里,神都与我们同在!愿你们大家都度过一个蒙福的日子!愿我们全能的神一直引导、保守并赐福我们每一个人!

我们教会将于4月19日(周六)再次前往华人超市门口举牌传福音。我们祷告主引领我们,能遇见更多像Santi这样的主内弟兄姐妹,彼此激励、彼此服事。更重要的是,愿主使用我们,将祂的福音传扬给万国万民!奉基督之名,阿们!

 

Santis Testimony

On December 21, 2024, while our church was holding gospel signs and evangelizing at a Chinese supermarket, a Filipino brother in Christ saw us and was deeply moved. The next day, during our Christmas celebration, he came specifically to our church to join the celebration. Since then, he has often sent me his personal devotionals. His testimony is as follows:
“My name is Santiago Lalis, but my friends call me Santi. I was born of the 11 siblings of one of the poorest families in one of the remotest areas in Southern Philippines. My parents were farmers (sharecroppers). My father was orphaned from an early age. He and his 2 siblings grew up with relatives who never sent them to school. My mother grew up taking care of a blind mother who did not have resources to send her to school either. My parents were denied inheritance from both sides. My parents had to buy 1/2 acre of barren land from my mother’s uncle so we could build a little hut and to have a little space for our animals to roam around. At age 5, I was already helping in the field and at the same time trying to avail myself of the basic free public education offered in the community. I remember our family had a rough time growing up, we could hardly meet both ends meet. Despite of the hardship I encountered, however, through the help of our almighty God, I graduated on top of my class in 1958! But then, I could not enroll in high school because of extreme poverty! I had to stop 6 years trying to find help even to the extent of writing to our congressman but to no avail. And when I found out the inherent impossibility, I had to run away to Manila, the capital city of the Philippines and ended up washing dishes in a marketplace little restaurant that caters food for early shoppers. I was able to enroll at Manila high night school, but I had to wash dishes for 15 hours. My high school journey was even tougher, I could not read books or use the library because of the limited time. I had to memorize everything the teachers taught inside the classroom to stay combative! And you what? It worked for me! Our almighty God let me graduate again on top of my class in 1968! After graduating as a Valedictorian, I was free to enroll in any university of my choice and the rest was my story!
In my quest to enjoy the free educational opportunities offered to me when I graduated Valedictorian, I was focused on serious studies without knowing that I did not enjoy having a girlfriend. My best friend in the college of law who was a Prosecutor in the city of Manila at the time, introduced me to the cousin of his wife named Rose who happened to be a Registered Nurse recruited by Baptist Medical Center in 1972, who was still single at the time. We exchanged communication by letters and eventually got married in Manila when we met for this first time, during her vacation to the Philippines in 1985! When she came back to the States, she petitioned me and 6 months later I joined her in Arkansas! Our marriage happened without a long courtship! Both of us didn’t plan about it! To me this is another miracle from God! My wife and I don’t have any children, but we are blessed to have a lot of nephews and nieces, some of them grew up in our house!
I remember, growing up in that tiny village, because of our extreme poverty, no one could expect that one of the 11 siblings could go to high school. But our almighty God is a God of Miracle! He can move mountains to show us His power! Who would ever think I could become a “Born Again Christian”? I thought all along I was already a good Christian and did not have to be “born again”, only to find out, among other things, that
1. There is a big difference between Christianity and religion.
2. That the issue is not religion but Jesus Christ!
And finally, 3. That unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he or she cannot enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:5)! I responded to the call of Evangelist Billy Graham during his crusade here in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1989 and since then, I believe I have been a “Born Again Christian”!
I began my journey as a licensed lawyer in the Philippines before immigrating to the U.S., where I started working as a server at the former Holiday Inn West in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1986, I was honored to be voted as the First Employee of the year. At that time, I juggled three jobs: Waiter at Holiday Inn, Waiter at Little Rock Hilton, and Realtor in between shifts.
Later, I transitioned into real estate full-time while also attending nursing school. Eventually, I became a Registered Nurse at Baptist Medical Center. During this period, I was also named co-winner of the “My Everest” challenge for climbing thousands of steps—from ground to 10th floor and back—during my break times while on duty as a nurse. One special highlight: I had the opportunity to take a photo with the future 42nd President of the United States, who was then serving as Governor of Arkansas.
Now I am 81-year-old. I extremely boast my almighty God for navigating my life this far! It’s not about me, it’s all about Him! I have grown much by numbers but feel much richer and even much younger in heart and spirit! This is my story—an illustration of life watered by tears of sufferings and perseverance, a veritable saga of human survival against seemingly insurmountable odds. Summing it all up, my overcoming the hardships and successes both in schools and workplaces was designed and ordered by the Lord. I did not do it “my way” as I claimed before. It was all through God’s grace! May the readers be able to learn something of what I have been through. I am extremely grateful for all the adversities which have crossed my path for they have taught me tolerance, sympathy, self-control, perseverance, sagacity and all other virtues I might never have known!”

