Taiwan
Profile in Mission: Dave and Char Alexander
Ministry
University and Theological Education
Location
Tainan County and Tainan City, Taiwan
Partner
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
What Need Is God Showing Us?
Only 3 to 4 percent of Taiwan’s people are Christians. They need to en-counter the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that’s appropriate to their lives and personal situations.
What Is God Telling Us to Do?
“One size fits all” evangelism does not work in Taiwan–the people need to hear the gospel in culturally relevant ways. Tainan Theological College staff trains church leaders to incarnate the good news of Jesus Christ in ways that resonate with Taiwan’s many social and ethnic groups. The staff also demonstrates to international students how they can take similar approaches in their home countries. Chang Jung Christian University offers university education in a pro-Christian environment and focuses on meeting students in their own contexts.
How Are We Doing What God Is Asking?
“As living, breathing Christians in our school communities, speaking Taiwanese, crossing cultural and ethnic boundaries, we learn from Taiwan’s students the nature of their concerns and the specifics of their needs,” says RCA missionary Dave Alexander, who ministers in Taiwan with his wife, Char. “Then we can come alongside them in their journeys toward and within faith as partners, companions, and fellow strugglers.” Dave administers a program for international students at Tainan Theological College, where he also teaches basic theological education for lay leaders in the church. Char teaches English speaking and listening skills to students at Chang Jung Christian University.
Who Is Our Partner?
The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) began with British mission work in 1865 and is the oldest and largest Protestant denomination in the country. Its 230,000 members meet in more than 1,200 congregations and worship in 14 languages. The PCT’s Chang Jung Christian University opened in 1993 and has grown to more than 10,000 students and 600 faculty; 10 percent of its students are Christians. The PCT’s Tainan Theological College and Seminary was founded in 1876. It strives to articulate what it means to be both Taiwanese and Christian in ways that are fully coherent to Taiwan’s Christians and society.
Up Close and Personal
Dave and Char Alexander began working in Taiwan as RCA missionaries in 1982. They have worked in campus evangelism, editing, translating, and administration as well as teaching. The Alexanders enjoy reading, visiting friends, and entertaining at home. They have two children, Kate and Grant.