Pastor Jamie’s sabbatical has allowed the pastors more opportunities to preach more which is a privilege but an enormous challenge. Whatever so-called preaching skills we think we have from public speaking or even from seminary training matters not when it comes to truly speaking God’s word from the pulpit. I’m reminded one of our pastors once said the main priority of a pastor when preaching is to “get out of the way of the message.” Now I think I understand what he meant by that. There’s a balance between preaching according to what we think our training and life experiences guide us to but also to be discerning to what the Spirit is convicting us in our heart and mind to share with the congregation. Pastors each have their unique preaching style and personality but I constantly strive to remind myself that it’s not about me or my effort but about what God is doing.
A journal entry about Pastor Jamie’s 4/17/11 sermon also comes to mind. He preached then that sometimes we rely too much on the pastor to cater to our spiritual needs and wants without ever allowing ourselves to be confronted by God, who’s been present all along. It’s good and proper to have a level of respect and deference for the preacher. But sometimes we do have the tendency to expect an encounter with God through the pastor’s sermon when really He’s waiting to draw near to us all throughout the entire service. Our praise worship is not mere incidental background music to open the service but a time where God touches our hearts and minds through music in a way that goes beyond what the spoken word can describe.
Today we take Communion. This is another opportunity to come before God in confession and remembrance of how much God loves us and how desperately we need Him through his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. No other person is necessary to draw closer to God. It’s because of this carpenter’s son that we are free to rejoice and celebrate together in fellowship. Amen to that.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
March 3, 2013

Recently During Bedtime Prayers with 9-yr Old Son:
Me: . . . and Lord I pray that I will be a better daddy tomorrow than I was today, and I thank you that I was a better daddy today than I was yesterday and I thank you for . . .
Son: uh, wait a minute, you weren't a better daddy today than you were yesterday.
Me: oh . . . sorry. (wife chuckling in the background)
I posted this the other day on facebook. It happened several weeks ago but has been yet another reminder to me of my ongoing personal journey of redemption and transformation. You gotta love how children can be so honest about their feelings- “Out of the mouths of babes” is the expression I think. I respect and also love my son Julian’s perspective.  He keeps me in check. I also think I have a lot to make up for.
You see for the first 5 years or so of his life I was very hard on him. In short, I was never abusive but in my mind I was giving him discipline and life lessons all in the name of “good parenting.” In actuality I was impatient, quick to anger and utterly crushing him and he was a sensitive little kid to begin with. This was the pervasive subtle sin in my life that had been ongoing for far too long.
Part of my testimony I’ve shared in recent years has been the realization that I was blind for so many years to certain deep-seated anger issues (mine were related to being an adopted Korean) that threatened my relationship with my son, my wife, friendships and anyone else I ever cared about in life. Well, I was so pathetically prideful and ignorant that it took 40- plus years and 3 years of seminary but I finally saw the light. I truly praise God for that, better late than never.
One time last year Julian and I were talking and I asked him what his earliest childhood memory was. I expected him to say something fun and positive like when we played baseball or when he learned to ride a bike. Far from it. He proceeded to tell me it was that one time (when he was about 4) and Mom was away for the weekend and it was just him and I at home. For whatever reason I got so angry with him that he had to stay in his room on his red racecar bed and he ended up eating a bowl of ramen for dinner sitting on his bed trembling in tears. Man, that just hurt when he told me that was one of his childhood memories. But I have to live with that and maybe I ought to as a reminder (and penance) of how destructive I acted towards the very things I held dear.
The only reason I can openly share these embarrassing moments is that I feel an assurance that God is now in greater control of my life. I’ve seen how my life was going walking apart from the Lord and it wasn’t pretty. I can’t undo the harm I caused to my relationships in the past, but by God I can allow myself to be broken of that awful perpetuating life condition from here on out.
I’ve since apologized to my son many, many times for daddy’s bad behavior, especially for the red racecar bed incident. We can at least talk about that now and even laugh it off a little too. Thank God that children do seem to have a greater capacity to forgive than we adults. But as I’ve learn from Scripture (1 John 3) I can apologize all I want with words but Julian won’t truly appreciate my love for him I received from the Lord unless I strive to provide “good parenting” with patience and grace over time through my actions and in truth. Amen to that.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
 February 24, 2013

As I was growing up, I told myself that I would be the perfect husband and father for my future family. My parents set a good example for me to learn from as they tried their best to raise me with godly values. Though my parents were not perfect in every area of parenting, my siblings and I always looked up to their leadership. There are times when I’m just amazed by how they were able to raise all three of us so well because it certainly is not so easy for me. 
My wife and I have been married for over five years now. Our relationship has definitely grown more intimate than ever before. There are many good and bad memories I can think of and all in all, God has been so good to us. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to be the leader of a household these days as I was reading about Abraham, Ezra, and Nehemiah. God has revealed amazing leadership characteristics of each person that I simply looked over before. The three individuals and their leadership taught me what I need to work on as a godly father, a husband and a spiritual leader to many. As I found myself struggling to become a better leader and a loving husband for my wife, two kids came along and made it even harder for me. Since I am not a natural leader, I was often forced to make decisions and had to learn to accept my role as the leader in my household and at church as a spiritual leader. It’s been a tough and yet rewarding journey for the last five years of family life and seven years of ministry experience. I still have a long way to go but I understand and accept my role as a leader that God has called me to be. I’m grateful to God for blessing me with people, especially my wife, who continue to encourage and challenge me to become a better leader.
For the past few weeks, I have been visiting and counseling Timothy families. Each family had a unique set of issues and struggles but one common topic that we discussed was on the topic of parenting and leadership. God allowed me to comfort and encourage dads and moms for the amazing job they are doing, but I also challenged them by reminding them that they are called to be “leaders of their household.” I hope to see many parents taking on full responsibility of their calling to be leaders of their households by humbly kneeling before God for His strength and wisdom. I was so encouraged to hear that there is a prayer movement that’s starting up at our church among the leaders and parents. God is about to do some amazing things at our church and in your families! I challenge all the leaders and parents to come out to EMP on Saturdays and also join the Friday night leaders/parents prayer meetings to participate and fully experience the blessings of this prayer movement. 

