Go and make disciples of all nations!

- Matt 28:19 NIV -

                                                                                                                                                                                       ∴ Date : 2019-04-01

You are more than a teacher! ​ Johnny Chun / Executive Secretary of TI    Recently, I was invited by Christian professors’ groups in Korea to speak on the issue:“ How can Christian teachers begin their ”Student Ministry“ at their work places?      Have you ever given a thought that hundreds of students who don’t know Jesus Christ are around you, at your school and right where you work? You don’t have to go out for outreach. Mission field and un-reached people are waiting for you in front of you almost every week. You are the most appropriate person to reach the students, future leaders.     The school or institution, where you work and give influences are your mission fields. Christian teachers whether they are university lecturers or grade school teachers can contribute and serve the Lord fulfilling  the command “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15). They are at the right place to serve God effectively.    But one thing we Christian teachers have to be equipped is the ministry skill.    Unless we sharpen the skill and knowledge to share the gospel and make disciples, our desire and hearts to serve Him cannot be used effectively, Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.”    “Tentmakers are disciples of Jesus Christ, called by God and commissioned by God's people to make disciples and build His church, who use their professional skills to facilitate their ministry.”

The 4th TI Korea Leaders’ Forum ​ The 4th TI Korea Leaders’ Forum was held on March 1-2 , 2019. 57 leaders (Mission leaders, professors, Pastors, CEOs and Medical doctors) attended the consultation learning, sharing and building mission strategies together.

       By  Steinar Opheim / Tentmaking Today

        China is waging war with faith. The nation should respect the sacred right of people to worship, said the U.S. ambassador for International 

      Religious Freedom as he was speaking in Hong Kong last week.

        The human rights situation in China has caused many concerns in recent past years. The current president, Xi Jinping, seems to be especially

      active in taking religious freedom away from the citizens of the world’s most populous nation. Foreign workers who have been living in China for

      years, are told to leave on short notice. Many unregistered churches who operated openly a few years ago, have now moved their work to secret

      places.

     < Nationwide crackdowns >

    The management of religious affairs lies with the Communist Party now, not just with government, and Christians are feeling this strongly.

    Crackdowns against Christians happen countrywide and in both state-approved and non-registered churches. The youth are increasingly being

    removed from church life, worship is monitored via CCTV and spies, and teachers and medical workers are told they are not allowed to have any

    religious affiliation, writes Open Doors in its 2019 World Watch list. The list describes and documents persecution against Christians worldwide.

    The World Watch list places China as the 27th worst persecutor of Christians. One year ago China was listed as number 43

    < All religions are affected >

    The deteriorating faith and human rights situation in China is monitored by several governments and organization. Sam Brownback, the US

    Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, underlines that the government’s policy does not only create problems for the Christians.

    Muslims and other religious minorities are equally affected. The ambassador states that the policy also creates new obstacles in a potential

    unification between Taiwan and China.

    If they want to build some confidence in Taiwan, they should give religious freedom to their own people. It would be noticeable if they did that,

    he says according to Reuters.

    < Short notice >

    The Voice of the Martyrs reports that a government office in the Henan province has announced the establishment of a hotline to report “illegal

    religious activities”. People who break the religious laws can be fined up to 30,000 US dollars.

    The public has been encouraged to aggressively monitor their community members for such violations, writes the Voice of the Martyrs.

    Tentmaking Today is regularly in contact with several people who live and work in China. Many of them tell stories of foreign friends who have had

    to leave China on short notice. Among those remaining in the nation the situation is creating fear that the police one day will show up and put an

    end to their life and work in China.