2019 Cindy Liu
His Plan
21 Mission Method
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Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Elm Hill, an imprint of Thomas Nelson. Elm
Hill and Thomas Nelson are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Christian
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D e d i c ation
This book is based on real testimonies and bears witness to the power of Jesus in the Christian life. It was written by faith through the leading of the Holy Spirit.
I want to dedicate this book to the Lord. I also donate this book to Brother Abraham and Joshua’s ministry. May they freely use it in their continued ministry to
impact the nations.
Also, any mission organization and church can request the distribution rights of this book from me. I hope to see the proceeds from this book used as seed sown into the mission field to promote the name of Christ Jesus and His message of the cross to impact
the nations. May the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be exalted and glorified!
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Acknowledgments
Firstly, I want to thank the Lord and praise Him for my calling; for opening the door, to positioning me in the right mission organization in the last ten years;
for equipping me, allowing me to witness the mighty work He is accomplishing through Brother Abraham, Joshua, and the mission organization. I give glory to the Lord most high for this opportunity and privilege to bear witness for Him in writing this book.
Thanks to Brother Abraham, who established a fantastic mission organization to impact nations. I am thankful that their implementation of the 21st Century Mission Method around the world proves that the methods shared in the book bears amazing fruit and
advances God’s kingdom in the dark places.
I want to take this opportunity to give special thanks
to Brother Joshua for his vision, his belief in me, hissupport, and proofreading throughout my writing process. I am thankful for his determination to serve the Lord according to His principles. Joshua’s humbleness and prayerfulness continually allowed the Lord to reveal
to him these precious mission principles during his mission journey. Without his sharing, resources, support, and encouragement, this book could not be possible.
I would also like to thank Carole for her help at the beginning of my writing journey. Thanks to Kath for endurance through sicknesses during the time of editing and proofreading—it really encouraged me. Thanks to my pastor, Darin, for giving me feedback; thanks toMichelle and Heidi for second editing. Thanks to Davefor allowing me to help his ministry which inspired mein this endeavors. Thanks to Gwenda, Denise, Venessa, Rose, Ally, Margret, and Leonie for their prayer support.
Finally, I want to thank my husband, Cam, for hislove, constant prayers, idea, and wisdom. Thanks toAkasha, my daughter, for enduring some of the journeywith me. Together, we’ve experienced and witnessedthe goodness of God mentioned in this book.
All praise and glory to the Lord God most high!
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Foreword
In this twenty-first century, God is calling the Chinese
Christians for missions. It is a crucial time for the Chinese Church to rise and enter its destiny, to takethe gospel to many Muslim nations all the way back to
Jerusalem.
The Chinese Church’s mission endeavor is a crucialstrategy for the end-time harvest. However, missions to the Muslim nations present extreme challenges; the radical religious opposition and persecution will not decrease but rather get worse as time goes on. The calling for the Chinese Church is not an easy task, thus it is imperative that each heart and mind be adequately equipped, to cause the 21st Century Mission to be powerful and fruitful.
I would like to share with Church an effective way to mission in the twenty- first century, a way to impact a nation on a large scale. I believe the spiritual principles
outlined in the book can help a mission organization or
individual, and especially Chinese church to fulfill its mission call efficiently and safely, to expedite the glorious calling God has entrusted to His people.
This book contains three testimonies of three
ordinary believers eager to follow God’s plan and evangelize for Him. In the providence of God, their journeys crossed paths and subsequently birthed the idea of this
book (His plan—21st Century Mission Method).
My prayer is that these testimonies edify the body of
Christ and call forth more mission workers in response to the Lord’s final command given at His ascension. I pray for the Western churches and believers to join in
the combat and assist their Chinese coworkers in what is merely a part of the Great Commission.
I hope this book inspires Christians to walk with the Lord, to apply sacrificial succession and spiritual principles in their daily lives, letting Christ live His life
in them to serve God and witness that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I believe this unique mission method can help all Christians to be involved in mission
work to fulfill their calling for the Great Commission in this end-time season.
Emmanuel.
