Beyond Taiwan’s Temples

Taiwan is known for its warm, welcoming people. A 2022 InterNations survey ranked it among the world’s top destinations for expatriates. While friendliness and religion are integral to Taiwanese culture, only about three percent of the population identifies as Christian.

There are thousands of registered Buddhist and Taoist temples, along with an estimated 20,000 additional temples that are not officially registered. One Mission Society (OMS) Taiwan missionaries Mark and Michelle Dinnage often tell people that if their goal were simply to help people become more religious, they could pack up and go home.

In the early 2000s, Mark Dinnage sat his wife, Michelle, down and told her he believed the Lord was calling them to Taiwan. The news came as a shock. Michelle had previously served there and longed to return, while Mark, however, had envisioned a different path. She looked at him and said, “You’d better not be kidding.” Mark responded, “Well, let’s just pray about it.”

Looking back, Mark laughs at how different their prayers probably sounded. Michelle’s was likely “Thank you, Jesus,” while his was more like “Really, Lord?”

Within two weeks, then-OMS President David Long unexpectedly walked into Mark’s office and said, “I understand the Lord’s calling you to Taiwan.” The Dinnages had told no one outside their immediate families that they felt the Lord was calling them. Nobody. Since 2010, Mark and Michelle have faithfully served with OMS in Taiwan.

One of the greatest ministry challenges they face in Taiwan is the influence of folk religion and ancestor worship. People purchase temple money and burn it in large furnaces, believing that the essence of the money becomes available for their ancestors to use in the afterlife. Through these offerings, the living are thought to provide for deceased family members.

When someone becomes a Christian and no longer participates in these rituals, it is believed that their ancestors become “wandering ghosts” who lack the support they need in the afterlife. As a result, many people struggle with the decision to follow Christ. They may understand that Jesus died and rose again yet still fear the consequences of turning away from tradition. Parents sometimes ask their children, “Who will worship me after I die if you become a Christian?”

However, over the past two years, Mark and Michelle have participated in two baptisms of people they have personally discipled!

The first was Grace, a young woman who began attending the church’s English service with her mother. After Michelle shared the Gospel with her, Grace decided to follow Christ. After further discipleship, Michelle had the privilege of baptizing her on the patio behind their building—Michelle’s first time baptizing someone. Afterward, Michelle continued meeting with Grace periodically for discipleship.

The second baptism was N*, a university student from Mozambique studying in Taiwan. After attending the Dinnages’ English service through a connection with a Christian professor at the local Buddhist university, she asked Michelle how to be baptized. On a Friday in February 2026, they traveled to a nearby river, where, despite the cold water, N* joyfully proclaimed her faith in Christ.

For the Dinnages, these two baptisms were especially encouraging and a reminder that fruit often takes time to grow. They had seen other baptisms during their 16 years of serving in Taiwan; however, these two were the first in which they were active participants. In Taiwan, where generations have practiced ancestor worship, following Jesus can carry intense family pressure. Yet the Dinnages have seen that when these people truly encounter Christ, everything changes.

One of Mark and Michelle’s favorite ministries is a monthly gathering for youth from tribal churches along Taiwan’s east coast. Depending on the month, 20 to 50 students and youth leaders from local churches meet at the Dinnages’ home to share a meal, study Scripture, and build relationships. Over the past year, they have gathered at Mark and Michelle’s home to study the Apostles’ Creed together, and their next study will focus on prayer.

For nearly 13 years, the Dinnages have watched students grow from middle schoolers into mature Christian adults. Today, some former youth serve as adult leaders in discussion groups, offering a clear picture of long-term discipleship and spiritual growth in Taiwan.