Graduate Profiles |
Introducing Hongdi Chen
Hello, my name is Hongdi Chen and this is my wife Karen, along with our two children, Joseph (8) and Joshua (5). I was born and raised in the city of Fushun in Liaoning province in China. Growing up there, I was never exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. At 23, I traveled to France to study French and immerse myself in European culture. I spent eight years in France, where I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international business from the University Paris-Est Créteil. It was during my time in France that a classmate introduced me to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Although I initially rejected the concepts of repentance and belief in Christ, I ultimately came to faith at the age of 32 after moving to Montreal, Quebec. I met Karen at the Montreal Chinese Alliance Grace Church and we were married there, truly by God’s grace. I lived in Montreal for nearly fourteen years, during which I pursued further education in accounting and obtained my CPA, and I worked in that field for nine years.
While in Montreal, my pastor, who had been educated at a Reformed theological seminary, introduced me to Reformed doctrine. This experience sparked my interest in reading Reformed material and listening to Reformed sermons online. In 2018, I felt God’s call to ministry through various sermons and personal reflections. When I shared my calling with my pastor and fellow church members in Montreal, they all encouraged me to pursue this path. I searched online for "reformed seminary" and discovered CRTS. Exploring the Three Forms of Unity, especially the Canons of Dort, helped resolve my long-standing questions about election and predestination. This newfound understanding intensified my desire to study at CRTS.
When I first discussed God’s call to ministry with Karen, she expressed some concerns. However, two years later, by God’s grace, I completed online courses in biblical languages and successfully passed the TOEFL exams. My application to CRTS was approved, and Karen became convinced that this was God’s way of opening the door for us to enter ministry. In June 2021, we said goodbye to our friends and colleagues and moved to Hamilton.
I am grateful for the opportunity to study at CRTS and for the dedicated teaching of our professors. The fellowship among brothers is a true blessing, reminding me of David’s words in Psalm 133:1, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” I would like to express my gratitude to Rev. John Louwerse and Rev. Rodney Vermeulen for their mentorship during my five-week internships at Cornerstone Canadian Reformed Church and Attercliffe Canadian Reformed Church, respectively. I deeply appreciated their kindness and the time they invested in me. I also had the privilege of participating in a one-week mission internship under the guidance of Rev. Mario Veilleux, Rev. Christian Cruchet, and Rev. Paulin Bedard in the ERQ of Beauce in Quebec. Additionally, as part of my mission internship, I led devotions at Wellington Retirement Home in Hamilton for five Sunday evenings, which was a rewarding experience.
It has been a true privilege to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ from the pulpit for the past two years and to teach in the catechism room for three years. As we look forward, we are eager to follow God’s guidance and serve him faithfully. We pray that he will lead me into ordained ministry in his time and in his way.