Popular Chinese Christian worship ministry Stream of Praise Ministries ordained five of their long-time co-workers as reverend and pastors on June 2nd. Those ordained were Reverend Dennis C. Chou, Pastor Mary Chikagami Lee, Pastor David C. Yu, Pastor Grace Tseng, and Pastor Tiffany M. Cheng.
After the ordination, SOP Ministry director Rev. Sandy Yu and Pastor Grace Tseng, who has produced and composed many touching praise songs, shared with The Gospel Herald in an interview the meaning on and their reflections of this pastoral ordination.
R: What is the significance of this pastoral ordination to Stream of Praise Ministry?
Rev. Sandy Yu: The five co-workers ordained this time have served in Stream of Praise Ministry for a long time; together they served over ten years. They have gone through much training, and their services have been very effective. This is the first time that SOP held an ordination ceremony for our own members, which has a far and deep significance for the entire ministry. It is an approval on these five co-workers’ spirituality, which is also the authority given by God.
R: As the Stream of Praise Ministry director, how do you feel about this ordination?
Rev. Sandy Yu: In these co-workers’ lives, I’ve seen them live out the examples of Christ in a process filled with many growth and breaking down. To me, their ordination allowed me to see that the co-workers raised beside me have grown up and matured. I hope that they can continue to passing the SOP Ministry service. The important point is passing on.
R: What kind of expectations and hope do you have towards these five co-workers?
Sandy Yu: Every co-workers’ gifts and role is different, where some are in worship, some in teaching, some in pastoring. I hope through this ordination they can more greatly make use of their individual gifts.
At times, we will hold training and believers from many different churches would come to learn. I hope that after these co-workers have been ordained they can teach better and bless many more people.
R: After being ordained as pastor, how do you feel?
Sandy Yu: This ordination ceremony is very special, where it ordained not just one person, but an entire team, consisting of us five co-workers. On the day of ordination, I felt God’s presence and joy, which is a very holy moment to SOP and not just a ordinary ceremony.
R: After being ordained, what kind of influence will it have on your service from now on?
Grace Tseng: In the beginning, I’ve felt that being ordained as a pastor is a title, but after praying, I felt that God telling me that pastor ordination is a type of confirmation of my calling. I feel in my heart that this isn’t just a title before me, but from God’s perspective, it is a confirmation of His calling to me.
During those couple days of reading the Bible, I’ve read about Apostle Paul’s heart towards the church, which is like that of a father and a mother, wanting to give everything that one has to serve the church.
I’ve read 1 Thessalonians 2:28 - “So we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” I felt God is telling me that He is also joyful that we serve in such way.
Although we are doing music ministry, we really get to reach out to many people. I hope that we can also have Paul’s determination, with the heart of a mother and father, to pour out our love to serve them.
I felt that after this pastoral ordination God has led SOP to a new level, which is a God-given authority. This authority is for helping, serving, and blessing, which for the ministry is an elevation and has a deep and far spiritual significance.
[Luke Leung translated the article.]
