Ministry / Surprised by the love of Jesus
A Joyful Surprise
The warmest surprise comes when we receive unexpected, unconditional love. A stodgy old man gets a hug from his four-year-old neighbor boy. A forty-year-old mom gets celebrated by her family and friends for her quiet acts of service.
The biggest and best surprise comes when we discover that God was willing to give himself into death to rescue us from our sin (Ephesians 1:3-8). This gift always blossoms when a new believer encounters Jesus in the Scriptures. Their reaction spurs on the people who carry the gospel message. It’s better medicine for the heart than watching children open Christmas presents. That’s because it reveals the unsurpassed gift of salvation by faith in Christ alone.
During the past couple of years, we (the leaders of 316NOW) have concluded that our next phase of growth will require more resources. We have stretched volunteers to the breaking point. They have willingly served and sacrificed for the joy of sharing the good news with the Chinese people. This has been both our motto and our model. Volunteers. A low budget. Cover the basic needs and keep it simple.
Expanding resources to expand ministry
However, with a workforce of all volunteers, it can be hard to replace someone who’s very gifted and very invested in the ministry. We are trying to create stability and durability to keep expanding our work in China while also addressing the growing expatriate population.
Since COVID, 316NOW has had challenges, but these have also led us back to our Lord for solutions. We thrive through the skills of experienced Mandarin-speaking pastors who serve as our liaison pastors in China and abroad. We survive on the daily commitment of an advancement team that communicates the vision to our constituents. We prosper through the strategic wisdom of experienced leaders who can structure our developing ministry for sustainability.
We are asking God for his blessing
Our theme for our first capital campaign observes the joy and surprise of a new Chinese believer. With Give a Jesus-Shaped Surprise, we are asking God to open the storehouse of heaven and share his resources with us. As the Spirit opens the door of opportunity, we can see how many Chinese he loves, preparing them for eternal life.
Through this endeavor we are inviting our supporters to join a prayer team to seek God’s blessing. We are challenging our constituents to consider sharing more of their financial blessings with 316NOW so that, together, we can share the good news wider and longer and deeper.
This is what we offer – the love of Jesus! Paul expresses it divinely in Ephesians 3, I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Please take a look at our ministry, at our needs, at our requests for help, and learn how you can join us in the surprise that lasts forever.