Summary

• Delightful Country - Taiwan is a dazzling mix of ancient tradition vs. modern technology and eastern vs. western ways. The people are friendly, cheerful, respectful, and hard-working.


• Cultural Barriers - Alas! There are major cultural barriers to the Gospel in Taiwan. The Gospel message simply does not fit into their way of thinking. When they try to interpret the Gospel in ways that are familiar to them, the result is a distorted message that is not the Gospel at all. For example, in Taiwan "sin" and "hell" mean different things than they do in America. And the concept of an exclusive God is definitely "outside of the box."


• Wholesale Syncretism - The Taiwanese build their own Do-It-Yourself religion based upon what they personally believe or what appeals to them. Their beliefs are a mixture of Confuscianism, Taoist, Bhuddist, and Chinese folk religion. What is more, they change the mix whenever it suits them. (Most Americans do the same!)


• Unquestioning Acceptance - Americans are "spring-loaded" in the position to question authority and reach their own conclusions. It is quite the opposite in Taiwan.


• Manipulating the Gods - Taiwanese have no concept of a love relationship with God. Instead they attempt to manipulate the benevolent gods to get what they want and appease the malevolent gods to avoid misfortune.


• Persistence of Tradition - Some traditions need to die out. But in Taiwan a tradition is forever.


• Busyness! - The city of Taipei has a nearly fatal case of "hurry-sickness!" This is exhausting, stressful, and leaves people no time to think.


• Marriage and Family - The breakup of marriage and family in Taiwan is part of a world-wide pandemic. Jesus said that this is one sign of the End Times. ("Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold." Matt 24:12).


• Resistant to the Gospel - Taiwan is notable for an economic revolution after WWII, followed by a democratic revolution in the 1980's. But there has been no spiritual revolution. Despite complete religious freedom, Taiwan is the only Asian nation that has not experienced major Christian revival. Missionaries say that the Taiwanese are "resistant to the Gospel." But IMO this is not not just a Taiwanese problem. I think this describes everyone who is lost. My mission trip to Taiwan made me understand more than ever that salvation is a supernatural miracle. We can and should tell the Good News. But only the Lord can cause the scales to fall off a person's eyes and enable them to see the light.

Do the preceding considerations mean that our time in Taiwan was wasted? Not at all! God promises to water the seeds that we plant in the ground (Is 30:23). P.S. Many thanks to my traveling companions who took all the fine pix!