For Others, For the Church, and For the World
Timmy Or
(M.Div.)
I am really thankful for being able to become equipped at HKBTS. My three-year learning experience at the seminary is truly a grace from the Triune God. During the period, my fellow students and I experienced, witnessed, and reflected upon the meaning of “God is love.” In addition, He molded us in these three years so that all of us can have a role to play in His salvation story. The two aspects mentioned above are related to the nature of studying at HKBTS.
A Seminary for Others
Being created in the divine image of the Triune God, we should get along with one another in a way reflecting “God is love,” which has long been demonstrated in God’s economy of salvation when He sent His son into His created world. This is God “for others.” Perhaps the greatest influence HKBTS has had on me is the concept of life “for others” revealed to me by the teachers and students within this disciple community, which allows me to experience the concrete meaning of “God is love.” Be it the life at the hostel, learning in classrooms, or the prayers of the community, it has given me the experience that we are not fighting alone on this theological journey, but instead learning about our Lord’s life “for others” through our relationships with one another.
That said, I am not going to romanticize the learning and relationships at the seminary. In fact, even though we were theological students, we were still inadequate in handling relationships and other issues that required an understanding and implementation of the meaning of “God is love,” which we had to face squarely. But this also revealed our need for a personal experience of the Holy Spirit’s work in the community. Only when we are empowered by the Holy Spirit can we become a seminary “for others” in Christ. HKBTS is a seminary “for others” and this is further revealed in the dimensions “for the church” and “for the world.”
A Seminary for the Church
Long before I was admitted to HKBTS, I had heard that it was a seminary “for the church.” At that time, I did not pay much heed to such a description. It was not until I joined and learned in this community that I discovered HKBTS’s teaching of the Bible, theology, and praxis are “for the church” indeed. Although the training at HKBTS is academically demanding, it is aimed at equipping us for serving in the church, so each of us may become both “an academic and a hard worker” and partake in the economy of salvation the Triune God first works out at the church. The training at HKBTS allows us to continue in the place where we are going to serve in future with what we have learned in the Bible, theology, and praxis and to continue with the fellowship in this community so that we can become a pastor “for the church.”
A Seminary for the World
The Triune God first worked out the economy of salvation in the church but His salvation does not stop there. Instead it is extended to the entire created world. The training God gave us through HKBTS is not like that in an ivory tower; nor is it for ministries at the church only. It is “for the world” at the same time. HKBTS is a seminary “for the world,” which was revealed in the in-class discussions. What particularly impressed me was the essays and discussions of my classmates at the Senior Integrative Colloquium. These interdisciplinary essays not only required us to reach certain academic standards but also that our discussion must be responsive to the needs of Hong Kong and the world. Meanwhile, as a seminary “for the world,” mention must be made of HKBTS’s concern for ecology, which has renewed our understanding of the targets of salvation. In academic discussions and praxis of the seminary alike, HKBTS has revealed the target of salvation of the Triune God: not only mankind but also the entire created world.
The three dimensions mentioned above, namely “seminary for others”, “seminary for the church” and “seminary for the world” are closely related to our relationship with the Triune God. Ultimately, one’s relationship with others is inseparable from one’s relationship with God and our learning at HKBTS has continuously renewed our relationship with God. In such a disciple community, we study books, people, and ourselves. May I take this chance to thank the Triune God, teachers, and staff as well as fellow students at HKBTS.