MINISTRY//Reflections from a newbie professor
Notes from our 316NOW team
Reflections from a newbie professor
Between now and the end of the year, our 316NOW team will have the opportunity to share with you some of their stories.
As you read their stories, please do two things.
Pray for our team and the souls they care for.
Consider how you might partner with them. https://www.316now.org/firmlyforward
Butterflies. Not the kind that flutter from flower to flower. The kind that flit around our stomachs with all their nervous energy.
Nervous butterflies are not uncommon for 316NOW’s faculty.
In this post, a veteran pastor and Bible institute professor reflects on the first time he stepped into his virtual classroom.
When I started with 316NOW's Bible institute as an instructor, I was a little hesitant. My longtime desire had been to do something in world missions. Now the opportunity was in my face. But was I up to the task?
Knowing that I would teach Christians who already were into God's Word made it easier for me to join the Bible institute's faculty. But then, after teaching once and learning how eager the students were to learn more about God's Word, I was hooked.
Now I was even more interested in sharing with the students all that I could, especially since I was teaching church leaders. That meant they would tell others in China what we studied together. Wow, what an impact on the ministry of God's Word!
One thing that surprised me was that the church leaders were not all men. Some were women. That's when I encountered my first challenge.
During the study of our New Testament overview course, my female student asked about the passage that said women are to keep silent in church (1 Corinthians 14:34). She said, "Pastor, what does this mean?"
The first thing I wanted her to know is that her work in the church is very important to God's kingdom. "Don't stop telling people about Jesus," I urged. Then we talked about God's will for men and women in his Church.
And after learning what God desires, to my surprise, she not only was willing to accept this teaching, she began preparing two young men in her congregation to become Bible teachers.
God works in mysterious ways as we share his mercy and message.
Teaching in 316NOW's Bible institute is for me a very enjoyable part of 316NOW's grace across China ministry. It makes me enjoy being a servant of the Most High God even more.