How do you respond to The Heavenly Man?
Yesterday I saw Brother Yun, a.k.a. “the Heavenly Man” speak at Blackshear Baptist here in Gainesville (see my first blog about it here). You’ve got to love the guy’s passion and the miraculous stories he tells. But his experience with house churches and years of persecution was interesting to see juxtaposed with the large choir seated stiffly behind him clad in black robes (and the rest of us seated in front like spectators daring him to amaze us).
Anyway, Yun seemed unfazed by celebrity – his love for God and his conviction spoke clearly despite the fact that he used an interpreter.
Anyone who says, “God isn’t in the miracle business anymore” just needs to listen to Yun for a little bit and reconsider their unbelief. For example, the story about how his family came to Christ. His father was eaten up with cancer and dying. His mother couldn’t handle it and was going to commit suicide when God spoke to her and told her that Jesus loved her. She repented, gathered the family around her husband’s bedside, and prayed for him. Within a week, he was healed.
Jesus called Yun to be his witness and soon he became a powerful one, preaching to the underground church and winning many converts. Along the way, government officials beat him more times than he could count, using some of the
most intense torture techniques of the time (such as having needles shoved
under his fingernails).
The culmination of his struggle came when he went on a miraculous 74-day food and water fast. During this time, he led several prisoners and prison
guards to Christ and started a revival in the prison.
After several prison
escapes, the guards severely beat him, breaking his legs. In the end, Jesus and spoke to him his cell: “Stand up and walk out.”
Yun responded, “”But it’s a top security prison!”
Jesus didn’t back down, “Walk, walk!”
Yun got to his feet and as he did so, his legs were healed. He walked to the first prison door and it opened. And as he got to the next door and the next, they too supernaturally opened. The guards at each station were blinded from seeing him. And at last, he stood blinking outside the prison.
Yun’s line to close his sermon was classic, “And the same way Jesus set me free from prison, he will set you free too!”
During that all-too Caucasian 9:30 service, the irony was the congregation’s tepid response. I was ready to get saved all over again, yet when Yun asked us to raise our hands and receive the Holy Spirit’s power, my friend observed, “Only about 20% of the people raised their hands.”
God help us in America if that’s our response to such an invitation.
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Yes, I would like more information on this if possible. Thank You!
I wonder if it’s more tortuous for him to minister in our churches? I respect Him so much more for committing to minister in these types of atmospheres in the Western World. I’m reminded of a WR lesson. A persecuted pastor told us that the western church is committed, but the church in the east is surrendered. All the more reason to lift our hands and receive!
Wow, may God have mercy for our lack of surrender and abandon to him. The whole country goes wild over football games and teams, yet this kind of power is displayed, and those who are told seem not to hear. So glad you got to hear him (and appreciate him), Brother Yun is indeed an inspiration, as is the way God has used him and his family.
I bet you a majority of the people listening that day would never say it out loud, but they didn’t believe. They were probably thinking, “why don’t I even see a fraction of that supernatural experience in my own life.” That’s the right question, the answer is what may be disturbing.
20% sounds about right. Didn’t Jesus say that only 1 out of 4 seeds will survive and produce a harvest?
From far away, I’m sitting here at my kitchen table with my hand raised to Yun’s invitation!
I believe. I believe.
fantastic.
I too was able to hear Brother Yun on Sunday morning, and counted it a blessing to even be able to hear his incredible testimony. I was at the 11:00 service and his testimony was a little different, but the invitation the same and so was the response… it made me weep to think how comfortable we are with where we are at that we can not even respond to such a powerful message!
It seems in the western world of Christianity there is little room for God anymore. We seem to be able to handle all of our programs just fine so where would there be room to witness or believe in miracles? God wake us up!!! It is too comfy here indeed. I loved reading his story and the increidble things God did in His life. We do not serve a boring or weak God at all!
The 21st century western church in general has become comfortable – has become fat and lazy and happy about it. We’ve forgotten our calling. We need a serious wake-up call from those who are living out their faith in real and tangible ways and being persecuted for it. Praise God for men like Brother Yun!
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Dear Mr. Barnes,
Thank you for sparing your time and listening to my plans (God willing) about starting an ETHICS center in India.
I am forwarding a brief statement about those plans in the hope that you will share with others who care about the people in India and their welfare.
“The Book of Genesis tells the story that Abraham, en route to a new land, raised Alters for the Lord; and dug wells simultaneously for the benefit his entourage and those of the surrounding communities. Like that great Patriarch, I, too, feel led by God’s calling to return to my homeland of India and raise an Ethics Institute predicated on Judeo Christian values and dig wells to benefit the surrounding community! Symbolically, I should like to use the word and water to let others acknowledge and taste that the Lord is good! This strategy derives its prudence from the reality that traditional missionary work is outlawed in India. My desire is to expand upon the influence that Christian pastors like my own father were able to exert on a far more limited scale.
