New Covenant Fellowship Church Jamie Kim's Column

Ready for Another Adventure

NCFC — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:00:59 -0500

Time is flying!
It feels like it was only yesterday when we were all enraptured by the 2011 Early Morning Prayer Campaign. We sure did experience something special. And we knew that God was preparing us for the task ahead of us, even though we had little knowledge of exactly what. In hindsight, though, we are glad He did. And we’re also glad that we obeyed.
Now, it is time again to prepare for the 2012 EMP Campaign. This year’s campaign is, in a sense, more crucial than last year’s because we have to meet or surpass last year’s success. And also this year’s campaign is no less significant than last year’s.
As many of you have experienced in the past, 40 day is by no means a short time. It is a lengthy endeavor. To battle the temptation of getting more sleep each morning and force you to wake up and get out of the bed and drive out to the church is no small sacrifice. But the benefit of it and the sense of victory and doing something special together as a community of believers are surely worthy achievements in themselves.
This year’s campaign will begin with Ash Wednesday on February 22 and end on the Saturday before the Easter on April 7. We will meet every day at 5 am except on Saturday. On Saturday we will begin at 6am. Unlike last year, however, we will not meet on Sundays.
Since we have gone through this many times already, I don’t have to stress the importance of preparation. You do have to prepare in advance in order to participate and take full advantage of this special occasion.
First, you have to pray. Pray together with your spouse about how you should participate as a couple. For those of you with children, you must discuss and decide who should go and on what days. The best thing to do is to alternate between the two of you. And the other person can participate through the internet broadcast that will be available real time.
Second, you have to decide in advance how this is going to affect your daily schedule. No doubt for those of you who are not used to this kind of grueling schedule, you have to make certain changes in your daily activity during this period. You cannot simply start with your desire. If you do that in most cases, you will likely not be able to last to the end. You must approach this with a clear tactic. You must remember that this is a spiritual battle that the enemy does not want you to succeed in. He will throw every obstacle available at his disposal at you to make you fail.
Third, no matter what you do, you have to go to sleep early. Since it is happening during the season of Lent, it might be a good idea to fast from certain activities or entertainment that you enjoy or take for granted anyway. As a family, you might want to enter into a covenant or an agreement that you will abstain from certain evening activities that you enjoy and instead do more spiritual activities like praying or reading the Bible together instead of watching television for instance. However, getting enough sleep is the most vital discipline, so try to go to sleep as early as possible.
But most of all, pray that God will meet us every day. Wouldn’t it be an empty exercise of futility if we go through all this effort and yet fail to see God? I’m confident that that will not be the case. I’m confident that God will meet us every day. But it doesn’t hurt that we pray fervently and passionately as we prepare ourselves that He will embrace us each time with a timely message and revelation.
May our life change once again through this campaign! May the people of God encounter the Great I Am as Moses and His congregation did time and time again as they assembled at the mount of God! I hope to see you there.

From The Senior Pastor’s Heart
February 5, 2012

God’s Amazing Provision

NCFC — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:31:11 -0500

We had our annual Fasting Retreat for Korean congregation last week. With over 300 people in attendance, we had a fabulous time. God showed up and we all drank from His wonderful fountain of grace and were touched mightily. At the retreat, I explained in detail what our theme for this year, “Just Imagine!” means. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” and that is our prayer and hope this year as we get ready to serve him in a powerful
way.

First, whatever we do or accomplish this year, we realize that it is ultimately God who is able. It is not us who will make our endeavor possible. But instead it is, and will always be, God who will make it possible. He and only He is able. So we will continuously and consciously depend on him throughout the year.

Secondly, however, we should remember that that power and ability to do God’s work is already at work within us! When we go about God’s work as He prompts us to do, He will supply the strength and power to accomplish the work. He will never withhold His resources. It is already at work within us. Just imagine that! We don’t have to merit or strive. We just need to trust and depend on Him. Then He will take care of the rest.

Thirdly, we should remember, at the same time, that He will always surpass our expectations. He will not only listen to our prayers or respond to our requests, but He will surprise us by giving us immeasurably more than we ask or imagine! Hallelujah!
So, imagine this year. Ask this year. And as you do, you should also remember that God’s promise to you is to surprise you by giving you more than you asked.
There is much work to be done this year. As I have shared many times already, we will send out 8 units this year alone to overseas missions. And in order to do that we need a lot of financial resources along with other resources. Therefore we should look to God to supply and meet our needs.
But something funny happened along the way. It’s not something that we planned or anticipated, but nonetheless divine, I must say.
Several pastors have resigned in both English and Korean congregations. For instance Pastor David resigned to go to Thailand; Pastor Josh resigned to go back to teaching, and two other pastors from Korean congregation also resigned for personal reasons. It wasn’t in our plan but it happened. And as I ponder I must confess I feel like God is in this.
So I decided not to immediately replace these men. Instead, we will ask other pastors to work a little more and stretch themselves. And also, fortunately for us, we have so many lay people who are not only capable to do the job but more than willing to do the job. So, we will also ask them to step up and help us in this time of great need. In this way we will save a lot of money. And that money can be used to send out all these missionaries that we will send out this year. Isn’t that just amazing? I knew God would provide but I didn’t know that He would respond so quickly. How can you not love someone like that, I ask you?
So, please encourage your pastors for the next leg of this journey because they will be working harder than any other time. Also pray for us without ceasing because we will need it. But we all consider this our joy because we are doing this for the One who loves us.
Are you getting ready for English congregation Fasting Retreat? I hope you are. I hope you will not only attend and participate but also begin praying now with specific prayer requests, because we all know that God will certainly show up as He has done in the past 20 years. I hope to see you there.

