Snapshots of Campus Life
Class Lecture
Students take six to seven subjects every semester and go to class lectures for about 16 to 18 hours each week. “Class lecture” is an important part of campus life. What in fact do they learn and what is the relationship between teachers and students?
To Pui Yuen-yee (BAPS 3)
During the past few years in classes, I have certainly learned a lot. Although I was a confessed Christian many years ago and I have since faithfully studied the Bible and had my daily devotional, I still consider my biblical knowledge insufficient and superficial. My seminary studies continue to remind me of how much I do not know. The classes I took enable me to read the Bible more intently than before and to understand who God is more clearly. I find that each of the subjects I take is necessary for me in the building of a solid foundation for my future pastoral ministry.
I normally take six subjects every school term. This year’s subjects include Hermeneutics, the Pentateuch, Methods of Preaching, Methods of Evangelism, Counseling, Worship, Leading Congregational Singing, and choral training in the Hill Singers. It is true that learning in the classroom, homework assignments, tests and examinations keep me really busy. When church brothers and sisters ask me if I find seminary study difficult, I cannot deny that I must work hard, but then I must admit I enjoy my studies. Of course I am busy, but I do not consider my busy lifestyle hardship! It is like diving into a mighty ocean of knowledge. Each subject has a wealth of knowledge. I may not be able to learn them all but I enjoy myself through the process of learning. Among the subjects I have studied so far, Hermeneutics and Preaching are my favorites, and I hope to get a clear grasp of them in order to use them effectively in my future ministry. It would be a great blessing to have time to reflect on and to organize all that I have learned in the seminary before beginning my ministry at church.
I often sense a cordial and harmonious atmosphere in our class lectures because our teachers are approachable and often exuberant. I can tell they put all their hearts into their teaching and they encourage us to bring up questions that puzzle us. It is true our teachers are first rate scholars but they do not show off their learning by throwing out too many technical or philosophical terms. I am sure they want to communicate clearly and thus do not see the need to keep us at a distance. I find our teachers to be altogether friendly and sincere and they are not afraid to reveal their human side. Our classes are interactive. In addition to lectures and class discussions, students make individual presentations and work as teams on group projects. Beginning in our first year, we have already formed groups by random assignment for projects and have got used to this grouping method. It is good that we have the opportunity to learn and to work together with different classmates.
Furthermore, we learn more than textual knowledge from our teachers. For example, some teachers who are by nature impatient and are perfectionists soon come to accept us with all our imperfections. They choose to adjust their pace and to exercise patience in teaching us. I am especially touched by our teachers’ acceptance and patience. I tell myself that I need to develop this same patience in my future field of ministry, and I need to learn from my seminary teachers how to accept my brothers’ and sisters’ differences.
Faculty-Student Mentoring
On our campus, every student is assigned either a teacher or one of the chaplains (Rev. Brian Lam and Elaine Cheung) as mentor. The student and the mentor meet regularly for a friendly exchange. How do we build up seminary students and mold them to become future ministers?
Chung Ming-yan (M.Div. 2)
In my mind teachers are out of reach, but now unexpectedly they have become my friends. The open and sincere exchange of life experience between teacher and student helps me realize that I have nothing to dread. One thing that is distinct about the culture of HKBTS is the cordial teacher-student relationship which contributes to the harmonious community of the seminary as a whole.
After the Seminary studies began, I found that in addition to the formal class learning, it has been arranged that a teacher or a chaplain will be the mentor to each student. I appreciate this feature of the curriculum design as class lectures tend to focus on cognitive knowledge. Important foundation though it is, there can easily be a gap between cognitive knowledge and the practice and application of knowledge in real life situations. The semester appointment with a teacher or a chaplain is a good opportunity to deepen our self-reflection. Through this face-to-face verbal exchange, we come to see that our mentor sitting next to us is actually our predecessor who has also gone through many blood-and-tear struggles in preparation to be a faithful minister. My mentor is so well-qualified to help me narrow the gap between knowledge and practice.
