October 7, 2005

Dear Family, 

Linda and I have just returned from China where we were privileged to join Pastor/Missionary Mike Johnson of Family Faith Center in Pflugerville, Texas, and Pastors Walter and Joycelyn Henderson of Berean Family Worship Center, Milwaukee, WI and Pastor Chan Lee of Malaysia, for a very vital and strategic project of conducting a Frontline Shepherds Conference to the underground church leaders of China. Chuck and Wendy Lenhart our missionary contacts in Hunan Province have been actively reaching the minority people groups of China for 15 years. There are 140 major minority people groups in China many of which are unreached. There is only one recognized church in China, the Three Self Church. Each person must register and register for the Three Self Bible, which, of course allows the government to know who has a Bible. It is also illegal to witness to or involve anyone under the age of 18 in Christian/Gospel work or activity.

This ministry team was sponsored and supported by Global Advance, which is directed by David Shibley (who has trained over 250,000 indigenous leaders in 70 nations). The church in China is now estimated to be in excess of 150 million believers; the largest number of believers in any one nation in the world. It is estimated that the house church movement in China is growing at a rate of 38,000 per day being added to the church. The task of training and mentoring is daunting, and very dangerous to the believers in China. 

During our stay the following ministry milestones where witnessed and our hearts where moved by the passion and vision that the Chinese believers exhibit to see their nation receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Those milestones are as follows: 

Strategy and Focus - South Central China, Hunan Province  

Minorities represented: Yao , Y (ee), Naxi (Nashee), Hani (Hunee), Hun people

• Training and development of indigenous leaders to increase effective church health and growth of the house church movement.
• To further develop the apostolic networks needed in those regions to link believers together to advance the Kingdom of God in their city and region
  • Bring life transformation to the social, governmental, educational and market place arenas.
• To facilitate a model of the five governmental offices of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, working together as a team to impact national church leadership for completing the great commission of Mark 16:15-20.

1. High Security Travel -Ministry team was escorted by car 4 hours south toward the Vietnam border to a training safe house for 3 days -arriving at 2 AM in the morning. Local believers risk interrogation, punishment and imprisonment for themselves and their families.
2. Regional Representation-Approximately 55-60 leaders where present from as far as 500KM distance or about 700 miles. Five major church groups were represented.
3. Directional Dreams Given-Two leaders from a nearby village were led to the training by a dream the previous night, met other believers who were on their way to the training, who then directed them to the safe house.
4. Demonstration of the Spirit and Power- Many believers received the infilling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of their new language, and were set free of demonic strongholds and generational curses in their lives.
5. Impartation of Spiritual Truths- A powerful venue provided teaching on:
   • Faith That Won't Give Up
   • Bringing Generational Blessings
   • Freedom that Lasts
   • Your Faith has a Purpose
   • Spiritual Warfare and Being a Person of Intercession
   • The Baptism in the Holy Spirit
   • The Book of Ruth - Favor by Design
   • Handling Adversities in Life
   • Being a Steward of the Mysteries of God
   • God-pleasing Faith
6. Missionary Fellowship Experiences Breakthrough Gatherings- On Sunday September 18th a powerful time of worship, prophecy and prayer unfolded with three powerful messages by our Global Advance Team. This culminated a 21-day Daniel fast by the International Missionary Fellowship in the city of Kunming. Many people experienced very tangible breakthroughs in their ministries for new strategies, direction and provision for the task of reaching China's masses and bringing transformation to the city and region.
7. Financial Release for projects- $2,000 dollars was given to Pastor Chan Lee of Malaysia for the outreach project to the Muslims of Northwest China and other key financial gifts where released during this gathering on the 18th for key strategic projects aimed at national training and development of leaders.

Summary: Key Prayer needs spoken by the Chinese believers:

• Pray that the influence and activity of religious cults be paralyzed and a spirit of deception broken off the Christian congregations.
• Pray that God will raise up strong leaders for the many local congregations without leadership.
  • Many are fragmented and ineffective because leaders are weak and fall into compromise.
• Pray that the strongholds of Buddhism will be pulled down, the people of China will begin to hear the voice of God and receive revelation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  • Specifically a large statue of Buddha is visible from many kilometers in the region and is home to a Buddhist monastery, and training center.
• Pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to move among the Muslims of China through indigenous missionaries and laborers.
• Pray for the "gateway cities" of Kunming and Beijing... That the gates of those cities be open to the revealed truth of the Word of God.
  • So that the transformation of cities and regions be realized at every level of society - thus giving way to governmental changes and favor toward the underground church and it's redemptive impact on the nation.
• Prayer for the families of Christian communities to be healed and restored through deliverance and the applied truth of the gospel.

Linda and I are so grateful for the confidence each of you have placed in us and the mandate we have to help bring the government of God on the Earth. We are now in preparation for our 2006 Transformation Projects in North India, and China, and we value your prayers and your partnership as we bring the gospel of Jesus Christ in demonstration of the Spirit and in Power.

Your partners in the harvest,

Wade and Linda