There is a church in Taiwan where growing number of local celebrities are gathering to be the witness and spokesman for Jesus Christ. It is Taipei’s New Life Church.
Rev. Abraham Kun, senior pastor of New Life Church in Taipei, Taiwan, wrote on the church’s Facebook page, testifying of God’s faithfulness towards the celebrity converts who have recently started to attend New Life church and come to learn about God’s love and truth. These celebrities include Lulu Xu, Kirsten Rong-Hsuan Ren, and Hannah Quinlivan.
Kun said when celebrities meet Jesus and are touched by God’s love they start to become the spokesman for Jesus. He then reported of the growth of these Taiwanese celebrities who are now following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Last Sunday, Lala Xu, who emerged as the winner of the 2008 Three Million Star television singing competition, was baptized. Xu has mentioned that no one has ever taught her about matters about life, according to Kun. “When I read the Bible, I then discovered that actually there is a book that can talk about love in such a transparent way!”
Kun said that Xu hopes to connect more with the God who created the heavens and the earth and create more heart-felt and inspirational songs for the Lord.
Kirsten Rong-Hsuan Ren is the younger sister of Selina Ren, one of the three members of the popular Taiwan girl band S.H.E. Kirsten like her sister are pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. Although she had been going to church with her family since childhood, she had never really understood God’s salvation.
Three years ago, Ren met with many Christians. During period of career low and faced with graduation preparation, she would cry until falling asleep. One time, she called Taiwanese-American Christian singer Alisa Galper, and she ended up accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. She testified that was the first time that she felt “peace” in her heart. She then started attending church regularly and devoting herself in the service for the church.
It has been a year since Ren was baptized last Easter. She has been witnessing for the Lord with the church in the contemporary music and culture scenes.
In the New Life Church’s Facebook post Wednesday, Ren said she didn’t really understand the reason why she was in the acting business, but it was only after coming to church did she realize that her role is to be the salt and light from where she is in the entertainment industry.
Kun wrote that although Ren encountered many challenges, God’s hand has never left her. He said that there was a time when Ren was filming inside a temple and she started feeling physical discomfort, but after singing praise songs loudly with another actor, she felt that she was healed immediately. This experience strengthened her faith.
Yet another person of interest in the island’s media spotlight that has been growing steadily in faith is Hannah Quinlivan. According to a report last year by Cinema Online, Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou will marry his 19-year-old girlfriend Quinlivan in two years' time. Both Chou and Quinlivan have been attending New Life Church.
Quinlivan said, “God really treasures me.” Kun said she has been a believer since childhood, but it wasn’t until these last two years did she begin attending New Life Church, engaging in fellowships.
The New Life Church pastor, who was featured in Jay Chou’s recent music video, said that when Quinlivan is weak, ministers and leaders would pray for her and walk with her through the process of life. Also, she is once again growing her relationship with God and learning to a person who prays for others, he testified.
New Life Small Group Church uses small groups as strategy, and sets building a spiritual life as goal. It was founded in 1995.
