Fellowship-like Council
Brother Ma Yuk-ming has been a Christian for nearly 40 years. He is a member of the Choi Ping Baptist Church, and after leaving his post as chairman of its deacon board more than 10 years ago, he pursued a certificate program in theology. He has been serving in the Sunday school ministry of his church for many years. He established his own company 30 years ago, and with God’s provision, it has achieved outstanding success. To show appreciation of God’s abundant blessings, he and his wife set up a fund in 2016 to support startup evangelical ministries.
A Special Honor
For over 30 years, Brother Ma has known President Cho, who in 2014 cordially invited him to join the President’s Council. It was such a warm invitation that Brother Ma found it hard to decline. He also finds President Cho friendly and willing to seek other people’s advice; he feels honored to work with him and be part of the seminary’s mission. Besides, as a Baptist he is interested in how the seminary trains and nurtures his beloved pastoral workers.
The Council consists of people from all walks of life. Each member is able to provide the president with practical advice informed by his or her individual profession. Bound by a friendship and based on mutual trust, the Council and the president are able to interact freely and honestly. Members may sometimes take an approach that is different from the president’s and play the role of critical, albeit never cynical, challenger by offering frank advice to help broaden Dr. Cho’s perspective. It is a role Brother Ma finds meaningful.
Baptist Family
In April or May every year, the President’s Council holds a meeting to exchange ideas. Brother Ma enjoys each occasion so much that he always yearns for more. Although members are from large and small Baptist churches, and some are more senior while others are more junior to him, he feels they are all part of a family even if they only meet once a year. Since all are Baptists, Brother Ma reasons, it is truly a blessing to take part in the affairs of the Baptist family and practice the doctrine of the “priesthood of all believers.” After warming up in the meeting, every member will respond to the president’s sharing and offer timely advice to him. It is a pity that due to time constraints, they often cannot fully speak their mind. However, they may continue their sharing during the dinner that follows, but it never feels like there is enough time amongst this group of friends.
Brother Ma has benefited tremendously from being a member of the President’s Council.” In the meeting, he has the opportunity to receive input regarding church administration and pastoral work from those who are more senior to him. Their experience can serve as useful reference for his own church. Members also share valuable insights and experiences on how to build up the congregation. Moreover, through these exchanges, he is able to understand the heart and vision of pastors.
Nurturing Believers: Living the Life of Christ
Brother Ma points out that under President Cho’s leadership, HKBTS does not only train believers to know about the Bible. It nurtures students to learn to trust Christ and live the life of the Lord. President Cho is someone with drive and courage who leads the seminary with heart. Over the years, the seminary has been advancing step by step to realize his goal of the “Faith, Hope, and Love Project.”
Moreover, Brother Ma is greatly impressed with the seminary’s graduates. Over the past two years, his church has hired five or six of them. He finds that those who have graduated in recent years are of very high standard, capable of illuminating the Bible as well as applying Biblical knowledge to life. They are also modest and down-to-earth. Imbued with the heart of a pastor, they are earnest to serve others. Brother Ma urges students, besides undergoing practical training in churches, to get more involved in social service and to visit people from diverse social backgrounds during semesters. This will enable them to learn how to interact with different people and broaden their network of contacts.
Brother Ma would like to see the Council as more than an advisory body; it should also be like a fellowship offering support through prayer for the president and the seminary.