Over the years, there has been a shift in the demography of people attending from the majority of people being American-born Chinese and their parents to a very diverse group with 20-30 countries represented each Sunday. As English is now the commercial language of the world, more and more nations see value in including English classes in school curriculums. Taiwan has recruited many English teachers from all parts of the world, especially S. Africa, Canada and the U.S. Many VEF adults are foreign English teachers and many of our people are soft-ware and semi-conductor engineers who are here from other countries.
Primarily an international community with people from many nationalities and many church denominations, VEF seeks to be a big-tent evangelical fellowship with a firm commitment to Biblical faith as expressed throughout the years through historical Christianity. Though a ministry of Victory Lutheran Brethren Chinese Church, under the authority of its Elders-Deacon Board and the VEF Co-Workers, VEF maintains fellowship with the Missional International Church Network, a loosely affiliated organization of international churches in major cities throughout the world.
Victory English Fellowship has its beginnings in 1994 when an English Sunday school was started in response to the growing number of Taiwanese returning to Hsinchu to work in the Science Park. Eventually the need for a Bible study for youth was realized and in addition to Sunday School for children, a class for youth was started in 1997.
As the youth matured and as some adults began to show interest, talk of an actual worship service began with the first English service held in 1998 under the Youth Department of Victory Church. It was first called English High School Fellowship, then it changed to Victory Church English Youth Fellowship. The Chinese Youth Group began holding a bilingual service once a month so that the English speakers would have an opportunity to worship, hear God’s word preached, and take communion. As the word of an English service spread, more foreign adults started attending. It continued to grow with English services held 3 Sundays a month, in addition to the bilingual monthly service with the Chinese Youth. English speaking youth began gathering formally every Friday night for Bible Studies, fun, and fellowship. In the meantime, more and more foreign adults were moving into the city to teach English and work in the Science Park. As word spread of an English service at Victory Church, the Sunday morning attendance grew.
