Good
Morning!
As a devoted Christian living in Taiwan for
many years, I would like to share some of
my experiences on this 'Beautiful Island' or Ilha Formosa as
it was known since the Portuguese passed it in 1544.
I've decided
to move to Taiwan in the year 1989, the same year as the violent Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace!) Massacre in Peking and peaceful fall of the Berlin Wall, marking the
reunification not only of East and West Germany but of all Europe, happened.
For many both of these events may not have a lot in common but for me
these two events followed me like a silver lining through the rest of my life.
While as a German I try to consolidate or find reasons in everything, my Taiwan neighbors are not only
divided 'under the surface' but often very unreasonable to put their own egos or own agendas above anything else.
I personally have experienced
rejections and even open violence against myself while living in Taiwan up until
today. My wife's family did neither welcome nor recognize me based on the
simple fact because I am a foreigner and therefore 'different'. Because of tradition I have no right for an own opinion or a
personal view on things. I can speak Mandarin, the official language, very
fluently, but in the south of Taiwan people communicate in Taiwanese (or Hokkien),
spoken by the Taiwanese Hoklo people who descended from immigrants form the southern Fujian during the Qing
Dynasty (1644-1912). And, of course, when the family gathers they speak
Taiwanese, which I neither speak nor understand, when I am present. So, as a
foreigner, I am simply invited to be excluded. But at the same time, when I
talk to my daughter in my native German language, I am told that it is 'ill-mannered'
to speak in a foreign language.
Some years ago I've decided rather to be alone than to waste my time with ignorant people, if family members, friends or anyone else unreasonable.
Some years ago I've decided rather to be alone than to waste my time with ignorant people, if family members, friends or anyone else unreasonable.
Strange
thing is that the same happened and happens to me in all the different churches I've attended
during my nearly 30 years in Taiwan. Originally all main churches in Taiwan
have been founded by western foreign missionaries in the 1950s and 1960s and were given
after the 1st generation to local Taiwanese. The problems I experience is that
many pastors don't see the church as the 'body of Christ' with 'Christ as the
head of the church' (Ephesians 5:23) but rather as their own fiefdom with
the pastor himself being the duke making his own rules. This leads to much competition and distress between
brothers and sisters to gain favors from the pastors and all other leaders;
something I've never expected in German churches and simply is wrong. But leaders clearly appreciate that and, as long as they are supported and benefit from it, why should they change it?
A very bad idea was the arrival
of the 'micro groups', a development from 'successful' churches in Singapore
and Korea. The idea is that one church member opens his or her home and invites
nearby living brothers and sisters to worship, prayers and reading of the
Bible. Intended as a 'help' for the pastor it replaced the original work of the pastor,
meaning the responsibilities of the church leaders were loaded onto the 'micro group leader'. In my micro group the
pastor never showed up... But the group leader had not only to prepare the 1 1/2 hours but also to clean and prepare his
house or an apartment, prepare snacks
and, of course, has to clean up after everyone left. This might be declared as
'service' to brothers and sisters but as most group leaders have no
theological background or any Christian education and are, as mentioned, only
leaders because they are favored by the pastor or elders, there is not much
Bible work done but rather trivial or worldly matters be discussed.
I've experienced only proud and
dominant pastors with a focus on the tithe or donations as a source of
income for the church. I've only met one pastor interested in me and my family
but more from a 'responsible' standpoint. My wife was very active as a Sunday school
teacher and therefore much appreciated while everyone made a 'curve' around me,
the 'unable' foreigner.
I was never invited to take
over a responsible work even after I attending one church for 10 1/2 years! I was
never chosen to be a speaker but was allowed to sweep the floor. As my wife and I were successful with a youth
group of 72 people (!) within two years the pastor became outright suspicions to a
point that we've decided to return the whole group to the church and left the
church. Needless to say that the pastor decided to closed the whole group and, in fact, 'kicked out' young Jesus seeking people and the future of his 'own' church.
Later I've joined the church of a Korean
pastor, a war veteran of the North-South Korean war. I never understood how a
soldier who killed others can lead the church in the same violent way without any remorse
concerning brothers and sisters or a hint to the 'Love of Jesus'.
Reading about all these problems it might be
difficult to understand that I still went to a Seminary in Taipei, spend my
own time and money to study and finish a degree in the evening education department. One
reason is that I feel a kind of responsibility to the Lord and the people
out there who are without knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that
the world could be heaven and I could play a part in it.
19 Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew
28)"
Without a church,
I had the chance to serve homeless and low-income
families independently as a volunteer. From their eyes,
I've seen that people can accept Jesus Christ even under most severe conditions and from faith they have get the power to change. I had some wonderful experiences and many touching moments in these 2 1/2 years. A clearly demon
possessed sister became a great co-worker willing to share her bad experiences to help others to find the Lord. She told me that she did no more see the
black shadows hunting her in her house but became a peaceful person! What an
amazing transformation!
But, as readers can imagine, helping others in truth means bitterness for some who can not stand seeing themselves in the mirror. So I got fired because I remembered the 'co-workers' to the teaching of the Lord. 2 1/2 years of time and service erased by an Email! But I don't have to carry this cross... "22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead. (Matthew 8)"
But, as readers can imagine, helping others in truth means bitterness for some who can not stand seeing themselves in the mirror. So I got fired because I remembered the 'co-workers' to the teaching of the Lord. 2 1/2 years of time and service erased by an Email! But I don't have to carry this cross... "22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead. (Matthew 8)"
Despite all the human problems between
church leaders and me, despite all the stones thrown on my path serving Christ by Christians (!) I've opened my own Bible study class on 01 Dec. 2018 in a nearby activity
center with only 1 person attending. But, as Confucius said, "every
journey begins with the 1st step"...
Sometimes I don't know why I do this all - I
could have a simple life by following earthly pleasures, why should I care about Taiwanese who care so less about this foreigner? Because there is something
inside me knowing that God is watching and that I should give and do the best in
and for Him despite all these hurdles! Even I am not important and a no-one I still can not compromise on the Truth of the Bible and, in fact, on the Truth of the Lord!
While not sure where this might leads I believe in the power and glory of
God and know that I am not alone...
Wish everyone a successful and Happy New Year, Gerhard
Wish everyone a successful and Happy New Year, Gerhard
