Sabbatical months were a really precious time for me. I thank God and Hanmaum church for allowing me such opportunity. I know you have worked hard to fill the void while I was gone. It tears up my heart just to think about it. Some opened up the church doors for the early morning services. Some prepared the logistics for Sunday service. Some took care of the administrative works and prepared the family retreat. Some cleaned up the church and organized the church properties. Some welcomed the new comers. And all of you prayed for me and my family. Thank you for dedicating yourselves to serve Hanmaum church and Mokjangs. I offer my prayer of thankfulness to God for your good work.
The book of Acts 14:23, “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” This is the verse written by Paul and Barnabas when they left the church that they had started. Like they said, sometimes the absence of a pastor helps an individual or a church to grow spiritually. It motivates them to proactively seek God’s help and develop a hunger and a thirst for the living God. In China, after the missionaries were forced out and pastors got arrested and sent to prison, many churches moved to underground and grouped themselves as house churches. And this ignited the true spiritual revival in China. I have seen many times that the churches with vulnerabilities and lack of the pastoral leadership experience spiritual revival when they pray to thirst for God. Even though they look as though they are going through hardships and lacking spiritual leadership, God will pour them spiritual blessing if they are able to see the Lord through the troubling situations.
During the sabbatical months, I turned my attention to God and examined my current ministry and my current standing in the spiritual path. Did I establish a firm foothold as a servant of God? Am I a pivot that turns people around to seek God? Is my ministry heading into the right direction? What are the fruits from my ministry? I thank God for allowing me to reflect on my ministry before being critical on others. I hope that my weakness does not stumble you but is shown to you as a tunnel where the grace of God flows through.
Once again, I offer my ministry and Hanmaum church to God. I thank and praise God who never gives up on us and who values one soul more than the whole world.
From pastor Choi, Ji-Won