The Christians of China

At the time of the triumph of the Maoists in China in 1949, there were approximately 100,000 Protestant Christians,  100,000 Roman Catholics, and 10,000 Orthodox.  Now there are 100,000,000 Protestant Christians meeting primarily in underground assemblies, 12,000,000 Roman Catholics, and 13,000 Orthodox.  

What do these demographics suggest?  These figures ought to suggest something to Orthodox faithful, and their Hierarchs about the sort of life in Christ that the Church ought to have in times of persecution, for it is evident that the Orthodox were not equipped as believers to cope with the adversity, whereas the Protestants especially thrived in the persecutions, and the Catholics with their similar Hierarchical structure were able to grow in an admirable way.  

Some lessons ought to be drawn for this, for it is not inconceivable that Orthodox Christians in lands that are now free might in the near future face persecutions not too dissimilar to those of China.  

Did the Church in China fail to perceive the call to go Underground? Were the laymen equipped with life in the Spirit enough to nurture themselves spiritually in the absence of a priest, to recognize charismatically leadership that the Spirit would raise in the absence of visible hierarchical leadership?  Did they have Scriptures hid in their heart to guide them from day to day?  Did they have Bibles?  Did they know how to read their Bibles for personal nurture and guidance?  Did they know how to pray for themselves for wisdom and guidance and to hear from God in those regards?  

When one studies the astounding successes of the underground Protestant Church one is impressed that they had learned life in the Spirit.  One such testimony is the astonishing book 

The Heavenly Man   , the remarkable true story of the Chinese Christian Brother Yun by Brother Yun and Paul Hattaway.  His ministry in China overlaps the period of tremendous growth of the underground church.  The triumph of faith in the midst of intense persecutions, coupled with the miracle working power of the Holy Spirit; miracles and escapes from prison out-doing the book of Acts.  They had to learn to listen to the voice of the Lord- for there were times of danger when giving heed to the Voice saved them from imprisonment, torture and death.  Implicit within this was idea that each believer could know the voice of the Lord.  "My sheep know my voice," says the Scriptures.  

One might cry out with St. Simeon the New Theologian, who in an earlier age said,  "Do not say it is impossible to recieve the Holy Spirit", with a new refrain "Do not say that it is impossible to hear the voice of the Lord."  How is it that we can live by faith, if we cannot hear the voice of the Lord?" For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  Our confidence that we can learn the voice of the Lord, stems not from hubris, but from confidence that we have an Intercessor who has ascended into the heavens, and ever lives to make intercession for us, granting us boldness to the Throne of Heaven, and access for help in time of need.  And what is our greatest need? that for which we pray many times daily? To receive the voice of the Lord, that 'supersubtantial bread' that we are told to seek daily in the Lord's Prayer.  His sheep hear His Voice ( the Gospel of St. John the 10th chapter)