Pastor Rou-Her Yuan was born and raised in Taiwan. She became a Christian and was baptized during her sophomore year in college, desiring to dedicate her life to the Lord. After graduating from university, she served in a Christian publishing organization and later engaged in evangelistic work for mainland China in Hong Kong for ten years. After returning to Taiwan, she joined a Christian university as a faculty member. Her husband, who was a university professor, also felt called to serve the church full-time while continuing to teach part-time, focusing on student ministry. At the end of 2021, Pastor Yuan received her Doctor of Ministry degree from the Evangelical Formosan Seminary in the United States. In June 2022, she became the minister of the Mandarin congregation at Phoenix Taiwanese Evangelical Church and was ordained as a pastor in 2023.
Recently, Pastor Yuan shared her life story in an interview with The Gospel Herald.
Growing Up in a Multicultural Environment and Seeking Faith
Pastor Rou-Her Yuan was born in a small town in Pingtung, southern Taiwan. Her parents were originally from Fuzhou, Fujian, China, and moved to Taiwan in the late 1940s, where they met and married. Her father initially worked in Taipei and later transferred to a malaria research institute in Pingtung as an administrative supervisor. Pastor Yuan spent her childhood in this rural town, surrounded by a peaceful yet culturally diverse environment.
At home, her parents communicated with her grandmother in Fuzhou dialect, spoke Mandarin to her, while the neighbors primarily spoke Taiwanese or Japanese. There was also an Air Force village nearby where people spoke Sichuan dialect. This mix of languages exposed Pastor Yuan to different cultures from an early age, cultivating her ability to adapt to various environments.
As a child, Rou-Her Yuan was a thoughtful girl who often asked herself, "Why am I living in this world?" and "Where am I going in the future?" These questions lingered in her mind. At that time, the academic pressure in Taiwan was intense, with each stage of exams determining one's future path, which led her to question the meaning of life even more.
Her sister encountered a Christian teacher during high school, who influenced her to accept Christ. Later, her sister brought young Rou-Her to participate in the school's Christian fellowship, which was her first exposure to Christianity. She remembers that the teacher's home was always filled with warmth and laughter. Although she knew little about the faith at that time, the atmosphere of peace and love left a deep impression on her heart.
Later, young Rou-Her left her hometown and went to Taipei to study. During that period, she felt lonely and fearful, especially since it was her first time leaving home, living in someone else's house. Fear often overwhelmed her. Her sister gave her a New Testament Bible with a verse written on the front page: "Do not be afraid; just believe." Whenever she felt lonely and anxious, she would open that page and find comfort in it.
As she grew older, her questions about life deepened. She began to read widely, exploring world literature classics and various religious texts in an attempt to find the meaning of life. However, these books did not provide her with the answers she sought. Her heart longed for a truth, a faith worth living and dying for.
In her sophomore year of university, Pastor Yuan reached a critical point in her spiritual journey. After much thought and prayer, she decided to personally experience the power of faith. She began to read the Bible earnestly and actively participated in church activities. In a conversation with a pastor, she asked the questions that had been weighing on her mind. Although the pastor's answers didn't resolve all her doubts, he helped her realize that some questions might never be fully answered in this life. That night, Pastor Yuan lay awake, with one question echoing in her mind: "Do I need Jesus?"
That very night, Pastor Yuan reflected on her life, which was short but full of challenges. She realized that, despite outward success, the emptiness and restlessness deep within could not be ignored. She understood that she was a limited being, and Jesus Christ was exactly who she needed. He could give her strength, wisdom, and love, connecting her life with eternal truth.
Pastor Yuan was eventually baptized on Easter, dedicating her life to Christ. After her baptism, she felt a peace and clarity of purpose she had never known before. She had found the meaning of life and was determined to dedicate her life to God, using her story to impact others.
This is Pastor Rou-Her Yuan's journey of faith-from growing up in a multicultural environment, through deep contemplation and struggle, to ultimately finding the answers to life in Jesus Christ.
Serving in Christian Publishing and Evangelistic Work in Mainland China
As a young woman, Rou-Her Yuan displayed a talent for writing during her university years and eventually served at Cosmos Books for nearly three years. During this time, she laid the foundation for her work in writing through editing magazines and books. Furthermore, the diverse development at Cosmos Books helped her learn how to spread the gospel through various media, especially by communicating the message of Christ to non-Christians in their language.
Later, she was led to Hong Kong to engage in evangelistic work for mainland China. During her ten years in Hong Kong, she was responsible for Chinese writing at the Chinese Church Research Center and developed her critical thinking skills through extensive reading and research on the social, political, and religious conditions in mainland China. She also actively participated in discipling Christians from mainland China, witnessing their steadfast faith and transformed lives. This experience not only broadened her horizons but also deepened her understanding of missions.
In her sharing, Pastor Yuan mentioned several stories that particularly moved her. For example, a brother who suffered a head injury during the Cultural Revolution and had been enduring chronic headaches experienced miraculous healing after receiving prayer and choosing to forgive those who had harmed him. Additionally, she shared a story of a marriage restored through prayer and faith. These experiences deeply impressed upon her the grace and power of God.
Pastoral Ministry Focus and Practice in the United States
After arriving in Phoenix in June 2022, Pastor Yuan began her ministry work at the church. During her Doctor of Ministry studies, she focused on Spirit-led discipleship training and has been applying her research and experiences to the pastoral work at the Taiwanese Evangelical Church. She mentioned that her ministry focuses on two main areas: building ministry teams and pastoral teams to fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. The pastoral team's work focuses on training small group leaders so they can effectively lead and take on pastoral responsibilities. Through her efforts, by January 2024, the church successfully achieved small group multiplication, for which she gives thanks to the Lord.
Additionally, Pastor Yuan mentioned that she has implemented a series of healing and family-building events within the church, such as holistic healing conferences and family faith legacy seminars, aimed at helping the congregation deal with life's wounds, strengthen family relationships, and promote the church as a loving community.
When discussing the role of Chinese churches in American society, Pastor Yuan emphasized that while Chinese churches are primarily composed of immigrants, they should strive to be a blessing to the communities they are in. She believes that the responsibility of Chinese churches is not only to renew and rebuild internally but also to help brothers and sisters hold onto their faith and positively impact society despite cultural and language differences. She specifically pointed out that Chinese churches need to strengthen their connection with American churches, particularly in bridging generational cultural gaps, and utilize the family values inherent in Chinese culture to influence American society.
Pastor Yuan also mentioned that one of the biggest challenges facing Chinese churches in America is their tendency to be overly conservative and self-protective, which makes it difficult for them to integrate into American society. She hopes that in the future, Chinese churches will become more involved in social affairs and exert the influence of Christ. She also noted that American society's individualism leads to a sense of isolation, and the family-oriented values in Chinese culture can contribute to addressing this issue.
