“Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14
There is a documentary movie in theaters now called The Drop Box. It’s about a South Korean pastor who has constructed a specially made drop off receptacle at his home entrance in Seoul where unwanted babies born with special needs or to unwed mothers can be anonymously dropped off. Day or night, when a baby is dropped off a bell tone sounds and this pastor and his staff rush to gather the infant child in their arms to pray over and begin the long and arduous journey of providing a lifetime of care and love. It’s both beautiful yet heart-breaking to see.
A month ago I had seen a news clip on the internet of this extraordinary Christian and the saga of his amazing devotion to these children. I didn’t realize it was a documentary movie that would be released in the US until it was mentioned at church staff lunch last week that people had recently seen it. My wife and I had already talked about this story because it has somewhat of a connection to me personally. When I had visited Seoul for two months back in ’96 on a law school internship it was the first time I had returned there since being adopted when I was about 2 years old. My wife (whom I had met that Summer!) had accompanied me to the Red Cross facility there in Seoul where I was prior to adoption to the US. To my surprise they actually had a record of me in their archives from 1969 (wow, I’M OLD!). There wasn’t a lot of information but it did indicate that I had been dropped off at the Red Cross station by a grandmother.
Many of the unwanted Korean newborns aren’t afforded at least this consideration. They are often abandoned on the street by the birth parents or simply disposed of. So much so that this Korean pastor felt compelled to devise this doorway drop box to rescue these precious lives. By grace he did not seek to condemn others but to simply save lives. Every nation struggles with this challenge of providing for unwanted pregnancies, including the US (for example, laws in many jurisdictions allow unwanted babies to be dropped off at police/fire stations without threat of criminal prosecution). However, these Korean children have very little support domestically. Furthermore there have been more than 150,000 international adoptions of Korean babies over the years.
There is obviously something about the culture and social mores that makes it difficult if not impossible for these children to survive and be accepted in their own country, by their own people. The strict adherence to family honor and bloodlines no doubt contributes to this tragic dilemma where lives deemed unfit by the very society that produced them are rejected outright. But there is hope. God’s will cannot be denied. Could it be that the steadfast unyielding work of faithful servants of the Lord such as this pastor will witness to a nation? There is still work to be done. Slowly but surely in God’s own timing may there come a day when God’s unconditional love will prevail over every tribe and nation. Lord willing, hearts and minds will be transformed to transcend cultural identity to an identity in Christ Jesus. Amen to that.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
March 22, 2015

I’ve been traveling a lot for work these days.  When I was younger, I used to enjoy it.  Spend a night in a random city, stay in a clean hotel room where you don’t have to make your bed, order room service, call it a night.  I used to even prolong business trips and leave in the morning so I could sneak in an extra night of free room service.  Now that I’m older and I have a family, I hate traveling and would much rather just be home.  Besides, I don’t make my own bed at home anyway!
It’s funny how priorities change as we get older.  Though I don’t see myself as very old (Timothy may disagree), I also don’t see myself as very young (Destiny may disagree).  But one thing that’s become clear is how different the things I care about have become.  Instead of expensive expensed meals, I’d rather be picking leftover food off my son’s plate as my wife chases him around the house trying to get him to finish his dinner.  Instead of staying up late watching movies ordered to my hotel room, I’d rather watch my kids sleep through the grainy images of a camera monitor.
I wonder if my faith has changed as well.  Everything I read about the movers and shakers of the Christian faith, be it in missions or in culture, seems to hinge around the younger generation.  David Platt became the youngest senior head pastor of a mega church at the age of 26.  Hudson Taylor first went to China as a missionary at the age of 21.  The Student Volunteer movement was an organization founded in the late 1800s that sent hundreds of college students and recent graduates into the missions field and was a huge part in shaping how missions exists in the world at large today.  And this is even true biblically.  King David is believed to have been 12-16 years old when he was anointed King of Israel by the prophet Samuel.  Samuel himself was dedicated to the Lord at the tender age of 12.  Thus, it’s clear that God definitely uses and moves in the heart of our young people to build His kingdom. 
So what does this mean for our church?  For the younger people, it’s obvious – go out and live radically for Jesus!  There will never be another time in your life like now, where you will have the maximum amount of freedom and passion to chase after God.  But for those of us who trend towards the older group, does this mean we’re done living passionately for God?  Are we simply supposed to be satisfied with growing older and taking care of our families and keeping up with the Jones’s?
Heck no.  There’s nothing wrong with taking care of your family and raising up godly children who love the Lord.  But I believe if we feel that’s our ONLY role in the kingdom of God, then we are selling God, and ourselves, very short.  Even though God certainly uses the younger generations to do great things for His kingdom, I believe that He’s got plenty for us older folks as well.  Abraham was 75 years old when he departed Haran for the Promised Land.  Elizabeth is believed to have been 88 when she gave birth to John the Baptist.  And if you’re looking for something a bit younger, this guy named Jesus is believed to have started his earthly ministry at the age of 33.
So, church, let’s not lose ourselves in the world and the rat race.  Rather, let us focus on God and “let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)  I challenge you, if you had dreams as a young man or woman but have given up on them since you’ve gotten older, dream again.  Ask for greater vision.  Pursue deeper intimacy with the Lord.  Even though my priorities may have changed, one thing I know to be true is still the same: God has big things for all of us but we have to be willing participants in HIS story to make HISTORY.

From Pastor David’s Heart
March 15, 2015