Selwyn Hughes wrote: "Paul just couldn't refrain from using it (the phrase "in Christ"). We have 13 letters written by Paul, some of which are very short. Philemon is no more than a page. And yet, in this precious collection of letters, this myriad-minded man, whose writing was at times of a high literary standard, uses this one phrase no less than 164 times. What a great deal it must have meant to him."

The phrase sums up a core of Paul's revelation - that the final divide in our fallen world is not race, colour, economic status, political party or whatever. The divide is in or out of Jesus. For time and eternity that is the only dividing line for each and every human being.

That statement and the magnificent comments by Selwyn Hughes surrounding it at the same time cause two fundamental questions to spring to my mind.

The first question is to ask whether Paul had any other "magnificent obsessions". I think he did. In Romans 15:15-16, Paul states: "Because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." Then in verse 20, he adds: "And so I have made it my aim to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named..."

That was another magnificent obsession of Paul's. It was something he was so adamant about, this call of God on his life to reach the unreached of other nations. Towards the end of his life, in one of my favourite verses, he states: "I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19). That was the vision that was given to him on the road to Damascus and later in the city in Acts 9. He was passionate about this costly, courageous vision, and willing to die for it. He lived to fulfil this "obsession" that the Spirit of God had placed in his heart.

My second question follows naturally. What is my "magnificent obsession"? On this website you can read of some of our team's "magnificent obsessions". For example, Ian's passion to serve our ministry by putting Christian teaching books into the hands of Chinese believers, whether dealing with individuals in need, or with hundreds of thousands of believers hungry for the Word of God. Ian has been faithful to that vision for so many years.

You can read of David's passion to care for the poor, the widow, the orphan, the forgotten in Chinese society. The team that works with him is making a difference in so many lives as they carry in their hearts and actions that vision and passion.

You can read of ‘M & C's vision to reach young students with the life-changing good news of Jesus Christ, to parent those students into what it means to be "in Christ" through the blood of the cross. As they sometimes carry their ageing limbs into the Chinese countryside to reach students and their families, they are not comfortable. But the passion drives them on.

And you can read of other "magnificent obsessions" in these pages. The team that prepares these articles also runs with their vision to help the cry of China's church and people to come to you.

But that brings me back to my second question, in a slightly different form. What is your "magnificent obsession"? In another place recently I spoke of the OMF DVD "Breakthrough" which tells how, facing huge odds, J O Fraser reached the Lisu people of China and saw an amazing move of God amongst them, which lasts till today. That passion came because God spoke to him as a university student and challenged him as to what answer he would give concerning the unreached in his generation. That caused him to give up a successful career that he was about to begin as an engineer in the UK and possibly as a concert pianist. It is my prayer as you read this magazine and the testimonies in it that God will speak in your heart in the same way as he spoke into J O Fraser's heart. And that He'll do it again in my heart and the hearts of those who serve in Antioch Missions-Chinese Church Support Ministries.

"Lord, please don't just visit us with Your blessing. Visit us with "magnificent obsessions" in our day."

We are gradually getting used again to the routine of teaching, preparing lessons and the other activities of the new term.

We are really missing the fresh clear air at home - the pollution seems so much thicker after the lovely clear blue skies and snowy weather we had while we were at home. We have had several dust storms since coming back - one at the moment - the dust just seems to seep into the flat through every available crack and coat everything in a fine brown film. One wonders what the state of our lungs is!

That is one price we pay for being here. But there are, of course, many compensations, especially the opportunities to share the good things we love to talk about. We have a new set of postgraduate students, which was a little disappointing as we were hoping to build upon the relationships we started last term. However, the upside is that we are able to spread the net wider and touch more students.

Last weekend we had 14 squeezed into our small flat to watch 'Fireproof', a movie about a marriage relationship in crisis and how it was healed through the husband finding God's way. It seemed to be quite impacting for some of the students. Others in the class have asked if we could show it again this weekend.

We are very aware of the spiritual hardness we are facing, especially with the freshmen classes. We suspect from what we hear that they have been told not to be influenced by what foreign teachers say!

One encouraging thing last weekend was that we had some students from the city where we were last year come to stay with us for four nights. They came to sit a university entrance exam for Normal School students. If they get accepted, they will do two years as undergraduates for a degree. Two of these students had become Christians while we were in their city and it was delightful to see how they are growing spiritually. Both of them are very active in sharing with their classmates and encouraging them to believe. We had significant opportunities to show the ‘Jesus' movie and share deeply with the friends that came, and we found soft and open hearts. The light spreads and the family grows.

THE HOLIDAYS:

We have had an exceedingly busy time since our classes ended, but it has been very encouraging and, we trust, profitable. As things have worked out we have not done the travelling we had initially planned for various reasons. We found that a number of students from past schools (some now working) asked if they could come and visit us. This has given us many opportunities to share with them on our own home ground without having the stress of travelling around the countryside.

It has been just wonderful how many contacts from the past we have had over the holiday period and we can see the value of remaining in the area for so long (nearly six years). We have been able to do some spiritual gardening - watering the soil where shoots are very fragile, tending the plants that are growing, clearing away some rocks and weeds, and sowing plenty more seeds! Some brought friends with them - a great opportunity to cast the net wider and catch a few more hungry fish!

One former student came with his mother who had never travelled further than her own small local town about 15 miles away. We knew her from visiting their traditional village home a couple of times so she was comfortable to stay with us. She was so fascinated with everything - looking in the drawers ("What's all this cutlery for? All you need is a chopper, a few utensils for cooking, and some chopsticks."), inspecting the cupboards ("Why do you need so many dishes?), the microwave ("What's that?), the washing machine.... She just kept looking and laughing. She had a shower - the first in her life - and came out smiling like a Cheshire cat! We went shopping with her and she was like a youngster going around looking for bargains in stores bigger than she had ever seen before. It was a delight to have her and it made us realise how much we take for granted.

It's hard to put everything in a nutshell and we are aware that our own perceptions of what is happening in the Spirit can be distorted. However, we are constantly reminded that we are, at best, weak and unprofitable servants and it is the Lord Who sees exactly what He is doing in every situation. We give Him all the glory for anything and everything accomplished in His Name. "He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power at work in us - to Him be glory."

We long for others to join the AM-CCSM team in China and through the opportunity of English teaching reach this generation of young Chinese (and their families!) with the love of the heavenly Father that they so urgently need in their lives. Ready for the challenge? Then contact your local AM-CCSM office to find out more.

However, when I first came to China, suddenly all of those roles were stripped away and I was just a little foreign girl who couldn't speak a word of the language! I asked the Lord, "How can I possibly find my place here and be of use to You, Jesus? I don't even know how to buy a loaf of bread or ask directions, much less make an impact in this great nation for You!"

