Taiwan Assemblies of God
Encyclopedia
The Taiwan Assemblies of God is a Chinese Pentecostal church that was established in Taiwan since 1952. The church was founded by and continues to have strong ties to the Springfield, Missouri
based Assemblies of God
, the largest of the American Pentecostal denominations .
in the United States. Its purpose, they asserted, was to preserve the harvest of newly won souls. The new denomination soon became the largest and best organized of the various emerging Pentecostal churches .
In 1916, a Foreign Mission Division was established and its leaders then attempted to bring under its banner the independent Pentecostals and the missionaries of the theologically similar Christian and Mission Alliance missionaries. This effort had pretty much succeededby the early 1920s. The Foreign Mission Division of the Assemblies of God now began the task of recruiting new missionaries
, supplying funds
for their support, and providing direction over their efforts in the field .
By the early 1920s, there were already forty-seven missionaries who served the Assemblies of God. they included Victor Plymire, who explored the provinces of western China and Tibet
and whose son would serve in the Taiwan mission. The difficult years of the 1920s and 1930s, when the Protestant and Catholic mission establishments found themselves threatened by overt Chinese hostility, were even more dangerous for AG missionaries, many of whom worked in remote sections of the hinterland. Not all survived these treacherous times. W.E. Simpson was slain in a bandit ambush
in 1932, but the mission continued to grow.
By 1933, there were sixty-seven missionaries in China located at twenty-six stations. The missionaries had also recruited a number of local workers. That same year, 155 Chinese helped the Westerners as evangelists and Bible workers.
After the Sino-Japanese War
and the disruption it brought (in some cases Pentecostal missionaries were interned by the Japanese), the Foreign Mission Division began an extensive reassessment of their efforts. As a result of meetings held in Springfield, Missouri
in 1945, they committed themselves to an overall expansion of their enterprise in China. One hundred and forty eight churches had been planted.
In 1952, the Assemblies of God Mission Board committed its men and women from to the island in the hope of establishing Pentecostal churches in the militarily secure Republic of China They have been there ever since. On Taiwan these missionaries and their Chinese co-workers have been able to develop a small but dedicated body of believers who are part of the worldwide Assemblies of God network. In Taipei
, Taichung
, Tainan
, and Kaohsiung
and in the villages in the reservation areas of the island's rugged interior are found Assemblies of God churches made up of mainlanders, Taiwanese
, and mountain people
.
There is a Bible school in Taichung run by the mission and a large A/G run and financed correspondence school now operating in Taipei. Radio ministries such as that established by jimmy Swaggart, a former A/G pastor, now operate as well and serve to attract Chinese to the church. The Assemblies mission on Taiwan is one that is rather traditional in its operating style .
While some progress has been made, the Assemblies of God missionaries have not been able to expand among the Taiwanese majorities or make much progress among the Taiwanese Aborigines. The Assemblies missionaries knew of the work of the other churches when they began their own efforts but decided that there were unreached peoples in the mountain areas. They have been able to carve out a place for themselves but it has not been easy .
Today, the Taiwan Assemblies of God exists as a small church within the larger Protestant community. It holds fast to its Western roots and maintains close ties ti its American founders.
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
based Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
, the largest of the American Pentecostal denominations .
Historical background
In 1914, the leaders of the emerging Pentecostal movement founded the Assemblies of GodAssemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
in the United States. Its purpose, they asserted, was to preserve the harvest of newly won souls. The new denomination soon became the largest and best organized of the various emerging Pentecostal churches .
In 1916, a Foreign Mission Division was established and its leaders then attempted to bring under its banner the independent Pentecostals and the missionaries of the theologically similar Christian and Mission Alliance missionaries. This effort had pretty much succeededby the early 1920s. The Foreign Mission Division of the Assemblies of God now began the task of recruiting new missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, supplying funds
Funding
Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...
for their support, and providing direction over their efforts in the field .
By the early 1920s, there were already forty-seven missionaries who served the Assemblies of God. they included Victor Plymire, who explored the provinces of western China and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and whose son would serve in the Taiwan mission. The difficult years of the 1920s and 1930s, when the Protestant and Catholic mission establishments found themselves threatened by overt Chinese hostility, were even more dangerous for AG missionaries, many of whom worked in remote sections of the hinterland. Not all survived these treacherous times. W.E. Simpson was slain in a bandit ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
in 1932, but the mission continued to grow.
By 1933, there were sixty-seven missionaries in China located at twenty-six stations. The missionaries had also recruited a number of local workers. That same year, 155 Chinese helped the Westerners as evangelists and Bible workers.
After the Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
and the disruption it brought (in some cases Pentecostal missionaries were interned by the Japanese), the Foreign Mission Division began an extensive reassessment of their efforts. As a result of meetings held in Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
in 1945, they committed themselves to an overall expansion of their enterprise in China. One hundred and forty eight churches had been planted.
In 1952, the Assemblies of God Mission Board committed its men and women from to the island in the hope of establishing Pentecostal churches in the militarily secure Republic of China They have been there ever since. On Taiwan these missionaries and their Chinese co-workers have been able to develop a small but dedicated body of believers who are part of the worldwide Assemblies of God network. In Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taichung
Taichung
-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
, Tainan
Tainan
Tainan City is a city in southern Taiwan. It is the fifth largest after New Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Taipei. It was formerly a provincial city, and in 2010, the provincial city merged with the adjacent Tainan County to form a single special municipality. Tainan faces the Taiwan Strait in...
, and Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
and in the villages in the reservation areas of the island's rugged interior are found Assemblies of God churches made up of mainlanders, Taiwanese
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...
, and mountain people
Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...
.
There is a Bible school in Taichung run by the mission and a large A/G run and financed correspondence school now operating in Taipei. Radio ministries such as that established by jimmy Swaggart, a former A/G pastor, now operate as well and serve to attract Chinese to the church. The Assemblies mission on Taiwan is one that is rather traditional in its operating style .
While some progress has been made, the Assemblies of God missionaries have not been able to expand among the Taiwanese majorities or make much progress among the Taiwanese Aborigines. The Assemblies missionaries knew of the work of the other churches when they began their own efforts but decided that there were unreached peoples in the mountain areas. They have been able to carve out a place for themselves but it has not been easy .
Today, the Taiwan Assemblies of God exists as a small church within the larger Protestant community. It holds fast to its Western roots and maintains close ties ti its American founders.