It has been almost two and a half months since churches in China stopped public meetings because of the coronavirus outbreak. During this time, many churches and pastoral staff have used online audio, video, live broadcast, or texting to share the Bible truths with Christians. Many groups and fellowships continue to meet online.
Among the many online resources, the "Weekly Bread," launched by the Research Office of the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, has become a textbook for many churches' online devotional classes. So far, more than a thousand brothers and sisters have begun a journey of Chinese-style devotional practice through listening, thinking and writing.
When it comes to devotional materials, brothers and sisters are familiar with popular books like Streams in the Desert and Daily Bread for My Soul. Most of these are translated from foreign languages. The Nanjing Research Office is planning to develop a devotional manual based on the lives of Chinese Christians and the experience of believers in Chinese churches. The devotional follows the basic format of its predecessors. The first edition of "Weekly Bread" has been published for 2020.
The "Weekly Bread" for 2020 is divided into six parts: year-end, renewal, planting, resuscitation, ministry, compliance, silence, waiting, harvesting, sanctification, Christmas, and thanksgiving. In each part, there is a two-month calendar and 8-9 devotional essays, which are concise and well-written.
In order to make better use of the"Weekly Bread," the Nanjing Research and Editing Office invited colleagues to participate in online tutoring and launched 53 lessons for the first year. Lessons are synchronized with the chapters in the book, 10-20 minutes for each class. In the audio section, there is an introduction to the theme and the basics of devotional practice, with further explanation of the doubts that believers may encounter in life.
The members of this online devotional class are young Christians living in the Internet age. The class provides convenient methods of meditating on the Bible for young people who are accustomed to learning and working online. They lead busy lives--"Go to work by subway, get off work by bus, wait for the elevator, pick up the children, attend church, sing in the choir, gather with fellowship groups, listen and share, meditate on God's words. "
In addition, Nanjing Union Theological Seminary invited more than a thousand mature believers to share their experience with devotional meditations, and accompany those taking the course on the path of devotional growth.
So far, "Weekly Bread" has used the theme of "make a seed" and is into the 14th week. This class was updated on April 4th, with nearly 4,000 people reading it, and 367 people participating in the opening. In the group "Weekly Bread", there are nearly 1,000 members, and 14 lessons with nearly 10,000 comments.
Daily Devotions: cultivating a habit of faith that will benefit you for a lifetime
"Speaking of devotions, I am very grateful to the teacher of the youth fellowship att he university. It was she who repeatedly taught us about devotions that so we today have developed the habit of regular devotions. You can let go of all your fatigue during daily devotions and enjoy the good time of soul rest in the Lord ... "
"After listening to the teacher's sharing, I feel that I am particularly blessed. I have entered this kind of learning fellowship, cultivating my devotional life, and insist on"checking in" 53 times a year. I look forward to meeting a better self!"
The above is some feedback from the participants after the "Weekly Bread " opening class. It is not difficult to see that for many Christians, the development of devotional habits is a deep expectation. However, in the real life of busyness, in the battle between individual inertia and sin, it is not easy to be able to continue devotions and gain strength from the Word of the Lord in order to face the challenges in life.
- Translated by Kevin Feng
金陵神学院推出《每周灵粮》＋线上灵修辅导班
自1月底新型冠状肺炎疫情爆发以来，中国各地教会停止实地聚会已有近两个半月了。这段时间，许多教会和牧者同工利用网络音频、视频、直播或文字的方式与基督徒分享圣经真理，也有不少小组和团契继续在网络上聚会。
在诸多的网络资源当中，金陵协和神学院研编室推出的《每周灵粮》已成为众多教会线上灵修辅导班的教材。目前为止，千余名弟兄姐妹，在“听＋思＋记”的方式当中，开启中国化灵修方式的尝试之旅。
《每周灵粮》：一本中国化的灵修手册
提到灵修手册，弟兄姐妹们耳熟能详的，诸如《荒漠甘泉》《心灵面包》等，大多是由外文翻译而来。在汲取属灵前辈信仰资源精华的基础上，金陵研编室希望能够立足中国教会和中国基督徒的生活的灵修手册，于是2020年《每周灵粮》第一期出版了。
2020年的《每周灵粮》分为岁首·更新、栽种·复苏、事奉·遵行、静默·等候、收获·成圣、圣诞·感恩六大部分。在每部分当中，配有两个月的日历和8-9篇灵修短文，简练而精致。
线上灵修辅导班：适合青年人的灵修方式
为了更好地使用《每周灵粮》这本书，金陵研编室邀请了同工进行线上语音辅导，推出了53节课，为期一年。课课与书中篇章同步，一次10-20分钟。在语音辅导当中，同工会介绍灵修的主题与核心，并结合信徒在默想雨生活中可能遇到的疑惑进一步解释。
