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But may I tell one story? Due to some suspicious activity perpetrated by a Chinese Christian, we were concerned if the school location at which I was teaching had been compromised. The next morning, I did continue with my teaching on spiritual warfare. In the middle of my favorite illustration—Bang! Bang! Bang! on the double metal doors downstairs. The school director ran to the window, looked down and saw five police officers with assault rifles in hand, waiting to enter. The director ran back to the classroom. A door behind the classroom was unlocked. I was gently shoved in. Bibles and all of the students’ notes followed. The door was dead-bolted behind me. Though I knew we were in a potentially serious situation, there was a calm. (Looking back, I realize it was the peace that Christ said He would give to us in such times of need.)
Probably the worst that would have happened to me, if discovered, would have been to be deported. (I just realized that, had I not been discovered, I could still be in that locked room!) The students would have been taken to prison; the directors, a worse fate. Not to be desired or staged, this is also a part of their training, for they know that as they follow the Silk Road with the Good News of Jesus Christ, there will be a trail of blood—the blood of martyrs, as the lyrics of their theme song say. In fact, sixteen of the students there had recently come from another location that had been discovered. They had spent several weeks in prison, before their release. The others from that school had gone home. The commitment was too great for them!
What happened on the other side of that locked door? My spiritual warfare notes were immediately erased from the white board. My Chinese translator put up some English grammar notes and the students took out their English textbooks! The director decided to not answer the officer’s knock. Though the door was not locked, the five men soon left. Will the police return? Possibly. I have not heard if they did. Nor if the school chose to move to another location. But within 30 minutes, with students checking that the street was clear of people, my translator and I were gone. We sat in the city park waiting for my teaching partner.
Where was my teaching partner? Out touring the city, totally oblivious of this incident. But students were posted at several locations of return to the building, hoping to keep him from stepping into a potentially bad situation. He joined us at the park. We waited for a night train to take us to our next location of ministry where more students would be learning the disciplines of underground spiritual warfare and victorious soul-winning.
* Neal would like to name the book, Bed, Bath and Beyond. However, that phrase seems to have a registered trademark! It will be a book about some of Neal’s pretty unusual cross-cultural experiences. We are looking for your suggestion for a title that would communicate bed, bath and beyond. If you feel so inspired, please submit your suggestion to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
** This story is an example of the spiritual warfare that takes place in all of our lives. To learn more about the Basic Training In Spiritual Warfare, check out Neal & Yvonne Pirolo's book PREPARE FOR BATTLE. For the Spanish version click here: PREPARATE PARA LA BATALLA