“The gates of hell will not prevail against it”

Matthew 16:18 (King James Version)

 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

In 1948 communism took control of China with the intent of not only setting up a communistic economy but of banning belief in God, replacing all religions with atheism. Christian missionaries had been at work in China for centuries and a small fraction of China's population were Christians. From the news reports we got in America in the 1980's I (like most people I think) had come to believe that there were almost no Christians in China.

In 1984 I was pastoring a small church just off the University of North Texas campus in Denton, Texas. One Sunday morning a Chinese young lady visited our worship service. At the end of the service I invited anyone in the congregation (as I usually did) to share anything that might be on their heart. At once, the visiting young lady stood to her feet. She said “I am a Christian from China. In 1948 a group of American Christians raised money to bring my father (who was a missions convert) to America so he could go to Seminary at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. In 1951 he graduated with a master of divinity degree and returned to China. In 1952 he was arrested for preaching the gospel and sent to prison where in 1958 he died. Likely living conditions and harsh treatment contributed to an early death. I want you all to know that though the organized church has been banned in China millions of Christians are worshipping today in house churches.”

The congregation was silent for a moment then people across the congregation began to say things like “Praise the Lord!”, “Hallelujah”, and “Amen”.

You see the scripture quoted above is true. Christ's church WILL prevail. We will take the gospel to every creature.