Vietnam

A. Introduction

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam located in Southeast Asia is now commonly known as Vietnam. Vietnam was previously called Nam Viet (Nam meaning “south” and Viet referring to the people living along China’s southern border). Nam Viet was ruled by China until AD 900. In the 1500s and 1600s, Portuguese and French traders came to Vietnam. Some Roman Catholic missionaries converted the Vietnamese to Christianity. In the 1800s, the French returned to Vietnam to explore economic and trade opportunities. For the next eighty years, France controlled Vietnam. In the mid-1950s the Vietminh, nationalist communists led by Ho Chi Minh, gained power and forced the French to leave.

In 1955, Vietnam was divided into two countries. The area north of the seventeenth parallel became North Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh and the communists. South of the line lay South Vietnam, run by a pro-Western prime minister, Ngo Dinh Diem. The United States sent advisors and soldiers to help South Vietnam fight communism. This led to years of devastating war.

The war continued until 1973 when the United States Congress ceased military funding for South Vietnam. In 1975, North Vietnam conquered South Vietnam and reunited the country. Almost a million Vietnamese escaped their homeland and were resettled in Western countries. Another million fled Vietnam by sea in 1978. Vietnamese continued to flee their country until the early 1990s.

B. Religion

Vietnam is an atheist country without an official state religion. Although people enjoy religious freedom, in theory, there are in fact many restrictions on religion. Most Vietnamese people believe in the “Three Religions” (also known as Three Teachings or Triple Religion), a blend of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, as well as other folk beliefs. Buddhists comprise 12% of Vietnam’s population. Caodaism (Cao Dai) was founded in 1926, and its practitioners account for approximately 6.8% of the country’s total population. This folk religion proclaims faith in one God, asserting that God and not one man is its founder. Approximately another 6.8% of the population is Catholic; 1.5% is Protestant. Portuguese missionaries brought Catholicism to Vietnam in the 16th century, but Catholicism was not widely spread until the French colonial period. Protestantism in Vietnam was first introduced in 1911 by missionaries from the Canadian Christian & Missionary Alliance.

C. Development of the True Jesus Church in Vietnam

A preacher first planted the seeds of the gospel in Vietnam in 1997, but pioneering work in the area stalled two years later. In 2005, the evangelical ministry in the eastern hemisphere restarted the pioneering ministry work. Out of the 15 individuals on the list of baptized members in Vietnam, only 9 could be contacted. It was a pity that those believers were unable to attain a clear understanding of the basic tenets of our church, let alone grasp the reasons why they were willing to be baptized in the first place. From 2005 to 2010, volunteers would go every month to assist with the pastoring and evangelical work as well as search for lost sheep. They would also take buses or trains to other provinces such as Can Tho, Nha Trang City, and Hanoi. Most of the gatherings in Ho Chi Minh City would be held in the hotel rooms where the volunteers stayed. The gathering times were Friday and Saturday evenings as well as Sunday morning to afternoon. Most of the attendees were Taiwanese and Malaysian believers who working locally.

D. Things to Know Before Visiting Vietnam

Vietnam is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Citizens of any other country that is a member of ASEAN may visit Vietnam for no more than 15 days without a visa. Travelers from other countries need to apply for a visa before arrival.