On the evening of September 30, Rev. Dr. James Hudson Taylor IV, president of the China Evangelical Seminary, delivered a message titled "Prospering the Gospel" at the fourth Impact Asia Alliance Summit in Tokyo, Japan. Drawing from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians, he illustrated how believers can advance the work of the gospel.
Held from September 30 to October 3, 2025, under the theme "Sun Rises From the East," the fourth Impact Asia Alliance Summit took place at Wesleyan Holiness Yodobashi Church in Shinjuku—the first Holiness Church in Japan. Nearly 800 Christian leaders from across Asia attended the event, and Japan's first Protestant Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, sent a congratulatory letter.
Rev. Dr. James Hudson Taylor IV, the fifth-generation descendant of Hudson Taylor, was born and raised in Taiwan. Having attended local schools rather than international ones, and with Chinese as his mother tongue, he describes himself as a "true Chinese."
In his message to the participants, President Taylor first introduced that the church in Philippi was established by the Apostle Paul during his second missionary journey, alongside Silas and Timothy. Written from prison, the Pauline Epistle to the Philippians is regarded as his most personal and affectionate letter.
"Read Philippians carefully—especially chapter 1, where the word 'gospel' appears six times," he noted, explaining how the Apostle Paul guided the Philippian believers in advancing the gospel.
Unity
"In the 21st century, we see many places where missionaries once preached the gospel now sending missionaries to participate in the work of promoting the gospel... Just like the Philippian church, they are united in promoting the gospel."
"The unity of the Philippian church further advanced the gospel," said President Taylor. "Isn't this the very prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all who follow him may be of one mind and become one?"
When the church stands united and believers love one another, they offer a powerful testimony for the Lord, just as the Philippian church once did. Having received the gospel, the Philippian believers did not stop there; they joined in the work of spreading it.
"In the 21st century, we see many places that once received the gospel from missionaries now sending out missionaries themselves to carry it forward," he continued. "Like the Philippian church, they are united in advancing the gospel."
Discerning and Confirming the Gospel
The Apostle Paul consistently discerned and confirmed the gospel wherever he ministered. President Taylor illustrated, "Paul explained his faith seven times in Caesarea and Rome. In Chinese, this is called 'defending.' He was discerning and confirming his faith."
President Taylor emphasized that discerning and confirming the gospel is especially crucial in today's context. Facing challenges such as postmodernism, secularization, materialism, and hedonism, Christians require the anointing of the Holy Spirit to rightly discern and affirm the gospel and to articulate the reason for their hope.
Early British missionary Paget Wilkes dedicated 30 years to preaching in Japan. Recognizing that evangelical work there could not rely solely on missionaries, he founded the Japanese Evangelistic Band (JEB) to train Japanese believers in discerning and confirming the gospel. Taylor noted that his grandfather heard Paget Wilkes preach in Shanghai and was subsequently converted to Christianity.
Joy in Adversity
The Epistle to the Philippians was written by Paul during his imprisonment in Rome. Words and phrases conveying "joy" or "rejoice" appear about 16 times in just 104 verses, highlighting the theme's significance. Even in prison, the Apostle Paul faced every circumstance with a joyful heart.
"The joy of Christianity transcends circumstances. If our joy depends on external conditions, adversity will rob us of it. But the joy from Christ is unlike worldly joy. Paul's joy enabled him to advance the gospel even in hardship," President Taylor emphasized.
Indeed, Paul faced numerous hardships while preaching in Philippi, where he was arrested, flogged, and imprisoned alongside Silas. Yet they were able to sing hymns and praise God from within the prison walls.
The Book of Acts records how, over 30 years, the gospel spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, including Rome, and how the original group of 120 believers grew to countless followers of Jesus. President Taylor highlighted that one factor behind the gospel's wide-reaching spread was "believers' joy amid persecution," describing it as "the power of believers to bear witness for the Lord."
Exalting the Lord's Grace
During the apostolic age, many churches did not preach the true gospel. While they emphasized faith in Jesus, they also insisted that obedience to the law was necessary. This posed a significant challenge for the early church. In response, the Apostle Paul repeatedly stressed in his letters that salvation comes "by grace through faith."
"We are saved not by anything we have done, but entirely by God's grace. Therefore, we must uphold the Lord's grace and advance the gospel," President Taylor explained. "There are over 9,000 religions in the world, many of which emphasize virtue, good deeds, spiritual practice, or asceticism as a means to earn salvation and the good news. Only the gospel of the Lord Jesus is not earned in this way. If we want to impact Asia, we must consider how to remain faithful to the gospel and rely on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ."
Worthy Conduct
The Apostle Paul wrote, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."
The term 'worthy' was commonly used in the marketplace. In the past, when buying goods, people used a scale: one end had a plate to hold the items for purchase, a string ran upward from the plate, and a weight hung on a rod, he explained. To weigh something, the weight was moved along the rod until the plate was balanced. This is the sense of 'worthy' that Paul intended.
A few years ago, while pursuing his Doctor of Ministry, Rev. James Hudson Taylor IV visited churches in the United States. One pastor never used the term "Christian" in sermons, instead calling believers "Christ's followers," explaining that "in America, Christians often evoke two words among those outside the church: hypocrisy and self-righteousness."
President Taylor emphasized, "If we want to impact Asia, we must begin with our lives and testimonies. If people see hypocrisy when we promote the gospel, it will be difficult to lead them to the Lord. Therefore, Paul encourages congregations to act in a way that is consistent with advancing the gospel."
Working Together for the Gospel
When speaking on "Working Together for the Gospel," President Taylor shared a story from his visit a few years ago to Borden Memorial Hospital (now Lanzhou Second People's Hospital), established by the early China Inland Mission in Lanzhou, Gansu Province. The hospital's development is closely linked to three individuals: American William Borden, British Dr. George Edwin King, and Chinese Dr. Gao Jincheng. Dr. King dedicated his entire career to medical work in China, while Borden once wrote three sentences in his Bible: "No Reserves, No Retreats, No Regrets."
Regarding Dr. Gao Jincheng, Taylor explained, "Dr. Gao was the first official in Henan's medical department. One night he dreamed that Jesus asked him, 'Did I call you to become a high official or a celebrity? Or to spread the gospel?' The next day, he resigned and moved his family to Lanzhou to serve at the hospital."
"A British person, a Chinese person, and an American may seem to have nothing in common," President Taylor continued. "The one thing that unites them is the gospel. They share a common desire to advance the gospel. Likewise, the attendees of this conference may come from different backgrounds and speak different languages, yet the gospel unites us."
"What is the purpose of our impact in Asia? It is to bring the gospel to Asia, to our country, and to influence our country." He said, "I pray that we will win the world for Christ and fulfill the commission He gave us two thousand years ago: 'Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.' Let us work together to promote the gospel."
Originally published by the Christian Times
- Edited by Katherine Guo and translated by Poppy Chan
