I began to be afraid of teachers when I was young, so I also had a misunderstanding about pastors, thinking that they were serious, hard to approach, and not allowed to make any mistakes. As a result, I had been afraid of pastors for a long time, and even unwilling to go to church.
One day during the summer vacation of 2015, my stereotype of pastors was broken. I finally began to approach a pastor against the guidance of my grandparents, and my understanding of faith was no longer just about going to church on Sundays. Now that I think about it, and I find God really wonderful. He changed my impression of pastors with one scene.
On that day, a pastor and several boys were trimming vegetables in preparation for dinner at the kitchen door of the church. Two of the boys, who were also brothers in Christ, led me to greet the pastor. This was the scene when I saw a pastor again after more than ten years of contact with the faith, and this scene made me feel a pastor could also be very approachable. After that, I spent the summer and winter vacations with my brothers and sisters in the church. The pastor not only took us to read the Bible and taught us basic music theory but also prepared meals for us when it was time for dinner. The pastor cared about the academic performance of each of us. Gradually, I was no longer afraid of the pastor. Instead, I respected and loved him, because he loved us like a father.
The youth fellowship of the church was our little family. We have the same heavenly father and the pastor who was like our parent in this family. With his words and deeds, the pastor led us to know God and taught us to obey God’s words. Members loved each other in the fellowship. We were not related by blood, but we became the closest people who cared about each other.
When I graduated from college in 2018, the pastor said that the church should develop young people, so he asked three other brothers and me what we thought of full-time ministry. When the pastor asked me about my will, I was very surprised. At that time, I'd only really been in the faith for two or three years. Compared with other believers, I was the least qualified to study theology. They had all grown up in church and were more familiar with the Bible than me. Moreover, their service experience and faith life were much better than mine. In short, I was the least likely person. However, in the end, I was the only one who agreed to take the theology test.
The pastor helped me find the materials for my review, contacted the volunteer missionary training class, and arranged for me to be the guest student, hoping that I could learn more Bible knowledge. Later, I quit my job and observed the training class. Not eating spicy food due to my health, so I lost much weight during the first two weeks after I arrived there. After the pastor knew about the situation, he contacted the person in charge there. Later, the food in the canteen became milder, and there was more chili sauce on the table.
After the COVID-19 pandemic which caused the suspension of training classes, I became more convinced of my choice to study theology. It was God's selection and calling that enabled me to embark on the road of theology through my pastor. From the beginning of preparation to the examination, physical examination, political examination, and the smooth start of school, I knew little of how much my pastor cared for me and prayed for me. The pastor's daughter said that the pastor regarded me as his own daughter, of whom he had high expectations.
On the day when the admission notice came, I told the pastor the good news first, because it was not my business alone. I just went to the seminary to be equipped on behalf of my fellow Christians.
When I was admitted, the pastor was grateful and happy for me. He told me to obey God's word carefully so that my way would be prosperous and I would have good success. This is the most precious of instructions.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
因为从小怕老师的缘故，使我对牧者的认识也产生了误解，认为他们都是严肃、难以接近、且不允许犯一点错误的。因此造成自己好长一段时间不敢接近牧者，甚至不愿意去教会。
15年暑假的一天，打破了我对牧者的刻板印象，我终于不是在爷爷奶奶的带领下靠近牧者，同时我对信仰的认识也不再只是周日去教堂做礼拜。现在想来，上帝真的很奇妙，祂通过一个画面让对牧者的印象有了改变。
牧者带着几个男孩子在教堂的厨房门口择菜，预备晚饭，其中两个弟兄带着我跟牧者打招呼，这是我在接触信仰十几年后再次见到牧者的场景，使我感受到牧者也是很平易近人的。之后的寒暑假都是在教堂里和弟兄姊妹一起过，牧者不仅带我们读圣经，教我们基础乐理，到饭点的时候还要给我们准备饭食，牧者关心我们每个人的学习成绩。慢慢地，我对牧者不再是害怕，而是尊敬和爱，因为他用父亲般的心爱我们。
教会的青年团契就是我们的小家，我们同有一位阿爸天父，还有牧者做我们的大家长。牧者用他的言传身教，带领我们认识神，教导我们遵行神的话。弟兄姊妹在团契生活中彼此相爱，我们本没有血缘关系， 但是却成了彼此最亲和牵挂的人。
