HKBTS Is in My Heart ― Alumni Interviews for Our 65th Anniversary
To celebrate HKBTS’s 65th Anniversary, we have conducted more than twenty interviews to record memories of the seminary’s different historical stages and to produce a thanksgiving video presentation which was shown during the 65th Anniversary Thanksgiving Concert and Worship Service on April 24. All the interviewees are members of HKBTS’s big family and her co-walkers. Each of the interviews provides an invaluable record of seminary life because these interviews not only testify to God’s faithfulness and grace, but also serve as enduring testimonies for our churches and the world at large.
Since most of the interviewees are our alumni, it seems fitting to use, “HKBTS Is in My Heart,” as the title, and we feature some of our alumni’s interviews in this issue. Due to the limited space available, we must apologize for featuring only a small portion of our alumni’s messages. However, the seminary would like to express our special, heartfelt thanks to all of the interviewees and our co-walkers.
Ip Shiu-chung (class of 1980)
“In those days the Homantin campus was basically a historical building. The building’s stairs seemed especially old because they made so much noise when anyone walked past. You could never secretly walk up the stairs—especially when you were late! We all knew who was late to class when somebody walked up the stairs in a hurry.”
“What I miss the most were the coconut trees, the beautiful meadow, and the lush vine under which we students would often rest and talk. A few senior students and I played soccer every Wednesday in the meadow, and we had so much fun during our many games together; our friendship really blossomed there.”
“At that time, most of our teachers were foreign missionaries and most of our lessons were conducted in English; there was a Chinese teacher who taught in Shandong dialect which was also difficult for us to understand. Keeping up with the language used in each class was a challenge for me. However, the language skills I learned would prove to be very helpful in my pastoral ministry and language ministry; in particular it helped my translation and comprehension skills.”
“During my seven years of study at the seminary, I experienced the leadership styles of four different presidents: firstly, the leadership of Acting President Dr. Jachin Chan, followed by that of Dr. Carter Morgan, the Acting and Interim President, and then the leadership of President George Wilson; in the beginning when I was studying in the Pre-Theology Program which was under the leadership of President Samuel Tang. These four servants of God had very different personalities and leadership styles. My experiences then remind me and encourage me now that I must have faith in God, knowing that God is willing to use men with different personalities to serve in His Kingdom. These four presidents gave me invaluable lessons and served as key role models. I must thank Dr. Chan in particular, who, with his ample experience in pastoral work and ministries, took me by the hand and helped me to learn a great deal on my ministerial path. I also found that the teachers often gave me much admonition, especially a group of foreign missionaries. Their dedication to God, boundless love and tolerance made them role models for me to emulate.”
“What is more, some of the second generation of our class of students were also willing to continue to walk on the path of full-time ministry. This is what we are most thankful for!”
Koo Wai-hung (class of 2011)
“In terms of knowledge and our faith, we students have gained a lot. The three-year theological program has provided us with rigorous training in thinking—specifically critical thinking. For me, this was an invaluable lesson. In the critical thinking exercises, I made great efforts to reexamine many of the topics and issues which I had formerly regarded as ‘inerrant.’ Through this process I began to consider my faith seriously and through that, I gained an in-depth understanding of my faith. Now when I act as a minister in church, I hope that I can pass on this attitude to my brothers and sisters so that they can know God more deeply.”
“I remember when I received my training in the seminary, President Cho always taught us to be a community of servants. It made me realize that to serve in full-time ministry does not mean to run ‘a personal business.’ From my learning experiences in the seminary community, I learned a lot about how to establish a spiritual community. Those experiences have proved to be very helpful to my ministry after graduation.”
“When I entered the seminary in 2008, HKBTS was facing some crises. I knew that this was what God meant us to experience. By struggling through those difficult times alongside the whole seminary community, I began to see that the storm did not dishearten the teachers or the students. On the contrary, we walked together with increasing resolve. In recent years, HKBTS has recruited more and more students. When I returned to the seminary to take the ThM Program, I discovered that many former students whom I had previously known had also applied to renew their studies, showing an eagerness to go back to our alma mater. I am thankful for all of God’s gifts to the seminary and hope that even after the 65th anniversary, HKBTS will keep training more and more workers for God’s Kingdom.”
- Rev. Chan Hay-him had a stroke, and consequently, he can only speak with great difficulty. Therefore, Mrs. Chan Lau Kit-ching helped him with his sharing. We earnestly thank the two of them for coming to the seminary, for taking part in the interview, and for their sincere concern and love of the seminary.
“At that time, a good number of my fellow students came from Mainland China and were more mature. Most of the teachers were missionaries who only spoke English—except for President James Belote who could speak fluent Cantonese. Since most students could not understand English, students Tse Chi-wai and Chan Hay-him often took turns acting as an interpreter. Doing so much simultaneous interpretation in class was very helpful when Chan later undertook student ministry. He always acted as the interpreter for theologians and thinkers during public meetings so that students who attended the meetings could understand what was being said. Such classroom translations from English to Chinese were indeed very special, and better enabled him to do his ministry later on.”
