April - 7 to 8

Country : CHINA (Taiwan) Population 21,507,000 Peoples Han Chinese 97.8% speaking three major languages: Taiwanese (Hoklo, Minnan) 66.7%. Settled in Taiwan for 300 years. Hakka 11%. Settled in Taiwan for 200 years. Mandarin 20.1%. Refugees from mainland China 1945-50. Almost entirely urban. Malayo-Polynesian mountain peoples 1.7% (10 groups). Largest: Ami 153,000; Paiwan 81,000; Tayal 63,000; Bunum 34,000; Taroko 28,000; Drukai 10,000; Yami 2,600. Other 0.5%. Filipino 50,000; Westerners 25,000; Japanese 10,000; Mongolian 6,000; Tibetan 2,000. Literacy 92%. Official language and language of education: Mandarin. Hoklo and Hakka are widely spoken. All languages 21. Languages with Scriptures 5Bi 5NT 1por. Cities Capital: Taipei 2,719,000. Major city: Kaoshiung 1,386,000. Urbanization 74%. Economy Rapid industrialization and economic growth to become the world's 14th largest trading power. Unemployment 1.8%. Public debt/person $186. Income/person $7,510 (36% of USA). Politics Under Japanese rule 1895-1945, then reverting to China. After the fall of mainland China to the Communists in 1949, Taiwan became the refuge of the Nationalist Chinese government, which still claims to represent all China. This led to international diplomatic isolation and internal political polarization between the mainlanders and many of the indigenous Taiwanese on the issue of continuing part of greater China or independence. Taiwan was effectually a mainlander-dominated one-party republic until the 1987 elections. Since then a more multi-party democracy has emerged. Increasing unofficial trading and tourist links with the mainland, but only if democracy comes would reunification become likely. Religion Secular state with freedom of religion. Non-religious/other 24.2%. Many younger people are secular and abandon their family religions. Chinese folk religions/Buddhism 70.4%. Blend of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, with strong emphasis on veneration of ancestors. Muslim 0.4%. Post-war immigrant Hui. Christian 5%. Affil 4.83% Growth 1.6%. Protestant 3.1%. Affil 3% Growth 1.9%. Roman Catholic 1.6%. Affil 1.52%. Growth 0.6%. Foreign Marginal 0.1%. Growth 10.3%. Indigenous Marginal 0.2% Growth 1.4%. 1. Taiwan's political future is a matter for intense political debate and international diplomacy. The growing political power of the Marxist mainland and economic power of capitalist Taiwan are major factors in the world today. Pray for wisdom and guidance for Chinese and international leaders. The President is a committed Christian. 2. The Church in Taiwan has stagnated for 30 years. After encouraging growth between 1940 and 1960 with a revival and people movement among the mountain people, and many conversions among the Mandarin-speaking mainland refugees, the percentage of Christians has remained static and the Catholics even declined. The breakthrough for the gospel has not yet come. Pray down the barriers to growth: a) Satanic bondage. Subjection to the spirit world, gambling and material greed must be broken. b) Resurgence of Buddhism and Taoism. There are over 8,700 temples in the land. Few Chinese want to give up ancestor worship. c) Divisions among Christians -- between the older Presbyterian Taiwanese and the newer, more conservative, Mandarin-speaking denominations, and between denominations of Chinese and Western origin. d) The lack of pastors and full-time workers. In most churches the congregation sits back expecting the pastor to do all the work. e) Low commitment. Too few of those converted and baptized ever become active participants in congregational life, and there is a high drop-out rate. Few Christians become soul-winners. 3. The Year 2000 Gospel Movement was born in 1988. The vision and dynamism of this movement has drawn together most of the denominations and Christian workers in a cooperative effort to analyse the need and evangelize the lost by personal witnessing, mass evangelism and use of the mass media. Goals: a) For every person in Taiwan to have opportunity to hear the gospel in their own language. b) To increase believers to two million in 10,000 churches. This would mean increasing annual church growth from 2.7% to 16%. c) Ten percent of the population to be Christian. It is now nearly 5%. d) To send out 200 cross-cultural missionaries. The present number is around 20. To achieve this would be a dramatic turn-around in the only major Chinese society where there has not been significant church growth this generation. Pray for a nation-wide prayer movement that can unite and ignite the Church for revival, evangelism and missions. 4. Protestants are unequally distributed among the different linguistic groups. The majority of mountain peoples are nominally Protestant (23% actively so) as are 4.6% of Mandarin, 1% of Taiwanese, and only 0.2% of Hakka. Pray that Hoklo (Taiwanese) and Hakka groups might become more receptive to the gospel. 