Cindy Liu
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“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor areyour ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For asthe heavens are higher than the earth, so are Myways higher than your ways, and My thoughtsthan your thoughts. “For as the rain and snowcomes down from heaven, and do not return there,but water the earth, and make it bring forth andsprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to theeater, so shall My word be that goes out from
My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but itshall accomplish that which I purpose, and shallsucceed in the things for which I sent it.”
(Isaiah 55:8–11 ESV)
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Testimony
A Billionaire
Background
Abraham was born in India to British parents. The son of a wartime fighter pilot, his grandfather was born on a boat into a family that was part of a theatrical tour company.
Abraham’s mother was the daughter of a Spanish sea captain. With a background of Spanish, German, Dutch, and Irish, Abraham had a multicultural upbringing. The primary religious influence at home was Catholicism.
Abraham was three when his family left India and returned home to Britain. India was struggling for independence and was no longer a safe place to live.
When Abraham was ten, his father grew restless and decided to become a bush pilot. He relocated his family to Kenya to do so. Abraham loved the warmer climate and immersing himself in another culture. His experiences of both India and Africa cultivated a deep
interest within him, one that would become more prevalent in years to come. He had five wonderful years in Kenya.
Venture
At eleven, Abraham noticed the beautiful bougainvillea flowers planted at the roundabouts in Kenya. The entrepreneurial gift within him sprouted. The thought of selling something that cost nothing but produced 100% profit seemed the ideal business venture. He cut and bundled the flowers and proceeded to knock on people’s doors. He sold them in the name of the Kenya Hospital Bedding Fund. He made enough money to purchase an air rifle for himself. His business was successful until the day he knocked on a doctor’s door.
The business closed at the hand of his father’s wooden spoon. Abraham learned from a young age that liquidating a business can be a very painful thing.
At fifteen, Abraham’s family returned to Britain once again. This time, due to the outbreak of war in Kenya. Once again, Abraham’s adventurous character sought out mischievous antics outside of school. He was disengaged with school and played truant for six months, resulting in him being held back a year and becoming the oldest in the class. At that time, Abraham was also hanging out with a rough crowd, using language he is still ashamed of today. Discipline from his dad was never short.
Salvation
One day, someone dropped off a leaflet to Abraham’s family. It was an invitation to a Pentecostal church gathering. His father, being an adventurous sort himself, decided to visit the church. He invited Abraham to join him. Abraham’s Catholic mother would never
have agreed to such a thing. As Abraham entered the church, his immediate reaction was, “This is strange.
People are praising God and saying hallelujah. People seem to actually like God.” Abraham had grown up with the impression that God was a fearsome person.
Someone who would send you to hell if you weren’t good. With all his mischievous ways, Abraham considered he would be in purgatory for at least one million years. However, being clever, he made a game plan.
He thought to himself, I could enjoy life, do whatever I like, and repent on my death bed, then go to heaven.
Although he knew this meant he wasn’t really on good terms with God, he felt it was a better solution than the alternative of going to hell.
Transformed
That day when Abraham visited the church, he was confronted by people who seemed to love God. People who could speak to God. Their love for God genuinely touched him. That was the thing that spoke to his heart.
One night as he was walking home from a youth meeting, he saw a picture in his mind of Jesus on the cross. He realized Jesus died on the cross for him. That was the turning point for Abraham. He responded by giving his life to Christ. He was seventeen.
After his conversion, Abraham noticed changes in his life. One day, while Abraham was cycling to school, he was nearly knocked over by a big lorry. He was about to give the driver a mouthful, but nothing came out.
It occurred to Abraham, there had been a real change in his life as he could no longer swear. Everything seemed different. Birds seemed to be singing. The trees seemed greener. His life was radically changed. He felt so different after becoming a Christian. Testing During this time, God challenged him on a few occasions. Once in church, God asked him to empty his
pockets and give away all his money to the ministry.
He obeyed and gave everything he had in his pocket. As a result, he walked seven miles in the dark to get home. At that time, his brother thought he was foolish to give away his bus fare. However, many decades later, his brother came to realize how God rewards those who
are faithful in the little things. Abraham believed God was testing him by saying, “Would you be faithful with money?” He found during that time a strong faithful foundation was laid in his heart.
