PCT’s work in URM equips pastors, strengthens suffering people

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

      Taiwan Church News

      3055 Edition

      September 13~19, 2010

       

       

      PCT’s work in URM equips pastors, strengthens suffering people

       

      Reported by Sam Lee

      Written by Lydia Ma

      Photo by Sam Lee

       

       



      Taiwan’s Urban Rural Mission (URM) took flight in the 1990s as 
martial law ended and 

      Taiwanese democracy strengthened and there were no longer 
reasons to keep this ministry 

      under wraps. URM, which emphasizes on advancing love, justice, 
human rights through non-

      violent means is a ministry started by World Council of 
Churches in Geneva. URM is both 

      international and inter-religious.

       



      “URM is emphasizes expressing solidarity with suffering people 
– this is its point of 

      departure,” said PCT pastor and one of URM’s lecturers, Rev. 
Cheng Kuo-chung. It delves into 

      social problems and people’s hardships and develops 
organizational structures to help and 

      unify oppressed people into a force to be reckoned with.

       



      PCT places great emphasis on training pastors and seminarians 
are required to apply for 

      various training programs offered by their presbyteries during 
the first few years of their 

      ministries. Examples include URM, Third-Party Neutral, 
Open-Space Technology, and spiritual formation courses. 

       



      These classes, which can range from 3 to 5 days, help pastors 
minister with love, effect 

      change in their communities, care for God’s creation, and 
further hone their character and confirm their calling.

       



      PCT Associate General Secretary Lyim Hong-tiong remarked that 
some pastors had 

      commented that URM seemed irrelevant to evangelism or missions. 
But he opined that the 

      gospel must be seen in a new light when it comes to URM and 
pointed to Jesus, who often 

      surrounded himself with oppressed people, as an example for 
bringing good news to people 

      in the midst of their suffering.

       



      Lyim reiterated that evangelism and missions must speak to 
common folks in their place of 

      suffering. He added that many people from other religious 
affiliations first heard of the gospel 

      because of their involvement with URM and later became 
Christians. Notable examples 

      include Taiwan Association of University Professors Chairman 
Tsai Ting-kuei and DPP 

      Hakka Committee Chairman Yang Chang-chen.

       



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