In line with the Gospel

Dr Wilfred Chee (68) is the doyen of Chinese church planting in Australia.

Having planted and pastored churches in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Sandakan, Wilfred has overseen ministries for independent Chinese congregations in Milsons Point and Western Sydney. Wilfred also took a lead in running the large international ministry that is affiliated with the Wesley Mission in Pitt Street.

As the pastor of the Mandarin and Cantonese church plants at Chatswood (Anglican), Wilfred is constantly seeking ways to engage with the community. And line dancing is proving to be a winner. I kid you not!

Each Monday, up to 90 women (from mainland China and Hong Kong) don their check shirts, Levis and boots for a morning of fitness, fellowship and fun. The country music blares and Wifred, a boot-scootin’ wiz, takes the throng through their paces.

Believers from the Chinese-speaking congregation(s) are on hand to work on relationship building and to offer hospitality after the event.

On Saturday afternoons Wilfred meets with his Chinese Evangelism Explosion (E.E.) team. It’s a time of training and orientation prior to visiting the people who’ve been contacted through line dancing. The E.E. team have now lead a number of line dancing contacts to faith in Jesus. Wilfred is preparing them for baptism.

As a variation on that theme, Wilfred is offering specialist line dancing coaching. On Monday afternoons, women who wish to develop their struttin’ skills, will be given specialist tuition - following a Bible study. There you have it! Wilfred will teach the Bible and help sharpen line dancing skills. Brilliant.

Author’s note: Husbands of line dancing women meet in an adjacent building for table tennis. Many of these men are seniors. I foolishly thought that I’d go a few rounds with these blokes. Having been thoroughly humiliated by what I can only conclude was the Chinese Olympic table tennis team from 1968, I slunk sweatily back to my office. I shan’t be offering any table tennis coaching.

Stuart Robinson is the National Mission Facilitator for the Anglican Church with church planting experience in Western Sydney, the CBD and Europe, and the rector of St Paul’s Anglican Church, Chatswood.

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