Rev. Dr. Hay Chun Maak, honorary chairman of the Chinese Coordination Center for World Evangelism, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 91 and after 72 year’s ministry.
Maak’s friends and relatives released the news on his official Facebook page, remembering him with Revelation 14:13.
Born in Guangzhou in 1930, Rev. Maak grew up in Hong Kong. Immediately after being baptized at 14, he began to serve God by opening a Sunday school in his home. Devoting his life to evangelism, he said that he was called to be a missionary pioneering in evangelism and church planting. After graduation from Bethel Bible Seminary in Hong Kong, he began his mission journey in southeastern Asia.
Serving as the president of Singapore Bible College from 1978 to 1992, he had more than 40 years’ experiences in foreign missions. Maak also acted as the secretary general of the Chinese Coordination Center of World Evangelism from 1996 to 2001.
His biography, Growth of A Worker: Sixty Years of Hay Chun Maak, tells the story of his experiences and ministry.
Realizing the importance of online ministries, in 2014 the late pastor shared spiritual resources through a website to train more workers, with the assistance of his daughter Deborah Maak.
Maak published his teachings on his official website, including Happy Life and Bright Life. The DVDs of Last Words were complied according to his past course to spread the main points of his teaching worldwide.
Returning from Canada to Hong Kong at the end of November 2014, the pastor preached his last Sunday message on living out one’s potential life in this present life.
After his death, his wife shared a video clip on his gratitude for 65 years of ministry. The pastor said in the video, “Since 1949, my wife and I have been called to serve the Lord for 65 years...Normal people would say the time is neither long nor short, but I’m a bit different... The 65 years is really long...but they passed by so quickly... We are endlessly grateful for our 65 years of being called...”
The video ended with an excerpt from a Chinese hymn named “This Road”: “The Happiest Path I Have Walked is a Path of Following You/ The Happiest Path I Have Walked is the Path of Trusting You/I Have My Horizon Broadened When I Sacrifice Myself/Letting Go of My Desires, I Feel More Reliable When I Let Go.”
Her wife added in her remarks, “This year it has been 72 years since Rev. Maak was called to ministry. Let’s give eternal thanks.”
- Translated by Karen Luo
麦希真牧师的亲朋在麦希真牧师的脸书中分享了这一消息，并分享经文纪念：“我听见天上有声音说：从今以后，在主里面而死的人有福了，他们息了自己的劳苦，做工的效果也随着他们。”
许多熟悉麦牧师的牧者同工和基督徒留言悼念：“真的不舍得牧师离开, 他的笑声和爱主的心永远都留在我们心里!”“愿神的安慰亲自来到麦师母及2位女儿心中。”
“怀念麦牧师, 我的老师、我的朋友, 一同在主禾场服侍主！
在荣耀的那天, 我们在天家同聚！”
“麦牧师，永远怀念你，感谢你领我母亲归主。
你的教导、督责，老中青幼的信徒都获益匪浅。
今天你安然回到天家，我们一家为你感恩，愿主安慰麦师母和家人。”
“多谢麦牧师的教导，怀念您讲道时往往会唱诗歌，而带着自成一格的麦腔到今仍记起。
愿天父亲自安慰您们一家。”
麦希真牧师今年1月13日因中风被紧急送往医院。
师母麦陈永萱随后在麦希真牧师的脸书上一直陆续不断地分享代祷消息，其中也包括她对于麦牧师数十年来信仰和服事的经历见证。
他服事有72年之久，被评价为：“一位非常受尊敬的宣教士、牧师、神学院院长、文字工作者、世界华福总干事、视频分享人和网站主管人。
“
1月22日，麦师母在代祷中分享了她和牧师的心愿：“不求多方设计挽留生命，但求减少痛苦安返天家”。
她说：
“（上帝）祢说若是强壮可到80岁希真已经90岁了 享长寿了 感谢祢将我的救恩显明给他 ~我和希真 希望能减少痛苦安返天家但不一定照我们的意思若祢要希真留下来 我十分愿意陪伴请加力 让我们继续是快乐的老人 荣耀天父”
麦希真牧师1930年出生于广州，生长于香港，当时正值中国连年战乱时期，其自传《工人的成长：这麦希真的六十年》对他的成长和服事都有说明。
他14岁受洗，随后马上开始服事，在家中开办主日学，并在教会负责儿童青少年工作，长大后热心布道，曾分享说自己蒙召做开荒植堂的宣教士，1949年-1953年在香港伯特利神学院毕业后，前往东南亚宣教，在海外宣教上有逾40年的经验，并且从事神学教育培养工人，曾在1978-1992年担任新加坡神学院院长，桃李满天下。
