Preaching the Gospel to the Kingdom

Exclusive interview with Pastor Chen Xianyi, Dean of "Joshua School of Management"

Interview/Wu Xinhui, Zheng Qiongyu‧Compilation/Zheng Qiongyu

Photo courtesy/Joshua School of Management

Determine to serve God

Chen Xianyi is a third-generation Christian. While studying in the Department of Water Conservancy Engineering at Chung Yuan Polytechnic (restructured into Chung Yuan University in 1980), he served with fellow Christian classmates in the school fellowship and developed a deep friendship. He also participated in the "Zhongyuan Missionary Group" ” and actively preach the gospel. It was in the 1960s when they graduated. This group of young people who had worked together for many years decided to establish the "Zhongyuan Construction Company". At that time, the Zhongyuan School was involved and had high hopes for them.

The buildings they built diligently became very popular, and this group of young entrepreneurs determined to continue serving God while running their companies. So they opened "Ours Cafe" on Roosevelt Road in Taipei City as a gospel base, and also established a publishing house dedicated to publishing worship songs and music.

However, when all work was going smoothly, these fledgling young people could not escape the "hidden rules" of the business world at that time. At that time, it took 33 red envelopes to build a house before it could be completed. In addition, with the involvement of white and gangsters, there were unavoidable social activities and dinners. Although most of my colleagues tried their best to stay within limits, they were really suffering inside.

So he decided to switch careers and joined IBM (International Business Machines Corporation), which had been established in Taiwan for ten years in 1967. From computer operations, programming, engineering, to management, he accumulated rich experience in both technical and operational aspects. . After serving at IBM for 26 years, God called him to use his talents to assist Christian organizations, so he retired early in 1993 and started a new chapter in his life.

▲His wife Xiuyue is Chen Xianyi’s life partner.

Contribution to Taiwan’s high-tech industry

While working at IBM, he participated in important stages such as the development of Taiwan's high-tech industry and the improvement of total quality management. Due to the high costs in the United States, IBM cooperated with Taiwanese companies to transfer technology to Taiwan. The government also invited the vice president of IBM in the United States to serve as Taiwan's technology consultant to promote and develop Taiwan's information technology. In 1979, Taiwan's Hsinchu Industrial Park and the Information Industry Planning Association (hereinafter referred to as the "Information Industry Planning Association") were established one after another. Standing in the administrative building of the park, he saw a green space and buildings, and he raised a question with emotion, when will the information industry be established? Are there talents and companies stationed here? In 1985, the "Software Engineering Institute" (SEI) was established, and within five years, 50,000 computer talents were cultivated with the Institute of Science and Technology and Central University. Later, the Information System Management Institute (ISMI) was established to train management talents in the information industry. Thank God that I can witness this history of corporate growth and grow with Taiwanese companies.

High quality = Made in Taiwan (Q = MIT)

In the 1980s thriller movie "Fatal Attraction", there is a scene where the male protagonist is trying to hold an umbrella to escort the heroine out of the hotel, but the umbrella cannot be opened. The heroine says: "Is this made in Taiwan?" The scene touched him deeply and he thought: Do products made in Taiwan have to be stigmatized as having poor quality? When the government established the National Quality Award of the Republic of China, IBM responded to this movement and donated the company's Quality Management Institute to the government. Hosted by the China Productivity Center, the goal is to cultivate quality consultants in Taiwan within five years to achieve Q=MIT.

At the presentation ceremony of IBM Quality Management Institute, he delivered a speech: "The English abbreviation of Quality Management Institute in Taiwan is QMIT, which is split into two paragraphs with an equal sign in the middle, that is, Q=MIT, that is, Quality=Made in Taiwan (Let quality speak for Taiwan)" became the winning slogan of the Executive Yuan's National Quality Award and has been used for decades.

人生下半場—全時間服事

After serving at IBM for more than 20 years, God moved him to serve in church organizations. Served as a consultant to Changhua Christian Hospital (referred to as Changji) and worked with the director to establish a more efficient hospital total quality management system, which also affected other Christian hospitals in Taiwan, which in turn forced other non-Christian hospitals to follow suit. The long-standing drawbacks in the medical system, such as rebates for purchasing drugs from pharmaceutical companies and over-reporting of surgical fees, have been eliminated one by one. This has significantly improved Taiwan's overall medical quality, service quality, and National Health Insurance medical costs.

At the age of 60, he went to Taifu Theological Seminary (now Zhengdao Theological Seminary). After graduating at the age of 65, he was happily invited to serve as the executive pastor of Taifu Church in Southern California, working together with the senior pastor. In 2007, the FCA held a Los Angeles leaders' training session at the church and invited Dr. C. Peter Wagner to speak on "Workplace Mission." During the conference, I often had the opportunity to talk to the speaker. Wegener very carefully persuaded him again and again that he should return to serve in the corporate field.

