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Title: Mass Baptism at Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Kaohsiung City
Taiwan Church News 2740, 30 August - 5 September 2004
Reported by Hsiao Shiuh-ching .  Translated and Rewritten by David Alexander

At morning worship on August 22nd 63 people were baptized at Yenching
(Iam-kia) Presbyterian Church in Kaohsiung City. There were 28 adult baptisms,
16 confirmations and 19 child baptisms.  People coming to Christian faith from
non-Christian backgrounds formed the bulk of those receiving the sacrament.
Among the children most came through the congregation's neighborhood
ministries. Of those youth being confirmed the lion's share were people who
had long years of non-participation in the congregation's life.
Head of staff Ha Bun-hak (Hsia Wen-hsueh) and community ministries pastor Chai
Siok-hoa said that the church had run no special programmes to get this
response. They had merely persisted in the usual run of book discussion
groups, bible study classes, and fasting & prayer meetings.
  As people came forward to receive baptism the church accompanist played
"Amazing Grace". Some of the new Christians shared their testimonies. One
doctor said, "Since I came to faith in the Lord I have been more loving to my
wife and children. I really want to show more concern for my family." Many
others spoke of a new zeal for their faith and a decisive break with
idolatrous practices of the past.
  Rev. Ha said that his church remains very traditional. It has neither
adopted the "worship and praise" style popular in other congregations nor
"gone charismatic." Members of Yenching church generally come simply to
worship.  If there's anything out of the ordinary, it is their passion for
reading and discussion of books and the Bible and their frequent resort to
fasting and prayer. Rev. Ha feels that the Holy Spirit has been calling and
transforming the church of late, and testifies that the recent two years have
been particularly out of the ordinary.
   Community ministries pastor Chia Siok-hoa relates how a couple of years
back the church was on a maintenance basis, just going along. Every Sunday was
just another Sunday. The aging congregation continued to age.  The women's
fellowship group had only 7 participants, all of whom were more than 70 years
old. Rev. Ha adds how he was saddened to be pastor to an ever-shrinking crowd.
He spent more time than he cared for involved with funerals and cemeteries.
  Things began to change when a friend gave Ms. Chia a copy of the book "The
Purpose Driven Life". She used this as the basis for a book discussion with
the women's fellowship over lunch. Attendance increased, to 8.
The women persisted, however, inviting others to their discussions.
Eventually they had a group of 40. After 8 weeks of study, Ms. Chia discovered
that all had enjoyed the time, so she continued to operate the luncheon as a
time for reading and discussing other books of spiritual significance.
  Following Palm Sunday this year she began to promote fasting and prayer
meetings. She invited church members to join her for one day at the church, or
to remain anywhere they wanted, and spend time in prayer. From one person, to
forty persons, to a hundred to a hundred and fifty and eventually to two
hundred, the fasting and prayer movement expanded. The church was transformed.
   Yenching Church is part of Kaohsiung Presbytery, which will soon celebrate
its 140th anniversary. The presbytery has a numerical goal of growing by 1000
members in the coming year. Rev. Ha says that when the goal was set he was not
optimistic, but having seen 63 added to the number of Christians in one day,
he is now encouraged. The formula, he says, is dependence on God and prayer.
Renewal comes. The presbytery's goal is suitable and attainable as an
expression of the return of the love that God has shown to the church.

For More Information: Yenching (Iam-kia)Presbyterian Church
pct.yan@msa.hinet.net
                   Ha Bun-hak (Hsia Wen-hsueh) whsia@seed.net.tw
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