Rev. Brian Lam was my mentor in my first year as a student at HKBTS. I have found Rev. Lam to be meticulously attentive to the smallest detail of my questions. Once when I met with him, I shared with him some of the funny aspects about getting along with my schoolmates. After listening for a while, he pointed out a characteristic pattern that I had in my dealing with people. I felt astounded for even I myself had not yet noticed such a pattern existed. Afterwards, Rev. Lam led me to study a Bible passage to note a Bible character with a personality similar to mine. This discovery continues to bless me until this day by heightening my self-understanding and awareness. Every time we met, we felt free to introduce different topics, and Rev. Lam would always share with me frankly his views. In my first year in HKBTS, I struggled with my identity change and adjustment. I was deeply blessed to have Rev. Lam as my co-walker.
This year my mentor is Dr. Vincent Lau. Once while having tea we shared our life experiences. My teacher shared some positive and negative happenings in his life and his high regard for the title “pastor.” This conversation has deeply affected my attitude towards Christian ministry. I still remember what he said, “You only need to study hard to get a Ph.D. degree. Yet, being able to be a pastor every day and to live up to this position and this identity of what it means to be a minister of the gospel does not come as a matter of course.” The truth in what he said at first seemed obvious but when I realized it came out of the mouth of someone who is both ordained minister and teacher with a Ph.D., I became aware that he could not have easily come to such self-understanding without a struggle. I anticipate that my teacher and I will continue to have more in-depth exchanges as we have many more encounters throughout this year. I must remember to thank both Dr. Lau and Rev. Lam for their loving care for me and the other students (just like their younger brothers and sisters) they so generously bless.
Students’ Dormitory Life
Our campus is home for many of our students as we have the male students’ quarter, female students’ quarter and married students’ quarter. Below are two articles that include some stories that took place in our male and female dormitories.
Male Students’ Dormitory
Tsang Hing-chung (BAPS 1)
“Come on everybody, time for supper!” When the time comes for supper, someone in the male students’ quarter will proclaim this with a loud voice. Then, a group of dorm residents will stream into the pantry and lay out the kitchen utensils and cutlery on the table. After saying grace, we enjoy the supper in a joyful way. From the beginning of the school year, from Monday to Friday and almost every evening, we gather around the table for supper. Preparing the supper can be an ardent mission, but according to God’s generous provisions, the male students’ quarter is blessed with a “handsome cook” who gladly prepares dorm residents a different set of menus each week, satisfying our needs for food and drink. An added blessing is that, as we prepare and enjoy our supper together every evening, we have been able to build up a warm and solid circle of friendship among our residents.
The birthday of a fellow-resident becomes a big occasion in the male students’ dorm. This being the case, each of us is willing to rack our brains to design and conduct a unique and unforgettable party for each birthday boy. I remember once in such a birthday celebration we were able to conduct a solemn yet funny ceremony to make the birthday boy amused but yet annoyed.
Living in HKBTS, we have always received various kinds of blessings from God. And so we often offer our praise to God and place great emphasis on prayer. We always hear President Cho saying, “We are a community of disciples!” As a practical way of responding to our President’s call, male dorm residents assemble outside the dormitory at 9 pm every evening in the moonlit sky to thank God for our blessings and to pray for each other. Through these meetings unbroken by wind and rain, we practice mutual intercession and always find ourselves living in God’s love and brotherly affection.
Regarding the issue of cleanliness, the male dorm residents maintain a high standard. Once our dorm chief issued an order, we chose a day to do a clean-up of the dorm pantry. After all our hard labor, we looked contentedly at the glittering utensils, floor tiles and the sinks that gave off refreshing scent. Even the female staff responsible for the daily clean-up of our dorm commented on the high quality of our work. In retrospect, our hearts are full of joy!
Although our study life is as busy as ever, as we are blessed with moment upon moment of fun and cheerfulness living in the dormitory, we always find our body, heart and spirit being imbued with the extra power and strength to learn. I hope that such a short sharing would enable you to understand slightly the many short stories that took place in the male students’ dormitory.