“The First Chinese Congress on World Evangelization was held in 1976 which was the beginning of the CCOWE Movement. At that time, President Samuel Tang was responsible for the work of the Program Department of the Congress. Because he was busy with the work of HKBTS and also that of CCOWE, he asked Chan to give him a hand. This ministry opportunity enabled Chan to gain valuable knowledge and experience. Unexpectedly, many years later Rev. Chan himself became the General Secretary of CCOWE.”
“When he was a student in the seminary, he acted as a kind of youth minister. In those days, there were not many seminary students. As a HKBTS student, he gained the trust of many youngsters in local Baptist churches, and so he enjoyed many ministry opportunities in youth fellowship. At that time, many people respectfully called him ‘Elder Brother Hay Him.’ Now, these brothers and sisters are in their sixties and seventies, and yet, they still affectionately call Rev. Chan ‘Elder Brother Hay Him.’”
“He feels that the world is fast-changing. It certainly takes great effort to discern with care the changing needs of the times. He always prays that God will help President Cho and the faculty to understand God’s will clearly, to grasp the direction the seminary has to take, to adjust to the changes and needs of the times, and to hold fast to the eternal Truth. May all those who graduate from the seminary be good shepherds who tend their flocks and are workers in God’s Kingdom who follow God’s heart.”
“Whenever I smell the aroma of Murraya in the street, it always reminds me of the Homantin Hill Road campus and my student days. In those old days, the hillside around our campus was covered with Murraya and during the flowering season the scent would fill my room in the student quarter. I can never forget the wonderful feeling it gave me. ”
“The times I miss the most are the times when we would have lunch together. A soup and a few other dishes were served to each table, and whenever the table was full, all those sitting at the table would begin to eat. That meant that students from different classes and programs, teachers, and staff would have the opportunity to sit around the table together, introduce themselves, and talk to one another. After lunch, some of the teachers and students would play table tennis in the canteen which always led to laughter and cheers. These times allowed me to see another side of the teachers outside of the classroom.”
“I also remember one other interesting thing: at that time, my classmates were all so eager to learn, trying to take more and more credit hours and study more subjects within those three years. In those days, there was no restriction on the number of credit hours a student could take, so many of my classmates took many courses—some even took more than twenty credit hours in a single semester! Seeing the situation, the seminary became concerned that the heavy workload would affect their physical, mental, and spiritual growth. Consequently, a strict rule was imposed to limit the number of credit hours a student could take in a single semester.”
“In those days, the educational ethos of President Wilson was to regard students as mature adults, giving us a high degree of freedom. For example, students were allowed to join the morning chapel before the class lesson according to students’ own will so as to encourage us to learn self-discipline. When we were busy handing in class assignments and coping with tests, making time for morning chapel was a real test. I have since found this lesson in self-discipline to be essential for ministers who are about to enter the ministry field because it forces us to be responsible for the choices we make in our own lives and in our own behavior. Without outside supervision and admonition, will we still attach importance to Bible reading and prayer, to being faithful in our pastoral ministry? That lesson about self-discipline still reminds me to this day that I should take great care in fulfilling my shepherding vocation.”
“Rev. Brian Lam once mentioned that the seminary was where the traditions of a university and a monastery are integrated. That means that HKBTS emphasizes building knowledge and cultivating students’ spirituality. This was an important starting point that helped me to integrate the two for myself as I began my theological studies. At first, I had assumed that the seminary’s teachers were hardheaded and old-fashioned. Unexpectedly, our teachers are also made of flesh and blood. They shared with us their own erudition while caring about our needs and cultivating our spiritual lives. I feel that we are a truthful community because we can each bare our hearts to each other.”
“Two lessons have been particularly helpful to me and I often remind myself of them. The first lesson was to learn to admit my own inadequacies. When I was growing up, I imagined—as most young people did—that I basically knew everything. It was not until I entered the seminary and started learning that I began to realize how much I did not know and I began learning to listen attentively. The second lesson was to adjust my field of vision. In theological training, we need to learn many different subjects. To digest and integrate the diverse material takes quite some time. This process helped remind me to put God in the first place, then the church, and brothers and sisters that I serve. I hope to have mastered these lessons so that I can put them into practice in my church ministry.”
“Teachers and students who co-walked with me in the past still remain closely connected today. While we are all very busy, when someone needs help and support, all of us are willing to lend a helping hand and are willing to pray for and support each other. This is indeed the most amazing aspect of our co-walking together.”
“When I began my first degree at HKBTS, I studied in the Church Music Program which left a deep impression on me. The learning process was especially valuable to me. Along with other students, I received training in Church Music. Being trained in the seminary Choir and as a Hill Singer, I learned lessons about pairing up and about being humble, obedient, and patient. These learning opportunities were precious to me and later on, in my own church ministry, I found myself using those lessons on patience, humility, and how to cooperate with others.”