From The Senior Pastor’s Heart

January 29, 2012

A Curious Question

NCFC — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:31:09 -0500

For those of you who follow politics these are very interesting days, especially if you have been following the Republican primaries. It’s been a rollercoaster ride for many of the Republican presidential candidates. There have been many winners and losers following the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary.
This week, the candidates will face each other in the South Carolina Primary and then the very important, if not decisive, Florida Primary at the end of this month. Throughout the primary season, there has been one candidate that has remained at the top of the polls nearly all season: Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts.
He ran in the primary last time in 2008 before he bowed out, losing to John McCain (who later that year became the Republican candidate for President). Governor Romney has had a very illustrious career as a politician as well as a successful businessman. Much of the ultra-conservative wing of the party does not like him, but he had a commanding lead among the party establishment and looked like a sure bet to capture the Republican nomination—that is, until this week.
The pundits, as well as other candidates, have been questioning his career as a venture capitalist. He started and ran a venture capital company called Bain Capital. The company was a huge success. It helped many well-known companies—like Staples, for example—by providing the initial money they needed to start up. Without venture capitalists, many companies familiar to us today would not have been able to get off the ground because they lacked funds. People who are willing to risk their hard-earned money to invest in other people’s ideas is what makes a capitalistic society like ours work, if not thrive. If you have a good idea but don’t have the money, you need people or companies like these to help you out: first by believing in your idea or product, and furthermore by putting their money where their mouth is. If you become successful through the process, then they reap the benefit of your success. But if you fail, they will lose all the money they invested.
But this week, Romney’s career as a venture capitalist came under scrutiny, not because of what he had done, but because of the taxes he paid on his capital gains. Unlike income tax, which is progressive, meaning that the more you make the higher percentage of tax you pay, capital gains tax is flat at 15%. If you are in the highest income bracket, you would pay 35% of your income as your income tax. But on your capital gains, you would only pay 15%, no matter how much you made.
There is a reason for this. First, when people invest money, they invest out of income that they’ve already paid their income tax on. So, the reasoning goes, for fairness sake, you don’t want to be taxed an enormous amount on profit you’ve made from money you’ve already paid taxes on. Second, investors are assuming risks when they invest. Of course, shrewd investors will do their due diligence and avoid unnecessary risks, but there is no fail-proof investment. In fact, people lose on their investments all the time. The last several years have demonstrated this painful truth. So, in order to encourage people to invest, instead of holding onto their savings, the government gives tax incentives. It’s perfectly legal. But times are different. People don’t look favorably on people who either work for these investment banks or make money from capital gains. It’s not that Romney has done anything wrong, necessarily. It’s just that people’s sentiments are different these days.
I read in the Korean newspaper this week of a grandmother who donated all her savings to help children get an education in Uganda. It totaled about $100,000. You might say that’s not a lot of money. But this lady worked all her life as a maid, raising her only daughter as a single mom after her husband passed away 40 years ago. It’s her entire life’s savings, which she simply gave away.
I wonder what would be said of Mr. Romney—whose personal wealth is estimated to be $500 million—if he had chosen to give away a good chunk of it like that grandmother did. He didn’t even have to give all of it away. Maybe he could have kept $10 or $50 million. Who cares! But what an inspiration it could have been. Then he wouldn’t find himself in his position today, trying to explain why he is worthy of our respect and our vote. Go figure!

From The Senior Pastor’s Heart
January 22, 2012

Make the Most of Every Opportunity!

NCFC — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:17:23 -0500

Happy (relatively) New Year to all of you! Are you keeping up with your New Year’s resolutions so far? I have to confess that I didn’t even make any resolutions this year. I’ve lived long enough to realize that resolutions do not improve my life, but convictions keep me in alignment with God’s will each day. Or maybe I am simply too lazy or have a fear of failure! Whether you have specific resolutions for the New Year or not, I hope that at minimum you keep up with your daily prayer and reading of God’s Word for Him to guide you throughout the year.
I couldn’t help but smile as I read Pastor Brian’s column last week. He said 2012 was going to be a very special year for him because he is turning 30 this year. As I read his column, I was reminded of a faded photo of my 30th birthday celebration with my family – Daniel, a cute preschooler back then, and Stacey, a chubby baby - with a simple birthday cake and a dozen roses. I am sure the roses were an attempt from my husband, Elder Frank, to comfort me as I officially joined the old wives (aka ‘ahjumma’) club. That feels like just yesterday, yet it’s been two decades since then, and I am reaching a rather significant milestone this year as I turn 50! Yes, it’s shocking to associate myself with the number 50, but I am sure I’ll soon get used to it. In addition, my husband and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in April. So if you hear about Elder Frank taking me to Hawaii (hint hint), you know why. Yes, it will be another attempt by Elder Frank to comfort me as I join the grandmothers (aka ‘halmoni’) club. Actually we’ve always wanted to visit Missionaries Chongho and Kris Won, who are serving at the YWAM Kona base. So if we do go, it will be like killing two birds with one stone. Now you understand why I had to smile when Pastor Brian was all reminiscent about turning 30! In all seriousness, however, I do wholeheartedly agree that God has been gracious to Pastor Brian, allowing him to accomplish a lot in his 20’s. I am sure he will look back to his 30’s with just as much gratitude 10 years from now.
I know it’s a cliché, but time does indeed fly by fast. Yes, I know you’ve heard it many times, and that’s what ‘old’ people are supposed to say, but it is true. I thought I would be young forever, just like many of you think, but now I realize I have probably lived two thirds of my life already. The past 50 years, which may sound like an eternity to some of you, went by in a blink of an eye, and the remaining years will go by even faster. Soon I will be standing before the Lord, having to give an account of my time on the earth. And with that realization the urgency comes, the urgency to not waste time, to make the most of every opportunity God gives me during my remaining days.
What does making the most of every opportunity look like? Working harder? Never taking a break to enjoy life? Seeking professional counsel? The answer is given in Ephesians 5:15-17, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Making the most of every opportunity above all else begins with understanding God’s will. No matter how successful you may be in the eyes of the world, you are a fool wasting your life away if you are not living according to God’s will for your life. And do not let the enemy deceive you into thinking that you have lots of time, that you can start once you finish school, get your career established, get married, have children, retire, etc. Before you know it, you too will be celebrating your 50th, 60th, or even 100th birthday. Will it be a celebration filled with much regret or joy? You have the power to determine the outcome. Be wise in how you exercise that power. Do not procrastinate; start today.

