CHINA HORIZON
16334 Fieldcrest Ct.
La Mirada, CA 90638
June 2001
Dear Friends of China Horizon:
Thank God He has given us strategic students in our teaching ministry. Seminary students from Singapore and Malaysia include urban Christians preparing for ministry. Christian leaders from the 10/40 window travel overseas to receive training at great cost. Asia’s pastors often return to seminary for further studies. Churches in Asia face great challenges in presenting God’s Word with power just when young adults are swept away by the postmodern, Information-Technology world along with pagan religions and lifestyles. Chinese-speaking churches face a unique crisis as Chinese-language instruction is becoming less available: what is their future mission?
A trip to Asia, like the upcoming one (June 23-July 20) includes concurrent goals:
(a)to encourage pastors to remain faithful to the Word of God, and to plan their further studies and graduate school applications accordingly;
(b)to show seminary students preparing for the ministry, how to be faithful to, and confident in, the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God;
(c)through public lectures (cosponsored by young pastors, some cosponsored by The Divine Challengers, our publishing partner in Singapore), to challenge laypeople in the churches to study the Word of God, and apply it in the marketplace;
(d)to work closely with our editors and translators, to make plans for, and monitor progress toward the publishing of books in Asia.
Thank God, Pan shi zhi shang (Upon the Rock: the Chinese translation of The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction by Sinclair Ferguson) came off the press in May. Jay Adams’ Competent to Counsel (2nd edition) and Helps for Counselors are scheduled to come off the press in June (copublished with The Divine Challengers of Singapore). All are in the simplified script. We are also grateful that God has given us a partner in Christian Communications Inc. of Canada. My booklet, An Evening Conversation About Christianity (simplified script) was released in December 2000; all 5000 copies have been distributed! My second booklet, Assurance of Salvation, was released in April; half of the 5000 copies have been distributed.
It is encouraging to know that our literature is becoming a tool in the Lord’s hands. Pastors in the 10/40 window are aware of our publications on the internet. We now request English copyright holders to allow us to publish Chinese translations on the internet, so that Christians living among Asia’s billions may have access to them.
So, pray that these open doors of opportunity may stay open – if the Lord wills – and that I may speak His word with boldness and meekness.
For Christ and Chinese minds,
Samuel Ling