MINISTRY // Unplanned benefits

"This is one of the many unplanned benefits of our ministry,” the administrator for 316NOW’s English as a foreign language (EFL) program said. 

English as a foreign language program

Our EFL is designed to help late-grade-school-age children enhance their spoken English skills. But with this twist: we use Bible stories as the texts for the lessons. We anticipated that the Holy Spirit would use our classes to work faith in our students. What we didn’t anticipate was how he would also build close relationships between adult Christians who live half a world away.

Several days ago, one of our EFL instructors told our administrator that his Chinese teaching assistant, Nianzu, was “very close to giving birth and is so excited.” Our teaching assistants invite children to come to their homes for our online instruction. They maintain order during the lessons and provide some help with terms the students don’t understand (everything is taught in English).

A couple days later the teacher contacted our administrator again. “I have a picture from Nianzu,” he wrote. “I’ll pass it on to you.  She had a baby girl. Both are doing well.”

More than teaching

“Isn’t it great that a woman in China who has just had a baby desires to share that good news with her American teacher and friend!” our administrator said.

316NOW has experienced repeatedly how, when our teachers share the good news about God’s love for us, the faith of Christians is strengthened and unbelievers come to faith. But there’s more the Spirit does. American and Chinese believers, connected by the internet and faith in Jesus, come to know, love, and trust each other.