A Genuine Rebirth, Tina Chen

When I was a child, my family lived in the military housing, where gossip circulated around the neighborhood very quickly. The only exception was our next-door neighbors. No sound of quarreling or fighting was ever heard from them. All of them were often seen with smiling faces. Every now and then people heard them singing and praying. They were a model family in our community.

After I came to the United States, my roommate invited me to a gospel meeting of the local church. When I got there, many Christians surrounded me with loving concern and warmth. I already had quite a positive impression of Christians from my youth. When I was asked if I would like to pray and be baptized to become a Christian, I responded without any hesitation.

In the first couple of years, due to the lack of appetite for the Word of God, I did not have solid knowledge about the truth. Nevertheless, I observed the behavior of the Christians around me in detail. One time, the speaking of a sister offended me and the ideal picture I had of Christians was greatly shattered. I was disappointed. I used that as an excuse to quit coming to the meetings. I also stopped reading the Bible and praying.

As a lost sheep I wandered outside the sheepfold for many years. Inwardly my sense of emptiness and hunger grew stronger. In the meantime a sister who loved the Lord very much learned about what I was going through and became very concerned about me. She called me often to greet me and inquire how I was doing. She asked me to pray and read the Word with her. Through Bible study of the book of Genesis I realized the purpose of God creation of man and the meaning of human existence. That stirred me up to pursue the Lord in His Word. When I learned to empty and humble myself to come to the Lord to pursue Him, His Word started to enlighten me. I realized that man is imperfect, “...For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1Sam 16:7).” Thank God for this sister because through her I was brought back to the local church and moreover, I was introduced to some books by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee concerning the truth in the Bible. Reading those books enormously enhanced my spiritual life. Formerly, I thought that seeking for peace, joy, a smooth life and welfare for my family was what Christian life was all about. Yet now I know that God's plan is to regenerate, sanctify, renew, conform, and glorify me by the redemption of Christ and through the life-giving Spirit (John 3:5; Hebrews 10:10; Romans 12:2; 8:29-30; 1 Corinthians 15:45). Now I enjoy fellowship with the Lord and appreciate the regulating of the Holy Spirit. Also God's plan is for me to grow unto maturity in God's life with all the other believers and be built up together so that God can have His house, the church, which will result in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2-3).