Video

Proclaiming Christ in the Face of Persecution

Drawing from Acts 8:1-4 and Acts 11:26, Fung emphasized that early believers, though scattered by persecution, spread the Gospel wherever they went. It wasn’t just church leaders, but ordinary disciples who carried the Gospel fearlessly. Fung noted, “They lived to be forgotten so that Christ would be remembered,” illustrating the deep devotion of these unknown disciples who feared God rather than men. Fung explained that persecution is often God’s strategy for church growth, noting that persecution never kills the church, but a compromised Gospel will. He highlighted that mission breakthroughs are typically initiated by God at the periphery, not through human plans, but by the work of the Holy Spirit. He challenged believers with the powerful truth. Dr. Fung encouraged the church to release control and allow God to work, citing the growth of the self-sufficient Chinese church as an example of God’s plan unfolding through unexpected challenges. He urged believers to demonstrate a visible faith, even in the face of societal opposition, and to trust God’s sovereignty: “God brings about mission in the most unexpected ways.”

Speaker's Bio

Patrick Fung

Patrick was born in Hong Kong and received medical training in Australia and the UK. He, and his wife, Jennie, previously served as medical missionaries in South Asia. Patrick currently serves as the global ambassador of OMF International (formerly the China Inland Mission). He formerly served as the general director of OMF International from 2005–2023, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in all its fullness with East Asia's peoples. Patrick was formerly on the Lausanne Movement's international board and is currently the advisory team chair of Lausanne YLGen and the programme chair for the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization.