MINISTRY / Onboarding new students

316NOW's online Bible institute is experiencing growth in its student body.

Former students are returning; new students are enrolling

Nine months after China strengthened its resolve to severely limit online communication of religious instruction, Chinese Christians have become more comfortable taking our online classes. Of course, they remain cautious about taking our classes. And they appreciate our secure online teaching platform.

There has also been an uptick in our student body because current students are inviting their friends to enroll.

Joyfully adjusting

We are overjoyed to welcome new students, of course, but onboarding them requires making special accommodations. At a meeting this morning, our Education Division discussed how to help students transition into our classrooms.

One issue is guiding new students into courses that fit their spiritual maturity. Students who are new to Christianity will find the most benefit in more basic courses. More mature believers will benefit most from higher-level courses.

We also want to ensure that no one enrolls in our courses who is a spy for the Chinese government. Without thorough vetting, we won't enroll anyone who is not recommended to us by a Christian we trust. Our division administrator pointed out, "This is important because of the nature of our work and the current conditions in China. We need to exercise a measure of caution as we welcome new people into this ministry."

What you can do: Thank the Spirit for using our Bible institute to reach more Christian leaders in China with solid Bible teaching. Ask him to help us best shepherd our new students and to grow them into Confessional Lutheran leaders.