The last couple of weeks have been very difficult and disheartening moments for our family that we had to watch my youngest brother laying in the hospital and his condition progressively deteriorating, and eventually passing away this past Thursday.   When a family member passes on, it is very hard to deal with losing your loved one.  My mother, especially and understandably, was having the most difficult time watching her own baby son slowly getting worse rapidly the last few days.  I’m sure that my mother would feel as if the whole world was falling down around her.   Trying to overcome this heartbreaking experience will be awful and may take quite some time for my mother and our family. 
My brother, Soongchan, was diagnosed with liver cancer about three and a half years ago.  It was already at an advanced stage where even a transplant was not possible.  The only option he had was to be on the clinical trials at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.  We had our happy moment a couple of years ago when he was declared that his cancer cell was dead and his liver was under control.  Many people from our church members and my mother’s church members were praying for him, and we felt as if our God answered our prayers.  However, his cancer came back again.
Soongchan has been the black sheep of our family in terms of our faith in Jesus.  He’s been in our prayers for his salvation for more than 33 years.  He was a very nice and gentle person, and always tried to live righteously, and not hurting anyone.  He was well respected and loved by friends.  But when it came down to accepting Jesus, he continued to be stubborn and refusing.  In the spring of last year, when he agreed to sign up for the Alpha Class, I really thought it was God’s timing that he would come to accept Jesus as his Lord and the Savior this time.  And when it didn’t happen at the end of the class, I was very disheartened and disappointed.
And my worst fear was becoming true of my brother dying without knowing Christ.  As he was lying in the hospital bed and his condition progressively deteriorating, I was in a desperate praying moment of crying out to God that He must save him before he dies.  I was pleading with God, “Didn’t you say that believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household (Acts 16:31)?  I want my brother to be saved so that I can see him in heaven.”  I’ve asked P. Mark, chaplains at the hospital and at the hospice, and others to witness to him, but he kept refusing.  Time was running out.
And it was last Saturday evening.  My brother was in and out of consciousness, and he couldn’t carry much meaningful conversation for long.  His college friends came over and were trying to talk with him.  He was only able to respond for a brief moment at a time.  After a while, after all of his friends moved to another room, I was alone with my brother in his hospice room.  And I felt that I had to speak with him before he lost consciousness completely.  I said to him, “I want to thank you for being my good bother and am going to miss you.  You’ve been such a good son to our mom, and you lived well and have done everything you needed to do.  So feel free and go in peace.  Soon you’ll be going home, and I want you to go to the home in heaven because God wants you to be in His house.   But only the child of God can enter into His house.  The truth is you can become God’s child if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then, you can go to heaven.  Would please accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior for me?  Because I want you to go heaven, and when I get there later, I want you to be the first one to come out and greet me…..”
Lo and behold, he finally said “Yes” twice.  I was thinking, “Is this real?”  So I’ve asked him again, and He said “Yes” twice again.  At last, after 33 years of praying for his salvation, God answered our prayer!!!  My brother looked so peaceful when he passed away early Thursday morning, and I know for certain that he is heaven now.  Though it may take quite some time for us to overcome our grief of losing him, we greatly rejoice for the fact that he finally came to know Jesus and he is at the heavenly place where our God is the King.   So are you still praying for someone for their salvation?  Don’t give up and persevere till the end, and it’s worthwhile!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
December 15, 2013

Have you read the news recently?  If you haven’t, I am a firm believer it’s good for all people to keep up with current events locally and globally.  It’s quite remarkable the things that happen.  As of late, it seems there’s tragedy after tragedy, death after death.  This week I read about Philippines receiving only a small percentage of what was promised to them by the rest of the world.  I read about the death of Paul Walker (thought I first saw it on a Facebook post!), actor in the Fast and Furious movie series.  On Thursday, the world heard breaking news of the death of Nelson Mandela, inspirational leader and fighter for justice.  Lot to take in at times, isn’t it?  However, I’ve also been reading up on another man, who is very much alive, but is really challenging the scope of evangelical Christianity and Catholicism alike.  His name is Pope Francis.
I personally have never been interested nor inclined to the office of the pope.  To me it deifies a single man and the power this office holds at times does not sit well with me.  Then Pope Francis comes into the picture.  This past week, headlines stated “Pope Francis worked as nightclub bouncer!”  Isn’t that awesome?  I think so.  For the first time, I found myself saying “wow, I’d sure like to meet and hang out with the pope.”  It’s rare these days to find “celebrity” figures in Christianity so down to earth and humble.  In an article on churchleaders.com, a staff writer quotes Pope Francis:
"I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security," he wrote. "I do not want a church concerned with being at the center and then ends up by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures."
"More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us, 'Give them something to eat.'"
"The church, as the agent of evangelization, is more than an organic hierarchical institution; she is first and foremost a people advancing on its pilgrim way towards God," he wrote. "Excessive centralization, rather than proving helpful, complicates the church's life and her missionary outreach."
Pope Francis, in my opinion, is redefining church leadership and arguably church culture.  For me as a pastor of a local church, I hear quotes like the ones above and ask myself “Do I encourage the people I serve to go out and love or to stay in and ‘grow’?”  Friends, are your Christian peers the only people that know you are a believer and follower of Jesus?  This should not be the case.  Look at Jesus… this man got his “hands dirty” by surrounding Himself with the broken and the sinners.  The lesson of the sheep and goats of Matthew 25 resonates in my heart, mind, and soul.
I am challenged to be more like and imitate Jesus; to go out into a hostile world and not stay inside the safe haven of a church, to have a pure heart but not be afraid to get my hands and feet dirty and love the people around me who need Jesus.  I hope you are challenged to.