Among the strategies such an Institute could initiate are the following:
Offer CONSULTING SERVICES to professionals or to a general audience in medical ethics, business ethics, environmental ethics, or religious ethics.
Establish INTERFAITH DIALOGUE with common morality as the focus.
Form a BRAIN TRUST in partnership with Government, Industry, and the University to identify and implement applicable standards of morality. And yes,
DIG WELLS and PLANT ORCHARDS to initiate attitudes of self-reliance.
Although I lived in the States for several decades, my vision to return home and serve the needs of my community has exponentially increased with every passing of the year. I am seeking audience with those who might be inspired by this vision and who might wish to help seek ways of realizing it”.
Once again, thank you for caring about my dream project and your willingness to share with others who might be interested in this endeavour. Above all, I covet your prayers. And I should like to be in touch with you.
Sincerely,
Deen R
425.351.7575
Great book, really challenging. I’d agree with John above, and I’d be the first to be asking why I don’t see those things happening around me here in the states. It sure makes you probe into your own spiritual walk to see how deep your seed is planted.
Several years ago I bought the book on a missions trip in the Philippines. IT WAS THE NUMBER ONE SELLING CHRISTIAN BOOK IN ASIA! When you start to read it you do not want to put it down. One of my spiritual fathers, Papa A.L. Gill(who has a large international ministry with ministry materials in about 8 languages) has been heavily involved in the past with the underground church in China. He can verify the lifestyle of what you see in the book Heavenly Man by pastor Yun. Brother Gill is one of the teachers in I.S.O.M. which is used in over 11,000 bible schools worldwide. He has worked closely with 2 of the top 5 house church leaders in China. One story he told me was on his last trip there they did an I.S.O.M. (INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MINISTRY) graduation. The course takes about a year or more to go through. There were about 1,000 graduates and they met out in the countryside late at night. The building they met in was a frog processing facility. Each of the 1,000 students that graduated had to have at least 1,000 people under them in their own ministry. Those students that graduated were leaders over 1 million underground house christians themselves. The church in America pales in sincerity to the church in China, in my opinion. I pray that the book impacts many in the body of Christ in the western world to desire much more of the things of God.
What an awesome and beautiful story of God’s power and grace…
Such a sad picture of the American church…
It makes me angry to think about how apathetic Christians have become in America. At the same time it makes me sad. What will it really take to wake us up to the truth? I am shocked every day by how deceived people are, especially Christians, and even myself. When I think about the grace of God to put up with faithless people like me, words can not express.
Kim,
we all need grace. I’ll blog about that tomorrow. I think you’re a star.
Thanks for this Seth!
His book/ Testimony rocked me about one week before WR training, and as you know, soon after the Spirit of God rocked me!! Praise God! I hope one day to cross paths, or who knows, have coffee with this humble man of God.
My hands are raised! =)
Like Gabe, I am raising my hands to receive the impartation from Yun’s message on sunday! YES & AMEN! I cannot wait to get my hands on this book.
My prayer is too, “GOD, WAKE US UP!”. I feel the beginnings of this happening. There is a hunger that is being stirred up in the hearts of God’s people. A hunger for more of God…more of His power, more of His authority, more of His love. Our job as christians is to be that light in those dark places. we must be equipped to shake the atmosphere with our faith. all it takes is a step in faith (like Yun’s testimony…he had to get up and step out in faith on broken legs for God to heal him!)
For Goddard: The same Holy Spirit that Jesus operated in is inside the very heart of every beliver. It is our job to tap into it. If you believe God can heal your mother, then lay hands and ask God to do a miracle on her. Don’t do it if you don’t believe He can. God knows our heart and gives to those who ask.
If you’d like more knowledge on healing, Thurman Scrivner is an amazing teacher. http://www.tlsm.org
blessings!
amen, Meredith. I’m with you.
How do we get on fire?
Simple- learn the word- Brother Yun says this.
Listen to the Holy Spirit
and here’s the hard part-
be willing to suffer.
Lord, make us willing to study your word, listen to the word you place in our hearts and strengthen us to accept and endure suffering. Amen
Brother Yuns stories are so unreal and inspirational! I am a person who is at a crossroads. i beleive God has been showing me that everything about Jesus and everything he said is TRUTH. And i am freaking out a bit. Because if its all true…what does that mean for my life? ‘hardcore’ christianity is not accepted by my friends or my family. I feel deeply unsettled about christianity in the west. I feel deeply unsettled about Gods position in my own life.
Does anyone know when Yun will speak again and where? I would like to meet him and find out how to bring him to our area. We need men who love God unreseveredly in our nation to be given opportunities to ‘stimulate others to love and good deeds’ so that the Kingdom of God can be expanded.