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
January 15, 2012

The Beginning of a New Chapter

NCFC — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:53:53 -0500

The new year, 2012, is a very special year for me because of many reasons. First of all, I will be turning 30 in about a month. Many of you will agree that the 30th birthday is a very special one for many people. For me personally, I’ve been looking forward to this year ever since I was in college. In one of the seminary classes I took, I remember drawing a timeline of my life. Since I was still in my early 20’s at that time, there were so many plans and wishes I wrote down for my late 20’s but nothing much after the 30 year mark because I thought it was just too far down the road. Therefore I am somewhat scared and excited at the same time for my life in my 30s.
God has been very faithful to allow me to accomplish so much in my 20s. No I am not boasting about how successful I am in the worldly sense. My wife and I barely manage to pay monthly bills with our income. However, God has blessed me with a great family as I am a proud husband to a beautiful wife and a father to two of the most wonderful kids. As far as my parents are concerned, they don’t care about what degree I have or how much money I make, they are just very happy and pleased to see me enjoying my life and ministry with a wonderful family, not to mention how much they love spending time with their beloved grandchildren. My father often tells me how proud he is of me and my wife. As a middle child growing up with so much insecurity trying to please everyone…my father’s words mean a lot to me.
And now as I look forward, I can’t wait to see and experience what God has in store for me and my family for this year. We will be going through some major changes as a family. My brother, who’s been living with my parents and helping them with their business, will be leaving to go to Korea for a couple years for his first assignment as a US Army officer. So my parents will move in with us in a couple months as soon as their business is sold. Please pray for our family that everyone will adapt well to all the changes that will take place.
By the way, I wanted to thank everyone who helped out with the Timothy Winter Retreat. God never fails to amaze us, doesn’t he? I would like to thank P. Mark, P. Sara, all the counselors, pastoral staff, parents, and especially to Mrs. Lee for her love and sacrifice for the young people.

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
January 8, 2012

Happy New Year, Everyone!

NCFC — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 13:11:33 -0500

Happy New Year, Everyone!

May the Lord bless you and your family richly as you seek to serve Him in 2012! I hope you are determined to live the audacious life that I preached about through the ‘Radical” series in 2012. And in order to facilitate this I suggest you follow the recommendations below.
First, try to read through the Bible this year. Through one survey after another we are finding out that Christians don’t read the Bible on a regular basis. I know, however, many of you are an exception to this rule. Many of you, in fact, are in the habit of reading the Bible regularly. However, I do want to challenge you to make a decision to read through the entire Bible in one year. Many in our congregation use the M’Cheyne Bible reading method. It is just one of many ways. You don’t have to follow this method. But find a method that fits you and be faithful to it. There is nothing like reading the Bible every day and learning to grow from it.
Second, try to pray for every nation this year. I learned of a very useful tool for this many years ago when I was studying at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary through a mentor of mine who used to be a missionary in Afghanistan before he was expelled from that country. He introduced an excellent book called Operation World by Patrick Johnston to his students. It’s a book that has all the relevant information concerning each country. It tells you what the current issues and needs are as you pray for them. After 30 years of neglect, I was reminded of this wonderful tool once again when I read Radical by David Platt. So, I made the resolution to go back to the practice of using the book to pray for every nation this year. As I do so, I will encourage you to do the same.
Third, pray at least 30 minutes a day this year. I know most of us struggle with our prayer life. It’s never easy and it will never get easy. But we sure can improve. So, I urge you to make a determination to stay faithful this year and pray at least 30 minutes a day. Remember you will not see a major breakthrough in your life until you have a breakthrough in your prayer life.
Fourth, try to join a short-term missions team this year. If you are not ready for this year, then make a plan to do so at least in the next three years. More than anything else, short-term missions awakes us to the dire needs of sharing the gospel. It will wake you up and help get you excited about what you can do.
Fifth, try to increase your giving by 10% from last year. It means, for instance, if you gave 10% of your income last year, try to give 11% this year. That means if you gave $500 last year, then try to increase that amount by $50 and give $550 this year. It will increase your faith and also allow God to bless you at the same time. You will learn how God can supply all your needs as you step up to honor God. By the way if you really want to do something outrageous, make a decision to increase by 1% every year for the next ten years. Then in ten years if you gave 10% last year, you will find yourself giving 20% of your income for the Kingdom of God.
Lastly, this year’s theme is, “Just Imagine!” So just imagine what you can become and also what you can do this year as you surrender all your decisions to God and begin a new journey in Christ. The Apostle Paul said in his prayer for the Ephesian Church, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21)
So, just imagine what God can do for you and with you, and through you! Happy New Year!

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
January 1, 2012

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

NCFC — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 13:35:01 -0500

I want to thank everyone who made this year’s Christmas celebrations so joyous and meaningful for the community of believers at New Covenant Fellowship Church. We sometimes take all your efforts for granted, all the time you devote to the practice, especially for the children. Many teachers and pastors spend countless number of hours teaching and rehearsing, so one day, when they grow up, they will remember with fond memories.
Adults have spent many hours preparing, too. They serve because they love to sing or play an instrument. But it is also because they love to do it with other people. Somehow, things sound and look better when you do it in concert with other people: Making music together as the Bible encourages us.
We will celebrate the coming of the New Year next week. What kind of New Year’s resolution are you contemplating? Do you sense God is asking you do something exciting next year? Or perhaps like me, you plan to continue to push forward in what you’ve been working on this year? I’m confident that whatever the case might be it will be exciting if it is what God is asking us to do.
I imagine, just like any other year, He has something special in store for us next year for He has yet failed to surprise us in the past. So we begin the New Year with a quiet anticipation like children searching for their Christmas presents.
I want to encourage you again as I do every year to spend some time together as a family to pray and look forward to the coming of the new year. You might want to sit down and discuss, as well as share each other’s plans and resolutions for the New Year. You might even want to follow up with praying together so that our dreams can come true for the Bible says, “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.” (Prov. 16:1) It also says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” (Prov. 16:2) Finally, it says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
So, enjoy the coming days and be blessed. God will certainly be glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
December 25, 2011

