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All is Grace: The speech by President Bernard Wong at the Inauguration Ceremony of CGST Toronto
At the China Graduate School of Theology (CGST) campus in Kowloon Tong, there is a plaque that inscribed with “Grace.” Every time I see it, I am reminded of how immense God’s grace has been toward CGST. The vision of CGST originated over fifty years ago at Westminster Theological Seminary in the United States. At that time, God moved four Chinese theological students to dream of establishing a graduate-level theological seminary in Asia to serve the Chinese church. Considering the context of the 1960s and 70s, serving the Chinese church was extremely difficult. Yet, by God’s grace, their dream became reality: CGST was established in Hong Kong, and in 1975 it began postgraduate courses with committed faculty. Over the past 50 years, more than 3,000 graduates have been nurtured, spreading the gospel, shepherding churches throughout China and around the world, and renewing Chinese theological education. All these are grace from God. Today, God has graciously allowed us to establish CGST Toronto, this, too is grace.
“Grace” means “God giving us what we do not deserve,” such as the grace of redemption and the grace of sanctification. We often imagine grace as a “gift”—something good received without paying a price. However, in Ephesians 3:7-8, Paul mentions grace several times; here, grace means more than receiving a “gift” from God:
7: I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8: Though I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ (New International Version).
Verse 7 says, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace.” Here, “grace” is the identity of being a “servant of the gospel” given to Paul. Grace made Paul a servant. This differs from the general perception of being a “servant”, which most see it as a lowly job. Why would one choose to be a servant? There must be an attractive reward. Sometimes Christians think that being God’s servant is to repay God because God first gave us salvation. But Paul says the status of “servant” itself is grace. Therefore, being God’s servant is not degrading, not transactional. The servant’s status itself is an honour.
Verse 8 says God gave Paul this grace “to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ.” God’s grace is freely given, yet it comes with a calling to act. Christians often emphasize that grace is free and cannot be earned, so we are hesitant to connect God’s grace with human effort. However, Paul says: though grace cannot be earned, grace requires us to serve. These verses remind us that CGST has received grace not only as a gift, but as a calling to be God’s servants, to work diligently in serving Him and proclaiming the gospel. The servant’s identity and labour itself are grace.
In the latter part of verse 8, Paul says his mission is “to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ.” The audience he serves are the “Gentiles,” that is, the non-Jewish population of the Mediterranean at that time. CGST, too, has its own audience. Fifty years ago, God gave CGST the vision to serve China. To this day, this remains CGST’s persistent vision. As many Chinese people settle around the world, establishing churches in various places, CGST must also serve global Chinese communities. Establishing CGST Toronto is part of that calling — to walk alongside overseas Chinese churches and face the challenges of the next ten, twenty, thirty years together.
After overseas Chinese immigrants settle and take root, the next generation will grow up in Western societies. To envision the future of overseas Chinese churches and to prepare to pass on the faith to the next generation, we must face the reality of increasingly secularized societies in North America and Europe. Over the past few decades, Christianity has gradually shifted from the Euro-American world to the so-called “Global South”. During this time, Western churches have declined while churches in Asia, Africa, and Latin America have flourished. Chinese people are part of the “Global South,” and over the past decades, the Chinese church has continued to grow. However, we cannot become complacent and satisfied with past achievements, because the “Global South” is increasingly adopting Western, secularized culture – a trend accelerated by the internet and immigration. Therefore, churches in the “Global South” must unite with churches worldwide to respond to the challenge of secularization. As a seminary in the “Global South,” CGST, now as we come to Toronto and collaborate with Chinese and overseas churches in Canada and beyond, faces directly the challenges posed by Western culture to Christian faith.
Two thousand years ago, Paul was a Jew whom God called to preach the gospel to the “Gentiles”. He was a “cross-cultural missionary.” Today, for overseas Chinese churches to pass on the faith in the West, the mission field is comprised of those raised in Western societies and shaped by secular culture. We must therefore follow Paul’s example and become “cross-cultural missionaries,” sharing the gospel in Western societies. Evangelizing the West is not only for the next generation of Chinese churches but also fulfills the Great Commission “to make disciples of all nations.” Furthermore, centuries ago, Western churches exerted immense efforts to evangelize the Chinese, sending missionaries to Asia and ministering to Chinese immigrants in Europe and America. Thanks to these missionaries, Chinese churches were established worldwide. The future is the opportunity for Chinese churches to repay this gospel debt by bringing the gospel back to the West. This is our dream.
This year marks the 50th Jubilee anniversary of CGST, and CGST Toronto is God’s gift for this celebration. Since its founding over 50 years ago, CGST has established boards in the United States, Canada, and Australia, spreading the seminary’s vision and extending its teaching resources across regions. About two years ago, God moved us to serve global Chinese churches more proactively, which inspired us to set up overseas offices. Over the last two years, God’s vision for us has become ever clearer, leading to the establishment of the Toronto office and the implementation of ministry plans. Rev. Dr. Kin Yip Louie, professor of Theological Studies at CGST, graciously agreed to serve as the Chief Executive of CGST Toronto. The addition of Dr. Wing Sze Wong and Ms. Maria Chuen is even more miraculous providence from God. Dr. Wong is the director of the Centre for Global Chinese Church Research, while Ms. Chuen serves as the Director of Administration. Our office in Richmond Hill, Toronto, is provided rent-free by a brother in the Lord. Financially, we have been supported by the CGST’s Canada and US boards as well as other brothers and sisters. God has led us to this day. May we always remember our identity of servant and the labour of service, are themselves undeserved grace God has given us. May all glory be to God.