I resolved that if the Lord had called me here, all I would have to do is keep close to Him, lean on Him and keep my eyes and ears open for the opportunities He might send my way. You know, it really is that simple! Having been in China for nearly two years now, I have realised that these opportunities spring up all over the place, and if I'm willing just to step out of my comfort zone a little, I find myself in amazing places.

These opportunities did not take long to come. As I began learning Chinese, I felt that a good place to practice and make friends would be downtown in the Muslim quarter. There are lots of bustling markets there and because many tourists pass through, a lot of the stall keepers can speak some English (which was good considering my limited Chinese at the time!). Some of the folks there have now become close friends, which is such a blessing. As my Chinese language has improved, we have had many conversations about the Good News and true salvation. It is such a privilege to be able to sow into the lives of these precious people and be salt and light in a place where it is so desperately needed.

As I started to get to know some of the other foreigners in our local fellowship, I was asked if I could come and meet two Chinese Christians. This couple had a heart to serve elderly folks in the city who don't have any family to support them. Due to my background in Occupational Therapy, they thought I might be able to help them get this ministry off the ground. Together, we drew up a proposal for a day centre, initially once a week. Now this has developed into a small residential home and a homecare service to keep folks independent in their own homes. This is such a joy to be a part of as we see lives changed. This week, one of our homecare ladies stood up on her own two feet for the first time in three years!

A more recent opportunity that came up was for me to get involved with the music scene in our city. Through the grapevine, I heard that some local believers were setting up a music evening in one of the restaurants in town as an outreach project. People could turn up with a guitar and play some songs with a Christian message. This sounded like fun, so I turned up one evening with my guitar and joined in. I met a lot of people there and through this have had many other opportunities to play music, including supporting a well known Christian band from America at one of the big universities in the city. There was a crowd of nearly 4,000 students! This has also led to opportunities to teach local house church leaders about worship and how we should approach it biblically.

It's so great how God uses what little we have to offer for the glory of His Name. As His ambassadors we spread the fragrance of Christ wherever we go, and by just being involved in the community and making ourselves available to the Lord, the possibilities are endless! I have dressed as a Chinese warrior in a parade, played one of the wise men in a nativity play, shared the Good News with a dinner table full of businessmen and city officials, introduced the Chinese to shepherds' pie, and played Chinese board games until four in the morning! Life here is never dull!

Through my time here in China, I have realised that nothing of my previous experience has been wasted, and I have been able to draw on those experiences in many different circumstances. He truly is a God of the details and orchestrates circumstances perfectly to allow us to grow and produce fruit for His praise and glory. As I recall my first days here in China and the fear of not being of any use to our Lord, I smile to myself with great anticipation because I know that the best is yet to come. He has placed us here for such a time as this; the harvest is ripe and we're just getting started!

June 1990 was when I made my first trip to China. Many of you will have heard of my first trip and how the Lord changed my life. I did not enjoy my time in China. I was homesick; it was too hot; I didn't like the food; and I just wanted to go home. I sat on the plane at the old Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong, looked out of the window as the plane took off and waved goodbye to Hong Kong, saying, "You will never see me again." As my plane touched down in the UK, I was starting to plan my next trip. The Lord had obviously done a major work in my life on that journey from Hong Kong to the UK. From that first journey I started making four or five trips each year, taking teams of people to carry books and Bibles.

I look back now at how things have changed. Of course many things have changed in China in the last twenty years.

When I first crossed the border into China, I looked around and it was as I imagined - some big buildings, as China tried to move with the times, but many old shacks, which was what I thought was the real China. When I make that same trip now, all you can see are big modern buildings. A huge change.

I remember on my early trips that we used to carry books and Bibles over the border into China because most of our books were printed outside of China. I used to dress in shirt and tie and suit and go into China as a business man. I would carry a suitcase and holdall and these would be filled with books and Bibles. I even put small books down my socks to try to get as many books into China as possible. We would do many border crossings and take the books to a hotel room where they would be stored until we had enough to move on to other parts of China. Now all of our books are printed inside China. This means that we don't have to carry the books over the border and also the books cost us less to print, so we are able to print more. That is one change that has taken place.

In 1990, AM-CCSM printed 20,000 Christian teaching books. In the last few years we have printed one and a half million books annually and we aim to print a further one and a half million books this year. That is an enormous change that has taken place and one that we have managed to do through the generous giving of our supporters. AM-CCSM has now printed over ten million books and we are also providing DVDs of Bible teachings.

I remember those early days of meeting our contacts as we handed over the bags of books. Memories that will stay with me forever.

The young student girl who had travelled for hours to meet us. She looked so small as she met us outside the hotel. When she saw the bags of books that we had brought for her, she was overwhelmed. She just wept and said thank you, thank you.

The pastor I met in central China. We sat in a hotel room talking and he told me how he used to work with Gladys Aylward (the "cockney sparrow"). As he spoke of her, he began to weep. We prayed together and he continued to weep. This humble man in his seventies continued to cycle around the villages of China preaching the Gospel.

The young man I met in Beijing. We handed over bags of books on many occasions to this man and he distributed them to believers. He could not speak English and I could not speak Chinese. We sat across a table eating a meal and just smiling at each other. No words needed. I became good friends with this man and his family over the years.

The street cleaner we met. We arrived at his home at around midnight so that we were under cover of darkness. We took the bags of books into his house and stored them in cupboards in his bedroom. As we drank tea together, he asked if we would do a Bible study with him and his wife. This was in the early hours of the morning and he had to be up at 4.00am to go to work. Such was his hunger for the word of God.

I could go on and on telling of the people I have met with in China. The hunger and the need for good quality Christian teaching books was so evident as I met these people. So, as I am talking about change, what has changed? Well, I have to say, very little.

I still meet people whose hunger and need is the same as the people I met in the early years of my life of serving the church in China. It would be easy to say that things must have changed and become easier for believers in China. Well, like all things in China that would probably be true somewhere in China. There are some areas of China where people can get Bibles, but there are other areas where the Bible remains out of reach. There are some areas of China where people seem to be able to meet together without too much trouble from the authorities but there are also areas where persecution is tougher now than ever before.

So what of the people I meet now? On one visit to China my colleague and I met a very influential lady who had travelled nine hours to meet us. She told us that in her area they were building a new church and they had a Bible school, but they desperately needed teaching books.

We arrived at 4.00am in one city and then travelled to a village to meet the people there. We gave books to the pastor and shared in the village church. During the meeting I noticed a man crying and at the end of the meeting I was able to speak to him. He was a pastor in a church in the city. He had been leading this church for twenty years and had never seen a Christian teaching book. It was so moving to speak to him and to hear how he had led the church without any teaching books. He was keen to get hold of more books and asked us to visit his church.

