When God Calls Us to Stay

Facing Change

Two years ago, I was presented with a job opening for a pastoral role at a predominantly Cantonese-speaking church in the UK. While it piqued my interest, it wasn’t because I wanted to apply. At that time, Hong Kong was facing a significant wave of emigration. My family and I found ourselves attending more farewell parties than birthday parties. Many people worried about their children’s futures, fearing the loss of freedoms and the impact on their education and spiritual growth. As a result, many Christians chose to leave for places like the UK and Canada.

At the time of writing this, I have been serving as a pastor at a small English-speaking church in Hong Kong for about two years. My wife and I had certainly considered leaving the city in search of a new life. Even before the civil unrest and the pandemic, Hong Kong was already known for its sky-high housing prices and tough conditions for raising kids. Still, God guided us on a journey of grace and reconciliation, calling us to stay and serve his church.

The Reluctance to Lead

I never wanted to be a pastor. Growing up in a small Cantonese-speaking church in an aging neighborhood of Kowloon, I loved the community despite my expatriate friends referring to it as the dark side. I had great experiences there, but I also witnessed pastors come and go, often for reasons I didn’t understand. Later, I learned that words like conflict and burnout were common in their departures, which made the idea of becoming a pastor feel daunting.

Things began to shift during my college years in California. At a Chinese Christian conference, I felt a strong desire to commit to full-time ministry. When I returned to Hong Kong, I discovered that a friend from my home church, whom I’ll call Uriah, had graduated from seminary and was now a youth pastor. Our meals together sparked my curiosity about pastoral ministry, as Uriah shared how God had woven various experiences of life, including hardship and heartbreaks, into a beautiful tapestry of grace.

During Turbulent Times

Fast forward to five years ago when Hong Kong was engulfed in chaos. By then, Uriah had returned to serve as lead pastor of my home church, while I was married with two young kids, working as a consultant and serving as a deacon at a sister congregation. As tensions rose on the streets, so did the tension at home. My wife and I had unresolved disagreements, especially since I was busy with work, ministry, and studies while she was raising our kids. Then, about a year into the protests, COVID-19 hit, and I suddenly lost my job.

A Path to Restoration

During this challenging time, God nudged my wife and me to examine our marriage through Christian counseling. Those sessions revealed that we hadn’t understood each other as well as we thought. Our struggles to communicate our hurts and desires had driven a wedge between us, affecting both our relationship and our walk with God.

Once we recognized these barriers and each confessed our sense of entitlement and impatience, we were finally able to open our hearts to one another. This honesty allowed us to pray together earnestly, seeking God’s guidance for our family. We began to discern his direction more clearly, feeling a renewed sense of purpose and unity. Through this process, we learned to listen more deeply and to approach each other with compassion, fostering a stronger bond. It became evident that God was not only healing our marriage but also preparing us for the work he had in store for us.

As Ephesians reminds us, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14). Through this journey, we’ve seen how God truly breaks down barriers and restores unity.

The Impact of Loss

While we were reconciling at home, I received the heartbreaking news that Uriah had been diagnosed with cancer. Within five months, he was with the Lord. It all felt too fast, and I found myself asking, “Lord, why did you take him away so early?” He was so young and had so much more to do. His ministry had given me renewed hope, and now he was gone.

At Uriah’s funeral, his cousin shared how difficult it was for him to speak in his last days. Yet, with the little breath he had left, one of his last words was, “Mission accomplished.” His cousin concluded with a beautiful poem in Chinese, which I’ll translate:

This is my share from God’s hand,
Life in his care, I understand.
With my eyes on the Lord above,
Trusting him brings peace and love.

As hard as it was to accept his passing, these words reignited my hope and courage to live for Christ. How wonderful it must be to leave this world knowing you’ve accomplished what God called you to do—no less and no more.

That same year, I stopped looking for work and enrolled in seminary to prepare for pastoral ministry. I felt ready to embrace what I once viewed as the most daunting job, one that seemed to bring little joy. Yet, I realized it could also be the most meaningful and fulfilling work—partnering with God to share his gospel with everyone, from those grappling with public struggles and injustices to those quietly suffering in their personal battles.

I’m reminded of Paul’s illustration, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). This treasure is the gospel, and God chose to place it in ordinary people like you and me to show that the power belongs to him.

Anticipating Transformation

God has called us to share this treasure in various ways, each fitting our unique gifts and circumstances. My family and I have decided to stay and serve in Hong Kong, believing it’s a clear call from God to be part of his work here.

We view this city, with its challenges and opportunities, as a place where God can complete the work he has begun. We eagerly anticipate how he will move within our community and transform lives.

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