The Miracle Church

Many years ago Rev. Robert Burris, now 92 years of age, worked for four and one-half years as a missionary in South China. As part of his ministry he journeyed into the mountains carrying copies of the Scriptures in Chinese for distribution. In this way, although he could not speak fluent Chinese, the people were given God’s word.

Toward the end of his term Mr. Burris and three companions began a 180- mile journey with 4,000 copies of the Chinese New Testament. In the first ten days about half of these New Testaments had been distributed. Then, in the remote countryside, they were stopped by five armed bandits who took everything–money, clothing, shoes— and the remaining 2,000 copies of the New Testament. Mr. Burris and friends limped home barefooted in their shirts and trousers, glad to
be alive.

Approximately 25 years later when Mr. Burris was the pastor of a church in Ohio, he and his wife attended a lecture with slides presented by a missionary to South China. Among the slides shown was a picture of the very place in which he had been robbed by the bandits.”Now,” the missionary said,”we come to the most important slide in my collection.

I call it The Miracle Church.” The picture on the screen showed a large rough empty building.”This is The Miracle Church,” the missionary continued,”Because no one knows who started it, or how, every Sunday, 400 people attend, each with a copy of The New Testament in Chinese.

No one knows were they got these New Testaments. So far as is known, no missionary or distributor ever went into these mountains which are infested with bandits and robbers. Yet today, the church is there and the people have God’s Word”.

Mr. Burris smiled in gratitude. God’s Word, taken from him that day by bandits had been building it’s own church in China for 25 years.

We should never underestimate the work that we do in the name of the Lord. God is able to be bring extraordinary results from the most ordinary of people. The Lord doesn’t look for ability or talent when seeking servants, but He does seek for a surrendered heart ready to follow where God leads. When we take the limits off of God and allow Him to work through us, we  will see amazing results in our life and in the lives of those around us. Be encouraged to surrender your will to the Lord and allow His will to take root in your heart where your life will be used to minister God’s grace to a hurting and dying world. (1 Samuel 16:7) (1 Corinthians 1:25-29)

I hope this message encourages your heart to be a surrendered vessel in which God can work through to touch others all around the world and make them better.