Again, I could go on and on about the people I have met, but what I want to say is that one thing has not changed and that is the need for more and more teaching books.

It is our desire to try to meet the need of the church in China. I know this is an almost impossible task, but we want to do all we can. We can now offer over forty different books, as well as a set of thirteen DVDs of David Pawson's teachings on ‘Unlocking the Bible'. We have many books that focus on building up the church in God's Word. We also have books that will help married couples enjoy a fulfilling married life and books that help couples to bring up children in a Biblical way. We continue to add new books to our list as we seek to meet the need.

So although many things have changed in China, some things remain the same:

• The hunger of the believers for the Word of God remains as firm as ever.

• The hunger for more teaching books to help them grow remains as firm as ever.

Let me finish by sharing some words from some of our contacts in China:

"A team of your workers came three months ago with bags of goodies for us all. When we saw it was books, we were so overwhelmed with joy as we had been praying for the Lord to send us more materials so we could learn and grow and be better Christians. After reading these goodies, we have given them all away and pray now for more. Please send us more soon."

Another said,

"When I read the Bible, I cannot understand it, so I would like you to bring your books that will help to explain God's word to me."

One pastor wrote:

"We got 18 boxes of books yesterday. That's a really big meal for us! Thank you! But there's a little regret that we didn't get the prayer booklet. We see a lot of brothers and sisters who lack teaching on prayer and declaring God's Word. We're deeply concerned about that! The prayer booklet is an anointed one. It can bring fire in prayer, but now the supply falls short of demand. Even I don't have one in my hand now."

If you would like to help our literature programme, you can send a gift to your local AM-CCSM office or give securely online at www.amccsm.org/give-to-amccsm.

A subjective person came along and said, "I feel for you down there." An objective person came along and said, "Well, it's logical somebody would fall down there." A Pharisee said, "Only bad people fall into pits." A judgmental person said, "You deserve your pit." Jesus, seeing the man in the pit, reached down, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit.

In China there is so much we could do, so we really need to search God for the things we should do and do only those.

During 2009 we weren't able to run our teams to orphanages as we used to. Firstly, the global financial crisis impacted the number of people able to travel, and then swine flu led to the closing of orphanages to foreigners. So both these events greatly impacted our short-term teams and we were only able to run one in July. But those who came did some great work in our school project, painting classrooms and doing other maintenance work. We also replaced 100 student desks and chairs. After that, the team spent two days in a ‘boot camp' where local children live for at least three months to overcome anti-social behaviour, internet addictions and family conflicts. We spent time there teaching conversational English, playing sports games and teaching songs. Some of our team also visited the homes of some of our sponsored children, which they found very challenging. We hope to be able to run more teams this year.

Recently one of our China-based co-workers visited an orphanage and was greatly moved by what she saw. There were a number of children who could have been much healthier if the carers actually had time to give the individual care needed. This has led us to take the large step and leap of faith to open a small foster home. We have leased an apartment, employed a full time carer, and taken in two babies who both need individual care. One is a little girl who needs a heart operation, but can't have it until her weight increases. However, she eats very slowly. The other child suffers extreme eczema and must be treated three times each day. Again in the normal scheme of the orphanage workload the carers just don't have time. But we do. So these two children are now living in our foster home receiving a higher level of care and special love.

On April 14, 2010, Yushu county in Qinghai province was hit by a 6.9 magnitude earthquake. China was again rocked by a devastating event and at the time of writing the death toll had reached over 2,200 people.

Rescuers found it very difficult to reach and work in the remote region. Low oxygen levels at high altitude and the lack of large excavation equipment hampered the desperate attempts to find survivors. Families are now without homes, schools, hospitals and other buildings that were demolished. And so many were killed.

We have helped fund earthquake relief work and one co-worker wrote saying, "Heard today that the money transfer was extremely timely, as they had gone ahead and booked a truck as well as equipment for doing a two-week medical trip, believing in faith that He would provide!!" How awesome. The trip was to take several doctors to attend to the worsening condition of the survivors in the harsh weather there in Yushu County.

Then we discovered there were 250 patients in a hospital who had virtually no clothes. We were able to purchase tracksuits for them all. One of our co-workers emailed to say, "I just want to add my thanks and appreciation for the generous gifts you are sending! On behalf of the many people being blessed, with everything from medical care to tracksuits, thank you and everyone involved! It is such a privilege to be part of this relief effort, and we can't say enough how much your wonderful help means!"

It won't stop there either. As we receive more news of help needed, we'll send whatever and as much as we can.

In another city our team have opened a centre for children with intellectual and physical challenges. We have an apartment fitted out to provide day care and training for around 15 children. But it's been very tough going. Hospitals we believed would recommend our centre to parents haven't been doing so. There seems to be a very strong spiritual heaviness in the city. Many parents in China feel very embarrassed to take their special needs children out in public, but how can they bring them to our centre without going out in public? So, many children and their parents who could have been blessed and taught how to live more effectively with their challenges have not come. But there are a small number attending (including one young Muslim girl) and this number is growing. Please pray more parents will take the step to bring their children and that we can raise more funds for this really worthwhile centre. We want to have an increasing impact in this city and believe this centre and the team we have serving there can, with the strength of the Spirit, change lives.

We are now sponsoring approximately 135 children from extremely poor families in rural counties. Many live up in the mountains. I walked to one child's home and it took 1.5 hours up (and I mean straight up!) the mountain. Not up a road but up what I could best describe as a goat track. Their home is on a level piece of land cut out of the mountainside, where they grow some crops that they either eat or bring down the mountain to sell. Their home was very basic; it was dark as it was only lit with a couple of light globes. Their cooking area was blackened from the fire. They were such a lovely family though and fed us as we chatted about life. The girl had very poor quality reading glasses, so we left money with them to get proper glasses next time they were in the town. It was wonderful to see her in her new glasses on our next visit.

I was saddened though as I read the situations of the last group of children we took into our family. There was such a common thread - mother died in a work accident... father killed in a fight... parents killed in a crash... father died and mother left home... These situations and those of the children in need of greater care in the orphanages bring tears to the eyes.

We have recently employed two local Chinese people to join our inland team to help better care for our sponsored children. They will visit the children more often and hopefully mentor them as they build relationships, as well as help with administrative work, visiting teams, and the foster home. Please pray for these new team members that they would become a strong team with our existing group and see God move in mighty ways as we care for the poor, needy and orphaned.

