Unchanged

I remember what it was like in 2019. Only a year ago but it seems so long ago and feels so different from where we are now.

I went out to run errands yesterday and everywhere I went, people with masks, waiting in-line to get in (even though stores were pretty empty), and people trying not to get too close to each other.

Even though it’s been like this for almost a year, I still can’t get used to it, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it someday.

I remember what it was like in 2019. I remember watching Avengers - Endgame in April and loving it!But now, I’m not sure if I’ll ever go to a theatre to watch a movie again. Things have changed.

Our family went to NYC to visit our family during Thanksgiving last year and had a great time. Went on a food tour in Queens for Japanese buffet, Taco & Halal in NYC and BCD tofu in New Jersey. It was fun and delicious but not sure if we can do that again.

I remember what it was like in 2019. It’s been only a year but it seems like everything has changed. I wonder what it will be like in 2021.

But few things haven’t changed though. Sunday worship in church with you and my loving family and we’re still here for each other. It seems so many things have changed in 2020 but I guess what really matters to me hasn’t changed much…

• Pastor Rein

True Ministry Means Enjoying God’s Company - Pastor Chai 2011.02.27

A while ago Missionary H.Y. Kim gave a testimony during our Wednesday prayer meeting that deeply moved me.

She is physically handicapped. When she was a small baby, her father handled her roughly after getting drunk and damaged her spine, crippling her. She ran away from home when she reached her teens because she could no longer take the physical and mental abuse both her parents gave her. She ended up at a vocational school where she learned to knit. A kind Christian instructor helped her open her heart and accept Jesus when she was 15. Since then, she won 3 gold medals in International Apprentice competitions and received a medal from the South Korean government. Afterward, she went to Botswana as a lay missionary and started a vocational school that teaches local girls to knit and earn a living.

Some time later, she was offered an opportunity to study social work in the U.S. She took it, and earned both BA and MA degrees from Columbia University. With advanced degrees from a prestigious American university, many assumed that she would not return to the mission field. But she had been secretly praying with three requests: she asked God to send her to a place (1) where mission work is so hard that other missionaries don’t want to go there, (2) where her skills could be fully used and (3) where the people are even poorer than in Botswana.

God granted her wishes and is sending her to Bhutan, a Buddhist country where professional missionaries are not allowed. Its per-capita income is only 1/4 that of Botswana. She will run a government-supported vocational school and help students learn knitting.

In her testimony, she related a story that occurred a few years after she started doing mission work in Botswana. A crisis took place in the country that made mission work impossible. Many missionaries decided to leave. She didn’t know what to do. Should she leave with the other missionaries or stay? If she decided to leave, where should she go? She went to an African desert to pray, but was filled with so much anguish that she couldn’t speak any words; she could only inwardly groan. Then she heard God’s voice: “I want you to stay with me in Botswana. I need company.”

She realized that God couldn’t abandon the people in Botswana. So she decided to stay with God and enjoy His company. She did that for 14 years. The fruit of her ministry was the result of her enjoying God’s company.

We tend to think that ministry means doing something for God. But true ministry means enjoying God’s company. As we do that, and when He shows us something that needs to be done, as God’s servants we just do it.

That’s the true meaning of ministry.

• Pastor Rein

Next Year Planning

Each year, around Oct and Nov, I get to start work on plans for the upcoming year.

I know… I know… you might say “what is there to plan? we’re a small church?” but don’t forget, we’re a part of something bigger than just us and I believe we, all Christians, should be responsible with our time and resources in our hands.

First thing I do on the calendar is to mark the H.C Conference for Pastors in April and in Sep. I consider these two conferences as the most important things I have to attend. Because I get to be reminded on how and why I’m doing this by being around with like minded ministers. God works with, through His people.

Second thing I go over on the calendar used to be church retreats but now it’s Living Life Bible Study and other Life Bible studies. I usually schedule one in Spring and another one in Fall. I always had at least one Bible study each year for the past 2 years except for this year. I hope I get to open one Life Bible study next year.