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart
December 8, 2013

After a couple months of practicing in the cold weather, sometimes freezing weather, Turkey bowl tournament has finally come to an end. First of all, I would like to thank every player who represented our church teams well. I also thank the parents and supporters for their encouragement and cheers throughout the tournaments and for serving delicious food and warm drinks. And last but not least, the coaches and other leaders for their hard work put into the tournament. It was certainly a great time of witnessing a genuine love and unity within the body of New Covenant Fellowship Church. Regardless of the result of how each team did at the tournament, we were all able to get to know each other better through football and spending our weekends together. That to me was the most important thing I gained from participating in this year’s tournament.
This year was the very first time I got an opportunity to play in the Turkeybowl. It was my first time playing football in an organized manner. You can imagine how tough it was for me to learn all the rules, positions and the whole dynamic of a football game. I definitely appreciate the game of football a lot more as a result of this tournament. There were many times when I had no idea what I was doing on the field and when people were calling out plays or shouting out things like “option”, “weak side blitz”, “Shadow Run(?)” I felt like I was learning English all over again. And I didn’t want to look like a fool by asking so many questions that everyone seemed to know. However, I got better through the practice sessions. Thank God for amazing teammates for taking time and kindly explaining everything for me. Now that I invested so much time in learning the game of football, I hope to get better and continue to play in the Turkey Bowl as long as my health permits me to play competitively. After all, I have to make a full use of all the football gear that I purchased for this tournament for at least a couple more years.
One thing I love about playing team sports is that each person’s character comes out in the game setting. I especially love seeing the fine balance of people’s competitive spirit and the love of Christ being displayed in the game. It was very encouraging to see everyone trying to keep their mouth shut from complaining and uttering bad words. I know it was a bit of a struggle for many of us to keep our “cool” in certain instances but I am very proud of all of you for displaying such control and poise throughout the tournament. I am already looking forward to next year’s tournament!

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
December 1, 2013

This week, most of us will gather with families, relatives and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  We will have a lavish dinner with roasted turkey, fried chicken instead if you don’t like turkey like I don’t, pies, and a just little bit of fruits and vegetables (I don’t like too much fruits and vegetables…).  You will enjoy a great meal with people that you want be with and spend intimate time of fellowship with lots of laughing and fun in your cozy and warm home.  For those family members, relatives and friends who haven’t seen each other for some time, this is a wonderful time to catch up on lost time and reconnect with each other.
What does Thanksgiving Day mean to you?  How are you planning on spending your Thanksgiving Day?  The true meaning of Thanksgiving Day has certainly changed over the years as people enjoy more prosperity and comfort.  The entire Thanksgiving Day is filled with having good times, such as watching football games and shopping for bargains more than ever before.  Some stores will be opening at 6:00 am on Thanksgiving Day to lure people into a buying spree.
Nothing is wrong with finding great bargains and watching football games.  However, when it comes to Thanksgiving Day, this is only one day out of the year that families, distant relatives and old friends can come together to share meals and spend meaningful time together.  Are we going to let great bargain shopping invade into our Thanksgiving Day and take away the time we can spend more meaningfully?  It seems that slowly a careless and a thoughtless lifestyle is stripping away the true value and meaning from Thanksgiving Day.
Of course, thanksgiving should not be limited to one day a year, and it should be a daily occurrence.  But especially on Thanksgiving Day, let us not forget to give thanks to God who is always so generous and full of love, and make God be the center of our gathering.  We are too often focusing on ourselves on Thanksgiving Day rather than focusing on how blessed we are for having our God who loves us unconditionally and provides us abundantly with all good things.
This year, many people who are affected by the Super Typhoon Haiyan in Leyte and Samar, Philippines will face a very sad and grim Thanksgiving Day.  It is reported that about 5,600 people have died or are missing after Haiyan tore a path of destruction across the country, and many of them lost their loved ones and countless of people lost all of their belongings and homes.  The devastation is really horrific, and it’s a great human tragedy.  We all need to keep them in our prayers for God’s comfort, provision and speedy recovery, and they also need more than a prayer.  James 2:15-17 says, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed.” But does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”  So let us not only keep them in our prayers, but also we need to share what we have with them and give our helping hands to meet their needs.
I pray that all of you would have a great Thanksgiving gathering with your families, relatives and friends, and enjoy delicious meals and spend intimate time together.  

Have a wonderful and a happy Thanksgiving!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
November 24, 2013

Recently I came across a moving prayer written by Missionary Horace G. Underwood, who served in Korea from 1885 to 1916, more than half of his life.  Despite the enormous culture gap and language barrier, he didn't give up, and God most definitely answered his desperate prayers for Korea.  Read the prayer below and decide for yourself.
Title: The Heart of Chosun (조선, Korea's old name) That I Cannot Comprehend

“Lord, nothing is visible at this moment. Lord, you have planted us on this barren and poor land, where not even a single tree can grow tall enough.
It is such a miracle that we could come to this land across the wide wide Pacific Ocean. Nothing is visible, though, in this land on which we seem to have been dropped off by your hand.
Only stubbornly stained darkness can be seen. 
Only Korean people chained with poverty and superstition can be seen.
They don't even know why they are chained, what suffering is.
They just distrust us and express anger to us as we tell them
how to take away their suffering, which is not suffering to them.
The thoughts of Korean men are not visible.
The mind of this government is not visible.
We are afraid that we may not have any more opportunity
to see the women commuting on kamas (가마, a cart covered and carried by men).
And we do not see what to do.
Yet, Lord! We will obey.
We believe that you begin your work as we humbly obey, 
And that the day will come when our spiritual eyes will see your work 
according to your Words, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
We believe that we will see the future of the faith of Korea.
Although we are as if standing on a desert with bare hands, 
although we are condemned to be Western devils, 
We believe that the day will come when they will rejoice with tears realizing
that they are one with our spirit in Christ, and that we all have one Kingdom and one Father in Heaven.
Although there is no church to worship you, no school to study,
although this land is filled with doubt of suspicion, contempt, and disdain,
we believe that in the near future this land will become a land of blessing.”