Female Students’ Dormitory
Tang Chung-sze (BAPS 3)
The Seminary encourages single students to live in the dormitory. First, it saves all the time spent commuting to the seminary, leaving more time for academic studies. Secondly, student participation in the community life in the dorm is considered an important discipline for a seminary student. I can personally say that my three years living in the female students’ dorm has mainly been a pleasant and significant experience. But I must admit I had some difficulties adjusting in my first year. Not only did I need time to get used to full time study, but also needed to adapt to dorm life. For example, it was not easy for me to sleep well in a “strange bed” and I could not sleep well most of my first year.
Life in the dorm is certainly not at all monotonous. When students return to the dorm after a lesson, they cannot expect to spend all their time doing their homework assignments but must develop good time management habits. For one thing, dorm students are required to help clean the dorm and maintain environmental hygiene there. Furthermore, we need to learn to get along with our room-mate and other fellow-students. Since there is a pantry in our dorm, I always spend some time each day preparing my supper. Actually this adds some fun to my dorm life and reduces stress of my study load. Sometimes, I will cook with a group of fellow-residents and we enjoy teaching one another how to cook our special dishes and then sharing the food we each have cooked. At other times we are so busy we only have time to prepare food and eat individually.
Another feature of dorm life is noise: cheerful laughter, the noise of lively conversation, and the noise of happy students singing in the shower. And yet, they can be disturbing noises for they penetrate even brick walls. Therefore, in the dorm we have to refrain from speaking loudly as we need to learn to be considerate. While there is closeness among dorm residents, we respect the need we all may sometimes have to be by ourselves and not to venture out of our room for a long time. We try to give one another space and respect different personality types.
Once a month, our dorm chiefs lead us in a prayer meeting and other residents are invited to assist her. We have two dorm chiefs, elected by the residents and serving one semester only. In this gathering, we can experience the sweetness of our mutual intercession and our mutual support. When members open themselves up to share their difficulties, there is always a willingness among the sisters to bear their burdens and to pray fervently for all needing special support.
There is a special kind of friendship cherished by dorm residents. At the close of the semester as I see graduates packing their belongings and moving out, I realize how much I will miss them. I remember once when a fellow student had a birthday, a group of sisters in our dorm sang the birthday song to her at 12 midnight and then we all prayed for her. Then, I have the fond memory of the time when I joined a few other residents in our dorm to go to Sai Kung town center to take a break from our studies and enjoy sweet soup and desserts. Even though these are just a few snapshots of our dorm life, they are all precious to me.
Morning Chapel
It is required that students attend the Morning Chapel held on every Tuesday to Thursday. Why is this morning chapel, held between class lectures in the morning, so important to students’ spiritual growth?
Cheung Chuen-yeung (BAPS 3)
A Time to Meet with God
Ever since I entered into HKBTS to be equipped to follow God’s call, it is the chapel that has always filled me with excitement so that I look forward to going each week. I find it to be the precious moment for me to meet with God. I treasure every morning chapel as indeed a wonderful appointment with God and each time, I receive not only wonderful surprise but also challenges. Although the “monthly morning chapel preview notice” is always displayed in advance, I make a point not to check the details of each chapel program. That frees me to come to each chapel with high expectations. I enter the chapel as a young child coming up to its father’s side to take some mysterious gifts from his hand.
Even though I have always made morning chapel a priority, it has always been God’s hand who has allowed these services to move my heart. It has been God who allows me to experience His spiritual prompting in the morning chapel. I remember the Easter Worship Service last year when my soul was profoundly touched by God’s love so that with tears streaming down my face, once again before Christ Jesus, I resolved: “I will certainly follow you through thick and thin, no matter what!” There is not only a time for tears but also a time for joy. I recall another time when I experienced joy rather than tears. While listening to new students’ testimonies of God’s call, I re-traced my own footprints in following the Lord. At that very moment I was suddenly awakened to the truth that the road of consecration is not a broad highway. I was moved to thank the Lord for remaining close to me as I had sailed through strong wind and dashing waves. Once again, I remembered the Lord’s faithfulness, leading me once again and touching me so deeply that my heart was stirred with the most indescribable excitement and joy.
