On Sept. 7, Chinese Christian Herald Crusade (CCHC)’s restaurant ministry held their 30th anniversary thanksgiving dinner and over 340 ministers and coworkers from the San Francisco area particiapted.
The director and founder of the restaurant ministry sister Lin explained her experience in founding the restaurant ministry until now.
Along with the staffs and supporters of the restaurant ministry, Rev. David C. Cheung, faculty of Christian Witness Theological Seminary, Rev. Liu Tong, senior pastor of River of Life Bread of Life Church in Silicon Valley, Rev. Timothy Su, senior pastor of South Bay Agape Christian church, Rev. Li-ping Wang, senior pastor of Goal Gospel Church, and Rev. Daniel Tan, founder of Mountain View Chinese Christian church.
Lin testified that the restaurant ministry began after her family placed their faith in the Lord. Her husband used to take drugs for 19 years, which brought much pain and suffering to the family, but their lives changed after they started going to church and finally accepting Jesus as their saviour.
While knowing the difficulties of those in the same profession, Lin began the restaurant ministry around 30 years ago. Through the ministry, many in the restaurant profession came to believe in Jesus. Among those converted, some husbands were also former drug users and many families were filled with violence and brokeness.
Comparing the four men who brought the paralytics to the Lord with those who participated and supportd the restaurant ministry, Lin said that the ministry would not be where it is today without the help from the local churches, participation of missionaries, the passions of those in the restaurant professions, and the diligence of the workers from the restaurant ministry. Several staffs even sold their homes and businesses contributing to the ministry.
Moreover, a pastor whose church provides a place after 10:30 pm for the staffs of the restaurant ministry to gather said that the least, but the most important thing one can do to support them is to make sure that they are not discouraged.
Furthermore, Wang commented that since everyone including the rich and the poor need to eat, so the restaurant ministry is the way to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Lastly, senior pastor of the River of Life Bread of Life church reflected that when the ministry first started out no matter how much was contributed to the restaurant ministry not much progress or result was shown, but seeing the opening of restaurant ministries around the world it is like the bamboo shoots popping out after the spring rain.
He compared the lives of those in ministries to the lives of a surfer, who considers the wave as more important than himself because he needs to ride the wave, and those who are serving in ministries are waiting for the timing of God. When the golden opportunity of God comes and we diligently scatter, then we will produce abundant fruits and enjoy a grand harvest.
[Editor's note: reporter Ruth Wong from San Francisco contributed to this report.]
