Training leaders in Asia

We are so grateful for Baptist training facilities that are located across Asia.  In Taiwan, the Taiwan Baptist Theological Seminary stands out as a beacon of light to train men and women to carry out our Lord’s Great Commission  —- to GO, TEACH, and BAPTIZE among all nations.  The Taiwan Baptist Theological Seminary beginnings date back to 1952. Located in east Taipei, this center of learning is filled with great legacy and history as students have walked through these halls.

The history includes a partnering of both missionary and local Chinese leaders to bring this institution to life.  Much could be said about the history of the seminary; however, the most important resources are the people who  have trained as well as the students who have journeyed into ministry positions.

We have a precious opportunity to pray for this ministry. The needs for pastors and  church leaders in Taiwan and across Asia are great.  Taiwan and other countries as well help to support and train our church leaders to carry the Gospel to the nations.

Pray for:

• Dr. Tsai, the president of Taiwan Baptist Theological Seminary, as he leads.
• Pray for the other staff at the seminary as they seek to teach and train current and future leaders in Taiwan and beyond.
• Pray for the needed resources, financial and personnel, necessary to continue ministry.
• Pray for students who will be registering for the 2014-15 school year.
• Pray also for the role that the seminary plays in encouraging and ministering to churches and church leaders across Taiwan and beyond.

The EASTER message

At Easter celebration time, what is the real message for us?  I’m sure that there are a lot of answers that can be given, but among them would be RESURRECTION, RESTORATION, AND NEW LIFE.  One person has said that “Resurrection power works best in graveyards.”  In our world today there are many seemingly hopeless situations that desperately need resurrection power – hope – and new life. And FAMILIES are one of those areas. Families are the foundation of a community, society and country.  Some have said that as the family goes so goes the nation. Unfortunately, today many families are hurting, and for us as Christians, this is definitely an opportunity to ♥LOVE MORE♥ and show Christ’s love in a hurting world.  It’s our desire to see healthy families.

At our local church in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, God has given us a lot of challenges AND opportunities to reach out to families.  We have after school care to help with homework and school issues.  We have children’s ministry on Sunday.  Small groups also reach into families and give personal attention to specific needs.  Small groups for youth, young adults, and older adults are also provided,  And there are also special outings and activities for everyone during the year.  Through these connection points, God has continually introduced us to families from all kinds of circumstances.  The Taiwanese have a proverb that says, “One kind of rice feeds a hundred kinds of people.”  What it is really saying is that there are ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE.
We are all different, and ministry to families has to take that into account.  So this is definitely not a one-size-fits-all kind of ministry.
Young and old alike make up these FAMILIES. Recently I saw two little boys whose mom has recently abandoned the family.  This is definitely an opportunity to reach out to this hurting family with God’s love. They are not Christians, BUT they do have Christians in their family.  The church is reaching out to them.  There are a number of families in our community that need encouragement and assistance.  Pray for our church staff and teachers.  Pray for hearts in our community to be open to TRUTH, and for strength for these families to make wise decisions.  Issues such as alcoholism, gambling, abandonment, divorce, abuse, and other similar challenges must be addressed.  For this church, reaching out to families with Christ’s love is a priority.  It’s messy, and takes a lot of time and resources — BUT  it’s the right thing to do.  Pray with us that a great transformation will take place in the community surrounding this church.  That’s the EASTER message — it’s all about NEW LIFE IN CHRIST.

History in the Making – HIS Story

God has so many ways of just surprising us, and last week was one of those huge events that is God-sized and beyond anything we might have imagined.  Thirty years ago when our family arrived in Taiwan, we had no idea that we would see God mobilize HIS people to work together and share HIS love like HE has. One of our Hokkien partners said “this is an historic occasion”.

On Friday, April 4, Hokkien co-workers from East Asia and Southeast Asia met together to commission a local leader in the official launching of another Hokkien Harvest team.  Over fifty co-workers representing more than twenty different churches joined together for this special celebration.  The cooperation between workers focused on the vision to see “a multitude of Hokkien speaking people from every country knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ” is moving to a new level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We thank God for this step of faith taken by these co-workers.  We praise God for HIS faithfulness, and we ask you to join all of us in prayer as we pray for opportunities that lie ahead to:

* Share HIS love

*Train workers

*Mobilize and network

*Encourage existing ministry

Thank you for your partnership with Hokkien workers across the nations.

Hokkien Harvest International