I have read the Heavenly Man to my family of 10 – some of the gruesome parts I reworded for the sake of my small children. We want to meet him. Any body know how? If so let me know. [email protected] God Bless you all!
Brother Yun is a giant warrior for Christ. HIs coming to the Western world is a blessing to us all.
I can certainly relate to how you felt when so few responded. I’ve shared with others exciting stories about Jesus and what the Holy Spirit is doing, the response is frankly appalling. These “Christians” look at you and say, “oh, that’s nice” and walk away. I even had one pastor, when I shared an awesome story with him, tell me he just couldn’t think about it right now, “I have to much on my plate”. I’ve been a believer for 25 years and I still get as excited today about a good God story as I did when I was first saved. I can’t think of anything that can excite me more than to hear what God is doing!!!!!
The problem with Christianity in the west is that we are humanising God’s Nature and try to bring human explaination to every question. God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Unless we put to death our physical self, we will never fully experience the fulness of the life in the spirit. The only way to experience the life that brother Yun is living in is if we are willing to suffer(as he had said).
My arms are raised, God bless you all!!
I am brother Joey Nacalaban of Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. I was so blessed of the life of pastor yun. My friend lend me a book the Heavenly Man and i read it every day untill i finished the entire chapters. As i was reading it i was so ashamed of my self because i thought my dedication and my faith unto the Lord are already enough. But I found out it cant be compared to that of Pastor Yun. He suffered so much for the Lord Jesus Christ. I was crying everytime I start reading the book. Pastor Yun is really a man of God.
you guys won’t believe if i say that this guy is known as a big liar in china.
I am not surprised that ‘bro Yun’ travelled extensively to share his experiences and his love for Jesus. However, being in Singapore and had served mainly the Chinese including Chinese from China, I do have some skepticsim.
One question I would like to ask about is this: besides his stories, has anyone understand how much about his Christian ‘sec’ in China?
Here is one book I would recommend to read because it is, to me, quite neutral. The title is called “Jesus in Beijing”. The Link is right below. The author took pains and years to gather information of the patriarch of Christian circles in China after the communism rule.
I would like you to take note that in this book, bro Yun experiences if were so amazing, should have been mentioned in this book. But he wasn’t mentioned at all.
Yun belongs to a Christian ‘sec’ believing in “born again” must be associated with some manifestations. And I would like to share with you that, the scene of Christianity in China now is so different in the older days.
There are many ‘secs’, split by over emphasis of certain doctrines. Holding certain teaching in the Bible as the ultimate truth. Some of them even able to manipulate and control big groups: power, money… all these are just the hidden agenda.
I met 2 types of China Christians. One that would tell you about how he suffered for God and all those testimonies and the other, restrain themselves from sharing such spiritual experiences and shared only when necessary: that how God allowed it and how this changed his life. I tend to listen to the later.
The Christian patriarchs e.g. Samuel Lamb, Moses Xie.. after being persecuted for many years.. continue to remain in China. Continue to refuse to be registered under the 3-self government church. They refused any sort of help from the west and affliation but of course, Christian fellowship is always welcome. These old faithful christian fathers know how to maintain their integrity and the danger to come to fame in the christian world.
There is a series of video that introduce the christianity in China by Mr Yuan Zhiming. He was exiled to US after the June 8th student democratic demonstration in 1989 and became a christian in US. He is now a pastor in California, serving among the mainland Chinese in US. The link of the video is below too.
I can only share this out of my own experiences. After the rule of communism. I don’t know what happened to the some of the Chinese. They don’t tell you what is in their mind and in their hearts. I suspect, due to the years of hardship and rules of communism, to survive and tag along what the government promote caused them to just say something you like to listen. I met with great disappointment and setback on my small China Chinese ministries. They came to the church to look for assistance only. But would willing to go as far as ‘accepting Christ’ just to get your attentions.
With China becomes ‘richer’.. actually, the rich and poor gap grow even bigger, there is even greater challenge in China among the christians. One example is: the farmer earns only RMB 1/2000 or few thousands a year. But in the town/city, they could earn more. A missionary from the rural needs to feed his own and family end needs because there isn’t much tithe you can collect. So he/she needs to work very hard during the spring to autumn. Only after harvest can he/she afford to go around to preaching.
Miracles are worth praising. But to remain in their plights and their faiths continue to be challenged in hardships, these Christians are the one worth remembering and do something, if we can.
https://www.visionvideo.com/detail.taf?_function=detail&a_product_id=33969
http://books.google.com/books?id=0T3bUd_2G3wC&dq=jesus+in+beijing&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=E6pW6vLK8f&sig=6cSRPXEVV4q4b_Kx09vvMLjrfHQ&hl=en&ei=mkLuSsTFDoeoMb-byIIM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Guys,
Brother Yun is coming to Sydney on Sunday 30th May 2010 at Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo. For more information, go to http://www.bethanychurchsydney.org.au
Cheers
I know these comments are meant to be on the article, but I just wanted to step up and reply to those, who like me are bombarded by doubts in their western-stuck mindset of Christianity about Brother Yun’s autobiography.
