作者：林張嘉禎師母Mrs. Florence Lin
「遠東」中國福音事工部共同創辦人、前美國「遠東」總部董事
Co-Founder of FEBC-CM, Former Board Member of FEBC-US
從1959年到2000年林本立牧師和我在遠東廣播公司共事奉了41年。在這些年日裡就好像以色列人出埃及在曠野的40年一般，見到神無數的神蹟奇事及數不盡的恩典。
在申命記裡，摩西要百姓追溯過去神如何帶領他們出埃及。他說：「…你也要紀念耶和華你的神在曠野裡引導你，…免得忘記你親眼所看見的事…。」因此，我願意在遠東廣播公司的中國福音事工部(後稱「中文福音事工部」) 30週年紀念時，與你一同追想主的恩典與奇妙的作為！
我和林本立牧師在新加坡遠東廣播公司事奉了十年後，於1987年回到洛杉磯述職。在述職期間我們一直求神指引我們下一個工場在哪裡？神就讓林牧師看到一個需要，這需要就是在美國成立一個遠東廣播公司屬下的中國福音事工部。為何要成立中國福音事工部？原因一個是：當時的香港將於1997年歸還中國，而遠東廣播公司在香港擁有最大的錄音室，他們製作電台所需的節目最多，歸還中國後, 如果不准許他們繼續製作節目，電台即必須停播了。所以不能沒有後備的計劃。自從1945年遠東廣播公司成立以來, 總部雖然在世界其他國家設立了好幾個中國事工部，但在美國還沒有一個「中國福音事工部」呢！美國能夠製作節目的人材極多，要是有錄音室，不怕找不到人做節目。
當林牧師向「遠東」總部提出在美國成立中國福音事工部的建議時，總部認為這是好主意，惟一的問題是沒有錢。
我們決定仰望神，因為祂說：「你要紀念耶和華你的神，因為得貨財的力量是祂給你的…」（申8:18a）就這樣，從信徒支持我們的生活費中每月取出五百元，在南加州蒙特利公園市租下一間辦公室，1988年2月開始了美國的「遠東」中國福音事工部，並且同時策劃到各州的華人教會去傳遞「藉廣播傳基督到地極」的異象。我們的難處是，回美之前在新加坡宣教整整十年，和美國社會脫節了，也沒有全美中國教會的名單（那時互聯網還未開始，故無法上網查詢），又怎麼和各教會聯絡呢？奇妙的神感動一位基督教機構的領袖，送了一份全美華人教會的名單給我們。我們穿越23州，到達了57個城市，主領了56個分享福音廣播需要的聚會，在聚會中徵求福音廣播伙伴以禱告和奉獻與我們同工。
長話短說，不久我們就在蒙特利公園市買了一個約三千多呎的辦公室和錄音室。感謝神的供應，借款在短期內全部還清！五年後，電台節目需求量增加，林牧師發出了「我有一個夢」的宣告，神就給了我們近一萬尺的奇諾市「天訊中心」。花了一萬美元裝修改建,在「天訊中心」裡面有四間錄音室和音控室，加上寬敞的辦公室，神也感動呼召更多有異象、有恩賜的同工與我們一同事奉。過了兩年欠款也還清了。
我們開始本地廣播「好牧人」節目。1995年，開辦福音廣播短宣，訓練教會弟兄姊妹參加福音廣播。在紐澤西另建立了一間錄音室，使住在東岸的牧者也能參與「好牧人」節目錄製。事工一直在神的恩典下向前拓展。
我們不但求神供應中國福音事工部的需要，我們也顧念電台的需要，設立了「收割專款計劃」幫助更新電台發射台與天缐網。
到了2000 年，林牧師決定退休把工作交給接棒人周同培牧師。(林牧師和我退休後，成立了另一個非營利的基督教機構「主愛協會」。兩年後主即把我先生接回天家, 我繼續主愛協會事工直到2018年。) 神的工作不會因人事變遷而停止，相反的，中國福音事工部在李子群牧師的帶領之下，同工人事穩定，除了向大陸廣播之外，事工更擴展到網絡廣播、美國本土廣播、光碟產品等；新的廣播夥伴也有增無減。李牧師退休後，神揀選太空專家黃嘉生牧師繼續擔任遠東中國福音事工部執行主任。正如聖經所說：「我深信那在你們心裡動了善工的，必成全這工，直到耶穌基督的日子。」
感謝主，中國福音事工部從創立到現在已經30年了！追想主的恩典與奇妙的作為是為了繼續向前行！我願鼓勵中國福音事工部的黃嘉生牧師和同工們，在往後更是力上加力事奉神。正如摩西對以色列人所說的：「你們要過去得為業的那地，乃是有山有谷、雨水滋潤之地。是耶和華你神所眷顧的，從歲首到年終，耶和華你神的眼目時常看顧那地。你們若留意聽從我今日所吩咐的誡命，愛耶和華你們的神，盡心盡性事奉祂，祂必按時降秋雨春雨在你們的地上，使你們可以收藏五穀、新酒和油，也必使你吃得飽足，並使田野為你的牲畜長草。」（申11:11-15）阿們。
Between year 1959 and 2000 Rev. John Lin and I served with FEBC-CM for 41 years. During those days we experienced countless miracles and the unfathomable grace of God, just like the Israelites who spent 40 years in the wilderness after they left Egypt.