Third is other events I think it’s good for us to host. Next year I would like to start a year with Daniel Fasting in Jan. From Jan 11 - Jan 31 (21days). I used to do Daniel fasting each year and had many positive experiences and I believe this will benefit our church both physically and spiritually. I will go over Daniel Fasting next week.

There are other things I’m working on next year but these are the important ones that need our prayers and commitment. Let’s see how God works and make things happen next year!

• Pastor Rein

Being Wise, Not Resigned - Pastor Chai 2012.03.04

Many small businessmen lament the severity of the current recession and how greatly their businesses have suffered. Some have indicated that their revenue is down 50% from the previous year. They eagerly hope for the end of the recession and recovery.

But many experts say that recession is officially over. The stock market is improving and the national unemployment rate is dropping. The hardships that many Korean small businessmen are experiencing may not be temporary but a reflection of permanent structural changes in the U.S. economy.

When there are major structural changes to the national economy, some businesses decline and some businesses boom. Many Korean small businesses belong to the former category. It might be best to abandon hope that this recession will soon be over and that the business climate will turn favorably tomorrow, next month, or next year. Instead, they should seek a new line of business or learn to live without complaint, dealing with the new status quo.

Hoping and dreaming is a privilege for people, especially young people. But it’s not resignation but wisdom to give up hopes and dreams and accept reality when there is absolutely no possibility that they’ll be realized.

It’s a young couple’s privilege to hope that their marriage is like a fairy tale that ends “happily ever after.” But when they realize that either their spouses or they themselves don’t have the capability or aptitude to have such an ideal marriage, it’s not resignation but wisdom to give up hope for a fantasy marriage and accept their imperfect spouses, loving them anyway.

Everyone wants to be healthy, without disease or pain. But many people have illnesses, some of which are incurable. Most people, especially the elderly, live with some kind of pain because our bodies are like old cars that frequently break down for one reason or another. It’s not resignation but wisdom to accept that pain and live with it.

It’s not resignation but wisdom to accept limits and imperfections in this sin-infected world with the hope that your bodies will be perfect in heaven. It’s wise to be thankful and work hard on an unfulfilling job, to accept imperfect spouses and love them, and to serve God and people with pain-ridden bodies while living in this world.

• Pastor Rein

Election Day

I went to cast early voting last Friday and had to come back because the line was so long and it looked like good 2 hours of waiting. Now I know that I have to get to the poll early on Nov 3rd to cast a vote.

This will be my first vote as a Georgian and I’m really looking forward to the experience.

I remember vividly what was like in year 2016 after the election when our current president Donald Trump got elected.

Every Americans were in shock then half of them went to celebrate and other half went to disbelief. It was so polar opposite and I’ve never witnessed anything like that in my life.

Well, It has been 4 years and here we are again, trying to elect our next President of the United States of America.

I’ve been praying and thinking about the election and one thing became so certain to me. It doesn’t matter who wins the election because our life will go on and I trust my God, who’s in charge of all, will continue to work out salvation for everyone. That’s it! At then end, that’s what really matters to us.

I’m not saying this election is not important. Actually I think it is extremely important but what I’m trying to say is, whoever wins, what really important for His kingdom and our church won’t change anything. My trust in God that God will continue to work out everyone’s salvation through His church and that’s what we should focus on before and after the election.

The Bible teaches us to submit/honor authority, not out of blind faith but for our benefit of living peaceful life. (for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. - 1 Timothy 2:2) But that doesn’t mean to neglect our personal responsibility before God.

On Nov 3rd, whoever gets elected, let us all pray for our leader and for us to continue on the ministry of Jesus to share the message of hope.

• Pastor Rein

I Love What I Do

I’ve been in ministry as a Pastor since 2006, about 14 years. There were difficult and challenging times for sure but I’m grateful to God for the calling and enjoy every moment of it.

After Miyoung and I decided to plant a church by following God’s calling here in GA, I had a plan.

In my thought, there are two major difficulties for a church planters. One is people, which God has to lead us, and the other one is finance. Which also God has to provide but I sure can be used for it. So for the first time in over 10 years, I went to market place to get a job. A long story short, I got to work in a trucking company which I enjoyed and now working in ATM company, which I even enjoy more!