At the conclusion of the parable of the Good Samaritan we read (in the Message Bible): "What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbour to the man attacked by robbers?" "The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, "Go and do the same." I believe Jesus would have said the same had it been an abandoned baby, a child whose parents were killed or left home, or a father whose child was killed as his school tumbled down. He would still have said, "Go and do likewise." So we do.

We will take your church group at a time to suit you and for a length of time to suit you. We will provide a team leader and draw up an itinerary that we believe will be best for you. Read the report below from one pastor who recently took a team of young people to China to visit our projects:

The suggestion came 20 months previously. Catherine, who was 14 at the time, was inspired by the talk she'd heard at our youth event and asked, "Why don't we go on a mission trip to China?" The seed was planted and over the next few weeks and months others also expressed enthusiasm and began to seriously pray about the possibility.

After months of fundraising and preparation (including a fantastic weekend with AM-CCSM's international director Ross Paterson and his wife Christine), we boarded our plane for Hong Kong. There were fourteen on our team, ten of whom were under thirty years old. We were joined in Hong Kong by Gordon, our Australian team leader, and soon crossed the border to enter mainland China.

Officially we were an Intercessory Team, but the plan was to expose us to a variety of experiences so as to grasp an understanding of Kingdom activity in China, and to learn the challenges presently facing the Chinese Church.

We visited two cities and a rural project. One evening was spent at a café outreach to a minority group helping students practice their English. Another was spent in the town square dancing in a minority people's style (or trying to!) followed by a meal at KFC. Some of the team were very grateful by this stage for some familiar tasting food.

Ploughing a field with a tractor was an experience we shall never forget. This was during the three days we spent with a project helping people in a rural community improve their potato crop. There was a chance to work alongside locals, and some of our more active team members shared in a game of basketball with some local youth. The team met a local believer who shared his testimony with us and gave us an insight into the challenges Christians face in their community.

During our time in China, we prayed much, interceding for the cities and towns we visited. In several places we went to significant spots so as to intercede on behalf of the city. We also spent time with several China-based workers and were able to hear stories of their work. We were privileged to share with many in prayer and worship. Several team members used new spiritual gifts for the first time, something they will never forget.

One evening we were able to meet with a couple of house church leaders for a meal. They shared openly with us about the things happening in their church. This was an amazing privilege. Some of our team were also able to spend time helping play with some young children from a new foster home. They were very moved by this experience.

The value of taking such a team has been immense. I believe there will be a lasting legacy in our home town as a result of the things God was doing within us during our trip. Our vision of the world has changed and some have returned with a heart for the great nation of China, and for aspects of the work we encountered. The team shared in these experiences together, and so the memories are continuing to live on.

It was fantastic to create an itinerary tailor built to suit our particular needs, although I must warn anyone else interested in taking a team that, in the weeks leading up to the trip, the itinerary changed almost daily. Flexibility is the word in China!

It was also extremely beneficial to be led by an ‘outsider'. As well as the benefit of years of experience of leading such teams, the fact that most of the team hadn't met Gordon before meant he was able to bring new things to our group. Many of the group made giant leaps in their own spiritual journeys.

AM-CCSM gave us the necessary support to organise such a trip and I would strongly recommend them to any group considering going. For many of our group, it was a life-changing adventure!

If you are interested in having a group from your church go on a mission trip to China, please contact your local AM-CCSM office. All you need is a group of ten or more people and we will do the rest.

"‘J' has been teaching English to a lady every week, but the other week just before Christmas during one of the lessons, the subject of God came up. Over the course of two weeks, ‘J' was able to present her with the Good News. She was so hungry for truth and life and took on the Lord completely. Lessons turned into times to pray and discover more of this new life together. Please lift this lady up in prayer, particularly for her to be able to plug into a local fellowship." - ‘J & K', based in West China

"The other week I was involved in helping a student with tuberculosis to obtain the correct investigations to confirm this diagnosis and then receive treatment. For people to come to Christ, they must see His love in ACTION! We are to be His hands, His feet and His mouthpiece to those around us. We are not to turn our backs on those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, and sick or in prison. We are His love letters to a desperate and dying world. How can our message of His love ring true unless we also minister to the desperate physical needs of the poor." - ‘I', based in Northwest China

"I've started attending a weekly prayer meeting for the city and have been so blessed by being a part of that meeting. Every time I leave, I find that my love for the city and its people has grown. That feeling doesn't always last very long - there are many frustrating things about living here that sometimes cause my love to grow dim - but it reminds me that God is faithful to give us His love when we ask. He can help us to see them with His eyes and to extend His grace and mercy, even when our own natural instincts rebel against this. He is so faithful." - ‘B', based in Northwest China

"The language study has been really hotting up recently with lots more essays and new vocabulary. Part of my time is spent learning regular Chinese and part of it is spent learning specific vocabulary to enable me to share the Good News effectively. Although it's hard work, I know it's really good for me and my language is quickly improving. Actually it's pretty exciting as I'm now starting to meet new Chinese friends who don't speak any English at all. It's a little scary and slow-going, but it's getting easier. I've even been able to use the Christian vocabulary to talk about God to them. Please pray for more of these times." - ‘N', based in Central China

"We've been doing more work at the handicapped children's centre. This centre is for children who still live with their families, to give them the help and resources they need to develop their child's potential. Some of what we do are regular school class work activities, but we also include therapy and life skills training. The kids have large muscle motor activities, such as crawling, rolling over, throwing and catching beach balls, etc. After a drink break, we practice putting on coats and fastening them. Then we do various activities using fine motor control. Sometimes we colour; often we practise with scissors. Slowly they have improved and can now cut short straight lines. It has been a real challenge to come up with activities that they can do, pushing their abilities step by step. I also work on their social skills, so we often play games. It is ever on our minds that we are here to show the Father's love directly to many children here. Pray especially that the seeds that were sown at Christmas can be watered." - ‘S & H', based in Northwest China

"The last month has been full of excitement. Our Chinese friends ‘C' and ‘A' started going to church last Easter. ‘C' told us last week that she now believes and has accepted Jesus Christ, which is wonderful news. We continue enjoying looking at the Bible together. Her husband ‘A' still has many questions, so please remember to lift him up in prayer. He struggles because, as with most home groups, there are not many men. This is where we hope and pray that being friends with ‘Y' will encourage ‘A' and help him to seek God more." - ‘Y & M', based in Central China

The prayers together each morning were precious times of worship and a sense of His presence. There was great unity in the team from very early on, which made it easy to hear the Lord. From the start He spoke, through different team members, of His sovereignty over man-made idols. The predominant theme in the team meetings was Jesus as King, and as we prayer-walked or prayed over the city, I had a real sense that Jesus was poised with His army, waiting to set the captives free from the demonic strongholds that held them in such fear.

