God's Double Agent (46 page)

The end of the matter is this: Chinese people don’t need Christianity without Christ. They need logical and intellectually compelling truth. Don’t be afraid of the difficult questions about the purpose of life or how man is going to find it in a
materialistic, trustless society. Let us grapple with the claims of Christ on these issues—but don’t stop there.

The Chinese heart needs to be touched—brought to life—with magnificent acts of true sacrifice, love, and service. Doing this with sincerity will speak volumes—but don’t stop there.

Chinese hands need to experience the good news in practical actions that help others. We have learned to live for our financial well-being. Though we want to help others, this is considered a noble waste of time. The Cultural Revolution stopped our hearts cold, making us hesitant to help others. Why? Because doing so requires trust. When we see the gospel transforming communities large and small, from healing a marriage to helping orphans and those with HIV, we see a vision of true love.

Most of you won’t be able to go to China. You can still reach out to the 150,000 Chinese students and scholars on US college campuses. You can do this by demonstrating a healthy marriage, building real friendships, and inviting them to investigate the teachings of Christ for themselves. When the gospel impacts their lives, they will influence their countrymen. This is a great strategic investment, because many of these students will serve in key roles in Chinese society.

Consider visiting ChinaAid.org to find out how you can write letters to the persecuted church, sign petitions for justice, send messages to authorities, and donate money toward spreading the gospel and fighting for the persecuted in China.

Sometimes it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the size and strength of the no-longer-sleeping giant of China. Start small. Do something. Be faithful, loving, and courageous. After all, God’s people have faced giants before.

Love, 
Bob Fu 

Acknowledgments

I’d like to thank my wise and extremely sacrificial wife Heidi; my three children, Daniel, Tracy, and Melissa; and of course my deceased parents, my two sisters, and my elder brother. I would also like to thank:

My mentor Dr. Jonathan Chao (deceased) and his wife Rebecca Chao; Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Tong, my past theological advisors at Westminster Theological Seminary; Dr. and Mrs. Bill and Barbara Edgar; Dr. Pete Lillback; Dr. Clair Davis; Dr. Sam Logan; Dr. and Mrs. Vern and Dianne Poythress; Rev. Tim Conkling, my current PhD advisor and friend from Durham University; Dr. Robert Song; Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Tina Aldrich; my sponsors Charlie and Karen Erickson; Michael and Susan Erickson; Rev. Ron Lewis and King’s Park International Church; “Mummy” Deborah Fikes, her husband Stan, and their caring children Stacey and Lindsey; Rev. and Mrs. Kevin and Renee York, Rev. and Mrs. Daniel Stephens, and Mid-Cities Community Church in Midland; and Rev. and Mrs. Patrick Patton and Stonegate Fellowship.

Past and current board members of ChinaAid and their spouses, including Joe and Terry Torres, Scott and Connie McGraw, Tim and Terry Dunn, former Congressman Beau Boulter and his wife Rosemary, Doug and Angie Robison, Bruce and Martha Lowe, Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Chan, Dr. and Mrs. Yujian Hong, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gustafson, Rev. and Mrs. Tom and Sue Vermillion, and Rev. and Mrs. Chris Davis. Thanks also to our director in Los Angeles, Rev. and Mrs. Eddie and Rosemary Romero, and the whole Romero family. 

Dr. and Mrs. Wayne and Margaret Grudem at Phoenix Theological Seminary, John Politan, and their fellow attendants at Scottsdale Bible Church’s Sunday school classes. You always practice deep theological thinking with compassion for the persecuted, which inspires me and my staff to move forward. 

My friends Dr. and Mrs. Will and Rana Inboden; Dr. and Mrs. Toney Carnes; Dr. David Aikman and his gifted, hardworking wife Ms. Charlene Fu; Dr. and Mrs. Graham and Lindy Walker; Dr. and Mrs. Steven Garber; Mr. and Mrs. Bill and Traci McConnell and family; Mr. and Mrs. Randy and Torri Delong and family; Judge and Mrs. Dan and Barbara Dane; Mr. and Mrs. Kyle and Jamie Stallings; Mr. and Mrs. Corey and Cheryl Odden; Mr. and Mrs. Hsiao-Wen and Susana Kao; Ms. Emilie Kao; Dr. and Mrs. James Song; Dr. and Mrs. Peter Ko; Dr. Edward Lee; Mr. Bob Maginn and Ms. Ling Chai; Dr. and Mrs. Ken-Peng Jen; Dr. and Mrs. Peter Chow and Rev. Robert Chang; Rev. Stephen Lee; Mr. and Mrs. Rob and Reggie LittleJohn; Ms. Catherine Tien; and “Mummy” Karen Deussing and Rev. David Johnston.

