Taiwan Church News 3836 Edition Sept 1 ~ 7, 2025 Weekly Topical Celebrating PCT160, Missionary Forum Held to Explore Mission Potentials through Diverse Ministries Reported by Dalul from Hsinchu To celebrate PCT 160, a mission forum entitled as “Diversity of PCT Ministries”, was held at Presbyterian Bible College in Hsinchu from September 1 to 3. Highlighting cases of local church ministry in main sessions, the participants were invited to explore the missionary potentials from current Taiwan contexts. A total of 210 pastors and co-workers attended the forum. At the first day of the forum, Rev Pan En-sheng, moderator of PCT General Assembly, hosted an opening service. Quoting Matthew 28:18-20, he preached a sermon on how to become “disciples of the Lord”. He reminded that the authority given by our Lord Jesus Christ is not only about the mission, but also calls upon church members to treat each other in fellowship, bring people to Christ through the repentance of their own lives, and become disciples to follow the way of the Lord. Rev Chen Hsin-liang, general secretary of PCT General Assembly, pointed out in his speech that since two history-breaking missions of Dr James Laidlaw Maxwell to launch at Tainan in 1865 and Dr George Leslie MacKay to preach in northern Taiwan in 1872, PCT had always adhered to the mission initiated by God despite horrific wars and turbulent regime changes. “Facing today’s rapid geopolitical and social changes,” said Rev Chen, “PCT needs to listen the calling for doing a ‘holistic mission’: not only to preach the gospel, but also to train believers, serve social communities, carry on to reform, and become a reliable strength for Taiwan.” Especially, at the last year within the first quarter of “The 21st Century New Taiwan Mission Movement”, Rev Chen sincerely hoped that PCT can stand firm to co-ordinate social resources, deepen missionary network, and continue to play an important witness to Taiwan and the ecumenical movements. In the interview, Rev Chen Zher-ying, executive secretary of PCT 160 Missionary Forum, expressed that the church’s faithful practice of God’s mission is an important missionary witness. “When the missionary theory concludes that diverse missionary practices should start from practical ministries from bottom up”, emphasized he, “mission is not an abstract discourse, but a holistic and participatory action.” Through the practice of local church ministries, we reflect and do theology from real contexts and respond further to the call of faith communities, he said. In the forum, sessions of nine local ministry cases were divided into four categories: “mission of urban churches”, “mission of rural/tribal churches”, “mission of pioneering ministry” and “mission of presbyteries and institutions”. On September 2nd, Rev Zeng Yang-en, director of PCT Faith and Order Committee, delivered a keynote speech entitled as “The Church Touting the Life and Inclusion”, to reflect major missionary movements within ecumenical church in the past 20 years. Meanwhile, Ms Liu Shyh-fang, Minister of the Interior, was invited to give a lecture themed as “Whole-Society’s Defense Resilience”. “From the perspective of national policies, social disaster prevention and war risks,” said she, “it echoed how the church can utilize its influence in local community and become an indispensable force to enhance whole-society’s defense resilience.” Rev Chen Zher-ying reminded that the church’s mission should not follow a mono-successful model only, but also should recognize God’s callings in different situations to participate in HisMissio Dei. “What we should think about the mission is to figure out how to become part of it,” said he, “each PCT presbytery should hold similar missionary forum in its own context: That is to invite veteran pastors exchanging ideas with church leaders, encourage local pastors setting out evangelical plans with enthusiasm, promote holistic service to local church and communities in order to proclaim the kingdom of God!” Translated by Peter Wolfe |