“Another kind of training is to summon your courage to stand up to your fears. I remember during my first year after learning to sing vocals for just a few months, the music teacher arranged for me to sing the solo in a morning chapel service. From memory, I sang ‘Fairly Ordinary.’ Later, a teacher, who was not a music teacher, commented to me about my performance when we were taking the lift after the chapel. He said, ‘Siu Leung, you sang with all your heart!’ I will never forget this teacher’s encouragement and affirmation. He did not mention anything about my vocal skills but saw that I sang with all my heart. I found that this teacher was a very good role model for me. While students may care about the quality of their performance, we really need to understand that God cares more for our hearts than anything else.”
“After my theological training, what was precious for me was that I have mastered the critical thinking method so that I could apply it and integrate my knowledge. Regardless of whether I want to integrate different subjects or different kinds of experiences, I find the ability to synthesize them is the most important. It is an ongoing process. It requires that we keep on reading, thinking, and writing. This kind of critical thinking helps me to constantly learn and improve myself—instead of just staying the same. Learning is not something we just do alone; it can connect us with other people and help us learn from them. I cherish my fellow students and schoolmates from those days and we remain in contact to this day. In the face of difficult issues, we must keep learning from and sharing with one another. This thinking pattern has been very helpful to me when I serve God in my church ministry.”
“The seminary campus is situated by the waterfront with a mountain in the background and Tolo Harbor in the foreground, providing us with an ideal study environment. Sometimes I would walk with my fellow students to the seaside where we would pray and talk. There were a few times when we were tired from our classwork and we all went together to the seaside to have a rest. There before us was a large expanse of the sea. The vast sea reminds us that God is a great creator and that knowledge helps to release the heavy burdens in our hearts.”
“I really enjoyed the atmosphere in my classes. Whenever a classmate found a good book or some helpful study materials, he would be happy to share them with the rest of us and help one another study. When spending so much time together and being so close to each other, one cannot avoid coming across relationship problems. The communal life of the student quarter enabled me to better know myself; I learned to overcome my own weaknesses and learned from others as they faced difficulties. Living in the student quarter could have been confining, but I found it to be a very valuable and rich experience. Looking down from my window, I could see the basketball court where a group of students and teachers would often have fun. They would show their excitement by laughing and shouting as they played. Even when I was working hard in my room, sometimes I could not help drawing the curtains and looking down to share their fun. Seeing their pleasure made me feel relaxed too.”
“In my day-to-day life I often come across problems. Sometimes even without me mentioning my troubles, my teacher would already have taken the initiative to care about me. So, when I met with difficulty, my teachers would already know it; not only did they care about my studies, they cared about me holistically as a person! This way of teaching us to ‘walk the talk’ (reinforced by their real life examples) helped me tremendously. They were always willing to spend extra time to listen to what I wanted to say and then to give me guidance. I was greatly touched by how much they cared. In this way, I personally experienced co-walking and shepherding so that when I ministered at church later on, I could use what I learned with the brothers and sisters whom I now serve in the same way.”
“I very much want to pray for these teachers in the seminary. I ask the Lord to grant them healthy bodies and lively spirits. May their lives be role models for students who are learning to follow and trust in God. May the alma mater keep nurturing God’s workers who know the greatness of God well and who will stand in great humility before Him in the days to come.”
“I still remember how we students studied and worked on our class assignments together. Together we learned the original languages of the Bible and discussed different kinds of theology amongst ourselves. The process of going through good times and bad times together and supporting one another along the way was both challenging and pleasant. It was indeed a special experience. If I were to study theology by myself, I simply would not feel how amazing or joyful it is—especially when compared to studying alongside my classmates in the seminary. There, teaching and learning were not confined to the classroom. There were lots of opportunities to discuss theology with teachers or amongst other students. Sometimes, in the mornings at the canteen the discussion of theology would begin immediately after I had ordered a sandwich with fried egg and luncheon meat. During every day I spent on campus, I was in touch with theology and kept on learning about the Word of God.”
“Studying at the seminary enabled me to not only acquire an in-depth understanding of my faith but also a real understanding of my calling. This is an important gift that my alma mater has granted me. It once again affirms my calling from God and assures me that this is the path for me. Moreover, in the future along with other fellow students, we are bound to commit ourselves to ministries in which suffering is inevitable. Through a variety of training and learning, I came to experience how true our faith is and the difficulty we face when we hold on to our faith.”
“What we are thankful to God for is that there is a group of outstanding and dedicated teachers who look after the students and the seminary’s staff who look after the campus with all their heart. Furthermore, we have the well-respected President Cho who always gives 110% for the sake and well-being of the seminary. I find that all these are gifts from God and we really have to cherish and support our seminary!”