The highlight for me came on a day when we were prompted to perform a prophetic act. The day started with anointed worship and a real sense of Jesus' power and victory. Some of the team wept over the city as God expressed His heart through them. His presence was tangible and even after the prayer meeting a supernatural sweet peace filled the room.

In obedience to what we sensed God was saying, the ladies made a lovely crown from basic materials, while the guys bought materials to make a throne. Then we climbed a mountain overlooking the city. There we fashioned a throne, using branches from a nearby forest and red string that we had bought. We draped it with gold cloth, signifying kingship, placed the crown on it, and also a cross bearing a crown of thorns at its base. It sounds simple and perhaps a little mundane in the telling, but it was anything but that. It was a sacred moment as the girls performed a dance and then, in turn, we recited Scriptures that the Lord had given us, telling of His power, dominion and absolute authority. I sensed that something very significant was happening in the heavenlies.

We had an idol that we were going to smash with a rock (representing the Rock!). As we were about to do that, an elderly Tibetan lady came up to us. She seemed drawn to us. We expressed the love of Jesus (which we were all feeling in abundance) and prayed a blessing over her. Her face was visibly transformed as we prayed and then, as we continued to minister to her the love of Jesus, she could not hold back the tears. A China-based co-worker who was travelling with us spoke to the lady in Tibetan. She shared a gospel message and felt that the lady had really understood. We then proceeded to smash the idol with the rock and I sensed Jesus saying that idols had already been smashed in the elderly lady's life. The fear and bondage imposed by demons are smashed by the power of the love of Christ.

I am still living in the glow of that experience. At church this last Sunday, as we sang of the power of God and of His rule and reign, I felt a new certainty of what we were singing deep in my heart and all the exhilaration of standing with the Victor on that Tibetan mountainside came surging back.

If you want to see the Lord afresh and feel His heartbeat, you couldn't do better than join such a short-term team!

"Thank you so much for the wonderful gifts from your group. We are using them now. Your team members encouraged me a lot." - Brother J

"One sad thing I have to tell you is that last week a big house church was severely persecuted. Their rooms and their property were confiscated and seized. The leader and his wife were put into jail. So we need urgent prayers from all Christians. Please ask your church to pray for us." - Brother P

"Several years ago I was put in touch with a couple in Beijing and gave them your book on marriage. This August I met them again and was told the following story: They are members of a Christian group, where one member is a lady whose husband is not a Christian. They saw this lady in action and described her as behaving like a non-Christian rather than a Christian wife. So they gave her a copy of the marriage book and she realised what she ought to be doing. The effect was dramatic! Her husband has invited the group to meet at their house and I think that he now attends the group." - Brother D

"Yesterday two policemen went to my husband's office. As my husband couldn't tell them anything, they then turned to me. They insisted on coming to my house and spent an hour interrogating me on the situation of my fellowship. Finally they warned me not to make contact with any Christians. I thank the Lord that He strengthened me and gave me wisdom at that time. He told me how I should answer them without causing any harm to other friends. I am afraid they will continue to come and disturb me. Please don't stop praying!" - Sister L

"I have a burden to spread Christian books since last year. When I got to know that there are brothers and sisters working on that, I felt so thankful to the Lord! The messages bring us to a new level of understanding of the Scriptures. They nourish our spiritual life and make us clear about our mission in the last days. I believe they will also set the Chinese Church on fire! A fellowship group of new believers meets in my home and these books and DVDs are an indispensable supply to us. Thank for your support and love to us! May God bless you!" - Sister Y

Since I came on board to join the team at AM-CCSM, I have very much enjoyed getting to know many of those who contribute to China Challenge, as well as those whom we read about. Although I've been an AM-CCSM supporter for over 15 years and a regular reader of China Challenge, I never really expected that I would appear in print! But here I am - and I must say a very heart-felt "thank you" to all those who have given me such a warm welcome.

One of the highlights of recent months was attending the Leadership Gathering in Hong Kong last October, when I was delighted to meet new friends and colleagues and, as I write, I'm looking forward to a forthcoming gathering of China-based colleagues, where I will meet some more. It was also a pleasure to meet supporters at the OMF China conference that took place in the UK in November. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts, prayers and support, which are so valuable to all that we do.

So who am I and what do I bring to AM-CCSM?

I'm married to David and we have three children: Ben (9), Ella (6) and Olly (3). We live in the UK, in a little village 25 miles northwest of London. I studied Chinese at University and spent a year of that time living and studying in Beijing, returning a year later to Asia where I spent a summer term at university in Taipei. After completing my degree, I went to Law school, trained and qualified as a solicitor, and then practised in London and Hong Kong at a law firm and for a while, in an international bank.

I first heard Ross Paterson speak in the mid-1990s at a church I was attending in London. I was really struck by how interesting and valuable his contribution to life sounded and asked him afterwards if there was anything I could do to help. I didn't really imagine that strategy, planning and corporate law would be of any particular use to him or to AM-CCSM... little did I know that 15 years later, that would be what they were looking for. I don't know which of us is the more surprised - but here I am.

I see the main purpose of this role, which I carry out three days a week, as being one of direction and support to the "guts" of the ministry: the operations, the policies, the governance, the networking, etc. The aim is to free up the International Director and others, to help them to make the most of their gifts. It takes time to get this running and to get it right - and it was important to spend a considerable time listening in order to understand before "doing". But we're getting there now!

Over the last couple of months, we have instituted a new Board of Advisors and are delighted to have new friends and old bring their wisdom and talents to the ministry. I am so pleased to be working with them all and to be in regular touch with the AM-CCSM Base Directors, who do such an important job, and with others when I can. Please do feel free to get in touch if there is anything you want to ask me directly. Thank you again for all your prayers. And please do continue to lift us all up to the Lord as we seek to be ever more effective in fulfilling our vision to serve, strengthen and support the church and people of China.

The school is seeking a committed Christian with a heart for mission to fill the role of Pastoral Care Coordinator. A married couple would be preferred. Knowledge and/or experience of China would be of particular benefit, as would a willingness to learn the Chinese language (if necessary).

The Pastoral Care Coordinator will assume primary pastoral responsibility for the well-being of the ASM students and also for other company members based within the city. There are currently an average of 15 other adult company members, along with their children, who are based in the ASM city and are involved in language study, teaching or business activities.

Duties of the Pastoral Care Coordinator will include, but are not limited to, meeting with the students and company members on a regular basis to oversee their spiritual, emotional, and personal development. On occasion the Pastoral Care Coordinator may be asked to travel to other cities in China to provide pastoral care for company members based elsewhere.

The Pastoral Care Coordinator will work closely with the ASM Director and Program Coordinator, and would ideally need to be in China for the full program duration of 11 months each year.