该线上灵修辅导班的成员定位为网络时代的青年基督徒。针对青年人生活忙碌和惯于使用网络的特点，线上灵修的方式为他们提供了灵修默想圣经的便捷方式：“上班地铁，下班公交，等电梯，接孩子，教会、诗班、团契、小组……随时随在，聆听分享，默想主言。”
此外，金陵还邀请了千余名主内肢体加圈打卡，分享各自的灵修心得与收获，在属灵成长的道路上结伴同行。
至今为止，《每周灵粮》已经进行到第14周“做一粒种子”。这堂课于4月4日更新，阅读近4000人，参与打开的有367人。在《每周灵粮》伴您成长的小组中，成员已有近千人，14课的学习心得和评论已有近万篇。
每日灵修：培养一个受益一生的信仰习惯
“说起灵修，就很感恩大学时代青年团契的老师。是她不断反复地教我们灵修，才养成了今天日日灵修的习惯。每日的灵修时可以放下一切劳累疲惫享受在主里面灵魂安息的美好时光……”
“听了老师的分享，感觉自己特别蒙恩，进入这样的学习团契，牧养灵命，一年坚持53次打卡，期待遇到更好的自己！”
以上都是《每周灵粮》公开课之后参与者们的一些反馈。从中不难看出，对于许多基督徒来说，养成灵修习惯都是内心深处的期待。然而，在现实忙碌的生活当中，在个人的惰性及与罪的争战当中，能够持续灵修、在主的话语里得到力量面对生活中的挑战，却并不是一件容
易的事情。
It has been almost two and a half months since churches in China stopped public meetings because of the coronavirus outbreak. During this time, many churches and pastoral staff have used online audio, video, live broadcast, or texting to share the Bible truths with Christians. Many groups and fellowships continue to meet online.
Among the many online resources, the "Weekly Bread," launched by the Research Office of the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, has become a textbook for many churches' online devotional classes. So far, more than a thousand brothers and sisters have begun a journey of Chinese-style devotional practice through listening, thinking and writing.
When it comes to devotional materials, brothers and sisters are familiar with popular books like Streams in the Desert and Daily Bread for My Soul. Most of these are translated from foreign languages. The Nanjing Research Office is planning to develop a devotional manual based on the lives of Chinese Christians and the experience of believers in Chinese churches. The devotional follows the basic format of its predecessors. The first edition of "Weekly Bread" has been published for 2020.
The "Weekly Bread" for 2020 is divided into six parts: year-end, renewal, planting, resuscitation, ministry, compliance, silence, waiting, harvesting, sanctification, Christmas, and thanksgiving. In each part, there is a two-month calendar and 8-9 devotional essays, which are concise and well-written.
In order to make better use of the"Weekly Bread," the Nanjing Research and Editing Office invited colleagues to participate in online tutoring and launched 53 lessons for the first year. Lessons are synchronized with the chapters in the book, 10-20 minutes for each class. In the audio section, there is an introduction to the theme and the basics of devotional practice, with further explanation of the doubts that believers may encounter in life.
The members of this online devotional class are young Christians living in the Internet age. The class provides convenient methods of meditating on the Bible for young people who are accustomed to learning and working online. They lead busy lives--"Go to work by subway, get off work by bus, wait for the elevator, pick up the children, attend church, sing in the choir, gather with fellowship groups, listen and share, meditate on God's words. "
In addition, Nanjing Union Theological Seminary invited more than a thousand mature believers to share their experience with devotional meditations, and accompany those taking the course on the path of devotional growth.
So far, "Weekly Bread" has used the theme of "make a seed" and is into the 14th week. This class was updated on April 4th, with nearly 4,000 people reading it, and 367 people participating in the opening. In the group "Weekly Bread", there are nearly 1,000 members, and 14 lessons with nearly 10,000 comments.
Daily Devotions: cultivating a habit of faith that will benefit you for a lifetime
"Speaking of devotions, I am very grateful to the teacher of the youth fellowship att he university. It was she who repeatedly taught us about devotions that so we today have developed the habit of regular devotions. You can let go of all your fatigue during daily devotions and enjoy the good time of soul rest in the Lord ... "
"After listening to the teacher's sharing, I feel that I am particularly blessed. I have entered this kind of learning fellowship, cultivating my devotional life, and insist on"checking in" 53 times a year. I look forward to meeting a better self!"
The above is some feedback from the participants after the "Weekly Bread " opening class. It is not difficult to see that for many Christians, the development of devotional habits is a deep expectation. However, in the real life of busyness, in the battle between individual inertia and sin, it is not easy to be able to continue devotions and gain strength from the Word of the Lord in order to face the challenges in life.
- Translated by Kevin Feng
Nanjing Union Theological Seminary Launches Devotional Book