It’s a Battleship

NCFC — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:19:57 -0500

The Radical Christianity series will come to an end today. But we should never sway from its central message, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35)
It is true, as I said before, that many well-meaning Christians have bought into the ‘American dream’ as if that is the gospel way. Too many Christians are following the worldly lifestyle that is quite contrary from the biblical mandate. We pursue “things” of this world, rather than He who gave us all things. We have allowed the “things” of this world to blind our eyes from pursuing the “things” of God.
This Christmas time should cause us to reawaken to the gospel mandate, and the gospel value system, and the gospel lifestyle once again.
Here is a story told by David Platt in his book, Radical.
“In the late 1940s, the United States government commissioned William Francis Gibbs to work with United States Lines to construct an eighty-million-dollar carrier for the navy. The purpose was to design a ship that could speedily carry fifteen thousand troops during times of war. By 1952, construction on the SS United States was complete. The ship could travel at forth-four knots (about fifty-one miles an hour), and she could steam ten thousand miles without stopping for fuel or supplies. She could outrun any other ship and travel nonstop anywhere in the world in less than ten days. The SS United States was the fastest and the most reliable troop carrier in the world.
The only catch is, she never carried troops, at least not in any official capacity. The ship was put on standby once during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, but otherwise she was never used in all her capacity by the U.S. Navy.
Instead the SS United States became a luxury liner for the presidents, heads of states, and a variety of other celebrities who traveled on her during her seventeen years of service. As a luxury liner, she couldn’t carry fifteen thousand people. Instead she could house just under two thousand passengers. Those passengers could enjoy the luxuries of 695 staterooms, 4 dining saloons, 3 bars, 2 theaters, 5 acres of open deck with a heated pool, 19 elevators, and the comfort of the fully air-conditioned passenger ship. Instead of a vessel used for battle during war time, the SS United Sates became a means of indulgence for wealthy patrons who desired to coast peacefully across the Atlantic.”
The church has been designed for battle. The purpose of the church is to make disciples and mobilize them to accomplish a mission, i.e. to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Yet we seem to have organized ourselves, not to engage in battle for the souls of the peoples around the world, but to indulge ourselves in the peaceful comforts of the world.
So I say to you, “It’s about high time that we wake up and obey Christ!” We will not continue to allow ourselves to be spoiled by the lap of luxury. But instead, we will rise up to meet the challenges of our time. We face a world with 4.5 billion people who are in danger of going to hell. And we will not let that happen if we can help. That’s what Radical Christianity is all about.

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
December 18, 2011

Farewell 2011

NCFC — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 13:06:04 -0500

Can you believe 2011 is just about all gone? Wow, I cannot believe another year has just passed me by so fast; it’s leaving me utterly confused.
The Apostle Paul reminded us that we should be very careful how we live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil (Eph. 5:15-16). How precise and timely these admonishments are!
We often tend to forgo our opportunities instead of seizing them because there are so many “evil” distractions. We sometimes, not always, waste much of our precious time doing things that are neither important nor meaningful, especially from the Kingdom’s point of view. And that usually brings much regret around this time of the year.
How have you managed your time this year? Were you a good steward of your time? Did you strive to do the first things first? Did you schedule things according to the importance of your priority or, without much conscious thought did you allow urgent matters to dictate your schedule, thereby falling into the trap of the vicious cycle of not having a handle on your time?
The greatest man in the Bible, Moses, prayed, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12). How sound his prayer is to us!
What God-given opportunities did you forgo this year because you weren’t prepared in advance? Or, what opportunities were you able to seize when they were presented before you and made something wonderful out of them? These big and small opportunities, when we use them properly and timely, can be the most rewarding thing you can do for yourself, as well as for those around you.
You can make someone’s day brighter, more hopeful, encouraging, and fun. Or sometimes you can even change someone else’s life. It all depends on what you do with the opportunities God gives you on a daily basis.
So, in the coming year, let’s laugh a little more, hope a little more, love a little more, be grateful a little more, be kind a little more, share a little more, and encourage one another a little more for that is the will of God for us in Jesus Christ.
These are a few practical things Paul suggested for us in I Thess. 5:12-18:

1. Respect those who are over you.
2. Live in peace with one another.
3. Warn those who are lazy and idle.
4. Be patient with everyone.
5. Try to be kind with everyone.
6. Be joyful always.
7. Pray continually.
8. Give thanks in all circumstances.

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
December 11, 2011

A Daunting Task

NCFC — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 13:04:33 -0500

Some people in the Bible have had daunting tasks before them: Moses before the Red Sea, Nehemiah before the fallen walls of Jerusalem, Esther before the planned annihilation of the Jews, Paul before the angry crowd, etc. But they all share one thing in common: They don’t give up, no matter what the circumstances or challenges.
Colonel George Washington Goethals, the man responsible for the completion of the Panama Canal, had big problems with the climate and the geography. But his biggest challenge was the growing criticism back home from those who predicted he’d never finish the project.
Finally, a colleague asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer these critics?” “In time,” answered Goethals. “When?” his partner asked. “When the canal is finished.”
Such should be our response sometimes to those critics and doubters around us as we face the daunting task of preaching the Gospel to the ends of the earth before Jesus Christ returns. Naysayers will remind us that that will take time. Some will say that we don’t have the personnel or the resources to achieve that goal. Some might even remind us that we don’t have what it takes to complete the task, namely courage.
But we will not respond to them directly. Instead, we will just continue to believe and obey. We know that one day we will be able to respond, when the task is done!
The two books I’ve read, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt and The Radical Disciple by John Stott really challenged me to preach what I have been preaching these last few weeks. And the response has been largely positive.
That’s good news because I was cautious that some people might take it the wrong way and misunderstand my intention. But the more I think about it I realize how ludicrous that sounds. Worry about people’s responses?
Jesus never worried about people’s responses. Nor was He ever reluctant to challenge them with hard sayings because He was afraid of what people might think. But here I was, worrying about them.
Besides, what is so radical about Christianity that we didn’t know before? I mean, even we have to admit that this is crazy in one sense. “A radical disciple?” Is there any other kind? You mean you can actually claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and yet excuse yourself from becoming radical? I don’t think so. At least, I hope not!
Whether we agree or not, the moment we were born again we were invited to a life and therefore a life-style of someone “radical.” The question is, “How faithful and true we are to that unique and awesome calling?”

