Baptism

We started the year with a baptismal service.

James, a high school student who has been attending the church with his family, proclaimed his faith in Christ by being baptized.

Will you pray that God will work convincing other people of their need to believe in Christ Jesus? How many more  baptisms should we ask God to give our church in 2025?

(We also attended Peter’s baptism at the Chiayi Alliance Church on Dec. 31. It has been an exciting week!)

Happy New Year!

Thank-you for continuing to partner with us and pray for the growth of God’s kingdom in Taiwan.

2025 Building Fund Goal – $23,000

2025 is the second year of a five-year project to raise funds to help with the down-payment on a church facility owned by the church.  Over the five years, our hope is to provide the church with CAD$100,000 to help them purchase a building.

Please pray that God will add more members to the church and provide them with a suitable facility. May God answer that prayer according to His perfect timing.

The link for on-line giving is:  Baozhong Alliance Church Facility

(Note: The final figures for the donations to this fund last year are still being tabulated. We will inform you when they become available.)

Praise and Prayer

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve in Taiwan is known as “The Night of Peace.”

This year the Baozhong Alliance Church will use the evening to proclaim God’s peace by going carolling. Pastor Joshua promoted the event as “flash mob” carolling. The singers will go to homes where they have been invited. During the ten minutes at each house, two carols will be sung, Scripture verses will be read , and Pastor Joshua will pray a blessing.

Please pray that what is done at each location will be a blessing to that family and to their neighbours.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We thank you for your partnership throughout the year, and we look forward to having you join us next year.

Praise and Prayer

Merry Christmas

We want to thank you for your partnership with us throughout 2024.

• As you joined us in praying, we have seen evidence of God at work in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. May God do more than we have asked, more than we have dreamed, more than we can imagine as we reach the finishing line of this year and race into the next.
• Thank-you for your generosity in financially supporting us and the Taiwan ministry. Your financial gifts are helping people hear about Jesus. That is the first step toward belief in the Creator God Who loves and cares about them.

Christmas Day is not a public holiday here in Taiwan, so most of the church celebrations across Taiwan are happening on the weekend prior to Christmas Day. This week’s photo is the poster advertising the Saturday (Dec 21) evening Christmas event at Baozhong Alliance Church.

Please pray that the story of God reconciling humanity to Himself through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ would not get lost in the feasting and commercialization.

Our Prayer is that some people will choose to put their faith in Christ this Christmas.

Last Minute Shopping?

If you are still looking to purchase a gift, we’d like to suggest the The Alliance Canada Christmas gift catalog. You will find a variety of ideas for those people on your list who claim they don’t want anything! Perhaps they will be honored by a donation to a life-changing ministry overseas!

Praise and Prayer

Camp Registration Begins

Deep Sea Camp: Let’s Team Up for an Adventure in the Sea
January 21-24, 2025  8 AM ~ 4 PM

The Publicity Poster is shown above.

Registration has begun. Please pray for students to be attracted to the topic so that they will register to come.

The plan is that each day’s teaching time will include some information about the sea, marine conservation, or sea creatures. What is shared will have a connection to the Bible story that will be told that day.

Please pray for:

1. Students to be excited about attending and parents willing to permit them to do so.
2. Our intern pastor, Kai, as he prepares the lessons to be taught.
3. The team from Victoria Chinese Alliance Church that will come and teach most of the other parts of the program.
4. Pray that all the volunteer leaders will stay healthy as they prepare to share the love of Christ and the message of the gospel to the students.

Registration will happen in the background as we celebrate Christmas with a number of different events.

Praise and Prayer

Advent Begins

Sunday, December 1, is the start of the Christmas Advent Season. Once again, our church is using an Advent Wreath and the lighting of candles to help us build our faith as we prepare for the celebration of Christmas.

The first purple candle is a reminder that Jesus came just over 2000 years ago, and that He is coming again. The challenge is: Are we ready for His return?

On a personal level, listening to the song “It’s About the Cross” is one way we are preparing out hearts for celebrating Christmas.

Financial Support Update

The postal strike in Canada is just one of the challenges making it difficult for those wishing to give a year-end financial gift. The value of the Canadian dollar compared to other world currencies is another. Please pray that God will provide sufficient financial resources for introducing Jesus to those who have not yet heard about Him.

