Our History

The history of Evangel Bible Church of Taipei (EBCT, formerly Eastbay Bible Church of Taipei) began as a series of Taiwan missions trips from Evangel Bible Church of Berkeley (EBCB, formerly Eastbay Baptist Church of Berkeley) The vision: To see a viable, Bible-teaching, Bible-living, independent local church ministry planted in Taipei, and then throughout Taiwan and Asia.

Taiwan missions from EBCB began as the Lord sovereignly brought several Chinese/Taiwanese Americans to EBCB over the years while also allowing Pastor John and a brother to visit Taipei near the beginning of 2001. The survey trip reinforced an already growing sense that the Lord was opening the door for EBCB to begin active missions work in Taiwan. With much prayer and the church body's full support, EBCB began a journey that has continued and grown in ways no one could have imagined.

In the summer of 2001, the first team was sent to Taiwan working with YWAM. Afterwards, Pastor John saw the need for long-term missionaries in Taiwan, and the church began to pray for God to raise up men and women who will be willing to serve. The church also began to pray for a missions center, a building that can be used as a place to worship and to provide housing for the missionaries from EBCB and elsewhere.

After the second trip in the summer of 2002, while working with Project Taipei, more seeds were planted and more relationships were formed. In the winter of 2003, EBCB began sending a missions team in the winter since the previous summer team saw the urgent need for the growth and strengthening of the new believers in Taipei. And in the summer of 2003, despite the SARS outbreak, a team was able to go to Taiwan and more people committed their lives to Christ.

In October 2003, God answered our prayers with the commissioning of Benjamin Sae-Tang and Dennis Ju to serve in Taiwan as missionary-teachers. God used these men to do the foundation work at EBCT as they faithfully served during its first three years in preaching, teaching, and evangelism. In July 2005, Matthew Hauck began training with Pastor John to continue the work when Ben and Dennis would return home. Matt was commissioned by EBCB on May 14, 2006 and then sent with his wife Sanny to Taiwan on July 5, 2006.

Matt returned to America in August, 2008 to pursue seminary training, at which time James Lee came to serve EBCT for one year, having just graduated from seminary. In August 2009, James Lee returned to America to do church planting ministry. At that time, Matt returned once more to Taiwan, unfortunately not able to complete seminary at this juncture, yet likewise excited to be back in the ministry and back in Taiwan. 

It is our desire that EBCT would have men arise from our own midst to take up the duty of preaching God's word and shepherding God's people here in their own country of Taiwan. Please pray that God would do this to establish this church here in Taiwan as well as for further church-planting ministry. Until then, the elders of EBCB continue to provide leadership, guidance, and accountability until EBCT becomes self-sustaining, self-supporting, and self-governing under its own elders. We trust that God will continue to expand our borders and strengthen His church while we stay faithful to the proclamation of His truth, with the goal of seeing a viable, Bible-teaching, Bible-living, local church ministry in Taipei, and then throughout Taiwan and the rest of Asia.