Our Journey

Where It All Began…

Faith Bible Church began as a church meeting in a home. Its Chinese name comes from Shalun Road in Tamsui and the “Plain of Sharon” in the Bible. We were few at first, but through prayer and faith God provided a proper church building, and our members renovated it together. More than 120 people came to the dedication service. The church kept growing — holding a Mother’s Day concert and other community events, an after-school children’s Bible class and a steamed-bun workshop — and partnered with nearby churches to share the gospel and celebrate Christmas.

A Hands-On Church

Pastor Hsu says ours is a “hands-on church.” Carpentry and wiring, painting and curtains, sound system and website, repairs and interiors — we did it all ourselves. Working side by side drew our hearts and our friendships closer. In February 2014 our Children’s Sunday School finally began, along with a student and young adult group. The Sunday group and prayer meeting kept growing, and men’s and women’s groups were born.

Local Mission

In May 2014 God sent an American missionary, Jenny Ross, to us. Starting English classes opened doors into the community and local schools. In that fruitful year three teams came to help: in July, the family of Taipei Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Chiang Wei-Chung and Kuo Lin-En held a chamber concert; in August, Pastor Wang Wen-Chi of the C&MA Tienmu Church led his choir in an evangelistic concert; and in December, Jenny invited five college students from her home in Kentucky for a week-long mission trip to Tamsui. That year our pastor encouraged everyone to “read the Bible abundantly,” and many responded. Three people were baptized on Christmas Sunday, and on December 16 we baptized the internationally renowned scientist Academician Kenneth J. Hsu.

YWAM Joins Us

In 2015 a missionary couple from Youth With A Mission (YWAM) joined our ministry, and through them God brought more of their colleagues to help us.

That summer we ran a two-month children’s camp, Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm — homework help, stories, crafts, games and baking.

With a YWAM short-term team we also held a three-day camp and started four craft classes — woodworking, paper models, cajón and handmade books — which gave us new ways to connect with the community.

Through 2015–2016, American missionaries from YWAM led children’s English classes, so local kids could keep learning at church.

In early November 2015, at the invitation of our mother church, Faith Bible Church of New York, Pastor and Mrs. Hsu travelled to New York for its 20th anniversary, where Pastor Hsu preached at Sunday service.

Blessings Without End

In September a Mid-Autumn barbecue and cooking classes gradually opened up our connection with the neighbourhood. In October a seminary student who grew up in the United States joined our family, started an adult English class and helped with Children’s Sunday School.

On Good Friday in March we held a Passover meal to experience the Lord’s Last Supper, and our choir was formed. In mid-March, Pastor Hao Chi-Hua, founder of our mother church in New York, came with a short-term team of 13 to bless us.

On Christmas Eve we were again invited by Carrefour to sing carols.

A Marathon of Faith

Besides the annual summer children’s camp and English classes, in 2017 we partnered with the Taiwan Women’s Development Association to offer after-school care for disadvantaged children. Year after year, the church leads morning prayer every weekday. Our pastor keeps preaching expository sermons each week, rightly handling the word of truth, and encourages everyone to read the Bible abundantly — running the marathon of faith together.

A Pilgrimage Before the Pandemic

In 2019 Pastor Hsu took his family to Israel. In February 2020, just before the pandemic, he led five members on a Holy Land study tour of Israel and Turkey, and preached at the only legally registered Chinese church in Turkey. From March 2020, as COVID-19 spread and the world went into lockdown, church life faced an unprecedented crisis…

Disruption and Change

As the pandemic worsened, church activities and Sunday worship moved online. We are grateful that technology still brought laughter and warmth when we could not meet. With many people working from home, Pastor Hsu named 2021 the “Year of Bible Reading” to help everyone read the Bible well at home, and on New Year’s Day 2021 launched the YouTube channel “Bible Wisdom” (Bible Wisdom), with a daily guide to the reading plan in under ten minutes.