Training
Abraham’s mother was an excellent business negotiator. Abraham used to accompany her to the fruit and vegetable market in Kenya and watch her bargain. She bargained about everything so much, it embarrassed him. However, Abraham’s mom was born in India. It
was her nature to bargain and barter. Those uncomfortable moments watching his mom bargain with vendors, haggle over every penny made Abraham understand purchasing power and negotiation skills. He also observed the commitment and consistency of the salesperson, the traits that enabled them to make a sale.
Abraham purchased his first car for £130 and sold it one year later for £195. His father thought it was unreasonable that he should sell it for a profit. However, Abraham very confidently answered his father, “The man who bought it from me was happy and I am happy, so there is no problem.” He learned that in business, he needed to buy with a profit margin in mind. He couldn’t be too reasonable like his father in making money. He
understood great business principles at an early age. In buying, one plus one equals two; in selling, one plus one must equal eleven.
Married
Abraham got married at twenty. His son was born when he was twenty-two. At that time, he did not earn much money working as a bank clerk. His income was less than his wife’s. After his son was born, his wife stopped working.
Suddenly, sixty percent of the household income disappeared. Challenged, Abraham had no option but to make more money and provide for his family; he must work harder. He started a used car sales business with a friend, a youth leader at his church at night and was studying to be an accountant. Abraham worked very hard for many years. One time, he had to push a car around at 5:00 a.m. to warm it up because of the snow to ensure it would start when the buyer came to inspect it at 7:00 a.m.
Then he needed to catch a train to be at work by 8:00 a.m. There was a great deal of hard
work in his youth but the words, “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth” (Lamentations 3:27 KJV) encouraged him to keep going.
Abraham didn’t do well at school. He was not interested and had no direction while at school. He noticed there were no books about how to live life until he read the Bible, it was there where he found all the wisdom about life he needed. He was fascinated by the success
and failure of men in the Bible.
He also noticed in life that many people did well, not necessarily because of what they had achieved during school but rather because they had direction. After he set the goal to be an accountant, he applied himself. With determination and hard work, nothing could stop him from pursuing and achieving his goal. By twenty-seven, Abraham became a professional chartered accountant.
The Bible’s wisdom started forming a strong foundation in Abraham. It was present in his thoughts as he applied it to life. He followed the voice of the One living inside him, directing him. He understood the difference between success and failure was very small.
Those who succeed may fail at times, but they get up when they do. Those who fail don’t get up when they fail, but stay down and proceed to whine for the rest of their lives. He realized everyone has a disadvantage. Life deals everyone a hand.
A hand that one must work with and overcome. Man can handle failure many times, but not called a failure until he gives up.
Scripture told Abraham, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 ESV).
Calling
After Abraham had already worked for two major car companies, he distinctly heard a soft voice within him telling him to apply for a job at another car manufacturer, one that was owned by an American.
In obedience, he applied for the job. Despite being one of a hundred applicants and short-listed to become one of three, Abraham’s test, however, came when the company rang him and said, “Sorry, your application was not successful, and we are hiring one of the other shortlisted persons.”
Abraham thought to himself, I must not have heard the Lord’s voice properly. He questioned himself, Didn’t the Lord tell me to apply for this job? If so, how come I didn’t get it?
Just days later, the car plant called. Abraham was asked to see the owner again for another interview.
They told him the owner didn’t like the person they hired. Abraham’s interview went well and towards the end, the owner asked Abraham, “Tell me why I should give you this job since you are the youngest and the least experienced of all the applicants?”
Abraham answered confidently, “I noticed you made your fortune at my age, so I would like the opportunity to have a go.”
The owner liked Abraham’s answer and asked him right away, “When can you start?”
Faithfulness
After Abraham got the job, the company faced an uncontrollable challenge due to an oil crisis. Fuel supply in the nation suffered a tremendous cut. The company’s production line relied on fuel to run the power generator.
The company was also producing cars with seven-liter engines, a very expensive car requiring one gallon of petrol per ten miles. However, at the time, no one could purchase more than two gallons of fuel at any petrol station at any given time. The production line was forced down to a three-day week. The crisis also impacted car sales, which brought the production line to a full stop.
Within three months of working for the car manufacturer, the company was forced into receivership. Abraham had to deal with all the financial difficulties of the company. He was required to help the owner sack 1200 employees, and deal with the bank and receivership.
