I finally feel that we have resumed our daily lives. The impact of the pandemic in the past few years is fading away. This is most apparent from the fact that throughout the summer vacation, friends and relatives take turns to travel abroad. Some are even on the final stretch and are ready to go on their third trip before the end of August! During this period, many friends and brothers and sisters overseas also return to Hong Kong to visit families they have not seen for a few years. We would jokingly say this is to pay off the travel debts.

       As for me, I also traveled with my family for a few days to repay my debt to them. At the same time, I also think of another debt, or obligation, that we need to repay after normalcy is resumed. It is what Paul says: “I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome” (Romans 1:14-15).

       As Christians, we are all debtors of the gospel. More precisely, we are debtors to unbelievers with the gospel we have. To all of us who have received the grace of the gospel, Christ Jesus has already entrusted us with the gospel, which we are obliged to preach to those who have not heard of it and those who have not received God’s grace. We cannot just let the gospel rest with us and not repay our debts. Rather, like the attitude we have towards traveling after the resumption of normalcy, we must do our utmost to spread the gospel to repay our debts with it.

       On the other hand, while our daily lives have resumed, many things are no longer the same. Not only can we not return to ways life used to be, but we have also been shifted towards new horizons – restaurant orders by QR code, online meetings at work, and the same applies to the work of the gospel. We need to come up with new concepts and ways to carry out the Great Commission. Here, I would like to cite the July issue of “Letters to the NPAC Family” to restate a fact: The church is already in the new horizons. We are resuming normalcy in an environment that has changed. If we think more carefully, God through Christ Jesus has forgiven our transgressions. He has given us the Holy Spirit, changed our old selves and let us join His new community. Is it not the best portrait of our brand-new life without resuming the old ways? We are faced with new circumstances on resuming normalcy. We need to get ready and steady to go and testify to the world about God’s mighty gospel in new ways.

       In July and August this year, NPAC’s Community Witness Department in conjunction with the Wind of the Spirit Fellowship have organized six interest classes on Pastel Nagomi Art at Living Stone, G/F, Truth Center. The initiative was to create a lively and relaxing environment where students on summer vacation and families can get to know the gospel while experiencing the joy of artistic creation. God has entrusted us with the gospel and given brothers and sisters at NPAC vibrancy and zeal. He has also prepared necessary venues for NPAC so that would not be a concern. We can now try to use different ways to reach unbelievers and create new opportunities to receive those who have not come to the church before. May God bless and send NPAC, and we will do our very best to preach the gospel to everyone.