In 1980, students from various college campuses in central Taiwan founded the Sound of Vacation Gospel Team (SVGT). As a member of SVGT, during winter and summer vacations, we provided training and equipping courses and organized Gospel task teams to assist rural churches with evangelism and ministry. In 1990, we in the SVGT experienced transformation and become known as the Banner Mission Team (BMT). As the BMT, we began to expand our ministries as we attended and assisted with non-denominational evangelistic and other conferences in our area. Our vision was to see Taiwan turn toward the Lord and to participate in mission work worldwide.
In the summer of 1994, two pastors came to Taiwan whose messages led to a change in direction. Pastor Kriengsak Chareonwongsak of Thailand and Pastor Lawrence Khong of Singapore each held a seminar on building churches and cell groups. After participating in these seminars, the members of BMT felt greatly challenged and inspired. We sensed that God was leading us to make some adjustments to our vision. After several months of praying and seeking the Lord’s will, we were led to end the ministry of the mission team and to begin a new cell group ministry known as Banner Church. Banner Church was born on January 1st, 1995, the day of our first gathering. We started with five families, three single brothers and sisters, thirteen adults and five children in all.
The first service was held in the pastor's home with 27 people in attendance. Since then, more than 20 years have gone by and we have been through much change and transition. One very visible example of this change has been our location. We have moved 7 times since the church was founded in 1995. Over the last more than 20 years, we have experienced growth and frustration, excitement and disappointment, laughter and tears. However, through it all we have known that it is the grace of God that has filled us and led us. Currently, our average weekly service attendance is around 4500 people! We know that greater glory is still ahead of us, because we believe in what is written in Haggai 2:9 that the glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.