It was not easy for anyone, however, Abraham was determined to do well at his job. He helped the owner save lots of money and thus built a great trust with the owner. Abraham was the last one hired and the only one left at the end. Abraham’s faith was being challenged, and he questioned why God wanted him to work for a company that was about to go out of business.
Sowing
In the meantime, the owner asked Abraham, “Would you like to set up a spare parts business to continue to support the customers who already bought the cars?”
Abraham’s own understanding made his immediate answer to be, “You don’t need me, you need an engineer, and I am just an accountant.” He thought, Who is going to invest in a car parts business when the car manufacturer no longer produces the car? This business has no great future. However, the thought came to his mind—if it was God who called him to apply for the job, then God must have a plan for him. After the owner said, “
But I trust you, I would like you to start this business with me,” Abraham received such confidence and wisdom that he replied, “I will make a proposal to you.
If you want me to do this, I have one condition. The only way I would like to invest in the business which really doesn’t have much future is if I could invest my ten thousand pounds of the redundancy money, which is all my savings, in return for a fifteen percent share
of the business.” The owner agreed. Everyone thought Abraham was mad, but he consequently set up a spare parts business with the owner.
Promoted from employee to business partner, it occurred to him that his mother’s purchasing power in Kenya was due to business competition. Abraham’s business now put him in a unique situation. He had no competitors. The company no longer made the cars
and he was the only supplier of its parts. So, anyone needing parts must buy them from him.
He was in a powerful position as a supplier. His buyers had no purchasing power. To Abraham, it seemed like a good idea to put all the prices up for thirty percent. As a result, his company made a profit in the first year.
Victory
Abraham praised God for positioning him at the right time, in the right location with the proper guidance, training, and wisdom. God had connected him to the right person in the right company with an opportunity to use his talent. He also thanked God for all the other things He had brought about in Abraham’s life.
Abraham’s trust in God grew and his faith increased. Shortly after God blessed him in this company, God’s plan for him unfolded further. Their foreclosed car company that faithfully serviced their customers helped Abraham’s business to win a spare parts distribution
franchising contract for another large car manufacturer for his nation within a year. Since then, his company has never lost money. Instead, it has multiplied and grown.
It was God who empowered and positioned Abraham to receive wealth according to His plan.
Faith helped Abraham create wealth as he relied on God and allowed Him to lead. He was faithful to God’s testing. Scripture told him, “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men” (Proverbs 22:29 ESV). God made an opportunity for him. Abraham was convinced to follow God’s way.
Through his experience in car manufacturing, Abraham learned that, in business, one can only control twenty-five percent of the decision making. Decisions regarding small things like the location of business premises, hiring employees, setting wages were controllable.
The other seventy-five
percent was outside of his control. Things such as the economy, competitors, tax rates, global currency levels were all big issues that were outside his control.
However, the Bible states, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it” (Proverbs 22:3 ESV). Abraham understood the need to know what the future held. More importantly, he knew that God knows the future. As a Christian,
Abraham was on an inside track. God speaks to His people. If he trusted God’s leading, he could be ahead.
Abraham also learned if things seemed good but he didn’t feel right about them, he needed to surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He was to rely on God to give him insight and leading regarding uncontrollable factors. Abraham sought God for the future and knew the importance of linking God in his business. He truly understood the scripture, “You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth…” (Deuteronomy 8:18a ESV).
Prophecy
One day, while Abraham was in church, a word of prophecy came to his congregation saying, “One day, you will stand before kings.” Abraham felt the word was for him and received it into his heart. He thought that there were a lot of kings and princes in Africa. He
could go to Africa and minister to them. His heart for missions was stirred. He applied for mission jobs within his nation but, to his surprise, was turned down. All of Abraham’s applications were rejected. Abraham had no choice but to wait for God’s instruction.
However, he treasured the words he received in his heart, often pondering on how to fulfill those words the Lord had spoken through the prophet. As Abraham aged, he built an even deeper, more intimate relationship with God through reading the Word and praying. Abraham’s ear became more attuned to God’s voice; as He waited for God’s instructions, the peace of the Holy Spirit led him in the direction the Lord wanted him to go. His business prospered even more. Money poured into his hand. Abraham realized his gifting from God was to make money.
