By Not Known
Hello, Church! I have only been serving in ORPC for two weeks and I already love this church. Thank you for extending kindness, hospitality and warmth. Your smiles are very comforting and encouraging.
Let me introduce myself — I am a third-generation Chinese, born and raised in Manila. My father was a school principal and my mother, a teacher. After my father passed away, my mother accepted God’s call and went to seminary for training. Mom served as a missionary in the southern part of Philippines and then as a minister of the United Evangelical Church of Philippines. Although she is now retired, her passion for evangelism remains strong. I also have five siblings, who by the grace of God, are all followers of Christ and active servants of His kingdom.
When our family moved to Manila, our neighbours were a Chinese Christian church and a Chinese Christian school. Studying in this Christian school allowed me the opportunity to hear the gospel at a young age and that made me receptive to God’s love. In addition, the school also provided music education as part of the curriculum. Thank God for that, since music and Bible are the only two subjects that I excelled in. Looking back I realized that even before I knew my passion, God already saw my potential. And without hesitation, He had already begun His good work.
In addition to the gift of music, God also enrolled me in an amazing boot camp – the Church! As an MK, mom brought us to mission trips every summer. Mom always volunteered her children to play in church, to my horror and embarrassment. But thank God for a godly mother who persistently encouraged her strong-willed child to serve God. The leadership skills that I gained in ministry were priceless. More importantly, as I knew more about God, I realized that my musical talents were gifts from Him. I also knew that God loved me so much and He paid the price for my sins on the cross. So during a high school camp, I dedicated myself to full-time ministry.
After college, I went to the seminary to continue my musical training because my desire was and still is to serve God through music. In addition to classical music, the seminary required music students to theology, church history and Christian education since the graduates would mostly be serving in local churches or teach in Christian institutions. I graduated from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky with a Master’s degree in Church Music and a Doctorate in Musical Arts at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. After seminary, I was invited to join the faculty of the School of Church Music at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary in northern California. Concurrently, God also blessed me with opportunities to serve as Minister of Worship and Music in local churches of various sizes and ages.
I have travelled from east to west and back again. As I begin my ministry at ORPC, please remember me in your prayers. At the same time, I also pray that if God has given you musical gifts, that you would be willing to serve Him. I pray that if God prompts you to join the music ministry, that you would step out immediately and start serving. Come, just as you are, and discover what a joy it is to serve God. Experience how God can use your gifts to encourage you, to bless the Church and bring others to the saving grace of God. I look forward to worshipping God with you and witnessing the amazing things that God can do through you. Soli Deo Gloria.
Agnes Tan