(June 6, 2010) A Weekly Meditation of Pastor Chang

<Futurology, Soothsaying, Fortunetelling, and the Biblical Prophecy> (16)

Let us now review the past again so that we may prophesy about the future!

It is June again. Two days ago was June 4^th -- a day to remember the Tien-An-Men Incident which happened 11 years ago in Beijing City, China. Actually 10 years before the Tien-An-Men Incident, a similar event happened in Kaushiung City, Taiwan on December 1979, we named it, “Kaushiung Event.”

Both events shared the same characters: People were longing for democracy and freedom. Especially, it was the young people’s gathering, they wanted to express their hope to the governments that their countries could be become better for people to live in terms of human rights. Unfortunately, both governing bodies – KMT in Taiwan and Communist Party in China took the reason as “the riot has disturbed the peace of the society.” The governments sent police and military forces to oppress, to beat, and to drive the gatherings away. Many young people were hurt and even killed. The governments ended these events by shedding the innocent blood.

After the events, both governments did the same thing – searched and arrested the leaders and the suspects, and gave them severe sentences in order to warn the people from doing the same riots again. And the reactions of the oversea students in North America who were from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China toward these two incidents, including many organizations and religious groups were: anger and frustration.

After Kausiung Event, more students and new immigrants from Taiwan organized and involved in “the Taiwan independent movement.” The Taiwanese churches in North America were also very supportive to this movement. The result was that the democracy in Taiwan was improved – new opposite political party was legally established and eventually took over the political power to rule for 8 years by votes.

But my concern is: When the Kaushiung event occurred; many students and new immigrants in North America were invited to churches. The churches supported them, cared for them and even directly supported the democratic movement. But the church was too busy doing such work and did less evangelical work. Therefore, not many Taiwanese students and immigrants were converted to become Christians. Even those who become Christians they did not dig deep enough to strengthen their root in Christian faith. Now, they are getting old, their children are also grown up. The young people’s Christian faith is weaker than their parents. Many Taiwanese churches in North America now become weaker and weaker. Sometimes they make fun of themselves and their churches – “senior citizens’ clubs.” Very few of the Taiwanese new generation commit themselves to become pastors or coworkers in the ministries.

On the other hand, after the Tien-An-Men Incident, most of the North American Chinese churches welcome the new students and immigrants from China. The churches nourished them, took good care of them, and shared the gospel of Christ with them. The Chinese churches did not focus on the political issues but on the gospel. The result after 11 years of this incident, many students and new immigrants more than 100,000 were converted to become Christians and many of them went to study at seminaries. Now more than 1000 become pastors and gospel workers in many capacities. Namely, after this incident, the churches in North America and China are revived.

I never say that “democracy” is not important. However, from the point of view as a church, the main job of any church of Jesus Christ is to preach the gospel. Of course, we need to take care of social issues. But the priority is to preach the gospel, it is the foundation. If church does not do the work of democracy, other people will do. But if the church does not preach the gospel, no one will do it for the church.

When we talk about the progress of democracy, both Taiwan and China take a difficult way to walk through. The reason is the root of democracy is the Christian faith. Without strengthening the root, the democracy is difficult to develop well. I believe that unless Christians seriously preach the gospel and by the power of the gospel people’s hearts are transformed; otherwise, the democracy will be difficult to take root well on an atheistic society.