As with all our China-based co-workers, applicants would be expected to raise their own financial support to cover travel and living expenses, and to have the full backing of their home church.

If you are interested in this position, please email a curriculum vitae to info@amccsm.org or mail it to your local AM-CCSM office.

Check out other positions available with AM-CCSM here.

We want to inform you - to share with you some of the things that God is doing in China. We can only look at a few elements of what He is doing through the AM-CCSM team each time we publish. But that information contains two cardinal factors: that God is doing amazing things; and that He is using ordinary people.

Consider for example John's article on the David Pawson material. That material is being hugely appreciated in China because it is helping a church that is often ‘untaught in the Word of God' to understand God's Word more clearly. As we distribute David Pawson's teaching about the books of the Bible on DVD, we know that we are helping the Church in China to grow. We have done that for over 20 years, producing millions of books and large quantities of audio-visual materials. We are making a difference.

Or, consider the testimonies of those who have been on teams or the Antioch School of Missions. See what God is already doing in their lives, and through their lives to others in China - orphans, the poor, students etc.

We do not want this information to be a secret in a generation where world mission is being downplayed. These things are too good to be hidden. Please enjoy the updated version of The Acts of the Apostles that you read here (except it is the "Acts of Ordinary People"!).

But we want also to challenge. As I was about to write these words, one of our team members who has laboured in China for 10 years, enduring considerable hardship as well as blessing in order to reach a totally unreached people group, emailed me. She was excited about a new door that God had opened, to serve orphans in one of the poorest parts of China - children who, in some cases, are scrambling to find food for the day because parents have died or, as in one case, remarried and left the child with grandparents who cannot afford to care for him. In the midst of her email, as she shared her excitement, she quoted Esther 4:14: "And who knows whether you have come to this kingdom for a time like this." Mordecai challenges Esther not to be concerned for her own well-being or safety, but to put her life on the line for the Jewish people.

We want to bring that challenge to you - not just to inform, but to change your life! How many reading this page need to ask whether Mordecai's challenge might not be the Word of the Lord to you - for China, for its church, its orphans and poor, for its students and for many others - and to consider whether there is a place for YOU in this great nation? Who knows whether you should come to the Middle Kingdom "for a time like this". Or at least to learn, pray, give and get involved.

We arrived on the Sunday evening and were immediately introduced to some university contacts. One hung around when all the others had gone and wanted to know more about Christianity. His main question was "What can I do each day to be near to God?" The team had explained the Gospel to him in previous weeks and we followed this by explaining the need to make a personal commitment to God to enter into a relationship with Him. After some more discussion we felt happy that he was ready to take that step and he was keen to do so, so we had the privilege of leading him to the Lord. It was a good start to the trip!

The next few days were spent with this team and with another team who as well as working at local factories also reach out to fellow workers with the Gospel. We taught through each day. I taught on the Holy Spirit and my co-worker spoke on a life of worship from Romans 12:1-2.

We were very encouraged by their responsiveness. The factory team had to take time off work and could only get two days off but by the second day they had managed to get some more time so they could join us on the third day as well. As well as the teaching we spent a long time answering questions and discussing pastoral-related matters. They also insisted we prayed for them at various stages throughout the days.

These were very special times and we saw God minister to them very powerfully in our times of prayer. One girl concerned us with her response through the first couple of days and at the end of the second day she was being particularly noisy while we prayed for others. I felt I needed to address a spiritual stronghold. I spoke in very level tones, in English, to an unclean spirit and ordered it to leave her. She wouldn't have understood what I was saying as she didn't speak any English. The spirit clearly did, however, and after more noise and some retching she quietened down, relaxed and rested for 15-20 minutes. When she rejoined us, her countenance seemed quite different and her smile was enormous whereas before she was quite downcast! Demonic spirits seem very prevalent in China and one friend tells me that he always spends the first day casting out demons before moving on to teach in subsequent days. There is no doubt that you always have to be on your guard in China and be ready for anything!

On one occasion we were able to speak at length with the boys in the university team about the difficulties they are facing keeping people after "conversion". It was clear that, while they were good at getting people in, they weren't very good at keeping them! We spent some time looking at the principles of discipleship and how to care for new believers.

One thing became very apparent and that was the need for good quality literature. We were able to get in touch with our AM-CCSM contacts and collect a large box full of books. The boys were thrilled and excited to now have the resources to help disciple new believers and lead them into a firm faith. I was deeply impacted by seeing firsthand the manifest need of literature and the joy of getting some at last! I was also further convinced how the literature ministry and the teaching ministry can work hand in hand.

We had lunch with another contact in the city who told us of the constant demands she receives from all over China for more and more literature and the difficulties she faces in meeting the needs. She also shared about the needs of her city. She told us how she was sometimes reluctant to share the Gospel because of her inability to cope with more and more new Christians all needing care and discipleship.

Moving on to our next city, we spent three days with a group of about 20 leaders. We were thrilled by their responsiveness once again and they seemed excited with our teaching. One leader describing it as "like spring rain coming in the desert".

On the first day a selection of AM-CCSM books was laid out. There was quite a scrummage to get them! It was exciting yet heartbreaking that there were so few.

Every session ended with questions, as did many mealtimes! The hunger for understanding was incredible. Several issues kept coming up, including divorce, once saved always saved, etc., but more worrying was the prevalence of questions that we wouldn't have expected, such as, "If a preacher lays hands on you to pray for you, is it right that all his sins are transferred to you?"

Another guy gave a powerful testimony of being filled with the Spirit quite dramatically but, because the building didn't shake and there wasn't a ‘violent wind', he didn't think it counted as being filled with the Spirit! This same man had been a long-term hardened drug user until responding to the Gospel a year ago and now looked fit and well and was reaching out to drug users and homeless people in the city.

They are very keen for me to visit again. They particularly asked for teaching through an individual Bible book and I was delighted to see their hunger for everything to be firmly rooted in God's Word. I have subsequently had an email that read, "Dear Pastor, we need you now. When will you come here?" Hard to ignore!

The gift was a pair of inner-soles embroidered by his mother many years ago. Such a precious memory from his own mother, yet he insisted we take them!

Sitting talking with these people reveals so many very sad stories. It is heartbreaking to hear them. Many tell us their stories with tears running down their cheeks. Chinese people don't like to be seen as weak or not able to cope with things, yet several of these people cried on our shoulders as they spoke of their family's plight.

Consider William* who lives with his aged granny and grandpa. William's mother left him with his grandparents when he was just one-month-old! The grandparents, both in their 70s, have raised him since then and educated him.

