Cornfield Church

The Chinese government has a long and violent history towards Christians. The suffering that believers face at the hands of government officials is not only ongoing but increasingly becoming worse. Christians endure unrelenting persecution for their faith in Christ but despite the hardships, there is no hesitation on their behalf to share the Gospel. Thousands of Chinese men and women choose Jesus daily despite the cost. For pastors, the danger of being arrested and beaten is a constant threat. They must be creative when it comes to evading the government. Many times, police will follow them along the streets making it impossible for the pastors to go home as they risk endangering themselves and their loved ones. Instead, they must find a place to hide. There are cases where pastors have not been able to return home for years.

John, who is a dedicated pastor in China, learned the police had tracked down and arrested many of his colleagues. John was not afraid to go to jail but he knew that his many congregations needed him in this dark hour. John and another pastor, still undetected by police, decided to hide in a nearby cornfield. During the day, they studied the word of God and memorized scripture. At night, they would sneak out to a church member’s home to pray, counsel, and offer them comfort. After this, the entire congregation would then gather in the cornfield for a church service in the darkness. Everyone knew the police would arrest them and confiscate their possessions if they were discovered. It was safer, therefore, to meet at night. During particularly stressful times, John would lead the group in all-night prayer vigils. He knew the Lord was with them but he often felt overwhelmed with the burden to stay positive for so many people. He wanted to encourage all the believers in his care and many times, during a challenging year, all he could do was pray for hours. Many people came to know the Lord in that cornfield and they went on to plant hundreds of house churches. John wasn’t able to return home for five long years, but never once did he weigh the cost of his decision to follow Christ. His commitment to the Lord was absolute.

In Psalm 32:7 – 8, it says: You are a hiding place for me, you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

The Lord was John’s hiding place. He rested in the arms of the One who called him and counseled him in the way he should go.