5. There are 609 mountain churches throughout the tribal areas and some in cities. Most are Presbyterian, though an increasing number are of other denominations or sectarian groups such as True Jesus and Mormons. The breakdown of tribal and family life has been hastened by alcoholism, the drift to the cities, the pervasive influence of TV, increased education of young people, and inability of parents to control and raise their children in a changing society. God gave revival to the Tayal in 1973 and Ami in 1983. Pray for revival that will combat nominalism, spiritual decline and inadequate Bible teaching in these churches. Bible translation work is not yet complete -- in six peoples there is a definite need, and in two others a possible need, but work is in progress only in the Yami language on Orchid Island. 6. The lack of pastors is serious but slowly improving. Many rural congregations in Taiwan are without pastors, the critical issue being low levels of giving in churches. There are over 20 seminaries and Bible schools, some with international acclaim, such as the China Evangelical Seminary. Pray for staff and students, and for relevant, spiritual training to be provided. More effective lay training programmes are also essential, so pray for TEE courses with over 800 studying in 60 centres. 7. The witness among students is encouraging. The 576,000 students in 121 universities and colleges are one of the most open sections of the community. Many churches have well-used student centres. Campus Evangelical Fellowship (IFES) has an outreach to students with 40 full-time staff workers ministering also in secondary schools. CCC also has a large campus ministry. It is now permitted to form Christian groups in middle and high schools. Pray that this golden opportunity may be taken up and for vital, growing groups with the integration of young believers into churches. 8. Missions were pioneered by the Presbyterians, but a great influx of new missions entered after their expulsion from mainland China in 1950. The majority concentrated on the Mandarin minority, and few went on to learn a second or third language. The Taiwanese and Hakka majority have been largely ignored until recently. There are many openings for missionaries in evangelism, church planting, Bible teaching and stimulating local congregations. Teaching English as a foreign language is a useful key for evangelism. The rising cost of living and uncertainty of usefulness in Taiwan has caused many missionaries to leave. Pray in those called of God and willing to identify culturally in this day of opportunity. Some of the largest agencies are: OMF (134 missionaries), SBC (107), TEAM (60), Norwegian Lutheran Mission (52), []SEND (43), OMS (42), Finnish Lutheran Mission (38), Norwegian Mission Alliance (32), CBFMS (31), YWAM (27), CMA (25). Major missionary-contributing nations: USA (638), Korea (94), Norway (86), Finland (59). 9. Missions vision was once higher; Taiwan's political isolation has made Christians too introspective. Student missions conferences have created much interest (CEFV-IFES). Pray for a reawakening of interest and commitment to pray and send out more missionaries. Training programmes for missionary preparation are increasing in number and scope. There is a growing interest in ministry in Mainland China as political and economic links increase. 10. Less evangelized areas and peoples: a) The Hakka communities in the northeast and the southeast. There is now a national group: "The World Hakka Evangelical Association". Several missions have opened a ministry among them ([]SEND, OMF, WEC, YWAM, Presbyterians and others). b) The rural areas; mainly Hoklo. Half of the 369 districts have few churches, 63 have only one church, 11 have none. c) The new industrial zones. Many workers are new to the cities and more responsive. Pray for the Industrial Evangelical Fellowship which encourages an outreach to them, and for OMF missionaries who are also involved. d) The 60,000 Chinese Muslims of the Hui minority. There is no outreach to them. e) The Penghu Islanders numbering 97,000. In 1964 there were 17 churches, but now two-thirds are closed. 10,000 Vietnam Chinese have been settled on the islands. 11. Help ministries: a) Christian literature. Much is now being published of both local and foreign origin. Pray for efforts by CEF(IFES) and others to sell Christian literature through the secular book market. b) Radio. Pray for fruit from extensive coverage by local broadcasters and by FEBC and TWR from abroad. In 1990 there were 500 hours of Mandarin, six hours of Taiwanese and 1.7 hours of Hakka evangelical broadcasting every week. c) Christian video tapes, a key tool for evangelism. Most of the population has access to a video recorder. Several Christian agencies are seeking to supply good tapes.