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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, March 13, 1980
Page 2
Mr. Rader was in Moscow making preliminary arrangements a week ago.
In our visit to Moscow, as in China, we are to be housed in a government
Guest House, as guests of the USSR. They are very friendly to us in the
Kremlin, but right now very hostile toward President Carter and the
government at Washington. At least that is the attitude they express to
us. Mr. Rader also stopped over in Warsaw and everything there is all
set for our visit. I will meet the very top officials and speak before
groups of leaders.
Mr. Rader called me the.
other day from Tokyo. He is now again in
China, where he has speaking engagements before four University Law
School groups--one in the far north in Manchuria, north of North Korea.
Mr. Rader tells me that while speaking to Law School audiences on
International Law, he does have opportunity to get in announcements
about the coming Kingdom of God.
Mr. and Mrs. Rader will return by way of Moscow, to finalize
arrangements for my visit, and we will meet at Jerusalem. The Raders
will continue from there with us.
Obviously, in a Communist country where there is no religious free
dom and the national "religion" is atheism, I cannot use such Biblical
terms as "salvation," "repentance," "forgiveness of sins," etc. Yet God
has shown me how to carry to them the GOOD NEWS of the Kingdom of God-
the true GOSPEL--by using such simple terms as "GIVE" and "GET." I ex
plain that the "GIVE" way is really outflowing LOVE--the way of serving,
helping, cooperating and sharing. But the "GET" way is SELF-centered
ness, vanity, coveting, lust and greed, jealousy and envy, competition
and strife which lead to destruction, violence and war, and rebellion
against authority.
In countries like China and Russia, they UNDERSTAND this. As a
matter of fact, many professing Christians still do not really understand
the meaning of "REPENT." It means MUCH MORE than emotional remorse or
being sorry.
A Methodist Bishop was speaking in one of the smaller churches. His
sermon was on "Repentance," but with all his scholarly explanation, he
was unable to make these simple church people understand. A black man
near the rear of the church held up a hand and asked if he could speak.
"I think I can show the people what you mean, Sir," he said. The
Bishop told him to go ahead and explain. The man got out into the isle
and began walking rapidly toward the pulpit, saying "I'm going to hell!
I'm going to hell!" Reaching the front he turned around and began walk
ing to the rear, saying "I'm going to heaven! I'm going to heaven! I'm
going to heaven!" Then he turned back forward saying, "I think what you
all mean by Repentance, Sir, is to turn around and go the other way!"
The congregation UNDERSTOOD!
In foreign countries--especially atheistic nations where there is
NO freedom of religion, I have to do as the Apostle Paul did. He said,
"Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them
that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that
are under the law" (I Cor. 9:20). I also have to speak a language that
they UNDERSTAND--and a language that is PERMISSIBLE in their country.