Dr. John Kao, founder and advisor emeritus of Association of Chinese Evangelical Ministries (Canada), died on March 24, 2013 at Mackenzie Health in Toronto, Canada. He was 79.

The late reverend devoted his life as a church planter and a maker of disciples for Jesus Christ in Southeast Asia and Toronto. In 1975, he planted the first church of ACEM in Toronto. Since then, 12 churches have been setup throughout the greater-Toronto area with 80 pastors overseeing the 7,000 members from the Cantonese, Mandarin, and English congregations.

Kao has also served as the fourth secretary general of Chinese Coordination Center of World Evangelism (CCCOWE), a Chinese para-church ministry that networks the overseas Chinese churches, from 2001 to 2006.

Not only did Kao trained workers for God’s Kingdom, he also worked towards advancing theological education.

For many years, Kao suffered from poor health. Before and after undergoing kidney transplant he received frequent dialysis and blood transfusion. His health began to deteriorate after his hospitalization last year due to pneumonia.

According to ACEM’s website, Kao fought his ailing condition courageously and accepted different treatments before finally succumbing to degenerating health condition, with his wife Esther, sons and grandchildren by his side.

Funeral arranged will be announced.