Missions

To Accomplish the Mission and Vision of Evangelism

Missions supported by EFC-DC

Reverend Cheng
Pastor Cheng was born in Southeast China and has been serving the Lord for 45 years. He has served as the teacher of KwangChou Bible College, Philippines Bible College and Servant of Christ Seminary, and the pastor of Lin-Huay Church in Manilla. Also, he was the general secretary of Gospel Operation International for Chinese Christians. Pastor Cheng is a pioneer in Chinese missions. It's been more than 30 years since he started the first mission in 1961 at Lin-Huay Church in Philippines. He is often the main speaker at the annual missions conferences in North America, Southeast Asia, Europe and Australia. With the blessings from God, Pastor Cheng has always been successful in these seminars. He founded the North America Chinese Church United Missionary sending missionaries to Central America to spread the gospel, Pastor Cheng set an inspirational standard and encouragement for the rest of the Chinese churches in the world. He has written 3 books: 1) Missions, 2) Missions -- Questions and Answers, and 3) Cultivation of God.

Pastor James and Mimi Taylor
Mimi and James were both born and raised in Christian families in Taiwan, Mimi in Hualien, and James in Ping-tong. James's parents were missionaries serving both in Kaoshiung as well as Taipei while Mimi's father worked in the Tourist Bureau and her mother was a school teacher. After high school, James returned to the US for university studies while Mimi enter Soochow University in Taipei. Upon graduation from Seattle Pacific University, James had the opportunity to serve together with David Adeney in Overseas Missionary Fellowship. From there James went on to seminary as well as service in the Chinese Bible Church of Greater Boston for his studies. It was at the CBCGB that Mimi and James met. Mimi had studied at Indiana University, before transferring to Boston University to continue her study in voice performance. After being in Taiwan and serving in student ministry for several years, Mimi and James returned to CBCGB and served on staff at the church. In July, 1995, Pastor Taylor joined Overseas Missionary Fellowship's China ministry Department in Hong Kong. He will receive an intensive training in Singapore in March, 1996 and will be on board by the end of April. They have a son, James the 5th (2 years old), and a daughter (<1 year old).

Mr. and Mrs. Eric Yang
Mr. And Mrs. Yang were both born and grew up under the background of the Taiwanese Presbyterian Churches. Eric Yang had repented his sins to God since he was a junior high school student, but before long he forgot the Lord and became the prodigal son of God's family. In 1975, when he arrived in America, God summoned him back with His endless love. eric was 26 years old at that time.

Linda, God's unfilial daughter, did no confess her sins to God until the age of 26, when the Holy Spirit worked in her heart. Through their relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Yang met each other and were married. During the first six years of marriage, Eric Yang worked first as an electrical engineer, the plan manager, and finally a CEO. In the following 11 years, he ran his own garage, and the business grew more and more prosperous. In these few years, they received a great abundance from the Lord. In a moving article in EFC Weekly Newsletter -- "From Dream of America to Sentiment of North Thailand," Mr. and Mrs. Yang described their thrilling adventures and struggles in America. We can see how they bear the sufferings, but most important of all, how God dramatically guided them. God's wonderful guidance and provision made Eric know clearly and obey thoroughly God's will. God had been calling him since 1986, before he decided to accept the mission at the boundary of Thailand and Burma. However, his heart was too stubborn to obey at that time, and he used all kinds of excuses to avoid God's calling. Nevertheless, in November, 1992, during the annual missions conference, the vision of "Wa Minority" softened this couple's hearts and changed their original plan for themselves, which they might enjoy living comfortably thereafter. They prayed. And God confirmed His will to them all the time. And so the couple sold off their properties and possessions and closed their business.. They received a short period of intensive training, and then they went to Wa Minority in early November 1995. They became the first OMF missionary in Wa Minority.

Reverend and Mrs. Chen
Reverend Chen suffered from hemolytic leukemia as a child. His parents took him to see doctors everywhere in vain. At last, they took his pastor uncle's advice that they should pray to God. His father prayed to the Heavenly Father that this son would serve the Lord all his life if his disease could be healed. As expected, God healed this son's disease, which made all the doctors at their wits' ends. Therefore, from then on, he had an intimate church life as the experiences little Samuel had had. Later on, his spiritual life was cultivated in Taiwan Campus Fellowship, and he was born again during the fellowship prayer time. He was quite sure that "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" when he graduated from the university. Therefore, he registered to accept the armor of the Lord in Chinese Evangelical Seminary, where he got the master degree of theology. He became a Ph.D. candidate of Fuller Seminary in USA He preached for 12 years in Taiwan. At present, he is a missionary of GO international, serving in Argentina. During the summer of 1995, he came to EFC or DC to report the missionary needs in Argentina.

Mrs. Chen studied in Taipei Gwan Tu Christian Bible Academy, where she got in touch with a lot of loving brothers and sisters. The love among the Christians attracted her so much that she yearned for such a wonderful life. Therefore, she studied the Bible carefully and thought about God's words and waited for God's mercy. Indeed, Gods' words opened her mind gradually. In her sophomore year, she experienced the joy of rebirth. She felt the content life for the first time, and so she decided to dedicate her whole life to God. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Chen studied full time at Chinese Evangelical Seminary. They started to preach in church after their graduations until now. They have a ten year old son, Saint-Shin Chen. The family devotes themselves to the missionary work in Argentina.

Reverend and Mrs. Mark Harbour
Before introducing Mark and Ruth Harbour, we should know something about "SEND International." SEND was begun as Far Eastern Gospel Crusade (FEGC) shortly after World War II by a group of young men and women who returned from military service burdened by the spiritual needs of Asia. The early years of FEGC were marked by rapid growth and expansion into new areas. In 1971, Central Alaskan Missions merged with FEGC. In 1981, FEGC changed its name to SEND International to better represent the geographic scope Of the mission. Today, there are missionaries serving with SEND from the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Mark Harbour is one of them.

Mark and Ruth Harbour have served with SEND International in Taiwan since 1983. After studying Taiwanese language, in 1986, they worked with the Taichung Port Area team to establish the Chingshui Gospel Church on the western coast of central Taiwan. For Eight years, they served the church and team there. Mark's strengths lay in pastoral care, visitation, counseling, the teaching of the Word of God and preparing the church for calling their own national pastor. Beginning in 1995, Mark will be more involved with teaching national pastors and Christian workers.

The Lord has also given Ruth, Mark's wife, opportunity for ministry through visiting with neighbors, hospital visitation, ladies' Bible Studies, occasional seasonal socials, tract distribution and teaching Sunday School. The Harbour's have been blessed with five children. Last summer (1995) this family visited our church with singing and a brief message.

Last year (1995), Mark Harbour and three of SENDers led eight of Taiwan's churches' people to celebrate SEND's beginnings in the Philippines, October 13-21. Mark said a highlight for all of them from Taiwan was singing and speaking in Taiwanese to 1600 high schoolers at Grace Christian School in Manila. These students all were Hokkien (Taiwanese dialect) speaking Chinese. 80% of the students are from non-Christian, mostly wealthy Chinese families. After Mark gave a brief message, the principal gave an invitation for commitment to follow Christ or for Christian service. 30 young people stood at the front, 21 of whom told Mark they had never understood the Gospel before and wanted to give their lives to Christ! Mark said they have preached the same gospel for 12 years in Taiwan, but have never experienced any such tenderness of hearts as he witnessed with this precious group of Chinese teenagers in the Philippines. He came back grieving for the hardness of Taiwanese hearts.