Taiwan's Presbyterian pioneers

In line with its rich history of social and evangelistic outreach, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan is entering the new millennium with renewed passion for the Gospel, 

explains William J K Lo

For over a hundred years, the Taiwanese have perceived churches in Taiwan as outsiders, at the edge of society. Indeed, Christians make up only five per cent of the population, while the rest follow Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Chinese folk-religion.

Yet the Church has had a large impact on Taiwanese society. The early missionaries introduced Taiwan to a holistic message that embraced social service, particularly in education and health. The first schools, hospitals and printing press can trace their origins to the early missionaries - a heritage easily over looked by society today.

Several pioneering projects of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) are now well established and continue to serve ethnic and minority groups. For instance, the PCT runs an aborigine concerns centre, a centre for the disabled, a fishermen's service centre, a labour concern centre, the Rainbow Project for sex workers, and a women's development centre in Taipei. Recently we set up the first ministries for the terminally ill in the Church's hospitals, the Pine Life University for senior citizens, and many ministries for migrant workers.

Immediately after the earthquake that hit Taiwan on 21 September 1999, the PCT started relief work. Once the initial rescue efforts were over, the PCT began to focus on rehabilitation and reconstruction. The church is committed to an initial four years of ministry and projects, including the provision of 150 units of temporary housing and the setting up of rehabilitation centres to work alongside the churches and communities in the disaster areas. Already 17 such centres are established and run by full-time staff.

Since thc1970s the PCT has also promoted democracy, human rights, and Taiwan's right to determine its own future. In 1977 the church issued Declaration on Human Rights calling for Taiwan's independence from China, which sees the island as a rebel province. In 1991 the church's Public Statement on the Sovereignty of Taiwan called for a better relationship between China and Taiwan, but insisted that neither had sovereignty over the other.

But Taiwan is still isolated internationally - China blocks its access to the United Nations and bullies countries into refusing diplomatic ties with Taiwan. It's like a new form of apartheid as Taiwan's 22 million people strive for acceptance in the so-called global village.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s the church's activism provoked the nationalist Kuomintang Party (KMT) to monitor its activities. The government sent spies to church meetings and occasionally confiscated documents.

The PCT's leading voice in the self-determination movement helped the country's Democratic Progressive Party defeat the KMT on 18 March 2000. To show his recognition, President-elect Chen Shui-bian participated in a 40-minute service with the church's 100 head-office staff three days after the election. We prayed for him, asking God to give him wisdom.

Now as ever, the PCT stands alongside the Taiwanese people as they search for a true sense of belonging, the right to determine their future and a new nationhood. Constantly living under the threat of China, we have a deep concern and burden for justice, peace and security for our country and the whole Asia-Pacific region.

We believe in building community internationally, but also locally. The PCT is trying to contextualise its mission to find ways of identifying with the people and be rooted in the land.

This is why the General Assembly and the recently set up PCT Research and Development Centre have launched the 21st Century New Taiwan Mission Movement Project. First, it seeks to make God's kingdom a reality in people's lives through bible reading, prayer and communal action. Second, it enables church members to live out discipleship as part of one body, proclaiming the Gospel, witnessing and drawing people to God.

Third, it builds up koinonia ("fellowship" in Greek). The Christian doctrine of the Trinity reveals koinonia as Father, son and Holy Spirit live in fellowship as one. Koinonia also refers to intimate relations between human and divine and sharing and fellowship between humans. So the church will enter community at all levels to be a witness of the Gospel.

Evangelism is a crucial part of the PCT's mission, too. The PCT plants an average of 10 congregations each year. Several PCT pastors have participated in the Evangelism Explosion training. From our experience the most effective evangelism is done at a personal level. And our focus is not only on changed lives for the Lord, but also on nurture and service through participation in the church family and wider community.

We've tried to encourage this since 1998 through the Reading the Bible with New Eyes programme. It's an ecumenical movement for church renewal that calls individuals and congregations to return to the Word of God and apply it in the context of our culture and the religious, social, economic and political climate of Taiwan today. Reading the Bible isn't the goal, it's an essential way to let God's Word permeate our lives, to prepare us to change our lives from within and proceed into the world.

Rev. William J K Lo is general secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan.