The Seminary-wide Prayer Meeting
Commence the New School Year and Explore the New World with Prayer
For the first time, the Seminary Prayer Meeting was advanced to be held on the third day in the new school year. This is because we hope that all the faculty, students and staff will begin the new school year with prayer, asking the Lord to use us, a group of weak and lowly people, to explore how the new world built on this piece of land can continue to glorify him.
In the meeting, we heard four scriptural passages: Exodus 33:12-23; Psalms 44; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 4:35-41. Then, we all prayed earnestly for the Seminary after each scriptural reading. In the final prayer session, we spread out, holding hands and encircling the chapel to form the shape of a ship. Hearing the prayer of Acting President Joshua Cho, we echoed in our hearts that the Lord would instruct and lead the whole seminary community and grant us the strength to sail forth, breaking the waves.
Before the prayer meeting, our Acting President, Dr. Joshua Cho met with all the staff to encourage everyone to do our best in our own posts even when we face difficulties. We must continue to trust in God and to walk with the Seminary as it actively repairs the damage on the one hand and keeps advancing on the other hand.
The chaplain, Rev. Lam Kwok-bun, led the meeting as all the faculty, students and staff prayed for our proper position in God’s plan. They also asked God to lead us to meet with all the challenges and changes, and asked God to prepare a new president after God’s heart.
The campus design of HKBTS is modeled after the outside of a ship. To us, HKBTS is a ship sailing forth. In the meeting, the Acting President led us to pray to the one who has always been with us during the storm and the waves so that we do not forget his orders and promises and that he would continue to lead us as we sail forth.
“How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Ex 33:16)
“Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path. … Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.” (Ps 44:18, 23)
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” (Eph 2:14)
“Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’” (Mk 4:39-40)
“O Lord, forgive our little faith, forgive our disbelief, forgive our rebelliousness, forgive us that we forget about you. Lord, we sing praise to you for you are our Lord, our captain, leading us to continue to sail forward!”
“At the beginning of the school year, you teach us to pray always. We pray that you help us and have mercy on us, helping us to destroy the dividing wall. You are the king, and we bow before you, help us once again see how real it is to trust in Jesus so that we see how he calms the wind and storm.
Our Lord of power, we love you and follow you forever.”
––quoting from the final prayer session