A Time for Succession of the Abundance of Life Experience
The morning chapel is designed to help enrich our study life. This service is scheduled to be held between two sessions of class from Tuesday through Thursday from 10 am to 11 am. Almost without realizing it, I joined the morning chapel for over two years, missing very few of the sessions, so that I can attest to the claim that the content is quite diversified. I would even consider it a time for the sharing of life experiences of our great Christian heritage. There are sometimes preaching demonstrations by our teachers and guest speakers, allowing us to exchange ideas and receive encouragement. Sometimes, there are life stories from new students as they share how God calls them and at other times when our alumni share their life ministry experiences. Then there is the passing on of God’s vision from missionaries as they share their mission experience and ministries or introduce us to the ministry of their missionary organizations, both locally and abroad. Several times each year there are intellectual exchanges when local or even world renowned biblical scholars visit our seminary, presenting a series of talks on some important theological topic. Then too, there is the “graduating preaching” from our graduating students. This gives them a special opportunity to practice before their teachers and peers and to receive encouragement and be blessed by all the seminary community before leaving the Seminary.
I am thankful to God for the morning chapel. At this special time and in this holy space, I can sit quietly in the presence of God. I can also hear about life experiences of our Christian heritage and pray that all praise and glory be given to our triune God!
Worship Team
“The Seminary Choir” and “Hill Singers” are the two choirs founded by the Seminary to train students their singing skills, to experience first hand the meaning of the choir ministry and build up a strong team spirit. In addition to these two choirs, a worship team was formed in the late 90’s to make use of contemporary music and songs to serve the seminary campus by embellishing students’ campus life.
Ip Pak-hou (BAPS 4)
I joined the worship team Servant in my first year in the Seminary and I continue to be a team member. The worship team is a voluntary organization formed by students a number of years ago. The team aims at providing an alternative mode for our students’ worship services, and most of the songs we sing are contemporary hymns.
When I came to Christ in Canada in 1996, I immediately joined the worship team at a local church and have been serving the worship team in my Hong Kong church ever since returning here. When I came to study in the Seminary, it was natural for me to join the Seminary worship team. At first I learned from my senior fellow-students and helped out in playing the drums and leading the singing session. In the beginning, the worship team had no fixed schedule for practice, since we needed to be flexible to meet our ministry needs. Then last year, we decided to set up a fixed schedule for practice. In addition to our usual practice, members would sometimes come together for mutual sharing and a time of prayer.
As with most praise teams, we have always used a diversified number of musical instruments, including the piano, the electronic keyboard, drums, African drums, the guitar, the bass guitar, the percussion instruments and the flute. At present there are more than ten members in our worship team. We provided contemporary music for the Seminary’s Spiritual Formation Camp, the Day of Fun and Games for Teachers and Students, the Parents’ Day, Noon Time Silent Prayer Meeting and the Morning Chapel. What makes me most thankful is that we can sing contemporary hymns, music that is quite different from the tradition hymns and is usually presented by the two Seminary choirs. I am also thankful that the Seminary has recognized us and given us the opportunity to serve through a form of music that many of us find inspiring. The fact that we have been welcomed and allowed to minister is evidence that HKBTS is pluralistic and inclusive, giving room for students to learn, promoting mutual acceptance even though traditional music and contemporary music can be compared to as oil and water.
I am glad that I have been able to serve in the praise team, Servant, all these years. I treasure the communality of our worship team. Although members come from different churches and denominations, there is mutual exchange as we enjoy being together to serve. The group provides us a good opportunity to learn from one another. The students joining us this year are youngsters who can play all sorts of different musical instruments and enrich us as they add new color to our worship team. Besides practicing for our ministry, we also hope to strengthen our knowledge and skills in music. Some music workshops were held in the past to allow mutual exchange among members. This is a generous kind of succession by which we pass on what we have each learned to our fellow musicians and students and it is also meaningful. One thing that concerns our praise team is to make sure the hymns we sing are of a high spiritual and musical quality. We are keenly aware that some contemporary hymns may have lyrics that are not theologically orthodox. Some tend to over-emphasize personal emotional expression. We are particularly cautious in our song selection, and when there are doubts, we will turn to our teachers for advice. We are sure that we and our audiences benefit from our scrupulous selection of contemporary hymns and from our attitude of respect toward Christian music.
