Title: Taiwan's Christians Participate in Global Day of Prayer Taiwan Church News 2832 5-11 June 2006 Reported by Tio Lian-kip, Chiou Kuo-rong, Gu Hao-jan. Written by David Alexander
The Global Day of Prayer movement on 4th June rolled through Taiwan with regional meetings in several cities and a major rally in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei where over 10,000 persons gathered. The Rev. Kou Shao-en opened that event asking the congregation, "When Christians notice that people are selfish, covetous, corrupt and rotted, God asks, "What happened to the preservative?" Rev. Chou Sin-cho from Bread of Life Christian Church pointed out that though many people are demanding the resignation of Taiwan's president Chen Shui-bian, the Christians do not necessarily censure him but ask that he engage in reflection, confession and repentance. Rev. Chou added his desire that all people bow together in reflection on whether we should ALL resign.
Rev. Chou noted that June 4th was the 17th anniversary of the events of Tienanmen Square in Beijing. The contrast with that event, on the doorstep of China's government, and this event, at the portal's of Taiwan's Presidential Offices, was stark. Rev. Chou led the crowd to face west and pray for the 100 million Christians in China.
Rev. Kou opined that the weakness of Christians in Taiwan's society had little to do with their small numbers, and more to do with their lack of unity. He said that if Christians do not unify, then the will have no spiritual power, and be like salt that has lost its savor. He said, "Adversity can bring people before God." Although the nation faced difficulties, and many people were discouraged, yet we are not cast down, because we come before God in prayer adversity can be transformed to hopefulness.
Leaders of Taiwan's Charismatic and Evangelical churches, which at times are engaged in rivalry, joined on the platform of the assembly in confession and repentance for their past divisions. They were joined by the Rev. Chang Te-chien, General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT), who represented the mainline churches. Together these three pastors called for church unity.
The closing prayer was led by the Rev. Dr. C. M. Kao, former general secretary of the PCT who served over 4 years imprisonment on political charges early in the 1980's. Dr. Kao led all to join hands and thank God for the gift of this nation, this homeland, this island to the people who reside here. He prayed for the unity of political factions, ethnic groups and churches that this might become a land of blessing and love.
Elsewhere around Taiwan, in Taichung City, 3, 000 believers gathered at Chung-hsing University. Another 700 met outdoors in the rain in I-lan where they were joined by the county magistrate. Lu Kuo-hwa. In Chia-yi City 350 people representing several congregations a diverse group of denominational affiliations joined at Pei-rong Presbyterian Church, and in Kaohsiung 3,000 celebrated under the leadership of a Methodist youth choir on the banks of the Love River.
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