April 30, 2018
April 9, 2018
Easter in Beijing
He is Risen…in Beijing!...and Everywhere!! April
2018
Easter
morning over 600 in Beijing International Christian Fellowship Zhongguancun joined
the global Church giving praise to our Risen Lord Jesus. Six new family members
– from USA, UK, China, and Thailand - professed their faith through baptism. One
very sweet and powerful moment was when a 10-year-old boy who was baptized
shared his testimony, “I know I have broken all 10 commandments except maybe for the
adultery one”! His sincere gratitude for God’s gracious redemption brought
tears to all our eyes. After the service many of us enjoyed a celebration
lunch…
Easter
Night many students gathered for a worship celebration followed by Ceilidh
dancing!
Good
Friday night we again heard the Words of the Savior from the cross as people from
Uganda, USA, Ghana, The Netherlands, Uruguay, Canada, and China shared their
reflections on His saving love.
Pregnant! Not married!!
An ancient global challenge. In our church
full of University students, it probably happens more than we know. It is not
unusual for our African students to put on heavy winter coats in the Fall and
not take them off until Spring. They have never felt cold like our Beijing winds!
But eventually someone noticed a bit more to skinny Sally (not her real name). She and Roger (not his name either) are
country-mates from a faraway land. They gained the courage to share with some
of our African church leaders who eventually guided them to me. After sharing,
crying, and praying I asked if they wanted to confess to the church. They did. So, as I stood behind the communion
table on the first Sunday of 2018, I invited them to come stand with me. I
shared they had given me permission to let the church know they are with child,
and not yet married. That’s one way to get people in the pews to stop looking
at their cell phones! Then I handed the mic to Roger and Sally. They both
humbly, tearfully, and clearly shared their love for God and their sorrow about
letting Him and the church down. Then I asked the assembly if someone among us had
never sinned to raise their hand. Not one hand went up! I asked again, but
none. So, I told Roger and Sally we are all on the same ground before the cross
– guilty and grateful! And I prayed for them and the baby. After the service
there was a long line of friends to give them hugs. They then contacted their
families back home in Africa. They expected problems because they’re from different
tribes. But both families showed their Christian character by quickly replying
with love, understanding, and acceptance of the other. They
joined our marriage
course with several other couples. They also attended a Tuesday Training class on
“The Gift of Life.” Sally shared candidly, “When I realized that my
sin lead to creating a child I feared I would not love the child. But as I have
received forgiveness from God and the church I am so grateful for this child
and eager to be a wife and mom.” One Sunday in March they were married. One
week later they were parents! Roger is finishing his PhD and Sally her Masters
this semester, God willing. Now they plan to go back home to Africa this summer,
married, parents, and graduates!
Bible Teaching
This month Mark will teach a BICF Seminary class on
the book of “Hebrews.” After preaching through this book last year, he has
really gained a deeper appreciation of this important New Testament book. The
course demands most of two consecutive weekends. Pray for God’s strength and
leading and for students to be able to make this time sacrifice amidst
everyone’s busy schedules.
Being
someone’s Instagram friend gives a sometimes interesting glimpse into their
lives. Stuck in the middle of this class is vibrant sister from Uruguay that we
baptized 3 years ago who often shares prayer requests for her classmates. Just
one of our faithful members shining God’s light and love with friends from
everywhere.
We hosted a 5-week “Alpha” Marriage Course with a
great group of newly married and to-be-married couples in our church from
Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Romania, Costa Rica, China, and USA. Now we are
in the midst of 2 courses with another dozen couples. We’re hosting one and our
dear colleagues in the far left of the picture are hosting another.
We rediscovered
the power of pizza recently. We bought a bunch of “New City Catechisms” to
share with our church families. Yet, we wondered how could we get parents to
focus for the hour we needed to introduce the idea of catechism and the tool
itself…with all their little kids keeping them busy! So, we enlisted our high
schoolers for small-kid-crowd-control for the price of a pizza lunch
afterwards. It worked!
During the Chinese New Year break we had the joy of
seeing our own kids in Oregon. What a blessing to watch Nathan and Heather
dedicate KaMakanaOKeAkua “the gift of God” to the Lord in their church in
Portland. Makana is 1, and brother Kekoa is already 3! We also enjoyed a few
days with Aaron who came up from Eugene. Even after all these years, it never
gets easier to be family stretched across Kazakhstan, Beijing, Hawaii, and the 48.
So, we praise the Lord for the times we can be together. We also went to
Chicago for a few days to celebrate Dayna’s 40th anniversary of
graduation from Moody Bible Institute.
We are very grateful for your faithful support and
prayers as we have a wonderful opportunity to declare and demonstrate the Good
News amidst 70,000 International students from 120 nations in the capital city
of the world’s most populous nation.
In the joy of Him who Died and Rose Again for us, Mark and Dayna
Blair
Our Mission Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Dr -
Orlando, FL 32832 USA
Checks
to ‘Pioneers’ – with attached note: ‘Mark and Dayna Blair, Beijing.’
