Pastor Seeks Participants for Vision Tour
Visitors walk along the Great Wall of China
Rev. John Terpstra says he was amazed to see the growth of the Christian church when he visited China in 2012.
“Kingdom work in China is active, vibrant, and bustling … So many faces, so many voices, so much energy-- it reminded me of early events in Acts," he says.
Terpstra, who stepped down last year as president of the Christian Reformed Church’s Board of Trustees, traveled to China as part of a “Pastors Vision Tour” with a partner organization.
In China, he attended crowded services, traveled through diverse communities, and visited historic sites.
Terpstra, pastor of the Immanuel CRC in Fort Collins, Colo., says he was most deeply impressed, though, by conversations he had with Christians in various settings.
In speaking with Christians, Terpstra says he learned how important their faith is to them. They are hungry to know the basics of Reformed theology, to study the Bible and to have a close relationship with Christ.
He also learned that the vibrant burst of Christianity currently occurring in China is closely linked to people’s ability to understand and speak English.
And this is where English teachers come in, he says in a letter he has sent out to CRC pastors, inviting them to accompany him on another “Vision Tour” to China this year.
“A vision tour is exactly what it sounds like – it is a trip designed to give you a glimpse into the heart of a foreign English teacher in order to see if the Lord is calling you to be a part of this exciting work,” he says.
“This trip is a way for you to see first-hand who we are and what we do,” says the partnering organization.
“On the vision tour you will experience a Chinese worship service, meet with Christian college students, observe and participate in an teacher’s class, experience Chinese culture, visit some historically famous sites, shop, and much more.”
The vision tour begins and ends in Beijing and visits another Chinese city in which a team of teachers is currently working.
On the “Vision Tour,” set for May 9-17, CRC pastors will have a chance to also meet with CRC members who are making a significant impact as foreign teachers, says Terpstra.
“While members of the CRC are in Asia, they are able to impact students and future leaders of the country with a holistic worldview,” he says in his letter.
“This, in turn, is shaping a nation and culture that has been largely unaffected by a Reformed perspective. Calvin Seminary has also recently partnered to allow its candidates to serve their cross-cultural component in Asia as teachers.”
Seminarians will be teaching local English teachers who will then be able to work in the school systems.
“Those who serve in this way are shaping the education of Asia and creating space for the One with infinite wisdom to enter,” says Terpstra.
Taking part in a Vision Tour will allow participants, he says, “to observe the daily life of CRC foreign teachers. It will put you into contact with local believers and allow you to hear their story. You will experience life with Christ in a way you never have before.”
To learn more, contact Terpstra at: [email protected].
