Hello, my name is Hongdi Chen. This is my beautiful wife, Karen, and our two children, Joseph (9) and Joshua (6). I grew up in Fushun City, Liaoning Province, China, without exposure to the gospel of Jesus Christ. At 23, I moved to France to study French and immerse myself in European culture, earning my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international business from the University of Paris-Est Créteil.

In France, a classmate introduced me to Christianity. Although I initially rejected the ideas of repentance and belief in Christ, I 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 have lived in Montreal for nearly fourteen years, during which I pursued further education in accounting and obtained my CPA, and I have worked in the field for nine years.

While in Montreal, my pastor introduced me to reformed doctrine, which sparked my interest in reading reformed documents and listening to related sermons online. In 2018, I felt God’s call to ministry and shared this with my pastor and church members, who encouraged me to pursue this path. While searching online for “reformed seminary,” I discovered CRTS. Exploring the Three Forms of Unity, especially the Canons of Dort, helped answer my long-standing questions about election and predestination. This newfound understanding intensified my desire to study at CRTS.

I am thankful for the opportunity to learn at CRTS and for the dedication of our professors’ teaching. 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 want to express my gratitude to Rev. John Louwerse and Rev. Rodney Vermeulen for their mentorship during my summer internships at Cornerstone Canadian Reformed Church and Attercliffe Canadian Reformed Church, respectively. I truly appreciated their kindness and support for my growth. I also had the privilege of a one-week mission internship with Rev. Mario Veilleux, Rev. Christian Cruchet, and Rev. Paulin Bedard in the ERQ of Beauce, Quebec.

After graduating from CRTS, I completed a ten-month internship at Cornerstone Canadian Reformed Church under the guidance of Dr. Arjan de Visser and Dr. Jason Van Vliet. I am deeply grateful for their kindness, encouragement, and the generous investment of their time and wisdom during this period. I also sincerely thank the Cornerstone Council for providing me with opportunities to serve within the congregation. Through preaching, teaching, and visiting church members, I gained valuable pastoral experience. My time spent with the brothers and sisters at Cornerstone has been a great blessing and a significant part of my preparation for ministry. I thank the Lord for the privilege of learning and serving among them.

By God’s grace, I hope to present myself to classis in June to undergo my preparatory exam. As Karen and I look ahead, we are eager to follow the Lord’s leading and serve him wherever he may call us. We pray that he will use our redeemed lives as instruments to honour his name and contribute to his church. To him be the glory!