Last year, when William was in middle school, his granny had to sell her old treadle sewing machine and rice cooker to pay his school fees. This year he is in high school, so his fees are that much more, but his grandparents have nothing left to sell.

Both grandparents are too old to work. In fact his grandpa has been very ill, but couldn't stay in the hospital because the family were unable to afford it. William is a bright boy and wants to learn, but how can he go to school when there is no money for school fees?

To add to William's pressure, his mother is now living in the next village. William would like to meet her, but his grandparents say no. What does a boy do when faced with such pressures? According to Chinese ways, it is William's job to look after his grandparents now. He is just 15-years-old.

Meet Kevin. Kevin's father died in a car accident a few years ago. His mother remarried and moved to another village with her new husband, but Kevin doesn't fit into this new family. As is often the case when a parent remarries, Kevin was left with his grandparents and his mother has moved on to her new life.

Kevin now lives with his aging grandfather. He is a well mannered, bright boy, but without help he will never finish his education. What does his future hold?

And what of Jenny? Jenny was abandoned at birth. A passerby heard her crying and rescued her. She has looked after Jenny ever since.

Jenny is now 12-years-old. Her foster granny is in her 70s. She used to make a meagre living mending clothes on a very old treadle machine, but she can no longer see to sew, so she now works for another lady making steamed buns. The pay is extremely low and granny's hands are so arthritic that cannot make enough steamed buns to earn a living.

A local villager recently offered a severely disabled boy to Jenny as a husband. In return for marriage, she would be required to look after this 16-year-old boy with severe brain damage. Jenny is only 12 years old.

Without someone to help her, Jenny's future is very bleak indeed.

These are just three of the families we came across during our recent trip to visit some of the children we support.

There are so many heartbreaking stories. Pray with us that the practical and financial support we offer through our mercy ministry will help to transform their lives in every way.

*All names used are aliases to protect the identity of the children

David has been one of the most prolific teachers of the Bible for the last four decades and has produced a large volume of teaching materials. Probably the most significant of these has been his work entitled ‘Unlocking the Bible'.

‘Unlocking the Bible' is a series of talks delivered by David over a number of years. It covers every book of the Bible and opens up the Word of God in a fresh and powerful way. Avoiding the small detail of verse by verse studies, the series sets out the epic story of God and His people. The historical background, culture and people are introduced and the teaching applied to the modern world, thus giving the listener the ‘big picture' of what the Bible is all about.

When Ross brought this project to the literature team of AM-CCSM, we were very excited as we knew the power of David's teaching firsthand, having heard him on numerous occasions.

The material was originally produced in English on 43 DVDs and we understood immediately that this was going to be a very large project. The biggest hurdle to get over was finding the right voice to overdub David's English with Mandarin Chinese. We put out many feelers to discover the right person, but after two years of searching, trying this person and then another, we were still unsuccessful. We then went to GoodTV, a television station in Taiwan for whom Ross had been delivering talks in Chinese for broadcasting in Taiwan and China (via satellite) and they agreed to translate, overdub and produce broadcast quality DVDs for us. They were able to find the right person to do the voice overdubbing and so, in the summer of 2006, the work began to bring the teaching of David Pawson to the Chinese house churches.

You can imagine that this project seemed like a mountain we had to climb in terms of the amount of work to do and it also needed a large amount of money to get it off the ground. Then one of the literature team shared the concept of this project with a businessman he met in Hong Kong, who also got excited about it and ended up donating the whole amount required to translate and master these talks.

Next we were introduced to a brother inside China who was working on Christian videos for the church and he offered to take the DVD masters, compress the video of each talk and produce new masters that contained eight talks each. Slowly over the next three years we were able to put together a full set of the teaching on 12 DVDs, thus reducing the cost of production of the whole set for use inside China. The brother who produced the final masters also uploaded the videos onto Chinese video web sites. In just one month the first of these had been downloaded and viewed more than 40,000 times!

When the first set of discs - the New Testament - was completed, we were able to copy and distribute thousands of them to the Church in China. We got some very encouraging feedback.

One of our in-China co-workers sent this to us soon after we had started to distribute some of the New Testament talks:

"For a long time I have been receiving a lot of requests for David Pawson's DVDs. Almost everyone who receives part of the DVD series asks for more. They want the whole set! ‘M' has been asking for it time and again over the last six months. People have also made copies for their friends and they keep asking me for the rest of the series. I told them to wait a while. There are many people waiting for these DVDs to come."

She also wrote: "I got an email from Mr. S. He told us about a group that watches the DVDs, one talk per week, and afterwards they discuss them. Here are two responses:

One man said he had felt bored reading the Bible in the past, because he couldn't understand it. So every time he had to force himself to read it. But after he watched the DVDs and got some basic background information and understood the key points, he found he became more interested in reading it. He felt he could learn new things whenever he read it.

Another woman said she had read the Bible three times since she became a Christian. She had to force herself to read it the first time. The second time, she felt she understood a little more and learned a little bit. Now she's reading it for the third time and this time she watches the DVD first, then reads the relevant book, and then may go back to watch the DVD again if she has questions. This way she feels she can learn a lot and she often feels very emotional and has tears in her eyes.

Mr. S said that, from his personal experience of leading groups over the past year, he feels that there is much wrong understanding of the Bible, most of which is caused by wrong explaining of the Bible, which is very common in China. Because there are only a few people who have complete and correct Bible teaching materials."

There are many more exciting testimonies that we could share with you but there is not room here to do so.

We praise God that in September 2009, production and distribution began of the whole set of 12 ‘Unlocking the Bible' DVDs (covering both the Old and New Testaments). We are currently producing and distributing 1,000 sets (12,000 DVDs) every month.

"We looked and we listened, praying that the Lord of the harvest would open our eyes and our ears, so that we could walk and intercede according to His will. God not only needs workers for the harvest, but He also needs intercessors to prepare the way and prepare people's hearts. We were a group of intercessors praying to the Lord of the harvest, on our knees and with our tears, preparing the way, waiting for the appearance of the glory of God. I learnt that we must pray without ceasing, until we see God's promise fulfilled in that city, that land and that nation!" - ‘Y', an intercession team member

"This trip to Mainland China came out of a clear call from God to me through the book ‘Streams in the Desert': ‘The time is now; you should not sit on the fence any longer; come out of your comfortable nest and put on the wings of faith. Baby birds need to learn to fly. When you take the first step forward in faith, it might seem as if you are stepping into thin air, but as you take a step, you will immediately discover that there's solid rock underneath.' I knew God's will in my life and I had to obey." - ‘G', a courier team member

"During this time I learnt to understand the teaching of the Bible through practical experiences. I learnt about being the Body of Christ, being one in Spirit, about the love of Jesus, and about how a rope of three strands is not easily broken. I am willing and want to be one who answers God's call with action!" - ‘C', a medical team member

