我蒙召全职服事的见证

当我还在澳洲墨尔本修读土木工程系硕士文凭的时候，就认识了叶超群牧师。从他口中知悉新生命复兴教会正准备开拓一个中文（广东话）的堂会，很需要受过中文教育的同工帮忙。

1989年毕业后回国，带着满怀宏愿，一心只想成为一个优秀的工程师（当然也会尽量过一个虔诚基督徒的生活）。起初我是参加新生命英文堂的崇拜聚会。有一天早上心血来潮，就带了女友文婷（现是我太太）到楼上中文堂的聚会去看看。中文堂刚由赖明球牧师成立了不到一年，当时有二十多位老人家（由五十岁至九十多岁）。二十年前的我还是个小伙子，看到这些老人家的确需要很多的帮助。以为只是看一看，谁知那次的拜访竟决定了我此后的服事方向。

两年后赖牧师被委派去开拓蕉赖堂的中文事工，就把这热手烫芋交了给我。1992年，我被按立为带职牧师，一面在职场工作，一面牧养60多人的会众。当时我三十岁，还没有想过关于全职服事的事。接下来的三年，中文堂的人数亦渐渐成长，在时间和精神上的要求也逐年增加，我开始感觉到更多时间服事的需要。当时我就与神立了一个约定：“神啊，若是你的心意，就让我在四十岁之前进入全时间服事吧。”

如此又过了几年。到我一踏入39岁的时候，神就为那约定连续地给了我多次的提醒。

有个晚上我出席了一场特会，有位来自台湾的牧师一到台上就说：“我有个感动，神要那些准备在今年全职服事的人出来回应祷告。”当时全时间服事只是我藏在心里的一个念头，没有多少人知道。若我在众人面前作这个回应，那可是一去不能回头了。当时心里感到非常犹疑不决。谁知那牧师又接着说：“这个呼召是给予那些四十岁以下的人，即使你是三十九岁半也该出来！”那时是3月，而我将在9月满四十岁，岂不正是三十九岁半吗？没有办法，只好硬着头皮出去接受祷告了。

不久后的一个早晨，我在祷告中继续寻求神的心意。圣经中的一句经节给了我很大的鼓励。“我岂没有吩咐你麽？你当刚强壮胆！不要惧怕，也不要惊惶；因为你无论往那里去，耶和华你的神必与你同在。”（书1：9）。我当时觉得神要我像约书亚般跨越约旦河进入应许之地。凑巧我在当天下午接待了一位来自香港的牧师，这牧师送了些礼物给本地的几位牧者。我把所收到的礼物打开一看，里面是一幅字画，上面写着的竟然就是（书1：8-9）！这是神奇妙的印证。这幅字画至今还挂在我的办公室里。

我父母已经信主，他们都不反对我进入全时间牧会。当时以为最大的拦阻会来自我的岳父。岳父还未认识主，他曾在事业上有很大的成就，我想他大概不会明白我为何要放下高薪职业去做传道人吧。当我与太太鼓起勇气对他说时，他竟爽快地回答：“只要你们开心就行了。”真是松了一口气。

到了三十九岁又十个月的时候，我不得不把辞职信呈上给公司了。那个主日的清晨灵修时，我再次恳切地向神呼求：“主啊，若你真要我明天就把辞职信呈上的话，求你再给我一个明确的印证！” 但神似乎没有说什么。过后我就到教会的主日崇拜。当天早上我约了一位还未信主的同事，带了他太太第一次到教会来。在敬拜赞美的当中，圣灵突然在我心中说话：“若你同事和他太太今天接受救恩，那就是我给你的印证了。”当天一位受邀的讲员所传讲的信息凑巧就是如何求告神印证他的旨意。当他作出呼召的时候，我那同事竟然与他的妻子手牵手走到台前回应，并流着泪接受主耶稣。我只能说：“主啊，我真的完全降服与你！”

第二天早上，我就把辞职信给交上了，心中顿时感到非常释怀。

接下来的一个礼拜，教会正为扩充聚会所筹募基金。虽刚刚才辞掉了工作，与太太商量后，我们还是凭着信心承诺了一笔奉献的数目。几天后我的基督徒老板对我说：“我们不反对你到教会服事，但怕你钱不够用，所以给你一些奖金。”他开了一张支票，上面写着的数额竟就是我所承诺奉献的十倍！神知道我需要给十一奉献。

如今我进入全职服事已将近七年，从来没有后悔。原来走在约旦河的这一边并不是那么艰难的事，一家人在各方面皆不断地经历和体验神无数的恩典。我们只要抓住慈爱天父的应许，就可以凭着信心踏步前行。

The Testimony of My Calling into Full Time Ministry

I got to know Pastor Jeremiah Yap when I was in Melbourne, Australia, pursuing my Master’s degree in Civil Engineering. He told me over a conversation that New Life Restoration Centre was about to start a Chinese (Cantonese) speaking congregation, and was in need of help from those who were acquainted with the Chinese language.