100 years later, Korea indeed has become ‘a land of blessing,’ the world’s second-largest missionary-sending nation after US.   Thank you, Missionary Underwood, for your faithful prayers for Korea! 

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
November 17, 2013

Wow, what a weekend with Dr. Shamblin that was last week. He was soft-spoken and laid- back yet you could definitely sense his strong conviction in the truths he shared that had been drawn from years and years in the ministry. He had his own unique ability to establish trust and authority as a speaker in a relatively short time with us in order to confront us with true insight and wisdom about our life struggles even within our Christian faith.
I especially liked his perspectives in two areas of our lives we often times struggle to make sense of: One, the significance of being in a spiritual “wilderness”;  and two, does God’s timing for exercising our spiritual gifting first involve being in the wilderness? I particularly liked his comments about how we should anticipate and understand the ministry challenges of being “sent into a mess” or else we will risk becoming discouraged or confused, or we will rationalize or spiritualize it as an attack to be resisted. There are plenty of instances in the Bible of persecution and suffering for those who followed Christ. We have a tendency to prefer to believe God’s discipleship today does not include those same sacrifices, humility and denial of self.
I’ve never before ever heard anyone say that one’s journey into a barren wasteland is God’s way of discipling and maturing us. We seldom ever associate difficult challenging times of crisis as being God’s intended purpose but as Dr. Shamblin cautioned us, “do not cut short your wilderness time with God by rebuking the devil and blaming man for being in the desert.”
Our human nature causes us to blame others for our lot in life rather than stop and embrace the experience and consider how it may be God at work. As Dr. Shamblin noted, it’s only once we are broken to ourselves that true birthing springs forth from barrenness.
Dr. Shamblin was noticeably emotional when he was discussing spiritual giftings. He had mentioned how earlier in his ministry he was in such great demand (his speaking engagements were at one point booked 3 years in advance and he travelled 9 months out of the year). But he now seemed to be preaching from regret over how one can tread on one’s spiritual giftings without realizing how empty and short-sighted that can be when no real foundation has been laid to truly develop and shape those giftings for God’s further purpose. Dr. Shamblin commented he had seen it many times where people were impatient in the exercising of their gifts and resisted the thought of being placed in the wilderness by God in order to be shaped and molded by Him.
It occurred to me that there are times when our frustrations over our current life condition are a result of our resistance to God’s (tough love) discipleship and we only perpetuate that cycle by rebuking it as a spiritual battle. Hmmmm, makes me wanna go rethink a lot of stuff about myself. Amen to that.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
November 10, 2013

I've always wondered what it means to experience God.  If experience is the evidence or outcome of the culmination of our knowledge, awareness, insight, etc. into or about an object, by defintion, our experience of God would be very limited.  What do we really know about God?  Are we truly aware of His presence?  What insights do we have about who He really is?  Not much.  I say this because I believe that God is the god of the universe and I still don't know what the universe is outside our solar system.  Looking at this by pure logic, it makes no sense; how can an unfathomable, inexplicable God be experienced?
I'm an all or nothing type of guy.  If I can't have it all or make something work 100%, I'd rather have nothing.  Strange?  Maybe.  But that's how I view my relationship with God and the way I experience Him.  I hate the fact that right now our understanding of the world, of humanity, of God is incomplete.  Even our understanding of love, is imperfect or known "in part" (1 Corinthians 13).  If you're like me, I want the answers right now.  But the bible is clear, we just can't and it will never happen in our lifetime.  I guess that's where faith kicks in and the struggle with it.  It'll happen.  You'll find yourself questioning the goodness of God, maybe even the existence of God.  But, if I may, here is some good news.
It says in Genesis 1 that we are created in the "likeness" of God.  We don't have ALL His abilities and characteristics (then we'd be God) but you and I are created in His image nonetheless.  As vast are the different aspects of God, He created us in His image that we would reflect Him to be known in the world but also be made aware of Him in our lives, or in other words, experience Him.  ALL for us to enjoy and love Him that we may glorify Him.  He's given us unique quirks, niches, gifts, passions, or personalities (whatever makes you, YOU) as avenues to experiencing Him.  Let me give you a personal example.
I LOVE the city.  I love the fast-paced nature.  I love the plethora of cultures and ethnicities that reside in the city.  I love the diversity of amazing foods on every city block.  But more than that, I love the uniqueness of every individual that I walk by.  One of my favorite things to do is to roam the city with headphones on playing "God of the City" (just kidding.. but I like music).  The many times I’ve done this, I've experienced God in a way where I know He is saying "I want a moment with you... just you and me." He makes Himself known to me when I do this.  Why?  As I stated above, we are made in His likeness.  But have you seen how different the people around you look? Have you had a conversation with someone who is EXACTLY like you with your personality, passions, and physical appearance?  NO!  Every single, non-specific mold, person is precious in the eyes of God because He made them in His image.  We are more precious to Him than mountains, trees, oceans, or animals.  When I walk the city, I'm made aware of His HUGENESS but at the very same time His Emmanuel-ness, or intimacy.  I'm made aware that I belong to the human-race but I am His favorite child (as are YOU)
The city is one of the ways I experience God and I know He has created me to operate in this way.  There are other ways I experience God but this is one small example.  He is much bigger than you think but He wants you to experience Him on a very unique and personal level.  What ways has He given you to experience Him, or made Himself aware to you?  Nature-walks?  Reading a good book?  Coffee with a friend?  Let's not limit an experience with omnipresent, ominiscient, omnipotent God to our 12:00-1:30pm service.  He desires to be made known wherever you are, whoever you are, however you are doing.  Praying that you would have amazing times with the Lord this week.

