By Bill Bray —
According to Dr. Bob Finley, one of the most significant leaders in the history of Christianity in China has gone to be with the Lord whom he loved and served. Dr. Sun Yi-yin, known in America as “Freddie Sun,” succumbed to cancer on Wednesday evening at the age of 76.
During a 20 year period from 1992-2012, Dr. Sun was used by the Holy Spirit to organize and help with the operation of 154 Bible institutes and missionary training centers inside China, some in every province including Tibet.
More than 60,000 graduates of these schools, serving as native missionaries, have won more souls to Christ and planted more churches in China than did all the foreign missionaries combined who served in China between 1807 and 1949.
Freddie Sun said his preparation for missionary service began during a ten year trial by fire which he suffered in Communist prisons during the “cultural revolution.” He had been a university professor before his arrest, and his captors were determined to crush his spirit during those ten years of forced labor. But Freddie never lost his faith. Rather, those ten terrible years served to increase his devotion to Christ and prepare him for the years of service that lay ahead.
God further blessed him by giving him a devoted wife, Dorothy Chang, who had been confined for 20 years at forced labor in Communist prisons. Dorothy has served as Freddie’s co-worker in starting and providing support for Bible institutes in every province of China. Together they traveled more than 25,000 miles inside China every year from 1992 until 2012. They were able to help organize and assist with the operation of the Bible institutes and missionary training centers due to millions of dollars in financial support being provided by Christian Aid Mission. Those schools prepared and sent out native missionaries to win millions of Chinese to Christ and plant tens of thousands of house churches throughout the country.
Before his imprisonment Dr. Sun was involved with house churches in Shanghai started by Watchman Nee, and while in Beijing attended the Christian Tabernacle pastored by Wang Ming-dao. Both Nee and Wang were also imprisoned for many years.
Regarding Freddie Sun’s work in China, Dr. Bob Finley, Founder and Chairman of Christian Aid, said “I believe history will show that Freddie Sun’s work in establishing and distributing financial support for 154 Bible institutes in China during the past 20 years has had a greater impact for the cause of Christ in that Communist country than that of any other single person or ministry. When I left China in 1949 we estimated that there were less than half-a-million evangelical Christians in the entire country. Today there are more than one hundred million. Most have been won to Christ by native missionaries working with local house churches throughout the country. And by far the greatest source for these native missionaries has been the 154 Bible institutes started and financially supported by Freddie and Dorothy Sun since 1992.”
In Freddie Sun’s absence, the link between Christian Aid and the 154 Bible institutes is being continued by Dorothy Chang Sun, the beloved wife whom he has left behind. A Memorial Fund in Memory of Freddie Sun has been established for those who wish to contribute for the support of Bible institutes in China. Contributions may be sent to Christian Aid Mission, P. O. Box 9037, Charlottesville, VA 22906. To give by credit card call 800-977-5650, or to give online go to www.christianaid.org.
Bill Bray is Special Projects Coordinator for the Christian Aid Mission. He may be reached for interviews, photos or more information, [email protected]
Dear Beloved Brother in Christ!
Greetings to you in the Mighty name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
First of all I would like to give thanks for your great work which you are doing great work in your Area. Please let us introduce ourselves to you. We, Ratnam & Deena Valluri, we are doing the great gospel work in the remote and tribal villages of my surrounding areas. We have been involved in this village outreach work for the last 7 years and we have been trying very hard to take the gospel to these village people groups who are illiterate and superstitious.
Most of the villages we are working in are remote and tribal villages which have no access to electricity, safety drinking water, schools, medical care and also no proper roads to reach to them. We have to walk to some villages. It’s very challenging to reach these unreached, down trodden and unprivileged villages. Kindly pray for us to reach more villages with the gospel and to plant some good churches.
Kindly remember these poorest of the poor, needy and unprivileged people to come to know Jesus Christ! We have a team of 25 hard working and dedicated evangelists, gospel workers and pastors who go to the above said villages once in a month and reach the unreached tribal villages. Kindly pray for this team would be an effective instrumental in reaching these people groups with the gospel
As I go to different villages for the gospel work, I come across with lots of poor, needy, destitute and orphan children who have no access to going to school and even they starved for food and clothes. Several children are being forced by their poor and sick parents to go and work as bond laborers in brick making companies and quarries.
Kindly join with us in reaching these precious little children. This all we are doing right now. Kindly pray for us and remember us in your daily prayers. We are extending our warm welcome to you to come to India and be a great blessing for the millions of lost souls in the villages of India.
Together we can make a big difference and reach millions with the gospel. Please pray for us and plan for a short term mission trip to India. Thank you very much and eagerly waiting for your kind reply.
Yours in His Great Task
Pastor Ratnam & Deena Valluri
Email: [email protected]
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