China Lutheran Seminary

 Why Expanding?

by Joseph Lu (CLS Construction Project Director)

Why do we start the expansion project? What can the Taiwanese churches benefit from the project? What can it do for evangelical mission, growth of the Christian community or the Taiwan society as a whole?

Today's society puts unreasonable emphasis on "Self"(self-centeredness), "Success"(self-realization). "System" (efficiency, quantification, measurement, and control), and "Diversity" (mixing and compromise). Lots of people struggle to reach the top of the tidal wave and get lost in their aimless pursuit.

The fundamental mission of China Lutheran Seminary is to "preach the Gospel of righteousness by faith and to train God's servants with the spirit of the Cross." This mission stems purely from the truth of God and keeps streaming down with everlasting significance. The seminary determined not to follow the pattern of the world and not to indulge its students in the so-called "success-ism". It determined to educate its students to aim solely at Jesus Christ and the Bible, to seek solely His grace and faith, and to serve the Lord whole-heartedly as their life-long goal.

I have witnessed how such a theological learning (learning to be Christ-like) has renovated broken churches and workers, released frustrated and depressed believers. It teaches all Christian soldiers who is the commander what we are fighting for. The truth-abiding theological vision of the seminary points out the correct direction of the Church and provides the real cure of the Chinese society. It is a "pearl" that has been sought by all the churches, but not yet fully discovered as it might be buried with limited resources.

With a clear visionary mission, China Lutheran Seminary has being growing and transforming over the past 40 years. More active and supportive efforts should now be made to complete the last phase of its reconstruction. The expansion of the seminary ensures an expansion of the theological foundation whereby all the churches are built and facilitates an integration of evangelical resources whereby all the churches can be united and work together to fulfill the Great Commission.