(Our Account # is 110565, Mark and Dayna Blair)
December 30, 2017
Christmas in Beijing
Warm Greetings from Chilly
Beijing, December 2017
Like many of you, we have
been on intensive holiday mode since before Thanksgiving. In a city of 23
million, nearly everything – including holidays - are on steroids! Actually our
“days” of Thanksgiving and Christmas are normal work days here. Members of our
church carry on their normal duties of work and study. Yet it seems the
“forbidden fruit factor” makes people yearn even more for these holidays they
cannot have – believers and not yet. So, holiday time is gospel harvest time!
Christmas Eve Sunday was a
wonderful day at Beijing International Christian Fellowship ZhongGuanCun! Our
Lord who came to save was praised all day long – in Mandarin, Korean,
Indonesian, Japanese and twice in English. Each service was filled, some came for
the first time, and many who had long ago memorized the carols.
Arriving Sunday morning we
were greeted by a squad of policemen with scanner wands sent to “keep us safe”
(thanks, guys!) and a Muslim couple from Bangladesh who said they always wanted
to attend a Christmas service if that was alright with me? “Of course,
welcome!” A highlight of our morning English service was Pacific Islanders
(from Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Hawaii, and Haiti),
including Mama Dayna, dancing to “The Christmas Star.”
Afterwards the entire
church was invited to a University dining hall across the street for an
11-course Chinese lunch for $ 6 usd (40
RMB)! About 200 happy eaters joined in. Then our “scouting carolers” set off!
We’ve heard a lot in the local news about how “western
traditions” i.e. Christmas! must stop being imposed. So, we wondered whether
caroling near the busy mall might end with new prison epistles? As we sang our
carols a couple dozen people quickly gathered, nearly all of them taking
pictures. The security guards concluded we were blocking foot traffic. But they
just asked us to move slightly aside. Then the manager of the mall came and
invited us to sing on their center stage that night! So after the evening
service a big group (above) went to sing, and handed out lots of Christmas
tracts and candy canes!
More than 150 people scurried in from campus and workplace
to enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner on November 23rd. We gathered in “Café
Heaven” - operated by members of our Korean congregation. Since Turkeys are
expensive here, and we do all we can to keep things cheap for our many
students, we wonder if the pilgrims also enjoyed spaghetti and fish sticks? We
did! Best of all we enjoyed the rich fellowship of brothers and sisters and
seekers from 50 nations!
Thank you for praying for our trip to Kazakhstan in
early November. We had the privilege of introducing John Ensor the President of
Passion Life to friends and former colleagues in ministry there. His message of
life in Jesus – beginning at conception
– was much appreciated in that land so badly scarred by abortion. John and Mark
had a full day sharing with many of the pastors of Almaty, a number were our
students back in the last century! It was also a joy to introduce John to the
current staff and students of the Tien Shan International School where Dayna
taught for a decade and our three sons graduated. See more at www.passionlife.org (Of course, we loved being with Josiah and Maylee for
a week there!)
Thanks also for praying
for the teaching Mark led in November. He modeled “Leadership” in getting other
pastors to teach 2 of his 4 classes – a fellow BICF pastor and a seminary
classmate we had not seen for many years Pastor Tom Kenney. Then, since nobody
sent suggestions of how to re-brand his course, “Life and Work of the Pastor” we
went with “Thriving in Ministry.” Here are the people we tried to fool, but they
soon discovered behind the new brand was the same old teacher with the same old
notes!
In October Dayna and over
50 ladies had a great 3-day Retreat studying through the Book of Ruth.
Every year BICF is one of
the host locations for the “Global Leadership Summit” from Willow Creek Church
in Chicago. This conference seeks to encourage and instruct leaders in church
and society. Each year we share this equipping opportunity with local leaders
in churches, business, and government. Depending on the winds of change, sometimes it has
been labelled too much “foreign religion” and numbers are limited. This year
the wind was favorable and we were able to host the 2-day program in our
largest auditorium, nearly filling its 2000 seats with many who said it was
their first time to hear the Good News. It was great!
One of our members, a
doctoral student from Tanzania, said he had a few of his classmates from South
Asia – India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh – Christians and Muslims, coming over
for an exploratory Bible study group and time of fellowship. Here is what those
few friends – fields ready for harvest – looks like…
We were again welcomed by
the Haidian Christian Church to hold our International Christmas program in
their large auditorium. For 2 nights, December 8 and 9, we shared with almost
2000 people that “Jesus is our Peace” in songs, drama, dance, and preaching. Each
night we invited people to join discussion groups to ask questions and think
more, more than 300 lingered. Those who hurried off took Christmas tracts and
the Gospel of John in Mandarin and an apple (the Mandarin word for “peace” is
like “apple”!) This was the 7th year we have had this marvelous
opportunity to share the Christmas Gospel in this large church open to all
people. Our teachers were allowed to invite all their students and our students
were able to invite all their classmates. Lots of them came. Pray for the
Gospel seed to bear much fruit.
