HKBTS’s Path to Practical Theology

Since 2009, the Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary (HKBTS) has been committed to building a practical theology with theologia. Pastors with theologia can know the heart and mind of Jesus Christ and help people to live out their faith by embodying His thoughts and feelings, following His examples, and appropriately responding to contemporary issues. Practical theology emphasizes the practical wisdom of theology, which can be effectively applied in pastoral and social settings to enable people to face challenging times without fear and forge ahead resolutely, buoyed by the Holy Spirit.

Building a Practical Theology and Nurturing Servant-Leaders

To build such a practical theology, HKBTS must first become a learning community filled with the Holy Spirit. Within this community, teachers and students are both called by God and diligently study Scripture and theology, growing mature in faith, reasoning, and discernment together. Teachers, students, and staff treat one another warmly, connect with the fellowship of the Trinity, build genuine friendships, nurture their discipleship, and support self-reflection. By doing so, the whole community may bear the fruits of faith, love, integrity, justice, hope, humility, faithfulness, honesty, and joy.

Hence, at HKBTS, we strive not only to nurture students to excel in academic performance but also to cultivate their character so that they can become servant-leaders capable of serving God and people in both churches and society. We do not focus solely on teaching and research excellence; we also emphasize the importance of spiritual discipline, pastoral work in churches, and participation in society. In other words, our goal is to equip students to become servant-leaders with good spirituality, character, critical thinking, and leadership who shoulder the mission of the gospel and fight the good fight for the Lord throughout their lives.

Teaching Practical Theology and Unleashing Synergy

The faculty of the seminary entered a new phase in 2010—a phase of synergy in action. I interviewed the teachers one by one to understand their major and secondary interests in teaching and research, as well as their concerns about churches and society. I found that the teaching expertise and research interests of our teachers could supplement each other, and a beautiful pattern of cooperative teamwork emerged. Subsequently, we began exploring interdisciplinary integration as a way to complement one another and better assist students in their learning, ultimately realizing practical theology with theologia.

To avoid the problem of contemporary theological education being overly specialized and fragmented and, more importantly, to generate great strength to meet the various challenges facing churches and society, the faculty must work together and create synergy as a team. Therefore, HKBTS employs a team teaching model in a number of courses, which is another way of practicing practical theology. Team teaching involves two or more teachers working together in planning and teaching the same subject. There is flexibility and a variety of ways to conduct team teaching: teachers may take turns teaching; they may interact in the classroom; or one may be teaching while another observes or provides additional insights. Teachers teach and practice wholeheartedly without academic parochialism, bringing together everyone’s strengths and exchanging knowledge in the classroom. As a result, teachers’ own knowledge is enhanced, and students can expand their horizons and learn how to integrate knowledge from different fields through the teaching of different teachers.

During the past 10 years or so, HKBTS has been striving to build a practical theology with theologia and has been trying to implement it in concrete ways in the pastoral work of churches and social realities, including areas such as preaching, mission, pastoral care, social concern, youth ministry, and environmental conservation.

Theology in Action: Preaching

Preaching is an extremely important ministry for pastors. We must faithfully and humbly proclaim the message of the gospel, preaching only Christ and His cross, and not using euphemistic or fancy words to repackage it.

From 2010 to 2011, and between 2017 and 2019, I wrote a total of seven articles on preaching for the Newsletter.¹ I hoped that HKBTS would become a seminary that prioritizes preaching and trains students to become heralds who preach the gospel of the cross, pastors who care for the needs of their congregants, and prophets who proclaim the truth with courage. Over time, teachers and students have been progressing and growing together in their actual preaching, both in terms of techniques and messages, as well as in their spirituality and daily testimonies.

Theology in Action: Mission

Mission is inevitably an essential practice for the community of disciples to engage with churches and the world. Between 2011 and 2013, I wrote a series of seven articles on mission for the Newsletter,² hoping that HKBTS would follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and fulfill God’s mission with a heart of hospitality, actively sharing the great love and grace of Christ with others. In doing so, the integral mission is fulfilled.

The teachers and students of HKBTS learn to serve with hospitality the “most insignificant” people and take the initiative to visit people who are poor and in need. They share with them the life-giving power and peace of the gospel. People in need are not only found in Hong Kong but also in Mainland China, Asia, and every corner of the world. Every year, our teachers and students go to different mission fields, diligently serving new peoples and bearing witness to the love of Christ.

Theology in Action: Pastoral Care

Pastoral care involves pastors who, having personally experienced God’s hospitality and unconditional forgiveness, are eager to experience the mysterious grace of God with those who are different from themselves. From 2013 to 2015, I wrote six articles on pastoral care for the Newsletter.³ In these articles, I expressed my hope that our calling is not only to welcome those fellow travelers whom we know but also those whom we do not know and even those who have hurt us. I firmly believe that hospitality from a forgiving heart can have a deeper impact, bringing about unity and solidarity in churches.

