Interview—Issue 87 (September, 2023)
“Some ministries are like a cherry-on-top, making the good even better. But I prefer ministries that are like charcoal in the snow, offering timely help to the needy,” the pastor noted lightly. His statement of commitment speaks not of a lofty grandness, but nonetheless conveys a sense of determination. From Ka Fai’s perspective, certain marginalized communities receive little social attention, and it is these communities that he wishes to serve and shepherd, as if bringing them warmth amidst a bitter winter. Graduated from a kindergarten and primary school organized by the Christ of Church in China (CCC), Ka Fai came to the Lord in P.5, and had been cultivating his faith in CCC ever since. Before embarking on his theological journey at CUHK, he had worked in a bank. In 1995, Ka Fai graduated from CUHK with a Bachelor of Divinity degree. Shortly after in 1998, he was ordained as a pastor in The Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China, and thereafter served in different churches including Hop Yat Church Kowloon Church, Hop Yat Church (North Point), and Leung Faat Memorial Church. In 2015, he began his service at DSCCC as the Director of the Pastoral Programme, Chaplain, and Practical Education Coordinator, and was selected as the General Secretary for Christ of Church in China in 2021.
Theology: A Fuel for Arrogance?
“In the late 80’s, Hong Kong experienced an emigration wave akin to the current one. There was an acute shortage of pastors and missionaries in the church, and pastors came and went,” he recalled. At that time, Ka Fai took up the responsibilities of a fellowship leader and mentor and involved himself in many teaching duties, including Bible study groups and group sharings. Since he took on the role of a teacher, he began to wonder if he should study theology, and consulted church elders on this matter.
“Elders of that generation believed that ministerial passion was all that mattered, and that extensive theological knowledge would fuel arrogance and undermine one’s faith.” Given the advice he received, his idea of studying theology was thus shelved.
The Unpredictability of Life
One day in 1989, Ka Fai received a call from the police. The police told him that his grandmother had fainted on the street, and was taken to the hospital by passersby. His grandmother had been taking care of him for years, and looked just fine as he left that morning; and yet just in a few hours, she was lying still on a hospital cot and, a few days later, sealed in a slumber she never woke up from. Ravaged by the mutability of life, Ka Fai re-examined his own life and pondered over ways to make the most out of his remaining time. In the same year, the number of emigrants reached a new high. Upon completion of secondary school education, Ka Fai had already been hired by a bank, where he received professional trainings and assessments of all sorts. However, driven by a need to consider a pastoral career, he took two months off for a retreat in Cheung Chau to mull over his options and receive God’s calling.
“In the holiday home in Cheung Chau, I studied the Bible every day and quietly waited for God’s revelation and calling.” To his dismay, nothing miraculous happened over two months, but his wallet was already wearing thin. Subsequently, he gave up on the idea of pursuing theology and went home. Much to his surprise, the “miracle” happened only after he went home, and he found the situation rather ridiculous. “As soon as I decided to give up, the Bible began to speak to me. When I was reading the Books of Nevi’im, I saw God’s calling to Isaiah and Jeremiah. It was as though God was asking me the same questions, and calling me to become His servant.” Ka Fai then rethought his choices. “I shared my feelings with the elders and approached Rev. Dr. Daniel Hui, whom I knew well. He used to be my fellowship mentor when I was a child, and he immediately agreed to be my referee for DSCCC application.” By the time Ka Fai applied, it was already way past the deadline and selections have already been completed. Fortunately, the pastors of different churches agreed to give him an opportunity to become a publicly-funded theology student.
A Fruitful Journey
There were few teachers at the Divinity School in the 1990s, but all of them left a lasting impression on Ka Fai. “The late Rev. Daniel Chow recommended me for scholarships several times, which encouraged me a lot,” Ka Fai recalled. “Rev. Canon Alan Chan, who had back pain at the time, went swimming regularly to cure his illness, and even invited all students to join him for dips and lunch. I also remember Rev. Victor Cheung (’95BA;’97MDiv), with whom I achieved a high attendance rate. And then there’s Prof. Kwok Pui-lan, whose teaching was advanced yet easily comprehensible. I had more opportunities to meet with her because we belonged to the same fellowship group. I still remember that she was nicknamed “Kwok Ting” because she got distinction in all subjects when she pursued her PhD at Harvard. Last is Dr. Joseph Kaung, who always shared the latest theological knowledge with us. His down-to-earth pedagogy was admired by many.”
In addition to good teachers and friends, Ka Fai also found his lifelong companion in Chung Chi. “She was a major in religious studies. Since there were few students studying theology and religious studies, the two departments often shared compulsory courses and even extra-curricular activities. She was one of the few who resided on campus, and so we met each other more often than others. Later I had learned that she shared my birthday, and hence began to pay more attention to her,” Ka Fai recalled with a bashful smile. He added that the Theology Building had nurtured quite a few pairs of lovers. After marriage, Ka Fai had to father three children of top of his pastoral work. “As a pastor, I cannot go outdoors with my children on weekends like other parents do. Attending church is our family activity, and my kids have grown to attend Sunday school and worships on weekends. Living close to the church, I tried my best to meet them as often as I could. I would pick them up from school, and enjoy afternoon tea with them before meetings,” he said with a smile. “My kids could always meet me when they go to church. One of our parent-child activities is listening to my sermons. I had once arranged a children’s storytelling session during Sunday worships, and my kids would sit beside me to listen to the stories.”
