New York - As the Greater New York Billy Graham Crusade approaches, the leaders of Chinese language ministry are holding the "Christian Life and Witness" training course for Chinese church workers.

According to Peter Ong of the Chinese Christian Herald Crusades, around fifty Chinese pastors are currently participating in the preparation and promotion work for the Billy Graham Crusade. Through them, more church workers and volunteers will gather to take the training course in being counselors in the crusade.

"Our goal is to make the number of Chinese participants match the last crusade in Los Angeles," Peter Ong said. Their goal is to bring at least 5,000 Chinese people to the crusade.

However, he said, people would not gather because of the power of media or promotion events, but the most effective way to get them to come is to witness and give testimonies. "That's why the training course 'Christian Life and Witness' is important."

The course, which includes six sections, will start from May 7 and continue on May 14 and May 21 synchronously in all four districts of New York City: Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island.

The senior pastor of Chinese Evangel Church, Rev. Howard Li, who is also participating in the preparation of the crusade, expressed his hope on the crusade and all the preparation works, "It is the last crusade in the Greater New York area of Rev. Billy Graham. We hope it will not only spread the Gospel to tens of thousands of people, but also really raise up the believers through its training sessions before and afterwards, help them to grow in their personal faith, and also train them to be better workers of God. It is not only for this crusade, but it will give them help in their whole life time."