Spiritual Formation Group
The Spiritual Formation Group is a monthly meeting specially established to help the spiritual growth of the first year students.
Sharing 1
Lam Sik-cheung (M.Div. 1)
The Spiritual Formation Group meets for two hours at the end of the month. It begins with the chaplain, Rev. Brian Lam, who provides guidance after which there is a moment of silence and individual reflection. Then we divide into groups of three or four to practice listening, to share and give response; this is all followed by a time of prayer. Since the beginning of the school year, we have met for 5 or 6 times. We always find the group meetings rich in content and are pleased to be immersed into this group experience. Some of the meetings challenged me to do in-depth reflection; others provided me with some encouragement I need at a particular time and they always give me food for thought.
In the first meeting, Rev. Lam asked, “Is there anything we have lost upon entering into the seminary?” He guided us new students to reflect on what we regard as important in life from the angle of “losing.” And then from an adjustment in thought from “gaining” and “losing,” he helped us prepare our mind and heart as we set out on a new journey. Up to that point, I had thought very little about what I “have lost” and through this exercise I found that what I “lost” were the things I thought most highly of. They include “losing” a job, losing the network of interpersonal relationship in relation to my work; losing an income and so transfer the financial burden onto my wife. Rev. Lam guided us to reflect, “In fact, doesn’t ‘losing’ give God an opportunity to help us learn something from what we have lost? Then we need to ask ourselves what can we say we really ‘have lost’? ” Since every new student is faced with a number of changes, it is time for us to see clearly our spiritual pilgrimage and how God is leading us. It is time for us also to adjust our way of looking at what is “gained” and “lost,” and learn to be dependent on God and be thankful to God as we begin our life of study in the seminary.
In the meeting that followed, students needed to reflect on the relationship between spiritual discipline and “learning.” I used to regard Bible study, personal devotional and prayer as the real ways of spiritual discipline. I considered such things as going to class, doing homework assignments, studying the Bible in order to complete an assignment as merely part of the academic “learning process.” What then is the relationship between the spiritual activities and the seemingly mundane learning activities? In the spiritual formation group, I was reminded to reaffirm that what I considered to be merely “learning” should also be seen as a part of spiritual discipline and spiritual formation. We need to come to regard “learning” as a part of the content of spiritual discipline and nothing else.
At still another meeting, I found further enlightenment. We were asked these questions: What are some of the characteristics of the church’s spiritual tradition? What is it that I am lacking? In that same meeting, I was made aware that self-denial, the primacy of Scripture, righteousness and holiness are all some of the precious characteristics of the church’s spiritual tradition. Rev. Lam challenged us to reflect on the question, what are the qualities that are close to our own personality, our personal growth and the spiritual tradition of the church in which we grew up? We were told we needed to think about some of our personal weaknesses which some of our fellow students close by could help us identify.
Sharing II
Shum Man-yan (BAPS 1)
When I first came to study in HKBTS, one thing I found puzzling: It was that in addition to attending class lecture, we also needed to join the monthly Spiritual Formation Group. “What exactly is spiritual formation group?” I asked myself. “What is the nature of this kind of group, and is it some kind of mystical group?” I wondered in complete ignorance and confusion.
At the end of every month, all first year students would gather together in the multi-purpose hall where the chaplain, Rev. Brian Lam, would lead us on this strange journey known as spiritual formation. Each time we met, the theme would be new and different. Themes like “Transition,” “Integration of Spiritual Discipline and the Life of Study,” “Individual and Communal Life,” “Spiritual Traditions” were chosen to be discussed separately each month. Despite the themes being different, common elements appeared over and over: a time of silence, message sharing, individual reflection and group sharing.
