Pastoring as an Interpreter and Preacher

Rev. Wong and President Joshua Cho

Listening for the Calling and Continual Equipping

　　On a particular day fifteen years ago, within the vast campus of HKBTS, I donned the graduation gown for my Master of Divinity program with a heart full of gratitude, silently saying, “Here I am! Send me.” This was my aspiration when I received the initial calling. Fifteen years later, on the same campus, I once again put on the graduation gown, this time for the Master of Theology program, and my heart continued to say silently, “Here I am. Send me.” My aspiration for my calling remained unchanged.

　　After graduating from the Master of Divinity program, I embarked on my ministry journey with trepidation. Facing the challenges of real-world pastoral care and dealing with living, breathing individuals, I encountered a series of daunting tasks. Whether it was preaching, teaching, or administration work, I discovered my limitations and deficiencies. Consequently, I decided to further my studies to better equip myself. I chose to pursue the Master of Theology program, majoring in biblical studies, encompassing an in-depth study of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. I hoped that this would provide me with better preparation for further enhancing my pastoral ministry.

Reading the Bible Thoroughly

　　Though it was not easy balancing full-time pastoral ministry with family responsibilities and my rigorous academic workload, the grace of the Lord was sufficient. Through the dedicated guidance of our teachers who are deeply knowledgeable in biblical studies, my horizons in the study of the Old and New Testaments were broadened. Their teaching ignited my passion for studying the Bible more deeply, and I resolved to “read through” the entire Bible. “Reading through the Bible” means transforming the originally flat words and texts into a three-dimensional world, making the world within the text come alive. This transition from a two-dimensional world to a three-dimensional one is, in essence, a hermeneutic process. Furthermore, biblical interpretation and preaching are closely intertwined, and a pastor serves as both a biblical interpreter and a preacher.

　　As a biblical interpreter, one must first grasp the immediate context, culture, background, genre, structure, larger contexts, main ideas, and more of the text to truly understand (or come closer to) the intended meaning of the text. This is the first successful step in transforming the flat text into a three-dimensional world. Owing to the inseparable continuity between the worlds of the Old Testament and the New Testament, biblical interpreters must grasp the characteristics of both worlds, which will enable them to construct a broader hermeneutic framework, further bringing the text to life. This step can be described as the essence of “reading through” the Bible.

Whole-person Preaching

　　As a preacher, one’s responsibility is to proclaim the three-dimensional world of the text to the congregation. Thus, preachers must contemplate the question: What is the relationship between the ancient text and the modern congregation? Answering this question requires bridging the chasm of time and space, applying the text from yesteryears to the current generation. The application spans both individual and faith community dimensions. The mode of preaching is not limited to the pulpit; it includes both the words and actions outside the pulpit. This involves the preachers’ personal response to the text and their practice of faith, which is also a reflection of their teachings by words and by deeds, essentially, a testimony of their lives.

　　I thank the Lord for equipping me further through the Master of Theology program, molding my ministry life, and allowing me to integrate and deepen my learning in both hermeneutics and preaching. This enables me to fulfill my aspiration for my initial calling: “Here I am! Send me.”