I too, am currently reading through Brother Yun’s autobiography and as a western Christian, yes, doubts do tend to creep in on me also. But who are we to limit what God can do. God is God after all. God raised Jesus Christ from the grave – hallelujah! But on the flip side, God does call us to be wise as serpents (Mt 10:16 – not exactly the verse I was looking for or thinking of, but works nonetheless!).
In this vain I came across this website http://www.asiaharvest.org/pages/news050705OpenLetterBrotherYun.html
(If the link gets blocked after I post this, head over to www -dot- asiaharvest -dot- org and in the bottom right of the webpage click on your preferred language of “Open Letter Regarding the Heavenly Man”)
The letter has been written by Paul Hattaway, writer of Brother Yun’s autobiography and it is a letter I think all western Christians need to read.
Christopher Redmond, poster #30, is right, no we shouldn’t just follow along blindly … but Paul is right too, if we have questions we should go to the source. We have many means of making contact these days and I’m sure that Brother Yun will end up speaking near you at some point in time. So it would not be hard at all to follow up on Brother Yun’s autobiography.
But how much proof do you need before you will believe!? Following Jesus is based on faith. And faith is “…being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” Heb 11:1. If we can believe that God created the heavens and the earth and believe in the inerrancy of scripture, why can we not believe in this???
Don’t write this account off just because it sounds too Hollywood or because it sounds too unbelievable. And don’t write off your walk with Jesus because of this (as far as you can see) “lie”. God is our big God. He has done, can do, AND will do marvellous and wonderful things, through us, to us and for us.
Perhaps it might be worth your while to make contact with more missionaries, especially those in Asian and African countries. God has moved, will move and is moving because God is real. Just because we do not see things here in the west as is relayed to us of what is happening in the east, does not mean it is not happening.
I can only pray and hope that what Brother Yun describes and relays to us happens to all of us here in the west … yes even to my very own family.
It is time for us western Christians to stop being so complacent and secular. Let us stand and be the light and salt we have been called to be.
..Daniel..
I’m reading the book now too. Some of it does seem very hard to believe. But none of it isn’t stuff that hasn’t happened to someone in the Bible. I think you have to ask yourself if even part of it has been documented as true, that he most likely is telling the truth. If you’ve had 10 miracles happen to you in your life, why would you feel the need to make up 10 more for a book? Doesn’t make much sense to me.
I did think twice last night, praying in my nice warm bed in my nice warm house. I wasn’t in a cold house, praying on my knees with a stone under one of them. I hadn’t fasted that day…I still hope my Father listened to me just the same!
-John
Shallom Brother and sister!
I do read Heavenly Man book few times. My commend is that this book realy amaze to me. Every time I read that book, I become stronger and stronge in my faith. For me every section and part of the book realy show that God’s miracle realy follow those who rely and trust on Him.
His story, love and faith realy amaze me. The time that I read that book, I was in tremendous pain and broken hearted because of my husband living me with two daughers and myself 4 months pregnant. God worked through this book to strengthen me. And now it’s already one years plus my husband already divorce me. I could see how great and mighty out God’s hand that raise me up from pain and broken hearted to His fully peace and joy.
Thank my dear brother Yun! Thank for your willingness to carry the cross for the glory of His name. May God bless you dear brother. Amen!
Dear Bro Yun,
I have read your testimony while I was traveling from Frankfort to Delhi. One of my German friends gave this while I was there in September 2011. What I want to say is: my eyes never shed water after reading a book before. But reading your testimony I could not control my tears. When tears came, I just stopped reading. Then after some time again reading.
After I had finished reading I had given it to one of my friends. He also shed tears while reading. Then my another friends are now on Que to read this book.
May God bless and use you for His purpose. I understand that Jesus has rightly called you and your family and also many of our chines brothers and sisters for the same cause. Now the time has come overtake the westerns by the easterns. In Christ, you have no fear. Continue share your faith wherever you are. He will protect and supply all u need. With our sincere prayer and loves.
I am almost finished reading Heavenly Man. Yuns faith is amazing. Its so radical as is the epic salvation that swept China. There is still unbelief there as there is in USA. Thankfully that doesn’t stop the Holy Spirit. It still moves – its just up to us to respond to it.
Yun seems to be a modern day Paul. God has used him mightily. His life has caused me to reflect on my own faith. Thankful that I don’t have to run from communists but questioning myself as to what have I truly done with my faith during my time on earth. That should be the #1 question in the heart of every Christian. Thank you Yun for stirring our hearts with your amazing life. God Bless You.
