Taiwan Covenant to Celebrate 50 Years of Ministry

Representatives from Taiwan's partner churches in the United States, New Zealand and South Africa will be represented along with churches in Asia. Activities will include seminars on how to reach urban dwellers for Christ. The official anniversary celebration will take place May 19.

The work of the Evangelical Covenant Church began after Covenant missionaries were evacuated from China in the late 1940s. Dr. Signe Berg arrived in Taiwan in March 1952 as the denomination's first missionary. Shortly thereafter, missionaries Edward and Mildred Nelson arrived and Bible studies began in the Nelson home. Those studies eventually led to establishment of the first Covenant congregation, Taipei Covenant Church. Other significant workers in the early years in Taiwan included Elsa Hammerland, Viola Larson, Albert Dwight, Worth and Erna Pearson, Karin Ekholm and Per Byman.

By the 1970s, Taiwan Covenant churches were self-supporting and self-governing, according to World Mission coordinator for Chinese ministry David Dolan. Missionaries Norman and Martha Dwight played key roles during that time. In the 1980s, the Taiwan churches received a boost from a denominational capital campaign and congregations grew from 13 to 31. Many of the new church plants evolved from Hsintien Covenant Church under pastor Nathan Chang.

Taiwan churches have had a global impact in spreading the gospel, sending missionaries Frank and Ada Tuan to South Africa and eventually starting the South Africa Chinese Covenant Church. Workers are also in Germany, New Zealand, Korea, the Philippines and mainland China. Those ministries have spawned new Covenant congregations in New Zealand, the Philippines, Korea and the United States in Rosemead, California.

For more information about the Taiwan Covenant church and its upcoming celebration, contact Dolan by email at djdolan@attbi.com.

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