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
January 27, 2013

I have really enjoyed going through our M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan together.  I love how we are able to have glimpses of the whole narrative of the Bible through this plan in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.  I pray that the Lord has been revealing to you His power through His Word.  For those of you who are new to NCFC and would like a systematic plan to read the Bible in a year, please ask any of the greeters and/or pastors for a reading plan card.  It is truly awesome!
On top of this plan, I often enjoy reading blogs, articles, and other resources about the “hot” topics of Christianity.  It’s helpful for me as a pastor to see what other pastors are thinking about as well.  Recently, I stumbled across “My Utmost For His Highest”, a day to day devotional written by Oswald Chambers, a Scottish evangelist, teacher, and author.  Here is a devotional that I was very moved by:
“I have appeared to you for this purpose . . .—Acts 26:16
The vision Paul had on the road to Damascus was not a passing emotional experience, but a vision that had very clear and emphatic directions for him. And Paul stated, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19). Our Lord said to Paul, in effect, “Your whole life is to be overpowered or subdued by Me; you are to have no end, no aim, and no purpose but Mine.” And the Lord also says to us, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go . . .” (John 15:16).
When we are born again, if we are spiritual at all, we have visions of what Jesus wants us to be. It is important that I learn not to be “disobedient to the heavenly vision”—not to doubt that it can be attained. It is not enough to give mental assent to the fact that God has redeemed the world, nor even to know that the Holy Spirit can make all that Jesus did a reality in my life. I must have the foundation of a personal relationship with Him. Paul was not given a message or a doctrine to proclaim. He was brought into a vivid, personal, overpowering relationship with Jesus Christ.Acts 26:16 is tremendously compelling “. . . to make you a minister and a witness . . . .” There would be nothing there without a personal relationship. Paul was devoted to a Person, not to a cause. He was absolutely Jesus Christ’s. He saw nothing else and he lived for nothing else. “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).”
I am constantly reminded and in awe that we are able, by Christ crucified, to have a relationship with Almighty God.  Think on it… a relationship that involves communication, happiness, sorrow, laughter, tears, intimacy, etc.  It’s available to you and me!  What an amazing thing that Christ came down to reconcile creation to Creator, to give us hope and purpose and furthermore use us for His glory.  I find these promises in the Word of God, the Bible, that we so often take for granted.  I encourage and challenge you to read the Word and pray for faith to know that this is God’s very words spoken to and for us that we may have life and life to the full.  God bless. 

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart 
January 27, 2013

According to Sofia one of the reasons that our family has close relationships is the separation due to our calling.  She has a point.  Since we only get to see each other once a year or twice, if we get lucky, we try our best to be civil and kind during that short time.   Thus PD warns me, “Try not to nag too much, Honey.” for the time we have together is too short even for the good stuff.  As for the kids, they also know that they need to use the limited time to the fullest.  Therefore this visit was the same as any other time.  When we got home, PD changed Sofia’s tires, got Noah’s car inspected for the Emissions test, placed nice mats on his new used car.  Surely they can do all those things by themselves, but it definitely is comforting to have your dad around to do all those burdensome yet necessary things once in a while.
So by contrast, if our family lives under one roof and together all the time, we might not be this way.  While we were preparing for the message, we found these words in a commentary, “Familiarity breeds contempt.”  So true!  The Jews rejected Jesus because He was their own.  The Gentiles, and the people from farther places have more open hearts than His home crowd.  To them He was a son of Mary and Joseph whom they were familiar with.  Just like that we too take for granted those familiar people.  Somehow my parents are not as cool as the others.  Somehow my siblings are not as valuable as the others.  Somehow my kids are not as smart or delightful as the others. Someone else’s lawn is always greener than mine.  The grass is always greener on the other side.
In the case of the Father, it is pretty similar.  If He comes to see us from far away Heaven once every ten years, we would wait for Him desperately with all our attention for that encounter.  However He is too close, let alone right inside of us.  Thus it is so easy for us to take Him for granted and be indifferent toward Him.  But that is exactly how the Jews and the home crowd missed the long waited Messiah right under their nose.  They were too familiar with Him.  Familiarity bred contempt.
In the SICAP Center we lived with the same old people for sixteen years.  Obviously the students graduate yearly, but they are still part of the SICAP Family.  PD and I’ve had a 24/7 kind of living arrangement.  All those years, one thing we have learned…  These familiar people need the most attention, concern, and respect.  Because they are the ones who will come to my rescue when I fall into a pit and call for help.  Not those who look so cool when you see them once in a while for they would be too far away to hear your cry.  In the mission field by living with the same old same old, we have learned that familiarity breeds security, comfort, endurance, and consistency.
For that reason our SICAP family is the best.  For that reason our kids are the coolest.  For that reason our Home Church is the most wonderful.  For that reason the Father who dwells right inside of us day in and day out is the Best Father in the world.   

From Missionary Ruth’s Heart
December 16, 2012

As most of you know, my husband and I plan to go out as long-term missionaries and are earnestly seeking God’s will regarding where and when.  We visited YWAM in Kona, Hawaii back in April and came back quite excited about the possibility of joining YWAM.  With Elder Frank’s background in computer networking and YWAM bases around the world that could benefit from his expertise, it seemed like that’s where God was leading us.  Then a few months later, we met with Pastor Daniel and Ruth and were challenged to pray about another possibility.  After having run the SICAP Center (equivalent of a Bible college) in Samar, Philippines for the past 16 years with much fruit, Pastor Daniel has been called by God to serve as the GP USA National Executive Director in CA.  As excited as they are for the new platform to mobilize more 1.5 Korean-Americans into mission fields, they are understandably concerned about the continued well-being of the SICAP center.  When they heard about our plan for long-term missions, they contacted and asked us to pray about the SICAP Center opportunity.
Not having been able to make the decision one way or the other, Elder Frank and I plan to visit the SICAP Center in late January to seek God’s will.  On the way back from the Philippines, we will spend a few days in Korea. While there I want to visit the Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery, where more than 160 foreign missionaries to Korea (including family members) are buried.  Trying to obtain the visiting hours and directions, I checked out their website (http://www.yanghwajin.net) and came across a missionary I’ve never heard of.  Her name is Ruby Rachel Kendrick, born in 1883 in Texas who died in 1907 at the age of 25 as a missionary in Korea.  After her arrival in Songdo, North Korea, she led morning prayers, taught English, and took care of sick children, but unfortunately died from exhaustion after only nine months in Korea. 
Missionary Kendrick used to say, “If my work here in Korea is to be so short, I want to write to the young people at home to come and take my place.”  Many young people did follow in her footsteps and became missionaries to Korea, and nearly $120,000, which was a phenomenal amount of money back in the early 1900’s, was raised through the Ruby Kendrick Memorial Fund.  The epitaph on her tombstone reads, “If I had a thousand lives to give, Korea should have them all.”  I was shocked by this statement.  What could have possibly caused a young woman, after having spent only several months in a small, obscure country that no one really cared about, to say something so touching and humbling!  It could not have been just her passion for Korea, but God’s passion for Korea that she carried in her heart.  Today we see many seeds produced by this precious ‘kernel of wheat’ that laid down her life. Korea is the second largest missionary sending nation after the US.
As I sat amazed by Missionary Kendrick’s story, I was reminded that’s what Christmas is all about – remembering and honoring the greatest missionary in history, Jesus Christ.  Yet because we celebrate Christmas year after year, we no longer seem to be amazed by His story. I pray that our sense of ‘shock and awe’ of what Jesus endured for us would be rekindled this Christmas.  And rejoice! You will NOT find Jesus’ tomb in Yanghwajin or anywhere else; He is back on His heavenly throne, waiting to return to earth soon as King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
December 16, 2012

