James Hudson Taylor IV: Chinese People, Go Out!

By Joshua Cheng
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Despite his outward expression of sorrow, Rev. Jamie Taylor (James Hudson Taylor IV) speaks to the Chinese believers with faith and gratitude during his father’s memorial service held at the Hong Kong Kowloon City Baptist Church on April 4, 2009. Medical Services International

The fifth-generation descendant of British missionary James Hudson Taylor, the man foremost responsible for spreading Christianity in China, urged the Chinese people to follow God’s will and fulfill the Great Commission.

Jamie Taylor (James Hudson Taylor IV), operations director of OMF International Chinese ministries, wrote an article titled “Chinese People, Go Out!” published in Messenger, an AFC’s magazine, on November 12th.

In the article, Jamie wrote that since childhood he was very well-versed with the Christian terminologies. People close to him naturally assumed that in the future in will most definitely walk in the same path as the four generations of the Taylor family before him. Because of such labeling, he started harboring resentment towards Christian faith.

During his college years, Jamie felt God’s calling, and through the help of Christians besides him, he was able to understand clearly that God’s calling for him is solely for him personally rather than because of “family lines or background.”

In 1996, Jamie went to China for the first time to engage in cooperation and services, which was when he witnesses how God uses knowledge and skills of Christian professionals to reveal God’s grace. He firmly believes that more places need the participation of Christian professionals, and God wants every one of us to carry the burden of and take action for the Great Commission.

Introducing “Cross-cultural Great Commission”, Jamie reminded of God’s will towards the Chinese believers: God has brought the Chinese people to every place on earth, besides the Chinese around us, God is also challenging us to spread the gospel to those of other races and ethnic backgrounds around us.

Lastly, Jamie recalled his family’s prayer before James Hudson Taylor’s tombstone, which has touched numerous missionaries: “May the Spirit that touched James Hudson Taylor touch us even more greatly today”. He hopes that the believers will respond to the grace that God has pour down and follow in the footsteps of the seniors of faith.

Jamie will be one of the plenary speakers for the Chinese Mission Convention 2010 that will be held at the Radisson Valley Forge Convention Center from December 26-30, 2010. Organized by Ambassador for Christ United States, the conference theme is “Such a Time as this.”

[Reporter: Titue Lee contributed to this report.]

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