Tungning Church begins evangelistic training in time for 50th anniversary

From "Taiwan Church News" <[email protected]>
Date Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:17:05 -0800

 
3063 Edition

November 8~14, 2010

Church Ministry News

Tungning Church begins evangelistic training in time for 50th 
anniversary

Reported by Chen Yi-hsuan

Written by Lydia Ma

To prepare for its 50th anniversary next year and equip its members 
to witness to others, Tungning Presbyterian Church in Tainan has 
launched a series of evangelistic events. The first event of the 
series was a 3-part seminar on November 6, 2010, featuring Dr. Cheng 
Yang-en, professor of church history at Taiwan Theological College 
and Seminary.

Cheng spoke on the history of Christianity in Taiwan and how the 
Christian faith has influenced Taiwanese people, society, and 
culture. He gave a brief overview of many missionaries as role models 
for contemporary Christians to follow when it comes to fulfilling 
their own social responsibilities and engaging in today's political 
and social issues.

Cheng especially cited George L. Mackay, Thomas Barclay, David 
Landsborough, and others as examples of missionaries who came to 
Taiwan and used cutting-edge methods to help people understand the 
gospel better.

A question-and-answer session followed Cheng's lecture where 
attendees stayed on to raise questions relating to the 
commercialization of churches and the perceived silencing and 
aloofness of churches vis-a-vis social injustices of the day. One 
attendee even pointed out that Taiwanese seminarians nowadays seem 
locked up in their ivory towers and unaware of the challenges the 
average Christian faces. 

”Why did missionaries come all the way to Taiwan? They were the cream 
of the crop in their own countries – highly educated and highly 
experienced – why did they choose to come here?” asked Rev. Lin 
Jui-lung. 

He went on to emphasize that all of these missionaries weren't 
satisfied with merely serving within their own churches, but stepped 
outside church walls to serve the masses as well. 

Inspired by examples these missionaries have set, church leaders 
decided to make “Stepping out” the theme of the church's 50th 
anniversary. The church plans to hold a series of concerts and 
outreach events in time for the Christmas season, but it also plans 
to train members to become counselors in time for such events.