Thoughts of the Day—by Santi Lalis on 4/6, 2025
Some Bible Verses for all of us to Memorize, Meditate, and put into Practice all the days of our lives:
1. Proverbs 3:5-6: This verse encourages us to RELY SOLEY on GOD’S WISDOM and GUIDANCE, rather than on our own, in ALL ASPECTS of LIFE!
2. Isaiah 41:10: This verse offers comfort and assurance, reminding us that God is always present to support us, especially in times of troubles and difficulties!
3. Psalm 23: This passage is a beautiful expression of God’s care and provisions, describing Him as a shepherd who guides and protects His flocks! Consider reading this passage slowly and reflecting on the imagery and promises it contains!
4. John 3:16: This is a “foundational” verse for all Christians, emphasizing God’s love and the gift of salvation that can be obtained only through faith in Jesus Christ!
5. Matthew 11:28: This verse offers comfort and invites those who are struggling to find relief that can be found only in Jesus Christ!
6. Philippians 4:6-7: Key Takeaways on Philippians 4:6-7:
1) Replace fear and anxiety with prayer! Meaning, instead of dwelling on worries, we are encouraged to pray and express our needs to God!
2) God’s peace as a protector: God’s peace is presented as a powerful force that guards believers’ hearts and minds!
3) Trust in Christ: The assurance of our peace is tied up to our faith with Christ Jesus!
7. Romans 8:28: This verse assures believers that God is working for their good even in difficult circumstances! We need to be sure, however, that our love for God is demonstrated through obedience to His Word and aligning our will with God’s will in order to experience the fullness of this promise!
8. Joshua 1:9: This verse encourages us to be strong and courageous knowing that our God will be with us whatever we do, wherever we go! Have a blessed day everybody! May our almighty God guide, protect, and bless us all always!
This Saturday, April 19, our church will once again go to the entrance of the Chinese supermarket to hold gospel signs. We pray that the Lord will lead us to meet more brothers in Christ like Santi, so that we may encourage and serve one another. More importantly, we pray that the Lord would use us to proclaim and share His gospel with people from every nation and every people group. In the name of Christ, Amen!

4/6/25 牧者之言

H同学的见证

上周日3月30日教会主日学讨论关于传福音,使弟兄姐妹对基督福音的本质及传福音的方法等方面有许多深入反思
这周一3月31日下午2: 47,我收到一条老朋友(我之前的导师;我们一起同工多年)给我发来的短信:
“你还记得曾帮助H同学找房子并为他祷告吗?他已经信主,并在两周前受了浸礼。太奇妙了!”
我听到这个消息非常好奇。怎么会有这样的事呢?有的人弟兄姐妹花多少时间给他们传福音,他们都不信。这位同学怎么这么快就受了浸礼。我清楚记得,去年10月初H去我从前毕业的学校学习音乐。当时他找房子找不到,经他的老师介绍打电话找到我。我和他说:“我离开那里已经6年多了,之前的联络都找不到了。”我和他沟通了一下,然后对他说:“我为你做个祷告可以吗?求主为你预备。”他说:“好的”。祷告完后,神真的很快就预备了。他说:“幸亏您的祈祷,我昨天租到了离学校很近而且很便宜的房子!”后来,他见证说:“你祷告真灵啊!”。我回答说:“感谢主,不是我祷告灵,每个基督徒祷告都灵,只是神在那个时间预备我来为你祷告。如果不是我为你祷告,主也会预备别人的”。
我听说他受了浸礼感到非常兴奋,马上打电话给我的老朋友和H,问H在哪里受的浸礼?老朋友告诉我:“在我们简单家庭教会的游泳池里(Our simple house church in a swimming pool)”。老朋友分享到,今天上午我带着H去见一位牧师。恰巧这位牧师上周五刚来我们小石城教会分享。那位牧师提到春海时,H马上说:“我认识他。他给我祷告过”。太神奇了,主居然以这种方式让我可以有份与分享H受浸礼的好消息。H告诉我说,他打算过两周回国了。他决定将来去作牧师(或传福音的人)。他说:“音乐不能救人,只有福音能。中国人现在最需要的是耶稣。” 他进一步说:“主依然让我用音乐赞美他或赚一点儿微薄的收入,但我的主要目标将是给别人传讲福音”。