In addition to having a forgiving heart, as caregivers, pastors must also cultivate “a sense of understanding” out of empathy so they are able to reframe the problems of others and put them into perspective. To readily have such empathy, caregivers must always practice and cultivate it. Moreover, prayer is an essential practice of pastoral care, allowing for koinonia (fellowship) between God and people, as well as among people themselves. Through prayer, we can better understand God’s intentions and choose the most appropriate course of action.

Theology in Action: Social Concern

Between 2016 and 2020, I wrote six articles on social concern for the Newsletter,⁴ with the hope that HKBTS could become a community working toward reconciliation and dedicated to practicing love and justice in a fragmented and divided world.

To learn about social concern, we must understand the message in Micah 6:8. The covenant that God wants us to observe is a triad command. The first two parts of the command are the mutual responsibilities familiar to the Israelites: “to act justly” and “to love mercy.” The third part is “to walk humbly with your God.” True humility involves allowing God’s justice to penetrate deeply into our hearts, so that our sense of justice is subsumed under His, and His goodness can help us overcome our limitations.

On January 16, 2018, our seminary held Spiritual Formation Day with the theme “Going into the Community.” Over 100 teachers and students from the seminary were divided into seven groups, and they visited five districts (Yau Ma Tei, To Kwa Wan, Tai Kok Tsui, Shek Kip Mei, and Shum Shui Po) to participate in community activities. Through this experience, they were able to further discover and recognize the need and presence of the poor and helpless people around them.

Theology in Action: Youth Ministry

On September 18, 2021, HKBTS held its first Theology Camp for Youth, which was attended by over 100 young people. Since then, we have been contemplating the pastoral concept of Andrew Root, a theologian who specializes in youth ministry.⁵ Root points out that for a long time, youth workers have believed that if they organize more activities, young people would stay in churches. However, many young people ultimately leave. Why is this the case? Root believes that churches are often focused on building a forest through organizing activities. Some churches also prioritize discipleship training so as to plant and nurture trees, but they overlook the theological soil that serves to support the roots of the trees. Therefore, the question we should ask in youth ministry is not just “How can we attract young people to churches?” Instead, we should ask “Where is Jesus Christ?” The goal of youth ministry is to enable young people to be with God and with others.

Theology in Action: Environmental Conservation

Environmental conservation extends the concern of practical theology to nature as God’s creation. From 2017 to 2023, I wrote four articles on ecological theology for the Newsletter,⁶ with the hope that HKBTS, as a community of disciples, would lead a life that aligns with the intentions of our Creator. This includes celebrating together with all creation God’s gospel of reconciliation, living a simple, contented, and self-disciplined life, and refraining from indulging in selfish desires, passions, and greed that harm our neighbors and the planet.

HKBTS has taken the study of and concern for environmental conservation a step further by implementing eco-friendly practices on our campus. In 2018, the seminary established the Campus Environmental Consultation and Development Committee, which is responsible for studying and promoting on-campus agendas such as energy efficiency, waste reduction, recycling, green buildings, and other related issues. The committee has successfully implemented several green projects, including the installation of solar-generating power facilities on the rooftop of each building on the Sai O campus, and collecting and composting kitchen waste.

What is Practical Theology?

HKBTS has been making continuous efforts to build and apply practical theology for more than a decade. We have developed from areas such as preaching, mission work, and pastoral care to social concern and youth ministry, and further to environmental conservation. Together, we have built a generation of servant-leaders.

What is the underlying idea behind these steady efforts? All along, HKBTS has been committed to nurturing church leaders, hoping that they can equip their fellow brothers and sisters in churches to face current challenges and look forward to the future. For more than a decade, HKBTS has been gradually building a practical theology for churches.

By the way, what is “practical theology”? Some people believe that it is simply the practical application of biblical and theological beliefs. They argue that theology, such as systematic theology, tends to construct abstract theories that are like an eagle soaring high above the practical realities of life, providing a grand vision for people so they may know how to live their lives. Practical theology is regarded as a “one-off” theology. (In fact, on the contrary, we need to constantly redefine the tasks and methods of practical theology; therefore, it must be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances.)

However, this view oversimplifies practical theology. Practical theology concerns not just the practical aspect, nor is it merely an application that comes after the establishment of a philosophical system; rather, it is a theology in and of itself. Duncan Forrester, a theologian in practical theology, points out that practical theology is concerned with discerning God’s actions in the world, considering human behavior and current affairs from a theological perspective, attending to the existence and activities of churches, and focusing on the practices of Christians.⁷ Kenda Dean describes practical theology as a branch of theology that not only interprets sacred texts and traditions but also guides the “faithful walk.”⁸ Don Browning suggests that all theology is practical: theology is a form of practical wisdom (phronesis). Practical theology involves “doing theology in earnest,” clarifying the practical implications of the Christian faith to face and solve concrete problems in life.⁹ This pertains to the theological insights and actions of faithful Christians in their daily lives. Therefore, practical theology is not merely the application of theories; it involves deep engagement with theology in certain ways, using a variety of approaches to consider theology so that it can speak to the world through actions. Richard Osmer views practical theology as one type of theology that employs theological concepts, methods, and resources to construct theology and engages in dialogue with other fields, including the arts and sciences.¹⁰

