Taipei Satellite City (Zhong-Yong He District) Mission Report

Written by Peter Lin

Translated by Kelcy Hahn

Revised by Kevin Tseng

This is a summary mission report covering the two-year history of a Mission Family, under non-fulltime staff leadership, established for the purpose of evangelism in a satellite city of Taipei. 

Introduction: Evangelism Strategy

The church’s traditional method of evangelism typically involves a “family” group or Bible Talk choosing the best places for sharing the gospel with people, such that a few of the most trafficked mass transit stations, department stores and large book stores become the main venues for evangelism. Over time, though, the people one might encounter at such places is limited. 

Furthermore, on the outskirts of the city of Taipei lie several densely populated districts of Taipei County, heretofore untouched by any effective outreach effort. Accordingly, we conceptualized the “Mission Family”: a family group in the church would become a mission team, with a focus on one particular location far from central Taipei, trying a variety of different ways to evangelize, with the hope of helping even more people.

With regards to more practical matters, midweek services would be the responsibility of the leading brother, with plans for the curriculum made according to the needs of the mission team. Once a month, the team would organize its own Sunday service, while joining the Taipei church for Sunday services the other three to four weeks of each month.  The purpose of this arrangement was so that the team could increase its focus on the designated area, while at the same time maintaining connections with other brothers and sisters in the church.

The team was formally sent out on December 9, 2001. Altogether there were 12 bothers and sisters, including one family, one married couple, one dating couple, four single sisters and two single brothers. With this variety of situations among the team members, we hoped to have an even wider range of friends to influence. 

Our original target included the Ban Qiao and Zhong Yong He districts. Once we actually started, we discovered that even the short distance between Ban Qiao and Zhong Yong He was sufficient to cause us to choose Zhong Yong He as an area of focus, so as to concentrate our efforts even more.  In order to invest themselves more fully in this area, mission team members began moving to Zhong Yong He; single members established household of brothers and one of sisters.

Brief Description of the Zhong Yong He District

Taipei City

Greater Taipei is comprised of Taipei city as well as a number of satellite cities in Taipei county, with Taipei as the center ringed by the satellite cities. Among these satellite cities the most densely populated are Yong He, Zhong He, Ban Qiao, Tu Cheng, Xin Zhuang, Xi Zhi and others, most of which are demarcated geographically by rivers. Each of them are from 10 to 30 kilometers from central Taipei, by car perhaps 10 to 30 minutes away, but during rush hour the commute can take 30 minutes to an hour or more. Most of the satellite cities are linked to Taipei by light commuter rail, it being the principle mode of connecting transportation.

Zhong He and Yong He lie to the southwest of Taipei, barely separated from Taipei itself by the Xin Dian river. Since Zhong He and Yong He share an almost imperceptible border, most people describe the area as “Zhong Yong He” or the twin “He Cities”. Zhong Yong He is the closest of the satellite cities to central Taipei. By scooter one only needs cross a bridge to be right in the middle of southwest Taipei’s National Taiwan University shopping district, with the city center just ten minutes away by car. Together with the easy access to the metro rail system, it is a residential area many chose to live in, with some apartment rents quite high.

Demographics and Environment

After meeting some friends in the district we learned that most people work in central Taipei, including many from other parts of Taiwan such as Kaohsiung, Taichung, Hsin Chu, etc. They come for school or work, but choose less expensive residential areas. Rents in Zhong Yong He are approximately 50-70% of those in Taipei, making it a desirable choice. 

This district has many conveniences. Within a small area one can find a night market, movie theatres, parks, schools, bookstores…all one could want. People exercise in the parks, play ball, take their dogs for walks, come out to eat xiao ye, visit bookstores, go to movies—all the main leisure activities. 

Here, most of the young or working class people we shared our faith stayed busy with work, or had rather low expectations for their own lives—seemingly related to the convenience of life in this area. In the main, the openness of the people to our sharing was somewhat less than that of people in Taipei. (We primarily reached out to working class singles between the ages of 25-35.)

