Taiwan Church News
3189 Edition
April 8-14, 2013
Headline News

Reported by Lin Yi-ying

Written by Lydia Ma

Rev. Andrew Chang, also known as Chang Te-chien, has been the PCT’s General Secretary for the past 8 years. His term will conclude in June of 2013 and he will be succeeded by Rev. Lyim Hong-tiong, who is currently the Associate General Secretary. Lyim’s installation is scheduled to take place this week as the PCT convenes its General Assembly Annual Convention in the auditorium of Mackay Memorial Hospital.

Reflecting on the past 8 years, Chang said he is very grateful for God’s protection and blessing. He is also very grateful to all the program secretaries and staff at the General Assembly Office who gave their all to finish the work that God had entrusted them. Chang added that though he encountered many hard times that sent him to his knees in prayer and resulted in many sleepless nights in the past 8 years, all of these challenges were eventually overcome with God’s protection and through the prayers of many pastors and members. As he finishes his term, he is confident that the PCT is ready to enter a new era of evangelism when it relies on God’s power.

Chang said that he began to direct all PCT’s ministries based on the theme of “Identify, Commit, and Grow” shortly after assuming office in 2005. His vision for the PCT in terms of evangelism evolved over time from home-based to church-based, society-based, country-based, and ecumenical-based. Focusing on holistic evangelism as an underlying theme, he set out a 10-year plan aimed at directing PCT parishioners in living out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission and becoming God’s ambassadors through their lives.

Under Chang’s leadership, the PCT General Assembly created a Gender Justice Committee. It also played a leading role in rescue and relief efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot. The PCT also launched a digital revolution during Chang’s term as the General Assembly strengthened its Information Center and helped Taiwan Church Press start the Taiwan Church News Network (TCNN). These innovations furthered the gospel in Taiwan and made evangelism more multidimensional.

Commenting on one particular achievement over the past 8 years that brings him great comfort as he looks back on his term in office, Chang said that he is glad to have succeeded in shifting the focus of PCT General Assembly Annual Conventions to evangelism. Because of this shift, a sense of ownership has developed among PCT parishioners and they no longer call the General Assembly “YOUR General Assembly” when they speak to him about the central office, but rather, “OUR General Assembly”. Chang thanked his staff for this change and gave praise and glory to God.

Commenting on his successor, whom he has worked with closely in the same office for the past 8 years, Chang prayed that God would grant Lyim wisdom and power to become a good steward. He knows Lyim to be a hardworking, responsible, God-loving, and people-loving pastor and wishes Lyim and his new team all the best as they continue to take the gospel to all corners of Taiwanese society. Chang is confident that “God is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

As for Lyim, who is scheduled to take the helm of the PCT in July of 2013 as its 7th General Secretary, he is thankful to God for his guidance and for selecting him to be the new General Secretary. He especially urged all parishioners to pray for him and his staff so that they may be conscientious in taking care of all that God has entrusted them. Lyim said he will continue to promote the PCT’s “One-leads-One, New Doubling Movement” and start to prepare for the PCT’s 150th anniversary in 2015. He hopes churches can present a fragrant offering to God by then by increasing the number of people saved through hearing and accepting the gospel. He also hopes that the New Doubling Movement will continue until the year 2020.

Speaking about PCT’s vision, Lyim underscored that the PCT passed it confession of faith in 1985, wherein it stated clearly that it identified with all of Taiwan’s inhabitants, and through love and suffering would become a sign of hope. He urged all pastors to equip themselves to be Jesus’ faithful servants and to be God’s light and salt in Taiwan through faith, hope, and love. Lyim also called on pastors to lead Taiwanese citizens in building a country that would be blessed by God.

Lyim said that becoming the General Secretary of the PCT is a calling and a new chapter in his life and he is aware that there will be plenty of challenges in the future awaiting him. With this in mind, he urged parishioners to work together, love one another, and support one another, so that they may accomplish the work God has entrusted them. He hopes that everyone will strive to be God’s faithful steward and glorify God by “doing what is right, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.”