From Jerusalem, Around the World, and Back to Jerusalem

PneumaReview.com speaks with Eugene Bach, a spokesman and leader of the Chinese mission movement, Back to Jerusalem, about their vision and the amazing things they have seen God do as they carry the good news to the world’s most restrictive places.

Please tell our readers where and when the Back to Jerusalem Movement began.

The Back to Jerusalem vision is a call to the church in China to take the Good News to the unreached nations between China and Jerusalem. It was independently birthed over 90 years ago in two separate locations in China – Shandong Province with the Jesus Family and then later on with the Northwest Spiritual Movement and the Back to Jerusalem Evangelistic Band from central Henan Province.

What is the vision of the Back to Jerusalem Movement?

Quite simply, The Back to Jerusalem vision is nothing more than the Great Commission given by Jesus in Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:18-19. The Back to Jerusalem vision is the commission given to the church in China to join the efforts of the global Body of Christ to evangelize the lands between the walls – the restricted nations between the Great Wall of China and the Western Wall of Jerusalem.

The vision is bigger than a ministry. There is a ministry called Back to Jerusalem, but it does not own the vision.

The vision is bigger than any denomination. There are many denominations involved in the Back to Jerusalem vision – from conservative Amish to charismatic Apostolics – but the vision does not belong to any denomination.

The vision is bigger than any personality. There are several well-known believers involved in the Back to Jerusalem vision, but not one of them owns it. It is not a personality driven vision.

The majority of the Chinese involved in the Back to Jerusalem vision today come from very simple uneducated agrarian backgrounds. They reject titles and only refer to themselves as brothers and sisters. Even the most senior pastors in the traditional underground house churches with millions of believers, who have embraced the BTJ vision, only wear the simple title of brother or sister.

What types of ministries does Back to Jerusalem support? In addition to Bibles, what other resources do you supply?

With more than 2,000 active Chinese Back to Jerusalem missionaries working in the land between the walls, it can only be said that we actively support a smorgasbord of activities that cause trouble in nations that are currently closed to the Gospel. Those activities range from missionary training, mission exposure, missionary support, ministry equipping, and platform creation through business, disaster relief, humanitarian aid, or education.

Other resources include emergency aid during disaster relief efforts, business training and investment, alternative energy units, and a variety of electronic communication tools.

Your workers on the field probably come from a variety of church backgrounds. What percentage of them would you say are what we in the West would call charismatic Christians?

Close to 100% of the Chinese workers that we partner with would be considered ‘charismatic.’

Can you share any testimonies of how God has supernaturally led, protected, supplied for, or intervened on behalf of the ministry?

Working exclusively in closed nations like China, North Korea, Iran, and Sudan, there have been numerous testimonies of God amazing provision and supernatural protection over the years. Many of these testimonies are recorded in our books, newsletters, and online articles.

I see that Brother Yun is connected to Back to Jerusalem. What part does he play in the ministry?

Brother Yun is one of main spokesman for the Back to Jerusalem vision. He arranges annual tours around the world to use his amazing testimony to spread the awareness of the BTJ vision and raise support for the mission.

Where can people learn more about the Back to Jerusalem Movement and in what ways can interested parties become involved?

People can learn more by going to www.BackToJerusalem.com, listening to the Back to Jerusalem weekly podcast from the field, or attending a Back to Jerusalem meeting.