David Eastwood is Field Director for OMF in Taiwan, where he has been working for 30 years, and now oversees 70 missionaries.
OMF’s focus in Taiwan is on working-class and marginalised communities, such as prostitutes, the homeless and orphans, who are often overlooked by those agencies who concentrate on reaching the middle classes. Evangelicals Now spoke to him exclusively about the current situation there.
How would you assess the strength of the church in Taiwan right now?
It has grown hugely over the past 15 years or so, such that evangelicals now comprise up to 4.5% of the entire population, up 1% in the last ten years, in at least 2,500 different fellowships. This represents one evangelical church per 9,500 people in the country. Many new churches have been planted, including some megachurches 8–10,00 strong. But it is mainly a middle-class phenomenon, and some churches are theologically shallow and adhere to the prosperity gospel.
Can you give some examples of what churches are doing in Taiwan at present?
In the large city of Taichung, a thriving pastors’ fellowship meets regularly to discuss key issues, and the larger churches there recently held and financed a conference for the pastors of smaller, poorer churches. Churches have also reached out to both political parties, nationally and locally, actively co-operating with them over key social issues.
How do churches regard the current situation with the mainland?
There is of course a range of views, but all are united in not wanting an invasion. Most have probably not thought all the ramifications through fully, but I know that some churches in Taipei (the capital) have started to explore making house groups into potential cell churches if China were to take over.
Are there any refugees from the mainland in Taiwan? If so, how are they being helped.
There are very few refugees from the mainland in China, although ‘foreign brides’ did come over until 2019. What is perhaps not appreciated in the West is how bound together Taiwan and the mainland are. Direct flights between Taipei and Shanghai have resumed after being suspended during Covid. Many Taiwanese go on holiday there every year and perhaps 500,000 work in the booming factories of southern China. Taiwanese churches have invested money in mainland churches. 20 years ago Taiwanese pastors went over to do Bible teaching, now Taiwanese and mainland churches are co-operating more fully, sharing resources to facilitate mission training, for example.
One example of that co-operation is an evangelical seminary in Taipei that for years offered courses for mainland students. Now, that college is seeking accreditation for its degree courses from the Chinese government in order to make it easier for mainland students to come across and study there.
Are Taiwanese churches broadly optimistic or pessimistic about the future?
Churches have been mostly optimistic, but the last few months, with the possibility of invasion much higher, has concentrated minds somewhat. Taiwanese Christians feel sure that God is building His church here and that momentum is visible in many conversions and new churches across the country. But one major worry for the future is Western ‘woke’ culture creeping in, closing down opportunities for the gospel.
