Ministries defy Chinese crackdown
They report underground success during Olympics
Drawn to a nation of 1.3 billion people under atheist rule, the groups prepared for years for what the Southern Baptists once called "a spiritual harvest unlike any other."
"We did see some conversions," said Christian missionary Mark Taylor of Pensacola, Fla.
For Taylor, planning began four years ago with a lunch at the Athens Games among his Florida-based Awaken Generation ministry and ones from other countries. In the ensuing years, they came to China as tourists, making contacts among local Chinese.
Taylor — who leaves China today — said 115 people from 12 countries gathered in Thailand for orientation before scattering throughout China, from Tibet through the far northeast. Two groups worked in Beijing, he said, though he would not give details.
Other larger efforts were carried out by the U.S.-based Southern Baptist Convention and the international ministry Youth With A Mission, Christian groups told The Associated Press. Neither ministry could say how many people were sent in.
Even the Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the evangelist Billy Graham, said during a visit to China this year that he did not support illegal missionary work during the Olympics.
Taylor and other groups knew the risks.
"It's very difficult," said the 27-year-old Taylor, who on Wednesday explored the Olympic Green with six other team members, one as young as 15, after finishing their mission. "It's got to be through relationships. Handing out (religious) tracts would not go over well at all. That would be like me walking around with a 'Free Tibet' flag."
The Christians came in on tourist visas and said they were involved in sports or cultural activities, which China allows. Taylor's group renovated a school in Yunnan province. Members then reached out to Chinese in one-on-one conversations.
In response to a phone request by the AP, China's religious affairs administration office issued a statement Thursday referring to Chinese law.
'If foreigners do such things in China, they violate the law, and local religious departments and other departments should stop them," the statement said.
It did not say how many foreigners had been caught doing missionary work during the Olympics.
Recent comments
I agree also there will be a greater harvest of souls for those…
Me Too | Aug. 22, 2008 at 8:23 p.m.
I agree
Anonymous | Aug. 22, 2008 at 5:35 p.m.
Has it ever occurred to anyone that by obeying the governments wishes…
anon | Aug. 22, 2008 at 8:03 a.m.