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
December 4, 2011

Failed Leadership

NCFC — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:12:03 -0500

I watched with great dismay this week, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one, the failure of leadership in our Congress. The so-called “super committee” that was entrusted with the task of trimming 1.2 trillion dollars from the national budget failed to come up with a recommendation by the deadline that they had set for themselves.
It is totally disappointing to watch this nation go into a vacuum of leadership. No one, including our President, seems to want to step up and lead this nation from the emerging economic disaster. Our elected officials are more interested in preserving their chance of re-election for the next term, burrowing deeper into their respective polemical views everyday instead of leading the nation bravely in a time of crisis. Their lack of courage makes me sick to my stomach.
I grieve for the nation. I grieve for the next generation. Because we fail to act, the next generation will be saddled with a national debt that is unfair for them to assume. This is not right. Our country deserves better. All we can do now is throw them out and elect new leaders who will truly lead with the best interest of the country in mind, not theirs.
One of the reasons leaders often fail to lead is because their work becomes a popularity contest. They want to be popular, and there is nothing inherently wrong with that. After all, that’s how they get elected in the first place. But at times of national crisis, the people expect them to put aside their self-interests and serve the nation, even if it means they are “unpopular” and may forfeit re-election. That’s what leaders are supposed to do. That’s what leaders are expected to do.
I go through various emotional rollercoaster rides these days myself. One day, I am confident that I’m doing the right thing by preaching the uncompromising, radical call to the Gospel. However, the next day I battle with the fear of alienating some people by coming out so strong.
But I take that risk. I take it because that’s the reality and the price of leadership. Leadership by nature is lonely, because you will never satisfy everyone. That’s impossible. So whenever you make a decision, and especially an unpopular decision, you know you are going to face some opposition.
I hope the national leaders understand this, because even someone as unimportant as I am does. I’m not here to be popular. I’m here to be prophetic and say “Thus saith the Lord,” just like in ancient times!

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
November 27, 2011

Reflecting and Remembering

NCFC — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:23:03 -0500

On my trip to Mexico this past week, I read about two men that are famous these days for different reasons, but these books just recently came out. One is on Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, entitled quite appropriately, Steve Jobs, and the other is on President Obama by Ron Suskind, entitled, Confidence Men.
As most of you know, both are very accomplished writers and therefore reading these books were quite a pleasure. I find it to be always intriguing to read about important people of the day, whether they are our contemporaries or people who lived long ago for there are a lot of lessons we can learn from them.
Both Obama and Jobs overcame insurmountable difficulties in life. Their upbringing wasn’t what we would call “ideal.” They, however, not only overcame but through the overcoming of difficulties, both became men who are inspirational for many young people of next generation.
Unlike President Obama, Steve Jobs is already dead which means we pretty much know how history will judge him. I believe history will be very generous to him. He is already canonized as one of the heroes of the 20th century whose life’s endeavor has and will continue to benefit mankind. It’s not clear, however, how history will judge President Obama. He has already made history as the first black President. That in itself is a fantastic accomplishment. But how he will fare compared to other presidents as a president in office will not be judged for at least another year and perhaps many more years to come.
Presidents are regularly judged and re-judged after decades and perhaps centuries by politicians and historians and students of history and politics. Their accomplishments are interpreted and re-interpreted long after their terms in office for various reasons. So, the answer to the question of how effective President Obama has been will have to wait. The verdict could be widely varied.
How about our lives? How will history judge us? More importantly, how will our families and God judge us?
November is the month of Thanksgiving and harvest. It forces us to reflect on our lives and find how our soul is. Is your soul well with you? Will you find enough time to be introspective? Will you engage in more of the “soul searching” journey? I hope so, because it will be good for your soul.
Remember the blessings and don’t forget to thank God. Remember the kind acts that people have shown you and don’t forget to thank them. Remembering and thanking are good disciplines that will keep you happy and content.
By the way, thanks are in order because your generous gifts for the Pastors’ Appreciation Month made this week’s trip to Mexico possible for the pastors. We really enjoyed it!

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
November 13, 2011

Do Us a Favor When You Leave

NCFC — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:58:28 -0500

How long did I say I’ve been a pastor? It’s been almost 30 years since my ordination. And during this time, I have experienced just about everything that other pastors talk about from their experiences in pastoral ministry, both the joy and the sorrow. Obviously, the joy has to do with watching people come to a new relationship with God and grow to become mature, fully devoted followers of Christ. However, on the other hand, the sorrow has to do with watching people who were once committed walk away from God or walk away from their commitment and become lukewarm Christians.
But there is, what I would call, an in-between: People leaving for another church. Fortunately our church has never experienced a church split which is so common in most churches. Just like any other relationship, church families sometimes go through different stages in the life cycle. It’s almost like marriage. When you first fall in love and get married, it feels like this marriage is made in heaven. You are so infatuated with one another; you feel like you could never fall out of love or grow cold. But many successful husbands and wives as well as failed ones will tell you that eventually, most of us will go through stages that will test the relationship. And quite frequently they will tell you that the only way to overcome this stage is to redouble your commitment and find ways to grow together. In other words, you must grow out of it, not quit and start over with someone else. And if you do, then your marriage will, in all likelihood, not only survive but even thrive as a result of your hard work. Likewise, if you want to have a happy church experience, you have to grow together.
The church I went to in Southern California last week to speak at, openly courted me in 2002 to become its next pastor. In fact, there were newspaper articles saying that I was the new senior pastor. But obviously I didn’t go. I would be a liar if I said I didn’t even remotely consider the possibility, because I did, but only for a brief moment. Even after their elders came to visit me here, my answer was a clear no. It wasn’t a difficult choice, however, because my mind was made up long before we started NCFC. I am committed for life. And I have never looked back on that decision. By the way, that church is the largest Korean American church, with 7,000 attendees, about 4 times as big as our church, so I guess you might say it was tempting.
But I’m glad I stayed and I hope you are glad I stayed, because I stayed for you. I had you on my mind when I decided to stay. I mean, I wanted to see you young people grow up to be strong men and women of faith, and I wanted to see you young parents one day become leaders of this church, and you, who are getting old alongside me, to have the joy of finishing something we started. I feel we are well on our way and I’m so glad I stayed.
However, in the meantime, some people left our church to go to other churches. Some pastors who used to work here started their own churches around this area. Pastor Steve Chong, who invited me to speak, was one such young man. He came to the Lord through me and went into ministry as a result of my influence. He served at our church until 1999 and left to start his own church, first in California and then back here in Washington. But neither was successful. Then he went to the church I’ve been talking about and became its English lead pastor. I was so happy to finally see him become successful. I was glad he finally left his own familiar surrounding and proved to himself that he is capable. He told me he wanted to become successful so I would be proud of him. And he certainly did. But other young pastors who left us and started their own church around here have not been so fortunate. It always saddens me that they chose to stay here because they had people they knew and could easily rely on them, instead of taking bold risks and venturing out to the wider sea.
So, in the last 20 years, many people have left us to go to other churches. I’ve always given them my blessing. But I fear that most are not doing well after they left us. So, my challenge for them is to find a healthy and vibrant community and make a commitment to stay. I know it’s not easy and it takes a lot of work, but let me tell you, it’s worth it!

