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Pastoral and Chinese Ministry
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The Pastoral and Chinese Ministry major trains and mentors you for church leadership in Chinese and multicultural congregations. This English language program includes core academic courses as well as an applied church internship to practice church leadership principles and responsibilities in a church setting.
Possible ministries and positions include:
- Pastor
- Associate Pastor
- Elder
- Deacon
- Youth Pastor
- Youth Ministry Leaders
- Children’s Pastor
- Children’s Ministry Leaders
- Small Group Ministry
- Women’s Ministry
- Bible Teachers
- Bible Researcher
- Missionary Work
- Church Planting
- Chaplain
- Pastoral Counseling
- Church Administration
Excellence
Our program has been recognized by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) as one of the best in North America and the longest-running, ethnic-specific Master of Divinity. Our program teaches you biblical principles, concepts, and models with special attention to the North American Chinese church context. In addition, hands-on ministry experience, through our church internship programs, will give you insight to help you find solutions to challenges and problems in church ministry.
Integrative Learning
You will gain broad experience through learning Christian History, Theology, Biblical Studies, and Spiritual Formation. Our faculty tailors and teaches courses relevant to the North American Chinese church, such as: Issues, Strategies, and Directions in the Chinese Church, Pastoral Counselling in the Ethnic Church Context, and Youth and Family Ministry in the Immigrant Church. Through the courses and internships, you will have the skills and knowledge necessary to develop strategies for cultural challenges and generational conflicts that can be applied to churches today and in the future.
Mentoring and Employment
Over 95% of our students are employed for their first five years of ministry upon graduation. This is because our professors focus on academic excellence, as well as mentoring students. Throughout the program, you will be mentored by expert faculty and you will also have the option to be mentored after graduation. Our mentors provide you with training and support for employment in areas like how to write sermons, how to preach the gospel, and how to counsel and work with people effectively in Chinese, multigenerational, and multicultural contexts.
Program Requirements:
Biblical Studies (5):
- [BIBL 0501] Biblical Interpretation: Interpreting and Applying the Biblical Text
- [OLDT 0511] Old Testament Theology and History
- [NEWT 0522] New Testament Theology and History
- One Old Testament Elective
- New Testament Elective
Biblical Languages (3):
- [NEWT 0321] Elementary Greek I or [OLDT 0611] Hebrew Grammar I
- [NEWT 0322] Elementary Greek II or [OLDT 0612] Hebrew Grammar II
- [NEWT 0523] Greek Exegesis I or [OLDT 0711] Hebrew Exegesis I
Theology (3):
- [THEO 0531] Systematic Theology I
- [THEO 0532] Systematic Theology II
- One Theology Elective
Christian History (2):
- [HIST 0561] History of Christianity I
- [HIST 0562] History of Christianity II
Ministry Formation (6):
- [LEAD 0510] Leadership Development
- [MISS 0782] Gospel, Church, and Culture
- [SPIR 0700] Spiritual Formation
- One Christian Education and Formation Elective
- [CHIN 0605] Pastoral Counselling in the Ethnic Church Context
- [CHIN 0701] Pastoral and Chinese Ministry Major Internship
Courses for Major in Chinese Ministry (4):
- [CHIN 0602] Pastoring in the Chinese Church
- [CHIN 0601] Preaching in the Chinese Church
- [CHIN 0506] Issues, Strategies, and Directions in the Chinese Church
- [CHIN 0781] Youth and Family Ministry in the Immigrant Church
or [CHIN 0603] Evangelism and Church Planting in the Chinese Community
or [CHIN 0613] Prime-Timer Ministry
Electives (4)
Total MDiv Courses: (27)
» Chinese Ministries Website
The Chinese Ministry Program at Tyndale Seminary offers a comprehensive educational and mentorship program that is designed to educate and equip Christians to serve Chinese, among other multicultural, congregations in North America and beyond.
Program Coordinator
Dr. Barbara M. Leung Lai
Professor of Old Testament
Director, Pastoral and Chinese Ministry Program
blai@tyndale.ca
416-226-6620 ext. 6714 |
Campus: Ballyconnor
BTh, Alliance Bible Seminary, 1972
MDiv, Fuller Theological Seminary, 1976
ThM, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, 1979
PhD, University of Sheffield, England, 1997
Areas of Specialization: Wisdom Literature, Apocalyptic Literature, Psychological Hermeneutic of Biblical Themes and Texts, Social Sciences and the Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, Biblical Interpretation in Postmodern Times, Text and Reading, Gender-Culture Studies, the development of Appropriation/Relevance Theories.
Methodologically located in the inter-disciplinary terrain of Social Sciences and Biblical Studies, she distinguishes herself in the advancement of psychological hermeneutic of Biblical texts and themes.
Dr. Leung Lai came to Tyndale in 1997 after 20 years of teaching and equipping ministries in the East and West. She previously taught at Evangel Theological Seminary of Hong Kong (as a missionary with the Evangelical Free Church) and McMaster Divinity College. During her last sabbatical, she served as Visiting Scholar at Fuller (2003) and Princeton (2004).
