China Prayer Letter 05/01
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you so much for your ongoing prayer support for Derek Prince’s work in China. The Derek Prince Ministries’ China team very much appreciates, and deeply needs, your support in prayer. The ministry in China is vital to the church there, but it is not easy. It is demanding because as we move forward we have to change and face new challenges. This is exciting, but it is also hard work!
New Technology
We have for the last two years been working to keep pace with China’s technological revolution. We have mentioned previously that up to 700,000,000 people in China use cell phones to make use of cell phone Apps and to go on line. The largest factory in the world makes Apple products in China. Some say Apple profits rely heavily on the China market – yet they are only a fraction of the cell phone usage in China. China also has its own leading brands and other imported models.
There is a significant computer population in China – both privately owned and internet computer bars. To reach believers and others who use this modern technology, as many of you know, we have worked with a cell phone app that contains a large amount of Derek’s teaching in Chinese. We have distributed about 10,000 USB/OTG devices with 30 hours of Derek’s teaching in audio-visual format.
But we are not satisfied with that. We are working on two new all-Chinese websites (one mainly for Chinese people within China, and another for Chinese believers and others outside of China). We are filling those websites with as much of Derek’s teaching as we can – hundreds of mp3 teachings in Chinese and also much audio-visual material.
Our vision and passion is that there will be no-one in China that cannot be reached!
Pray for our team of Chinese workers who are building these websites, especially for ‘P’ and his key role in this.
Pray that many in China would find these websites and be changed by God’s Word.
Literature
You may remember from our last prayer letter that we had a target to print 100,000 copies of Derek’s Life Changing Spiritual Power. In response to your faithfulness in prayer, we saw the necessary funds come in, which allowed us to meet that target. We give thanks to the Lord, and also to you for standing with us in this project.
Last year, we did a complete revision of the Chinese version of Declaring God’s Word. (If you do not know this book, try and get a copy – in English!) It consists of daily proclamations and teachings through the year by Derek. The Chinese version of this book has been carefully checked for errors, and has now been printed and distributed in China. In addition to the printed book version, we have produced a digital version, now being uploaded weekly to the Chinese website. It is also available on the cell phone app and the DPM websites. The readings are currently being recorded with musical accompaniment by "S" [one of our team] and will eventually be available together with the text version. This way Derek’s materials can be listened to as well as read. We are seeking to build up China’s church by making these materials widely available in all formats.
We have been asked by one of our co-workers (with a wide network of churches inside China) to provide these daily readings to her which she will load onto her “WeChat” platform to share more widely.
At the same time, we are working on other books in Chinese to get them ready for printing and distribution in China. Once these books are printed, they will go to another member of the team whose role is to create a a ‘digital’ version (the format differs slightly from the printed book) for uploading to the China website. It is also available on the cell phone app in pdf format, so we have digital and hard copy versions of the books to distribute widely in China.
Pray for the distribution of the books - that they would go to the right people.
Pray for Derek’s written teaching in China to help many believers be founded on God’s Word, the Bible and grow in grace and truth.
The “30x13” Project
This project we have mentioned before. Our task in Derek Prince Ministries, thanks to a very generous donation, was to take 30 of Derek’s core teachings and put them into 13 different languages. We have completed ahead of schedule the Chinese side of this project – placing the teachings on USB/OTG devices and distributing them through our co-workers in China. We could do more, much more, but we have used up the financial resources allocated to the project.
At the same time, we are producing a brief written outline to each of the 30 teachings. The outlines will accompany the "30x13" audio-visual teachings (and become part of a study guide). These are being translated into Chinese as I write. We are thrilled by this possibility of not just providing teaching materials, but also joining them to these outlines to train teachers and thus reinforce the materials in the hearts and minds of the listeners.
Pray for funds to distribute more of the USB devices. We are so excited about their potential amongst Chinese believers who hunger for teachings from the Bible.
The Church in China Today
As we said in our last semi-annual China prayer letter, the church in China needs our prayers. New laws and regulations are being introduced that make life less easy than it has been over the last few years for believers.
There are real concerns for our brothers and sisters in China – more than for the last 20 years.
Pray for wisdom and courage and the fire of the Holy Spirit for God’s people in China.
Pray for the government and the Church in China, for God’s overseeing and protection.
Finally, thank you again for standing with us in this work where we believe the Lord, together with you, helps us to make a genuine difference in many lives in China. That is our passion – to help to present the church in China as pleasing in the eyes of the Savior who died for them.
Your brother in Christ,
Ross Paterson
Director, Derek Prince Ministries: China
on behalf of the whole Derek Prince Ministries team inside and outside China.