August 23, 2010
By Hannah Hwang, serving in Taiwan
In partnership with non-Alliance churches every two years, the Alliance church-planting team at Qidu Gospel Center in Keelung, northern Taiwan, hosts a large-scale evangelistic outreach focused on the entire district. This year’s event, which ran from July 31-August 6, featured an evangelism rally, prayer walking, a parade, games, and food. The following adapted excerpt contains Hannah Hwang’s reflections on the experience and what it’s like to minister among such a resistant people group.
The first event our church participated in was singing praise songs with other churches and Christian friends at the local community park and praying for people’s salvation. The following day, about 300 believers, led by local church pastors, participated in the Christian parade/prayer walk in the harbor area of downtown Keelung. During the two-hour parade, the pastors blew horns as the Christians shouted, “Peace and blessings for Keelung!” Some groups of believers gathered at bus stops and train stations to play keyboard and guitar while singing praise songs.
Later that afternoon, the believers prepared food and games for a “fun fair” at the harbor plaza. The fair attracted many passersby, including children. At the center stage, church praise teams and choirs sang and worshipped. It was a good atmosphere to introduce Jesus to the unbelievers and talk about our faith or give them Christian literature/tracts.
During the next five days, all Christians who were able to participate in street evangelism gathered in Keelung again to distribute tracts and invite individuals to come to faith right on the street. About 30 members of a short-term team from South Korea and Hong Kong traversed the city area for two hours to spread the gospel.
A Resistant People
Those who agreed to listen to the “Four Spiritual Laws” were teenagers and college students, but the most resistance came from middle-aged adults. After the entire week’s efforts in sharing about Jesus with the community, we met less than 10 unbelievers who were willing to consider believing in Jesus; many, many Taiwanese simply didn’t want to listen to what we wanted to share with them.
My husband and I have been here in Taiwan for about 10 years proclaiming Jesus, but year after year we observe that Taiwanese hearts constantly and consistently resist the gospel. This year was no exception. All of us concluded that we are thankful for the opportunities to keep on sharing the Name of Jesus with the townspeople and to pray for their salvation.
As much as I pray for the lost people here, I often think about our evangelism work in Taiwan. What’s it worth? How long it will take to be able to see some “fruit”? What else could have been done? Sometimes, though, God reminds me that when a fisherman goes out to catch fish, he anticipates catching a lot of fish but never really knows if he will definitely catch fish that day even as he throws out the net into the water. He can’t possibly know when the fish will get into the net. So the fisherman winds up wondering if he really wants to catch fish. In Taiwan, God has trained me to be a patient “fisher of men,” and He often asks me, “Are you willing to wait for the fish for Me?” And He’s pleased that we keep going out fishing in Taiwan. The Keelung outreach this summer was our effort to go out and throw the net, even though there was not much response from the unbelieving Taiwanese.
The Center of His Will
I am very thankful and joyful because God keeps on giving us opportunities to share His good news with these resistant people. Even without anybody interested in what I proclaim, every time I go out to spread the gospel in someone’s home or the street or market area, I know I am exactly where God wants me to be, saying things He wants me to say as His witness. I am very happy just because I am obeying Him. God’s words and work will bear fruit in Taiwan eventually, and we missionaries realize that God’s will for us is to obey and keep spreading the seeds of gospel in this part of the world.
Prayer is vital as we strive to see Taiwanese trust in the Name of Jesus and their lives change. Thank you very much, U.S. C&MA churches, for praying for the lost people in Taiwan whom the Lord is seeking to save.
What You Can Do
When you give to the Great Commission Fund, you partner with Alliance field workers, like Hannah, in sharing the message of salvation with people who need Jesus.
Learn More
Check out Alliance work in Taiwan.