Mission Impossible Part II

(Continued from yesterday)

Part 1 of our mission consisted of a consulting assignment to compile a ministry manual for our area. For that we will stay in Taichung to conduct interviews in person and via Skype for 3 days a week. Part 2 involves substituting for a pair of missionaries who are on home assignment for three months, and do we have big shoes to fill!

First, they are veteran missionaries with three decades of local experience; we have only several years’ pastoral experience, in Canada! Secondly, they are fluent in both Taiwanese and Mandarin; we have only 3 months learning Mandarin, and people still look puzzled when we struggle to communicate. Third, they lived among the people they served and were able to build relationships with them to share the gospel. We lived there only 3 days a week, so the best we could hope to achieve is to maintain programs they have started. Fourth, they have many ideas to engage and connect with the locals; but I am not very creative. So you can see why we do not have a big enough head to wear their hats!

Some of their programs include:
• Dalin Good Neighbors Caring Center – started by another missionary couple which functions as a church with Sunday worship, but is not named as such. This is because the majority of Taiwanese have a Buddhist/Taoist background and are adverse to church, but enjoy caring relationships. Besides worship the center also hosts youth fellowship and community English class.

• Virtues English class – going to elementary and high schools and offering to teach virtues in English. Some principals may be interested enough to integrate such teaching into the school’s regular class time; others may allocate them to weekend mornings.

• Grace meal – feeding the poor, which utilizes school cafeteria surplus food and local volunteers to do the distribution.

• Building strong families – via good husband-wife relationship and family altar, although they did not have time to tell us more before they left for home service.

There were other things they started e.g. summer concerts as evangelistic outreach. Mission impossible? Yes in our own strength. But pray for us, for with God nothing is impossible!

Your Mission, should you choose to accept it …

Some supporters asked us what is the difference between our current mission trip to Taiwan and the last one. The differences are huge. The last one was a vision trip, to open our eyes to the needs in the field and to acquaint ourselves with the ministry of all the field missionaries. It gave us a taste of what life in the mission field is like, and possibly to identify where we might fit in. We got to know all the field and support workers, and made some good friends while learning what God is doing in this part of His kingdom. It also enabled them to get to know us, and to call on us where they feel we can be of help.

This one is a mission trip, consisting of two components. Part one is internal. The mission agency in the area is undergoing reorganization, with a newly appointed ministry director (MD). While the area’s administrative policies and procedures are well documented, the ministry side still awaits compilation. Accordingly the MD retained us as consultants to assist in collecting the processes and best practices in the following areas:

1. Receiving new missionaries
2. Orienting new missionaries
3. Language and orientation process for first term missionaries
4. Giving assignments to missionaries
5. Home service procedure
6. Choosing and starting ministry areas
7. Forming ministry teams
8. Appointing team leaders
9. Church planting process
10. Church planting closure
11. Partnership with local partner/church
12. Partnership with other missions
13. Receiving short-term mission teams
14. Starting and doing expatriate ministry

As you can see, the subjects start with receiving and orienting new missionaries, and end chronologically with church planting closure, supplemented by auxiliary topics like forming partnerships and doing expatriate ministry. Some subjects, like church planting process, are so big that whole books have been written on them and just scratched the surface. Plus the available time for the assignment is short. Although we have been consultants or used consultant services for over two decades, it reminds us of the series “Mission Impossible”!

To keep the assignment manageable, we have elected to interview all relevant personnel to gather their insights and ideas on the topics. At the same time, we contacted the mission executives of other agencies we know to solicit their advice on the different areas. Hopefully between these internal and external sources, we can gather together all the processes and procedures that will help leadership and the members make important ministry decisions.

That’s part 1, but there is a second component which I will post tomorrow.

(To be continued)

Driving in Taiwan

I have driven several hundred thousand miles across Canada and the US over the last 40 years, over snow and ice and other treacherous road and traffic conditions. I drove in Panama too, where traffic is bad and drivers are aggressive and often don’t obey road signs. But seldom do I have as much anxiety behind the steering wheel as I have now. The main reason is scooters, lots and lots of them, and they make me sweat!

