The inauguration ceremony of Rev. David Doong as general secretary of the Chinese Coordination Centre of World Evangelism was held virtually last Saturday.
The former general secretary, Rev. Joshua Ting, who served from 2011 to 2021, stepped down on July 31 and was succeeded by Rev. David Doong from Taiwan.
More than 3,100 church leaders and Christians from 29 countries attended the first-ever virtual ceremony.
Founded by more than 70 Chinese church leaders in 1976, the Chinese Coordination Centre of World Evangelism (CCCOWE) aims to call “the Chinese churches worldwide to unite in spirit and truth to proclaim the Gospel to the world until the Lord returns”, according to its official website.
Born in 1981 in Taiwan, Rev. Dr. David Doong was “raised and educated in Taiwan and later went to Fuller Theological Seminary for his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. in Theology.”
Recalling his past decade’s service, Rev. Joshua Ting said, “There are still needs in Chinese churches.”
“There is still huge room for Chinese churches to grow in global mission, cross-cultural mission, and holistic mission, whether in conceptions, understanding, reception, promotion, and practices.”
Meanwhile, Chinese churches were confronted with cultural, situational, and ideological challenges, the crisis of leaders, and the loss of the next generation.
“Chinese churches need to take the initiatives to connect with other people groups to strengthen the gospel partnership and to enlarge cooperation platforms, including connection with different synagogues, denominations, organizations, seminaries, and missions so that we can fulfill the global mission of making disciples of all nations,” he added.
During the ceremony, Rev. Nathaniel Chow, chairman of the BOL Global Apostolic Network, Rev Michael Shen, former senior pastor of Hsin-Yi Friendship Presbyterian Church in Taipei, and James Hudson Taylor IV, president of China Evangelical Seminary, laid their hands on the newly appointed general secretary.
Rev. David Doong also shared his burden for CCCOWE. Looking back to a united prayer meeting gathering different denominations twenty years ago, he stated that the prayer in unity was very touching. God’s heart ached when we quarreled. The “one accord” included in the center’s belief - “Chinese Churches in One Accord, Proclaiming the Gospel until Christ's Return” - referred to the heart of Christ, while “proclaiming the gospel” concerned not only geographical aspects but also covered cultural and psychological distances.
Rev. Doong put forward three challenges facing the churches. The intergenerational crisis was embodied in the loss of young Chinese people. The transboundary thing resulted in the split between faith and the workplace, thus he urged churches to live out a holistic life integrated with faith, the workplace, and families. Transcultural threats such as the revival of digital culture, consumerism, and successism could prove to be an opportunity for evangelism.
He expected Chinese churches to connect with ecumenical churches to walk in genuine friendship to complete the Great Commission.
About 100 overseas Chinese churches out of the total 4,000 were engaged in global mission in 1974, while there are more than 1,000 overseas Chinese churches out of the total 9000 involved in ecumenical evangelism in different forms.
- Translated by Karen Luo