"As I was lying on the constantly moving bed of the railway train, God touched me deeply. I was only a stranger in China. I was only there temporarily. I did not know where I would be at that time the next day. It is the same with our lives here on earth. I thank God that He has given me hope of eternal life. One day I will go to my heavenly home. Now I am only a stranger in this world, here temporarily. Is it not the will of God that we bring His blessings to the people of China? All of a sudden, the words from an article resounded again and again in my mind: ‘We only have this one life to be used by God.' After that I could not sleep anymore. I walked back along the train, praying for the people along the way. Lord, may my life be used by you. Lead me to the field you want me to go to. Please let your presence be with me. Let me be a blessed one who releases your blessings!" - ‘S', a mission team member

"These orphanage children want to have somebody to listen to them. They do not have living examples who they can rely on, trust and learn from. There was a child who had the same name as me. She shared many things from her life with me and she talked to me about Jesus. It reminded me that the seeds sown previously have not been wasted." - ‘C', a mercy team member

"We gather in Jesus' Name. Because of His love, we can come and serve in His grace and go where He wants us to go. Let me draw closer to the heart of the Father. God does not want anyone to perish; He wants to save people from all nations, just as He saved me so miraculously. I am willing to be used by Him to save people, to lead them to live in His Name." - ‘L', a medical team member

"Nine short days and the trip was soon over, but my heart did not want it to end. Since I returned home, I have found that the fire of my love for my Chinese family has not dwindled, rather it has grown more and more. Every day I really miss my brothers and sisters in that other land! Like those who have loved ones living overseas, I miss them all the time. I think of them, wonder how they are doing, feel concern for their bodies and their souls. When I think of the difficulties they face, I cannot do much, but my heart really aches and I can only commit them to the Lord. I know that this fire is not from myself; it was put there by God in His mercy and love. It enables me to understand His love for the people of that land. How high and how wide, how long and how deep is the love of a family." - ‘C', a mission team member

As well as introducing our new Operations Team, we also told of the matching grant that had been offered towards the cost of hiring and training new key staff for the ministry and more specifically an Operations Director to take responsibility for the administrative and operational side of AM-CCSM.

We give thanks to the Lord that the target for the matching grant was reached and our new Operations Director is now on board with the ministry. Thank you so much for all your prayers and support in this! We look forward to introducing you to the new Operations Director shortly.

God has a funny way of letting us know when He has a call on our lives and for me it all started with a simple prayer.

About four years ago a guy came to our church who was a missionary in central Africa. The main theme of the message he brought was that God can take us to incredible places and do things we never even imagined if we will just make ourselves available to Him. I had just finished university and had no idea what lay ahead, so I said to God, "I'll do anything and go anywhere; You just have to let me know!" I had no idea how dangerous that prayer was!

From that time on, I seemed to keep hearing about China in every way possible. On TV, through friends, a medical company even got hold of my details and invited me to go on a study tour to China! At this point, I spoke to Ross and Christine Paterson who head up Antioch Missions-Chinese Church Support Ministries. They suggested that I attend the Antioch School of Missions (ASM) to test this call to China and see if God was really sending me there.

God made me wait a while and taught me some valuable lessons, but a few years later I found myself flying to China to do this course. In the run-up to going out there, I had to raise a lot of cash and also raise a lot of confidence in the fact that God could actually use little old ME!

The Antioch School of Missions is a one-year program designed to introduce people to work in China, to test the call and see if it is really where God wants them to be. In the first three months, the mornings begin with praise and worship and then continue in a class setting with learning about the Chinese culture and what it means to minister to people with a totally different world view. We also learned a lot about sharpening our own relationship with God and the essential aspects that must be in place to really hear from Him and serve Him in the way that we should.

One of the areas of teaching that really helped me was taking a detailed look at the Bible to really see what God's heart is for the nations and the monumental importance of overseas missions. I had no idea how central this theme is to the whole Bible and the overall redemptive plan of God. I began to see the desperate need and urgency for people to get out there and spread the Name of Jesus amongst people who have never heard it before and have no hope of being saved. If the Bible says that Jesus is not coming back until all the nations of the world have heard His Name, is it possible that we have a huge role to play in speeding up His return? Learning all of this has really inspired me and helped me to focus my prayers for this amazing nation and the role that I may have here.

In the afternoons we all headed to the local university for language study. This certainly is a challenge, but the more I rub shoulders with the local Chinese people, the more I realise that, if we are truly going to be effective in serving them, we must communicate with them on their terms in their own language.

After the first three months are over, the language study continues, but the mornings are then free to give us the opportunity to serve in the various projects that are going on around the city. These projects vary according to what the individual student is passionate about. For some it may be working with the homeless, at orphanages, supporting a local school or maybe using a profession that they have training in. This is a chance to be really creative and see how good God is at opening doors.

For me, there have been some massive challenges along the way, but also some excellent points of growth and high points in my walk with God.

The language study has been tough. Not only do we have to learn vocabulary and grammar, but Chinese also has tones and characters as well. It's sort of like learning three languages all at once! On the other hand, as I start to really get a hold of it, I get a real thrill out of being able to get through everyday situations with relative ease now and begin to understand more and more of what's going on around me. It's also been great for making friends and contacts over here.

Another challenge for me has been leaving behind friends and family to begin again in a whole new place with a whole new group of people. At first it felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under me, as lots of the mechanisms and habits that I had at home to deal with life's daily stresses were no longer there. This took some getting used to, but what I'm really beginning to grasp is that actually home is where Jesus is and He knows us inside out and knows how to meet all of our needs, big and small. In fact, He really is all we need and I'm starting to learn in small ways how to let Him be all that He wants to be in my life, instead of allowing people and things to take His place.

Despite the challenges, the benefits of really having to rely on God in new ways and therefore learn more about Him and His character have been an awesome experience. ASM has really been a great way for me to get to China in a safe and supported structure to seek God further and find out His calling for me long-term. I can't imagine landing on the mission field without this kind of program in place. I would say it has been essential to really help me to get over culture shock, to settle in, stay afloat and follow hard after God. I highly recommend it.

So, is ASM for you? I always assumed that to be called to a foreign country would require flashing neon signs from God so that I would know for sure that this is His plan. However, that's really not how it happens for most people, if any! If you think God may be calling you to China, why not come along and do this course where you can really test that call and find out if this is the right path for you long term?

Applications for ASM 2010-11 are now being accepted. Students have the option of a six-month or one-year course. Come and find out what God is doing in China today and how you can be involved in fulfilling His Kingdom purposes. Contact your local AM-CCSM office for further information.