"Sister Ling is a simple, plain-looking farmer's daughter, but Christ's beauty and grace shines in her eyes," in the words of a report from
Revival Chinese Ministries International (RCMI). "In 1991, the house churches in the central Chinese province Henan suffered heavy persecution. Sister Ling's family was torn apart. She and her husband had to leave their 7-year-old daughter in the care of another Christian. In the midst of this terrible time, Sister Ling's church decided to send her and another believer to far north-eastern China as spiritual pioneers. At 2 a.m. the night before she left, she and her husband sneaked into the village where their daughter now lived. The little girl woke, and cried when she saw her parents. After the traumatic goodbye, Sister Ling set off on her 2,500 km (1,600 mile) journey. It looked like it was going to be a difficult job; two years previously, several young believers had been sent to the region, but they had not been strong in their faith. Their work had resulted in eight new groups. The two women's job was now to choose a few key people from each group and train them in Biblical truths. Four months later, the Christians were filled with God's love for the lost, so they went out to evangelise. Many came to faith, because the Holy Spirit was with them. Sister Ling's home church decided that the two women should stay longer, so they discipled ten Christians who subsequently each went to different places to pass that which they had learned on to others. More and more people came to faith in Jesus. Ling declared January 1994 to be "Gospel Month". The churches fasted and prayed, and covered the streets with tracts, going from house to house evangelising. Over 4,000 new churches were planted in the surrounding towns and villages. Countless signs and wonders happened, and the believers were filled with joy; their experiences reminded them of the book of Acts. Sister Ling and her team prayed for more leaders and workers for the growing flock; God answered by speaking to thirty people who then worked full time for the Gospel. They travelled in pairs, training new leaders and giving the rapidly-growing church a Biblical foundation. Sister Ling's leadership team has no pastors or elders, and nobody has any theological training. Everything they teach they have heard from God themselves. The team now consists of 120 full-time staff, working in three provinces in north-eastern China, Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Shandong. 300,000 people have come to faith in Christ, and gather in 5,000 churches."
Source:
RCMI, Dennis Balcombe
