Beginning with the Vision of a Flock of Birds in Flight

號角月報加拿大版 二零二五年九月

I’ve always believed the church is full of well-educated Christians with great potential and talent, who play pivotal roles in society and have accumulated rich experience in their respective fields. How can we mobilize these believers to live out their faith and exert influence in the workplace? That question became the starting point of my ongoing exploration—and the driving force behind the growth of The Oaks.

The year I graduated from seminary coincided with the Asian financial crisis. Countless companies and shops were closing down, and the business environment had hit rock bottom. It was during this time that God brought seven Christian professionals from diverse backgrounds into my life. Together, we began to dream and asked a simple yet profound question: “How can we help small and medium-sized enterprises transform?” Because if these businesses couldn’t survive, the ripple effect would threaten the stability of society and families alike.

Could our professional expertise and faith values become a source of support and transformation? Yet more than asking “Can we do this?”, we were concerned with “Is this what God is calling us to do?” So we spent a full year waiting, praying, seeking, and discerning together

The Eight Founding Members of the Oaks

To my surprise, the following morning greeted me with an even more profound image: just as dawn broke, under the soft glow of morning light, I saw flocks of birds soaring out from the forest, flying toward the rising sun. In that moment, a memory surfaced—of the 1980s and 1990s, when groups of SMEs from Hong Kong ventured into mainland China to set up factories. Upon returning to Hong Kong, I shared this vision with the founding members and asked, “Could this be a sign of our calling to walk alongside these SMEs?”

Afterward, we continued to pray earnestly, asking God to reveal the vision, name, and mission He had for this ministry. In that season, God led me to Isaiah chapter 61—the very passage that records Jesus’ first sermon in the Gospel of Luke. Through it, we received a calling to co-labor with the Holy Spirit and to walk with those whom God Himself would renew and transform—so that they would be called “Oaks of Righteousness,” a people who, having experienced God’s transformation, would go on to reflect His glory.

These renewed individuals were not meant to remain in a state of personal change alone, but—as described in the latter part of the passage—to participate in rebuilding, to become servants and priests of God, and to bear witness to His kingdom within culture and society. Moved by the significance of this scripture, we named the organization “The Oaks,” with the hope of journeying alongside SME owners, doing what is right in God’s eyes, and inviting Him into their lives, businesses, marketplaces, and work.

25th Anniversary Celebration

Our initial enthusiasm and readiness to make a difference quickly gave way to the sobering reality that this was no ordinary financial crisis. He got straight to the point and asked if we could provide actual financial support. Summoning my courage, I replied, “Silver and gold I have none, but I have the name of Jesus—do you want that?” Upon hearing this, he nearly threw us out, feeling we were completely out of touch and unrealistic. In the end, we left empty-handed, carrying a sense of helplessness.

Yet that experience stirred something deeper in my heart. Though the issue appeared to be financial on the surface, could there be another way to approach it? I returned to speak with the business owner again, asking him to share the reasons behind his entrepreneurial journey, what money meant to him, and how his business connected with his faith. That opened the door to deeper conversations—about business, management, and the inner struggles he faced. Through these ongoing dialogues, I began to see areas in his management that could be adjusted, and realized that many of his values hadn’t yet been consciously examined.

Establishing The Oaks Ministry in Toronto

I also helped him gradually unpack and examine issues related to team leadership. Some ideas he had taken for granted needed to be re-evaluated through the lens of Scripture.

We’re grateful that God used this SME owner to teach us what real transformation means. Over time, we came to understand that a turnaround isn’t simply about financial support. If a person’s core values, mindset, and way of thinking remain unchanged, even with monetary aid, the same problems will inevitably resurface. The first step is to deeply understand their current situation, identify the root causes, and walk with them through a process of mental and spiritual renewal. This means going beyond conversations about faith to offer practical support—helping them examine their management, leadership, decision-making, and company culture. By providing a holistic understanding, we can offer meaningful analysis and guidance.

One day, I received a sudden phone call from him: “The creditors are at my door. I’m hiding in the factory restroom, calling you.” As I listened to his desperate plea, I prayed fervently in my heart. I said, “Can you take a deep breath, then come out and face them honestly? If it’s yes, say yes; if it’s no, say no. There’s no need to lie or hide. Tell them you truly don’t have the means right now, and ask if debt restructuring might be possible.”

At that time, his company was on the brink of collapse. He was even considering selling his home, and his wife was preparing to leave him. Their entire family life was about to be upended. Yet at the edge of despair, I witnessed God’s miraculous hand begin to move—the creditors agreed to pause their demands, the government was willing to renegotiate, and even offered to arrange a debt restructuring. Most astonishing of all, God provided an investor who joined as a shareholder, injecting urgently needed capital into the company.

When we met again recently, he told me he had retired. The company’s shares had been transferred to the employees, and he now mentors them from the sidelines, helping to sustain the business’s growth. I was deeply moved. A company once drowning in debt had come back to life—and could now be passed on. The grace of God is truly astounding. None of this could have been orchestrated by our own efforts. God used His ways, in His timing, to bring real provision and transformation.

Inspired by this first seed of transformation, we realized that if we wanted to bless more businesspeople, individual mentoring alone wouldn’t be sustainable. So we launched the “Breakfast Prayer Meeting” (PB), a collective space to share biblical teachings, enhance the quality of Scripture reading and prayer, and developed the Business and the Word (商與道) curriculum. Since 2003, we’ve created 192 lessons, all tailored to the Chinese cultural context and the realities of SMEs. These materials are available in Cantonese, Mandarin, traditional and simplified Chinese. They are not translations of foreign content, but original resources developed by The Oaks’ teaching team—rooted in a Chinese perspective to help entrepreneurs apply Scripture and live out missional business.

Their suggestion prompted me to reflect: Could it be that God also wants to plant a new seed in Toronto? While chatting with Pastor Edward Ng（吳欽亮傳道）, who has been involved in The Oaks ministry for many years, I casually mentioned, “Perhaps there’s an opportunity to expand into Toronto.” To my surprise, he replied, “I’m preparing to retire and move to Toronto!” That unexpected connection led us to seriously explore the possibility of developing a ministry for SMEs in Toronto.

Last year, I returned to Malaysia and quietly asked God, “If You still want The Oaks to continue, would You let me see the vision once more?” One day, I stayed in the hotel to take a scheduled call with Edward. During the conversation, I looked out through the large hotel window and saw a flock of birds flying directly toward the forest in front of me—just as vividly as the vision God gave me 25 years ago. In that moment, I was deeply assured: God’s calling for The Oaks has not changed. His vision continues—and is now crossing cities and borders.

Jane Kung