Preaching through the last
chapters of Genesis have been a vivid reminder of the grace and mercy of God
for us and our families. If it were me, I would try to find the most noble people
possible to steward the blessed promise to Abraham for the blessing of the
nations. Maybe God did. But it is painfully evident even the noble fall so
short of his glory! Dads who play favorites. Sons who sleep with Dad’s woman,
kill all the men in town, and sell their brother off as a slave! But God’s
relentless grace does not quit before all those bad boys have bowed their knee
to him and made their peace with each other. What man intends for evil, God can
use for good, and the saving of many people! 4000 years later, He still holds
the world in His grip.
We pray that the year ahead will be one of great
blessing for you and your family. The promise of Abraham is ours in Christ. As
we now sojourn through earth, may your hope be fixed on that City where all of
us in Jesus will gather with great joy!
In the joy of Him who has Come and will Come Again, Mark and Dayna
Blair
Our Mission Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Dr -
Orlando, FL 32832 USA
Checks
to ‘Pioneers’ – with attached note: ‘Mark and Dayna Blair, Beijing.’
(Our Account # is 110565, Mark and Dayna Blair)
October 11, 2017
Double Door Opening in Beijing
Autumn Greetings from
Beijing! October 2017
We are encouraged by the Lord’s double blessings in
recent days – our work visa was extended and permission for our church to
operate was granted - both for one more year. (They only give one year at a
time!) We praise the Lord and thank you
for your generous prayers and support which have kept us going strong here. We
have entered our ninth year in Beijing…
In Beijing International Christian Fellowship our sign
of Autumn is lots of new people! Students from many nations, coming to attend
the 82 Universities in our neighborhood, are finding out there is a church in
China! Some who hid their Bibles in their luggage weep tears of joy when they
can openly gather to sing His praises. Not-yet-Christians who never dared
investigate Jesus and the Bible at home
are coming to find friendship.
We just finished our first International Student Camp.
October 1 is China’s “National Day” and the whole week is off for most of the
nation. Isn’t God wonderful to slot an empty week for these students cooped-up
from their first month of studies, ready to bust out and have some fun!
We had 63 people from 31 countries, about 10 seekers.
One student said, “Jesus is the gateway to ultimate success. He is the ultimate
success.” Another who is not yet a follower of Jesus said, “if this is the
Christian life, to be so peaceful, one has to be Christian.” Praise the Lord
for this time of gospel growth.
Having the motto “Gathering, Growing, Going” has
helped focus our church. Though good-byes don’t feel good sometimes, we can
rejoice that we’ve had a small part in equipping many for
Kingdom-service
in distant lands for many years, we pray. It was bittersweet to bid farewell to
Chukwunweike Okeke. He returned home to Nigeria a Ph.D. in Pharmacology, a
Church Elder, a faithful expository preacher, and a dear brother in the Lord.
We will miss him! On a happy note, faithful Daniel from Ghana who served in
every possible ministry during the four years of his Bachelor’s program, is
back for his M.A for three more years of studying, serving, and growing in the
Lord.!
Dayna has led
“Sister2Sister” for more than three years now. Each month women from different nations
and generations share life together. The group has been a catalyst to start a
Book Club, Guitar Class, and a Read-through-the-Bible group. Later this month
they will hold a retreat.
Pray
for them as they plan for Bible teaching and fellowship. Mark recently
photo-bombed them…
This Fall Mark is preaching through Romans on Sunday nights
and Genesis 37-50, in the mornings. We started Genesis 1 in 2010, the end is in
sight!
Later this month we plan to spend a long weekend in another
city in China. A family from our church here moved there several years ago. As
they left I shared with him that since their city had no international church, they
should pray about getting one started. They had served here faithfully - teaching
Sunday school, small group leaders, an excellent Preacher, Deacon… Well, the new
international church there has been meeting for several months! A team of
leaders has formed. And, now we’re invited to come see and share! Jesus is
still building His Church!
Next
month we hope to visit our son Josiah and granddaughter Maylee in Almaty,
Kazakhstan. We connected church leaders there with the founder of www.passionlife.org
who became a friend through his visits and teaching here. So, he’s asked us to
come along and make some introductions for the Gospel-focused, Christ-centered,
Pro-Life teaching he will share with leaders there in November. We are happy to
do so – it is wonderful news! We look forward to sharing again with dear
friends in the churches we served there for eleven years.
Mark is also scheduled to teach two classes in
November, “Leadership” for our Tuesday Training program and “Life and Work of the Pastor” for our
BICF Seminary. (We’re scratching our
heads trying to “re-brand” that course since everyone knows Pastors don’t
work…or have a life! Suggestions appreciated!!)
In August we saw our sons and grandsons and daughter
in law Heather. Here Kekoa (3 in January!) is with his dad Nathan while his
brother Makana (6 months now!) enjoy time with “Funcle” Aaron. (“Fun Uncle”!)
In these days of storms, earthquakes, and rumors of
war it is so good to know Jesus and the eternal promises of His saving grace.
We are privileged here to have a front row seat to see “the blessing of
Abraham” transform peoples of all nations. Be encouraged friends, Jesus wins!
In the joy of our
King, Mark and Dayna Blair
Our Mission Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Dr -
Orlando, FL 32832 USA
Checks
to ‘Pioneers’ – with attached note: ‘Mark and Dayna Blair, Beijing.’
(Our Account # is 110565, Mark and Dayna Blair)
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