It’s only the first week of December and I already see Christmas decorations everywhere. Even at my house, we have a Christmas tree that we purchased a few years back which started our family tradition of putting it up every year the week of Thanksgiving. It was first bought as a gift for my wife and now it has become a source of joy for my whole family. My two kids certainly love seeing the tree light up every night and they get excited to see other houses with Christmas decorations. I just wish that I could share the same excitement as I did when I was a kid. Even as I write this column, my mind is preoccupied with things that I have to prepare for Christmas and the end of the year programs. Churches across the world are preparing programs and special worship services for Christmas because it certainly is one of the most important days for us Christians. In fact, we already had our annual Christmas Banquet last night. It was a refreshing reminder that Christmas is not a time of stress and busyness but a time of joy. We sang Christmas carols, ate good food prepared by the Philippines missions team and we certainly enjoyed a warm ambiance created by beautiful decorations. Thanks to everyone who worked hard to put together such a wonderful banquet for people to enjoy.
With Christmas only a few weeks away how are you and your family preparing for that day? Are the children in your family putting together a list of things they want to receive as this year’s Christmas gifts? Or is your family planning to spend good quality time together as 2012 comes to an end? Recently I heard on the radio that many people are not looking forward to this year’s Christmas due to the bad economy. The thought of getting gifts for people and the money associated with the gifts are too burdensome that people would rather skip Christmas. I, for one, am already looking through websites and store advertisements to find good deals for Christmas gifts. It has become one of my priorities to prepare for every Christmas. I already have more than four Christmas related parties where a gift exchange is involved. Satan has twisted the true meaning of Christmas and it has now become a holiday where many people don’t even call it “CHRISTmas”. More and more, today’s culture seems to emphasize the glitter of this world rather the One who was born in the small town of Bethlehem.
There is a popular song called “All I Want for Christmas” that’s played over and over during this Christmas season. My wife and I especially enjoy Mariah Carey’s version of that song. “I don't want a lot for Christmas. There's just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own more than you could ever know. Make my wish come true, all I want for Christmas is you...I don't need to hang my stocking, there upon the fireplace. Santa Claus won't make me happy with a toy on Christmas day. I just want you for my own. More than you could ever know, make my wish come true. All I want for Christmas is you.” As many people sing these lyrics over the next few weeks, I wish and pray that what people want will be Jesus Christ. No matter how many gifts we receive for Christmas, the joy and satisfaction won’t last long. Only Jesus Christ is our source of eternal joy and peace. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts as you prayerfully prepare for Christmas. I also pray that the joy of the Lord will be your perfect strength as many have end of the year exams and projects at schools and work places.

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
December 9, 2012

A few days ago someone who knew that we can’t eat good beef on our island treated us to a real tasty Porterhouse steak.  Ruth and I enjoyed the tender medium rare meat immensely.  While we were looking though the menu, we noticed something interesting.  Maybe it is the health conscience culture of our time.  Each dish has the number of calories.  Thus when the time came for dessert Ruth just passed it up and had coffee.  I know how much she loves cheesecake, but once she saw the number ‘1,200 Cal’ she couldn’t do it.  The next morning, probably out of slight regret, she looked up on the internet how many calories we burn as we walk around the lake in our neighborhood for 2 miles in 30 minutes.  She got so frustrated once she found out the number, a meager 125 cal. “Thank goodness I skipped that cake!  I have to walk around the Elk Horn 10 times!  Six or seven bites in 10 minutes, but to burn it we have to walk 5 hours!” In the same token, a few months ago while we were talking with Pastor Jamie about my new role as the GP/USA director, he commented, “It took you guys 16 years to build the SICAP Ministry in toil and sweat as it is now, but it would only take a year maybe even less to topple the ministry.”  I thought to myself, “So true.”
Aren’t our lives often like that?  It is so easy to take in 1,000 Cal, but to burn it off, it takes pain and sweat. It takes years to build a relationship, but it only takes a simple stupid incident to destroy it.  You have to put in at least 8 hours a day to keep a job to make money, but to spend that money, it only takes the swipe of a card.  It took us 16 years of hard work and pain of separation, but who knows… That is why Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”  To find and walk through this narrow gate and road does require time, effort, sweat, or occasional pain.  In contrast, the other road is easy, comfortable and natural.  Automatically our feet take us there.    Lately I have noticed this road is getting more traveler-friendly.  Faster, broader, more comfortable…
Should we follow the crowd?  Without much consideration should we just travel as our feet take us?  Since I am a typical type A person, before the days of GPS, I had to have a map before I traveled.  It didn’t matter whether I knew the road or not.  I needed to make sure I was going to take the right path.  Since there are so many choices and roads which we can take in our journey of life, how can a person think that one can travel without a map as the guide and just follow the crowd?  We do have the perfect map, the ultimate guide which we can rely on daily to find the narrow gate and the path.  The Word of God is the map, the GPS.  It guides and tells us every turn, every street and avenue. 
Ruth and I have traveled as missionaries the past seventeen years in Samar Island.  We have depended on the Map everyday for the right path where not many people traveled. However we came to a junction where we need to make an enormous turn.  Thus for some time we have to travel slower than usual and keep on referring back to the Map for the right direction since this is a brand new path.

