[3095] Taiwanese puppet show attracts small town peasants to hear the gospel

Taiwanese puppet show attracts small town peasants to hear the gospel

Reported by Sam Lee

Written by Lydia Ma

“My name is Wu Wen-shui and I’m going to Tainan with Dr. James Maxwell!” said someone impersonating the voice of Wu Wen-shui, one of Maxwell’s first students and the first Taiwanese pastor.

Besides retelling the story of missionary Dr. James L. Maxwell, this Chinese puppet show held on June 19^th, 2011, at Tzukuan Presbyterian Church near in the outskirts of Kaohsiung also featured the story of the Prodigal Son in the Bible.

The event was part of a few activities organized to celebrate the church’s 60^th anniversary. Other activities included parenting seminars and a professional puppet show that the church had invited to town. Children were also invited to play with the puppets after the performances.

According to the church’s elder, Yang Lien-ching, community outreach, house visitations and discipleship training have always been prominent ministries for Tzukuan church since its inception 60 years ago. The church currently has 2 cell groups, and more than 130 people attend its Sunday worship. Cell group activities vary from book studies to Bible studies and prayer meetings.

For Tzukuan Church, afterschool tutoring programs and summer camps are important ministries because about 80% of students who attend one of these events will eventually go on to attend Sunday worship at the church and become a Christian. Hence the reason why child evangelism, through events such as Chinese puppet shows, is so important for the church’s local outreach in this little town in the outskirts of Kaohsiung.