Willingness, Ability, Perseverance - The Rev. Stephen Tong that I know

Preface: This is not a typical biography for a great person. Honestly speaking, I would not have dared to introduce the Rev. Stephen Tong because a simple, short article would no do him justice. And certainly I am not senior enough to write about him. But I am probably more daring than others, and so I will attempt to write about the Rev. Tong that I know. However, I am not going to start with his background or experiences in life. I will start with what he has spoken about before, using the three Chinese characters representing the words, 'willingness', 'ability' and 'perseverance'. This article would probably not so much be about Rev. Tong as one written to encourage myself.

In one of Rev. Tong's seminar on the essence of gospel theology, Rev. Tong mentioned that a preacher, or a messenger of the gospel must possess three elements within his character and attitude towards the ministry. The first element would be 'willingness'; the second is 'ability', the third being 'perseverance'.

'Willingness, Ability, Perseverance'; these seem like three processes or three different steps. How can a person be useful to the LORD? The first requirement is for him to be willing to give of himself. He must have an attitude of being willing. In his willingness, he will compel himself; and he must also compel himself to be willing. This statement seems to be conflicting, but we find paradoxical truth in it.

Willingness - Who will go for us?
Rev. Tong struggled and doubted as a young person about his faith. The Word of God opened his mind and heart when he was seventeen, and reformed his faith. He prayed then to the LORD to help him answer the doubts he had in his faith; at which he will spend the rest of his life answering the problems others faced in their faith journey. The glorious light of the gospel of Christ illuminated him, and the great love from the sacrifice on the cross filled him. From the eyes of Christ, he seemed to witness the lost masses, as if they were sheep, which had gone astray without a shepherd. From that point onwards, Rev. Tong was willing to go and spread the gospel for the sake of our LORD.

In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah heard the voice of the LORD, saying 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' How did Isaiah become the prophet of God? How was it possible that the Word of God was given to him to preach? No one can qualify to serve God without His calling. In the matter of giving ourselves up to serve Him, we can only stand passively, waiting for the call and His sending. In this manner, God is the prime mover, and we are the passive bodies awaiting His sending. However, from another angle, Isaiah seemed to have heard God asking for those who are willing. What does this mean then? This means that we must produce willingness after God has moved us first. We must have a willing heart after we have been compelled, compelled by the love of our LORD and for His sake.

Rev. Tong is willing to go for the LORD. He responded to the active selection and sending of the LORD by his willingness. What about you? Have you been called by the LORD? Have you been moved to spread His gospel? Are you willing, willing to go for the LORD?

Perhaps it is still not time for you to go overseas. You should start right here in Singapore, your home, and your country. Are you willing to be involved in this gospel rally? To do personal evangelism, to invite your friends, relatives and loved ones to this gospel rally? I believe you will also respond to the LORD by saying, 'I am willing Oh LORD! Help me to be able to do your work.'

Ability - A Humble Beginning
Someone once asked Zhi Gong, one of Confucius' disciples if Confucius can be considered as a saint since he was so talented. Zhi Gong replied that heavens had given Confucius much talent to enable him to attain sainthood. Confucius however, said that his talents came from having been poor when he was young. Isn't this an interesting answer? Confucius believed that his abilities and talents came from a lowly beginning in life. In other words, he was trained and did many things that most people were not willing to do simply because he was poor and lowly while he was young. In this manner, he was trained to become what many would consider as the model of a teacher for all generations. It is of course possible that Confucius was born with great intellect and talents, and he was simply being humble.

Every time I think about what Confucius said, I am reminded of Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:27: 'It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.' From the age of 17, Rev. Tong started his ministry by working hard at distributing gospel tracks. Back then, he was studying and teaching to pay for his own livelihood. He took twenty percent of his income to purchase gospel tracks, distributing them on the streets to passerby. But these people did not care much for the tracks and moved away, an experience you may have encountered when you distributed gospel tracks. Rev. Tong observed that passengers in the train were stationary and would not leave their seats. So he went aboard and bought tickets to travel through and fro just to distribute gospel tracks to the passengers. This was how he started his gospel ministry. He was later invited to preach the gospel, preaching to thousands without fear even in his early twenties. In 7 months, he preached over 800 sermons at various churches. There was a period of time when his income was so low that he traveled from Malang and Surabaya by riding on trucks delivering vegetables between the two cities. He traveled amidst cartons of vegetables, and preached the gospel to the workers traveling with him. When he reached his destination, he would wash and change up, and start preaching as a theological lecturer.

Many of us, including myself, admire the many gifts that Rev. Tong possesses. He can play the piano, conduct orchestra and choirs, he can paint, compose songs, design, preach and sing on stage. He could bring on laughter in his sermons, and also get people to listen intensely without a sound. When he rebukes sin in the name of the LORD, he does so with awe-inspiring authority. While we admire him, we also give thanks to the LORD for granting him to us.

After having willingness, we must also possess the ability. You may ask what you should do if you do not possess many natural talents, or have not encountered a lowly and difficult life as Confucius did. What can I do if I do not have the talents Rev. Tong has, but I am willing? How can I be able? Rev. Andrew Chi was one of the early mentors of Rev. Tong, and he said something that influenced Rev. Tong greatly. Let me relate it here as an encouragement to all of us. Rev. Chi said, "Simply go do it. If you don't, how would you ever know if you could, or could not?"

Go do it! After that, you will know that the power and grace of God is sufficient for us all. What the LORD wants is not what we do not have, but what we already possess. On top of that, there is the active grace from God in that 'to everyone who has, more will be given' (Luke 19:26). The Bible tells us that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)

Go preach the gospel! If you do not, how would you know that it is the great power of God for the salvation of all who believe? Do not have the mistaken notion that serving the LORD takes God-given talents and abilities; it does not. On the other hand, if you already possess some talents, why are you not giving them to the LORD, placing them upon His altar?

Perseverance - Till That Day
Rev. Tong's ministry spanned a period of forty odd years, which is not a short period at all. After all these time, he is still studious as ever, eager to learn and teach as if he was still a young man. He does not frighten you with his authority, or boost about his talents and abundant knowledge. But he seems to possess an aura, which elicit a sense of respect from others. Those who know him must surely be impressed with his diligence, out-pacing many much younger men.

After having willingness and ability, one needs perseverance. My own interpretation of perseverance is the word 'unstopping'. This is because the only way we make the ability last, is to not stop, not giving up halfway. A person named Lu-Ai Gong once asked Confucius, 'Why do you gentlemen always speak of the heavenly way?' Confucius answered, 'The value of the heavenly way is in its perseverance in that it is everlasting.' The ancients understood the importance of perseverance. Rev. Tong is just like this, always laboring for the LORD because he knows that the labour will not be in vain.

How can we persevere? All of us face the test of time, which is the biggest test for us in our lives. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to learn the lesson that we should view all things in our present life from the perspective of eternity. We need to hold on to eternity, and prepare for the future. We must know deeply whom we have believed in, and be able to be convinced that we have entrusted to him until that day. We must look upon our LORD Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. In this manner, we will be able to say as the apostle Paul did, 'till that day!' (2 Timothy 1:12) To be able to last till that day requires perseverance.

Let us persevere, starting from now. Find a few prayerful people who are pure in heart. Let us encourage one another to seek after righteousness, faith, love, and peace; let us strengthen one another and run that race before us, and fight the good fight, holding on to the faith we have until that day! Amen.

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