From Pastor Keyoung’s Heart
November 3, 2013

Recently I went on a cruise, my first ever, to the Bahamas with a few family members -Elder Frank and I, two of his sisters and their husbands, my father, and my mother-in-law.  Since my father and my mother-in-law could not share one bedroom, and since we were too cheap to put them separately in their own rooms, Elder Frank and I decided to ‘sacrifice’ by each sharing the room with the parent-in-law:  I with my mother-in-law and Elder Frank with his father-in-law.  The biggest concern we had for the cruise, besides how to avoid gaining too much weight from non-stop eating, was for the safety and well-being of our elderly parents.  We’ve heard horror stories about elderly parents falling on the slippery deck and being confined to bed or getting ill during the cruise and incurring high medical bills for a mediocre treatment at a foreign hospital .  
So even though Elder Frank “suffered” from a week-long sleep-deprivation (you don’t understand how loud my father’s snoring is!) and I had to endure being woken up at 3 AM every morning (yes, my godly mother-in-law kept up her daily morning prayer routine even on the cruise ship, certainly more faithful than her pastor daughter-in-law!), we were both so thankful that our parents remained healthy, ate well, and overall enjoyed the time they got to spend with their children.   Our only regret was that we hadn’t done it sooner when both sets of parents were still alive.  We saw many elderly couples on the cruise, holding hands, talking, and eating together, and generally enjoying each other’s company.  Though neither of our parents verbalized it, probably not to make their children feel sad, I could sense that they each had some regrets for enjoying the cruise alone.    Sure my husband and I had talked about taking our parents on a cruise and had every intention to do that someday, but we were too caught up in the busyness of life and it never materialized until now.   This was truly the case of “the tyranny of the urgent.”  
Part of the problem was that our parents did not demand attention or express disappointments ever. They said they understood how busy we were raising our family and doing ministry for the Lord.  And we thought once our kids grew up, we would have more time for our parents.   It turned out to be true, but by then it was too late.  I want to encourage all of you whose parents are still living to take the time now to express how much you love and appreciate them through words and actions.   Your parents may be gone sooner than you anticipate.  I wouldn’t want anyone to have the same regrets as I do.
And one benefit from being on this cruise was that the truth, “we are in the world, but not of the world,” was solidified.  All the activities the majority of the people were enjoying - drinking, dancing, singing karaoke, gambling, partying, shopping, enjoying comedies, etc. - were not enjoyable to me (okay, I confess. I did gamble once: I played Bingo and wasted $20).  So if I could, I would like to go on a Christian cruise (is there such a thing?) next time.  It would be awesome to have teaching sessions throughout the day and have evening worship with renowned worship bands and speakers.  Only then not only my physical hunger, but also my spiritual hunger will be satisfied to my heart’s content.  Now that would be my dream come true!

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
October 27, 2013

I love this time of the year, the cool crisp air, the leaves changing colors.  It encourages me to stop and contemplate God’s beauty reflected in nature, enjoy the transition as it happens while realizing that it is part of God’s plan and design.  As I do so, I can’t help but think as our church navigates through our own season of change, that this too is part of God’s greater plan and design.  I am most hopeful in our Lord and am grateful for how HE has and continues to fulfill his promises to us corporately and individually. 
One of those promises is the promise God gives in Jeremiah 3:15 “And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”  Isn’t this so true?  I am so encouraged when I see our pastors passionately seeking after God’s heart and sacrificially serving us through the good times and tough times.  They are truly heroes and prove it to us each and every day!  
As October is Pastor’s Appreciation month, I encourage you to take time today and say thanks in your own way.  Exercise the power you have to bless…
- Elder Michael J. Park

Like every year, the EC Elders, Deacons and Oikos Leaders have prepared gift cards and flowers to demonstrate our appreciation toward our EC pastors.  As I was going through the same routine of “collecting resources” from our EC Elders, Deacons and Oikos Leaders to purchase gift cards and flowers, I could not help but wonder if we truly understand the meaning of the word “Appreciation.” So I looked it up via an online dictionary.  Appreciation means “an ability to understand the worth, quality, or importance of something”.
Although gift cards and flowers are nice, I believe our pastors feel the most appreciated when we take time to get to know them, to thank them, to pray with and pray for them…you get the picture. 
Please bless our pastors today and any other day by delivering your “thank you” personally.
To our pastors:  Thank you from our hearts!
- Elder Alex Guo