Bro.Yun is the man of god, i truly wish to meet him personally.. May God unable me this blessing!!
I Just Have To Share:
It is evident how spiritually dead a lot of people are today. These should be times of mourning where the devil is wanting to win over a lot by corrupting the Truth. As well as confusing His people, especially on the believers, who have bound up themselves too much in skepticism of God’s works and His ways.
Why are you, who have expressed this skepticism, look for ways to put this man in the wrong or that he’s a false preacher? I feel for the men who took lengths in justifying the falsification of Brother Yun (yes referring to Brother Samuel Lamb and Mr. Titus Pan). It is troubling to hear this (and I sense a little bitterness and envy).
And why is it not possible for this man to have experienced ‘too many miracles’? Will you also accuse the Bible as well for the unbelievable miracle works of Christ and his disciples? If God makes these extraordinary things happen- then why not? It makes me lament that a lot of supposedly Christ’s followers today are lacking the discernment to know which is of God’s doing and which is of the devil’s. This should alarm us as it means that our faith is really weak, and that we are too easily fooled by the subtle and complex ways of the evil one.
Brother Yun is made to experience and witness miracles for all this is God’s manifestation of His love for us, especially those who have already abandoned Him for the world.
Bro.Yun is a man of God…He is a man chosen by God, anointed by God…I wish he comes to Dubai to hold meetings
the western church is submissive to earthly authority. in the name of authority they will roll over backwards for any federal agency or personnel that comes knocking. Ignoring that all such submission must be “qualified”; they have become strictly a part of the worldly kingdom. they care not that even the natzi regime of germany would demand submission based on the biblical reference of ” all authority ” this is the sign of the beast power and the western church is posturing for full submission to the same, why would it have any use for the likes of such a man as bro. Yun?.
I have read the book about Brother Yun. Is it all true? I don’t know. It is the words of men. I only trust the Bible as absolute truth.
One thing that concerns me about his article is Yun’s asking for the raising of hands to receive the Holy Spirit’s power. A true believer already has the Holy Spirit and all the spiritual blessings we will receive (Ephesians 1:3). All that is left for us to to grow in sanctification – to be made more like Christ day by day. Maybe that is why only 20% raised their hands – some of those who didn’t may have recognized that they already had the Holy Spirit indwelling them. They recognized the power source was already within them and had no need to receive it again.
I am concerned that a book like The Heavenly Man gets some people more interested in miracles than Jesus. The are more fascinated with the gifts than the Giver. Christianity is about Christ, and our reconciliation to Him, and His ultimate glory. This does come out in the book, but I still fear many people miss this because of their fascination with the miracles.
The article closes mentioning “God help us…” Yes God help the American Church for its pathetic lack of discernment. God help us for our pathetic understanding of Biblical truth.
Pastor Yun, keep going!
Our prayers are with you.
Listen, I think any “sincere” Christian wants to believe God is still performing miracles, but any “discerning” Christian will also carefully weigh the legitimacy of what he/she hears. People say and claim a lot of things, and God does not expect us to believe “everything” we hear. I’ve been in the ministry now for over 25 years, and I have personally not witnessed, not even once, a miraculous event of any kind. No withered hands have been made whole before my very eyes; nobody has been healed of cancer; nobody has been raised from the dead. And, ironically, the church down from me that constantly touts “signs and wonders” haven’t actually experience any miracles either. Oh, they say they have, but nothing you can truly substantiate. And is all of this lack of the miraculous attributed to spiritual apathy, as some claim? That’s a bunch of bunk. Our church is full of Christians who love God with all their hearts, and yet miracles are absent from their experience. Can God work miracles? ABSOLUTELY Is it the norm today? NO IT IS NOT! And until I see God moving as He did in the book of Acts, I’m not going to feel any differently, nor does He expect me to.
Amen and amen to this last post. Please read it carefully.
John 14:12, “Very, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”
A+B=C, no?
Jesus did miracles. We have permission/ability to do miracles as well if we believe in Jesus (as the Messiah come in the flesh). We can do miracles because Jesus went to the Father allowing the Holy Spirit to come and fill us. Bro. Yun was right to ask people to raise hands and receive the Holy Spirits power. He has learned that it’s all about fully relying on the Spirit in every aspect of daily life.
I see that people (including myself) don’t see/experience miracles because they don’t have to. Bro. Yuns only resort was Jesus. His story/circumstance points people to Jesus.
If miracles are “not the norm” for me today, then I am obligated to find out why I’m not walking in the Holy Spirits power and get
realigned. That is, if the Bible is true and can be trusted.
