[3170] PCT General Assembly seeks consensus on strategy for China missions

PCT General Assembly seeks consensus on strategy for China missions

Reported by Lin Yi-ying

Written by Lydia Ma

During a recent PCT General Assembly Executive Committee meeting, committee members voted in favor of holding a seminar early next year to discuss and decide PCT’s mission strategy on China. The seminar will be held from January 7-9 at Presbyterian Bible College in Hsinchu. It was considered necessary in part because some PCT pastors have joined the “Taiwan Christian Pastors’ Delegation” in visiting churches in China and accepting an invitation from the United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee during their stay. This delegation will host a “Cross Strait Christian Forum” in 2013 in Taiwan.

According to the PCT General Assembly, it has invited a few speakers to share their thoughts and experiences on missions and collaboration with Chinese churches during the upcoming seminar. The speakers include the former head of DPP Foreign Affairs Department Lai I-chung, former PCT General Secretary C.S. Yang, current WCC Central Committee member Cheng Ming-min, and exiled Chinese author Yuan Hongbing. Lai will speak on “China’s threat to Taiwan and its strategy”. Yang will speak on “Past meetings between PCT and China Christian Council”. Cheng will speak on “My experience interacting with Chinese churches in the WCC”. Yuan will speak on “Chinese government’s control and exploitation of religion”.

The main purpose of this seminar will be to discuss and clarify PCT’s stand and principles in future interactions with Chinese churches. Since the PCT and the China Christian Council (CCC) are both member churches of the WCC, the CCC has been the main church contact in China for the PCT in the past. However, there has been an increase in collaboration with house churches in recent years, prompting the need for PCT officials to discuss how best to proceed in this delicate situation. Furthermore, as interactions between Taiwanese and Chinese increase, the PCT needs to have its own clear set of guidelines that will guide its members whenever they take part in evangelistic missions to China.