Dear NPAC family, did you participate in the Mission Conference in September? As we step into October, we will soon celebrate our church’s 73rd anniversary. Perhaps at the same time you are already preparing for the Christmas meetings in December. From the Mission Conference to the church anniversary, and then to Christmas, it feels like a “reverse order” reminder from our Heavenly Father: Because Christ came into the world to accomplish salvation, we have become a redeemed community (the Church), and then we are sent out together to witness to the gospel. Is this not exactly the mission statement of the NPAC family – To light up our lives with God’s love and live out the practice of “It is more blessed to give than to receive”?

          Recently, I received an invitation to share at a meeting on the topic “Why Should the Church Care About…?” Perhaps the question we should ask is: “Who are the people the church ‘should not’ care about?” Maybe the names of some wicked people have come to our minds? Those of other faiths, even those who persecute us? Or those who have wronged us, or fellow believers who have fallen into weakness and sin? Indeed, if we have been hurt by someone, it is natural that our wounds make it difficult for us to care for them. Yet, these lives are still created and loved by the Lord, and they remain the very people whom the church must learn to care about and share the gospel with. Too often, we equate someone’s differing opinion or mistake in a matter with the very nature of that person. No wonder it is so hard for us to put in practice “loving the person without accepting his behavior or accepting sin.”

          Some people raised these questions: Which Christian has not sinned? Who has never told a lie? In the same way, why can’t the church receive those who identify as homosexuals? We must acknowledge that believers are sinners saved by grace, and that even after coming to faith, we still fall into weakness and sin. Indeed, salvation does not depend on works for justification, but the essence of “believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth” lies in having God as the Lord of our lives. Therefore, we must act in obedience to the Lord’s commands and our conduct must honor Him. This means we must continually examine ourselves before God, confess and repent, and strive not to sin again. We may not be able to change completely in an instant, but the Lord surely hears our prayers. Believers are to exhort and support one another as we journey together on the path of sanctification. On the other hand, if a believer tells lies but refuses to admit their offense before God, continues lying, and even encourages others to do the same, then the church must, according to Scripture, safeguard the order of the church and prevent sin from spreading within it.

          Some may say, “If they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17). But are not pagans and tax collectors precisely those whom the church needs to care about and share the gospel with? After the pandemic, people have become more distant from one another. We truly need to reflect on whether we have withdrawn into our own corners, content with the comfort of “like-minded circles,” while neglecting to care for those we encounter daily who have yet to receive salvation. Worse still, have we unknowingly placed obstacles that hinder people from knowing the Lord?

          Whether it is the Mission Conference, the church anniversary, or Christmas, we are certainly grateful to be able to gather together in Christ! Yet, at the heart of it all is the hope that all people may hear the gospel and come to know the Lord. For this October’s church anniversary, I believe that the best gift we could offer to our Heavenly Father is to lead people to Christ so that they can receive salvation!