 Phil and Irene Nicholson (serving with OMF)
Phil and Irene have been in Taiwan since 1992. In this time they have worked with Campus Evangelical Fellowship and provided pastoral care and support for other OMF members in northern Taiwan. Phil’s current role is Field Director for OMF.
The greatest need for OMF in Taiwan is for new workers. We have a clear vision and see the harvest but lack the workers to move ahead.
Mobilisation is the key to this problem and that is the precise role which our field expects from us in leadership. MTS is one new plan being introduced to OMF Taiwan. MTS is Ministry Training Strategy and is an internship and training program for those interested in exploring their suitability for ministry. Our interns will do some language, begin ministry in Chinese, learn about cross cultural issues and understanding how to reach working class Taiwanese. They will also be mentored by trained leaders. Phil will be spearheading this for our field.
About Taiwan
Over the last forty years Taiwan has developed from a rural to a high-tech economy. Its population of 21 million is mainly urban and crowded into the western plains of an island half the size of Tasmania. It has one of the highest population densities in the world.
Industrial success has made the Taiwanese eager to gain greater wealth and this dominates many people's lives. The social dislocation caused by movement to cities for better jobs is causing problems for the government which has not set up support structures.
About 70% of people follow traditional Chinese religions and only 2% are evangelical Christians. Yet the Presbyterian Church was well established before World War 2 and the post war period saw many missionaries come to Taiwan. There was a growth in the church then but the growth has not continued. Many believers fall away. There has been little lay training. Pastors often choose to leave the country especially for North America.
OMF has been in Taiwan since the 1950s. OMF’ers work as partners with local churches and para-church organisations. They are mainly involved in evangelism, church planting and discipleship training OMF seeks to target particular urban social groups where the gospel needs are greater and little work has been done. At the same time OMF seeks to equip and encourage local church leadership as they reach out and minister to their own people.
Taiwan is packed with blue-collar workers, store clerks and college students who need Christ. They need creative workers ready to squeeze into cramped housing in huge cities - missionaries driven to reach out to women at risk; delinquent boys and disadvantaged adults. OMF wants new members who enjoy people and are unafraid of trying new things. OMF joins with Taiwanese Christians in planting working class churches. We also train Christian leaders through Sunday Schools, seminaries and Bible colleges. |