From the Hearts of our EC Elders
October 20, 2013

If you have been attending our church for many years, you know by now that we set aside the month of October to appreciate our pastors. It’s not an official holiday, but many churches across the nation mark October as Pastor’s Appreciation Month and the 2nd Sunday as “Pastor’s Appreciation Day.” Out of curiosity I googled how this wonderful tradition got started and found some interesting facts. According to SBCvoices.com, in 1992, a layperson Jerry Frear, Jr., was brainstorming with church colleagues about how they might be of help to their minister when he glanced at a calendar and noticed that it was almost Groundhog’s Day. So he thought, if they have a day for groundhogs, there ought to be a day for the 375,000 clergy people in America. Hallmark sold their first pastor’s appreciation card in 2002. These are some interesting facts for sure.
As I was doing this research, I came across a cool song titled “Pastor’s Song” by Donna Jackson. It had a very nice melody and flow to beautiful lyrics that express appreciation of a pastor’s dedication and how God will consider his job well done. I encourage you to check it out on Youtube. Perhaps you can learn the song and sing for the pastors. =)
I also read a good article that I wanted to share with you. I will only quote only a part of the article, the entire article can be found at http://thrivingpastor.org/clergyappreciation/ 
The nature of the service provided by pastors and their families is unique. God has entrusted to them one of the most precious of assignments — the spiritual well-being of His flock. When a pastor becomes ineffective, the very souls of his or her parishioners are endangered. When eternity is in the balance, we should all be concerned.
Pastors and their families live under incredible pressures. Their lives are played out in a fishbowl, with the entire congregation and community watching their every move. They are expected to have ideal families, to be perfect people, to always be available, to never be down and to have all the answers we need to keep our own lives stable and moving forward. Those are unrealistic expectations to place on anyone, yet most of us are disappointed when a pastor becomes overwhelmed, seems depressed, lets us down or completely burns out.
That’s why God has instructed us to recognize His servants. “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17).
I subscribe to many leadership blogs and Christian articles so I can continue to learn and grow as a pastor. On a blog on Sharefaith.com, someone listed 8 ways you can show appreciation to your pastor. Though I enjoyed reading and agreed with all 8 ways, I could not agree more with his last point on how people can show their appreciation to their pastors by Growing in Grace. We, the pastors, take greatest joy when we see changes or growth in people’s lives as a result of our ministry and of what God is doing in their lives.
These past few months have been a tough season for our church but it definitely helped us to grow and mature together. And what more appreciation do we need from you when you already brought so much joy in our hearts by the way you responded with such love and grace? Just continue to hunger and thirst after God and grow in your walk with Him.  

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
October 13, 2013

God has a way of leading us down new paths in life that were before unexpected and yet greater than what we could’ve asked or imagined.
I recall years ago when I had started my own solo law practice after working as an associate attorney at another law office. After I had gotten settled into my own practice I started to realize that it was best suited for my personality and general attitude to be on my own without anyone supervising me (or me supervising anyone else) or my having to learn to work with others as a team etc etc. I have shared in the past that admittedly I grew up socially awkward and lacked the normal social skills most people take for granted. And so with my law practice I felt I had found true balance of an occupation that fit my loner personality. I felt at the time, and still do, that it’s a sign of maturity for one to admit and acknowledge one’s strengths and limitations.
However, that whole self-reflection occurred well before I had a calling to go to seminary. Flash forward to 2010, when I was in my second year of seminary and was about to start serving at NCFC as an associate pastor. I had a mini anxiety attack once I realized that gee, after I had already settled the matter in my head that I was better off working alone without being supervised or being subject to annual job reviews or having to learn to work well with others and so on and so forth, that serving at church would require me to be supervised, subject to annual job reviews and having to work with others!
God seems to have an ironic sense of humor when He throws us these little curveballs in life. I have said all along that I would’ve been perfectly content living out my life as I had once known it to be as a husband, father and law practitioner. But if God hadn’t intervened and saved me from my dysfunctional self I wouldn’t have experienced the joys in my relationships as a father, husband and brother in Christ. I feel these types of profound changes can only come from God.
My calling to serve at NCFC is even different than what I had originally expected. I felt I had a lot to learn under the leadership and guidance of Pastor Jamie and Dr. Kim. And yet now I realize that God is the one in control of our growth and maturity not any particular person. In fact I’m convinced God can use any one of us within this ministry to teach and to learn from. So there’s a sense of eager anticipation as to what God will be doing at our church in future times. As for my general anti-social tendencies it’s been an ongoing process. I feel I still have much to learn in the ministry about leadership and people. But thank God for His patience and grace to allow us to strive to be a relevant ministry. amen to that.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
October 6, 2013

I’ve been thinking about what it means to BE the church.  Church, to me, in the simplest definition is “the body of Christ.”  And if you think of the magnitude of that statement, it goes far beyond a building, an idea, or even a group of people. My thoughts are not just about our local church body called New Covenant Fellowship Church but the universal body of Christ which we also happen to call the Church.  Often times when we refer to the word “church” our thoughts and sentiments are programmed to think of your “home” church (the church you grew up in), the most church that you’ve visited (if you’ve been searching or “church hopping”), or the church that you have heard of whether word of mouth or in the news (if you are not a regular church go-er).  But let’s talk about the universal Church, the Church that should represent JESUS, not a group of people or a person.  Here are (just a few) of my thoughts:
WE are a NEW CREATION, not just YOU (2 Corinthians 5:17).  Paul, in His letter to the church in Corinth, desperately conveys to the church their identity as believers.  The theme of “new” is prevalent in this letter; new covenant, new body, new creation, etc.  He emphasizes the ultimate atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross drives a “new-ness” factor in all our lives.  Specifically to 5:17, we are a NEW creation, literally re-born, re-created, re-made, whatever word that helps you to understand the transition from nothing to something.  However, the danger here is to selfishly rear this idea and claim this truth for yourself but Paul’s placement of this truth in his letter is very intentional.  He places this comment right before he writes about the ministry of reconciliation, the ministry of reconciling the world to Christ as ambassadors of God (v.20).  Reconciliation involves others.  It involves YOU the ambassador, the ones needing reconciliation, and God, the one we are reconciled to.  Ministry of reconciliation is an integral part of being a new creation.  How are WE, as the church, being a NEW CREATION collectively?  WE are it, not just YOU.
Christ is the HEAD of the church (Colossians 1:18).  In the bible and as I mentioned above, the church is compared to a body of a human being.  The science of the body is fascinating.  Think for one moment the functions of each part of the body.  They are incredibly unique but at the same time intricately related to one another!  When Paul speaks of Christ being the head of the church, he is referring to the Lordship (head being at the top), the function (the purpose, reason, livelihood, importance), but also the face or the recognizing factor of the rest of the body.  As the body of Christ, made up of unique individuals but so intricately tied together, do we represent the Head?  Do our actions and our words point to the head of the Church, who is Jesus?  If you are part of the local body of believers, like NCFC, how have we represented to the world around us that Christ is our face, our recognizing factor?
Friends, this is just a few on-going thoughts but let me end with this.  The Church is called to be ALIVE or A LIFE!  It is a moving, breathing, LIVING organism, whose parts work together, like the human body, to point the world (and one another) back to Jesus, our head!  Let’s not confine our relationship to God by going to church but commit to being the church wherever we go.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is [ALREADY] here!” 
Be loved, be blessed, be encouraged, be challenged. 