Actually the driving basics are quite similar to those in N. America. The driver sits on the left side of the car and drives on the right side of the road. The speed limits and road signs are similar, although the words are in Chinese. Most rules are the same, except that there is no turning right on red light. So why the anxiety? Because the scooters are quite something else!

First of all, there are scooter lanes between the car lanes and the curb. When you want to turn right, be very careful that a scooter is not coming up from behind and wants to go straight ahead. You have to watch out for cyclists too in N. America, but a bicycle goes at a slow speed compared to a scooter at 30-40 miles per hour!

Secondly, when you want to make a left turn and want to wait till there is no oncoming traffic, cars behind you may think you are a slow poke, become impatient, and pull out from behind and cut in front of you to make a fast left turn! I have never encountered that in N. America. They may honk, but they won’t jump the queue. Cars here do!

Third, when you turn from the main roads into the narrow lanes, there are large convex mirrors instead of stop signs mounted at the lane corners and intersections. This is for drivers to know whether there are cars and scooters coming around the corner, many of which would only slow down. But for those who don’t, accidents are waiting to happen. And some scooters carry 3 or even 4 passengers. When they get hurt, the car is always at fault, even though the accident is caused by the scooter not obeying traffic rules.

That’s why all our missionary friends tell us they pray each time they drive or ride a scooter. Our lives are really in God’s hands, so pray!

Evangelistic Bible Study

We picked up two very simple tools for evangelistic bible study (EBS) from our missionary hosts. Besides a gospel presentation and giving your testimony, EBS is a very effective method to engage the unreached and share with them truths that lead to salvation. Both tools can be used for any given bible passage, and do not presuppose a lot of biblical background knowledge which non-Christians may not have.

Seekers EBS process:

The first one is more suited to seekers and uses 4 pictures to ask the following questions:
1. What do you observe in this passage? Is there anything you do not understand and need clarification?
2. What new idea did you learn from this passage?
3. What strikes your heart after reading this?
4. Who else need to listen to what is taught here? Who can you tell?

New believers EBS procedure:

The second involves a little bible background so is more suited to a new Christian, and asks 6 questions – What does this passage teach you about:
1. God,
2. Man, or yourself,
3. The world,
4. Sin,
5. Satan (the devil),
6. What God wants you to do?

Both tools move the participants through observation, interpretation, and application, but keep it simple by not requiring them to cross-reference to other passages which they may find too challenging. I have done EBS with many seekers with very good results. Try it and see for yourself.

Virtues English Class

Last April I wrote about VOICE (Values Orientation in Classroom Education)
http://raykliu.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/voice/
Our missionary friends use something similar in Taiwan, except that it hasn’t gone mainstream, and is used only as an after-school or Sunday school program. If you want to do direct evangelism, you may face many closed doors as religion-wise Taiwan is predominantly Buddhist/Taoist and steeped in ancestor worship. However, the general population and the education system value virtues, which can become an open door.

Typical values espoused in the school:

Using the values on the face of the clock as an illustration, the Taiwanese value:
1. Fortunate
2. Joyful
3. Cheerful
4. Casual elegant
5. Delightful
6. Amicable
7. Bright
8. Lucky
9. Guileless
10. Faithful
11. Free
12. Actualized

Some values are synonymous with fine shades of differences (e.g. joyful, cheerful, delightful – some deep, some dependent on circumstances), while others show the Taiwanese to believe in fate and are superstitious (e.g. fortunate, lucky).

Teaching Christian values to elementary students:

In contrast, Christian values are inner virtues dependent on God and work even when the going is tough. For example, the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) works under adverse conditions, even if the world is falling apart around the Christian. But it is only available when the person is under the Holy Spirit’s control, and so presents an opportunity to share the gospel when the students wish to have these virtues in their lives.

The gospel never changes, but how it is presented can be adapted to suit the needs of the audience in their context. Don’t box yourself in by sticking to only one tool or one method.

Coming “Home”

Although our hotel in Hong Kong was new and contemporary, it did not feel like “home” as we were living out of our suitcases. However, when we arrived in our Taichung mission house, we felt like we have finally reached “home” as we can put our belongings in drawers and hang up our clothes. A house is not a home until you feel you belong there.

