RED BANK — To support the pastors of China’s underground churches, Red Bank Community Church is hosting the “China Challenge,” an art show featuring cards with original art work.
The exhibit opened Saturday, Sept. 20, and will be available for viewing from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, and from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28.
“My mission here, right now, is to make people aware of what’s going on [in China],” the Rev. Gerda Liebmann, pastor, said.
She said she has been in contact with a ministry in Hong Kong and wants to support the pastors of churches in China.
“The pastors really give their life to the congregation. … China is changing, but there is still persecution,” she said.L
iebmann explained that the underground churches are Christian churches and are considered illegal in China. Liebmann said these churches are sometimes referred to as house churches, because that’s where people are forced to meet in secret.
“[Legally,] you have to go to a government-appointed church. You can’t just choose where you want to go,” Liebmann said.
She said the government runs the official church.
“One of the problems they have besides the persecution is that they have so many believers and not enough pastors. So one pastor might have to go to five churches during the week and teach the churches,” she said.
Liebmann said sometimes the government closes down these churches and pastors are persecuted and thrown in jail.
“It’s horrible over there, and you just don’t have that freedom of religion that we have. Lots of people suffer,” she said.
According to the Red Bank Community Church Web site, the exhibit is being held in partnership with Revival Chinese Ministries.
The site states they will be sending Bibles and teaching materials to 1,000 pastors in China. The packages cost $20 and will include a card with original artwork on the front and a personal note of encouragement on the back.
After the cards are exhibited at the church, they will be exhibited at a gallery in Hong Kong before being inserted into the packages that will be sent to the Chinese pastors, the site states.
“The quality of the art is really outstanding and to see artwork from all over the world from very different countries, even continents, is such a great experience to see how many do care,” Liebmann said.
She said she’s been working on putting the exhibit together for about four months and hopes to continue this project in the coming years.
People who want to contribute to the underground churches of China can create an artistic card or make a donation.
According to the Web site, cards must be 12 centimeters by 12 centimeters and made on stock paper. Artwork can only be on the front. Half of the space on the back of the card should be used to write an encouraging word or to explain the artwork. The other half will be used for Chinese translation.
T
hose interested
may submit as many cards as they want and must include $20 for each card submitted. Checks can be made out to Red Bank Community Church. Those who don’t want to make a card but still want to donate may make a donation and a local artist will do the artwork.
For more information about the exhibit, visit www.redbankchurch.com.
Contact Sharon Leff at [email protected].