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
November 6, 2011

Reflections from the Young Adults Retreat

NCFC — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:02:05 -0500

The first weekend of October I had the privilege of spending a couple of beautiful autumn days with the young (and some not so young) adults of NCFC at the annual YA Retreat held at Camp Joy-El in Greencastle, PA. Of all the retreats I have attended or spoken at, the Young Adults Retreat is by far the most enjoyable and relaxing because unlike the Promiseland Children’s Retreat, I don’t have to worry about being awoken in the middle of the night because someone threw up in her bed or rushing someone to a nearby hospital because of an allergic reaction to food he ate because he “forgot.” And unlike the Timothy Retreat, I can actually sleep at night without worrying about who might sneak out of their room in the middle of the night to do only God knows what. And because many of the Timothy students are at the retreat against their will by parents who desperately want them to be ‘zapped’ by the Holy Spirit and transformed into obedient, Spirit-filled children, they shamelessly let the speaker know that they don’t want to be there and don’t want to listen to him. It can totally devastate the speaker. On the contrary the young adults, for the most part, come to the retreat by their own volition and as such, actually pay attention and show genuine enthusiasm in what God has to say to them through the speaker. That really encourages the speaker.
I do not consider myself a ‘retreat junkie,’ but I do believe in the importance of it; it’s like having your spiritual engine realigned and fine-tuned. For those of us who live in the great(est) state of Virginia, we are mandated to have each car pass an annual safety inspection that checks crash avoidance mechanisms such as brakes, steering, lights, mirrors, etc. for the obvious purpose of reducing accidents and injuries. Even though the process is inconvenient, time consuming, and annoying at times, it can literally save lives. Likewise, we need to, at regular intervals, stop driving at full speed in this journey called life and bring ourselves under the probing light of the Holy Spirit to detect any warning signs and let the Master Mechanic, Jesus Christ, realign our values, attitudes, and priorities with His.
I came away from the retreat with a sense of relief and gratitude that the young adults of NCFC are ready to have the baton of faith passed onto them and run the remaining race well. Not only were they extremely well organized, creative, and capable, but more importantly they exhibited such maturity and integrity in how they treated one another. I witnessed genuine brotherly (and sisterly) love in Christ and respect for one another. And their passion for Christ expressed in the heartfelt, Spirit-filled worship blew me away. I don’t think I was where many of them are spiritually when I was their age, and I was so thankful to the Lord. This has to be God’s grace given the fact that many grew up as ‘latchkey kids,’ often coming home to empty houses because their parents, as first generation immigrants to US, had to work long hours. They often felt emotionally neglected. Yet the Lord, who takes special care of the orphans and widows, has been faithful in raising them up as solid followers of Christ, willing to obey Him no matter what the cost.
As I shared at the retreat, I sense that the era of the Elisha Generation with a double portion of the anointing of the Elijah Generation (that’s us, the old folks) is dawning. Just as Elisha did not give up following Elijah everywhere he went so he could witness Elijah being taken up to heaven, it is my prayer that the young adults (a.k.a. the Elisha Generation) keep on keeping on, taking advantage of every opportunity the Lord grants them to develop into vessels big enough to contain and exercise the double portion of God’s anointing. They’ve already endured the 40 days of EMP and proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with. I challenge them to go the next mile: be a part of the Underground Church.

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
October 30, 2011

So Long, David & Lila

NCFC — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:21:35 -0500

It felt like autumn this week in Washington. With a marked fall in the temperature, accompanied by the falling leaves, we are reminded that winter is right around the corner.
I hope you are enjoying the season. I think the Washington area has one of the best autumn seasons anywhere in the world! So, go out there and enjoy the sights and sounds of this beautiful season to its fullest, and at the same time remember that your heavenly Father made it all. And don’t forget to thank Him.
Today, we have the special privilege of commissioning our brother and sister to go on our behalf to preach the gospel and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. David and Lila stand in the company of many from this congregation who have already gone before them and laid a terrific foundation. They have been invited to follow in that rich tradition and, no doubt, others will soon continue to follow David and Lila’s footsteps.
Nonetheless, it is our joy to see them go. This doesn’t mean that we won’t miss them. Of course, we will miss them terribly from time to time and I’m sure that they will miss us from time to time. But it is not the time to remain sentimental or melancholy. No, rather, it is time to say farewell and wipe our tears and trust God. Their journey will be marked by victories and defeats as ours will be. Their future will bring ups and downs, mountain tops and valleys of despair as ours will. But rest assured, God will lead the way and God will be victorious at the end! And that’s not a wish but a promise, a promise by God!
I want to thank all of you who stood by them, who taught and encouraged them throughout the years. You believed in them and you believed in God who dwells in them. I also want to thank David and Lila who trusted us enough to have allowed us to be able to influence them in their decision-making process and honored us by respecting our opinions and suggestions.
Greater things are waiting for them in the days to come and God will use them mightily in the future. And we will make sure that they succeed. This doesn’t mean, of course, their success is somehow dependent on us or we have the power to make them successful. By no means!
We are just simply saying that we will continue to stand with them and pray for them and persevere and prevail until the last day. We will not fail in our promise to love and support them. So, if they win, we win, and if they lose, we lose. Therefore we promise to stand with them through thick and thin. And we will do whatever it takes to see them succeed. David and Lila, thank you for being faithful.
These days you may have noticed that I am making frequent comments concerning my retirement. I did so again at the congregational meeting last Sunday and I explained why. It’s not that my retirement is coming up any time soon, but I feel we have to plan and work with that in mind. Whatever decisions that I make these days, I make with my ‘retirement’ from NCFC in mind. To do otherwise would be foolish. As I said, I have no immediate plan to retire, but just in case I decide to retire at 65; it only gives me 8 more years to prepare the congregation. That’s the reason for commenting about my retirement so often. And that’s the main reason why I decided to bring our focus back to the basics and address “Radical Christianity.” There is no better way, as far as I know, to prepare for the unknown future than to emphasize the fundamentals that made us who we are.
So, again this week, let’s go get them, whoever that might be. There are always people who are just waiting for us to love and share.