We are surrounded by miracles every day – you just have to recognise them. My husband was admitted to a very prolonged stay in hospital with cancer. It was so critical he was advised to make a will by the doctors. My Christian family and I prayed constantly. Eight years later he is completely free of the illness but on medication. To me this is a miracle, to my non-believing husband he’s been lucky!
I have read the miraculous book, “The Heavenly Man” twice and 4 of my friends have finished reading. Now my 5th friend is reading the book. All are amazed reading such present day miracles brother Yun experienced.
It is true that God is at WORK. I do believe that miracles are part of our friends who are without the written Word of God. Less written Word, more miracles. More written Words, less miracles. May God continue use brother Yun for His glory.
WOW! That is incredible! I know this is a few years later, but did you get to fulfill your dream? Thank you for being beautiful!!
I have read the book “The Heavenly Man” of Brother Yun and gave 7 of my friends. They all read and are blessed. I trust God is using this book to transform many hearts for the Lord. I wish its more circulation in the world. It should be translated into many languages so many people are blessed by reading this book. Amen!
The Pentecostal church has always amazed me by its utter unwillingness to investigate claims involving miracles or demonic possession. When I was a Pentecostal, on more than one occasion I witnessed people say someone was demon possessed and the pastor or leaders attempted an exorcism immediately, with no questions asked. In 2 of those cases, I am convinced that the accusations were made out of jealousy and in an attempt to marginalize a rival.
If you read the Wikipedia article about Brother Yun’s life, you will notice it cites Paul Hattaway’s book to support claims like, “the official investigation by the Chinese Government concluded that Yun received no human help in his escape.”
This is poor documentation that would not pass muster with a community college English Composition teacher.
Paul Hattaway’s defense of the claims in his book (on the Asia Harvest website) is no better. To provide support that a 78 day fast occurred, he says he interviewed Brother Yun’s wife who saw his shriveled body. Then he says he tells the story in India and they have no problem believing it, as if India is an authority on the matter. Then he says Brother Yun’s detractors have never met brother Yun. The burden of proof is not on skeptics challenging the claims, the burden of proof is on Paul Hattaway. He never should have mentioned the fast in his book. Besides, is faith measured by the length of one’s fast? If I tell Brother Yun I fasted for 79 days, would he then try to fast for 80? Didn’t Jesus specifically say to keep your fasting to yourself and let God reward you openly?
What are the names of the prisons Liu Zhenying was imprisoned at, and what are the dates of his arrests, so I can search for articles from China about his arrest and status as a fugitive?
In a YouTube video, he says the third time he was imprisoned, 107 senators and congressmen of the united states and president Clinton wrote a letter to China and asked them to release him. Congress will sometimes pass resolutions urging that governments like Iran release pastors who are imprisoned. Maybe that’s what he means. But where are the news articles discussing it?
I have no doubt Liu Zhenying is a sincere Christian, but I can’t take some of those claims seriously without better documentation.
I have no trouble at all believing Brother Yun’s testimony, as I had a vision at the age of eight when I prayed to Jesus to come and take away my fear away. I had no knowledge of the Holy Bible at eight. Everything the Lord showed me is in the Holy Bible. At the end of the vision he showed me a man. I recognized in 2003, a man who was born in 1967!
Before the Lord left he showed me a man with jet black hair, kneeling in prayer in isolation. I felt he was in great hardship. By the way this experiencd happened in 1958. I would be more than happy to take a lie detector test. The Chinese will be a large factor in the competion of the Great Commission. We of the West should support them fervently.
Christians from the west are much more skeptical about dreams and visions, yet confess their belief that the Holy Bible is the infallible word of God, which is full of dreams and visions. In unity there is strength, yet many doctrines divide us.
Brother Yun is trying to accomplish the unity that is vital to the completion of the Great Completion, the greatest commandment given by our Lord.
Unfortunately sin exists in and out of the church. We must recognize that pride and jealousy has fractionalized the church over the centuries.
Many who profess their there belief are not focusing that before the Lord returns we are in a mission format, As Christians we must either be missionaries or promote missionaries. Promoting missionaries requires those finances for these brave people to function. In doing so we truly know the Lord and the Lord knows us! The Great Command has nothing to do with attending a church service in a country club building once a week! Without obeying we are walking into the division that compromises the Gospel.
Back to Jerusalem has been called lofty and impractical. I don’t think that the western missionaries who came to China in the 19th and 20th centuries would agree. Many lost their lives.
Yun’s stay in that prison and his fast and escape was confirmed to me by a Chinese guard a year ago. It is all documented in the prisons records. This guard read them to me. I thank God for this! Contact me if you have any questions.
I received proof of Yun’s stay and treatment in that prison. His fast is well documented in the prisons records which were read to me. Praise God! Contact me if you want to know more detail.
The miracle happened! I received proof of it. Contact me please to hear more. All for the honor and glory of God.
