The Best of Times

We just returned from attending the Taiwan Chinese Baptist Convention for 2014. Without a doubt we feel it was the best convention meeting here that we have ever attended. It was so special. We are touched as pastors shared how God has led them to disciple their people, equip them for ministry and even begin new work.

As we looked around (since we came to Taiwan 30 years ago), it was easy to see how the people have changed. We were excited to see these younger pastors with their zealous hearts share God’s love not only here but beyond the shores of this island as well. You may have heard the phrase, Back2Jerusalem — taking the Gospel from Asia all the way back to Jerusalem. Well we also heard the phrasie T2J — Taking the Gospel from Taiwan through people groups all the way back to Jerusalem. How exciting.

CHANGE is not always a welcome thing, but as we saw these changes in discipleship, ministry outreach, new church work and strategies for international ministry we were so thrilled!!! To God be the glory. These few days were filled with testimonies, good ministry reports, great food, beautiful scenery and sweet fellowship. Here are a few photos from our time together. We give Praise to the Father for His work among us.

It can hardly get better than this!

We have all prayed for God’s love to pierce the darkness among the Hokkien and draw people to himself.  Well, today was some special day for us!  With a typhoon on the way, this afternoon we drove about 1.5 hours north of our city to partner with a local church in beginning a new Taiwanese ministry in an area where there is no church. Let me just say, God has been at work and HIS timing is perfect.

We met the pastor and two team members at their church, and they introduced us to a Christian who would take us to their home to begin this new ministry.  This co-worker graduated from seminary some time ago, and through a series of circumstances felt led to begin a work in their hometown and start with their family.  This seminary graduate was the only Christian in the family at that time.  God showed up BIG time.  The mother, who speaks no Mandarin, shared her story with us today.  She told us of the dream that she had and Jesus appeared to her telling her not to go back to the temple where she had worshiped but to worship Him, and all would be well.  Through the witness of their child, God spoke into their hearts and they believed and were baptized last year.  The family also experienced real trauma last year when the father became seriously ill and was taken to the hospital.  During this time, they also discovered that he had a brain tumor that started causing his eye to close and he was losing the sight in that eye.  The family prayed —- and with no “reasonable” explanation, it all disappeared and he was completely well. They know that God healed him. Before he was not even able to walk!  Today, as we stood by the pond in their front yard where they raise fish, you would never know that he had experienced anything like that.

As the family shared these wonderful testimonies with us, that wasn’t the only highlight of the day.  They had also invited a neighbor friend, a wife, to join us for worship.  We sang a simple chorus then listened while Robert and Pastor Chhoa shared what it means to become a follower of Jesus Christ.  God’s timing is impeccable, and she was ready to receive Christ.  Pray for her because this is just the beginning.

God’s timing is always right —- we met under trees in a shady area near this family’s home. Just as we completed our time together it started to sprinkle.  We said our goodbyes, and as we started home for Kaohsiung, the typhoon rains began to pour.  We made it home safely and are waiting to see what the typhoon has in store for us. We are so thankful for the time spent together with these precious people.

September has been a unique month.  Three new works have started this month! The first work began on September 1 with a special celebration.  The second new start. which is also in SE Asia, is happening this weekend with special activities and an evangelism event.  This ministry today makes number three.  Pray for the darkness among the Hokkien people to continue to be dispersed and for more and more people to come to know God’s love, saving grace and peace. You know the most amazing thing about these three ministries — ALL of them already have ministry leaders to direct them.  That seems almost impossible. What did God say?  Pray to the LORD OF THE HARVEST!  That has been one of our ongoing prayer requests. Thank you so much for coming along beside us as partners. Here are a few photos from our journey today. Blessings . . .

A QUICK PRAYER REQUEST!

Good news travels fast, and we’re excited to share with you.  We will be traveling to the Lin-Feng-Ying (Taiwanese: Lim-Hong-Ia*) 林鳳營 area of south Taiwan on Saturday to help begin a new work in an area with no church.  Prayers needed!  Once again God has given us the privilege of partnering with a local church and good friends to launch this ministry.