What appeared at first glance to be such general, commonplace elements can yet enable us to go through important step of training and discipline on our pilgrimage. For instance, in a group setting, each member was asked in turn to speak for about 5 minutes, during which time other members were asked not to speak or even to ask questions. What seemed to be a simple rule turned out to be quite hard to follow. We kept interrupting, since we were eager to share our similar thoughts, echoed sympathy or introduced our view right in the middle of the speaker’s sharing. In the past we had always expressed ourselves whenever we felt like it with the result that we seldom listened attentively to the other person. Learning to listen and giving others a secure and comfortable space to share was what we had to learn before we become true ministers.
We find the group is a wonderful place to go to learn things we have never dreamed of. We are exposed to the teachings of wise Christians and introduced to precious spiritual traditions. It is in these meetings that we come to a deepening understanding of ourselves. We sometimes go away from these meetings feeling astonished by all that we have discovered. What is more important is that through all the different sessions, we hear the voice of God.
O Lord, may You continue to speak to us through these spiritual formation group meetings so that our lives can be built up and we can be prepared to be your useful vessels.
A Student Union Activity: Body Health Check
Many varied activities of the Student Union have been set up to enable our students to unite, love and build up one another. As in previous years, we have organized prayer meetings, luncheon sharing meetings, tea gatherings, Mid-Autumn Festival Evening Party, and mission activities. This year, we have offered something entirely new as we have conducted the first “body health check” so that a “temporary health center” appeared in our campus.
Yuen Sau-king (M.Div. 1)
In the pleasant, warm sunlight, a group of seminary students and staff hurried into the multi-purpose hall with hungry stomachs to join the “body health check” conducted by the Student Union. For two days in February, the Department of Students’ Lives of the Student Union launched an instant body health check in an effort to remind members of the seminary community not to ignore their health. Four tests were given: the body fat ratio, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar index. We first conduct the tests by taking participants’ relevant measurements and then analyze these figures. We hand over the results to individual participants and advise them on their health and changes to their diet.
I was stationed at the section responsible for synthesizing the test results, measuring figures and providing guidance. I must admit it was fun to see so many nervous faces at the counter for instant measurement of cholesterol and blood sugar. Anyone seeing a sharp needle about to be inserted into one’s figure tip would naturally feel ill at ease. No wonder the most peaceful corner in the hall was the section where blood pressure was measured because everyone knew that getting agitated or over-excited would result in a diagnosis of hypertension. Not surprisingly, I could hear the sound of laughter and joy at the counter where the body fat was measured. Those seeing that their body fat index fell within the standard range laughed cheerfully; whereas those who were shocked to find their fat index exceeding the standard also began laughing and then yelled to friends close by as they began devising a weight-reducing program. The section where participants stayed the longest was where they collected results and received health advice. Participants stayed the longest because they wanted to ask questions about the results and how to stay healthy. This counter was well-stocked with sets of brochures providing information about healthy food and the correct way to cook and how good habit of eating and drinking could be formed.
Although this was the first time for the Student Union to have such a “whole population” body check, the planning and preparation procedure had been swift and plain-sailing. The master plan designer and those in charge of each of those sections mutually served one another, thus creating an intriguing and beautiful picture. What is interesting to me is that some senior fellow students and I who were professional nurses had assumed that once we took up our seminary studies, we would put aside our medical knowledge and training. It was good to discover that such skills can be put to good use even here at seminary!
Prayer Life
The Tuesday and Thursday Morning Prayer Meetings, the Noon Time Silent Prayer Meeting on Wednesday, the prayer section in the Morning Chapel on Thursday, together with the All Seminary Prayer Meeting every semester provide for our students much prayer discipline day after day.