Theological Education
Looking back on his early pastoral days, Ka Fai admitted to his approval-seeking tendency, which put him under great pressure. But as he fledged and matured, he began to build his own idea of pastoral care, and started to contemplate God’s views on his ministry. He also paid heed to his own behaviours such that he would not cause others to stumble. “As a pastor, ‘being’ is more important than ‘doing’. People do not trust you for your contributions and achievements; they trust you for being genuine and practicing what you preach.” Currently, he is hoping to make a positive change through his ministry in different communities. “We shall not be confined within the wall of the church. It is also our mission to promote our beliefs and ministry to our brothers and sisters, such that they may exert influence from their social positions, be it management, headmasters, professors, kindergarten teachers, doctors or social workers.”
In 2015, Ka Fai returned to DSCCC as the appointed chaplain. He noticed that the Divinity School was not only growing in size, but the teachers were also expected to be more professional than ever. “Already burdened by the university’s research requirements, they are still expected to spend their free time bonding with students. On top of that, they have to maintain close ties with local churches so that they could nurture future pastors who are aware of the local situation.” Ka Fai added that it is equally important for teachers to connect with students. Activities like late night snacking, watching football games, and joining overseas study tours grew strong bonds within the community. “The Divinity School set up groups like “families” so that teachers and students could engage in frequent communications,” he noted. “Students are often delighted when they are joined by teachers at different activities.” He expressed that pastors are not only preachers on the pulpit, but also teachers in life. Pastoral care should be more than the transmission of theological knowledge; more importantly, it has to speak into others’ lives. “Nowadays, manyn Hongkongers have chosen to emigrate. Teachers might not have the opportunity to talk about it in class, but I believe our students will benefit from such discussions with their teachers after class.”
A Timely Servant
Now that Hong Kong is experiencing another wave of migration after 1989, Ka Fai was asked if he had ever considered emigrating. “I believe God’s calling is for me to serve the brothers and sisters who are staging in Hong Kong. Besides, most of my family and friends are still here. Although many have left, many more have chosen to stay. Given the circumstances, sadness and the sentiment of abandonment is somewhat inevitable in the church; it is of my wish to shepherd those who are staying, and care for the church during such times.” In times of perils and uncertainties, Ka Fai’s sole wish is to stay behind and offer timely help to those in need.
After assuming the post of General Secretary of the Hong Kong Council of CCC in September 2021, Ka Fai has been visiting congregations and arranging sermons in hopes to strengthen the ties between the Council and the churches. “The change in my status has granted me opportunities to communicate and learn from church leaders. The Hong Kong Council and local churches are closely related; if they can cooperate well, they can definitely serve the community better.” In order to deliver sermons in over 70 CCC churches, his Sunday sermons have been scheduled until 2024, with some special celebrations scheduled until 2028. Ka Fai hopes that during his tenure, he might continue to help the Council in training their successors. “The emigration wave has caused a succession gap in some pastoral positions. I hope that with limited resources and strength, we might still create, find, or maintain platforms for dedicated believers to fledge. This way, we might be able to retain local talents.”
Epilogue
Compared with monotonous administrative work, Ka Fai enjoys hanging out with his brothers and sisters above all else. Human interactions excite him, even if it entails a fully-packed schedule. “On my working days, I would return to the office early in the morning to finish my paperwork so that my co-workers could follow up on administration. After that, I would attend a series of meetings and appointments. Actually, right before this interview, I had bid farewell with a brother who is going to study in the States, and there is going to be another meeting immediately after this. Next month, I will be attending an octennial meeting organized by the World Council of Churches,” Ka Fai explained slowly, his expression humble and gentle as always. After assuming his post as the CCC General Secretary, he was elected Chairperson of the Hong Kong Christian Council, and will continue to serve as the Chairman of Christian Times’ Board of Directors. In September 2022, he was also elected a Central Committee member at the World Council of Churches, and will be able to speak up for the Hong Kong churches. In an article in Christian Times, Ka Fai noted that he would take on more responsibility after his appointment. “If the Lord wishes to use my small voice to draw the world’s attention to Hong Kong and build a bridge between churches in mainland China and Hong Kong, I believe it is my duty to do my best. May God help me!”*
* Hu Qingxin, Mak Ka-yan: “Wong as elected to be the Central Committee member at the World Council of Churches; ” 王家輝當選普世教協中央委員Christian TImes (2022.9.7.). Website: https://christiantimes.org.hk/Common/Reader/News/ShowNews.jsp?Nid=169711&Pid=102&Version=0&Cid=2143&Charset=big5_hkscs
Written by Li Kwong-ping;
translated by Ivy P.Y. Chan