Sharing of Hakka Gospel Ministry from Various Regions

Sarawak

Total population: over 2 million

• Chinese population: over 500,000 (Fuzhou people over 200,000; Hokkien, Hainanese, Cantonese, Teochew, Henghua, etc. over 170,000; Hakka population: over 190,000)
• Hakka believers status: believers are less than 3% of the total population
• More than 5 years ago, after the 1st Global Hakka Gospel Conference, brothers and sisters from the city began to be mobilized to return to rural areas to assist in conducting evangelistic meetings, short-term mission work, children’s camps, and other activities.
• Main problems faced by most rural churches: outflow of manpower and lack of resources
• Vision: After this conference, churches of all denominations are called to work in unity and with one heart, strategically winning the souls of the Hakka people.

Prayer Items

~ Pray for the 190,000 unreached Hakka people in Sarawak. Pray that the Holy Spirit will touch their hearts, break every bondage and hindrance, so that they may hear the Gospel and be willing to open their hearts to believe and receive Jesus Christ.

~ Pray for all Christian churches in Kuching. Pray that God will place a burden for evangelism in the hearts of every pastor and believer, and that they will be willing, regardless of denomination or church background, to work together in unity to bring the Gospel to the Hakka people.

The Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong (Christian Church of Hong Kong)

     Originating from the Basel Mission in Switzerland, Rev. Theodore Hamberg was sent to China and Hong Kong in 1846. He passed away in Hong Kong in 1854 at the age of 35 and was buried at Happy Valley Cemetery. Rev. Lechler arrived in Hong Kong in 1847 and passed away in 1908 in Kornwestheim, Germany.

     The first church of the Tsung Tsin Mission was the Tsui Tsin Church (1852), followed by Shau Kei Wan Church (1862), and then Sham Shui Po Church (1897).

     Village churches located in Hakka communities include Sai Kung Tsung Tsin Church and Nam Wa Po Tsung Tsin Church. Churches located in schools include Shatin Tsung Tsin School / Shatin Tsung Tsin Church, Fanling Kau Yan College / Kau Yan Church Fanling Branch, Ma On Shan Tsung Tsin Secondary School / Ma On Shan Tsung Tsin Church, and Shatin Tsung Tsin Secondary School / Sun Chui Tsung Tsin Church.

     The denomination operates 6 secondary schools, 4 primary schools, 7 kindergartens, and 6 nursery schools. It also runs an Elderly Service Centre and sends out missionaries. In terms of external connections, it works with the Hakka Gospel Association of Taiwan, inland Hakka churches in China, the Basel Mission, Mission 21, EMS, and others.

     The mainland Hakka ministry of the Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong can be divided into two periods. Before the liberation, the Tsung Tsin Mission in Guangdong and Fujian covered 25 districts, 167 churches and preaching points, 20,000 members, 2 hospitals, 1 seminary, and 30 primary and secondary schools.

     Currently, it maintains connections with over 190 churches and preaching points in the Hakka regions of Guangdong Province, distributed across Meizhou City (Meixian, Meijiang District, Xingning, Wuhua County), Heyuan City (Yuancheng District, Xincheng District, Heping County, Lianping County, Zijin County, Longchuan County, Dongyuan County, Boluo County), Shenzhen (Bao’an District, Longhua New District, Guangming New District), and Shaoguan (Xinfeng County). In western Fujian, it connects with over 20 churches and preaching points in counties and cities such as Wuping, Shanghang, Yongding, Changting, Liancheng, Zhangping, and Xinluo District of Longyan City.

     The mainland Hakka ministry includes church building projects, training programs, visitation and exchange, theological scholarships, support for workers in Hakka regions, and exchange visits to Hong Kong.

     At present, the Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong no longer uses the Hakka language. Therefore, it is necessary to organize Hakka language classes to teach brothers and sisters the Hakka language, so that they may carry out ministry among the Hakka people in mainland China and serve them effectively.

China – Meizhou

    Meizhou is located in the northeastern part of Guangdong Province and is a true Hakka region. It consists of Xingning, Wuhua, Dabu, Jiaoling, Pingyuan, Fengshun, Meixian, and Meijiang District. The total population is over 5.7 million. Meizhou currently has 128 church locations, with approximately over 80,000 believers. There are 30 pastors, 38 elders, and 74 evangelists serving full-time in the church.

    Each church holds one to two large baptism services every year, regardless of denomination. Usually summer is for immersion baptism, and winter is for sprinkling baptism. Sometimes, when taking care of elderly people who are not physically convenient, pastoral workers will also go to their homes to perform baptism for them.