All Types of Evangelistic Methods

During our time here we have tried all kinds of ways to meet and influence friends living here:

• Seasonal activities, such as Christmas parties, caroling, Halloween costume balls, Thanksgiving dinners, and New Year’s Eve parties;
• Weekend activities: Frisbee in the parks, cycling, hiking (Emporer’s Palace, Wu-Liao Peak, Si Ma Ku Si), etc.
• Special Activities: Running a marathon, swimming across Sun Moon Lake;
• Going to the night market, metro rail stations, bookstores and department stores to reach out to the people and employees there;
• Using questionnaires;
• Topical Bible Talks arranged around special foods, at the park, or Bible study series related to professional life or relationships;
• Once a month book club meetings for a period of time;
• Participation in activities organized by local church groups on “synagogue Sunday”; and
• Introductions to local friends and family of other brothers and sisters in the Taipei church.

As typical for a mission team, where everyone has a strong sense of mission, we thought of many different ways to get to know people and invite friends. Among these different methods, the easiest people to reach were the friends and family members of brothers and sisters in the church—because there was already a personal relationship, it was easy to invite them to Bible Talks. Furthermore, with an already established basis for the relationship, they had a greater sense of security to participate with everyone in various activities, and be influenced by us, such that there were many more opportunities to study the Bible with them and have them attend Sunday services.  Most of the brothers and sisters baptized were first invited in this way.  With the other methods, most people would come once or twice to a Bible Talk, but lacking any foundation for a relationship with us, easily quit coming, and we seldom saw anyone who, upon coming the first time, had an interest in the Bible and Truth.

Challenges Faced Along the Way

1. The Challenge of Time: Although most of the brothers and sisters on the team moved to the Zhong Yong He district, their places of work were primarily still in Taipei, resulting in an even longer commute for them. Consequently, our services and Bible Talks were held at somewhat later times. 
2. The Challenge of Personalities: The brothers and sisters came from different Bible Talk groups, and when people are fewer, one must inevitably face the places one needs to change, particularly as regards the quality of one’s relationship with God—these places show themselves even more clearly.
3. The Challenge of Conviction: With everyone focused on evangelism, should things not go well for a time, or should there be a period of time without results, we are tested with questions of how to keep everyone encouraged and faithful, persevering in our dream, and creating victories.
4. The Challenge of the Leader’s Time and Energy: As the self-supporting brother leading the team I needed myself to continually grow in my convictions. Having to work, and also prepare the midweek meeting curriculum, as well as the content of Bible Talks, became a rather large burden. In the first year we used DPI books as a basis for a midweek curriculum, but in the second year we returned to our old Taipei church sector for midweeks, so as to lessen the burden of lesson preparation.
5. Some of the members of the team, unable to overcome the additional time-related challenges or for other reasons, could not maintain the same schedule as the team, and were advised to return to the church sector from which they had come.

The Growth of the Brothers and Sisters

Although there were challenges as enumerated above, these same challenges gave the brothers and sisters excellent opportunities for growth. Of these the most important can be divided into two parts:

1. Relationship Breakthroughs: In a small group of people, each individual is very important. After just a few activities, we quickly built personal relationships, and with the additional factor of sharing a common dream and having common expectations, we did not focus inwardly on ourselves, but outwardly. The few instances of conflict and friction we were able to quickly resolve, and forgive each other. Additionally, everyone learned to enjoy the strengths of different personality types, and cultivate a spirit of tacit understanding.
2. Spiritual Growth: When our personalities are challenged to change, and our convictions are tested, there are excellent opportunities for the brothers and sisters to grow spiritually. Over this time, one brother and sister overcame their own relationship weaknesses, and are now dating steadily. Also, by several devotional and prayer plans, the brothers and sisters were helped in gaining new convictions. Additionally, since the team was small, among the brothers there was the need for individuals to rise to the challenge of serving in a “Moses” role [as a spiritual mentor to others], leading singing, leading Bible Talk discussions, etc. These needs forged personal opportunities for growth. 

The Mission Team and Baptisms

In these two years, we helped two men and five women altogether become Christians. Among them, one man and two women were local residents. With the coming of the mission team to this district, and the beginning of a Bible Talk and organized activities, these family members of brother or sisters or their guests were able to overcome the distance barrier and have the opportunity to come to church. Also, there was another man and two more women who did not live in this district, but were classmates or colleagues of the brothers and sisters of various sectors, and with this basis for a relationship, and a willing heart to seek God, despite the relatively farther distance they did not let this become an excuse. One other woman originally lived in Taipei, but after baptism, in order to give herself more fully to evangelizing in this district, even persuaded her family to move to Yong He—an example of faith for us. 