Even though I enjoy my work, I’ve never considered, even one moment, giving up a ministry and just working in a market place. I’ve always considered my main job is here in our church and my secular job is continuation of what I do in ministry.

I equally considered them important and trying my best to be a good co-worker and employee to the company as Jesus commanded us. (Ephesians 6:5-8)

Also there are benefits that are important to our ministry. I get to financially support my family and church ministry. That was one of my goal when I decided to work in first place and another really important benefit is, I get to meet VIPs (non-believers) through work.

I found out there are about 4-5 people who doesn’t attend church and are non-believers. This is GREAT! So, I’ve been praying about them and looking for an opportunity to invite them to house church.

How can I not love what I do, both in church and out in a market place! Until our church grows and able to support a full-time Pastor, I’ll be enjoying my time in both places and be grateful to God for the opportunity.

• Pastor Rein

One topic for each year or two

Every year or two, I pick out a topic that’s seems interesting or have desire to learn. It doesn’t have to relate to my faith so it could be anything that seems interesting.

Many years ago, I was introduced to Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It’s about learning who I am by understanding differences in character, and leading it to understand others better.

I believe the Bible is the only source of the truth of knowing who we are as a person but at the same time, there are tools that can help us to understand and provide clear picture on ourselves.

MBTI isn’t perfect but can be useful tool to understand who we are and what and why others’ behavior in certain way.

When I was reading and studying about it, it taught me two important lessons in my life.

First, Everyone is unique and different.

I knew people are different but didn’t know what and how they are different from me. Studying MBTI allowed me to see the differences in people and allowed me to not only understand our uniqueness but accept our differences for who we are.

Second, Maturity.

I always thought doing what I’m good at shows maturity. Like I’m perfecting a skill. But MBTI taught me (actually a Pastor who was teaching MBTI) that maturity isn’t about doing what I’m good at but able to acknowledge my weakness and able to practice and exercise to make it strong. That’s a maturity.

Hopefully I’ll get a chance to share MBTI with you all soon.

• Pastor Rein

Look At Their Lives - Pastor Chai

When two people give two different versions of the same story, I tend to believe the one whose daily life exhibits integrity, because I believe that people’s lives are the true measuring stick of their words. I take seriously advice from someone who lives a respectful life; not so much that from someone whose life lacks sincerity.

“The Intellectuals,” a book by Paul Johnson, discusses the inconsistencies in the lives of well-known intellectuals such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, an Enlightenment thinker, Earnest Hemingway, an American author, Jean-Paul Sartre, a French Existentialist, Henrik Ibsen, a Norwegian playwright, and Karl Marx, the Communist theorist. The author doesn’t rely on speculation or hearsay but published information. The book shows that they preached messages that they themselves could not practice.

Take Karl Marx for example. He denounced the government as a tool for the Bourgeoisie to oppress the Proletariat, but he himself lived on government subsidies. He criticized the rich for exploiting the poor but in his own life, he didn’t pay his maid for several months.

Why did these people live such hypocritical lives? It’s because their ideas weren’t based on truth but on theory and speculation. Because they weren’t built on truth, they could not be lived out. Communism collapsed in less than 100 years because it was not based on truth.

The only person who had no discrepancy between what he taught and how he lived was Jesus. He proved that what he taught was true by his own life. And we can also verify the truthfulness of his teaching by following what he said.

People’s words should be authenticated by their lives. If you want business advice, go to someone who’s been successful in business. If you want health tips, go to someone who enjoys good health. If you have marital problems, seek advice from someone in a happy marriage. If you want guidance on child-rearing, go see someone who has already raised their children well.

Many people do exactly the opposite. People fail in their businesses because they follow advice from someone who never succeeded in business. People create more problems in their marriages because they listen to people who don’t have happy marriages themselves. People stop coming to church because they heed people who are not faithful church members.

Before you accept someone’s teaching, see if they live what they teach. Before you take someone’s advice, see if they live a respectful life.

• Pastor Rein