During the prayer and seeking process, many people at that time suggested establishing a unit that would be able to form saints in the workplace who would each fulfill their responsibilities in the workplace, because this was an area that most Chinese churches had not touched. He returned to Taiwan to seek advice from his pastor and wanted to know which areas of the workplace needed more work. After some research, he decided to target “workplace bosses” as one of his main targets, because if workplace bosses have a vision of the Great Commission, they will Can bring out the influence of the country. In addition, pastors also expressed their desire to learn how to lead and manage churches.

▲Joshua School of Management was established in 2011 and teaches courses in North America, Taiwan, Mainland China and other places.

Promote workplace ministry

In 2011, the Joshua School of Management was established (for details, please visit www.goboaz.org), offering business classes (CMBA, C has two meanings: Christian and CEO) and pastoral classes (PMBA, P stands for Pastor). Taught in North America, Taiwan, Mainland China and other places.

In his early years, he taught theology classes in Europe and served students from China. Through this, God prepared the field for the church in Wenzhou (all over China and the world). College 70%’s business-focused class was launched in China. Over the past ten years, it has had an impact on the kingdom of God on local businesses.

During the 2020 COVID-19 epidemic, college courses had to be moved to online teaching. Although it caused a lot of inconvenience, it also opened up another teaching channel for the college. The lecturers save time traveling by boat and car and have more time to serve in Taiwan. A lecturer proposed setting up a reading club in Taiwan. After a few physical classes, the epidemic in Taiwan escalated, and the reading club had to be moved online. However, it also broke through geographical restrictions and attracted participants from all over the world. The reading club has tutors who take good care of the students. Chen Xianyi is deeply gratified to see that the lives of many students have changed in the reading club.

During the epidemic, God asked a question: "What can you do for the church in Taiwan? What real impact will having been devoted to workplace ministry for ten years have on the church in Taiwan and the working people in the church?" As he was thinking, God guided him in a new way. Direction: "Workplace ministry must start from the church." In response to God's guidance, he invited Taiwanese churches to promote the "Church Workplace Faith Movement."

This vision has received widespread response. By the time of the interview, the first phase had been completed in the north, with more than a dozen churches working together, and dozens of churches in the central and southern regions to promote this movement in the second half of the year. We hope that the church will not be like a cruise ship, putting all people in the church; the paradigm shift will be like an aircraft carrier, with all fighter jets taking off to serve in their respective workplaces.

In response to the needs of this movement, Chen Xianyi has written the "Workplace Faith Movement" church manual, which will be posted online for use by churches. He has also held several pastoral seminars, and many pastors have participated in each one, which is touching. In addition, the college has also developed a set of courses for workplace believers - "Happiness at Work", and will write an article "Workplace Manna" for workplace people every day starting from June 1, 2021 (available onlinehttps://goboaz.org/dailymanna/read, subscribe). We also hope to promote this sport to other places in the future.

People often wonder how to train so many talents. In fact, it is to learn from Jesus, first train a group of disciples, and then let them bring out the second and third generations of disciples. Back then, Jesus led and trained 12 disciples, and these 12 people influenced the whole world. To influence Taiwan, the Joshua School of Management first leads 15 people, and these 15 people will continue the training task and cultivate two-time talents before they can get the certificate. Reaching 15 to the fourth power in five years. For other training and services, he also adopts a person-to-person model, striving to train batches of elite soldiers in the most efficient way.

national perspective

Chen Xianyi said that Christians sometimes only focus on preaching the gospel to individuals and neglect to preach the gospel of the kingdom; the Great Commission is that God wants us to make all nations and peoples become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says:"The Scriptures were given by inspiration of God...so that the man of God may be perfect, equipped for every good work."

Take Changji as an example. Back then, he helped Changji reorganize, but unexpectedly led to the follow-up reforms of many medical institutions in Taiwan, which also benefited the Taiwanese people. He knew that this was God’s leading and God’s intention for Christians. In addition to preaching the gospel to individuals, we should also do more good deeds, preach the gospel to the kingdom, and pay attention to the needs of the community.

As long as God uses him, Chen Xianyi expressed his willingness to seize the opportunity, make good use of the gifts and talents given by God, and serve the kingdom of God wholeheartedly. Because he is old, he is even more eager to train young people to engage in workplace ministry and preach to the kingdom. Gospel.

Zheng Qiongyu, from Taiwan, settled in Northern California. She has a son with her husband and two naughty furry children at home. He once worked as a Sunday school teacher for children in the church for nearly ten years, and is currently engaged in literary ministry.