Rev. Thomas Wang: “World Missions is the Responsibility of Chinese Church”

mis_20071203_wyx_p.jpg
At the Kelang Methodist 29th Mission Conference held on Dec. 2, Rev. Dr. Thomas Wang preached a message titled, “World Missions, Everyone's Responsibility. (Gospel Herald)

At the Kelang Methodist 29th Mission Conference held on Dec. 2, Rev. Dr. Thomas Wang preached a message titled, “World Missions, Everyone's Responsibility."

“Why do churches conduct missions?”, he asked.

Refering to Romans 12:1-2, he pointed out the duty of the church is missions.

“Whether for churches in the west or in the east, some churches take missions as extra work for God,” he said. “This belief is wrong; contrarily, if a church does not participate in missions, then it is not obeying the will of God.”

“In Matthew 28, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations”; this is the command of the Lord. We must obey the Lord’s command of making all people in all nations my disciples; this is world missions."

Regarding world missions, he addressed the following points to the churches:

First, with regards to ones own ethnic group, the believers in the church should do a movement called “One Leading One”, which means that every single one of the believers in the church should lead at least one person to Christ and have them attend churches. If this is followed, then the churches shall grow exponentially.

Second, the congregation must continue to develop. As the number of congregation unceasingly increases, the churches must unceasingly setup churches, in order to contain more people.

Lastly, the commission of the church do not limit to ones own ethnic groups, but, more importantly, is referring to world missions.

Furthermore, he said, "Let’s look at Mark 16:15. Let me know if I am reading this correctly: “He said to them, go into all the world and preach the good news to all Chinese”? What didn’t the Lord say Chinese but all creations?”"

He explained that because of similarities in language, culture, and background, for many years, we have been doing missions to overseas and mainland Chinese, but God’s Great Commission is beyond tribes, cultures, and is to proclaim the gospel to all people in all nations. Robert Morrison, Hudson Taylor, and many others all did cross-cultural missions, learned to use chopsticks from China, wore Chinese clothes, grew long braids, just to reduce the challenges of missions in China.

“Today, the Chinese churches should follow their example to do cross-cultural missions; this is Chinese churches’ direction in the future.”

He continued to explain that in the beginning, many foreign missionaries came to China to train believers, establish churches, and develop all kinds of ministries in churches. Today, the Chinese Church has grown up and should carry the responsibilities of mission. A person at different ages has different responsibilities, different motivation, and a child only thinks for himself. While the spirituality of the Chinese Church continues to develop, our commission for mission becomes greater.

We need to go beyond culture, beyond ethnic tribes to do cross-cultural missions. Of course, the local ethnic tribes are our own responsibilities, but the Lord’s Great Commission aims at the world as the goal, all people in all nations as the goal, he stated.

He challenged the ministers and the attendants to do the movement of "One Leads One", planting more churches, cross-cultural missions.

“Will you do it or not?”

He emphasized that “doing” is the most important part in missions.

[Editor's note: Reporter Silas Tian from Malaysia contributed to this report]

    Most Popular
  • Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Faith-based films often receive mixed reactions, and The Last Supper is no exception. The movie attempts to bring a fresh perspective to one of the most iconic moments in Christian history, but does it succeed? Some reviews from critics and audiences provide insight into its strengths and shortcomings.

  • ‘The Chosen’ Season 5: The darkest season yet—What to know before watching

    The wait is over—The Chosen is back with its fifth season, and this time, things are getting intense. The new episodes dive straight into the final days of Jesus’ life, covering some of the most emotional and dramatic moments in the Bible. If you’ve been following the series, you already know that The Chosen isn’t just about retelling familiar stories—it’s about bringing them to life in a way that feels real.

  • Massacres in Syria: Over 1,000 dead, including Christians and Alawites

    Syria’s coastal regions have been devastated by a series of massacres, with reports indicating that over 1,000 people—many from Christian and Alawite communities—have been killed in brutal attacks. Entire families have been wiped out, and survivors are fleeing in search of safety as sectarian violence escalates.

  • Kim Sae-ron and Wheesung: The tragic irony of Korean society and the principles of happiness

    Not long ago, the media was in an uproar over actress Kim Sae-ron’s passing. Just months before, the same people who had relentlessly criticized her for her DUI incident were now expressing sympathy, saying, "The world was too harsh on her." The irony is impossible to ignore.

  • Newsboys move forward as a quartet after Michael Tait’s departure

    After more than a decade as the lead singer of the Newsboys, Michael Tait has officially parted ways with the band, marking a significant shift in the Christian rock group’s lineup. The remaining members—Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee—have assured fans that they will continue forward, embracing a new season of music and ministry.