As I sat down for the post-Christmas celebrations with the migrant worker service at Fairfield today, I was informed about a wonderful news. Maybe I'm a little slow to receive this, and some of you might already know about it, but good news it is! China is currently experiencing a spiritual revival!
Sure, I was told about the Christian community growing, but I never knew that a spiritual revival was occurring. It was fantastic news to me! So many people in China are receiving Christ everyday, despite the authorities desperately clamping down on missionaries and church leaders. In some provinces, there are so many Christians that churches are erected in public and authorities can do nothing about it! Well, I should rephrase that sentence a little: Federal authorities are more than happy to welcome the burgeoning Christian community because of the social aid that it provides for the people. Of course, the national government doesn't like it because it goes against certain anti-religion laws set forth by the Maoist state instruments, and also it's potential for grouping unhappy, unemployed Chinese workers against the capitalist-transforming state, but on the ground little is (or can actually be) done to prevent the massive growth.
What we Singaporeans can learn from this is simply the issue of social justice. Although I'm from Campus Crusade and am a pretty outspoken Christian, I never really believed in the effectiveness of street evangelism. I mean, it's a good program to get Christians involved in church activities and exposing them to the lack of courage in most of us towards sharing the gospel with a total stranger. Instead, I believe in the effectiveness of community service. Christianity, in my opinion, grew not as a bunch of fervent people pulling people off the street and pressing the gospel in their faces, but through simple acts of kindness. Face-to-face evangelism might save a life at that point of time, but a lifetime of loving kindness and acts of goodness saves a lot more. Even Jesus taught about His Heavenly Father only after healing people of their sicknesses and raising their dead. After all, He wasn't a naturally charismatic guy like many of us think Him to be. But His love was the foundation of His irresistible charm. He attracted people simply by His love.
Therefore, Christian revivals all around the world must begin from acts of service to the community. During the Acts of the Apostles in the Middle East, during the Methodist uprising in Ireland, during the Graham Crusades in USA and during the Christian revival in South Korea. All of them arose because there were people committed to loving their community. People within their proximity, the very people they might not know, but who need love anyway. Some sociologists have speculated that religious revival happens largely during times of economic depression and immense poverty. Well, that's not completely true. After all, witch-hunts have also occurred in times of immense poverty and famine in Europe. It can go the opposite direction. However, in my opinion, it may seem to be the case because times of depression and immense poverty gives people the opportunity to not just share, but to give of the little they have to those around them who need resources. And the God whom they worship, and who provides for their every single need, is also faithful in His promise that those who give shall surely receive even more.
I like to think I'm correct in this, despite not having done any historical research at all. As romantic and ideal this may seem, it could just be the clue to another of history's sociological mysteries, and the key to Christian revival and the hastening of the return of the Lord.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. -Peter (2 Peter 3:11-12)
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