Introduction to Ray and Dorie Lorden Serving in China

We met in 1985 through amazing circumstances with a clear call on our lives to serve the Lord in China.  After marrying in 1987, we began to plan for our 1989 departure for China with ELIC--English Language Institute/China—the oldest and largest Christian organization sending teachers to Asia.  Since 1989, we've spent nine years teaching English to college and university students in three different locations.  We've attended HBC in Rolling Meadows for ten years, and HBC has been our sending church for three of the nine years we've spent in China.  We've also taken four short-term teams to China, two sponsored by HBC, to introduce people to Chinese college students and the amazing ministry to this important people group.  We'll return this fall for our 10th year of ministry.

China's doors are wide open to the teaching of English, the most important language in the world for science, agriculture, technology, aviation and media.   Due to this central role that English plays in the world today, all students in China must study English.  This open door gives us the opportunity to share the Gospel with the best and brightest in the emerging giant, the People's Republic of China.  China's moorings of Confucianism, Buddhism and Communism have been crumbling for years, leaving the Chinese looking for answers to life's complex problems.  Materialism has come in like a flood, but does not satisfy the heart and soul.  In their search for answers, young people are very open to the Gospel.  We have been so blessed to see many students come to Jesus Christ, many leading their families, friends and colleagues to salvation.  Given that we are reaching our twilight years, the Lord has given us a great promise from the Psalms:  “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age.” Thankfully we're not too old to return this fall and proclaim the fame of His name among the searching young adults in China.