MINISTRY / 316NOW's courageous liaison

In September the Holy Spirit provided 316NOW with a new liaison, our ambassador between the United States side of our ministry and the Chinese side of our ministry. One of the characteristics of this man that stands out for me is his courage.

Concerns for his safety don't allow us to publish his true name, so we will call him Yingjie, a Chinese name that means brave and heroic.

Our new liaison

Yingjie is a Confessional Lutheran pastor who lives in China. He is married and has one child. He pastors a church of about two dozen souls. His church is independent of the church body that the Chinese government approves. Since his church is small, he serves those believers part-time and 316NOW part-time.

Our liaison represents 316NOW to our students in China. At the heart of his ministry is

• developing Christian-brother relationships with our students,

• helping 316NOW best serve them, and

• helping identify the men the Spirit has prepared to become church leaders.

He also advises our team of administrators about how best to design and carry on our ministry. Because of leaders are Americans, they don’t fully understand what it is like to live in China and to be a Christian in China .

Yingjie's courage

Why do I admire Yingjie's courage? Because everything he does is illegal in China. Churches that are not affiliated with the official Chinese church are illegal. Working for a Western Christian organization is illegal. Teaching God's Word online -- or in person -- is illegal.

Yet because God's grace calls us to tell others about Jesus, to teach his Word to others, and to train more church leaders, Yingjie is willing to risk fines and even time in prison. Like Peter and the apostles in Acts 5:29, he says, “We must obey God rather than men," because "the love of Christ compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14).

Yingjie's grace-fueled courage inspires me.

What you can do: Pray for Yingjie: for his safety, his boldness, his family, and his trust in God's grace. Personally encourage him by helping 316NOW support him. Tap here to Give NOW.

Note: We began a search for a new liaison earlier this year after our previous liaison began a self-supporting ministry to Chinese in his city.