Where are You Running To?
by Brother Fan
In the wake of Zero Covid policy and increased government persecution, the second generation in the house church are discovering what it means to be persecuted and tested. When things are overwhelmingly difficult, where can we find the courage to face our fears? This heartfelt sermon from a younger pastor in China addresses the disciple Mark’s desire to flee and how he found salvation to be even greater in his weakness.
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Urban Farmer is currently the Academic Dean at a house church seminary in a major Chinese city. He is a Fellow at the Center for House Church Theology, and is currently pursuing a PhD at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Educational Studies.
In recent years, many house church Christians have had to face difficult decisions under persecution. One of those decisions is simply, “Should I stay in China or move overseas…for my sake or my family’s sake?” This phenomenon is so prevalent that it has received its own meme in the form of a Chinese character (润), whose Romanized form is “run.”
There are times in scripture when God’s people are led to run, as the author of this article points out. On the other hand there are also times where we are called to face persecution, face our fears, face our idols of the heart and ask, “What are we running from?” That can only happen when we stop running.
Brother Fan probes deeply into the heart of this question in a way that only one who is facing those choices while experiencing persecution can do. His reflections are powerfully directed at the heart. What does it mean to follow Christ when this brings about suffering, not only for me but for my children? In this weakness we can experience the most beautiful kind of freedom that only comes through the gospel.
This message addresses those in China’s house churches by confronting a very sensitive topic head on. A historic wave of emigration, perhaps hundreds of thousands of Chinese, is happening at the time of this writing. The difficulties of life in China right now, whether for religious, political, or economic reasons, are demonstrated by the number of people choosing to leave. This article is not intended to bind anyone’s conscience or say which decision they should make. However, this article confronts everyone, including those who choose to leave the country for the city, or those who move to places for political or aspirational reasons, with the heart motivations behind our choices. What are we running away from, or towards? Is this out of obedience to God’s guidance, or a desire to escape worldly discomfort or pain?
Brother Fan’s essay is an example of how some Chinese Christians are finding their greatest source of hope and power in the face of great difficulty in the historic gospel of grace alone. The only hope we have, the only strength we find when we want to run is our helpless dependence on God’s total grace. For, as Wang Yi has written,
“Only a beggar can be totally governed by grace… A beggar completely entrusts his destiny and his next meal to the behavior of other people. The same goes for us. We entrust our souls and eternal destiny to the gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1)
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Brother Fan became a believer during his college years. He has two sons with his wife. During his youth, he was once immersed in online games and worldly desires. Later, he was captured by Christ and now testifies to Christ's love for the church through preaching, poetry, experiences in marriage and family, current affairs commentary, and encounters with persecution.
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Category: Devotional
Resource Type: Article
Pages: 16
Date created: 2022
Scripture: Mark 14:51-52
Key terms: suffering, persecution, discipleship, Chinese emigration
This article was originally a sermon, which has been edited for length and clarity. This English edition and introduction are copyright © 2024 by the Center for House Church Theology. Illustration by PC Ng.
We encourage you to use and share this material freely—but please don’t charge money for it, change the wording, or remove the copyright information.
