MY DEBT of TRIBUTE TO REV. SEN WONG…..on the occasion of his graduation 12/8/2014,  from Joseph Y. Wong to his family and friends and CBM partners.

While my occasion prevents me from being with you on this occasion of the ‘celebration of life’ of Rev. Sen, I can only echo the many who have shared--and will share--tributes to his life, ministry, vision and achievements.  Most of all these include very personal, special investments he made to my own discipleship, ministry calling, and service contribution.  As much as these might be, they are overshadowed by the many, many who upon the recent 50th ministry celebration in the East Bay stood in tribute to the impact of CBM ministries under Rev. Sen’s leadership in their own Christian life, ministry dedication, and gospel calling.

            These included the reality check that one’s title, office, even academics were subservient to their heart-felt, transforming passion, unswerving Lordship dedication, and energized ‘hand-to-plow, no-looking -back’ achievements.  For he well represented those virtues which challenged those who would and wanted to follow in his footsteps, as he followed hard after his Lord.

            Integrity ranks high in his life-character, whether financial, relational-marital-moral, and social-business dealings.  Contrast to a modern church beset with failures in many of these fronts--often with glaring public exposé, Sen’s fidelity is a most noble and notable achievement by and consistent with God’s grace in Christ.  With a not infrequent ‘bend-over-backwards’ generosity, he has left a principled legacy for family, disciples-associates and CBM organization.

            Godly humanity that does not take oneself too seriously is too often missing in the heady self-congratulatory attitude of leaders-who-have-made-it.  Sen never seem to lose that attractive balance of humility over where we have come, of ever learning from others [mistakes and all else!], and readiness to extol and credit others in the paternal task of instilling in them the needful self-confidence and stretching their kingdom-glorifying creativity.

            As brother Sen is choked-up over the Master’s accolades of ‘well done….’, family and associates and friends like myself can only appreciatively confess, here was one who truly marked us for time and eternity; for God, and Christ, and Kingdom…..until we meet at Jesus’ feet!

  

Joe Wong,   12/9/2014  Portland, Oregon

And of Portland Chinese Baptist Church, which had Rev. Sen Wong as its pastor in 1953