Journal: Southeastern Theological Review
Volume: STR 11:2 (Fall 2020)
Article: Interview With Lisa M. Hoff Of Gateway Seminary
Author: Anonymous

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Interview With Lisa M. Hoff Of Gateway Seminary

Lisa Hoff is the Director of the Kim School of Global Missions, Chair of Intercultural studies and Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies at Gateway Seminary. She has fifteen years of ministry experience in East Asia as an educator, intercultural trainer, and business entrepreneur. Dr. Hoff graduated with an MDiv and MAIS from Gateway prior to pursuing her PhD in Intercultural Studies at Biola University. She has supervised multicultural and multinational teams focused on urban engagement and community development in international settings.

How has interaction with Chinese Christians rejuvenated your faith?

Chinese Christians have long embraced a theology of suffering and sacrifice. Centuries of war, famine, persecution, and pain have built a church of resilient faith with roots that grow deep through the adversity of life. There are many Christians who equate the blessings of God with financial prosperity or physical well-being. For the Chinese Church in East Asia, however, God’s blessing manifests through his ever-present faithfulness in the midst of suffering. This theological perspective reflects a church that keeps its eyes focused on Christ, recognizing the brevity of this life and the eternal glory that is to come (Rom 8:18).

Living in East Asia as an educator, intercultural trainer, and business entrepreneur has taught me important lessons about the value of a Christ-centered life. Lessons that undoubtedly would have been harder to learn in the comfort of my own cultural context. The life and testimony of Chinese Christians has challenged me for almost thirty years to see Jesus as my sufficiency and his glory as my goal. These men and women, on both sides of the Pacific, have modeled lives of sacrifice, grace, and humility for me.

One of my first Chinese friends in East Asia was a single woman in her late twenties. As the only follower of Christ in her household, her parents reluctantly agreed to allow her to be a Christian if it did not create too many problems for the family. She was an impassioned educator and evangelist who shared the gospel with any college student who would listen. Family bonds form the strongest social ties in Chinese society and so her parents became increasingly concerned as she grew older and was not yet married. In traditional culture, choosing not to marry carries social stigma and brings deep shame upon a family. Although outsiders may

STR 11:2 (Fall 2020) p. 80

minimize these issues, honor and shame are foundational to the worldview of most Chinese. Though my friend desired marriage, she knew that choosing to follow Christ meant it was unlikely ...