MINISTRY / We promote gray market churches

According to Fenggang Yang, 316NOW creates gray market churches. Gray market churches are not legal in China.

Three religious Chinese “markets”

Yang is a Professor of Sociology and the founding Director of the Center on Religion and the Global East at Purdue University. He describes the state of religion in China under three "markets."

The red market

The “red market” includes the religions that are authorized by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They are the Protestant Three-Self Church, the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, the China Daoist Association, the China Islamic Association, and the China Buddhist Association. The CCP controls these religious bodies.

The black market

The “black market” religions includes groups that are banned by the Chinese government. They are frequently referred to as “xie jiao" ("evil cults”), that is, groups that proclaim heterodox teachings. Black market religious are regularly targeted for severe persecution.

The gray market

Between black market and red market religions are "gray market" religions. Most religious Chinese have found a home in gray market religions. Gray market churches refuse to join the five authorized religions because the government has co-opted their teachings. These groups are illegal, but they are not banned. Their leaders and members are sometimes harassed by the government.

Confessional Lutheran house churches

316NOW is pleased to have students from the red, black, or gray markets learn from our online Bible institute. If students are willing to learn from us, we thank God for the opportunity to teach them. Our goal is to train church leaders who will shepherd Confessional Lutheran house churches. These will be gray market churches. Such churches can avoid the unbiblical teachings of black market churches and will refuse to be influenced by the poor theology that is promoted in the red market churches.

Joining an unauthorized Protestant church, of course, means Christians will break the laws of their nation. We understand how that is a hard decision for many Christians in China. Leaving a church that doesn't teach God's Word properly is a hard decision for American Christians. It is harder in China.

With all patience

That is why we take Paul's advice to Timothy seriously. Preach the word. Be ready whether it is convenient or not. Correct, rebuke, and encourage, with all patience and teaching (2 Timothy 4:2).