Taiwan Church News
3713 Edition
April 24 ~ 30, 2023
Headline News
Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong from Taipei
Translated by Peter Wolfe
The 68th PCT General Assembly was held from April 18 to 20 at the Caesar Hotel in Taipei City. Entitled as “Inheriting the Kingdom of God and Forging a New Order”, this year 2023 is designated as the Year of Youth. Rev Dai Suo-chin, moderator of the 67th PCT General Assembly, preached in the opening service with a subject as “To Be Crowned, Bear its Weight”. Stressing the need to learn from Jesus Christ as a model, imitate his sacrificial and humble lives, Rev Dai urged all the ministers and G.A. senators to care for youth and campus missions, especially when church ministries and projects are underway, all PCT services should be proceeded based on the core of our confession – love.
Rev Dai Suo-chin pointed out in his sermon, when college workers and young senators worked together to sing the song, “Without Love, There Is No Meaning”, this was to showcase that “Life Accompanies Life” is the core of evangelism. Perhaps some church elders could not appreciate the thoughts and behaviors of young people, but he believed that the key to a harmonious church lives lies in humility and respect. “May the Lord help us to see our shortcomings and respect those who are more gifted than us”, Rev Dai said.
He called on everyone to humble down, introspect inward, take up ones own responsibility, and work together to solve the problems confronting the church. Faced with the challenges of youth missions, he emphasized the need to listen to the voices of young people, share experiences with young people, and like the OT sage Job being able to see the existence of God with his own eyes. He also urged young people to dedicate their youth life time, like Rev MacKay, daring to confess and dedicate themselves to God.
No matter young or old, live out your faith and honor Christ, Rev Dai advised, “If you want to be crowned, bear its weight”. He explained that the privilege of Christians is to serve Christ, but at the same time they should also endure the suffering.
When the Taiwan Church is facing the historical moment that youth mission need to break through its toughest existential risks, Rev Dai called on the PCT members to face and march forward fearlessly with one mind, taking up the responsibility with the crown they received in Chris with a firm belief that God will lead everyone to delve into the core of our confession, which is love.
After the sermon message, the PCT members, pastors and pastor’s wives who were deceased during the 67th General Assembly were remembered in rituals, and then a Communion was observed.
The audience also prayed for the world and Taiwan, youth mission, and kinds of missionary concerns. Ms Lai Yin-ting, minister of the PCT Youth Ministry Committee, prayed for the future of a new era of youth ministry and called on the young people to reflect their own weaknesses, develop their relationships with the world, seek the Lord with an open heart, in order to bring harmony to the new era through comprehensive communication and dialogue. In the meantime, she urged the youth and the students on campus to walk with God in humility, engage in the Bible reading movement, respond to justice, practice faith in lives, and commit to build a church that is life-embracing and inclusive.