Dream
One night, Abraham had a dream. In this dream, he was standing before God and God asked him, “Abraham what did you do with your life?”
Abraham replied, “I made lots of money.” God said, “That is good, then what did you do?”
Abraham replied again, “Then I made more money.”
Then God said again, “That is good. What did you do then?”
This conversation repeated a few times. Abraham didn’t like it. He realized the conversation was going nowhere and he was reminded of the scripture, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Luke 12:48b ESV).
Abraham realized there was a high expectation on him. God didn’t give him money for himself and he understood everything he had, someone else had before him. Further, one day, someone else will have it after his death. Abraham also understood that during this time, he was just a steward. When he goes to heaven, God will ask him, “What did you do
with the large amount of money I gave you?” Abraham also remembered Amy Carmichael who once said, “We shall have all eternity to celebrate the victories, but we have only a few hours before sunset in which to win them.”1 Abraham realized he needed to send some credit to heaven. Now was his moment of opportunity to do so.
Vision
Abraham sought opportunities to build treasure in heaven. One day, Abraham met the evangelist Reinhard Bonnke. Reinhard shared his vision of a conversation with God. He said to God, “Oh, Father, you own everything in this world, but how come your child
can’t even afford the rent of this ministry building?”
God gave Reinhard the opportunity to ask for a million dollars for his ministry. Instead, Reinhard asked God for a million souls. Reinhard’s testimony inspired Abraham and he thought, If a poor missionary dared to ask for a million souls without any financial support,
then I, with financial backing, should ask for a billion souls. However, Abraham wanted to be conservative and not overpromise in case he could not deliver. So, he decided that he would touch a billion souls.
With the Lord’s leading, Abraham purchased a shortwave radio station. He started to evangelize Asian nations with large demographic populations.
Abraham combined his passion for missions with his business logic. He noticed 55,000 Vietnamese refugees were escaping Vietnam during the war by boat to Hong Kong. At first, Abraham was going to the refugee camp to give the children shoes to wear.
However, when he got there, he noticed some refugees had been in the camp for a long time. They were very depressed, living without hope or direction. It happened that Abraham knew the government minister in charge of the Hong Kong refugees. He wrote to him asking permission to distribute Christian literature to those who had been in the camp for many years.
Since Abraham was a businessman, and the door was opened to him, consequently, the church could enter the camp to evangelize. As a result, the Gospel of Mark, in the form of a coloring book, was distributed to every child; 7,500 people were given Bibles and 2,000 people were baptized. That was exciting to Abraham.
He understood that marketplace business people needed to work together with the church. They needed each other to advance the kingdom.
Mission
As time went on, Abraham noticed something in his nation. If a mission organization wanted to send a missionary to Mozambique, they would only get one or two applicants. The mission organization would then send the missionary to Mozambique to study the language for three years. Their children placed in the local American school and the missionary might make a small impact in Mozambique. As a businessman, Abraham saw things differently.
In Brazil, there were one million evangelists. They were used to hot weather, malaria,
and difficult conditions. More importantly, they spoke the same language as Mozambique. Abraham thought he could send 100 Brazilians to Mozambique. When he advertised for Brazilian missionaries, around 1,000 candidates applied. When that happened, he saw miracles. As soon as the Brazilians entered Mozambique,
they preached even to border security.
They converted the border guards on the way through. Because these people were sent to Mozambique, 300 churches were established, 300 indigenous leaders were trained to take over the churches. There are 70,000 people in the churches today.
Abraham concluded that churches and business people need to work together. While Abraham’s business continued to grow, he sowed into his community. He helped in the life of other businessmen. Abraham joined the industry council in his city, a board formed by a group of leading industrialists and business people, and later became Chairman of the Council.
They maintained a close dialogue with senior politicians in his country to influence government policymaking. Later, Abraham was inducted into Government House, which presented Abraham with a new platform to be a voice in the political arena for business and social issues. He did this as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The prophecy of Abraham standing before kings, his conversation, gifts, and evangelist character all propelled him to do more, reach more, and touch more.
Abraham learned that the reason the mission organizations in his nation rejected him was because God’s plans for him were much greater than his own.