I will try to answer this question clearly by the end of this entry. I’m not going heavily into the situation in other countries, but it would be unfair not to put Britain into a world-wide context. Currently, talk is of something spiritual happening in the US, the UK, France and other parts of Europe. Wider afield it is not as clear, though some countries outside of Europe and the West have been in revival for some time.
By September 2022 I was working on this project more than ever. I had revived the story at least.
Curiosity got the better of me and I attended a large online meeting about the persecution of believers across the world (a serious problem which needs much support from those of us who are in less danger).
A Christian persecution charity had got Bob Fu, the head of China Aid to give an online speech as part of his advocacy for Chinese Christians. Bob Fu is an extremely important advocate and eye-witness to the situation in China, having been in prison himself and having suffered under the authorities for his belief in Christ. I cannot stress how important Bob Fu is. He speaks up for his people.
The speech was about some awful persecution in China of believers and was critical of the Chinese Government (which is pretty much allowed from a Chinese citizen I think (at least outside of China)). China gets a bad press, but there are some huge problems, as there are with Russia and even Iran. These countries are not all bad - as with every country it is often the leaders causing the problems and not necessarily the people. There needed to be little further evidence for persecution there and I was unsure that the topic of revival would come up, despite there having been reports that China was going through a revival at the same time as the persecution.
The host of the online meeting (with hundreds of people there) said that we could ask questions if they were typed during Bob Fu’s speech.
The speech continued, about the past and current Chinese
situation. About how there had effectively been a war on the cross and
believers, in which the communist authorities had ordered for all crosses on
church buildings to be removed. Those churches which did not comply were often
demolished and the leaders arrested and imprisoned under awful conditions. I
had already learned that communism wasn’t the paradise I used to imagine
communism to be as a student, having read other reports of those who get on the
wrong side of it. However, as a political lefty, I had always been interested
in the systems of other countries. I figured, and still figure, that capitalism
is not the best system either and that those who get on the wrong side of it
are similarly punished, one way or the other. Sometimes even dying as a result
of it.
I had typed in the following question to the host, who had said that he would ask Bob Fu
the questions at the end of the speech. I asked:
“Thank you for opening my eyes to the persecution of Christians in China and about the persecution there. I heard that there was a revival in China as well. How can there be a revival and a persecution at the same time?”
As I say, I thought that the question would be asked by the host. Instead, the host said that we were to ask our questions in person. My webcam was not on but my name was on display. I took a deep breath and asked the question, a minor-miracle for me, never comfortable with this kind of public speaking. I was put on the spot and had to ask first.
His answer was this:
“That’s a good question…” (I cannot tell you how
happy I was that he said that given that I had just changed the whole topic of
the event, which I knew some people wouldn’t like)
“In prison you were forced to sit for 15 or 16 hours a day. You started a
prison choir. So, every day I started to sing.”
At this point Bob Fu began to sing a praise song in Chinese. It changed the atmosphere again. He continued…
“Almost every person regarded me as their spiritual
advisor. Many shared their experience - wherever God put them, that would
become a prison church. No prison cell can have two Christians at the same
time. But even prison wardens came to Christ. God revived his church in China.
So when this darkness, especially under communism could not offer anything -
the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only light - coming upon a million souls. So
that’s how God revives his church in the middle of persecution.”
There was no opportunity for a further question. My microphone was turned off
by the charity and I just had my notes. If I could have asked another question
I may have asked, “Is there still a revival happening now?”
But I got my answer. It was ‘Yes’. There can be a revival
and a persecution at the same time and Bob Fu is an eye-witness to that. It
seemed to me that the revival was similar to that outlined in the book of Acts
where the disciples and believers face both persecution and see miracles at the
same time. But presumably, not everyone was aware of the miracles.
We could still face a persecution in the UK. Some believers even feel it is
happening at the moment. But I admit that most British people are largely tolerant.
What we face here tends to be some discrimination, but it is not as bad as the
persecution in countries such as China and North Korea (which effectively has
concentration camps). However, the suffering of one country does not negate the
suffering of another, even if that suffering is not as intense.
I
didn’t tell anyone about it. One of my friends had once
said, I think in the context of Question Time: ‘I do like to see some nerves in
those who ask public questions’. I could deliver that, mainly due to my ongoing
mental health problems (for which sometimes people are funny with me).
So, it seems, according to the testimony evidence of eye-witnesses:
- That there is such a thing
as a contemporary revival
- That a revival can happen
alongside a persecution
I am convinced that this is accurate and correct. Or, if you
still don’t believe me, ask Bob Fu and those like him.
Trouble was, of course, that those of us who wanted a revival, wanted it to
happen here… and at this point, that seemed increasingly unlikely. The same
night that I asked this question, the sky clear, the September winds powerful
and the winter approaching - there was a report on the mainstream news which
said that hate crimes in the UK had increased hugely since the pandemic. Crime
was not going down. And the reality was that, at any time, you and I could be
next to experience it. When were we going to experience a revival?