Of the seven baptized I believe three became Christians as a direct result of our moving to this area to evangelize. This I believe to have been God’s plan. 

Keys to Evangelistic Success

1. The brothers and sisters had a dream, so they willingly and actively participated. “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath.” 2 Cor. 8:12. Each member was willing to participate for our common goal, and personally counted the cost of participation. When challenges arose, would they be able to continue in perseverance? This was an important key.
2. The church’s support with a midweek service curriculum. Now the church has begun to organize and file the content of its midweek classes—this is a good start. Mission team members were very much in need of continual “watering” (especially the non-staff brother leading the team). The encouragement of other brothers and sisters, and leaders, and the continual feeding of convictions received from the midweek classes, was very important.
3. The faith of the leading brother, and the trust of all the brothers and sisters. The trust placed in the brother leading the team was his greatest support, and his faith determined the faith and atmosphere of the entire mission family.  Having a couple lead together was a good choice.
4. Aside from bearing fruit, each brother and sister needs to a personal direction for spiritual growth. Each year we would have a time to recall what had been done in the past year, and what things God had blessed us in. A time of thanksgiving is very important.  
5. Hearts unified in prayer. Prayer and supplication for God’s leading. Each week the brothers and sisters would have a time to pray together. Through such times, not only did the relationships of the brothers and sisters grow stronger, everyone was continually reminded of the need for a heart that relies on God. God’s approval is still the most important factor in whether or not a venture could succeed!

Conclusion and Recommendations

After two years, we decided to return to the main body of the church, and not limit future evangelistic efforts to Zhong Yong He. Because we found that our target group, young singles age between 25 to 35, is not particularly inhabitants of this area. However we still hold Bible Talks here and hope to reach out those who might not be shared because they live in suburbs.

All in all, I believe we were successful in helping the relatives or friends of a few brothers and sisters by evangelizing in the Zhong Yong He district, since we were closer to them, creating an opportunity for them to come into contact with the church, and even study the Bible and come to know God. But as to reaching total strangers or new friends in this district, there was, rather regrettably, no clear indication of success for this method.

For similar mission teams in the future, I recommend an even greater variety of evangelistic outreach methods—for example, towards others than singles, such as married people, households with children, etc. Also, there are community resources that could be tried, such as local libraries, community centers, community colleges, etc.

I recommend that the church encourage the formation of small mission teams like this, focused on a particular district, or a particular group of people, so as to give brothers and sisters with a dream a chance to participate in a creative evangelistic effort for one or two years time under the guidance of a relatively mature leader. If it meets with God’s blessing, it will help the church with a new direction for growth; even if the actual results aren’t as initially expected, the experience is an excellent opportunity for growth for the brothers and sisters who participate.

Appendix by Kevin Tseng

One year after they returned, we sent out another mission family to Banchiao where the first team intended to target. The goal is not only to win souls in that area, but also provide a chance for Christians to train themselves before they can really go to a real mission team. After the lay leader decided and announced to recruit disciples to this mission family, he found his wife pregnant and other destabilizing situation also occurred with his job. Despite these unexpected challenges they did not waver in their faith, many disciples changed their jobs or moved to Banchiao and they shared faith side by side everyday. God have blessed them through 1 to 1 visitor ratio Bible Talk every week and many Bible studies were set up. After 5 months, as I write, there have been one man baptized and one women now counting the cost, and also many open studies are under progress. The team leader’s earlier job situation tuned out to be a blessing in disguise, and they now have a beautiful healthy baby. We announced that this is a one-year mission family, that is, after one year everyone is free to return to home sector or go to another mission family. Other Bible Talks can surely join them or even start a new mission family here as well.

We learned a lot by sending out such short-term mission families, where disciples experience strong mission-oriented atmosphere and deep spiritual relationships. Many who participated grew a lot and found themselves important to a team and in God’s eyes. They prepared themselves for a real mission team by practicing it. Short-term mission lowers the basic requirement so that more disciples are encouraged to participate in mission experience, at the same time knowing time is limited they do cherish every opportunity to save souls and build special memories. Next year we will send more short-term mission families to other districts around downtown Taipei.