Reflections on an Australian Journey: Evangelism in the City

Abstract

This article shares the personal reflections of a member of the Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China on her participation in Evangelism in the City in Sydney, Australia. In which many church leaders came together from different parts of the world. Her experience of the passion and mission of those she met give her hope for the vision and passion of the church, especially for Evangelism in the City. "You Cannot Go Back!" The plane was taking off; I had just finished my nine-day journey in Australia. As I boarded the plane, I was overwhelmed with feelings and thoughts; I had just been caught carrying four kilos of honey, which of course was confiscated. Previously, at the airport check-in counter, when telling the staff person that I had some honey inside my backpack, I was clearly told that only 100 ml would be allowed. Nevertherless, I did not seem to care much about these words, feeling that there is hardly any difference between 100 ml and 4 kg. When I was going through security, the customs officer told me that honey was forbidden to carry on board. I was shocked and asked, "Can I put it back in my luggage?" They replied, "Yes, but you cannot go back now!" For quite some time, I could not stop blaming myself for my negligence, resulting in my failure to bring the honey back home and share it with my family. I also blamed myself for not taking the words of the airport staff seriously. I truly learned an important lesson: rules are rules and there is no other way around them. This incident deeply touched my heart and made me wonder how we treat the word of God. Do we take it lightly, just as I did with the words I was told in the airport, even though I heard the message as early as the check-in counter, though never took it seriously? Are we clear on what we shall bring to the kingdom of God and what we shall not? "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire" (1 Cor. 3:15). If we look forward to entering the kingdom of God, we must take his words seriously because "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away" (Luke 21:33). How do we treat the word of God today? Do we take it lightly or take it seriously into our heart? Today, we must make a choice! Prayer Gardener! Insist or let go? On 6 September, Sunday morning, we went to an Orthodox Church for Sunday worship. The three-hour worship service was presided over by a number of bishops, priests, monks, and a choir of more than 50 adults and children chanting psalms and prayers. It was the first time I took part in Orthodox worship. The priests and the choir's chanting seemed rather strange to me and almost reminded me of a Chinese Taoist funeral. Though I am more comfortable with free-style worship (with guitar and drums), my heart was very much touched by this Orthodox worship and personally by the priest, Father Shenouda. His cautiousness, his humility, his love for people as he was sharing clearly, profoundly, and personally the values of the Bible deeply touched me. For so many years, churches have been debating the form of worship--whether it should be traditional or the free modern style. …