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「全是恩典」：黃國維院長於中神多倫多成立典禮之致詞
中神九龍塘的校舍有「恩典」的牌，當我每次看到這個牌，都提醒我神賜給中神的恩典是何等的大。中神的異象起源於50多年前美國西敏斯特神學院(Westminster Theological Seminary)，當時神感動四位華人神學生，賜他們一個的夢，就是在亞洲地區建立研究院程度的神學院，服侍中國教會。要知道當時是六、七十年代，要服侍中國教會是多麼困難。神的恩典叫他們的夢竟然成真，中神在香港建校，1975年研究院開課，有委身的老師，過去50年培育了三千多個研究院的畢業生，遍佈中國和世界各地傳福音牧養教會，又更新了華人神學教育，這每一樣都是從神而來的恩典。今天，神讓中神在多倫多設立CGST Toronto這辦事處，也是神的恩典。
「恩典」的意思是「神賜給我們原不配擁有的東西」，如救贖的恩典、成聖的恩典。我們想象「恩典」就像「禮物」，不用付出就有好的東西接受。不過保羅在弗三7-8幾次提到「恩典」，那裡意思不單單是從神收「禮物」：
7我成為福音的僕人，是由於神贈予的恩典；神發揮他的大能，把這恩典賜給我。8我在眾聖徒中比最小的還小，神還是賜給我這恩典，要我把基督那測不透的豐富傳給外族人（環球聖經譯本）
第7 節說「我成為福音的僕人，是由於神贈予的恩典」，「恩典」就是神賜予保羅「福音的僕人」的身分，「恩典」讓保羅成為「僕人」。這與一般人對做「僕人」的想像有點不同：人們認為「僕人」是個委屈的工作，為甚麼肯做僕人？一定是有很吸引的回報。有時基督徒都會覺得，我們願意做神的僕人，是因為神先給我們救恩，我們為著回報神，就做神的僕人。但保羅說「僕人的身分」本身就是恩典，所以做神的僕人不委屈，不是與神交易，僕人的身分本身是件榮耀的事。
第8節說神賜保羅這恩典，「要我把基督那測不透的豐富傳給外族人」。保羅的意思是，神賜人恩典，同時要求人做事。基督徒常常強調恩典是白白的，人不能賺得恩典，所以我們害怕把神的恩典和人的工作放在一起，但保羅說神白白賜下的恩典，卻要求我們服侍神傳福音。雖然我們不能用工作換取恩典，恩典卻要求我們工作。這兩節聖經提醒我們，中神蒙神賜恩典，不單「收禮物」，更加是成為神的僕人，努力去服侍神傳揚福音；領受僕人的身分，努力工作本身就是恩典。
第8節下半保羅說他的使命是要「把基督那測不透的豐富傳給外族人」，他服侍的對象是「外族人」，即是當時地中海地區的非猶太人。中神也有我們服侍的對象，50年前中神創校時，神給我們的異象是服侍中國，至今中神仍堅持這異象。隨著很多華人散居全世界，在各地建立教會，中神也要服侍各地的華人。而中神設立CGST Toronto，更要與海外華人教會同行，一起迎向未來十年、二十年、三十年的挑戰。
移居海外的華人落地生根之後，下一代都會在西方社會文化下成長。若要想象海外華人教會的未來，要為教會下一代的承傳作好準備，我們面對的處境是歐美這些日趨世俗化的社會文化。過去幾十年，基督教由歐美世界漸漸移向所謂「南方世界」(global south)，在這段時期歐美教會日漸衰落，而亞洲、非洲、拉美的教會就越來越興旺。華人是「南方世界」的一份子，過去幾十年華人教會不斷成長，但我們不能夠沾沾自喜，滿足於昔日的興旺，因為「南方世界」的社會文化越來越步向西方社會，越來越世俗化，而網絡世界和移民又把這趨勢加快，所以「南方世界」的教會必須聯同全世界的教會，一起回應世俗化的挑戰。中神是一間「南方世界」的神學院，當我們來到多倫多，與加拿大和其他海外的華人教會協作時，我們直接面對的，是西方文化對基督教信仰的挑戰。
二千年前的保羅，他是猶太人，神呼召他傳福音給「外族人」；他是個「跨文化宣教士」。今天海外華人教會，若要在西方承傳信仰，傳福音的對象就是西方社會的文化長大的人。所以我們要效法保羅，成為「跨文化宣教士」，向西方社會的文化宣教。其實向西方社會傳福音不單為華人教會的下一代著想，更是遵行「使萬民作基督門徒」的大使命。另外，幾個世紀前西方教會努力向華人傳福音，有很多西教士去到亞洲傳福音，又有不少向移民到歐美地區的華橋傳福音。因為西教士的努力，各地的華人教會才得到建立。未來將是華人教會還福音的債的時機，把福音帶回西方世界。這是我們的夢想。
今年是中神50周年金禧院慶，CGST Toronto是神賜給中神院慶的禮物。中神自50多年前建校至今，在美國加拿大澳洲都有董事會，宣傳學院的異象，也把學院的教學資源引介到各地。大概兩年前，神感動我們更積極服侍各地華人教會，在海外設立辦事處的意念就誕生了。過去兩年，神給我們的異象越來越清晰，我們就選擇在多倫多設辦事處，又落實了事工計劃。中神的神學科教授雷競業博士願意擔任CGST Toronto的總幹事，黃穎詩博士和任全華珠女士的加入，更加是個神蹟的預備。黃博士是「世界華人教會研究中心」(Centre for Global Chinese Church Research) 的主任，而全女士則肩負行政主任的職務。CGST Toronto在Richmond Hill的辦事處，是一位主內肢體免租金租給我們使用。經費方面，更得到中神加拿大和美國區董事會和其他弟兄姊妹的支持。神帶領我們行到今天，就願我們謹記，僕人的身分和努力服侍的工作，都是神賜給我們不配得的恩典。願榮耀歸給神。