Beautiful shrubs in the mission house courtyard:

Our favorite fruit stand just around the corner. We arrived during Mid-Autumn Festival when the pomelo is in season. Here they sell for 7 for NT$100, about C$3.50, or C$0.50 each!

We will spend part of our stay at our missionary hosts’ home in Dalin, a little over an hour’s drive south of Taichung. Their house is 3 steps above street level (over 1 ft.), but still their G/F got flooded to a depth of 4″ during Typhoon Kong-Rey! Good thing Typhoon Usagi did not hit directly.

Lunch with the principal and teachers from a local high school to establish contact, with a view of starting English classes using the Bible as curriculum to reach the students.

Virtues English class to reach primary school students and their families.

Community English class as another means to reach adults and students.

Sunday worship to nurture believers.

Church-planting involves a lot of pre-evangelism to establish connections – bridge-building to earn the right to share the gospel. If you are not prepared to serve the whole person, they will not grant you an opportunity to share the good news. Sharing and caring go hand-in-hand.

Shangrila

We visited our mission agency’s East Asia office in Diamond Hill, Kowloon to establish connection. Since we have a spare afternoon, we dropped by a scenic spot we have never gone before – Nan Lian Gardens, and were we surprised! Nan Lian houses Chi Lin Nunnery (Buddhist), with a 35,000 sq. m. garden open to the public. It is a classical garden in a modern city, with serenity in the midst of urban hustle and bustle

http://www.nanliangarden.org/

Main entrance:

There are more than 60 different species of plants in the garden, mostly evergreens.

It has also many well-chosen rocks and petrified wood-rocks.

The landscaping is excellent throughout.

The “Pavilion of Absolute Perfection” from a distance.

Lotus Pond surrounding the Pavilion.

Another view of the Lotus Pond.

Xiang Hai Xuan, an exhibition hall.

Song Cha Xie and Blue Pond.

The other end of the Blue Pond.

The Mill “waterfall”.

The Mill.

Entrance to Chi Nin Nunnery:

Lotus Pond:

Beautiful Azaleas.

If life seems hectic and fast passing you by, you need to slow down and smell the roses. Find yourself a nice garden where you can pause to catch your breath, some place like an oasis or a stream in the desert. Spend some quiet time there in solitude and silence. Reflect on your relationship with God, others, and find yourself. There you will find rest and renew your strength. Tranquility is good for your soul. Try it some time.

Distractions

To some, it may be a mere coincidence. The first time I went on a short-term mission trip to Panama, we had a car accident one month prior. That resulted in one church sister being hospitalized, another brother having to see a physiotherapist multiple times for treatment, and my own mother suffering whiplash injuries. The second time I went on an STM to Costa Rica, I received a call from my wife that our basement got flooded.

Subsequent to that there were other mishaps. For example, my wife’s implant tooth got broken during our last trip to Panama. And in the most recent trip to Taiwan our furnace room got flooded because of a burst pipe. Some see it as just bad luck. But if you have been on mission trips a few times, you know that our Enemy does not like people being snatched out of his hands, and will do anything and everything to spoil God’s plan, including attacking His servants who bring the gospel to the lost. Sometimes he would attack the messenger himself with sickness and accidents to immobilize him. Other times he would attack his family members, whoever is most vulnerable, in order to throw the messenger off track and render him unable to fulfill his mission.

For our current trip, the hurdle was hip inflammation two days before we were supposed to leave. I woke up and tried to turn off the alarm clock, but a sharp pain ran down my leg such that I immediately fell back on bed. It was as if I was hit with a jolt of lightning. I tried getting up again – another bolt shot through my right side. It took me some 20 minutes to roll onto one side and slowly crawl out of bed. I quickly took some pain-killer and made an appointment to see my family doctor. Good thing he could squeeze me in the same day. The diagnosis – inflammation of the hip muscles. The prescription – anti-inflammatory drugs plus muscle relaxants. Though not fully recovered, two days later we were on a plane and so began another STM to Taiwan.

What we need is a good prayer shield to quench the fiery darts of the Enemy. That’s where our prayer partners and supporters come in. With their faithful prayers we are able to focus on the tasks at hand. We don’t get distracted by interruptions of bad news from family and home and can concentrate on fulfilling the mission. Thank you for interceding for us. Thank you for standing in the gap.