1996年至2001年，麦希真牧师担任世界华福中心总干事推动全球华人福音宣教运动。
晚年的麦牧师因看到网络事工的重要性，2014年，在女儿之华协助下，在互联网设立网页，透过网络分享属灵资源以期望帮助培养更多天国人才。
华人基督传道联会的会牧黄邵明牧师2014年12月曾分享麦牧师在“活出人生潜能”上带给他的激励，他见证麦牧师做事严谨，为人却风趣幽默，这是人所共知的事。”
他还回忆说：“2010年麦牧师与师母80双寿，2013年60週年鑽婚，华基教会各堂众弟兄姐妹都一起庆贺欢欣，十分快乐；要求参加者难以估计，正是桃李满门的凭据。
2014年，在女儿之华协助下，在互联网设立网页，透过网络为人带来《幸福人生》、《光明人生》。
后来更出版《末了的话》全套光碟，将过去的授课教导重新整理，亲自在视象前讲授，辅以生动画面，要点笔记，传送到遍远地方，甚至世界每个角落，务要持续培育更多未来的天国人才。
麦牧师与麦师母于2014年11月底回香港定居。
离别前，麦牧师在主日崇拜中分享信息：「把握今生，活出生命的潜能」，这不单是麦牧师的劝勉教导，也实在是他自己的生命写照。”
1月26日在麦牧师去世后，师母在其脸书上再次分享了几年前的一个短片《无尽感恩 | 麦希真牧师 | 事奉65周年》，其中麦牧师见证说：“一九四九年至今 我和师母蒙召专心侍奉主超过六十五年...平常的人说 这段时间不是长也不是短我就有点不同...蒙召六十五年 好长... 但蒙召六十五年很快就过去了...我们蒙召六十五年 感恩不尽 无尽感恩”在影片的结尾是一首圣诗：
“我走过最幸福的路，是跟随的路；
我走过最幸福的路，是依靠的路。舍己却更加宽阔，放手却更加稳妥。”
这次师母转发时再度感恩说：“今年已经是麦牧师蒙召事奉72周年了让我们一起献上无尽感恩。
华人教会著名牧师麦希真辞世 享年91岁
Rev. Dr. Hay Chun Maak, honorary chairman of the Chinese Coordination Center for World Evangelism, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 91 and after 72 year’s ministry.
Maak’s friends and relatives released the news on his official Facebook page, remembering him with Revelation 14:13.
Born in Guangzhou in 1930, Rev. Maak grew up in Hong Kong. Immediately after being baptized at 14, he began to serve God by opening a Sunday school in his home. Devoting his life to evangelism, he said that he was called to be a missionary pioneering in evangelism and church planting. After graduation from Bethel Bible Seminary in Hong Kong, he began his mission journey in southeastern Asia.
Serving as the president of Singapore Bible College from 1978 to 1992, he had more than 40 years’ experiences in foreign missions. Maak also acted as the secretary general of the Chinese Coordination Center of World Evangelism from 1996 to 2001.
His biography, Growth of A Worker: Sixty Years of Hay Chun Maak, tells the story of his experiences and ministry.
Realizing the importance of online ministries, in 2014 the late pastor shared spiritual resources through a website to train more workers, with the assistance of his daughter Deborah Maak.
Maak published his teachings on his official website, including Happy Life and Bright Life. The DVDs of Last Words were complied according to his past course to spread the main points of his teaching worldwide.
Returning from Canada to Hong Kong at the end of November 2014, the pastor preached his last Sunday message on living out one’s potential life in this present life.
After his death, his wife shared a video clip on his gratitude for 65 years of ministry. The pastor said in the video, “Since 1949, my wife and I have been called to serve the Lord for 65 years...Normal people would say the time is neither long nor short, but I’m a bit different... The 65 years is really long...but they passed by so quickly... We are endlessly grateful for our 65 years of being called...”
The video ended with an excerpt from a Chinese hymn named “This Road”: “The Happiest Path I Have Walked is a Path of Following You/ The Happiest Path I Have Walked is the Path of Trusting You/I Have My Horizon Broadened When I Sacrifice Myself/Letting Go of My Desires, I Feel More Reliable When I Let Go.”
Her wife added in her remarks, “This year it has been 72 years since Rev. Maak was called to ministry. Let’s give eternal thanks.”
- Translated by Karen Luo
Respected Chinese Preacher Dr. Hay Chun Maak Dies at 91
