Consistency is power.
Experiences I had in the early days of the immigrant church felt like a battlefield. We came to this country for a better environment and a better future, but the life of an immigrant, putting down roots in a foreign land, was difficult and challenging. Even though I myself came as an international student, I was struggling, unable to see a way forward, and in that process, both my faith and character hit rock bottom.
But the greater pain was realising that in this difficult life, there was no genuine community where I could open up and share my heart. All I did was go to church on Sundays, attend worship, and serve; that was all.
And yet, I was a minister. My own life was not worthy of an example, but I had to help others around me and serve them to resolve their problems. At that time, I had nothing to offer. All I could do was sit with them, eat meals together, and listen to their struggles. But what amazed me was that, as I listened to their stories of hardship, I realized there were small joys and happinesses even in their struggles.
What I came to understand was that they were suffering. With issues like visa problems, language barriers, and life challenges, they were fighting for survival, but without comfort. So, they came to church, shouting out that they were in pain.
After encountering the House Church principles and deciding to start a church in our home was driven by the desire to create a community that would become a family for them. That's how our house church meetings began. At that time, the meetings were just about eating together and helping people who were staying for a while, and that was mostly it. Ministry was simply living life together with them. The immigrant ministry that started like this became a family that rejoiced when someone got their visa, and grieved together when there were difficulties—more than just a family.
Looking back on my ministry, I thought about what I might be praised for when I stand before the Lord. I realized it was simply that I had consistently stayed in that place.
By consistently staying in that position and doing ministry, many shepherds have now emerged who are worthy of praise. People who once had no faith and no hope have now become shepherds and shepherd's wives that others want to learn from. I am truly grateful for that.
Word of the week
As the end of the year approaches, many are traveling to Korea or planning trips, which can make it easy for both spiritual life and house church meetings to become less prioritised. During such times, it is all the more important to uphold the principles of house church meetings and stay steadfast in our faith.
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이동주 2024.12.14 09:38
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Experiences I had in the early days of the immigrant church felt like a battlefield. We came to this country for a better environment and a better future, but the life of an immigrant, putting down roots in a foreign land, was difficult and challenging. Even though I myself came as an international student, I was struggling, unable to see a way forward, and in that process, both my faith and character hit rock bottom.
But the greater pain was realising that in this difficult life, there was no genuine community where I could open up and share my heart. All I did was go to church on Sundays, attend worship, and serve; that was all.
And yet, I was a minister. My own life was not worthy of an example, but I had to help others around me and serve them to resolve their problems. At that time, I had nothing to offer. All I could do was sit with them, eat meals together, and listen to their struggles. But what amazed me was that, as I listened to their stories of hardship, I realized there were small joys and happinesses even in their struggles.
What I came to understand was that they were suffering. With issues like visa problems, language barriers, and life challenges, they were fighting for survival, but without comfort. So, they came to church, shouting out that they were in pain.
After encountering the House Church principles and deciding to start a church in our home was driven by the desire to create a community that would become a family for them. That's how our house church meetings began. At that time, the meetings were just about eating together and helping people who were staying for a while, and that was mostly it. Ministry was simply living life together with them. The immigrant ministry that started like this became a family that rejoiced when someone got their visa, and grieved together when there were difficulties—more than just a family.
Looking back on my ministry, I thought about what I might be praised for when I stand before the Lord. I realized it was simply that I had consistently stayed in that place.
By consistently staying in that position and doing ministry, many shepherds have now emerged who are worthy of praise. People who once had no faith and no hope have now become shepherds and shepherd's wives that others want to learn from. I am truly grateful for that.
Word of the week
As the end of the year approaches, many are traveling to Korea or planning trips, which can make it easy for both spiritual life and house church meetings to become less prioritised. During such times, it is all the more important to uphold the principles of house church meetings and stay steadfast in our faith.