Lam Lai-yi (BAPS 2)
The Morning Prayer Meeting at 8 am helps me to gather strength on my prayer discipline day after day. The MPM takes about 30 minutes in which there are praise singing, worship, theme sharing prayer and praying in groups. The theme for this semester is “Our Spiritual Armor” and it consists of two focuses: how to pray for oneself and for the whole seminary community. It also includes praying for current issues in Hong Kong and the world and for the missions ministry. What impressed me most was that early morning when we prayed for victims of disasters and poverty throughout the world. That morning prayer meeting has indeed broadened my horizon. For example, we saw how many lives were seized in the war in Iraq and the severity of the famine in North Africa. I came to realize the narrowness of my horizons and my prayer life in the past. As a future minister, I cannot face the world with such ignorance. I keep reminding myself to continue learning to pray for the people in our society and in the world and hope that in future I can have opportunity to evangelize the poor. Besides, when we pray in groups, we will watch over one another and pray for one another. Seeing that our fellow students stay hopeful and joyful when they face difficulties, I realize I go through similar struggles and am privileged to enjoy the sweetness of being a co-walker with them.
This semester as I need to go to class the whole day on Wednesday, I would take a rest after lunch so I cannot join the Noon-Time Silent Prayer Meeting. In the first semester, it was easier for me to manage my time. I was able to attend the Wednesday meeting more often. In these meetings, those teacher and student participants can choose to practice fasting according to their own conditions. In the meeting, there are such sessions as scriptural meditation, the practice of silence and listening to hymns. The student responsible will lead participants to meditate through reading from the scriptural text and praying in small groups. The meeting always allows me to quiet down after facing life’s daily hustle and bustle and I very much enjoy meditating on God’s Word. Such a time to quiet down is really precious to me! This year the silent prayer meeting have taken on a more lively mode as once the Students’ Worship Team, the Servant, led the worship section and as Dr. Moye taught students to meditation through significant art.
Prayer is both a form of discipline and a central part of our lives. In the prayer meetings, although we may not always have deep, intensive feeling each time, these prayers will somehow accumulate bit by bit, strengthening us and encouraging us in our mundane daily lives and enabling us to experience afresh the importance of prayer!
Basketball and Football
At sunset on most Fridays, a group of students and teachers meet at the basketball court for a lively game. Anyone passing by cannot ignore the sounds of the ball hitting the ground, joyful laughter, shouts and lots of yelling with occasional cheers for a “good play.” By now, most people around HKBTS know that Friday afternoon is a time of fun and games . . .
Mak Wai-yan (M.Div. 1)
Friday “Football Lesson”
At 4 pm every Friday, the ringing of the school bell in my brain signals to all that lessons for the week are over. Oh yes, a week’s learning has just ended so that my heart is brimming over with excitement.
Friday is the day when we seminary student feel particularly tired and in need of a break. Besides the cumulative effect of attending many classes and piling assignments, we need to head out to our churches to do our practicum from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. Needless to say, Friday is the day when all our strength and willpower are at the lowest ebb.
Fortunately for us, the Seminary has seen the need and so we set aside an hour Friday afternoon for fun and games. A group of us look forward to such a time when we can gather to play together. It is a time for teachers and students to set aside the burdens of their busy lives, to take off their suits and ties and change into casual sportswear and shorts. We come together to share the vigor and our God-given breath of life and exchange our common soccer skills on the field. This unofficial, non-credit curriculum of soccer activity has established itself as an important part of our campus life. In the soccer field, no distinction is made between teachers and students as everyone goes after the football. We enjoy working up a sweat together and celebrate our lives and bodies as part of God’s good creation.
Later, going through some exchange and understanding each week, teachers and students merge together and form a football team. From time to time, we have received invitation to play a friendly game with some high school football team or join a united football team with other seminaries. In the football field, through coordination, display of talent and skill, patience and acceptance, we have experienced winning and losing, and have even come to a direct experience of life and death. Through all the perspiring and exercising of our limbs in competitions, we build one another up step by step. At the same time we become aware that we are running together step by step along the road of God’s kingdom.
Thank God that on campus we take our study seriously and then too in the football field we are surrounded by fellow teammates who play the game with the same seriousness. In the days ahead, may we continue to put on HKBTS’s red and blue team uniform, try our best to be an integrated community of faith, and live out our lives as a testimony that we will make a difference in the world. May we handle the word of truth wisely and with integrity in our lives and in our ministry. Just as we try hard to run with all our strength in the football field, may we do the same in our daily lives so that God can use us as His approved, unashamed workmen.