   The Meizhou churches have always maintained friendly relations with churches in various parts of Guangdong, as well as Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Switzerland, Germany, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other churches; they also especially look forward to overseas Hakka churches often coming to Meizhou for visits, communication, and exchange.

Plans and Prospects for Church Ministry Development

The development of the church requires the guidance and care of God, as well as the filling and presence of the Holy Spirit. Pastors, co-workers, and brothers and sisters must have a united heart and love one another. Only when serving together in unity in the Lord can the church grow.

1. Continue to organize pastoral staff retreats to improve the quality of ministers. Strengthen communication through the internet, work in close cooperation, and make good use of available resources to carry out evangelistic work more effectively.
2. Continue to organize various types of training courses, gathering church volunteers for phased training programs. Improve their biblical knowledge, sacred music understanding, and pastoral care awareness in visiting the sick.
3. Strengthen the ministries of church fellowships by combining sharing, testimonies, and praise. Through communication and intercession among fellowship members, the body of Christ can be closely united.
4. Strengthen the connection among churches in different parts of Meizhou, encouraging mutual support between churches. Show greater care for the living conditions of rural church pastors. Churches with better development should support rural churches to grow together. In this way, the church will surely flourish increasingly.

Australia

The primary ministry of the Australian Tianlai Hakka Gospel Ministry is to share the Gospel with the 80,000 Hakka people living in Australia. However, because they are widely scattered across different regions, the church needs to gather the Hakka people together.

To date, the Tianlai Hakka Gospel Ministry has held three Hakka Gospel gatherings. The most recent was the “Hakka Voice” bilingual Mandarin–Hakka meeting held on 20 July 2013, where brothers and sisters used Hakka folk songs, dances, and testimony stories to attract Hakka people.

However, the Hakka people face another challenge: after migrating to another country, the next generation of Hakka people often no longer speak the Hakka language, and they also seem to have little burden for the salvation of the Hakka people.

Taiwan

1. Presbyterian Church in Taiwan

The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan currently has 1,205 churches, with approximately 240,000 believers. The regional councils include 27 presbyteries (Hoklo 11, Hakka 1, Indigenous 15).

The challenges faced by Hakka ministry in Taiwan include a low rate of conversion, an identity crisis, and long-term neglect within the Presbyterian Church system. However, opportunities for Hakka ministry in Taiwan have now emerged. The “Hakka” identity is increasingly being recognized in Taiwanese society. The Presbyterian Church has established a “Hakka Mission Presbytery,” inspired by the “Hakka Ten-Year Doubling Movement” initiated by the Hakka Gospel Association in Taiwan.

Ministry Plans of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan for Hakka Ministry:

1. Actively Strengthen Presbyteries

For the Hakka Mission Presbytery:

1. Emphasize identity: Hakka We Care
2. Emphasize mission: Internal growth (one-leads-one evangelism); external expansion (continuous church planting. Since its establishment in 2000 to the present, the number of churches has increased from 13 to 20)

For presbyteries with Hakka / village churches:

1. Encourage the possibility of joining the Hakka Presbytery
2. Urge existing presbyteries to establish a “Hakka Ministry Department”
3. Nurturing Hakka Youth

Develop full-time ministry personnel by organizing “Hakka Youth Camps”

1. (Winter break) Hakka Youth – Hakka Leadership Camp
2. (Summer break) Hakka Youth – Hakka Vitality Party

Seminary “Hakka Fellowship / Southern Hakka Society”

1. Guidance and pastoral care
2. Organize “Hakka Seminary Student Camp”
3. Fundraising for “Hakka Mission Scholarships”
4. Nurturing Hakka Pastors

Hakka pastors need two major renewals — “renewal of spiritual life” and “renewal of cultural identity”

Organize “Hakka Mission Strategy Seminars” and “Workshops”
Organize “Hakka Pastors Spiritual Retreats”

4. Nurturing Hakka Believers

Organize “National Hakka Christian Spiritual Retreat / Conference”

5. Cultural Promotion and Evangelistic Care

Support Hakka Choirs (Northern Region), Tianen Choir (Southern Region)
Organize touring “Hakka Cultural Music Camps / Hakka Musical Evangelistic Meetings”

6. Hakka Church Planting Ministry in Metropolitan Areas

1. Why develop Hakka ministry in urban areas?

• In response to the general trend of population movement in Taiwan (70% of the population resides in urban areas)
• Hakka people in urban areas are easier to gather together
• Urban Hakka people are more receptive to the Gospel
• Urban ministry can drive mission work in rural Hakka areas