For those wishing to contribute, we recommend giving through your local Alliance Church or giving online. Suggestions that you may want to consider for a year-end gift include:

1. Baozhong Alliance Church Facility Project – Please pray that God will help us reach the goal of CAD$20,000 by the end of the year.
2. Global Advance Fund – Supporting international workers like us as we invite others to become Christ-following disciples.
3. The Global Emergency Response Fund – providing warmth, food, and hope to those enduring unimaginable hardship in Ukraine and elsewhere.

Thank-you for praying for God to provide funds for each need.

Praise and Prayer

Selection

We saw this fruit stand this last week. The quality is excellent. There is an abundant selection.

People can pick and choose what they wish to purchase. If they do not see the desired item here, they can look elsewhere. The consumer-shopkeeper relationship is very transactional. The buyer is looking for a shop that sells the desired fruit.

Traditional Taiwanese religious practices are sometimes viewed similarly. Incense and offerings are presented to a deity so that blessing can be obtained. If the god of one temple is unable to give the supplicant peace, fortune, promotion, health, or a suitable significant other, etc., then the petitioner may go to a different temple and make the request of another deity. There is a very practical and transactional nature to the relationship between the god and the worshipper.

Success, wealth, and power are common prayers. The hope is that the acquisition of these things will endow the petitioner with honour and freedom from fear. Escaping shame and obtaining respect are foundational aspects of the culture here. There is also a fear of calamity or adverse fortune that people face daily.

As Christ-followers share the good news about Christ Jesus, we need to share how being reconciled in a relationship with God restores the honour that sin has stolen. An intimate life lived in relationship with the Prince of Peace will free people from being controlled by fear. Both of these deep-seated needs are met by Christ.

Please pray that the sharing of these important truths, particularly during the Christmas season, will attract many more people to belief in Christ.

Praise and Prayer

Getting Old

Some of us are very aware that we are getting older. Taiwan is not the only country experiencing the greying of society.

A recent headline on an online news site reported that 18.76% of Taiwan’s population is aged 65 or above. Since 2018, the number of seniors living here has increased by more than one million. We older folks are now more than 25% of Taiwan’s population.

The birth rate has also fallen, creating pressure on Taiwan’s population numbers from both ends of the age spectrum. Projections are that the number of people living in Taiwan will decrease by about ten million people over the next 50 years.

These demographic shifts are a concern for those sharing the good news about Jesus in Taiwan. Historically, the elderly have been less interested in hearing about Jesus, and more resistant to considering a change in their belief systems. Many of the people who have contributed to make Taiwan what it is today are facing a Christ-less eternity.

In recent months, the other evangelical church in town has seen some success in reaching out to the older much respected segment of society. Their Sunday morning services now include simultaneous translation (Taiwanese and Mandarin). Our church ministry includes visitation of some who admit they are over 65.

Please pray that God will grow His kingdom among the older generation of Taiwan’s society.

Praise and Prayer

Rested and Ready

We are back from our beach vacation. We have lots of memories–quiet times of rest, watching waves, and first-time visits to some scenic areas. We enjoyed the hiking. We praise God that the typhoon blew through so quickly and that we had a safe place to shelter.

It is good to be quickly involved again in ministry.

• Discussing plans for Christmas programming.
• Preparing Sunday School lessons (Kathy-Lu) sermons (Lorne), and English-teaching lessons (both of us).
• Planning for Winter Camp and searching for additional volunteer leaders.
• Coordinating those who will lead the Pre-Global Gathering short-term mission trip to Taiwan.

We praise God for the time of restoration.
May He fill us with His power and guide us to serve Him well.

Praise and Prayer

Numerical Growth

Baozhong Alliance Church joined with two other Alliance churches being started in Yunlin County and one being started in Chiayi County for an October 27 Outdoor Service. This is an annual event and the number of participants this year was greater than in previous years.

Please praise God with us and ask God to add people to each of the four churches.

Praise and Prayer

Unexpectedly Fresh 

We travelled to Taipei a few days ago. We were surprised to see vegetables being grown underground in the subway. It is a special display of how Taiwan is using technology to overcome the weather and geographical challenges when growing vegetables. Here’s more about that “Smart Greenhouse.”

Helping people grow in their spiritual lives is an important part of discipleship. We do not use greenhouses, but we are continually looking for creative methods to help people learn.

Please pray for Pastor Joshua as he works to create a training module on Friendship Evangelism.

Praise and Prayer