Workshop 10: Homiletical Experiences in China

"Homiletical Experiences in China"

The presentation is a compilation of the preaching experiences of seven graduate students from China currently doing post graduate work in the Post Graduate Studies at Trinity Theological College, Singapore.  Two of the students are full time local church pastors and five are teachers in theological seminaries, and all of them are actively engaging in preaching ministry of the local congregations.  Their preaching ministry covers quite a wide range of geographical areas of China. Their experiences are by no means representative of the entire Christian preachers in China. They serve only as a window to the larger world of richness and diversity in the preaching ministry in China.  The compilation is done through the feedback of a set of questionnaire and notes of personal conversations aiming at drawing out some aspects of preaching ministry and homiletical concerns facing the mainline churches in China.

Participants:

• E (pron. as "er") Yin, Hei Long Jiang Bible School, North-Eastern China, (Preaching ministry since in 1997)
• Zhu Gui Jin, Hua Tong Theological Seminary, Shanghai, Central China (Preaching ministry since in 1984)
• Yu Mei, Tong Bei Theological Seminary, Liao Ning Province, North-Eastern China (Preaching ministry since 1990)
• Zhang Ji You, Tian Fu Church, Jian Yang Shi, Fu Jian Province, Southern China (Preaching ministry since 1987)
• Zhao Wei Hong, Zhong Nan Theological Seminary, Wu Han, Central China (Preaching ministry since 1997)
• Zhang Bao Lan, Fu Jian Theological Seminary, Southern China (Preaching ministry since 1989)
• Zheng Hui, San Yi Guo Ji Church, Kun Ming Shi, Yun Nan Province, South-Western China (Preaching ministry since 1995)

Questionnaire:

1. What is one of your most memorable sermon you had ever heard ?
2. What is your most memorable preaching experience ?
3. What for you are some of the distinctive features of preaching the Word in China ? (the preacher, the listeners, scripture texts, communication, exegesis, theology)
4. What are some of the felt-needs in Chinese homiletics today?
5. What are some of the challenges facing preaching in China today ? (the preacher, the listeners, Scripture texts, communication, exegesis, theology)
6. What are some of the qualities needed in a preacher?

Presenter: Rev. Dr Symond Kock, Singapore

Dr Kock teaches Church history and theology at Trinity Theological College, Singapore.  He is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church in Singapore.  In the capacity as the Registrar of Postgraduate Studies at Trinity Theological College, he has close personal contact with the past and present postgraduate students who are pastors and seminary teachers of the China Christian Council.  Personally, he had the privilege of preaching several times at the Chong Wen Men Church in Beijing and taught intensive courses in Yanjing Theological Seminary, Beijing. Recently he presented a paper on " TC Chao's Historical Jesus" at the International Symposium on the Religious Thought of TC Chao held in April, 2004 at Qing Hua University, Beijing.