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
October 23, 2011

Follow If Your Heart Leads

NCFC — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 13:57:16 -0500

An update on the news of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani: Iran’s Supreme Court has ordered a retrial of his case this week and it is to be reviewed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic’s spiritual leader and highest authority. At least for now, the international attention has worked. But we need to continue to pray because Iran may choose to execute him to show its power and determination. Would you please, therefore, continue to pray for him and his family as well as all the persecuted Christians in Iran?
Also an update on the UNDERGROUND CHURCH: We are still targeting November 4th (Friday) as our first meeting. Many of you have wondered out loud what this is. What is it exactly? To that question my answer is radical Christianity.
In the early days of our church, I taught many ‘discipleship classes.’ And as a result, we were able to raise and produce many missionaries, pastors, and lay leaders. But that tradition slowed down when I briefly stepped aside in 2001 from our English congregation. Upon my return in 2006, however, I saw this as our major deficiency and made a targeted effort to bring this tradition back.
Consequently, since then, we have many who have committed their lives for the sake of the lost and the Kingdom of God. But in order to fulfill this mission I feel I need to do a couple of things. First, I need to train them. Second, I need to continue to train and challenge others to come aboard.
Hence the idea of UNDERGROUND CHURCH was born. UNDERGROUND CHURCH will accomplish the following:
UNDERGROUND CHURCH is first and foremost a personal discipleship class, taught personally by me. In the recent past, many have expressed their desire to be taught and discipled by me personally and this will give you an opportunity to receive that. For the next 8 years until I reach the age of 65, the primary tool and the breeding ground that I use to teach, to train, to inspire, and to challenge the future leaders of our church will be this. I am determined to pour everything I know and everything I’ve learned in the past 35 years of my walk with God into these meetings.
UNDERGROUND CHURCH is going to be the ‘engine’ that runs this ministry. As the word, ‘underground’ suggests that this will be out of sight. This doesn’t mean that it is secretive or hidden. No, on the contrary, anyone can come and everyone is invited. But we will operate with the assumption that when they come they chose to come. It is not a comfortable place. It is not for the faint of heart. We already know what to expect and what’s required. Nothing will be too hard for us. Nothing will be too demanding for us. Instead, we are here to accomplish our goal and we will pay whatever price we need to pay. We will pray and prevail. We will learn and study the Bible. We will serve without any question because we are about fulfilling our Master’s commission.
UNDERGROUND CHURCH will strive to put into practice what we already know and some of what we will learn. It is purposeful learning. It is creative learning. It is practical learning. Eventually all our leaders in the future will be produced here. It is where our dreams will be birthed and reached. It is where our defeats and victories will be savored. It is where we will one day look back and say we were glad to be a part of that great movement.
So, dear friends, would you start praying about this now? Would you ask God whether or not you should be a part of this? And then follow your gut feeling. Follow your instinct. But most of all, follow if God leads you.

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
October 16, 2011

Stay Hungry, Stay Humble

NCFC — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 13:07:47 -0500

One of the most admired and influential entrepreneurs of this generation, the co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, passed away this week at the age of 56. His death is a great loss for the country. But in his now famous 2005 Stanford graduation speech he said, “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.”He also said, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life…Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”These quotes are from Steve Jobs, not the Bible. But they are worth reflecting on and remembering because they are wise counsel from a man who lived according to his convictions.
I appreciated your emails and comments after last week’s message. As I mentioned in the sermon, I was somewhat apprehensive when I first prepared it. I thought it might be too hard, too confrontational. I thought it could be misconstrued as too harsh, or too abrasive. But my fears melted away as soon as I started to deliver the message. You were so focused and receptive as you listened. I told my wife later that even a pin drop could have been heard in all five services in both campuses. Then your emails and comments really reassured me that we are ready to move on to the next stage. We have indeed become big people. We are ready to take on the bigger challenge. All of you said that even though the nature of the message was hard, you agree that it is right.
As I announced last week, we will begin a new series this week entitled, Radical Command, Extreme Obedience. The Gospel requires its adherents to “deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow our Master.” It sure is a radical command. And it can only be responded to with equally radical obedience. It is not a suggestion, or an option that is up to us to respond, but rather a strong command that demands our obedience.
As I announced last week, we are going to start the Underground Church soon, but we will delay it until November 4 (Friday). I want to give a more clear vision and objective in the next few weeks before we get started so we can be together as we launch. I will continue to make more detailed announcements in the next few weeks.
Virginia campus celebrated Congregation Appreciation Week last Sunday. As most of you know the month of October is Pastors’ Appreciation Month around the country. Traditionally, churches set aside the month of October to remember and express their gratitude to their pastors and clergy members. And I think this is a very good tradition.
But here at New Covenant Fellowship Church, we created our own version of Congregation Appreciation Week in order to demonstrate how we, the pastoral staff, actually appreciate our members who are such delightful people to work with and work alongside. So, today in Maryland campus, we have prepared a special lunch for you. Enjoy.
However, next week in Virginia campus and the following Sunday in Maryland campus, we will celebrate Pastors’ Appreciation Week. And at that time you will be given an opportunity to express your thanks personally. As you know our church has the tradition of giving gifts to the entire staff during Christmas. Instead of giving gifts to individual pastors we have asked the congregation to give to the designated fund so that everyone can share the gifts together and we use the fund to hold our annual staff retreat. Starting this year, however, I’m asking you to make the gifts during the Pastors’ Appreciation Month instead of Christmas. And this year’s gifts will support the retreat at Yucatan, Mexico. I plan to take them and spend a couple of days at Cancun, too, on the way back.
I am always grateful for you and your support. Just a reminder from the Bible, as we did our M’Cheyne Bible Reading a few days ago in Galatians: “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.” (Galatians 6:6)