2. How to carry it out?

• Organize “Urban Hakka Christian Fellowship Dinners” for those living in cities
• Encourage urban churches to form “Hakka small groups, Hakka fellowships, or Hakka-language worship services”

7. Establish “Partnership Church” Relationships

• Develop a “Partnership Plan”
• Seek “Partner Churches”

8. Global Hakka Mission Ministry
   • For Southeast Asian Chinese churches — regular visits, exchanges, and mutual sharing
   • For other overseas Taiwanese churches — encourage the formation of Hakka Christian fellowships, Hakka groups, and Hakka-language worship services
9. Launch the “Hakka Mission Friends Association”

• Purpose and objectives: identity and participation
• Membership types: organizations and individuals
• Clearly define members’ rights and responsibilities

10. Other cultural and mission-related initiatives

• Publish Hakka-related gospel resources
• Promotion of Hakka Bible (Old and New Testament) (2012)
• Publication of Hakka Hymnal (2013)
• Training of Hakka language teachers and production of Hakka teaching materials
• Preparation for a “Hakka Mission Center”

11. Preparation of the “Hakka Mission Center”

• To ensure the General Assembly’s Hakka mission strategy is more effectively implemented in churches
• To ensure the General Assembly’s Hakka mission can respond more promptly to church needs and developments
• Ultimate goal: “centralization” of Hakka mission ministry

Overall Goal of Hakka Mission:

“To identify with the Hakka people, to commit to Christ, and to experience multiplication in growth.”

~ Prayer for Hakka Ministry in Taiwan

• Publication and promotion of the Hakka Hymnal
• Development of the Hakka Mission Presbytery and church planting
• Greater emphasis on Hakka ministry by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church — actively establishing a Hakka Mission Center
• Strengthening connection and cooperative relationship with the Hakka Gospel Association of Taiwan and its ministries

2. Taiwan Hakka Gospel Association

(1) Current Situation of the Hakka Ethnic Group

1. The global Hakka population is 80 million (65 million in mainland China, and the remaining 15 million are distributed around the world).
2. Taiwan’s Hakka population is over 4 million, yet less than 0.5% have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.

(2) Current Situation of the Hakka and the Gospel in Taiwan

　　Taiwan has a population of 23 million, and is a country with an absolute majority of Han Chinese. The Hoklo ethnic group accounts for 72%; the Hakka ethnic group 15%; mainland Chinese (waisheng) 11%; and indigenous peoples 2%.

In Taiwan’s 400-year history of Han migration, there has been a long-standing tension and ethnic sentiment between Hoklo and Hakka groups. Due to its relatively smaller population, the Hakka community has long been in a disadvantaged and suppressed position.

Hakka language and culture have been severely eroded under the influence of dominant Mandarin and Hoklo (Taiwanese) languages. Hakka advocates have risen to seek recognition. Thanks to party politics, the Hakka vote often plays a decisive role in elections. Therefore, through public authority and government budgeting, Taiwan established the Hakka Affairs Council in 2000 and the world’s only Hakka television station. This is a unique situation within the global Hakka community.

While the Christian population in Taiwan exceeds 5%, the Hakka Christian rate is less than 0.5%. The main reasons are that over the past 150 years, missionary resources were mostly directed toward other ethnic groups, resulting in relative neglect of the Hakka people, as well as the conservative and tightly knit family structure of the Hakka community, where ancestral worship creates pressure against accepting the Christian faith.

Therefore, churches in Taiwan generally have awareness and sympathy toward the Hakka situation, which also affirms the value of the Hakka Gospel Association as a platform for Hakka Christians to identify with Hakka evangelism. In this broader environment, Taiwan has developed a context that emphasizes Hakka evangelism, especially using Hakka language, music, and cultural elements as a means of gospel outreach.

(3) History and Current Situation of the Hakka Gospel Association

1. The Hakka Gospel Association was established as a foundation under the conditions of this historical and social context. It has a history of 35 years, with its own office, three full-time staff members, and a board of directors. The annual budget is USD 150,000. It also appoints part-time coordinators and volunteers in various regions, currently numbering 4.
2. In response to the need for Hakka workers, the world’s only Hakka Mission Seminary was established in 2000. To date, it has trained more than 20 workers. The current dean is Rev. Wen Yongsheng, and the chairman of the board is Rev. Fan Zhengcheng. The seminary is actively purchasing land and developing a campus construction project, with a total estimated cost of USD 4 million.

