Taiwan Church News

3203 Edition

July 15-21, 2013

Editorial

On the third Sunday of July each year, it is designated as the PCT's Day of Communication Ministry, which main purpose is toencourage all PCT members to share the vision and preach the good news through the words. Three classical sayings, "Words to Incarnate Logos", "Words to Illuminate Logos" and "Words to Integrate Logos", came from different Chinese classics masters: Chou Dung-yi, Liew Chon-yuan and Han Yu of Song Dynasty. Though there were some minor variance between their thoughts, the main thread was obviously close.

In other words, logos is the purpose yet word is the method; logos is the content yet word is the form. Though "word" owe its existence to "logos", "logos" needs the "word" to manifest and preserve her functions. As "word" own her inexpressible importance among communication, no wonder people would use the old saying, "Speech is wind, Word is tread", to affirm the importance of "Word".

At the very beginning of God's creation, he uses Word to expresses his order and reveals his will. When God dictated the TenCommandment, he inscribed the Word on the tables and declared to the Israelite people through Moses. This is evidently recorded in Exodus 32: 15-16 : " And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables."

God also said to the prophet Habakkuk that "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readit", as in Habakkuk 2:2. Within this bible verse, there were three things that God requested to Habakkuk: You have to write the words of God, in a clear and distinct way, making them easy to read and understand.

In the time of New Testament, the Word came from Jesus. Though Jesus did not write any things left for us to read, hisincarnated life stories and teachings were recorded and preached through the words and sayings. Therefore, the overwhelming function and impact of the words is obviously so important beyond doubt. Through the Word, not only can we incarnate, illuminate and integrate Logos, but also inherit and preserve the Words of God.

In this information explosion age of internet, e-book and multimedia, maybe some people would worry that "word", printed insubstantial paper and book, may be replaced by e-book finally. As people do not have to open book or hand write today. People only need to key in, click or stroll on the screen, in order to read, write or send their messages. As a matter of fact, "word" would not disappear due to such information explosion. On the contrary, due to this very information superhighway, "word" will be communicated more fast, wide and deep within short time and make its added value and function more distinguished.

Since her first publication on July 12th 1885, Taiwan Church Press has went through 128 years. Now she still stands firm andcarries on her evangelical mission to press forward. Sincerely wish Taiwan society can keep praying and supporting the communication ministry of Taiwan Church Press, in order to make the Word to incarnate, illuminate and integrate the Logos from God, and facilitate our mission to preach good news, glorify God and benefit the people.