An Interview with Rev. Law by Alice Wu
Herald Monthly reporter Alice Wu visited Rev. Law in March of 2011:
Walking into the home of Rev. Joshua Law, I found that the spacious living room was filled with different musical instruments. I asked: “Pastor, you play all these instruments?” He laughed heartily, (I thought my question must be kind of stupid): “It’s all for fun!” Pastor Law said that he was obsessed with music since he was a child. He started playing the piano at the age of 12 but also self-taught different other instruments. In middle school at La Salle College, he played the violin at the school orchestra. In college, he played the cello, but his favorite instrument is the trumpet.
Rev. loves music since childhood, but at Baptist University in Hong Kong, his major was social work. In 1965, he obtained a diploma from the Royal College of Music, London and in the same year he founded and directed the Christian Choir at Hong Kong Baptist University. In 1967, he was awarded as the Champion of the Hong Kong Open Amateur Singing Competition, Classical Division, of Sing Tao Evening News and one of the many prices was to be given a study and student exchange trip to Europe. In 1968, he came to the States and was admitted into the Graduate School of Cal State, Los Angeles majoring in solo voice and choral conducting.
In 1972, Joshua Law felt called by God to be the music minister of Cumberland Chinese Presbyterian Church of San Francisco, being responsible for five choirs and a string orchestra. “The appointment was faith based, no salary was provided, but just a sheet music budget of $60 monthly.” Rev. Law said, “But the pastor sincerely believed that God will lead me to a university faculty position in San Francisco.” “That way, you could command respect from the church members.” The Senior Pastor said. That was a premonition which soon miraculously came true!! Rev. Law continued, “But in fact, I had no confidence at all to be hired as a music professor. So I bargained with the Lord, stipulated that God would help me find any job within six visits from Los Angeles to San Francisco.” Disappointingly, after six visits to San Francisco, Rev. Law was not able to find any job! “So I decided to go back to Los Angeles. But while filling gas, I met a stranger at the gas station who recommended to me that the music department of the City College of San Francisco (CCSF) was hiring an East Asian Music teacher.” With no other resources, Rev. Law went for the interviews. As Rev. Law expected, after three interviews, he was not hired. However, God’s ways are not like our ways. Within two weeks after returning to Los Angeles, he was miraculously hired as a vocal, choir and East Asian music lecturer at City College of San Francisco because of the sudden unexpected resignation of the choir and voice professor. God’s calling was confirmed!! “That was a clear sign of God’s calling me into the ministry” Rev. Law said. He began teaching choir, voice and East Asian Music.
In 1975, the Music Department of the City College provided a tenured position to Rev. Law, but he did not accept it. “Though it was tempting, but at that time, I was determined to respond to God’s call and I decided to enter Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary to study the Master of Divinity program to prepare myself for pastoral ministry.” After graduation, Rev. Law started to serve in Churches as Pastor of Worship and taught in four different theological seminaries for courses in Christian Worship, Sotereology, Ecclesiology and Pneumatology. In 1984, he was ordained into the ministry. In 1989, City College once again invited him to try the tenured professor’s position. After serious prayers, Joshua decided to apply for the position aiming to minister at CCSF using his gifts of evangelism at his work. Through his engagement with students, people can see God’s work in his life and he could lead people to know the Lord Jesus!
The gift and experience of Rev. Law gave him many opportunities to lead worship and perform in concerts. In the eyes of man, he is an accomplished person, but in the eyes of God, he is an obedient servant. In 2009, Rev. Law took an early retirement to commit to the ministry. In recent years, in addition to being invited to preach, he mainly led music training and taught vocal music.
“I have dedicated my life in teaching music and leading worship. It is also the most enjoyable work for me. Thank God, He still allows me enough physical strength to serve.”