柯主恩(Pastor John Clark)牧師和師母年輕時回應上帝的感動，放棄留在美國配搭父親所牧會的教會服事機會，帶著3個年幼的孩子從美國來到台灣，全家住在窄小的房子裡，用教英文養活一家5口，在顛簸石子路面上騎著摩托車配搭其他宣教士的服事，也把握各樣的機會和人接觸傳福音。孩子們長大後各自回美國接受高等教育，他們夫妻仍留在台灣積極傳福音並教導基督徒認識主的法則。柯牧師曾經以基督信仰為我們教會的許多弟兄姊妹輔導諮商，激勵了好多慕道友接受主、信了主的弟兄姊妹更加信靠主。
我們教會最初進入第一堂每個月第一週雙語主日的安排，是由邀請柯牧師講道開始。當時，許多小組也紛紛邀請柯牧師去分享勉勵，個別的諮商約談更是邀約不斷，教會裡愛他的弟兄姊妹越來越多，我們好希望柯牧師能給我們教會更多的時間，但是，他的心不斷往台灣更弱小的教會去，也因此常有找不到能配搭翻譯的同工。幾次我去幫忙，看到柯牧師在人數那樣少的教會，仍揚聲揮動手臂，情詞迫切地鼓勵台下的許多年長者更認識上帝，在台上站他旁邊翻譯時，我總是會不禁哽咽，這是怎麼樣的愛主、愛人、積極要把神國的寶貴讓人知道的心呀？甚至之後的幾年，他婉拒我們教會的講道，把握任何可以進入屬靈教導相對缺乏的大陸的機會培訓牧者和宣教，難免遇過危險和旅費缺乏的處境，但是他總是以興奮的神情和語調敘述後來上帝的信實搭救和巧妙供應，大陸的信徒和牧者對他的教導的熱切，讓他對大陸的事工念茲在茲，直到身體漸漸不允許，留在台灣的時間開始多了些。
柯牧師在台灣將近30年的服事，他說，台灣是他的家，他不想離開台灣，可是，漸凍疾病讓他不得不回美國接受治療，同時也好讓柯師母就近有家人幫助她。之後，上帝安排他們西雅圖住處附近的火車路線重規畫，讓他們不得不賣掉房子另覓住處，他們也因此做了最快的決定，搬到美國的「聖經地帶」（Bible Belt），在那裡接受上帝為他們預備有好多基督徒幫助他們，時常有牧者來為他禱告，彼此兼顧信心，甚至輪班的看護者也是基督徒。2019年上帝恩待我，讓我有機會去探望他，其中一位年輕看護者告訴我，他自己曾是個出身基督家庭的浪子，能有機會服事柯牧師，就像是上帝給他的信仰培訓課，他近距離觀察這位主的僕人，看到柯牧師主僕人無偽的真信心和性情，非常震撼和感動。柯牧師每天仍是固定時間敬拜上帝、禱告、不發怨言、禮貌請求幫助、在說話費力的時期，仍熱切的用視訊或錄音勉勵遠方的弟兄姊妹。
感謝主，讓我們有幸認識這一位至死忠心、不以福音為恥的主僕人—柯主恩牧師。
P.S.柯牧師積極把他對上帝的認識、他所知道上帝對人的心意，寫在一本又一本的書裡，甚至製作CD，教會方舟書房有售，值得各位珍藏。上帝愛他。
A legacy bringing God’s message to the Earth
Pastor John Clark and his wife responded to the calling of God when they were young. They gave up the opportunity to pastor at Pastor John Clark’s father’s church and moved from U.S.A. to Taiwan with three young children. He supported his family of five with the job of teaching English, living in a samll house. He rode a scooter on bumpy, rocky roads and worked along other missionaries who served together. He took advantage of all kinds of opportunities to interact with people to share the gospel. After his children grew up, they returned to the U.S. to pursue higher education; Pastor John and his wife chose to stay in Taiwan and actively shared the gospel while teaching Christians to know God’s laws better. Pastor Clark provided counseling based on Christian faith to many brothers and sisters in Christ at our church. He also successfully urged many seekers to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. He encouraged those brothers and sisters in Christ who had already believed in the Lord to rely and depend on the Lord even more.
Our church first started once a month (first weekend of the month) bilingual worship service by inviting Pastor John Clark to come preach. At that time, many small groups at church started to invite Pastor Clark to go share with them and encourage them. He received constant invitations for individual counseling work. More and more brothers and sisters in Christ at church fell in love with Pastor Clark. We so wished that Pastor Clark would give our church more time and attention. However, his heart was drawn to smaller and weaker churches in Taiwan. Therefore, often times, he could not find a translator coworker for his preaching. There were a number of times that I went to help. I saw Pastor Clark raising his voice and waving his arms passionately and heartfeltly encouraging many elderly church goers to attempt getting to know God better in small churches with very few attendees. While I was standing next to him on stage translating, I had a hard time fighting back the tears. I thought about the deep love there was in Pastor Clark’s heart which he used to love the Lord and people while actively trying to make known God’s kingdom’s treasures! Furthermore, in the following years, Pastor Clark turned down the opportunities to preach at our church, so he could take hold of other opportunities to enter China, which lacked spiritual teaching. He went there in order to train pastors and to do missionary work. This work in China unavoidably led him into danger and a lack of financial resources for travel. Nevertheless, with excited expressions and tones of voices, he always described how God faithfully rescued him and incredibly provided for his needs. The earnestness toward his teaching of the Christian believers and pastors in China made him bear in mind the ministry in China constantly. It was not until his health gradually declined that he started to spend more time in Taiwan.
Pastor Clark served in Taiwan for nearly 30 years. He used to say that Taiwan was his home. He did not want to leave Taiwan. However, being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) resulted in him having to return to the U.S. for medical treatment against his will. Meanwhile, it provided Mrs. Clark with help from family nearby. After that, the Lord allowed a train route rearrangement to collide with the location of their residence in Seattle; which caused them to have to sell their home and seek another place to live. This led to their very quick decision to move to the Bible Belt of America. Moving there, God provided a good number of Christians to help them. Often, pastors came and prayed for him. Pastor Clark and other pastors were able to strengthen one another’s faith. Moreover, it turned out that even the nurse’s aides on shifts were Christians as well.
In 2019. the Lord graciously blessed me with an opportunity to visit Pastor Clark. One of his young nurse’s aides caring for him was born and raised in a Christian home but had become a prodigal previously. He told me that being blessed with the opportunity to minister to Pastor Clark was like attending a faith building course from God. He was able to observe this servant of the Lord closely and witnessed Pastor Clark, the servant of the Lord, with an authentic genuine faith and a similar disposition. He was highly astonished and touched. Every day, Pastor Clark regularly worshipped God and spent time in prayer. He didn’t complain but sought help cordially. Even when it was laborious for him to speak, he still enthusiastically utilized video conferencing or recordings to encourage brothers and sisters far away.
Praise the Lord for blessing me with knowing pastor John Clark, the servant of the Lord who was faithful to his death and was never ashamed of the gospel!
P.S. One book after another, Pastor Clark vigorously wrote about his understanding of God and his comprehension of God’s heart toward mankind. He even made it into CDs. The Ark Bookstore at our church sells his books and CDs. It is worthwhile to add them to your collection. God loves Pastor Clark!
Translated by Tiffany Kuo
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