For more than a year, we have been praying about how we can better structure our Tuesday evening English class to maximize our time. You see, most of our students have been with us for years. They have become our good friends; some of them have come to know the Lord while the rest remain open to listening but spiritually uncommitted.

Over the years, their English level has improved and it has been hard to accept new students to this class. And so we thank the Lord that these advanced students agreed to join Joy’s existing Wednesday evening Bible class so that we could start a new Basic English class on Tuesday evenings to accommodate new students (and new contacts for the gospel). As usual, Joy teaches conversational English for an hour while Victor shares the Word of God in Chinese for 30 minutes.

Two of our students in this new class are husband and wife, Jackson and Weini. One evening, they asked us what we do on Sundays at church. Victor explained about our worship service and shared with them the gospel in a nutshell. We also invited them to come to our worship service to observe what we do. We were so delighted when they actually came. We could see that this couple has deep spiritual hunger. Right away, they talked with us about ancestor worship and we’ve honestly told them that as Christians we only worship the True and Living God.

For most of our contacts, ancestor worship is what hinders them from following the Lord. It is so sad that this practice is ingrained in them not only as religion, but as culture as well. Will you please pray with us that God will release our students from this stronghold of the enemy?

Today’s topic of discussion was how we ENGAGE people who do not know of Christ’s love for them – how it is a process for everyone.  Especially in our culture, no one can win an argument about God! God is a personal God and people learn of His love by hearing personal stories. Warren Janzen, our International Director, challenged us to be living compelling lives and giving compelling invitations. Does my life reflect the love and character of God? Do I invite people to come to know that love that I hope to be living? I admit that it is hard for me to openly invite people (even and especially those I claim to love so much!) to come to know the loving God that has called me to follow Him. But “…how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" (Romans 10:14). This is something I need to act upon! Praise be to our God who invites us to join with Him in His Kingdom work!

Maja* would never publicly admit she is disappointed with her religion. She doesn’t doubt her faith but has been disappointed many times by people from her own religion and has started asking questions. Maja began to see the difference between how we live our lives and how she is used to seeing people living their lives. She respects the teachers from her own religion but she has been repeatedly disappointed and cannot find any role models.

For the first time Maja learned what love is and what appreciation means. For the first time Maja is respected and sees a different way of interaction. Maja observed this way of life from us and her Christian roommates and friends. She’s been asking herself, “What do these people have that I don’t have?”

In the past weeks particularly Maja has begun asking more questions. She asked her roommate for a Bible and how to use it. Her roommate was puzzled by these questions and came to us for advice. We were equally puzzled since we wanted to start a bible study with Maja for a while. But instead of explaining to Maja the important points in the chronologically structured Bible studies, we explain these to Maja’s roommate each week. This Bible study is a big challenge for Maja’s roommate since she grew up learning to hate and avoid people from Maja’s religious group.

It is a great joy for us to see how hate is being replaced by love and care. Finally Maja is able to experience love and acceptance instead of disappointment. Praise God for Maja’s roommate who has overcome hate and replaced it with love. Please pray for Maja that she will understand the Bible.

*Not her real name

Our church/METAS is sponsoring a large-scale evangelistic campaign this summer, from July 19-August 1st. A team of Spanish youth, led by evangelist Ester Rodriguez, will come to put on a10 day program for children with clowns, songs, Bible stories, etc.

Here are some specific prayer requests for the campaign:
• Pray for the children, parents and grandparents who will attend the programs to have receptive hearts as they hear about spiritual things.
• Pray for our testimony as a church and as a team putting on this event, that we would shine for Jesus in this community even while setting up chairs, cleaning up garbage, etc.
• Pray that the experience would be life-changing for the Spanish youth who will be helping with the campaign as they use their gifts and abilities to reach out to others.
• We plan to begin a weekly Kids’ Club as follow-up from the campaign. Please pray for wisdom as we plan and that we would be attentive to what GOD wants us to do.
• Pray for protection for all of us as we plan and carry out the campaign. Satan does not like it when we are entering territory that has been his!
• Praise that the town hall has granted the use of the park near the church/METAS building for the campaign!

SEND Taiwan is in need of a Business Manager for at least one year.  The position is best-suited for people pursuing a career in business, or people who are retired or planning to retire.  You can make an impact for God's kingdom using your skills as a manager.