From Pastor Daniel’s Heart
December 9, 2012

“Re-entry Shock” is a term to explain the culture shock when missionaries come back home after many years in the mission field. We too definitely are going through it. Since we left home, Samar Island, on November 1st, we have been living out of suitcases for 10 days in Seoul, Korea, 10 days in LA, California, now in Columbia, Maryland. Thus my body and heart are trying so hard to adjust to each time zone, weather and culture. Though my previous experiences tell me eventually my body will get used to whatever changes it faces, the issues of my heart are a totally different matter.
This past Thanksgiving was the first holiday get-together in nearly six years.  That evening when all the food was spread out, I was literally shocked by the amount of food we had on the table.  Automatically my mind was racing to Samar and the gathering we just had a month ago.  For the 20th anniversary celebration of the SICAP Ministry, we had to feed close to 90-100 people for almost a whole week. Beginning with Sunday dinner to Saturday breakfast, seventeen meals altogether we spent $2,000 which also included two whole roasted pigs. Does it mean that the cost of food is much cheaper in Samar?  Actually it is pretty comparable with the food price here except rice.  Then how did we do it?  Tons of rice with one side dish usually in the form of soup or stew which contains meat and vegetables.  However, even that one dish meal is far better than our people usually have at their homes. By contrast, on the Thanksgiving table we had almost ten different kinds of food which were cooked by four different families.
I guess the natural part of the re-entry shock is to compare constantly between where you came from and where you are now.  But I usually don’t verbally express it because a few years ago I learned a lesson.  I kept saying every time we had gathering, “I can’t believe you guys throw these things away (meant disposable plastic utensils).  In Samar we would use these for years.”  Then Sofia got tired of it and said, “Mom, don’t say things like that.  You can make people here very uncomfortable.” Therefore although I won’t say anything, in my mind, I am immediately estimating how many people I can feed with this much food.  How long could these disposable utensils last in Samar ?  I even think about our dogs and cats which can be fed for days with all the fruit peels, bones and leftover food. The difficult part is that we live the re -entry lifestyle back and forth  constantly.  After a couple months of plenty and comfort here, we need to re-enter back to the other life style in Samar again in January.
Hence how do we deal with these often head spinning encounters? Consequently over the years, we have learned to rely on things that remain perpetual like this enduring body of Christ we call our home church and its familiar faces.  Around next March when we move most of our possessions from Samar to Southern California, our lives will again go through topsy-turvy moments.  Nevertheless we will keep on looking upward for our Father and eastward for our Family.

From Missionary Ruth’s Heart
December 2, 2012

How was your Thanksgiving break?  Mine was one of the most peaceful in recent years.  No, I did not just eat and sleep all day.  In fact, I was quite busy hosting a huge Thanksgiving family get-together at my house.   Incidentally, the highlight of the Thanksgiving break for me was the success of my first-ever cooked turkey!  Thanks to the step-by-step online instructions, my turkey and all its trimmings turned out quite fabulously.   With the laptop right on the kitchen counter, it was like having a private cooking instructor right alongside me.  As wonderful as these online cooking assistances are, however, it no longer affords us an excuse not to be able to cook something.  At this rate, sooner or later, our husbands may demand we turn out Martha Stewart-ish dishes! 
The reason I felt peaceful and well-rested, I believe, has to do with how I spent the days following Thanksgiving – to be more specific, how I did not get lured into the Black Friday or Cyber Monday bargain hunting insanity.  Yes, I do confess I too have “been there and done that” in the past, but this year I had NO desire whatsoever to be a part of it.  Did I finally become completely sanctified, become like Jesus, with no worldly desires?  Did I get too old and weak to engage in this physically and mentally challenging endeavor?  Or was it because I now have everything I ever needed or wanted?  We all know that’s not the case.
Then why was it different this year?  How was I able to overcome the fierce enticement of amazing Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals?  I came up with three reasons, and I hope to apply these principles not only during the Thanksgiving holidays, but throughout the year from now on.  First, my mind was preoccupied with successfully hosting my first ever Thanksgiving party, which was going to be my way of expressing appreciation for each family member, who has so richly blessed my life.  With that “loftier” goal in mind, my selfish desire and need became less significant.  Secondly, as soon as all the sales ads were delivered home, they were dumped straight into the recycling bin.  Eve was tempted and subsequently sinned because she allowed her eyes to keep gazing at the forbidden fruit.  I knew better not to have them around to stimulate and overwhelm “the cravings of my sinful heart and the lust of my eyes.”  Thirdly, and most importantly, I had no desire to add even one more item to the ton of “stuff” we’ve accumulated over the years.  Most of these were probably things that  we ‘had to have’ at the time, but in this new season of our lives  as we prepare to go out as long-term missionaries, we wish we didn’t have as much stuff to have to get rid of. 
It’s not that we’ve lived a life of excessive luxury or indulgence (ask my children; they’ll vouch for it), but we surely could have done without a whole lot of things.  Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34).  I cannot help but think, “What if all this stuff distracted us from solely looking to Jesus for true satisfaction?  How much more fruit would we have been able to bear if we had invested more into the lives of other people?”  But thank God that He is the God of second chances!  As Elder Frank and I follow the Holy Spirit’s lead into the next phase of our lives, we pray we will no longer be weighed down by the things of the world, but passionately pursue after God’s heart.  We desire to “travel light, dwell deep” for the remainder of our lives.

