Title: Taiwanese Church, in Concern for Mainlanders, Begins to Worship in Mandarin Taiwan Church News 2822 27 March -2 April 2006 Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong. Written by David Alexander
Nei-li Presbyterian Church in northern Taiwan¡¦s industrial city of Chung-li, is situated in an urban re-development zone. In recent years newly constructed housing nearby has attracted many residents of China Mainland background to the area. Out of concern for the spiritual needs of these neighbours the church instituted Mandarin language worship last October. The Rev. Wei Chien-shyang says that even though the political preferences and orientations of the people in his parish may differ from his own, yet the word of God transcends the ¡§green-blue¡¨ division of Taiwan¡¦s political culture.
Since Mandarin language worship was instituted six months ago the number of Mainlanders affiliated with the congregation has increased to 30. Rev. Wei says, ¡§Because the church had already transformed itself into a cell-group model, the style of our fellowship life changed, so at first there was no great need to assemble the Mandarin speakers into a separate fellowship group.¡¨ Though the church has begun to worship in Mandarin it has not designed a specific ¡§Mainlanders¡¦ outreach plan, project, policy or method.¡¨ Much to the contrary, it has merely involved itself in the lives of its neighbours by lessening the distance between itself and them.
When these new residents began to move into the community, some stopped by the church asking if it held worship in Mandarin. That¡¦s when their spiritual needs became an issue for the church, and its elders and deacons took a quick decision to begin to offer what was being requested.
Rev. Wei says that though he himself was born and raised in the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) and affirms its theological stances, political concern and hope for the independence of Taiwan, yet with the Mainlander sisters and brothers now involved in his congregation he does not put these commitments into the fore. He sees his influence in these areas to be limited. The Mandarin speakers in his church well know the history and positions of the PCT, so he doesn¡¦t make much of them. He prefers to go around the disagreements and focus on church ministry and unity.
The cross-ethnic and cross-party nature of his congregation has led Rev. Wei to alter his focus on mission. ¡§In church meetings, we avoid mention of anything political, and focus only on the Bible¡¨. He sees life as being complex enough and needful mutuality for its very continuance, so he stays away from areas where all sides know there will be disagreement. ¡§Through faith we can see the green within the blue, and the blue within the green, and accept each other.¡¨ Theologically, he sticks to the basics, calling sheep of all flocks into an inclusive fold from which none should feel excluded.
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