(4) Ten-Year “Doubling” Goal (2005–2014)

1. 80 churches to join the network, and worship attendance to double (currently 50 churches)
2. Plant 10 churches targeting Hakka-speaking communities (currently 6 churches)
3. Establish Hakka-language worship services in 20 churches (currently 6 churches)
4. Establish Hakka small groups or fellowships in 20 churches (currently 15 churches)
5. Send out 5–10 overseas missionaries (currently 1 missionary)

(5) Three Major Ministry Strategies of the Hakka Gospel Association

1. For Hakka Christians: “Hakka to Hakka Evangelism”
   It calls upon 20,000 Hakka Christians to take responsibility for evangelizing 3.98 million Hakka compatriots. If these 20,000 Hakka Christians are raised up by the Lord, it will become a tremendous missionary army, and Hakka revival will be imminent.
2. For Churches in Taiwan: “Church Supporting Hakka Ministry”
   It urges more than 3,000 Mandarin and Taiwanese-speaking churches to mobilize Hakka believers within their congregations to evangelize the 3.98 million Hakka people living around their churches. In this way, every church can directly and powerfully contribute to Hakka mission work, and together win the Hakka people for the Lord.
3. For Rural Hakka Churches: “Hakka into the Family”
   Rural Hakka churches may not have strong resources and do not need to wait for large funding or full-time ministers to start church planting. Each church can make use of the warmth and relational nature of family, and the gifts of lay workers, to establish ministries in every village and provide care at the household level.

(6) Current Ministry Focus:

“Hakka Returning Home — Doubling Happiness Island Train”
Through co-organizing “Church Supporting Hakka” Hakka festivals with churches across Taiwan, this movement seeks to honor and highlight Hakka identity, so that Hakka Christians in local churches may be stirred to receive a burden for evangelism — “Hakka to Hakka Evangelism.”
Target: 30 events; 6,000 participants. The island train campaign was launched on September 1, 2013 in Keelung.

(7) Three Major Hakka Vision and Mission Statements

“To reach the Hakka people, and to the ends of the earth” is the vision and mission of the Global Hakka Gospel Association. Taiwan Hakka Gospel Association implements and strengthens this mission in the following three areas:

1. Transforming Chinese ancestor worship culture
   Preserve the beautiful cultural values within ancestor worship such as remembering one’s roots, filial piety, family affection, and family unity. Redirect limited ancestral reverence toward unlimited worship of God. Replace ancestor worship with honoring God. “Drinking water, remember its source; honoring ancestors, extend it to eternity.” In 2005, the first Hakka Joint Ancestor Memorial Meeting was held in Taipei; in 2011, the first Christian Joint Respect for God and Ancestors Conference was held.
2. Blessing the descendants of Ishmael
   Millions of Hakka compatriots in Southeast Asia live alongside Muslim communities, becoming neighbors and even relatives through marriage. By learning their languages and cultures, this becomes a form of close-context mission work, making it easier to reach the Muslim world. Taiwan is willing to walk together with Southeast Asian Hakka communities.
3. Proclaiming the Gospel of Returning Home to the Heavenly Father
   “Hakka” is a name given by God. This ethnic group should collectively return to the Lord and become a people who proclaim to all nations that “we are sojourners on earth, and we must return to the Father’s house.” Therefore, the “Hakka Returning Home” movement calls the Hakka people first to return to the Father, and then to lead all nations to find the way home through faith in Jesus Christ.

~ Prayer Points:

1. Pray for the Hakka Seminary’s talent development program in Kalimantan.
2. Pray for sufficient funding for land re-zoning and the construction of the Hakka Seminary campus, and for smooth progress of the building project.
3. Pray that the “Hakka Returning Home Train” will effectively advance its three goals: Hakka to Hakka evangelism, Church supporting Hakka ministry, and Hakka helping Hakka.
4. Pray for the implementation and strengthening of the three major Hakka missions: transforming Chinese ancestor worship culture, blessing the descendants of Ishmael, and proclaiming the Gospel of returning to the Heavenly Father’s home.
5. Pray for Hakka churches: to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, boldly proclaim Jesus Christ, experience the co-working of the Holy Spirit, and see the Hakka people repent and turn to the Lord.

West Kalimantan (formerly West Borneo)

West Kalimantan covers an area of approximately 146,000 square kilometers, consisting of 12 regencies and 2 municipalities. The population is over 5 million, with a Chinese population of about 1 million, accounting for approximately 20% of the province’s total population. Among them, about 70% are Hakka. Pontianak and Singkawang each have a Chinese population of around 45%, making this the province with the highest concentration of Chinese communities in Indonesia.

