A Road of Mission, A Path of Theology, and A Way of Life
Samuel Yip
(M.Div.)
A Road of Mission
The year when I entered the seminary, I was simultaneously moved and began to have a heart for missionary work. After receiving confirmation from God, I teared up and raised my hand in response to the call during a mission gathering. My tears were not due to sadness but because I saw the urgent need within the mission field. On the one hand, I became increasingly certain that God wanted to send me to the road of mission. On the other hand, I was studying theology full-time. These two aspects were not mutually exclusive but complementary. From that time on, the “road of mission” and the “path of theology” intertwined in my “way of life.” Despite my advancing years and the challenges I faced getting started, I found this to be a journey of grace with no regrets.
A Path of Theology
After completing a four-year Bachelor of Theology program, I continued with two more years in the Master of Divinity program, which I have just completed. It is now time to reflect on these six years of full-time study at the seminary. During the first four years in the Bachelor of Theology program, I witnessed a classmate facing family problems while also juggling his studies and internships. I could only silently sigh and entrust him to the Lord. When I continued with the Master of Divinity program, I saw a classmate discovering health issues while struggling to balance her studies and internships. During those times, there were exams in the afternoons, but we still came together at noon to pray for her instead of pursuing our own studies. This is one of the moments from my Master of Divinity studies that remains vivid in my memory.
As for the President and the professors, I would like to express my deep gratitude to them. I thank them for tirelessly and wholeheartedly teaching us, for their in-depth teachings, and for broadening our horizons. In Old Testament study and hermeneutics, I particularly gained a deeper understanding. In New Testament study and the learning of biblical languages, I am thankful for having the chance to be taught by two esteemed professors before their departure. Studying systematic theology and reading works by leading Chinese theologians expanded my understanding that theology is a process of “faith seeking understanding.” The study of Church history also became the beginning of my research interests. The study of practical theology prompted me to reflect on theology from other perspectives. In the missiology programs, I saw some scholars formulating the missionary concept by building on traditional Chinese culture and integrating Western missionary thought, and some by adopting the idea of the Kingdom of God. The valuable learning from these classes, if counted one by one, would indeed be countless.
Theology is a journey of reflection that spans vertically between God and humans and horizontally among people, where one sees their own inadequacies, weaknesses, and limitations.
A Way of Life
Before the pandemic, I was grateful to have participated in a six-week Mongolia mission trip organized by the Hong Kong Baptist Mission. I also had the privilege of becoming the head of the Mission Department in the Student Union. The sharing of teacher advisors, cooperation with classmates, and the process of putting what we had learned into practice allowed me to deepen my understanding of the roles of pastors and missionaries.
Immediately after graduation, I had the opportunity to participate in a three-month mission trip to Japan. At the time of writing, it was the time for short-term missions, and coincidentally, it was also when Japan began to release Fukushima’s nuclear wastewater to the sea. Some people may simultaneously love and hate Japan. Those who love it are either fond of its local culture or love doing gospel work there. Those who harbor resentment might feel a bit like the prophet Jonah when faced with the city of Nineveh. Thankfully, during the missionary trip, I had the opportunity to meet more than ten missionaries and pastors, beginning to understand their work and the joys and sorrows of each. Among others, I met a Japanese pastor who had studied and pastored overseas. We worshiped in his home and prayed for Japan, and he also prayed for Hong Kong. In this way, we interceded for each other.
Looking back on my “way of life,” which is intertwined with the “road of mission” and “path of theology,” I can only be thankful!
Regarding the “road of mission,” it’s all by God’s grace. Only by relying on this almighty God can we face tomorrow and embark on this journey.
Regarding the “path of theology,” six years of full-time study at the seminary is a lifelong, beneficial journey of biblical and theological exploration.
Regarding the “way of life,” thank God for His grace! I look forward to continuing to look up to the triune God, who is the beginning and end, in my new theological journey and my way of life. Let us rely on His grace and run forward on the road ahead with faith, hope, and love!