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart
September 29, 2013

During one of my seminary classes, I was asked whether I am a people person or a goal oriented person. It was clear, at least in my own opinion, that I was a people person because I like people, I get along well with people and I also work well in a group setting. Apparently, that wasn’t the case. My professor who asked me that question looked at me and said that I am more of a goal oriented person. His response was very shocking to me but it was a well needed assessment of my life and the way I do ministry. I realized that my life was primarily driven by goals and the love of people has been pushed aside for the sake of reaching certain goals in life and ministry. To this day, I still struggle to be more mindful and caring for the people that I serve. There are many pastors and church leaders who deal with the same issue as I do because we are called to be shepherds who tend and care for their sheep rather than just getting our jobs done.
For the last few weeks, God has reminded me of the importance of shepherding through various oikos ministry trainings. As I was going through the oikos leaders’ training sessions, God convicted me of my role as a shepherd, not a hired hand. The heart of a shepherd that goes after one lost sheep is what I need to develop more in my life. God has already given me the heart of a shepherd but it’s been pushed out and covered up by the eagerness to achieve goals. Not only am I struggling with caring for the people, but I also need to let go of my selfish mindset and learn to work together with people even at the cost of my “desired” outcome. There is an old saying in Korean that comes to my mind, “it’s better to go one mile together than ten miles alone.” Yes, it is true that the process of accomplishing the goal might be delayed or may not even be reached at all, but that’s the way God wants us to live our lives. King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes chapter 3:8-12, 
This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing. Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
I hope to practice more of being patient and caring with my own kids at home. How often do we ignore our kids’ needs or wants in the name of work, ministry and even for the sake of our personal space? I pray that God will open up our ears to hear, to respond, to treasure the people that He has blessed us with in our daily lives. That will be the very first step of becoming the shepherds God called us to be.

                                                                                                                                                         
From Pastor Brians Heart
September 22, 2013

During one of my seminary classes, I was asked whether I am a people person or a goal oriented person. It was clear, at least in my own opinion, that I was a people person because I like people, I get along well with people and I also work well in a group setting. Apparently, that wasn’t the case. My professor who asked me that question looked at me and said that I am more of a goal oriented person. His response was very shocking to me but it was a well needed assessment of my life and the way I do ministry. I realized that my life was primarily driven by goals and the love of people has been pushed aside for the sake of reaching certain goals in life and ministry. To this day, I still struggle to be more mindful and caring for the people that I serve. There are many pastors and church leaders who deal with the same issue as I do because we are called to be shepherds who tend and care for their sheep rather than just getting our jobs done.
For the last few weeks, God has reminded me of the importance of shepherding through various oikos ministry trainings. As I was going through the oikos leaders’ training sessions, God convicted me of my role as a shepherd, not a hired hand. The heart of a shepherd that goes after one lost sheep is what I need to develop more in my life. God has already given me the heart of a shepherd but it’s been pushed out and covered up by the eagerness to achieve goals. Not only am I struggling with caring for the people, but I also need to let go of my selfish mindset and learn to work together with people even at the cost of my “desired” outcome. There is an old saying in Korean that comes to my mind, “it’s better to go one mile together than ten miles alone.” Yes, it is true that the process of accomplishing the goal might be delayed or may not even be reached at all, but that’s the way God wants us to live our lives. King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes chapter 3:8-12, 
This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing. Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
I hope to practice more of being patient and caring with my own kids at home. How often do we ignore our kids’ needs or wants in the name of work, ministry and even for the sake of our personal space? I pray that God will open up our ears to hear, to respond, to treasure the people that He has blessed us with in our daily lives. That will be the very first step of becoming the shepherds God called us to be.   