Class Gathering
Getting together with one’s classmates can take many different forms as we foster the long process of building sustaining friendship. It is important that these friendships be built during students’ few years at seminary to enable us to be co-walkers as we become future ministers keeping watch over one another.
Sharing I
Yang Oi-han (BAPS 2)
Every class in the Seminary has its own gathering to maintain close relationship among classmates. The BAPS class gatherings have grown out of the fellowship that began in year one. Each class has its own “class rep” elected from classmates to serve for a semester as the convener. At present, our class meets every Friday with fellow students taking turn to lead at a schedule set by the “class rep.”
At each meeting, there is praise singing, devotional sharing and a time of mutual intercession. We cherish this opportunity to share and support one another, talk about our ministries and spiritual experience, share our personal and families’ needs, and discuss people we have met and work we have done. Above all, we will also give testimonies of God’s grace and guidance in our daily lives. In year one, we met once a week. In year two as we all got busier, we decided after a long discussion to continue meeting every week. From what I know, other classes have decided to meet less often (adopting a more flexible schedule), such as once a month or once every two weeks. Looking back over our past class gatherings, not all our classmates attended all of our weekly meetings, but a certain hardcore group of our fellow classmates have never been absent, not even once.
As I have mentioned, class gatherings can take many forms: having lunch at the campus canteen, getting together for a tea time in a local restaurant at Ma On Shan town center, or even going to a classmate’s house to enjoy hot pot or eating supper together during the summer holiday. I enjoy being with our class on ordinary days when we get together for lessons, yet at our special class gatherings we can share more in-depth in a secure environment where we can build on the trust and emotional support that has been established during our time together. Whenever we encounter family problems or difficulties in studies or ministry, we pray for one another. We have also set up a blog of our class in the facebook to maintain our connection especially over the summer holiday.
We are co-walkers in need of mutual encouragement and in a special position to minister to one another. The outcome of each class gathering may not be perfect; however, we agree that it is an important process and a precious part of our seminary life as we are equipped to serve the Lord.
Sharing II
Au Siu-yin (M.Div 3)
We are class M.Div. 3 and perhaps the most special Master of Divinity class in recent years in that the number of students who came to study in the Seminary at the first year was small and thus the number of graduates this year is correspondingly small. This in no way means that our class lacks the centripetal force to unite together. To the contrary, having fewer numbers of students only allows us to build great inclusiveness, absorbing those part-time students and those taking courses selectively. We are so bonded that we can never quite figure out who will be in what class when we study together.
You may come to the conclusion that our class is rather low key, since outsiders have said that they see us as a group of reticent people. The reality is that every time we gather together, there are always constant gales of laughter and the mood of cheerfulness. Those sitting next to us have been known to complain that we tell too many really bad jokes, causing those at our table to gush out their food or to laugh so much so that they risk choking to death. Owing to our heavy study schedule, assignments to hand in and practicum to fulfill in weekends, we have not fixed a special date for our official class gathering but we often gather together during lunch time for frank sharing and lively communication. At other times, we arrange to meet to sing or to pray together. Sometimes, as if by accident, we discover we are free and we will slip away to Ma On Shan town center for tea time and a quick break. In the past, we played ball games a few times. At other times, we sat around a table for a gathering and shared our experience before enjoying hot pot together. Quite a special program usually takes place at the Spiritual Formation Camp just prior to the beginning of a new school year. Besides the regular luncheon meeting before the camp program begins, our class would leave the campsite to indulge in our habit of eating desserts together. During holidays, given the constraints of family and our seminary practicum, it is really hard for us to get together. This is a pity that even pre-arranged home visits to a classmate’s house and a few outdoor activities had to be cancelled due to conflicts with other events.
As it is so precious for us to come together to share among ourselves, we make good use of modern technology to strengthen our mutual communication through SMS, email, and face book. In these ways, we send out news, share heartily our thought and ideas, and even make known our prayer requests. Seen from another angle, despite our lack of scheduled class gathering, we remain a group of united and supportive co-walkers.