West Kalimantan

Overview of Chinese Churches:

1. West Kalimantan Christian Church (GKKB)
2. Indonesian Christian Church Self-Supporting (GKNI)
3. Indonesian Christian Church Bread of Life (GSRI)
4. Indonesian Presbyterian Church (Geprin)
5. Bible Presbyterian Church (Indonesia)
6. Methodist Church in Indonesia (GMI)
7. Mandarin Church (GKY)
8. Alliance Church (Gepembri)
9. Church of Love (GKPKB)

~ Prayer Items:

1. Pray for cooperation and partnership among Chinese churches.
2. Pray for effective strategies in evangelism among the Chinese community.
3. Pray for outreach to different ethnic groups and clans (Teochew, Hokkien), as well as local indigenous peoples (Dayak).
4. Pray that the next generation will rise up and continue in ministry and service.
5. Pray for the planned development of a “Hakka Cultural Village.”

Christian Mission in Malaysia – Basel Christian Church (China Mission Work)

According to history, the Hakka church began in 1882. The total population of Sabah, Malaysia, is 3.21 million, of which approximately 400,000 are Hakka, and about 80,000 are Hakka Christians. They have previously carried out visitation, short-term mission trips in Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, and Yunnan, and have conducted pastoral training for co-workers in Zijin, Laolong, Wuhua, Xingning, etc. In addition, they have also carried out Sunday school teacher training and youth ministry training in Xingning, Laolong, Wuhua, Changbu, and Zijin.

~ Prayer Points:

Pray that the training programs promoted by the churches in Sabah will truly be effective.

Pray that more churches will rise up to evangelize the unreached Hakka people.

Pray for the sending of missionaries to share the Gospel with Hakka people living in all parts of the world.

China – Heyuan

Heyuan City is known as “the Ancient Hakka City, the Green Heyuan of Ten Thousand Greens.” Besides Yuancheng District, it governs Heping County, Lianping County, Zijin County, Longchuan County, and Dongyuan County. Yuancheng District has a total population of 3.2 million, with 420,000 in the city area, all of whom are pure Hakka people. Currently, the city has more than 40,000 Christians, accounting for 1.3% of the total population.

There are 89 church locations in the city, with 10 pastors, 17 elders, 8 seminary-graduated evangelists, and 76 volunteer evangelists, as well as 43 volunteer evangelists currently in training. At present, churches are becoming more urbanized and town-centered, while rural churches are gradually declining.

~ Prayer Items:

1. Pray for the training of a large number of full-time pastors and middle-aged and young volunteer workers.
2. Pray for the expansion of youth and children’s ministry work.

China – Longyan City, Fujian (Western Fujian)

According to 2010 data, the city has 1.657 million Hakka people. The number of Hakka Christians is approximately 18,000, with Christians making up 1.08% of the population, and most of them are women, the elderly, and vulnerable groups.

There are 58 registered Christian churches (points), 7 pastors, 1 ordained elder, 31 full-time evangelists, 43 volunteer evangelists, and 5 theological students currently in training.

Yongding County has 10 church locations, with 2 pastors, 7 evangelists, and 4 volunteers. The Yongding Tulou (earthen buildings) are a unique architectural wonder of the world and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, representing the essence of Hakka culture as well as its “enclosed isolation.” These circular tulou buildings, once their gates are closed, have for hundreds of years symbolically “kept Jesus out.” But today, for the sake of the Hakka people and the people living in the tulou, the Gospel must be brought into the tulou, and Jesus must be proclaimed to every Hakka person.

Singapore

The Hakka Gospel ministry in Singapore began in 1947 with the establishment of an evangelistic station, which later became the Hakka Tian’en Church. Unfortunately, the Singapore government emphasizes English and Mandarin, resulting in a gradual decline in the number of people speaking the Hakka language.

We thank the Lord that in 2004, a group of Hakka brothers and sisters persisted in the ministry. In 2008, they began holding Hakka-language worship services on Saturdays. The reason for Saturday worship is to make it easier for young people to bring their parents to church. Currently, there are three Hakka-language worship services each month. The church also organizes Hakka food evangelistic meetings and “China homecoming visits,” among other activities. Attendance has increased from over 40 people in 2008 to more than 90 in 2013. In addition, the church has decided to organize a major evangelistic meeting every two years. The church also maintains exchanges with Hakka associations.

Future plans include organizing a large-scale evangelistic meeting in 2014, with special arrangements to encourage brothers and sisters to bring those who are physically unable to come to church.

Provided by Sarawak Methodist Methodist Messenger