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
December 2, 2012

While I was on the church website recently I made the mistake of clicking on the archived recording of my first sermon from last May. Ever done that? Ever reviewed a recording of yourself giving a speech or presentation? Ugh!! It's excruciating isn't it to see and hear yourself publicly speaking? You tend to be hyper-critical of every little mistake in your delivery and overall presentation and appearance. As I watched the sermon clip I cringed at how twitchy I was- lots of constant nervous movement, my hands flailing about and I paced back and forth too. With my day job I’m in court all the time and so one would think that form of public speaking would help a little here. I think I’m comfortable speaking generally but it’s enormously humbling when it comes to speaking from the pulpit. Pastor Jamie has even commented that all of one’s nervous ticks become even more evident when preaching.
What made me cringe even more while viewing my sermon was the fact that I spoke with a speech impediment- a lisp. A lisp is the inability to enunciate the letter "s" clearly and it comes out as a "th" sound. Jesus, for example, comes out like “Jethuth”. I know that I had to take speech therapy classes for this when I was in 6th grade. I don’t think it’s as bad now as it was then but I guess I just never realized that it was still audibly noticeable some 30 years later!
The ridiculous thing is that my lisp, which is obvious to everyone else, was new to me. I was so mortified that I even Googled local speech therapists and online speech impediment exercises to try and correct it. I’m so self-conscious now I even try to avoid speaking words spelled with an “s.” It’s embarrassing and I also think some people associate a person who speaks with a lisp with having low IQ. Oh that’s just great. How am I ever going to get anyone to listen to me if they already presume I’m some kind of a moron?!? (Although I assure you I might very well be an imbecile with or without a lisp.)
I dunno but just maybe this little self-revelation of mine is a metaphor for life and our self-image we think we project. When in actuality we’re blind to all these little peculiarities apparent to everyone but ourselves. Boy, I felt so much better about myself living in “blithful ignoranthe.” But as I’ve shared before as part of my testimony, perhaps this is yet another recent instance- albeit public and embarrassing- that God uses to humble and disciple me. I’m better off because of it no doubt.
Pastor Neil preached last week we shouldn't compare ourselves with others but be thankful for who we are. But I can't help it I envy and covet all you people who can clearly pronounce your “s”. I thought of suing every one of you. But then again, it occurred to me that God uses all of us either because of or in spite of our imperfections. Besides, better speech won't draw me closer to God or give me greater clarity of thought in the Word when preaching. My only hope (and prayer) is that the message within the actual spoken Word undeniably overcomes my own human limitations. As Apostle Paul wrote of his own weaknesses, “God’s grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in weakness.”
During corporate prayer at the Alpha retreat last weekend I spoke a prophetic word of knowledge to another for the first time in my life.  . . and whew, the particular word didn't have a single "s" in it to have to pronounce. Amen to that, God is good!

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
November 25, 2012

It’s been a while since I’ve been to a youth conference. The last time I went to the Ocean City conference was about two years ago with a bunch of high schoolers. As I briefly shared last Sunday, I had a great time at the conference hanging out with 18 middle schoolers and 3 adults. Once again, my patience was put to test by some of the boys by their constant complaints about everything but I must say that everyone had a great time being away from home for a couple of days. My biggest fear of attending these conferences is the long drive because I tend to fall asleep behind the wheel too easily.  However, thanks to Yohann who kept me company, I was able to stay wide awake the whole ride and actually enjoyed hours of quality talks. I would also like to thank Mrs. Kelly Kang and Mrs. Heejung Park for taking good care of all of us throughout the conference.
As I drove into Ocean City, I was able to witness the aftermath of the recent hurricane and the damage it left in the city. There were piles of sand in the middle of the main road, the boardwalk was completely destroyed, the beach looked horrible and many shops took a heavy hit and closed down. However, we were still able to enjoy the board walk, at least what’s left of it. I realized that I never fully appreciated the amount of work and effort that went in to making the boardwalk nice and appealing to tourists. It was a good reminder for me to think about the victims of the hurricane Sandy who are still struggling to recover from their loss.
The conference was well put together with great speakers and other guests. They had many seminars and workshops for the kids and leaders to benefit from. Yohann and I both were very excited to see the “Million Dollar Man” at the conference as one of the speakers. My grandparents used to watch pro wrestling on television all the time. I’m not so sure why my grandparents loved watching wrestling but I remember enjoying watching it as well. I recall a video game that had featured “Million Dollar Man” as one of the main characters you can choose to represent in a wrestling match. Thus when video footage came out on the screen to introduce the speaker, I was in total shock. Never in my life had I imagined seeing the million dollar man at a Christian youth conference as a guest speaker. Going along with his title, his famous line was “Every Man has His Price.” He claimed that anything and anyone can be bought with a price. As the Million Dollar Man, he was surrounded by money, fame, limousines and there was nothing money could not buy for him.
Then one day Christ entered his life and bought him at a price, and that price was Jesus Christ himself. According to Ted DiBiase (Million Dollar man’s real name’s biography on http://www.milliondollarman.com). He has then taken on new roles outside of professional wrestling. He is a spokesperson for the Sunshine Foundation, an organization that grants wishes for critically ill children, and has founded Heart of David Ministries (for which he travels the world as an evangelist furthering the Gospel of Jesus Christ). Also through Heart of David Ministries, Ted shares his prayer of hope all over America in motivational assemblies speaking out against the results of drug and alcohol abuse - warning America's youth about the trap of being addicted to drugs and alcohol. He also encourages them to stay in school, set reachable goals and pay whatever price it takes to become the best that they can be. Ted's speaking ministry is not focused only on youth. He actually has an even stronger message for "macho men" and struggling married couples. He speaks at men's meetings, whole church congregations, and special events. He has started his own small federation which is run as an outreach of Heart of David Ministry. Along with this he is presently considering starting his own wrestling school. 
How amazing is that? I was very challenged and encouraged by his testimony. I felt like God was telling me that what I do is worth the heartache and trouble I go through and that I need to have faith in God that He will bring about His good and perfect will at His time. I encourage the high schoolers and the adults to sign up for the ocean city conference in March. I can’t wait to wait to go back there again!

