Brother Zhou’s story of meeting Jesus is truly an amazing and unique one for us at Within Reach Global. This ministry focuses on reaching unreached people groups in village settings. That is our specialty. That is what we excel at, focus on, and how God has been leading us for over a decade.
But on the edge of every village is a narrow footpath that leads to a road. The road connects to a highway, which leads to a town a few miles from a city.
You see, the story that God is telling links villages and cities, individuals and communities.
The story doesn’t work without me. The narrative is boring without you.
And the story was incomplete until Brother Zhou was introduced. This middle-aged man with a slight speech impediment works at an electrical power plant near Bamboo region. He travels around the area on a regular basis for work.
In mid January, he heard about one of the Christian churches we had planted in Bamboo region, and found his way to the underground meeting. He was greeted by our faithful local missionary, Brother Yin, and welcomed into the fellowship.
Brother Zhou was so touched by the love he felt from the believers at Bamboo church. For the first time in his life, he heard someone sharing the message of Christ’s cross and the transformation it brings.
“I closed my eyes and felt the peace,” he told us. “I was so moved by God’s Spirit in that place.”
After the service, Brother Zhou and Brother Yin exchanged QQ accounts (a popular IM chat program in China similar to––the local version of MSN or Yahoo Messenger), and began communicating online. Brother Zhou would try to attend the church when he could, but sometimes his schedule did not allow. Whenever he missed a service, our co-workers would chat with him online, giving him scripture verses and words of encouragement.
“About two and a half months after I first attended Bamboo church, I felt something change inside my heart,” Brother Zhou shared. “I got on QQ and began chatting with Brother Yin again.”
Brother Yin breaks in to tell the story.
“So we were chatting on QQ, and I was speaking over Brother Zhou’s life. I was telling him God wanted him to experience abundant life. I asked him if he was ready to pray a prayer of salvation with me. A pause in-between our chats, and a few seconds later he typed, ‘Yes, I am ready!'”
“wat do i nid to get eternal life?”
“u need to make Jesus d Lord of ur life.”
“how do i do that?” Brother Zhou replied online.
“repeat aftr me. i will lead u in a prayer of salvation right nw,” Brother Yin replied. “i will type one line at a time, an u type aftr me, praying frm ur heart.”
Brother Zhou sat in front of his computer at the electrical power plant while our co-worker led him in a prayer of salvation. Line by line, the power of God fell, and Brother Zhou became a Christian over the world wide web!
“Jesus, i ask u to com into my life an change me frm within.”
“Jesus, i ask u to com into my life an change me frm within.”
“i knw u hav a purpose for my life, an u wnt to use me as ur light in d world.”
“i knw u hav a purpose for my life, an u wnt to use me as ur light in d world.”
“right nw i make u d Lord of my life. in d name of Jesus i pray.”
“right nw i make u d Lord of my life. in d name of Jesus i pray.”
“amen.”
“amen.”
Brother Zhou is now being discipled by our local missionary, Brother Yin. He just attended a two day underground training that we hosted. He joined 75 Christian leaders as our visiting pastor from America ministered, and Brother Zhou was touched by God. He was so encouraged during a time of laying on of hands as someone prayed for him.
“This is really a brand new life!” he said. “I am so happy to finally be a Christian!”
Unreached people groups in villages at the ends of the earth are being touched by Within Reach Global, but God is moving all throughout the region as well.
A narrow foot path that leads to a road that connects to a highway that leads to the hearts of men and women who need Jesus. That’s what it’s all about.
The next time you’re on QQ, remember that salvation breaks through in every kind of unconventional way.