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Wer were all very excited when we could begin with the conference program. Our main speaker Pastor James Xia who had just come from mainland China two days ago talked to the topic "Give Expatriates a Fair Chance". On the example of Ruth and Boas he reminded the pastors and ministers in Taiwans churches to learn five points: To humiliate oneself before God(1), to love and embrace a foreigner(2), to see his needs and to take care of him(4), to teach him the Word of God and to send him (5). For the later points Pastor Xia used the early church at Pentecost with its apostolic teaching as the strongest witness of teh standard international church-ilfe concept of Jerusalem.
Impressions of our 3rd. TECC Missions-Conference in Taichung (23.10.06)Participants came from as far as U.S. and Canada with Taiwanese taking the way from Hsinchu, Taoyuan, Taipei and Greater Taichung under their feet to at least see what the conference is all about. Around 30+ people filled the room. The special Foreign Language Gospel Literature Exhibiton was well attended. Especially the Vietnamese and Thai CD's were among the most wanted items. - The different workshops about the various groups with their often bilingual power-points were good invested times of learning.
Once more Kaibigan, the multilingual mission magazine of the Taipei International Church Tagalog ministry could reported growing public interest and plans to double the number of copies from 5-10,000 per edition next year. In order to give expatriates a fair chance they also must be approached by churches in their respective mother tongue. With such a mission magazine churches could do a much better job. Chinese and Japanese text will be added in the coming editions.
One special contribution we got through the representative of Taiwans Bible Society, introducing their ministry of bible translations in Taiwan. After all to have good bible translation seems to be the key to evangelize specific langauge groups. The Bible Society is willing to receive orders for foreign language bibles to be used among expatriates in Taiwan.
At the end of the conference the next years conference date and place was announce already: 19. October in Hsnichu 2007. An article in Revival Times brought direct first reaction: Three churches ordered gospel material and one 1919 center (in Pingtung with around 2000 expatriates they take care for!)for their ministry among expatriates and in two cases copies of Kaibigan on a regular base. - The efforts seem to bear some fruit. As soon as Chinese text with contributions about migrant theology can be included in the regular Kaibigan edition an article in the Christian media will announce it. Higher number of orders for more Kaibigan copies are expected. -
Outlook: For the coming year the TECC hopes to have Dr. Enoch Wen and maybe some more Migrant Theologians in Taiwan for lectures at some theological seminaries. To bring these peoples and the seminaries timetables together is not an easy job. Your prayer for this is appreciated!