The Xin-Ying Baptist Church uses Mandarin in their worship but as is often true in Taiwan, the church is composed of people who are bilingual.  We are thrilled that two families have become Christians who live in this rural area; however, they do not really speak Mandarin.  So the church leadership immediately saw the need to launch a Taiwanese language ministry  The first meeting in one of these homes will be on Saturday afternoon, September 20.   We’re planning to be there.  However, we want to add that a typhoon is headed our way and warnings have been given for Saturday and Sunday.  We trust the Lord with HIS guidance, and ask you to pray for us as we travel and for the local co-workers as we seek to serve in this new ministry area.  We look forward to giving you updates about work among these people.  Thanks so much for your prayer support.

 

Southern Taiwan Baptist Association Meeting 2014

We have to admit that we’ve been around Taiwan and in East Asia for a long time. And one of the special things that we have experienced is to see how God has blessed and transformed things during the 30 year span of our ministry here.  Sunday night was one of those highlights.  As we attended the Southern Taiwan Baptist Association meeting for 2014, we saw how this group of people has changed, matured and evolved.  How exciting to see the organizational structure, ministry directions and team work that have dramatically moved forward over the years.

We also added a photo below from our 2014 Associational Music Festival. The church building was packed! We praise the Lord for all of this wonderful progress. We work with precious people who are great friends, and thought you might enjoy some of the photos from our time together. Please pray for our Baptist co-workers throughout southern Taiwan as they follow in the steps of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers to prayers in the moonlight!

It was a perfect Moon Festival celebration in front of our church building – a beautiful moon – great friends – good food – lots of fireworks – and answers to our prayers. Thanks so much for praying with us. We had a wonderful time with church friends and were thrilled to have families join us whom we have prayed for — AND — honestly speaking did not expect to attend. BUT they did.  Continue to pray that seeds planted will take root and grow to bring glory to God and people to Himself.  Enjoy some special photos in the moonlight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Moon Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon cake Festival or Lantern Festival, is one of the most important festivals of the year for the Chinese peoples around the world, and dates back over 3,500 years.  Held on the 15^th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, the festival is held to celebrate the harvest as well as to worship the moon.

Traditionally, people celebrate by giving moon cakes filled with lotus paste and a salted egg yolk to their friends and neighbors. But today all kinds of creativity findstheir ways into many different kinds of tasty cakes.  People also attend lantern parades holding colorful lanterns, either made from paper or more recently, electronics, and families attend big lantern parades and exhibitions. Firecrackers are also a big part of the celebration.  It ‘s a festive time for sure.

In Taiwan, it’s a very big time for family — for many, the evening is spent grilling out and enjoying the good foods of Taiwan.  As families join together, pray for Christians to find ways to live out God’s love among their relatives.  Pray also for our home church as we lead an Autumn Festival Event in our community on Sunday afternoon.  Then we’ll close out the evening grilling out with our church family.

Happy Moon Festival!

 

Retreaded and on the move!

We’re all familiar with the passage from Matthew 28:19-20 — the Great Commission — that begins with GO.  That’s a very moving passage, but we’re also touched to see how God puts flesh on the GO,  transforms lives and carries out HIS wonderful compelling love.  Today we spent the entire day with a pastor and his wife who live out that special call of God on their lives.

They have served in numerous rolls in churches, ministered as pastor and wife, taught, trained, retired, retreaded and currently the pastor is serving as principal in a Christian led boys’ school for juvenile delinquents.

Now they are looking at a second retirement and contemplating possible camping ground evangelism ministry in Taiwan and who knows what else.  Creative, passionate, fun loving, caring, motivated, energetic . . . well you get the picture.  They’re just two of many great people that God’s has brought into our lives.

Today as we traveled through the southern part of Taiwan, in and out of the city and through the rural countryside, we met all kinds of people, and all with a story.  They told of God’s transforming power in their lives and how they had known this pastor’s family for years and the impact they had on them.  LIFE IMPACTS LIFE.  And during their journey, not long ago, they buried their 35 year old daughter who was also full time in Christian ministry.  Today we had the opportunity to visit her burial site.  Stories of joy and challenges that were covered with God’s love and grace filled our day as we traveled together.

This pastor after serving in the military, opened a Papaya milkshake shop and transformed that into a burger sandwich shack — very successful.  From business into church service and God’s business AND all of that was woven together with God and people at the center.  They love people and it shows — an amazing day with two amazing people.

My take away for today . . . Love GOD with all your heart and love your NEIGHBOR as you love YOURSELF.  Some great advice, huh!