Cloud of Witnesses – Celebrating 210^th Anniversary of International Ministries

Rev. Peter MY Cheung

Retired senior pastor of the Shatin Swatow Baptist Church, Hong Kong

I am thankful to be invited to share my calling and ministry experience with International Ministries. I am a member of the Kwun Tong Swatow Baptist Church and the Lord led me to theological education. My understanding of church polity and Baptist tradition was enriched in the three years plus study. After graduation, I returned to the church to serve, and at the same time continued to seek the Lord’s heart, because many elderly members had moved to live in the New Territories far away from the church in the city. These members are Swatow speaking, and the Lord has led me to focus on the Swatow speaking people including those continue to move to Hong Kong.

It was not an easy beginning. A small congregation and I started the Tai Po Faith Church, and I also accepted a full time ministry at Lee Kwan Gospel Church. This transition turned out to be an incredibly positive learning time, especially practicing how to maintain Swatow language to conduct worship service and church activities. Praise the Lord for preparing wonderful brothers and sisters to develop a strong church with me in another sub-urban area and we founded the Shatin Swatow Baptist Church where I have served faithfully for the rest of my ministry journal – and I am still actively helping whenever needed after retirement.

The Lord has also opened other ministry opportunities like short-term mission in Batam, Indonesia where we reach out to the underserved Swatow speaking Chinese migrants. Another joyful event was organizing Hong Kong city-wide Swatow gospel meetings with the involvement of Swatow Baptist church choirs. In addition, we also founded a charitable organization the Loyal Servant Mission to explore the development of on-the-job service and mission.

In the rapid changing situation of Hong Kong, I anchored in God’s words in how God used Joshua and Caleb to lead the Israelites into Canaan, a promise land and spiritual home. In Indonesia or Hong Kong or any places in the world, God has led thousands of Swatow Christians to bless and transform their local communities. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide us to fulfill the mission of his Kingdom.