by Joseph Smith

"It's like infiltrating a high security Fort Knox," says Andrew Lim. "I am still trying to work out how to get past the cameras and security pass. I haven't gone as far as mugging a resident, taking their retina out and getting it scanned, but you could say I am pretty one eyed about getting the gospel to the city."

It sounds like a scene out of Mission: Impossible, but Andrew Lim is willing to go to great lengths to reach Asian city dwellers.

The pastor of the Asian Bible Ministry (ABM) at St Andrew's Cathedral says the high density, isolated living conditions of the city make it difficult to connect with people by knocking on doors, but he is finding ways to introduce people to the gospel.

"I start a conversation with the concierge, "how are you going?', then by saying I am from the Cathedral, it gives me credibility because it's a landmark everyone knows. We have also had a couple of enquires from the leafleting, which is good."

"Once you get someone in those apartment blocks that is part of your ministry, it's a matter of spreading out using their network. Even their household could be a community network," Mr Lim says. 

Andrew Lim says people such as 24-year-old Jin Sung Lee show demonstrate how these networks connect people to ABM. The South Korean Information Technology student, who was a Christian when he moved to Australia five years ago, started attending the ABM a year and a half ago upon the recommendation of a friend.

"I have asked a lot of the other Korean guys I have lived with. Some have come because they are Christian, others to learn English," Mr Lee says.

Andrew Lim says Mr Lee's actions are representative of what is occurring in the ministry.

"Jin Sung tends to invite everyone he lives with. The ones who come have a good time and enjoy learning from the Bible and meeting people from other backgrounds," he says.

"Word of mouth is your most potent tool in reaching people and utilising those natural relationships. At the 10:30am St Andrew's service we have 40-50 new people every Sunday from personal invitation,  through tourist brochures, and passers-by. We have four or five of these newcomers stay for ABM at 2pm."

ABM currently has a Bible study format with around 60 members, but from September 4 it will take on the format of a church service. Although Mr Lim is encouraged by the growth the ministry is seeing, he knows there is a long way to go.

"In the block around the Cathedral there are 35,000 workers, 16,000 residents, 9000 tourists, as well as 26,654 mainland Chinese students studying in NSW. The number we get is a trickle compared to the sheer numbers in the surrounding blocks."

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