Amazing Grace

A Letter from John McCall, mission co-worker serving in Taiwan

Summer 2024

Subscribe to my co-worker letters

Dear friends,

I am always amazed to hear the stories of new Christians in Taiwan. Only four to five percent of the population in Taiwan is Christian, so becoming a Christian here is not an easy thing.

Most Taiwanese consider themselves Buddhists or Taoists, but they also worship traditional folk gods. These gods were people who did something heroic and then were deified. As one travels throughout Taiwan you will see many temples and these temples are full of different images of these folk gods. The most famous god here is Matsu who was a young girl in southern China. One day her father and brother were fishing in the sea when they encountered a strong typhoon. Matsu, knowing of their trouble in her dream, held on to them to save them. But her mother called her name and she unintentionally let go of her father. But she saved her brother. She became the goddess of fisherfolk, and now is revered throughout Taiwan. She is often called the Holy Mother of Heaven.

Taiwanese worshiping at the temple

But the average Taiwanese is not monotheistic, worshiping just one god. They will worship whatever god can help them in any given situation. In many of the larger temples, worshipers will move from altar to altar, worshiping different gods for different reasons. There is a god who will help you do well on tests. There is a god who will help you make money. There is a god who will help you get pregnant.

One day I had U.S. guests visiting Taiwan, and I took them to see a traditional folk temple. Many of these temples have a volunteer at the entrance to the temple (like many churches have at the front desk), so I asked this volunteer if this was a Matsu temple. He replied that it was. Then I asked him why there were so many other gods in Matsu’s temple. I asked, “Doesn’t Matsu get jealous?” I hadn’t told him that I was a Christian, but his reply impressed me with his knowledge of monotheistic religions. He said, “Only you Christians would ask that question. We worship whatever god will help us receive what we need.” He knew that Christians worship just one God.

The folk worship here tends to be transactional. The worshiper makes an offering of food or money or lights an incense stick and expects the god to respond to their request.

Different folk gods at the local temple

In addition to worshiping these gods, the Taiwanese also believe that they must be cared for after they die by their children. Folks purchase 紙錢, “ghost money,” which has pictures of what they believe the deceased needs in the afterlife such as clothes, a house, or a car. They burn this ghost money to make sure their departed relatives have what they need. They also make offerings of food and drink for their relatives. They believe that their departed loved ones consume the essence of this food and then they can take the offered food back home and eat it.

Because of these traditions, non-Christian parents are often very resistant to their children, especially the eldest sons, becoming Christians. They often tell their children, “You can go to church, but you can’t be baptized.” These non-Christian parents often understand the power of baptism more than Christians do. They know that baptism leads to a new life and the baptized one will not make offerings to their departed parents. The parents’ greatest fear is that if their children don’t make the offerings, they will be hungry ghosts for eternity.

Joseph on his baptism day with his wife, daughter and parents.

Recently, I was speaking at a large church in southern Taiwan and met a tall young man who told me that he would be baptized the following Sunday. He said that he was the first Christian in his family, and his father was very resistant to him being baptized. He asked me to pray for him that his father’s heart would be softened and that his father and mother would attend the worship service when he was baptized.

Knowing the religious background of this land, I thought that his request was amazingly bold, but I prayed that his parents would not resist his being baptized and would be willing to attend his baptism.

The following Monday, he sent me a note telling me that his parents had attended church for the first time and witnessed him being baptized. He also sent me this picture of him with his wife, daughter and parents.

Often these new Christians become wonderful witnesses to Christ’s love in their families. When their parents and siblings see that they are kinder and more patient and willing to help others, they also become attracted to Christ. It is truly amazing grace. When I pray now for these new Christians, I do so with faith that God will use them to bless their families, friends and co-workers.

Thank you for your partnership in this grace-filled mission!

Gratefully,

John