Count the Cost

God has called each of us to serve Him. However, the location and environment of our service can vary greatly from person to person. Some of us serve in churches, some in schools, and some in our own homes. And some of us minister in Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

PC (not his actual name or initials; his real name cannot be revealed without compromising his position in Vietnam), a Doctor of Ministry student at Baptist Bible Seminary, served in Vietnam from 1969–1970 as an interpreter with the 199th Light Infantry Brigade near Bien Hoa, about 20 miles north of Saigon (now, Ho Chi Minh City). PC was born again in 1980 while practicing law in Wilmington, Delaware. He led over 100 of his clients to Christ before taking a pastor’s position in 1999. In 1983, he married his wife, who was instrumental in his salvation.

The time he spent in Vietnam made a lasting impression on PC. He says: “I was never able to forget Vietnam, and this intensified after getting saved in 1980. I went back to Vietnam the first time in 1996, teaching in the underground house church movement. While pastoring in Maine, my wife and I decided that God wanted us as missionaries in Vietnam. I quit the pastorate, and while looking for a mission agency, a plane carrying ABWE missionaries Jim and Ronnie Bowers was shot down by the Peruvian Air Force. When I heard about this, I called ABWE and asked if they were doing anything in Vietnam. Two months later, my wife and I were appointed ABWE missionaries.”

Working in a communist country provides special obstacles. For instance, PC is not permitted to evangelize openly. “Since foreign missionaries are not permitted here, I must work through nationals. This involves assisting them, where needed, in their performance of the Great Commission. We do evangelize (carefully), but we turn our converts over to a local, legal, and strongly evangelical Vietnamese church. We continue to target areas up north where there are no Christians, and one of our converts is leaving for an area in the north where he intends to start churches. Much persecution exists in the northern provinces.”

Fortunately for PC, he doesn’t face much persecution. “The Vietnamese government doesn’t don’t know we are missionaries, and we try to keep it that way. I have a legitimate and actual business platform representing an American company that does business in Vietnam. In fact, one of the biggest difficulties that I’ve had to overcome is the cultural barrier. I still miss snow, the Pennsylvania hills, and a cold Christmas. Although our American friends still love us, we are missing their lives, and they ours. We overcome all this by remembering that our real home is in Heaven, and it will be far greater than Pennsylvania. And all of our friends will be there!”

Despite these difficulties and obstacles, God is greatly blessing PC’s ministry. “Here is just one example of how God is working through us. My wife met a young man named Toan at a supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City (where we presently live). She invited Toan to study English with me, and I led him to Christ about 37 months ago. He has led 48 people to Christ already, is a certified Evangelism Explosion trainer, and wants to be a church planter in his home province.”

This type of ministry requires special and unique preparation. “I really appreciate the opportunities that my D.Min. studies at BBS have given me to continue deep studies in particular areas, and to be forced to study, to interact with other highly educated missionaries, pastors, and high quality faculty; I even enjoy the challenging assignments and projects. It's great!"

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