In Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, one church’s offerings increased, while many other churches’ decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shi Chengzhong, senior pastor of Nantong First City Church, said the reason for the increase in contributions was that they had done a good job in online pastoral care. Before the pandemic, the church did not hold virtual services. After the outbreak of COVID-19, they immediately learned from the young pastors of Jinsha Church in Nantong, who had opened an official WeChat account. They changed from in-person activities to online ones.
In order to let believers hear the voices of their pastors, the pastoral staff made many attempts. After determining what to share, they published the recorded and edited audio and video on the WeChat account, Pastor Shi added.
"Our pastors have moved from the front of the screen to behind the scenes. Some try to act as announcers or hosts to carry out online ministry using audio or video; some become writers to inscribe sermons in WeChat groups to shepherd believers", Pastor Shi said.
They launched online ministry through WeChat groups and the official WeChat account, on which they opened columns as necessary. Pastor Shi recorded the audio of praying and wrote down two-minute-long prayers on the theme of "Morning Prayer and Drizzle". Deputy Senior Pastor Zhang Peisheng was responsible for "Reform from the Heart" to resist heresies and cults. "Voice of Law" was a legal education program for "Civil Code". "Walk in Eden" was to share Sunday services.
Pastor Shi added that when church pastors took care of believers, they were willing to give tithes and offerings. In addition to supporting their own pastors, they also helped other pastors in grassroots churches, as their offerings increased due to online pastoral care.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
疫情期间，不少教会的奉献款减少，牧者的生活变得艰难。江苏南通第一城教会是个例外，奉献款非但没有减少，还增加了不少。
南通第一城教会主任施成忠牧师道出了其中的原因——努力做好网络牧养。疫情爆发前，南通第一城教会没有做网络牧养；疫情爆发后，他们立即向已经开设微信公众号的南通金沙教会的青年牧者学习，并且立即实践，把牧养从教堂活动向“云上活动”转移。
“要让信徒听到自己牧者的声音。”为了达到这个效果，南通第一城教会的牧者们做了许多尝试：录制并剪辑音、视频，学习使用微信公众平台，确定要分享的内容等。
“我们的教牧人员从幕前转到了幕后，当起了播音员，用音频的方式给我们的信徒牧养；还有的当起了视频主持人，通过视频来有声有色来牧养信徒；还有的通过微信群，当起了作家，拿起笔杆子书写讲章来牧养信徒。”谈起开展网络牧养的经历，施牧师兴奋地说道。
南通第一城教会的网络牧养主要通过微信公众号和微信群，跟据信徒当下的需要，微信公众号上先后开设一些栏目。
“晨祷细雨”是每天清晨的祷告，一般在两分钟左右，由施牧师负责录制祷告的音频，并写下祷告词；“正本清源”是为了抵制异端邪教，由教会的副主任张培生牧师负责安排内容；“法之声”是进行《民法典》等普法教育；“漫步在伊甸”是主日分享……
施牧师认为，当教会牧者尽心牧养信徒，信徒是愿意奉献的。通过网络奉献，教会的奉献款不但没有减少，反而还增加了。在供应本堂牧者的同时，第一城教会还帮助了一些基层教会的牧者。
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/56296
疫情期间，南通第一城教会的奉献款竟然增加了！
In Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, one church’s offerings increased, while many other churches’ decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shi Chengzhong, senior pastor of Nantong First City Church, said the reason for the increase in contributions was that they had done a good job in online pastoral care. Before the pandemic, the church did not hold virtual services. After the outbreak of COVID-19, they immediately learned from the young pastors of Jinsha Church in Nantong, who had opened an official WeChat account. They changed from in-person activities to online ones.
In order to let believers hear the voices of their pastors, the pastoral staff made many attempts. After determining what to share, they published the recorded and edited audio and video on the WeChat account, Pastor Shi added.
"Our pastors have moved from the front of the screen to behind the scenes. Some try to act as announcers or hosts to carry out online ministry using audio or video; some become writers to inscribe sermons in WeChat groups to shepherd believers", Pastor Shi said.
They launched online ministry through WeChat groups and the official WeChat account, on which they opened columns as necessary. Pastor Shi recorded the audio of praying and wrote down two-minute-long prayers on the theme of "Morning Prayer and Drizzle". Deputy Senior Pastor Zhang Peisheng was responsible for "Reform from the Heart" to resist heresies and cults. "Voice of Law" was a legal education program for "Civil Code". "Walk in Eden" was to share Sunday services.
Pastor Shi added that when church pastors took care of believers, they were willing to give tithes and offerings. In addition to supporting their own pastors, they also helped other pastors in grassroots churches, as their offerings increased due to online pastoral care.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Offerings of Jiangsu Church Increase Despite Pandemic
