Toiling Silently after the Example of Jesus Christ
Ng Pun-pun
M.Div. Student
Group 2 (To Kwa Wan)
In the afternoon of the Spiritual Formation Day, we carried out neighborhood audits in To Kwa Wan. Our community tour guide took us to “ToHome” (House of To Kwa Wan Stories), which is a place that supports residents in the area, bringing people together. They have also developed a mutual support network through offering simple repairs. They are quietly working hard in the community. Isn’t this what the missionaries who came to China in the past used to do?
Our tour guide (a church minister) who has only been serving in To Kwa Wan for two years taught me more about the the history and culture of this district than I ever knew and I was born and raised here; this fact fills me with gratitude and shame. Isn’t what the tour guide does exactly what the church (and pastors) should do? How can a church build a relationship with others if it knows nothing about the neighborhood and the needs and situation of the people there? How is it supposed to talk about faith with others or preach the gospel? Not to mention helping others! During the community guided tour, our guide repeatedly asked us, “Would the people or shops around you notice if your church moved? Would they feel sorry that you or your church are going?”
Their hard work reminded me of what Dr. Huen said that morning, “When someone comes up with ideas, we or the church are quick to reply with ‘this would not do’ or ‘we can’t do that.’ In such cases, I believe, we are responding without thoroughly thinking over the issue.” I began to imagine how I would respond to the needs of the field and where I will serve when I graduate. Am I the kind of person Dr. Huen and the tour guide described — who does not even think or try to imagine the possibilities before saying, “This is not going to work. This idea and the preparation will take ages.”?
In the seminary, the question we hear most often from teachers is: “What kind of a pastor / person do you want to be?” At Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary, our teachers often emphasize that we are a disciple community; disciples are a faith community committed to Jesus. They follow Him and His example, live a life that fulfils the mission of Christ, and practice faith in every area of life. I am convinced that this is what we are trained for here.