The story is 100% true! Praise God! I received proof of it. Contact me if you are interested.
Fantastic and true, every bit of it. Contact me and we will talk about it. Please.
Yun’s testimony is 100% true! I had the actual prison record of his fast read to me, interpreted by a Chinese prison guard.
David, I’d be interested in getting more documentation. As you can see in the comment section here, there are plenty of detractors. And they have a responsibility to ask questions. We are called to discernment as well as faith. The more we can address them with facts, the better the quality of our conversation.
Amen! May God be praised forever! Please contact me so we can talk more about the Lord and brother Yun’s testimony.
Amen! I would love to share with you about brother Yun’s testimony. Please contact me.
God bless you brother. God bless India and Nepal! I want to know how your dream is being fulfilled now.
I see your comment is more recent than most here. God is still doing miracles! I would like to talk with you more about this, with emphasis on brother Yun’s testimony.
Dear brother John, I also have had a miracle happen to me concerning brother Yun. Definite confirmation of his prison fast. Please contact me.
Brother John, I agree with you. We help support a Nepali brother and his family. If we can’t go in person we can still send support true brothers over there. I would love to talk more about this and also about our dear brother Yun in Germany still. I pray you get this message.
Thank you brother David Decker. I will be so glad to have personal interaction with you to know more about brother Yun. I always want to read books from Yun. I have not seen or met him, but praying that God be with him and use him for His glory always. Amen!
I believe in miracles, yet for many years I believed the stories of Mike Warnke and Sergei Korsakoff, both of which turned out to be total fabrications. David Decker, could you provide me with the proof that you have?
I found Bro. Yun’s experience in Christ is practical and true. ‘Miracles are improvable, but not impossible. Jesus said that a prophet is not given proper honor in his own country. For USA, when someone says about Christ, they think it is irrelevant. They think they know Christ and Christianity better than any others. It is no wonder that the prophecy of Jesus will be fulfilled one day. “Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.” (Luke 13:30)
I was, and am still in contact with a Chinese national in southern China that is interested in learning to live a better life through reading the bible. He contacted me nearly two years ago by Skype. After reading the bible together for a few months and talking, I found out that he was a prison guard in Guangdong province. Brother Yun came to my mind and I asked if he knew of him. He said that he did not. He is a rather young man. I asked him if he would do me a favor and he said he would try. I asked him to find out about brother Yun’s time in the last prison. I gave him all the information he needed. He said that he would do it and to give him a few days. Three days later we were in contact again on Skype and he said that he had 100 pages of files on Yun. He asked me what did I want to know. I said that I wanted to know about his broken legs, his fast and his escape. He read to me those parts and verified that they happened. I asked what the official opinion was about the escape. He said that after a lengthy investigation and a few guards getting in trouble for letting such a thing happen, that Yun had to have had help from both inside and outside. They were not able to prove that anyone helped Yun to escape. This guard is still on Skype and I have his phone number and have spoken to him by phone. I don’t want to get him in trouble by making public his personal information.
Open for questions.
I was guided by God to read The Heavenly Man, unfortunately I did not finish the book as I was in tears due to what he suffered by the hands of man. I have waited to see brother Yun for 10 years. I wrote a letter 5 years ago to his site page and waited on God for an answer. Last week I was guided to a little village church and I missed him preaching in their church by two weeks. I was so upset to hear this news but discovered he is preaching in my home town in September, Praise God. I believe every word that he speaks and know in my heart that he belongs to God. For all the broken people in the world who need to be restored and made new will hear brother Yuns Testimony and they will find God. God does not make mistakes and he knows HIS SHEEP. I believe in my heart that brother Yun knows this already. After all – after hearing Brother Yuns testimony, we realize that we are saved to serve God! We are not good when we have to enjour PAIN ?? think about it ? But Jesus had to enjour unbearable pain to save US. We cant serve God without an encounter of discomfort or loss of some description. The decisions that we make in life have a price! Our failures turn us to our heavenly father, our hurts turn us to our healer. God loves and restores his children. Will you be an empty vessel and surrender your entire being for God ? God knows his children that WILL ??
We are not in a position to criticize other christians experiences unless we are willing to go through the same. In Matthew 16:24 Jesus said “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” and in John 15:20 he says, “Remember the word that I say to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me they will also persecute you.” God called us to a life of self denial to take up His cross (not ours). Are we willing to stand up and hold the bible as the absolute TRUTH or do we cave into the pressure from our society to be politically correct. The miracles that are happening in other places are happening because the christians there are putting their lives on the line every day not just their egos. This shows our total lack of faith that we cave into the secular demands. Every time we take a stand for God and His word our faith grows stronger when we cave in it grows weaker. So are we more concerned with self preservation or in denying our selves to be true to God. Do we trust God absolutely, or are we trusting in our own abilities. We should be challenged by Brother Yun’s story to examine our own walk with God and see if we are true and faithful unto death, not just losing a friend or job. How can God work when we are more interested in self preservation – we are called to utterly abandon ourselves to God and He will take care of us – not making us rich etc but He will see us through each trial.
