The Heavenly Man

I just finished reading a book that was recommended to me called "The Heavenly Man," which is about one of the first Chinese underground church leaders who goes by the name of Brother Yun, and I must say that as a result my faith has grown immensely.

I've been a Christian and have grown up around the church since I was very young, and I've read and heard some incredible testimonies, but no other testimony has caused my faith to grow as much as Brother Yun's.

When China became a Communist country in 1949, all missionaries were deported, churches were forced to close, and thousands of Chinese pastors were sent to prison. Although the situation for the Christian church seemed hopeless, God reached and raised unsaved men to become leaders, such as Brother Yun, through dreams and visions, and protected them with countless miracles, enabling them to continue to spread the gospel throughout China. In 1950, there was an estimated 1 million Protestant believers in China. Today, there are an estimated 100 million, although this statistic is probably short of reality since so many practice in secret.

In his book, Yun shares stories about the imprisonments, persecution, and gut-wrenching torture he endured from the Chinese government, but he also shares about how God's grace and mercy carried him through it all. He also gives incredible insight on the state of the Chinese church and the rest of the world, as well as what he feels God's purpose is through all of the suffering that still continues on to this day.

I highly recommend it to anyone, especially those interested in missions. Also, here is a link to the organization he works with.