Immortality Cults

Q. My friend joined an immortality cult and spent a lot of time serving them. He also donated large sums of money. It seems that once they got hold of a person they brain-washed him. What can I do to help him get out?

A. Immortality cults had been around for a long time, preying on people’s felt needs and fears, taking from them time and money but giving back nothing in return except empty promises. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4059549.stm
The reality is that despite their claims of discovering ancient secrets for the fountain of youth or possessing extraordinary powers, they still grow old, fall sick, and die. The death rate for the human race since the beginning of time is still 100%, except for Enoch (Gen 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), whom God took away. I deplore these charlatans whose schemes swindle people and break up families.

But before we explore ways to help your friend, let me just clarify what the Bible said about immortality. In the Bible, only God is immortal with respect to inherent nature; human beings are mere mortals:
* Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
* 1 Tim 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
* 1 Tim 6:16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

In early human history people used to live to nearly 1,000 years old, but the longevity of the human race declined rapidly after the Flood. Prior to the Flood, Gen 5 named 9 generations from Adam to Noah (excluding Enoch who was taken by God and did not die), with an average age span of 911 years. After the Flood, Gen 11 also named 9 generations from Shem to Terah, but their age decreased geometrically from a high of 500 to a low of 119, with an average of 298, only 33% of that before the Flood. In fact, in Gen 6 God saw the wickedness of the human race and said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” That 120 years as a round upper limit to human life had persisted to this day.

However, God chose to give those who seek righteousness through the gospel eternal life and physical immortality.
* Rom 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
* Prov 12:28 In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.
* 2 Tim 1:10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Eternal life is granted the moment people place their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, but when is physical immortality bestowed? At the Second Coming of Christ, when the dead in Christ will be raised and given imperishable, immortal resurrection bodies:
* 1 Co 15:53-54 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

So, for any cult to claim that they have achieved, or can achieve, immortality, it’s a simple matter to check whether any of their leaders ever get sick and died. No doubt they can blame the victims by saying they did not have enough faith, or that they have not yet progressed to an advanced degree. You can fool the people if this happens to only a few, but if all their top guns eventually age, get sick, and die one by one, I don’t know what kind of story they can fabricate to justify their fraud.

Typically cults have former members who are disillusioned and have awaken out of the web of lies. Some are disgruntled; some have formed support groups to help others extract themselves out of the cult. It would be very helpful for your friend to get in touch with such support groups, as these former insiders know all about the lies and manipulations the leaders use to control their followers. Above all, pray and wait for the opportune time. Your friend may not want to hear the truth now, but any time there is a crisis it can be turned into an opportunity to help him break free of the stranglehold the cult has on him. Ask God to loosen your friend from the bondage. He listens.

Character Defects

A few weeks ago I heard Ken Dyck, of Freedom Session International Ministries (FSIM), preached on fixing broken relationships. His three steps (acknowledging it, accepting responsibility, and speaking into the problem) were practical, but I found a bookmark he handed out, Defects of Character, to be very useful as a checklist of how we are contributing to our problem. Rather than repeat what he said, I will just quote his list for your reflection:

1. Avoidance,
2. Blaming,
3. Conning and manipulation,
4. Envy or jealousy,
5. False humility,
6. Gossiping,
7. Impatience,
8. Impulsiveness,
9. Intolerance,
10. Lying,
11. People pleasing,
12. Perfectionism,
13. Phoniness,
14. Pride,
15. Sarcasm,
16. Self-centeredness/selfishness,
17. Self-justification,
18. Self-pity,
19. Taking things for granted,
20. Violence, and
21. Withdrawing.

The list is not exhaustive. The Apostle Paul, for example, lists in Col 3:5 and 9 things to put to death: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed (idolatry) and to get rid of: anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, none of which overlap with his list. Don’t get too discouraged if you see too much of yourself in this mirror. Use it constructively to review what we need to put off and what to put on (Col 3:12-14 compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with each other, forgiving one another, and love). In fixing relationships, accept responsibility, ask for permission to share, admit your own struggles, address the issue, and allow the Holy Spirit to bring about results. Don’t let past mistakes take away your future.