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
November 25, 2012

Many major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Toy R Us and others will be opening their stores on Thanksgiving Day evening, alluring people to buy those Black Friday bargains in lieu of having Thanksgiving dinner at home. Some stores plan to be open much of the day Thursday. Someone jokingly said, “They might as well start serving turkey dinner in the stores.”
Now Black Friday is slowly invading Thanksgiving Day, and who knows, in the near future, Black Friday might take over Thanksgiving Day completely? Retailers are all about responding to customers' needs and wants, and apparently that demand is growing every year. But Thanksgiving Day becoming the new Black Friday doesn't sit well with us believers.
How are you planning on spending your Thanksgiving Day this year? Thanksgiving Day is a family celebration marked as a sense of gratitude people feel for all the good things in life that God has done. This is done by offering prayers, sharing meals and spending time together. Family members and relatives who haven’t seen each other for some time come together and catch up on lost times and reconnect.
I have nothing against shopping smart and finding bargains, and spending our money wisely. But I think there are things that are more important in life than just shopping smart and finding bargains. In this day and age, we live a very busy life. It’s not just at work that we are busy. Our children are busy with activities around school and with other after school activities. If we add church programs and activities, there is hardly any time left for even family to spend an evening together. Nevertheless we still can manage to set aside some time for family since there are many days in a week. If not, in a month. However, when it comes to Thanksgiving Day, there is only one day out of the year that families and relatives can come together to share a meal and spend meaningful time together. Are we going to let Black Friday creep into Thanksgiving Day and take away the time we can spend more meaningfully?`
Also there is a more important reason that we shouldn’t let Black Friday invade Thanksgiving Day. Our Forefathers proclaimed National Days of Thanksgiving to Almighty God since 1777. George Washington, our first president, wrote his National Thanksgiving Proclamation, in which he said, “It is our duty as a people, with devote reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligation to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experienced….”
Let us not forget to give thanks to God for his amazing love and grace. We often focus on negative things in life, and we worry, get angry and complain. Thanksgiving Day is the day we can change our focus on how blessed we are for our God who loves us unconditionally and cares about everything that concerns us.
This year will be the first year our family will have one family member missing when we come together for Thanksgiving Day. Our son, Chris, left for Okinawa, Japan for his military assignment a few weeks ago and will not be with us on Thanksgiving Day this year. It will not feel the same without him, and we will miss him very much. We’re going to have to settle with FaceTime if he is not flying. How about you? I hope all of you will not miss anyone when you get together with your family on Thanksgiving Day and enjoy wonderful meals and spend a lot of time together.  And most of all count your blessings and give thanks to God for His goodness and faithfulness. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
November 18, 2012

King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. As we celebrate Thanksgiving Sunday, it’s time for us to remember God’s faithfulness in our lives and express our gratitude to Him. We have so many reasons to thank God because we enjoy God’s abundant blessings that many around the world are not able to benefit from. Last week we watched a video of a brother in Laos who went through 10 years of persecution because of his faith. How can we not thank God that we don’t have to worry about anyone or anything coming after us when we gather together to worship God?
There is an old hymn written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. The refrain goes like this
“Count your blessings, name them one by one
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
It’s a simple hymn that reminds us how important it is to count the blessings God has bestowed upon us. Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, our lives are filled with discontentment. We easily forget what God has done in our lives as if we are suffering from a spiritual Alzheimer’s disease. We grumble about what we don’t have and even our prayer lists are full of things that we want. Let’s count our blessings as we go through the Thanksgiving week. Share with your families and friends of amazing things God has done in your life.
What are you looking forward to this year’s Thanksgiving week? I’ve been getting countless emails of black Friday sale ads at various shopping centers and websites. And I have to admit I’ve been looking at every single website and ads to see if there are good deals out there. They were just too hard to resist. Lord, help us! Are you looking forward to watching and playing football? I know that some of our young adult members will be playing in a flag football tournament this weekend and many people will be watching football games on TV.
My family will have a Thanksgiving luncheon with a small group of people. I miss having large gatherings on Thanksgiving Day with my extended family. This year will be the second year of not having a pot luck luncheon with my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Ever since my grandmother passed away we stopped meeting as a big group and I have to admit that I miss it very much. I will also miss my brother as well because this will be our first Thanksgiving without him. He was usually the one who initiated family gatherings and our family surely will miss him very much.
There is a new tradition that started with Reina being born on Thanksgiving Day four years ago. We will be celebrating Reina’s birthday when we have our family gather on Thanksgiving Day. God has been so faithful to Reina over the last 4 years. She’s has grown up to a beautiful young girl and my wife and I know that it was because of our awesome parenting skills. Ryan is so strong and healthy as well. As many of you know, Ryan loves eating and we love feeding and watching him eat especially when he puts on a cheesy smile after being satisfied over food. And the list goes on and on. Thank you Lord! 

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
November 18, 2012

It dawned on me a couple days ago that Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away!  That means the most stressful time of the year for me - the time between Thanksgiving and the New Year - is fast approaching.  When I was younger, Thanksgiving as well as other holidays used to stir up excitement and nostalgic emotions in anticipation of big family gatherings and subsequent feasts.  However, since I’ve married and become a daughter-in-law in an ever-expanding family – 34 family members over four generations and still growing – this time of the year has traditionally been an anxious and stressful time for me.  As much as I enjoy spending time with my family members, I do not look forward to the many hours of house cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, gift buying, gift wrapping, more cooking, and more cleaning. 
And it does not help that December is one of the busiest months of the year ministry-wise.  With various Christmas and end of the year programs and services along with the Timothy Winter Retreat, I have to confess that I don’t feel as peaceful and joyful as I should.  As special and important as each of these events is, it can definitely be a case of too much of a good thing.  I consider it a privilege and honor to be a woman pastor, but during times like this, I find it really challenging to balance my time between fulfilling my role as a mother and a daughter-in-law and being a dedicated pastor.
I realize that this struggle, however, is not unique to me, but is shared by all working women who try to balance their time between their family and work.  The age-old debate between stay-at-home mothers vs. working mothers is a very sensitive one.  As a mother who’s always worked outside the home while my children were growing up, I have mixed feelings about the topic. I do not believe one option is necessarily better than the other.  I’ve observed many mothers at our church over the years on both sides of the fence, but have not been able to form a definitive opinion on the heated debate.  I can, however, say pretty comfortably, that a mother’s influence on her child does not proportionally correlate to the amount of time she spends with her child, her highest level of education, or her financial resources.  Mothers who are able to exert their Godly influences the most, thereby helping build a solid foundation of faith that their children can build upon, are the ones who are confident about and content with being unconditionally loved by the King!
This will be the very first Thanksgiving that I will be celebrating without my mother since she passed away back in February.  I miss her very much, and Thanksgiving dinner will never be the same without her. My mother was not well-educated or rich.  She did not have any worldly accomplishments, and she was sick a lot throughout her life.  By the world’s standards she did not have much to offer to her children.  However, she knew who she was in Christ. She never pretended to be someone she was not or to have what she did not possess.  She was confident about her salvation by grace through her faith in Jesus Christ and was thankful for the littlest things in life despite her struggles. Her attitude of thanksgiving and contentment in Christ left an indelible mark upon her children.  I hope and pray to influence my children as much as my mother did.  So as stressful as it is to be a married woman with children and a pastor during this busy season, I thank God that He created me to be a woman. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
November 11, 2012