Those who have played critical roles for the timely rescue of Heidi, our three-month-old son Daniel, and me in 1997: Dr. Don Argue, Dr. Carol Lee Hamrin, Dr. Robert H. Schuller, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck, Mr. Greg Chen, Mr. Danny Smith and his passionate Jubilee Campaign team members, Dr. Ron Boyd-MacMilan, Dr. Tony Lambert, Mr. and Mrs. John and Karen Short, Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Wayii Stevenson, Rev. Yir-Ming Chu, Rev. Greg O’Connor, and Mr. and Mrs. Merv and Grace Knight. Thanks also to those who helped rescue my father, whose names will be revealed when China is free. Also Mrs. Nancy DeMoss and Dr. John Bechtel of the DeMoss Foundation, for your unspeakable love and encouragement.

Church family members who helped sustain my family through those difficult years in Philadelphia, especially during my father’s sickness, including Ms. Sally Cummings (deceased) and deacon committee members of the former Main Line Chinese Christian Church; Trinity Christian Church of Greater Philadelphia; Faith, Hope, and Love Chinese Church; Procla
mation Presbyterian Church; and Allentown Chinese Christian Church.

My first spiritual father and teacher Brent and his wife Julie, plus a number of those friends from ELIC and Campus Crusade for Christ who serve in my motherland sacrificially, honorably, and anonymously. Rev. and Mrs. Alan Yuan (deceased), Pastor Shijun Feng, and Elder Moses Xie (deceased) from Beijing. Our loving friendship through China ministry with Mr. and Mrs. Aubin and Joanny Chang has been deepened more from Beijing to Philadelphia. Attorney David Taylor from South Carolina has been an encouragement for justice. To Christian Literatures Crusade (CLC) and WEC International, who provided our refugee family temporary accommodation when we landed in Philadelphia: your kindness and hospitality will never be forgotten. Thanks also to pastor Joshua Lin and my fellow brothers and sisters in Beijing House Church, with whom I am ordained as “Pastor-at-Large.”

The staff and volunteers at the Voice of the Martyrs, including Dr. Tom White (deceased) and his wife Ofelia, Jim and Peggy Dau, Klaas Brobbel, Floyd Brobbel, and Edwin Baelde, and also leaders at Release International UK, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), International Christian Concern, Dr. Richard Land, and Dr. Barrett Duke of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Thanks also to those friends in public service, including Rep. Frank Wolf, Rep. Chris Smith, Rep. Jim McGovern, Rep. Joe Pitts, Governor Sam Brownback, Vice President of EU Parliament Edward McMillan-Scott, MP Dr. Bastiaan Belder, and Lord David Alton.

Those who have been praying for me and my family and supporting our ministries in China, the United States, and other parts of the world. And thanks to all of my hardworking but low-paid staff and volunteers at ChinaAid, as well as generous
partners and sacrificial givers, some of whose names will remain invisible for security reasons.

My smart, loving agent Ms. Chris Park and my DC advisor Dr. Scott Flipse. Without your encouragement and innovative thinking, this book still wouldn’t have even begun. To the exceptional team at Baker Books for their passion and work on behalf of this book: Dwight Baker, Elizabeth Kool, Dave Lewis, Rod Jantzen, Rob Teigen, Max Eerdmans, Scott Hurm, Bill Shady, Nathan Henrion, Deonne Lindsey, Brianna DeWitt, Lindsey Spoolstra, and Heather Brewer. I also loved working with Chad Allen and Ruth Anderson, whose enthusiasm about the book was so encouraging. Thanks also to Larry Ross, Kristin Cole, and Steve Yount at A. Larry Ross for helping this story get into the larger culture. And of course, I have to thank my amazing writer Nancy French, who embraced my story and brought it to life, working tirelessly on my behalf, even on Christmas Eve. She went above and beyond the call of duty.

Finally, my fellow persecuted brothers and sisters in China, for their courage on behalf of the gospel, and to those persecuted Chinese rights defenders and lawyers who serve a cause beyond themselves by risking their lives to defend the oppressed on this earth.