Ever been invited out for a tea/coffee and a chat? It’s pretty usual for us to catch up with friends over a drink, but what about the police? For many pastors in China, an invitation for tea and a chat at the police station isn’t about a friendly catch up.
Pastor Timothy* knows well what these involve. On one particular occasion when he was invited for a so-called ‘tea chat’, he knew what to expect – namely, questioning and instructions about church activities. This time, however, was different: the authorities locked him up for 13 hours.
In protest, Timothy – who is in his sixties – refused, instead declaring that he would be suing the police for holding him without reason for 13 hours. “In your eagerness to enforce the law, you’ve actually broken the law,” he told them. “You are obviously unaware that it is illegal to detain someone over 60 years of age, without reason, for more than six hours.”
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The police were shocked. Not only was this ‘peasant’ Christian pastor fearless, but he also knew something about the law. They had no alternative but to release him.
“Don’t you see that me praying for him is helping you?”
During his 13-hour imprisonment, Pastor Timothy got to know a young man who was being held for stealing, and who had not eaten anything since the previous day. The pastor gave him his lunch and dinner and said, “The Bible says anyone who steals should stop doing so and work with his hands instead. Then he will always have more than enough. I hope you can find it in your heart to repent and turn to Jesus.”
When the young man got a terrible headache, Pastor Timothy knelt next to him and prayed for him – until the guards spotted him. “Stop that!” they said. “You can’t pray in the Detention Centre!”
“Don’t you see that me praying for him is helping you?” replied the pastor. “If his headache gets worse you will have to take him to hospital. I’m saving you a lot of trouble.” When Pastor Timothy later resumed praying for the young man, the headache subsided.
Silencing the authorities
On another occasion, representatives from several departments came to investigate Pastor Timothy, and asked him to hand over a contact list of all the believers in their church. “Sorry, I have no legal right to disclose other people’s private details,” he told them. “But I can give you a list of our church leaders. Please contact us with anything you’d like to discuss. We are always happy to take responsibility for church matters. Anyway, when the others are in trouble, will you go to help them? Will you visit them when they are sick? If there is a death in the family, will you take them clothes and help with the funeral?”
Whatever was thrown at him, Pastor Timothy responded with remarkable boldness, wisdom and grace.
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“We must be polite,” the pastor shares, reflecting his passion for Christians to act in ways that give the church a good reputation, whilst not being afraid to make a stand for Jesus. “If anyone comes to us, we will serve them the best we can, but we will never compromise our message or deny our brothers and sisters just to protect ourselves.”
“God is always with us, so we are not afraid of anything,” he continues. “Besides, believing in Jesus is not a crime. We go about our work quietly, serving others with all our hearts. But if we are opposed in some way, we will never be afraid. That is when we are bold, strong and courageous!”
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