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
September 15, 2013

There is a Korean proverb that I learned as a child.  Roughly translated, it says, “A tiger leaves its skin behind while a man leaves his name behind.”   A tiger skin was very expensive and rare (and it still is) and served as a nice coat for winter.  Thus, a tiger’s skin was considered its contribution to society.  This saying was often quoted to challenge young people to live as a beneficial member of society, leaving a good reputation and legacy behind through achievements and successes.
Gone are the days, however, when a man could only leave his name behind!   A few weeks ago, around the time of the 2nd anniversary of my brother James’ passing from a heart attack, our family received a letter from the Washington Regional Transplant Community.  At the time of his death, we did not have to agonize over what to do with his body because James had already registered himself as an Organ Donor (as indicated by ’     Organ Donor’ on his driver’s license).  Knowing what a caring person James was, we would have all agreed that he would gladly donate as much usable organs and tissue as possible anyway; nonetheless, we were thankful that we didn’t have to make the decision on his behalf and that we were able to honor his wish.
The letter from WRTC stated that James’ donation consisted of orthopedic tissues that were used for patients suffering from bone or spine disease/injuries and heart valves that benefited individuals with severe heart defects or heart disease.  His gift of skin has enabled surgeons to perform reconstructive surgeries for severe burn victims.  His donations have been distributed to 15 states including Maryland and Virginia.  Though my beloved brother is no longer with us on this earth, it is somewhat comforting to know that parts of him are still ‘living.’   It is indeed bittersweet! 
James lived a rather ordinary life. He’d been sick with diabetes for much of his adult life and did not achieve much success or fame by the standards of this world.  He did not have much to leave behind for his family and friends.  James’ gift of life, however, meant the world to the recipients of his organs and tissue.   James certainly left more than his name behind. He literally left his skin and more so others could have another chance at life. 
We as followers of Jesus Christ have already received the gift of eternal life and have been commissioned to live as salt and light of the world.  One day God will call us home to live with Him in heaven forever with glorious new heavenly bodies.   Thus in my opinion, we Christians should be the first ones to become organ donors for thousands of people whose only hope for life is to receive an organ or tissue transplant.  How awesome it is to be able to practice “Love your neighbor as yourself” even at death!  I understand this kind of matter is a personal decision and needs to be discussed with one’s family.  I do encourage all of you, however, to talk about this important topic of organ donation with your loved ones.  And as you share about life, death, and beyond, I pray you will each be overcome with incredible gratitude for the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. He showed by example what it means to give the gift of life to others.  Let us imitate Jesus Christ.  Would you consider becoming an Organ Donor next time you apply for a driver’s license or a leaner’s permit? 

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
September 8, 2013

Today’s sermon passage in Colossians 3 talks in part about the relationship between parent and child. It directs not only for the child to be obedient to the parent but also for the parent to be loving to the child. It’s a very challenging role for guys because we have to resist our natural male tendency to be authoritarian in relationships and instead work towards also being loving and not embittering and discouraging as a father (and husband) as the Scripture passage calls us to be. It takes a LOT of patience and wisdom for sure.
A couple years ago I was at Chick Fil-A with my son eating lunch. It’s always really busy there and sometimes we get there but leave because the lines are so long. So this time I commented on how busy it was and I also mentioned to him that probably the reason Chick-Fil-A is so busy is that it’s a Christian-owned franchise and that most people have a high opinion of Christians so they like to eat there. But then, in some lame attempt at fatherly wisdom I tried to make a point about humility and I said to him, “But you know son, Christians aren’t perfect. They’re not always nice.” Without skipping a beat he says to me, “Yeah like you, you’re not always nice.” (Ouch, and I was a seminary student no less at the time).
Out of the mouths of babes goes the saying. I guess I deserve that. Part of my testimony is that for the longest time I had been blind to certain anger issues that were destroying my relationship with my wife and son. It had only taken 40-plus years and 3 years of seminary for a stubborn knucklehead like me to overcome my tendency as a guy to go be impatient and harsh. I acted that way under the guise of strong disciplinarian parenting. I thought I was doing the right thing for my son. But what I now realize is that it was because I didn’t know any other way except the way my flawed human nature caused me to be. And it was definitely discouraging and embittering my son unfortunately.
Thank God for the miracle of healing and restoration in my life and gradually I’ve been emerging from that dark place towards the light. I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Once in a while I’ll ask my son how I’m doing nowadays as a Dad and he’ll describe me as being “yellish” because I still raise my voice at him from time to time. But I believe there are appropriate times to be “yellish” with him in order to reinforce good parenting. It’s just that now I have a pretty darn good relationship with him so he’s much more well-adjusted. So for you men (and women) out there, I hope for everyone’s sake that your relationship with the Lord and with others aren’t suffering to a point of regret like it was with me.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
September 1, 2013

On Adoption
“While it costs us a lot to adopt children, it cost God the blood of His own Son.”
- Rick Morton and Tony Merida, Orphanology
“Adoption graphically and intimately describes the family character of Pauline Christianity, and is a basic description for Paul of what it means to be a Christian.”
- Trevor Burke, Adopted into God’s Family: Exploring a Pauline Metaphor
“Forgiveness isn’t an end in itself. The point of forgiveness is to remove the barrier that stands between us and God so that He can give us His Spirit and bring us into His everlasting family.”
- Darrell Bock, Real Lost Gospel

On God as Father
“What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God as Father.”
- J.I. Packer, Knowing God
“There is no one concept of God which dominates the theology of Paul more than [the fatherhood of God].”
- Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin and Daniel G. Reid, Dictionary of Paul and His Letters

The quotes above give insight to theological truths of our relationship with God.  We’ve been bought at a price, through the death and resurrection of His son Jesus Christ to be welcomed into the family of God.  The definition of “family” can be confusing here.  It can be seen as the acceptance and welcome into the church, the community, or the body of Christ.  There is truth to this statement.  But I believe adoption adheres to a more profound truth.  As Christians, we believe in the Trinity, God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Among these three “persons” of God, there is perfect unity, glorifying the other.  The words “Father” and “Son” point to a familial bond within the Trinity.  Often times in the bible, we are referred to as co-heirs of the kingdom (Romans 8:17) and co-heirs refers to the position of a child to receive inheritance from a father, so in other words we have the same inheritance promised to CHRIST Himself!  In other words, we are sons and daughters ALONG WITH CHRIST HIMSELF!  It says in the bible that we will be glorified with Christ.  Because of sin, we were far from the Lord, but because of the price paid on the cross, we are given the title of SONS and DAUGHTERS of Most High God!  Isn’t this amazing?  Does this help in your perspective of calling God, Abba Father, knowing that it was at the cost of His Son, that we are adopted AS HIS OWN and called sons and daughters with Jesus?  This is GREAT NEWS that compels and allows us to live lives of faith, hope, and love… of victory!

