Founder’s Testimony – Raymond Chen
All-in Ministry Life
I was a die-hard skeptic before he came to know the Lord. But at the age of 42, God heard my prayer and granted me a miraculous healing—after that, this once-stubborn man could no longer stay stubborn. I humbly turned to the Lord and began walking the path of ministry.
On December 12, 2009, God called my wife Susan to begin the ministry of creating multimedia Bible study materials. What a daunting, seemingly impossible task—something completely new, vast in scope, and filled with challenges. When the calling was so clear and evidently from God, I immediately resolved to be my wife’s steadfast supporter, committing wholeheartedly to back this ministry.
In order for the ministry to take root and grow, I personally took on nearly all of the technical and field work during its early years. From carrying cameras on location shoots and handling video post-production, to managing the bilingual (Chinese and English) daily updates for our website and Facebook page—for five consecutive years—I was deeply involved in every detail. For seven years, my wife and I also carried heavy equipment as we traveled to Taiwan year after year for short-term mission work. In many ways, I carried the responsibility of being both the leader and the one doing the groundwork—wearing many hats to keep the ministry moving forward.
Yet the cost of serving was very real. In 2013, SOWIM faced a serious financial crisis. When our bank balance was insufficient, we often had to transfer money from our own retirement savings into the ministry account just to get through difficult times. As a result, we made a hard decision: from 2014 through the end of 2016, for three full years, we stopped purchasing all non-essential items—such as clothing, bags, or electronic products. Every dollar we saved was given to support the ministry. For us, remaining faithful to God’s calling has always been our highest priority in life.
In fact, I am not retired. I am an engineer with a demanding full-time job. All of my ministry involvement takes place during weekday evenings and on weekends. What kind of conviction allows me to keep serving with joy and perseverance, without growing weary? My eyes are fixed on the day when I will stand before God, longing that He would take pleasure in me. I seek to please Him wholeheartedly and to obey my heavenly Father. Everything I do is offered willingly and joyfully. For Scripture says, “Whoever serves Me, My Father will honor him.” What an incredible honor that is. When I see people come to faith and be baptized through Sowing’s discipleship materials, I know that every sacrifice and every hour given has been truly worthwhile.