Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Joshua So

A Momentous Number “40”

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Even though I am not used to the way that many Charismatic Christians interpret the Bible, I still think the number “40” is an extraordinary number quoted throughout the Bible that has its own remarkable meanings.  Let us take a look at some biblical stories related to the number “40”.  I will only list those “40s” that may be most familiar to us:

  1. The life of Moses could be divided into three distinct sections of 40 years.
  2. The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years, which is 10 times 40.
  3. The Israelites were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.
  4. Moses went up and stayed at Mt. Sinai twice with God for 40 days each to receive the Ten Commandments.
  5. Kings Saul, David, and Solomon each reigned in Israel for 40 years.
  6. The world drowned in a deluge of rain and rising seas for 40 days in Noah’s time.
  7. Jesus was tempted following a period of 40 days of fasting in the desert.

I wanted to reaffirm that Pentecostalism is not my usual way of interpreting the Bible.  I am strongly convinced, however, that since the number “40” appeared so many times in the Bible, it must have its own significant importance.  For example:

  1. The flooding on earth stopped after 40 days.  “40” indicated the end of the unrighteousness and the new phase of a better world.
  2. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites started a new life, post-slavery, in the Promised Land.  “40” indicated the beginning of a new phase of life.
  3. Jesus was tempted in the desert after 40 days of fasting. “40” here was not only an ending, but also marked a new phase of the journey to fulfilling His purpose.

In the same way, to the San Francisco Chinese Mennonite Church (SFCMC), the number “40” means a new phase of ministry.  With God’s grace, our first official Sunday service was on November 8, 1980 and this year is our 40th anniversary.  SFCMC just reached this milestone—our first 40 years of serving our community—at the same time as we engaged in new, effective ways of serving during this historic pandemic.  

San Francisco Chinese Mennonite Church building. Photo from Church Facebook Page.

We are so grateful for God’s blessings, provisions, and presence for the past 40 years.  SFCMC still has a long future ahead to be used by God, however, just like in the life of Moses.  We are looking forward to serving the Lord for the second phase of our 40 years, the third phase of our 40 years, and until we accomplish the mission that God assigned to us.

Forty years is not a short period of time.  There is a Chinese saying about how a person’s perfect life should look: “When you reach your 30s, it is the prime time of your life, and you should be capable of thinking independently.  By the time you reach your 40s, you should be mature enough to execute the right judgement without any hesitation and strong enough to cope with challenges and adversities.”

I strongly believe that SFCMC will be blessed abundantly with God’s grace in the years to come and continue to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  I also have confidence that SFCMC’s coworkers team, which was newly restructured during the pandemic, can bring in new visions, commitment, and strength to lead the church into another blessed, rich, and fruitful 40 years.  Amen! 

A Village Boy was Chosen

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by Pastor Joshua Daichor So, San Francisco (CA) Chinese Mennonite Church

I am very thankful to have the opportunity to write my call to ministry story again after 55 years.  It sounds like I should already be retired by now but God still gives me the grace to be part of His story.  I also appreciate the Conference giving me this chance to share.  It was 1965 when I was first asked to write my call to ministry story as part of my entry application to study at The Hong Kong Alliance Bible Seminary.  How can I not be thankful?

I was born in a remote village in Mainland China and was raised in an idol worshiping family.  As the Bible said, “God knits me together in my mother’s womb and I am chosen!”  God had a plan for me!

Our family moved to Hong Kong when I was around 11 years old.  We lived very close to a church and with my curiosity, I stopped in and attended their Sunday school class with my neighbors’ kids for the first time.  From that time on, I became a regular Sunday school attender.  Listening to the Bible stories was always the highlight of each Sunday.  But most of all, receiving awards from the teachers was powerfully motivating to me. 

I accepted Jesus during Sunday school one week and gradually joined a small group.  With my diligent and optimistic character, I was selected to be on the staff of the small group and also serve as a Sunday school teacher.  I was amazed to find blessings and joy from serving the Lord in those roles. Besides attending the small group and Sunday school, I also attended the worship service regularly. The senior pastor, the minister, Sunday school teachers, and brothers and sisters were very proud of me and set me as a role model to other worshippers.  I was also blessed with ample opportunities to serve the Lord at church.

As I remember, I was asked to be the moderator of the Sunday worship when I was only a middle schooler.  I accepted that offer without hesitation.  I strongly believed that serving the Lord is what is pleasing to the Lord and a blessing! I was also in charge of a Sunday evening outreach.

My youth group leader encouraged me to pursue seminary after high school in my last year of middle school.  Even though I was quiet at that time, the Holy Spirit already began to mold me.  Our senior pastor couldn’t be at church regularly and our minister left to further his studies in the US. This left no one in charge of the church.  In my heart, I sensed the urge from the Holy Spirit.  

One day at a school worship service, the preacher invited the audience to accept Jesus’s invitation by using Isaiah 6:8, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?”  I replied, “Here am I, send me!”  After I finished my high school in 1966, I attended Hong Kong Alliance Bible Seminary and graduated in 1970.  This year marks 50 years since I first graduated. 

God called me from Hong Kong to Los Angeles in 1975 and a year later to San Francisco. There I completed a BA in Sociology, an M.Div (Sociology major) at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary, and finished a D. Min (Cross Cultural Study major) at San Francisco Theological Seminary, with God’s grace. I will continue to serve the Chinese in the San Francisco area with my wife (Anita) and daughter (Sharon).  Praise the Lord!

Encouragement in the Bay

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by Jerrell Williams, Associate for Leadership Cultivation

Joshua So, pastor of San Francisco Chinese Mennonite Church, second from left, along with his wife, Anita So, with Steve Kriss, Leadership Minister Jeff Wright, and Jerrell Williams. 

(Reprinted with permission from The Mennonite)

This past week I got the chance to accompany Steve Kriss, Franconia Mennonite Conference executive minister, and Jeff Wright, Franconia Conference Leadership minister, on a trip to San Francisco to visit San Francisco Chinese Mennonite Church (SFCMC). This is a Cantonese-speaking congregation of around 35 members that is considering joining Franconia Mennonite Conference.

After worship, we talked with Pastor Joshua about his expectations of Franconia Conference and how he envisioned the relationship. The theme of encouragement came up repeatedly. Pastor Joshua wanted encouragement and support from Franconia Conference. He wanted to know if Franconia Conference would be in relationship with his church and continue to encourage the members, even though they are far away. If it joins Franconia Conference, SFCMC would be the only Cantonese-speaking congregation in the conference. We attended worship with the congregation and spent a day with Pastor Joshua and Anita, his wife, in the Bay area. The congregation was lively and hospitable; everyone greeted us when we came. We met several members of the congregation during lunch and heard their stories and experiences in the United States.

This experience showed me the importance of encouragement for churches. SFCMC has felt alone for a long time. Its biggest request from us on this trip was that we check in with them and encourage them. Whether we’re there physically or we send them a text on a Sunday morning, they want to know we are praying for them and thinking of them.

Worship at San Francisco Chinese Mennonite Church.

 

Hearing of the needs of this congregation made me think of Paul and how he wrote letters to different churches. These letters sometimes were ones of correction for when the church lost its way, but many of them included words of encouragement to congregations. Paul saw it as important to send encouragement to the church whenever he got the chance.

All churches at times need support and encouragement from other churches. Franconia Conference can play a huge role in encouraging and connecting its congregations. Being a conference isn’t only about keeping churches in order or in line. Most of the work is being willing to be present with them. Churches need to know they are being prayed for, thought of and loved. Sometimes a reminder is all we need.