A teaching course syllabus to encourage longevity of service among vocational Christian workers

2017·2 MB·English

by  Lok, Casey

A TEACHING COURSE SYLLABUS TO ENCOURAGE LONGEVITY OF SERVICE

AMONG VOCATIONAL CHRISTIAN WORKERS

A THESIS-PROJECT

SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF

GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE

DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

BY

CASEY LOK

MAY 2017
Copyright © 2017 by Casey Lok. All Rights Reserved.
To Siew Leng
my dear wife whom I cherish and love;
for your godly wisdom that I should pursue this doctorate
and seminary teaching in my mid life crisis.
CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS viii
ABSTRACT ix
Chapter
1. THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING 1
2. KEY FOUNDATIONAL MATTERS CONCERNING
VOCATIONAL CHRISTIAN WORK 13
3. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND PRACTICAL CONCERNS
PERTAINING TO LONGEVITY OF VOCATIONAL CHRISTIAN SERVICE 47

4. PROJECT DESIGN 90
5. OUTCOMES AND CONCLUSION 111
Appendix
A. COURSE EVALUATION 121
B. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 124
C. LIFE MAP WORKSHEET 126
D. LIFE MAP 129

BIBLIOGRAPHY 132
VITA 143

iv
ILLUSTRATIONS
Figures
Figure 1. Levinson et al., The Seasons of a Man's Life (New York: Alfred 50

A. Knopf, 1978), 57.

Figure 2. Years On Staff (In Numerical Value) 93
Figure 3. Years On Staff (In Percentage) 94
Figure 4. Reasons For Resignation 95
Figure 5. Revised Syllabus 106

Tables
Table 1. Expectations on a Minister from Two Sources 40
Table 2. Expectations on a Minister from Three Sources 45
Table 3. Cycles of Life 51
Table 4. Stages of Vocation 53
Table 5. Keeping the mindsets in balance about ministry 55
Table 6. What staff thought of doing after leaving organization 96

v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To Lemuel, Lisbeth, Lazary and Latricia. You supported me as your dad in
prayers and by being sensible in your own ways. Many friends have made kind remarks
about your good behaviors in Christ and as your parents, we thank God for these
encouraging comments. It is our constant prayer that four of you will continue to fear and
glorify God in all your lives.
To Dr. David Horn for being willing to still be my thesis-project supervisor even
though you had left Gordon-Conwell at the beginning of my thesis-project. You guided
me in broadening the scope of my research knowledge. And it is an honor to receive the
diploma from you coming all the way from Boston to Singapore at EAST
Commencement.
To Drs. Dave Currie and Kenneth Swetland for being the main teachers during the
three years of residencies in October. Dave, you demonstrated Christ-like professionalism
and was highly dedicated in your multiple leadership roles. Dr. Swetland, I remembered
you as a very approachable and caring teacher who had mentored many Christian leaders
including me.
To Rev. Dr. Chan Chong Hiok who was the National Director of Singapore
Campus Crusade for Christ (presently, Cru Singapore) and interviewed me 26 years ago
when I first began my journey as a vocational Christian worker in 1991. As EAST
President, you instrumentally paved the way for me to join and teach at EAST in 2015
when I was at my mid life crossroad.

vi
To Agnes Kao from Cru Singapore and Angeline Thien from Bethesda Serangoon
Church (BSC) for immediately agreeing to offer your editing assistance when I asked
you. To Joseph John who is a Christian counselor and a former elder of BSC for showing
interest in my studies and thesis-project writing. You frequently asked me whether I
needed any help and even bought some of these materials for my research.
To the trustees of Brash foundation for sponsoring my study through their
generous scholarship. Also, to my team of prayer and financial partners who have been
faithfully supporting my wife and me since the first day I joined staff in 1991 or
thereafter. And to the saints from Bethesda Serangoon Church (including my Hougang
Care Group) who witnessed me grow from a Christian convert in 1984 to who I am
today, a vocational Christian worker.
Most of all, to God. Apart from You, I would not be able to complete this doctoral
study. And also, by Your grace, I am able to live out Your calling for me as a vocational
Christian worker. To You, God be the glory!

vii
ABBREVIATIONS
GCTS: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
VCW: Vocational Christian Work or Workers
EAST: East Asia School of Theology
EEC: EAST Extension Center
Other abbreviations include the shortened form of referencing from the books of the
Bible when quoted.

Bible verses quoted are taken from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise
stated.

viii
ABSTRACT

This thesis-project is intended to design a teaching course syllabus entitled,
“Being A Christian Minister” for East Asia School of Theology to be taught at the local
Singapore campus as well as the school extension centers in China, India, etc. The thesis-
project is written to encourage longevity of service among vocational Christian workers.
Its content is to examine key foundational matters like the definition of vocation and
callings from God. It also includes some contributing factors and practical issues
pertaining to longevity of vocational Christian service.

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CHAPTER ONE
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction
In 1991, I was asked by one senior elder at a church interview about my intention
to join staff with Cru Singapore.1 The question asked was, “Are you sure you want to do
this job for life?” As a twenty-five year old man commencing my ministry then, this
question was a reminder for me not to take vocational Christian work lightly. Churches
have great respect for vocational Christian worker and overseas missionaries because
they believe the vocation has significant implication. When John Piper writes that,
“Mission is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Mission exists because
worship doesn’t,” he is not de-emphasizing the significance of this soul-winning work.2
Instead, through highlighting worship as the purpose of mission, he seeks to awaken the
church in slumber to return and respond in greater zeal for the far-stretching task of world
evangelization. The call is to raise and send forth more laborers into the harvest fields, be
it in the local scene or overseas frontiers. On one hand, we can join Piper to rally the
sacred call to send more workers; yet on the other hand, we cannot afford to neglect the
existing laborers already battling in the fields.
There are various reasons for full-time staff to leave their organizations. Some of
them moved on to serve in another Christian agency or to become church pastors, but

1 Cru Singapore is the new name for Singapore Campus Crusade for Christ from 2013 onwards.
The Christian organization was founded in 1972.
2 John Piper, Let The Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Books, 1994), 15.

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