At HKBTS, we frequently critically discuss Osmer’s ideas. Dr. Sarah Shea, Rev. Brian Lam, and I have taught his concepts, which consist of four interdependent parts: the descriptive-empirical task, the interpretive task, the normative task, and the pragmatic task. First, the descriptive-empirical task poses the question “What is going on?”¹¹ to ascertain the factual information of specific situations.¹² Second, the interpretive task asks “Why is this going on?”¹³ seeking to understand the situation through various theories, models, or reflections.¹⁴ Third, the normative task asks “What ought to be going on?”¹⁵ as a way of determining standards by reflecting on biblical texts, doctrinal traditions, moral standards, and good practice models. This is a form of “prophetic discernment.” Fourth, the pragmatic task is concerned with “How might we respond?”¹⁶ This involves not only solving problems or implementing corrective procedures but also launching a comprehensive, transformative process to change church ministry.

Practical Theology: A Theology that Never Stops Practicing

Over the past 14 years, HKBTS has been steadily developing a practical theology with theologia. In the last three years, I have become increasingly convinced that practical theology is particularly effective in helping churches address the specific challenges of their time and space. A practical theology model, as the one proposed by Osmer, allows church leaders to apply the practical wisdom of theology. It invites leaders to reflect on the Bible, theology, and the current social context, allowing them to engage with one another in dialogue and determine how to practice well. Indeed, the term “practical theology” functions more like a verb than a noun, pointing to the idea of “practicing theology.” Beginning as a descriptive analysis, practical theology inevitably leads to the realization of theology with “praxis.” The culmination of the performative task in practical theology is witnessing the work of God in the here and now, renewing our faith and understanding, as well as our practices.
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¹ “A Preaching Seminary, The Preaching Spirituality” (August 2010), “The Preaching of a Herald” (November 2010), “The Preacher as Pastor” (February 2011), “Prophetic Preaching” (August 2011), “On ‘Preaching’ and ‘Graduation Sermons'” (May 2017), “Forging of Theologia: Proclamation” (May 2018), and “Marching Forward Again in the Direction of Preaching” (February 2019).
² “The Mission of a Disciple Community” (December 2011), “The Christian Mission for Disciples” (February 2012), “Missio Dei and the Holy Spirit” (May 2012), “Hospitality—Practicing the Integral Mission” (August 2012), “Integral Mission—Gospel for the Poor?” (November 2012), “Poverty of the ‘Non-Poor'” (February 2013), and “From ‘Standing by the Poor’s Side’ to the ‘Healing of Life'” (May 2013).
³ “The Pastoral Theology of ‘Forgiveness'” (December 2013), “Pastoral Theology—From Hospitality to Forgiveness” (February 2014), “Spiritual Care and Mental Wellness” (May 2014), “Developing Empathy: A Caregiver’s Understanding” (August 2014), “Listening with Empathy” (December 2014), and “Care and Prayer” (May 2015).
⁴ “The Discernment of the Church” (May 2016), “Our Souls Magnify the Lord the Almighty” (August 2016), “Teaching Justice” (November 2016), “More about Acting Justly: Magnify the Lord, Walk with God” (February 2017), “A Sorrowful Season” (November 2019), and “Reasoning and Believing in this Sorrowful Season” (February 2020).
⁵ “Soaring High and Preaching the Gospel across Boundaries in Faith, Hope and Love” (February 2022). Cf. “Starting from Theology Camp for Youth…,” Newsletter, May 2022.
⁶ “On Ecological Peace” (November 2017), “A Green and Glossy Gospel” (May 2020), “The Earth on Which We Live” (November 2022), and “And God Saw Everything That He Had Made … It Was Very Good.” (May 2023).
⁷ D. B. Forrester, “Can Theology Be Practical?” in Practical Theology: International Perspectives, ed. F. Schweitzer and J. A. ven der Ven (Frankfurt: Peter Lang, 1999), 22.
⁸ Kenda Creasy Dean, “We Will Find the Answers as We Go: A Response to Chap Clark’s Youth Ministry as Practical Theology,” Journal of Youth Ministry 7.1 (2008): 39.
⁹ D. S. Browning, A Fundamental Practical Theology: Descriptive and Strategic Proposals (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1996), 15.
¹⁰ R. Osmer, Practical Theology: An Introduction (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008), 163.
¹¹ Osmer, Practical Theology, 4.
¹² Osmer, Practical Theology, 24.
¹³ Osmer, Practical Theology, 4.
¹⁴ Osmer, Practical Theology, 85.
¹⁵ Osmer, Practical Theology, 4.
¹⁶ Osmer, Practical Theology, 4.

Aug 2023