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
October 9, 2011

Spiritual Maturity Baseball Diamond

NCFC — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 13:15:55 -0500

I. FIRST BASE
1. PERSONAL CORE REQUIREMENTS
a. Have Quiet Time every day (at least 5 times a week)
Read through the Bible once (preferably using M’Cheyne) - 15 minutes and
pray at least 15 minutes a day
b. Attend Sunday service every week
c. Attend Oikos twice a month
d. Have a ministry, something that I do on a regular basis to serve others
e. Give regularly (preferably minimum of 10% of my annual gross income)

2. FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY
a. Spend at least 30 minutes a day with my family
b. Spend at least one hour with each child a week
c. Participate in each child’s favorite activity
d. Participate or serve in each child’s church activity
3. EXTRA ACTIVITIES
a. Fasting Retreat
b. 40 Day Campaign
c. Retreats

II. SECOND BASE
Who: All Deacons, lay leaders
Daily Quiet Time: 30 minutes of prayer daily
Early Morning Prayer: 2-3 times a week
Participation in Oikos: Mandatory
Weekday Prayer Meeting: Mandatory
Financial Giving: 10% + (sacrifice)
Long-Term Plans:
a. Participate in short-term missions
b. Plan for retirement
c. Plan for the second half of my life

III. THIRD BASE
Who: All Elders and Pastors
Anyone else who wants to be a leader
Daily Quiet Time: M’Cheyne Bible Reading,
1 hour of prayer daily
Early Morning Prayer: 3-4 times a week
Participation in Oikos: Mandatory
Weekday Prayer Meeting: Mandatory
Financial Giving: 10% + (sacrifice)
Multiple Short-Term Missions Trips

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
October 2, 2011

Confidential Information

ildoo Kim — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 14:18:31 -0500

When our staff comes together during the annual staff retreat, one of the things we do, from time to time, is a “personality/behavior pattern” study to find out what we are like. We work together constantly, but often we are very oblivious to each other’s DNA. So, it helps if you do these studies because you can then understand each other a little better: why we do the things we do and how we do them. I am often shocked when I find out how accurate these studies are.
Anyway, we did one of these studies last year and I kept them to look them over from time to time when I get puzzled at someone’s behavior or reaction. It doesn’t solve the problem but it helps to guide them and sort things out.
But today, I decided to share my results. Mine is called the “Appraiser Pattern” according to the DISC. Here it goes.

Emotions: is driven to look good
Goal: “victory” with flair
Judges others by: ability to initiate activities
Influences others by: competitive recognition
Value to the organization: accomplishes goals with the team
Overuses: authority; ingenuity
Under pressure: becomes restless, critical, impatient
Fears: “loss” or “failure;” others’ disapproval
Would increase effectiveness through: individual follow-through; empathy when showing disapproval; steadier pace

Appraisers make creative ideas serve practical purposes. They use direct methods to accomplish results. Appraisers are competitive, but other people tend to view them as assertive rather than aggressive because Appraisers are considerate of others. Instead of giving orders or commands, Appraisers involve people in the task through persuasion. They elicit the cooperation of those around them by explaining the rationale for the proposed activities.
Appraisers help others to visualize the steps needed in order to accomplish results. Appraisers usually speak from a detailed plan of action that they have developed in order to ensure an orderly progression toward results. In their eagerness to win, Appraisers can become impatient when their standards are not maintained or when extensive follow-through is required.
Appraisers are good critical thinkers. They are verbal in their criticisms and their words occasionally may be caustic. Appraisers have a better control of the situation if they relax and pace themselves. A helpful axiom to achieve this is, “You win some, you lose some.”

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart

September 25, 2011

Moving Toward Our Goal

NCFC — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:29:47 -0500

We celebrate our 21st anniversary this week at Virginia Campus and celebrated last week at MD Campus. I can hardly believe it has already been a year since we celebrated our ‘big’ 20th anniversary last year. Oh, how time flies!
We don’t really have as many special events and programs this year as we did last year for the obvious reason: it is the 21st not 20th, 25th or 30th. It is only the 21st.
But wait, because I want to tell you that it is, nonetheless, a very significant 21st anniversary. It might even be more significant than the 20th anniversary because of what we have been able to accomplish during the year.
Do you remember that we had more than 40 people who made a personal commitment for either full-time ministry or full-time missions? Well, we have been making progress during the past year. As a result, we ordained Pastor Neil last week and today we are ordaining Pastor Brian.
We will also be having a commissioning service for Pastor David and Lila on the last Sunday of October. All the requirements for the commissioning of Pastor David and Lila, including financial support, finally came together two Mondays ago rather miraculously. It was God. But there was a role that you played as you encouraged them so that they would not lose heart. You prayed for them. As a result, they are now ready to go to Thailand, a land that they have been waiting and praying for! I hope you rejoice with them.
James and Denese Forkkio are in their last stage of deciding when they will be commissioned. I’m almost certain, though, that it will be before our next anniversary. Another couple from Korean congregation is also preparing for their commissioning in 2012 before our next anniversary.
God is slowly and yet ever patiently nudging us to move forward in our commitment and decision and we have also been responding splendidly to His nudging as a congregation in obedience and I’m very proud of our congregation for doing so.
This past week, I went to Yucatan, Mexico with the elders and their wives from Korean congregation to “spy” on the land like the Israelites before they went into the Promised Land. We talked, shared and of course, prayed to discern exactly what God plans to do there. I decided to name it, “Yucatan Project.” It will serve both as our strategic missions center for Latin America, as well as a training center for our church. In the months to come, as the project becomes clearer, I will share with you in more detail. So please be patient and wait. In the meantime, Pastor David Lee, who is a missionary in China promised to come in July and spend his sabbatical to lay the foundation of this project with me. And if it is God’s will, he will become the person who is responsible for this project.
So, you can imagine the magnitude of this project by what we intend to do. This is something in which we will invest heavily for the next decade. I do plan to take leaders from English congregation sometime in early 2012, after I first take the pastoral team in November. I can already tell that this is going to be a very busy year!
So, rejoice with me that we are not just sitting around talking about commitment or talking about serving God. We are doing it every day, every month, and every year. This means that we need to pray more, seek God’s face more, give more, and unite more than any other time in our 21 year history. We want to be emboldened and empowered to carry out God’s mission in our generation and the next.
Happy Anniversary!

From the Senior Pastor’s Heart
September 18, 2011