A few hours after I was proudly wearing the “I voted” sticker, I was deeply concerned that what I was hoping for this year’s election would not come true. The results on the website did not look too good and i went to sleep knowing that I had to face the reality when I woke up in the morning. The next morning came and I had to swallow the sad defeat. Although I was not too shocked by the expected presidential voting results, what followed the big announcement. When I was casting my ballots at the voting center I had to vote for so many questions including the same-sex marriage and expansion of casinos in the state of MD that will bring table games into the state. These two issues really had me thinking about the negative consequences that will directly affect so many families and young people.
In all honesty, I am not an expert in politics nor fully understand its policies but one thing I know for sure is that people in the office and what they believe in will make a huge impact on this country. “The Best is Yet to Come!”, president Obama told his supporters as he was confirmed as president for a second term. As much as I wanted to believe in what he was saying, my heart was very heavy because I did not see the “best” coming out of questions 6 (same sex marriage) & 7 (casino expansion). I had a friend in college who once shared about her father’s gambling problems that was causing the whole family to suffer. People probably voted for the casino expansion hoping to create more jobs to boost the economy into a positive direction, but I am very concerned about the potential addictions and divisions in many families due to gambling issues.
Likewise, the same sex marriage issue is something that many young people will be affected by for years to come. There will come a day when I have to explain these things to my own kids when they raise their eyebrows and ask why their friends have two fathers or two mothers. Non Christians and perhaps some of our own church members will consider me as being old fashioned, non-loving and narrow minded. But what can I say? My values and life standards come from what God says in the bible.
“We live in a culture that considers the principles of Scripture outdated and narrow minded. The bible is viewed merely as a piece of literature, and civilized culture has grown past the need for such a book. Some say it provides a basic framework for being a good person, but to consider it the source of truth and a plan for living seems naive.” <Josiah Road by Luke & Harold Harper>
How do you view the word of God? Apostle Paul wrote in Heb 4:12, the word of God is living and active....it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. And through the Bible we learn that we will not be conformed to this world and its standards by renewing of our minds. (Rom 12:2)
In conclusion, I believe that God is still in charge as He always has been and always will be. Therefore I put my trust in Him for He is the only hope and the one who can bring the “Best”. I just pray and hope that the leaders of this country and leaders around the world will humble themselves and seek God with all their heart, soul and strength. Lord, let Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
November 11, 2012

 It is hard to believe that in about three days we will know who will occupy the White House for the next four years.  I hope everyone who is eligible to vote has already cast their vote or is definitely planning to do so on Tuesday.  Who should you vote for as the next president of the US?  If you haven’t made up your mind yet, you should definitely vote for my candidate, the candidate of God’s choice! 
With all kidding aside, I hope everyone prayerfully seeks God’s guidance in selecting the next president.  I happen to live in the “swing” state of Virginia, where one vote is likely to make a difference one way or another on the outcome. However, many states – including Maryland – historically lean heavily one way, making voters of the opposing party feel as if their votes will not make any difference.
Often times we feel insignificant and unable to make a difference whether it is at home, at school, at work, or at church. “What can I do?  I am just one person,” is often the excuse we use to avoid getting involved with a cause that we feel strongly about. In times like those I remind myself of the Genesis account of Abraham pleading to God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah from destruction. Ultimately the two cities are destroyed completely by fire and brimstone because not even ten righteous men could be found in these cities of tens of thousands of people.  Am I saying that ten extra people showing up to vote will definitely make a difference in this presidential election?  No, although that is possible.  What is important to keep in mind, however, is to never underestimate the power of one - one idea, one vote, or one conviction.  No matter how impossible the odds seem, we who have been called to be the salt and light of the world should continue to “expect great things from God and attempt great things for God” as William Carey did.
Just as heated as the presidential election itself, seems to be the fight over what is known as “Question 7” on Maryland ballots.  I do not know all the details, but basically it is a vote on whether to make gambling more accessible to Marylanders and nearby residents. The plan includes building a new video lottery facility in PG County, increasing the number of lottery machines, and allowing video lottery facilities to operate 24/7. People with good intentions on both sides of the issue argue why voting for or against Question 7 will benefit the residents of Maryland.  The proponents say the proceeds from the expanded gambling industry will benefit the public schools while the opponents say it will further ruin the lives of those who are already susceptible to gambling. 
I am sure this is a complex issue with multiple dimensions, and I have not formed my opinion based on thorough research.  However, my gut instinct is against Question 7.  Why?  Simply put, I do not believe “the end justifies the means.”  When King Saul defeated the Amalekites in 1 Samuel, he spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD despite God’s command to destroy everything.  King Saul’s intention might have been honorable, but he disobeyed God in the process.  So my beloved MD church family members, regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, pray hard for God’s perfect will to be done for the nation and for your state. But do your part; go vote. 

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
November 4, 2012

First of all I want to thank God for his protection over us. Some areas in the Eastern region were hit hard but most of us who are living in MD and VA weren't as affected. I heard that so many people died, lost their houses, businesses, and many are still without power in some states. I pray God's love and peace will fill everyone's hearts and mind as the victims are suffering from their losses. 
One good story I heard on the radio this morning is that the utility workers in our area are volunteering to go help with restoration projects in the New York and New Jersey area. We always have people who sacrifice and go out of their way to help the ones in need in times of trouble. Every time we have a natural disaster hit us or even when the terrorists attacked our country, people like policemen, fire fighters, utility workers and even civilian volunteers have sacrificed so much for our country. My deepest gratitude goes out to all of them. And I specially want to thank Pepco for their continued effort over the past few years to improve their service and reliability. It certainly paid off this time because I, along with many Pepco customers, appreciated having power during the time when the hurricane hit our area.    
Do you remember how crazy it was last weekend? People were getting ready to face the storm in many different ways. Every grocery store was out of water bottles and gas stations ran out of gas. My parents and I filled so many buckets with water in case of emergency; we are still trying to get rid of those buckets of water. 
Speaking of getting ready for the storm, we as a NCFC congregation had a very special service last week to prepare ourselves for the storm as we heard the story of Jesus calming the stormy water. We sang a song together, "When the oceans rise and thunders roar, I will soar with You above the storm, Father you are king over the storm, I will be still and know You are God." It's amazing how God's word and a passage that was selected many months ago could fit perfectly with the current events and even the natural disaster that was about to happen. I'm not trying to spiritualize it too much but I can't help but be amazed by the timing of the message.
Lastly, i want to give a shout out to the church maintenance group over at MD campus for working so hard to restore the damage made by Sandy. It was a rainy, windy and very cold week to work outside but the weather did not stop them from showing their dedication and love for the Lord and His church. Good job and thank you!

