THE WORLD IS becoming a smaller place with an ever-
changing globally connected economy that requires us to consider global dynamics, challenges and opportunities as never before. People from other nations are all around us in Dallas – even close to HPPC’s doorstep. HPPC’s Chinese church plant is now in its third year after humble beginnings as a fellowship in the home of Pastor Ben Wang and his wife, Esther, in 2010. In 2011, Ben led the soft launch of the Chinese church plant at HPPC that focuses on campus ministry to Mandarin-speaking Chinese in Dallas, specifically those from SMU’s campus and UTSW Medical Center. On Sunday mornings, the Chinese Church holds a bilingual worship service at HPPC with 30 to 40 people. “We started from nothing. The first thing I did was go with Kraig Kelly, director of evangelism and new church development, to the cafeteria at UT Southwestern Medical Center – where there are a lot of Chinese students, faculty and professionals – and we prayed,” said Ben. “I can only believe that God brings the people, and He did the very next day… there was a Chinese couple that just moved from Chicago standing in the church’s parking lot. They were looking for information about Dallas. Amazing!”
CHURCH PLANT UPDATE
Chinese Church Flourishing in Third Year
The second anniversary of the Chinese church plant was celebrated by many in July 2013.
The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex has an estimated population of 100,000 Mandarin-speaking Chinese people. “We joke that the average educational degree [of Chinese students] is a doctorate, as many of them are here at SMU or at UTSW for advanced instruction,” said Ben. Since 2010, more than 50 Chinese churchgoers have come to proclaim Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Ben and HPPC pastors have baptized about 30 of those new Christians.
Ben performed a full immersion baptism of Xia Lusun at the home of Rev. Joe Rightmyer in late November 2013.
In addition to his work at HPPC, Ben has been helping with the Chinese Bible Translation Project for years. The last Bible published in Mandarin was in 1919. Now the younger generation needs a more modern translation. Some in HPPC’s Chinese Church will stay in the U.S., but many will go back to China. These men and women filled with the Holy Spirit are enthusiastic about sharing their faith with their countrymen. Ben says, “We have met with several men who are lawyers in Shanghai now after studying at SMU, and they are actively sharing their faith with those in their community. We are truly seeing the impact of HPPC’s efforts to spread the Gospel around the world. Esther and I are thankful for our church’s global vision [that began] so many years ago.”
Pastor Ben Wang married Yuanying Lou and Hao Wu in Wynne Chapel.
29