Upon returning home in 1989, I was full of zeal and was ambitious to become an excellent engineer (would of course still live out a reasonably godly Christian life style). Initially I attended the worship service in New Life English Church. There was one Sunday morning that I felt prompted to go up stairs to pay a visit to the Chinese Church with my then girl friend Sandy ( who became my wife later ) .The Chinese Church had just been started by Pastor Patrick Lai for less than a year, and they were all elderly people ( ranging from 50 to 90 plus). I was still a young chap then, and felt that there were plenty of needs there. Thinking that I was just there to have a look, but that incident, however, made a turning point to the direction of my subsequent ministry.

Pastor Patrick was subsequently appointed to start the Chinese work in Cheras about two years later. The hot potato was therefore passed on to me. In 1992, I was ordained as a lay pastor. While working in the market place as an engineer, I started to pastor a congregation of about 60. I was then 30 years old, and never had any thought about full time ministry. Three years later, the church started to grow in number, and the demand on my time and attention was ever increasing. I started to feel the need of putting more time into the ministry. It was then that I made an agreement with the Lord: ‘If it is your will, Lord, let me go into full time ministry before I turn 40’.

Time went by for another few years. And the moment I turned 39, God started to send me a series of reminders about my vow. Some of which are highlighted below.

When I was attending a conference one night, a pastor from Taiwan made an altar call immediately when he got up the stage. He said, ‘I have a feeling that God wants those who are preparing to go into full time ministry this year to respond to this call.’ Serving full time was only a thought hidden in my heart and not many knew about it. If I were to respond to this call in front of the crowd, that would mean no turning back! While I was struggling with hesitation, the pastor continued by saying, ‘This altar call is meant for those who are below 40, and even if you are 39 and a half, you ought to come out now.’ It was March then, and I was about to turn 40 by September, exactly 39 and a half years old! Having no choice, I found myself walking to the front to be prayed for.

One morning not long after, I was seeking God for His will during my devotion. A verse from the Bible gave me great encouragement. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) I felt strongly that God wanted me, as it were, to cross to the other side of the River Jordon, into the promise land like Joshua did. Incidentally in the afternoon that same day, I was hosting a pastor who came from Hong Kong. That pastor presented a few gifts he had brought from Hong Kong to a few local pastors here. When I opened the gift given to me, it turned out to be a calligraphy, and guess what, it happened to be the verses on Joshua (1:8-9)! What and amazing confirmation from the Lord! This calligraphy is still hung on the wall of my office to this day.

My parents were both Christians, and they had no objection for me to become a full time pastor. The greatest obstacle, I thought, should come from my father-in-law. My father-in-law was not a believer yet, and he was very successful in his career. It would be hard for him to comprehend why I would forsake a high salary job and end up being a full time preacher. When my wife and I gathered up enough courage to talk with him on our decision, he simply answered, ‘As long as you are happy.’ What a wonderful relief！

When I was approaching 39 years and 10 months, it was time to submit my resignation letter to the company I was working with. In my devotion that Sunday morning, I called out desperately to the Lord again, ‘Oh Lord, if you really want me to put in my resignation letter tomorrow, please give me one more clear indication!’ But the Lord seemed to remain silent. On that particular morning I had invited a colleague, who was a non-believer, to come for the worship service in our church. He and his wife came for the first time. Half way during praise and worship, the Holy Spirit suddenly spoke into my heart, ‘When your colleague and his wife receive salvation today, that will be My confirmation to you.’ Incidentally the visiting speaker that morning was preaching on the topic on how we could find confirmation from God about His will. When the preacher gave the altar call after the sermon, the couple went out hand in hand, with tears in their eyes, to receive the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. There was nothing else I could say but, ‘Lord, I surrender to You!’

I put in my resignation letter the next day and found great relief in my heart.

During the subsequent week, the church was requesting for pledges to finance the renovation work to the church building. I had just resigned from my job, but my wife and I decided to pledge a certain amount as our contribution to the building fund. A few days later, my Christian boss, sent for me and said, ‘We are supportive of your decision to serve God fully. In case you do not have enough to survive, we will give you some fund.’ He wrote me a cheque, and the amount happened to be exactly 10 times that which I had pledged for the building fund! God knew how much I needed to pay my tithe indeed.

It has been almost seven years since I ventured into full time ministry, and there is no regret whatsoever. Crossing over to the other side of the Jordon River is in fact not a difficult thing to do. My family and I are experiencing the unceasing grace of the Lord in various areas. We only need to cling on to the promises of our dear Father in heaven, and continue to move forward by faith.