【A Vital Church Life Under Lockdown】

Establishing Small Vital Groups, and Carrying out Watchful Prayers, Preaching the Gospel, and Shepherding People
After the outbreak of the pandemic, what follow are city lockdown, village lockdown, community lockdown; everywhere is locked-down. The world is likened to be pressed the pause button — everything is stopped and people cannot do anything; all we can do is to stay at home.

To us, what is scary is not the pandemic; rather, it is the cancellation of meetings big and small. Without the church life, every day we are simply restless, and our mood is down; it feels as if we have lost something. In the beginning, we were just not used to it. Later, through the fellowship of the brothers, we have moved our physical meetings to [virtual] online meetings. Together, we entered into a new form of the church life. I feel very blessed.

I. All the meetings we used to have are gradually recovered, including small Bible reading groups, prayer meeting, young working ones’ meeting, sisters’ meeting, and Lord’s Day meetings. Even the blending meetings are revived. By meeting online, it shortens the distance between one another, and also more intimately joins us together. Although the outbreak is worsened every day, it is marvelous how we truly enjoy the rest of the Sabbath, and the joy is overflowing from within. We have enjoyed a very practical, sweet church life.

II. During the outbreak of the pandemic, because we all stay at home, everyone has time. In order to redeem the time, we grasp the opportunity to set up vital groups to enter into the pursuit of Life Study together. Every day we allocate three hours to diligently pursue the Lord’s word, longing to be constituted with the word of the ministry. Therefore, every day is very fulfilling.

III. I treasure the set time prayers that we have every day with a few prayer groups on-line for China and the whole world for the ending of the pandemic and for peace. Furthermore, we exult for having the prayers of warfare that cooperate with the spread of the gospel of God on all the earth.

IV. Every day we use the Lord’s word or hymns to shepherd the new ones and gospel friends online so that their heart may be warmed and comforted.

Source:https://www.facebook.com/churchnews/posts/2995634140458480