MINISTRY//A church practices what it learned

Unlike Confessional Lutheran churches, Chinese churches often call women to leadership roles as pastors.

This has much to do with China's cultural expectations, but it is also caused by low pay for pastors (so men cannot support their families), a lack of respect for pastors by most people in China, and a lack of sound Bible scholarship.

316NOW's teaching

316NOW doesn't hesitate to teach God's will about the roles men and women enjoy in the Church. But putting that teaching into practice is always a challenge for Christians in China.

In one church in China where their leaders all attend our Bible institute, members have realized God wants them to have a male pastor. The church's staff and lay leaders have called a Christian brother from their church to be that pastor. He is studying hard with our online institute, in order to be the shepherd God has called him to be. 

316NOW's training

Now, after a year's study about sermon preparation and presentation, this brother is leading worship at almost every Sunday services. Other church leaders have told us, "We are so thankful to see our brother making big progress on preaching and in other studies. We see those changes week by week."

What you can do:  Rejoice with us that this congregation is responding in faith to the teachings they have learned through 316NOW's Bible institute. Pray that God continues to increase the spiritual understanding of the church's leaders.