  • 以下是他受浸礼前的文字见证

我一直在寻找正确的生活方式,我曾经相信金钱、科学、哲学、音乐等等。
但最终它们都失败了,现在我明白了,那是因为这些都是人的东西,它们并不坚固可靠,根基不够稳固。
然而,神爱我,把我带到了这里,向我展现了真理——耶稣基督才是唯一的道路。
起初,我带着怀疑开始学习圣经,但我渴望知道真理,所以一直在寻求。
我很幸运,神安排我遇到了一位朋友,他成为了我的老师,总是耐心而充满爱地回答我的问题。
终于,在上周六,当我躺在床上时,脑海里突然响起一个声音:“耶稣,我相信你,耶稣,我愿意跟随你。”
我知道,那是耶稣在呼唤我。
那一刻,所有的怀疑都消失了,我相信了圣经中的一切。
我感受到前所未有的平安和喜乐,我感觉我的罪被完全洗净了。
我开始感谢神,并且为我的家人和朋友祷告。
我的信心正一天天地增长,我会继续读圣经,并努力向更多的人传扬福音。

  • 周二晚进一步分享

周二晚上我和H有个Zoom 会议,听到他更多的分享;并同时给他一些鼓励和劝勉。我请他分享一下他的信仰之旅。他说:
“首先,我5岁时奶奶带我去教会。我清楚记得当时背诵主祷文。奶奶有一次为我祷告,求主赐予我智慧和聪明。此后这么多年来,我在心里一直寻求智慧。
后来,在我上大学时选修一门课程《西方历史》。讲到宗教这个部分时,老师给我们放“耶稣生平”影片。我看影片时流泪了。我当时有点儿信,也曾参加过2-3次聚会。 之后就没有再继续。
去年10月来到美国,经一位师姐介绍我去参加校园里的浸信会大学事工(Baptist Collegiate Ministry,简称BCM)认识了A姐妹。A姐妹将我介绍给老朋友。老朋友今年1月份开始带领参加每周二晚上的查经称为“圣经探索小组”(“Bible Discover Group”),这个小组学习的优点是学习采用的不是灌输式的,而是在一起读经,以启发的方式鼓励每个同学自己发现真理。经过8周的学习,我自己读圣经,主使我的心慢慢被打开。主让我清楚地看到,圣经真是有智慧,绝对不是人能编出来的。有一天晚上我听《以弗所书》,这本书的冲击力实在是太大了。那天我听到耶稣的呼唤,便决志信主,完全跟随耶稣”。

  • 生命的转变

他一路走过来,特别感谢老朋友的陪伴、鼓励、耐心回答我各样疑问、请我喝茶、关心我。他还补充说到,他两岁时父母离异。他和奶奶、爸爸、妈妈的关系都非常不好,而且已经很长时间不说话了。他管自己的亲妈不叫妈,叫“老娘”。他信主后第二天就与奶奶、爸爸和妈妈和好了。他也开始管亲妈叫“妈”了。感谢主,是圣灵改变了一个人的生命,让人学会了饶恕。

  • 传福音中上帝的工作

我们为H见证基督的生命而感恩,他能够信主,一路上经历许多人曾和他分享福音:他奶奶、他老师、老朋友。前面的人都是撒种者,老朋友是耕耘和收割者。在传福音这件事上,不是我们能作什么,是神能作。神自己呼召人做工。神就是这样安排,这人撒种、那人收割。“早晨要撒你的种,晚上也不要歇你的手,因为你不知道哪一样发旺;或是早撒的,或是晚撒的,或是两样都好”(传11:6)。我们要将荣耀归于主,因为做工的在我们,结果子在乎主!哈利路亚,主的作为奇妙、奇妙、真奇妙!让我们继续为H的信仰和未来事奉计划代祷祝福,求主继续引导保守他。以基督之名,阿门!

Testimony of Student H

On Sunday, March 30th, during our church’s Sunday school, we had a discussion about evangelism. It led the brothers and sisters to deeply reflect on the essence of the gospel of Christ and the methods of sharing the gospel.
On Monday, March 31st, at 2:47 PM, I received a text message from an old friend (my former mentor; we had served together for many years):
         “Do you remember helping Student H find a house and prayed for him? He came to Christ and was baptized 2 weeks ago. Amazing!!
I was very surprised when I heard this news. How could this happen? Some people spend so much time sharing the gospel with others, yet they still don’t believe. But this student was baptized so quickly.
I vividly remember that in early October last year, H went to my university in another state that I graduated from to study music. At that time, he was struggling to find housing. Through his teacher’s introduction, he called me. I told him, “I left the city more than six years ago, and I have lost touch with most of my connections.” After talking with him for a while, I asked, “Can I pray for you? May the Lord prepare a place for you.” He said, “Okay.” After I prayed, God quickly provided for him. He later told me, “Thanks to your prayer, I rented a house close to school at a very affordable price yesterday!” Later, he testified, “Your prayer was really effective!” I responded, “Thank the Lord! It’s not that my prayer was effective—every Christian’s prayer is powerful. It’s just that God had prepared me at that moment to pray for you. If I hadn’t prayed for you, the Lord would have arranged someone else to do the same thing.”
Hearing that he had been baptized, I was extremely excited. I immediately called my old friend and H to ask where he had been baptized. My old friend told me, “In our simple house church’s swimming pool.” My friend shared that this morning, he had taken H to meet a pastor. Coincidentally, this pastor had just visited our Little Rock Immanuel Chinese Baptist Church last Friday. When the pastor mentioned my name, H immediately said, “I know him! He prayed for me.” It was amazing that the Lord arranged for me to share in the joy of H’s baptism in such a way.
H told me that he plans to return to China in two weeks. He has decided to become a pastor (or an evangelist). He said, “Music cannot save people—only the gospel can. What the Chinese people need most right now is Jesus.” He further explained, “The Lord will still allow me to use my music to praise Him or to earn a small income, but my main goal will be to preach the gospel to others.”