Dr. Leung Lai is a frequent presenter at scholarly and professional gatherings (SBL, ISBL, IBR, ATS functions and global consultations). She has been appointed as Scholar Associate of Wycliffe College, University of Toronto; as member of the Steering Committee of the Psychology and Biblical Studies Section of the Society of Biblical Literature; and as member of the Editorial Board for the Society of Asian North American Christian Studies Annual (SANACS Annual). In 2010, she was elected as member of the Advisory Committee on Women in Leadership in Theological Education (WiL) with ATS. Dr. Leung Lai serves the broader academic community through adjunct teaching internationally.
She is the author of two academic monographs (Commentary on the Book of Proverbs [Tien Dao Publishing House, 2005] and Through the ‘I’-Window: The Inner Life of Characters in the Hebrew Bible [Hebrew Bible Monographs 34; Sheffield Phoenix Press], 2011), and has published articles in peer-reviewed journals, chapters in academic books, and articles in study Bible and dictionary entries. Other than teaching and scholarship, Dr. Leung Lai serves the Church community as a sought-after consultant in the area of teaching and appropriating the Old Testament in postmodern times.
During her current sabbatical leave, she is engaging in the research and writing of her book project (on Relevance/Appropriation Theories), as a researcher at Stanford & GTU (fall 2011), and will be a reader at Tyndale House, Cambridge (Spring 2012).
- Aspirant Sage or Dysfunctional Seer? Cognitive Dissonance and Pastoral Vulnerability in the Profile of Daniel
- Commentary on the Book of Proverbs
- Hearing God's Bitter Cries (Hosea 11:1-9): Reading, Emotive-Experiencing, Appropriation
- Introduction to Daniel
- Invited book review of Chairman Mao Meets the Apostle Paul: Christianity, Communism, and the Hope for China
- Making Sense of the Biblical Portrait: Toward an Interpretive Strategy of Proverbs 31:10-31
- OBED
- Psalm 44 and the Function of Lament and Protest
- Student Diversity and Theological Education
- Surely, All Are in Vain! Psalm 73 and Humanity Reaching out to God
- Through the 'I'-Window: The Inner Life of Characters in the Hebrew Bible
- Total Otherness, Awe-Driven Self-Condemnation, and Atonement for Guilt: The Psychology of Religious Experience and Guilt in Isaiah 6
- Uncovering the Isaian Personality: Wishful Thinking or Viable Task?
- What Would Bakhtin Say about Isaiah 21:1-12? A Re-reading
Program Faculty
Dr. Vincent H. K. Poon
Professor of Counselling
vpoon@tyndale.ca
416-226-6620 ext. 6786 |
Campus: Ballyconnor
BSc, University of Manitoba, 1968
MD, University of Manitoba, 1972
MTS, Tyndale Seminary, 1982
DMin, Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1988
PsyD, Newport University, 1991
Areas of Specialization: Marriage and family therapy, Whole Person and Family Centered Care, Family Medicine, Psychotherapy and Psychology, Pastoral Counselling, Family Ministry.
Dr. Poon joined the Tyndale counselling ministries faculty in 1991. He has a wealth of experience in the disciplines of family medicine, theology, counselling, psychology, pastoral counselling and marriage and family therapy. He is an approved supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, a Fellow and Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Psychotherapists and a faculty member of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. He has published widely and has presented many papers both in Canada and internationally. He ascribes to a truly whole-person and family-centered approach in the well being of individuals and families by looking at the bio-psycho-social-cultural-spiritual aspects of persons. Dr. Poon was a key member of the team that founded the Chinese Ministry Program at Tyndale in 1988. His teaching involvement at Tyndale includes counselling, pastoral counselling, family ministry and pastoral and Chinese ministry. He has served as the Chair of the Advisory Council at Tyndale. He directs the Mentoring and Pastoral Support Network of the Hudson Taylor Centre. Dr. Poon is an ordained counselling minister with the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec.
- A Christian Perspective On Sex Therapy
- Counseling among Chinese Churches: A Canadian Study
- Developing a Support Group for Families with Children with Disabilities in a Canadian Chinese Church Community
- Family Interview
- Model for counseling people in relationships
- Model of counseling for family doctors
- Narratives and therapy
Rev. Dr. Sam Chan
Lecturer, Pastoral & Chinese Ministry
sam.chan@rhccc.ca
416-226-6620 ext. 2154 |
Campus: Ballyconnor
BSc, McMaster University, 1974
BEd, University of Toronto, 1976
MDiv, Ontario Theological Seminary, 1982
DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary, 1991
Areas of Specialization: Preaching, Leadership, Church Health, Missional Church
After graduating from Tyndale, Rev. Chan served as English Pastor for two years, pioneering the English speaking service at the Toronto Chinese Community Church. He then began his pastoral ministry at Toronto Chinese Community Church at Yonge-North and led the congregation to relocate from the Yonge and Lawrence area to North York in 1985 and to Richmond Hill in 1989. As the Senior Pastor of the newly named Richmond Hill Chinese Community Church, Rev. Chan led the Phase I church building in 1991 and the Phase II and III church expansion in 1997 and 2007.