18年，我大学毕业了，牧者说教会要培养年轻人，于是把我和另外三个弟兄留下来，问我们的意愿。当找到我时，我还很诧异，真正进入信仰才两三年，和其他信徒相比，我是最没有资格去读神学的，他们都是从小在教会长大，圣经比我熟的多，而且他们的服侍经验以及信仰生命都比我好太多太多，总之我就是最不可能的那个人，但是到最后只有我同意考神学。
牧者帮我找复习资料，联系义工传道人培训班，安排我过去旁听，希望借此多学一些圣经知识。后来我把工作辞掉到培训班旁听，由于身体原因不能吃辣，到那边两个礼拜就瘦了好多，牧者知道情况后，就和那边的负责人联系，后来食堂的菜清淡了，饭桌上也多了辣椒酱。
经过了疫情、培训班停课，我对读神学这个选择更加确信，是神的拣选和呼召，借着我的牧者让我走上神学的道路。从开始预备到考试、体检、政审、顺利开学，不知道我的牧者为我操了多少心，附上多少的祷告。牧者的女儿说牧者是把我当成自己的女儿，对我有很高的期待。
录取通知下来那天，我把这个好消息第一个告诉牧者，因为这不是我一个人的事情。我只是弟兄姊妹的代表，到神学院装备。
牧者在听到我被录取的时候为我感恩开心之余，告诉我要谨守遵行神的话，如此道路就可以亨通、凡事顺利。这是最珍贵的嘱托。
我与牧者的故事：牧者带领我走上侍奉之路
I began to be afraid of teachers when I was young, so I also had a misunderstanding about pastors, thinking that they were serious, hard to approach, and not allowed to make any mistakes. As a result, I had been afraid of pastors for a long time, and even unwilling to go to church.
One day during the summer vacation of 2015, my stereotype of pastors was broken. I finally began to approach a pastor against the guidance of my grandparents, and my understanding of faith was no longer just about going to church on Sundays. Now that I think about it, and I find God really wonderful. He changed my impression of pastors with one scene.
On that day, a pastor and several boys were trimming vegetables in preparation for dinner at the kitchen door of the church. Two of the boys, who were also brothers in Christ, led me to greet the pastor. This was the scene when I saw a pastor again after more than ten years of contact with the faith, and this scene made me feel a pastor could also be very approachable. After that, I spent the summer and winter vacations with my brothers and sisters in the church. The pastor not only took us to read the Bible and taught us basic music theory but also prepared meals for us when it was time for dinner. The pastor cared about the academic performance of each of us. Gradually, I was no longer afraid of the pastor. Instead, I respected and loved him, because he loved us like a father.
The youth fellowship of the church was our little family. We have the same heavenly father and the pastor who was like our parent in this family. With his words and deeds, the pastor led us to know God and taught us to obey God’s words. Members loved each other in the fellowship. We were not related by blood, but we became the closest people who cared about each other.
When I graduated from college in 2018, the pastor said that the church should develop young people, so he asked three other brothers and me what we thought of full-time ministry. When the pastor asked me about my will, I was very surprised. At that time, I'd only really been in the faith for two or three years. Compared with other believers, I was the least qualified to study theology. They had all grown up in church and were more familiar with the Bible than me. Moreover, their service experience and faith life were much better than mine. In short, I was the least likely person. However, in the end, I was the only one who agreed to take the theology test.
The pastor helped me find the materials for my review, contacted the volunteer missionary training class, and arranged for me to be the guest student, hoping that I could learn more Bible knowledge. Later, I quit my job and observed the training class. Not eating spicy food due to my health, so I lost much weight during the first two weeks after I arrived there. After the pastor knew about the situation, he contacted the person in charge there. Later, the food in the canteen became milder, and there was more chili sauce on the table.
After the COVID-19 pandemic which caused the suspension of training classes, I became more convinced of my choice to study theology. It was God's selection and calling that enabled me to embark on the road of theology through my pastor. From the beginning of preparation to the examination, physical examination, political examination, and the smooth start of school, I knew little of how much my pastor cared for me and prayed for me. The pastor's daughter said that the pastor regarded me as his own daughter, of whom he had high expectations.
On the day when the admission notice came, I told the pastor the good news first, because it was not my business alone. I just went to the seminary to be equipped on behalf of my fellow Christians.
When I was admitted, the pastor was grateful and happy for me. He told me to obey God's word carefully so that my way would be prosperous and I would have good success. This is the most precious of instructions.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
My Story with Pastor Who Led Me on the Road of Ministry