Starting today, many of us are heading out to our annual Summer Retreat for Timothy Youth Group.  The topic is “The Father’s Heart” and I believe wholeheartedly that our amazing God desires to reveal who the youth are in His eyes, as His own sons and daughters.  As they become more and more aware of Who God is and who they are to God because of Christ Jesus, I know that at a young age, they can live lives in total surrender and abandonment to the One who loved and saved them.  I believe among us, we have the next King David’s, Apostle Paul’s, Billy Graham’s, Hudson Taylor’s, Jim Elliot’s… and will do even GREATER things than them.  Please pray for us.

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart
August 18, 2013

So my wife and I took our 9 yr-old son Julian to the airport last Saturday. He flew out to Seattle to visit my family and Jen’s family for a week each. This is the first time he’s ever been away from home for that long. I’m really glad he had a chance to go out there because I know he’ll have a great time visiting with family whom he doesn’t get to see all that often. But he will have been gone for two weeks before I fly out and join him. I kind of miss the little guy and I actually teared up as I left the airport (I know that’s a real shocker that I got emotional). I miss the little tender moments between him and me, like when we’d be in the middle of playing catch or something and then for no particular reason he’ll simply say “hug” and come over and I’d give him a hug.
I’m reminded of the Matthew 10 Bible verse where Jesus is sending out his 12 disciples and tells them “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
At first glance that passage might give the impression maybe Jesus is trying to give us a guilt trip about loving our parents or our children too much. Far from it!
I think what the passage really illustrates is that it gives us a glimpse of the depth and scope of God’s love that exists for us through his Son. We all (hopefully) can relate to how at one time or another we have been loved by our parents and how as parents we have such a profound love for our children.
Jesus also wants to be loved by us and be in communion with us on a daily basis. But it’s not so much that as Christians we should start loving our family less as if Christ is demanding it all for himself. Rather, it should get us trying to imagine that as much as we have a deep capacity to love and be loved by others, how much greater is the Lord’s unconditional love that exists when we seek Him. This is what we have in Christ!
So when I think of how much I love that little guy and what a blessing he is to my wife and me it also reminds me of an even greater love from the Lord that dwarfs anything I could ever express. The idea of that brings about a profound peace and comfort to me. And that’s way better than even a hug.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
August 11, 2013

I wanted to share a post that I came across on Facebook this past week. This made me reflect on my priorities and my role as a father and a husband. Hope you enjoy!
SON: "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
DAD: "Yeah sure, what is it?"
SON: "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?"
SON: "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "If you must know, I make $100 an hour."
SON: "Oh! (With his head down).
SON: "Daddy, may I please borrow $50?"
The father was furious.
DAD: "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard every day for such this childish behavior."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think:
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $ 50 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

DAD: "Are you asleep, son?"
SON: "No daddy, I'm awake".
DAD: "I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier. It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $50 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, smiling.
SON: "Oh, thank you daddy!"
Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

DAD: "Why do you want more money if you already have some?"
SON: "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do.

"Daddy, I have $100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness. It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $100 worth of your time with someone you love? If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family and friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family.

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
July 28, 2013

The George Zimmerman murder trial has finally concluded. Many people are frustrated by the outcome. The verdict is disappointing to me from a legal and Christian perspective in that even though the criminal justice system is not perfect it does not appear it was properly utilized and fairly applied to its fullest extent to begin with. The whole ordeal smacks of a local community in the South that probably resented the national outrage and pressure to prosecute Zimmerman later after they had already closed the investigation out. So the case was doomed from the beginning.
The authorities from the very start of this case did not appear to have conducted a very thorough investigation into the shooting death of a young unarmed black man. State witnesses were neglected and unprepared to testify at trial, which undermined their credibility. The fact that one of the detectives (a state witness) testified he thought the defendant was believable is unheard of and sums up my point about bias undertones. And so because of an incomplete and sloppy version of the facts presented at trial one of the jurors was later quoted saying that Trayvon Martin “played a huge role” in his own death. It seems pretty clear by all accounts that George Zimmerman went out of his way to escalate the situation and ended up pulling a gun when he was losing.
He’s the only person alive on this planet who truly knows exactly what happened on that day and he isn’t talking, which is his right under the law. At this point what he did on that night is between him and God. I suppose if the whole truth had been made known it’s possible he acted in self-defense but whether he acted justifiably or with criminal intent will never be known for sure.
That’s why I’m reminded of the fact that even though it’s well known in our court system that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, a “not guilty” verdict does not necessarily mean a person is innocent. Just because Zimmerman was found not guilty doesn’t mean he acted innocently during that violent altercation with Martin. There just wasn’t enough evidence to convict him.
This frustrates me in that in our American society we rely on the trial court system to mete out justice (although designating a judge to settle disputes among people has Old Testament origins). Compared to God’s sovereign judgment our trials may be a crude blunt tool but nevertheless the criminal justice system usually satisfies our sense of justice and fair play and is designed to do just that. Ultimately we’re all subject to God’s judgment but until that day we have come to expect people to be held accountable for their human actions while here on earth. But in this case it does not appear the whole truth was ever revealed making it impossible to prove the case, and thus, justice did not play out. That alone should be disturbing to all of us.
At least these types of polarizing cases where justice seems twisted don’t occur often. But this is not the first instance where an infamous case results in a controversial verdict. I guess it’s just another reminder of how imperfect and limited we are as humans when it comes to true justice, certainly when compared to God. sigh.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
July 21, 2013