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
November 04, 2012

“Pants for water so my soul longs for You” would probably be the appropriate response.  However, in recent times, the only experience that I’ve had with these creatures is along 495 going westbound, prancing along the highway, ending up on the hood of my car, ultimately leading to death on the side of a busy highway, and alone.  It seems to me, that there is a deer over-population issue in the DMV area.  A recent Washington Post article states that the chances of hitting a deer on the road is one in 102 in Virginia and in Maryland, one in 114.  So be careful as you drive.  Don’t text.  Don’t change the radio station.  Keep your eyes on the road because deer are everywhere.
The context behind this accident was that I was coming from a blessed evening of ministering to our college students, Impact, at the University of Maryland at College Park.  I was driving home from the meeting, thanking the Lord for His faithfulness, and out of nowhere I see a deer pop out right in front of me and with very little to no time to react, I hit the deer.  As a result of trying to avoid the deer, I had just missed the cement barrier on the left hand side.  But my car seemed to run fine so I continued home.  As I was making the left turn to enter my neighborhood, smoke began to fume out of the hood.  I was able to park but as I came to a stop, my engine shut off.  The Lord was indeed faithful to me and protected me from harm.  He is my Protector and my Shield and my Provider.  However, this is not a story of His protection, but more of the revelation of His grace through my sinful thoughts as I tried to make sense of this situation.
As I processed this event, I found myself trying to find something to blame and bring logic/reason to why things happen.  I asked the Lord “what did I do wrong?  Is there some kind of sin that deserves this type of punishment?”  Friends, the question I asked of the Lord may seem so absurd at first glance, but is that not the way we approach our relationship with Him and skew the concept of grace in our lives?  At times, it is extremely difficult to understand that, WHILE we were STILL sinners, Christ came to die for us.  That is grace!  That is good news!  Punishment was paid on the cross.  SIN DIED WITH JESUS!  But often times, we try to explain the corruption, evil, and all other sorts of injustice in the world by reason.  It simply can’t be done.  There’s no “logical” explanation for all the terrible things that happen to us and the world around us. 
Let’s take the other side’s approach.  We are blessed beyond words.  Most of us do not have to be concerned with where our meals come from day after day.  We are well provided for.  We do not have to worry about this upcoming winter, whether we will have a warm place to lay our heads or clothing to keep us warm when we do go outside.  So what separates us from those who do struggle with these issues among so many others?  Is it because we did something so good, worked so hard and have gained some type of merit to attain these things?  No.  I can only attribute everything that I have to the grace of our God and I can only respond with a humble “thank you, Lord”, confessing that every good and perfect gift comes from above.  So in the good and bad, God is unchanging; the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  Let’s stop over-complicating things and trying to find “logic” and “reason” behind everything that happens.  It may be difficult for many of us, but I pray for faith, which is confidence in what we hope for and certainty of what we do not see, and wisdom to see that His grace has power to cover all of our lives.  God bless you.

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart
October 28, 2012

On the second day of our stay in Rome, we got up super early, ate a hearty breakfast, put on comfortable shoes, and got on the subway headed for Vatican City with a tour book in tow. We were confident we would surely beat the crowd with an early start.  In addition, we were smart enough to plan our visit to this tourist-magnet in October, not in the middle of the busy summer months, so we figured we wouldn’t have to spend a lot of our precious time waiting in lines.  We had even purchased tickets online, and we felt good about ourselves!
But as soon as we arrived at the metro station closest to Vatican City, we realized that a whole lot of other people had the same plan!  As if we were competing in a speed-walking event, the three of us walked as fast as our short legs could carry us to get ahead of the mob of people headed in the same direction. Even with all that advance planning, however, we still ended up waiting in line for the security check and to rent an English audioguide for the Vatican Museums tour. You indeed need a lot of stamina and patience to visit the Vatican City.
They say you haven’t seen Rome unless you have been to the Vatican Museums so we were determined to take the time to explore every gallery.  However, we soon realized that doing this might take a whole week or more! The galleries were filled with so many amazing, breathtaking, magnificent (I need more adjectives to do them justice) works of art - paintings, sculptures, tapestries, etc. - that after a while my mind couldn’t handle any more.  It was definitely a case of too much of a good thing, an awesomeness overload!  But we had no choice but to move slowly with the mob in order to reach the pinnacle, the Sistine Chapel, with its famous painted ceiling depiction of the creation account by Michaelangelo.  Incidentally, the Sistine Chapel is also important in that the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church is elected there.
While I was glad to see the most famous ceiling image, “The Creation of Adam,” I was more impressed with and touched by the huge painting on the wall titled “The Last Judgment,” done by Michaelangelo some 25 years after painting the ceiling.  The older Michaelangelo depicts the second coming of Christ and the ensuing judgment.  With Christ in the center, the damned who are being pulled down to hell to be tortured by demons are to His left while the blessed who rise from their graves to enter heaven are to His right.  In addition, Christ is surrounded by important figures in church history, including many martyrs who suffered particularly painful deaths. One particular image that is still vivid in my mind is that of Saint Bartholomew, holding a knife in one hand and his own skin in his other hand.  He is known to have been martyred by being skinned alive.  What a painful and slow death he must have suffered for the sake of Christ!  As great as that suffering must have been, however, it is still nothing compared to being tortured by demons, as the painter seems to convey.
What really struck me was how many of those tens of thousands of daily tourists will just walk away from that painting, considering it as a depiction of a fairy tale or the artist’s wild imagination.  Many may even be shaken by the disturbing nature of the painting, but within a few minutes of leaving the chapel, will forget about it.  I too would have been one of those passerby tourists had it not been for Jesus Christ who saved me out of millions.  Why me and not them? I may never know, but I am eternally grateful for His amazing grace.  How about you?

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
October 28, 2012