Below is his written testimony before his baptism:
I’ve been trying to find the right way to live my life all the time, I have believed in many ways such as money, science, philosophy, music and so on.
         But they all ended up failing, now I know it’s because they are all human stuff which are not solid or reliable, they have inadequate foundation, but God loves me and brought me here, and showed me the truth that Jesus Christ is the only path.
          I started learning the Bible with suspicion, but I want to know the truth so I’ve always been seeking, I am so lucky that God arranged me to meet a friend who became my teacher and always answers my questions with patience and love.
          Finally on last Saturday, a voice came out of my mind while I was lying on my bed, “Jesus I believe you, Jesus I want to follow you”, I knew that was Jesus calling me. Then all the suspicions were gone and I believed in all the things in Bible. I felt so much peace and joy, I felt all my sin was washed to clean, I started to thank God and I started to pray for my family and my friends.
         My faith is growing stronger and stronger day by day, I will keep reading the Bible in the future and try to send the gospel to more people.  

Further Sharing on Tuesday Night
On Tuesday evening, I had a Zoom meeting with H, where he shared more of his story. I also gave him some encouragement and counsel. I invited him to share his faith journey, and he said:
        “First of all, when I was five years old, my grandma took me to church. I clearly remember reciting the Lord’s Prayer. One time, my grandma prayed for me, asking the Lord to give me wisdom and understanding. Since then, for all these years, I have been seeking wisdom in my heart.
Later, when I was in college, I took a course on Western History. When we studied the religious section, the professor played a video about ‘The Life of Jesus. As I watched, I was moved to tears. At that time, I had a bit of faith and even attended two or three church gatherings. However, I did not continue.
Last October, when I arrived in USA, a senior schoolmate introduced me to the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) on campus, where I met Sister A. She introduced me to a friend. In January this year, this friend invited me to join a study group called ‘Bible Discovery Group,’ which met every Tuesday night. One thing I really appreciated about this group was that the study method was not about being indoctrinated. Instead, we read the Bible together and were encouraged to discover the truth on our own. After eight weeks of study, as I read the Bible myself, the Lord gradually opened my heart. He allowed me to see clearly that the Bible is truly full of wisdom—it is absolutely not something humans could have made up. One night, I listened to the book of Ephesians. The impact was so powerful that it overwhelmed me. That night, I heard Jesus calling me, and I decided to fully commit myself to Him and follow Him completely.”

A Life Transformed
Looking back on his journey, H is especially grateful for that old friend’s companionship, encouragement, patience in answering his questions, inviting him for tea, and showing him care.
He also shared that his parents divorced when he was two years old. He had a very poor relationship with his grandma, father, and mother, and he had not spoken to them for a long time. He did not even call his biological mother “Mom” but instead referred to her as “Old Lady.” However, the second day after he became a Christian, he reconciled with his grandma, father, and mother. He also started calling his mother “Mom.” Praise the Lord! It was the Holy Spirit that changed his life and taught him to forgive.

The Lord’s Work in Evangelism
We are grateful for H’s testimony of Christ’s transformative power. Along the way, many people shared the gospel with him—his grandmother, his teacher, and my old friend. Those who came before were sowers, and my old friend was the one who nurtured and harvested. When it comes to evangelism, it is not about what we can do—it is about what God can do. God Himself calls people and does the work. He arranges everything so that one sows, another waters, and another reaps the harvest.
       “Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. (Ecclesiastes 11:6)
Let us give all the glory to the Lord, for though we labor, it is He who produces the fruit! Hallelujah! The Lord’s work is marvelous, wonderful, and truly amazing! Let us continue to pray for C’s faith and his future ministry plans. May the Lord continue to guide and protect him. In the name of Christ, Amen!