MINISTRY//Unsmudging the "good news"
Notes from our 316NOW team
Our series of notes from our 316NOW team concludes with this post.
As you read this story, 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
Unsmudging the "good news"
"God invites us to come into his presence and worship him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask him to forgive us."
Our worship services usually start with words similar to this. Before we turn our attention to praising God for his grace, we remind ourselves of our need for his grace. We confess our sins and wait to be assured of God's forgiveness in Jesus.
That's not a normal part of worship in many Chinese Christian churches. One of our professors writes:
Our Christian worship class helped two choir leaders realize the value of beginning worship with confession of sin and God's assurance those sins are forgiven. Even though these students were worship leaders, they had never considered taking time during worship for repentance and a clear announcement of God's pardon.
"We are so happy to discover this," they said. "Please send us examples of confession and absolution liturgies we can use in our worship services. We'll begin using them next Sunday."
China has over 100,000,000 believers who rejoice that "a Savior has been born…; he is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:11). But their understanding of that "good news that will cause great joy" tends to be smudged, often scribbled over.
How grateful we are that the Spirit is using 316NOW to remove the blots that cover the glory of God's grace for them.
How grateful we are that you team with us to make that possible. Thank you.
A request from a 316NOW professor
Many of 316NOW’s friends have generously supported our ministry in 2021. If you are still considering a gift to 316NOW this year, please read this message from another of our Bible Institute professors.
Year-End Giving Reminders
In order for your 2021 gifts to 316NOW to qualify as IRS deductions,
Your online donation must be made before midnight on December 31, 2021. Give here.
Your mailed-in gifts made by cash or check must be postmarked before midnight on December 31, 2021. According to the IRS, the postmark on your envelope determines whether your gift was made in 2021 or 2022.
Your mailed-in gifts by credit card must be received by us and processed by December 31, 2021.