I pray that we may all examine our own walk with God to see if we are worthy to be called God’s sons and daughters.
God Bless
Is there any way you could prove this? do you have the document? Also do you know of any online resources that would provide evidence for Yun’s story? like Chinese media outlets talking about his escape from prison? (I don’t read chinese but it would be nice to have some of the articles to show people who can) I have already read the open letter on brother Yun by Paul Hattaway, I’m not saying his story is false, I just would like to be able to see some of the evidence.
shalom, someone tell me Brother’s Yun testimony was lie, i need your prove and document..thanks
God Bless
Hi! Do you still have articles, records and such to send? I’d love them all!
Dear David,
Could you send me the information you got from the guard? Of course in English because I have no idea of the Chinese language…
Best regards
BROTHER DAVID, I AM GLAD YOU HELP A NEPALI FAMILY. I LIVE IN INDIAAND WILLBE GLAD TO KNOW THAT NEPALI FAMILY FOR PRAER PURPOSE. ONE OF MY GERMAN FRIEND GIFTED ME “THE HEAVENLY MAN.” ON MY WAY FROM GERMANY TO INDIA, I READ THIS BOOK AND SEVERAL TIMES TEAR DOWN FROM MY EYES. A POWERFUL AND INPIRED BOOK FOR BELIEVRS.
Hi Seth! I wonder if you’ll get blog updates from this post since it was so many years ago. I’m responding to a post you wrote about 12/13 years ago. Tamara Vicovan is living with us still and had been reading this book. AJ and I just listened to the audio book driving to our daughters college graduation. I can’t say my life will continue to be the same.. I hunger to be free from any prison in my life and desire strongly bring freedom to others.I did a search about him and your blog up. It saddened me to hear the response of this church service many years ago and saddened to hear there are still churches today in America that would respond the same way. God help us. This must be a time where The Holy Spirit is asking us to wake up the sleeping. This has to be.
Good to hear from you, Jenn.
Yes, this is a book that continues to inspire. I read another one that I can recommend: “A Voice in the Night” by Surprise Sithole, a coworker of Heidi Baker. Inspiring book!
I’ll start it tomorrow. Thanks Seth!
Can you send me anything you have on confirmation of this and any other miracles attributed to Brother Yun. We are doing a study of his book at our church, and I would love to have additional info.
Thanks
Alex
Can you email me whatever document you have of this? I’d love to show it to the skeptics. Thank you
Please email me the proofs so I can help refute the slanderers. It pains me to see God’s mighty work being discredited.
Meegan, put your life and plans in Jesus’ hands, you’ll be glad you did. I made the decision 29 years ago at 21, at the time I was at a cross road too, knowing I have to give Him all but wasn’t sure if it’s worth giving up the world. I’m glad I chose Jesus, He took care of me through life’s many challenges and He made me triumphant in all!
Believers shouldn’t follow signs or miracles but “these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; Mark 16:17 NKJV”. Please tell me where in the bible says miracles will stop after the apostles all passed away. Jesus, who is God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16), “did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” Matthew 13:58 NIV
I was given ‘The Heavenly Man’ to read a couple of days ago by somebody who described it as life-changing, so it was with a little anticipation that began the book last night.
Well, I’m quite well into it already and in all honesty I am extremely sceptical of what I am reading.
For me there are far, far too many ‘miracles’ being described and I’m amazed at how the vast majority of comments here accept totally every word he says, as if to question them is to question Christianity itself.
Even the Catholic church is quite fastidious when it comes to recognising miracles, with evidence needing to be provided and proof.
How do we even know that Yun’s father had cancer, and if he did have cancer, how do we know that it did finally kill him later on when his death when the reason given was quite ambiguous?
How do we know that Yun’s legs were broken before they miraculously healed? An X-ray could instantly demonstrate if the bones had been broken – does such evidence exist?
I’ve still got a lot more reading to do but have already read of more miracles happening to him than ever happened to Jesus himself, so while I would never state that a man was definitely telling falsehoods when I was never present when events are purported to happen, I would also never accept totally what somebody was writing just because to do so would reinforce my beliefs.
I have had experiences of my own which have convinced me of the existence of God, but this does not blind me to being objective and does not stop me me from questioning what I read or hear.
Best regards,
Chris.
If this guy, his mother, or anyone else you know has the miraculous gift of healing; the kind found in the New Testament church of the first century, and can heal cancer, then send him quickly to Louisville, KY to heal my mother (Sarah Lapp’s mother too). Ill pay for the plane ticket and any other expenses necessary.