Year: August 1910
Jonathan Goforth-51 years old
Jonathan Goforth's Journal
Last time I mentioned a rich man who happened to stop at the tent where I was preaching. He staggered down the aisle to the front row. I could smell alcohol oozing from him even from where I stood. The poor people who sat on either side.
I didn't mind him being there as long as he didn't disturb others.
Chinese services usually lasted a long time. This is expected and no one complains. During church services there is singing, then preaching, then more singing, and more preaching. This can go on for hours. And sometimes when we try to end the service the people beg us to continue.
This was one of those long services, which raised my concern about this drunk man in the front row. At times he mumbled rather loudly. At times he stood. At times he raised a fist. But he always sat back down and listened to more.
At the end of the church service he said, "You told all those people about the things I have done wrong."
Now that was an amazing comment. I didn't even know this man, or anything about him.
"But I forgive you," he said. "Just like you said God forgave me."
I hardly knew whether to be happy or surprised. He then said, "I want to know more about this God." So we talked for a while until he asked what he should do to believe in this living God who could forgive someone like him. I answered his questions. He left quite a different man. Sober in many ways.
The next morning while my family ate breakfast, we heard a knock on the door. The same man stood at the door. Before I had a chance to invite him in he said, "I told my father that I now believe in the living God. The one who forgives and saves us. My father, he believes strongly in and is a Confucian scholar. He became very angry with me for leaving his god. He hit me and ordered me to leave the house.
"When my wife heard what happened she spit at me and told me she didn't want to see me ever again. I went to my job at the electric company and was told I no longer worked there. They had heard what I did also."
I hardly knew what to say. The man had everything and now he had nothing. "I'm sorry. I--"
He bowed. "Do not apologize. I have come for something else. See, everything from my past has left me. I don't want to smoke, or drink, or do anything else that was evil anymore. I knew they were bad, but that was what men in my community did. I don't want to do them any more."
He bowed again. "Please let me go with you. Let me learn from you. I want nothing more than to learn about this God who has changed my life so much.
"During the Boxer rebellion I thought as many other Chinese, that killing all foreigners was the right thing to do. But now. Now that I have learned about this God who can make such a difference, I would do anything to protect you. Even if it costs me my life."
That was when I wondered if this man who had spent his money and life doing evil and yet changed so much, if he was the one who would become the evangelist that would help me. I smiled. God gives in the most unusual way.
I said, "Su Chuangting, to go with me means you will have no comforts of home, we will walk long distances every day, people will spit at us and throw rocks even at you, we will be hungry and thirsty at times." I wanted him to hear about some of the worst moments because they could happen again.
"You can say what you want, I won't change my mind. I truly want to learn more about this God. I want to study His ways and help where I can." He turned toward the door. "I am going to my home and get a few belongings. This afternoon I will be ready to train with you."
And he did. For five years we worked together. Crowds of people came to hear him speak. His love for God grew every day.
I would have never expected such an answer to prayer. But God--He knew Su Chuangting's heart and what a strong worker he would be for Him.
Jonathan has many stories to share. Come back each Monday to find out what happened next.
Resources Used for This Series
Being, Janet, and Geoff Benge. Jonathan Goforth: An Open Door in China. Seattle. WA: YWAM Pub., 2001.Print
Doyle, G. Wright. Builders of the Chinese Church: Pioneer Protestant Missionaries and Chinese Church Leaders. Eugene Oregon: Pickwick Pub, 2015. Print.
Goforth, Jonathan, and Rosaline Goforth, Miracle Lives of China, London" Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1931, Print.
Goforth, Jonathan. "By My Spirit" Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1942. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Climbing; Memories of a Missionary's Wife. Chicago: Moody Pub, n.d. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How I Know God Answers Prayers; The Personal Testimony of One Life-time, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1921. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Jonathan Goforth. Minneapolis, MN: Bethan House, 1986. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How God Answers Prayer: The Mighty Miracles of God from the Mission Field of Jonathan Goforth. USA: Revival, 2016. Print Original copyright not stated.
Jackson, Dave, and Neta Jackson. Mask of the Wolf Boy: Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1999. Print.
McCleary, Walter. An Hour with Jonathan Goforth: A Biography. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1938. Print.
Meloche, Renee Taft., and Bryan Pollard. Jonathan Goforth: Never Give up. Seattle, WA: YWAM, 2004. Print.
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