wfn.org | TCN: Yu-Shan Seminary Vice-President Chen Nan-jou retires from post

["Lydia Ma" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>2991 Edition

>June 22~28, 2009

Yu-Shan Seminary Vice-President Chen Nan-jou retires from post

>Reported by Lin Yi-ying

>Written by Lydia Ma

Because of his strict class requirements and high expectations,  Yu-Shan

Theological College and Seminary Vice-President Rev. Chen Nan-jou  was

affectionately dubbed as “Little Hot Pepper” by many  students. Chen is retiring this

year and a thanksgiving service was organized in his honor on June  17th, the eve

>before the school’s convocation.

Chen recounted his journey teaching at Yu-shan during his speech  and thanked his

mentors and friends, as well as Yu-Shan Seminary’s board of  directors, for their

support throughout the years. Leaders from aboriginal  presbyteries, Tainan

Seminary, and Taiwan Seminary also attended this service and  presented gifts to

Chen. Leaders at Yu-Shan Seminary also invited Chen to stay  involved with

>aboriginal ministries after his retirement.

Speaking to an audience of roughly 1,000 people, Chen said if  Yu-Shan Seminary

were a train embarked on a long journey and he were a passenger,  July 2009 would

be his stop. He first joined Yu-Shan Seminary in August 1972, but  left during the

summer of 1979 when then PCT General Secretary C.M. Kao asked him  to join the

General Assembly and become PCT youth ministries Program  Secretary. Chen

returned to teach at Yu-Shan in1985. but left again two years  later to teach at Tainan

Theological College and Seminary. He would later return in 1998  for teach there for

the third time. Chen is leaving Yu-Shan this year because he has  reached the

>retirement age of 65.

Chen admitted that serving at Yu-Shan has provided him many  opportunities to

become involved with aboriginal theological education and it is  through these

ministries that he sensed God’s calling for him to serve at  any church in need of a

pastor. Though he will sorely miss Yu-Shan, he is also leaving  without regrets.

An emotional Chen also took this opportunity to ask for  people’s forgiveness. He

admitted that he was deeply aware of his own flaws and  shortcomings. If there were

things he should have done but failed to do, or things he  shouldn’t have done but

went ahead and did, he was deeply sorry and asked for God’s  mercy and

forgiveness, he said. He also admitted candidly that he lacked  empathy and often

regretted his pointed remarks after uttering them. Therefore, he  sincerely sought

people’s forgiveness and also asked for their prayers so that  the Holy Spirit would

>continue to work in him and renew his life.

Chen also expressed gratitude to Amis Presbytery and local church  leaders for

inviting him to pastor Holing Presbyterian Church in Hualien upon  retirement. “I’m

getting off this train soon. It was a pleasure riding with  you!” said Chen at the end of

>his speech.

Yu-Shan CEO Rev. Lumav responded that he hoped to see Chen  cooperate with

Yu-Shan Seminary again after retirement, especially in the field  of aboriginal

>theological training.

Another seminary leader joked that if Chen felt any remorse, it  was likely because

he had to deal with a load of mischievous students. For this, he  apologized to Chen

on the students’ behalf. The representative went on to share  that a pastor who had

graduated from Yu-Shan years ago and later found himself slacking  off during his

ministry had a dream one night. In his dream, Chen appeared out of  the blue and

reprimanded his behavior. According to the representative, the  student had said,

“Professor Chen is as strict in dreams as in reality!”  The story drew peals of

>laughter from the audience.

Yu-Shan Seminary President Pusin Tali referred to Chen as a farmer  in God’s

kingdom. He highlighted Chen’s ministry among aboriginal  villages throughout the

years, adding that the seeds Chen had sowed were now bearing great  fruits. He

also credited Chen for helping the seminary hire up to six  professors with doctorate

>degrees.

>********************

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local  languages.

You may translate and re-use the articles only if you acknowledge  the source as "Taiwan Church News" and list the names of the reporter  and writer. Contact us before reprinting any of our articles.

You may direct comments and questions to: enews@pctpress.org

Visit our website for more news at: http://enews.pctpress.org/  (English) http://www.pctpress.org (Chinese)

>********************

> 
>