Establishment History

“Evangelical Free Church of China (EFCC) Taikoo Shing Church” (hereafter “Taikoo Shing Church”) planted “EFCC International Church” (hereafter “International Church”) more than twenty years ago. Later, the International Church relocated to the auditorium of Lingnan Secondary School in Heng Fa Chuen, Chai Wan, to hold Sunday worship services and to develop its gospel ministries.

In 2001, the pastors of the International Church noticed that some parents of students attending its “English Sunday School” did not stay to join the English worship service. Therefore, they invited believers from the mother church (Taikoo Shing Church) who felt called to begin Cantonese ministry in Heng Fa Chuen to go and work alongside the International Church in developing a Cantonese worship ministry.

After half a year of prayer and waiting, Taikoo Shing Church finally had nine believers willing to commit themselves to this work. On October 20, 2002, at the commissioning service held at the mother church (Taikoo Shing Church), they were commissioned and sent to Heng Fa Chuen. Under the leadership of the International Church pastor, they began the Cantonese worship ministry. On the morning of October 27 of the same year at 11:15 a.m., the first “Cantonese Worship Service” was held in an activity room at Lingnan Secondary School.

Over the next ten years, the Cantonese worship congregation grew from just a few family units to about 50 people. Some received baptism and began serving in ministry, and the fellowship life of the congregation was marked by love and harmony.

At the beginning of 2013, the core group of the Cantonese worship ministry began discussing the possibility of becoming self-supporting (self-governing). On May 26 of the same year, a vote at the International Church’s annual general meeting approved it becoming a branch church. In the second half of 2013, a Church Affairs Committee was formed, and on July 29 of the same year it was approved by the EFCC Association, and officially named “Evangelical Free Church of China Joyous Grace Church,” formally becoming a branch church of the International Church.

Name Origins

“Joyous Grace” (歡恩) is inspired by Isaiah 12:3: “With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation.”

This reminds us to remember our roots: Joyous Grace Church stands in a shared heritage that began with Ling Chuen Church (靈泉堂)—the first EFCC church established on Hong Kong Island—and continued through the growth of Kei Chuen Church (基泉堂), Taikoo Shing Church (太古城堂), and International Church (國際堂), leading to the founding of Joyous Grace Church (歡恩堂) today.