In the book of Deuteronomy, when Moses asked the Israelites to recall how God had led them out of Egypt, he said, “Remembering how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years…so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen…” In the same way, I am more than willing to recall God’s amazing grace and His wonderful deeds with you at the 30th anniversary of the founding of Chinese Ministries in FEBC.
After having served for a decade at FEBC Singapore, John and I came back to LA in 1987. We prayed to God to show us where the next mission field would be, and God revealed to John the need to establish a Chinese Ministry under FEBC-US. Why such a need? One of the key reasons was the imminent return of Hong Kong to China scheduled to occur in 1997. FEBC-HK at that time had the largest studios in FEBC and they also produced the most radio programs. If China ordered Hong Kong to stop producing these programs after the turnover, the stations would be shut down immediately; we knew it was imperative to have a backup plan. FEBC’s Home Office has developed various Chinese studios in the world since 1945, but none existed in the FEBC-US office. There were many capable radio personalities in the US and if we had studios, it would not be difficult to produce radio programs.
When John made this proposal to the Home Office, the leadership thought that it was an excellent idea; however, the only issue was lack of money.
We looked up to God for help because He said, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” (Deuteronomy 8:18a). We took out $500 per month from our personal budget and rented an office in Monterey Park in February 1988, which was the beginning of the Chinese Ministries of FEBC-US. We made plans to visit various Chinese churches in the US in order to share FEBC’s vision, which was “Christ to the World by Radio.” However, in the previous 10 years we had lost all connections with U.S. churches while serving in Singapore and did not even have a list of Chinese churches in the US—this was pre-Internet era. How could we get started? God helped us by providing us with a book of Chinese Church rosters in the US through a leader of a Christian organization. With the aid of this roster, we visited 57 cities in 23 different states, led 57 meetings where we shared the need for Gospel broadcasting, and pleaded with fellow Christians for their prayerful and financial support.
To make a long story short, soon after that we were able to purchase a 3,000 sq. ft. office and studios. We thanked God for His provision, and in a short amount of time were able to pay off the loan! Five years after that, John proclaimed that he had a dream and God once again gave us a building of 10,000 sq. ft., which we later named the Sky Center in the city of Chino. The Sky Center was fully remodeled into four recording studios and control rooms, plus a spacious office area. God called many Christians to share our “dream,” and two years later the loan was paid off.
We also started a local broadcasting program called “The Good Shepherd.” Short-term missions training started in 1995 where we trained many fellow believers to be broadcasters. We also opened up a studio in New Jersey, so ministers on the East Coast could record for “The Good Shepherd” program. Chinese Ministries was ploughing ahead full force by the grace of God.
Not only did we provide the needs of Chinese Ministries but also cared for the needs of many international stations of FEBC-US. Through the project of “R.E.A.P.,” we helped renovate the transmitters and antenna networks.
In 2000, Rev. John Lin decided to hand over his baton to Rev. Chou. (John and I founded another non-profit organization called Joy Partners after we retired). Two year after that, John was taken back to his eternal heavenly home, while I continued to serve at Joy Partners till 2018. God’s work never stops despite the changes of personnel. Under Rev. Eddie Lo, Chinese Ministries continued to flourish. On top of broadcasting to mainland China, FEBC introduced Internet streaming, local broadcasting in the US and CD products, as well as other outreach. The number of donors also increased. After the retirement of Rev. Lo, God raised up former NASA scientist Rev. James Hwang to continue leading CM. Just like Scriptures says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Thank the Lord that it has been 30 years since the founding of Chinese Ministries! We recall God’s grace and His marvelous deeds today so that we may push forward! I’d like to encourage Rev. Hwang and all CM coworkers to serve the Lord strength to strength, as Moses encouraged the Israelites to do: “but the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end. So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today…to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.”(Deuteronomy 11:11-15)
林本立牧師與師母攝於位在蒙特利公園市的第一間錄音室
Rev. & Mrs. John B. Lin with CM’s first studio at Monterey Park