Under his leadership, RHCCC strives to be a “Church for the Unchurched & the Committed”, a multi-lingual, seeker-sensitive and life-development church for the community, where members learn to live out God’s purposes for their lives and establish lifelong relationships in the body of Christ. Presently RHCCC has four congregations (Cantonese, Mandarin, English and Young Life Development) with an average of over 3,700 Sunday worship attendance (including children).
In addition to his pastoral ministry, Rev. Chan is an Adjunct Professor at Tyndale University College & Seminary. He also serves on the Board of Great Commission Center International and EQUIP Canada.
Besides his passion for teaching, preaching and researching on missional church issue, Rev. Chan enjoys short-term missions, reading and music. He and his wife Yvonne find much joy in the loving company of their three children, Timothy, Alyssa and Andrew.
Rev. Warren W. H. Lai
Adjunct Professor of Pastoral & Chinese Ministry
wlai@tyndale.ca
416-226-6620 ext. 2154 |
Campus: Ballyconnor
BSEE, University of California, 1968
MSc, University of Southern California, 1972
MDiv, Fuller Theological Seminary, 1975
ThM, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, 1979
ThD (ABD), Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.
Areas of Specialization: Preaching, Futures Studies, Team Building, Strategic Planning, Pauline Literature, Social Sciences and the New Testament.
Rev. Warren Lai’s passion is in the study and proclamation of the Word of God. He is devoted to the careful study and exegesis of the Biblical text and its exposition to various cultural congregations in the contemporary society. In both his preaching and teaching of the Bible, he strives to help Christians to put into practice their privilege and responsibility of interpreting and appropriating the Word.
Rev. Lai is also a student of the trends and developments in society and their interaction with Pastoral ministry. His burden is to prepare church leaders to face the turbulant changes ahead, and “ride the waves of the Spirit”.
Rev. Lai has been a pastor-teacher. He has taught at the Evangel Theological College, OBC - OTS, and McMaster Divinity College. He considers this dual role as both an opportunity to summarize, reflect on, and refine what he has been practicing, and also an opportunity to put theories in the classroom through the crucibles of real-world practice.
Rev. Lai has a broad spectrum of experience in Pastoral ministry: church planting consultant (Mississauga CBC, Tuen Mun EFC, Markham CBC, and Pickering CBC), equipping specialist (Toronto Chinese Alliance Church), and missionary (with the Evangelical Free Church of North America). He has served on the board of many organizations, including the Council of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Since returning to Canada in 1986, he has been the senior pastor of a multi-congregational church (Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church)—a ‘traditional’ church that can change and adopt quite a few ‘ahead of the curve’ ideas.
Talk to an Admissions Counsellor
The Seminary Admissions team would be pleased to answer any questions you might have about the application and admissions process, and they are also available to meet with you one on one. We look forward to talking with you.
Applying to Tyndale Seminary
Application Checklist for Full-and-part-time Degree-Seeking Canadian Students
One Course at a Time | Doctor of Ministry | International Students
Use the following checklist to assist you:
1. ☑ Review our Admission Requirements ![]()
2. ☑ Prepare all required supporting documentation*:
- Complete our application:
Online Application (Free) or
Download the Paper Application (mail it to Tyndale).
- Have your references complete both the Pastoral/Character Reference form and the Academic/Employer Reference form either Online or by paper:
Pastoral/Character Reference Form and Academic/Employer Reference Form
Download the Paper Reference Forms (have references mail the forms to Tyndale)
- Request all post-secondary institutions to mail your official transcript(s) directly to the Admissions Office
- Complete any Application Supplements if your program is:
3. ☑ Make sure you meet the appropriate deadlines
4. ☑ Confirm and submit your application
Send reference forms and official transcripts directly to:
Tyndale Admissions Office
25 Ballyconnor Court
Toronto, ON M2M 4B3
Canada
25 Ballyconnor Court
Toronto, ON M2M 4B3
Canada
*If applicable:
- Send your TOEFL and TWE or IELTS scores to the Admissions Office.
- Complete and submit your Residence Application and deposit.
- Complete and submit Medical Form (this is mandatory for all international students and students applying for residence).
One Course at a Time
Apply as an Occasional Student, a Letter of Permission Student, or an Audit Student by following the instructions on the Visiting Student Application Form.
Visiting Student Application Form
Doctor of Ministry
Apply to the DMin program by using the D.Min Application Form.
D.Min Admission Requirements
D.Min Application Form ![]()
International Students
Apply by following the instructions on the International Application Form.
International Application Form
Need help? Contact Admissions at: 1-877-TYNDALE (896-3253) | 416-218-6757 (local) | admissions@tyndale.ca






