DECEMBER 2015
DELIVERING THE GOSPEL & THE TESTIMONIES OF GRACE
Salvation Testimony
God Turned My Heart from the Hard Stiff Ground...
Special Article
Memoirs of a Missionary
Life Wiggles in a Mustard Seed
Volunteers at the 2015 World Camp in Puerto Rico wearing yellow t-shirts and scarves smile for the camera
Inside Cover The first World Camp was held in Puerto Rico, Spanish for “rich port.� Because there was nobody we knew in Puerto Rico, we had to only look up to God to prepare the World Camp. Yet this gave the students an opportunity to gain unforgettable memories. Now, as we think about how these seeds of the Gospel that are planted in Puerto Rico will grow and bear fruits of hope and joy, we are so thankful.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4
52
Monthly Sermon God Changed the Heart of Naaman, His Wife, and the Little Maid Salvation Testimony God Turned My Heart from the Hard Stiff Ground into a Soft Moist Field Special Article World Camp, English Camp, Christmas Cantata in South America Memoirs of a Missionary Life Wiggles in a Mustard Seed New York Times The Genealogy of Death and the Genealogy of Life Gospel Lesson Two Types of Sin Preaching the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth
54
The God Who Gave Me Gloves Church Directory
8
16
28 36 44
3
This Month's Sermon
God Changed the Heart of Naaman, His Wife, and the Little Maid Pastor Ock Soo Park | Good News Gangnam Church
“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:1-3)
Captain Naaman led the Syrian army and attacked Israel. As he waged battle, he trusted in himself. “Where is God? Let him show himself!” He was victorious in battle, screamed loudly and was confident. Naaman did not believe in God. The little maid taken captive from Israel as a slave by Naaman was also disappointed: “If God is alive, how could this happen? Why are we taken as prisioners?” There is no one who reveres God from the beginning. Captain Naaman despised God and lived trusting in himself, and the little maid knew God but did not have any faith. When she was going through adversity, she thought that God did not help her. No One Reveres God from the Beginning
4
Although It Seemed God Was Not Working At All, But He Worked to Change the Three People’s Hearts. God Waited Until The Hearts of Those Three People Changed.
The Will of God is Fulfilled When the Hearts of the Three People Changed
What is important is that God changes the heart of the three people. When a person ages, they grow old and weak. It is not only with the body, but the heart also changes. When everything is going well we trust ourselves, but when in difficulty, we are unable to trust in ourselves. Naaman, who had leprosy thought, “Why is this disease getting worse? My hand is getting stiff and I cannot properly hold onto my sword. If it continues like this, I cannot remain as the captain of the army. I would end up living in a dark room as a pitiful leper unable to get healed!” When he thought about how his life would get more pitiful because of the leprosy, the heart to trust in himself began to crumble. When Captain Naaman was tormented, the little maid thought differently: “Oh, the captain has leprosy. Right, God sent me here to preach the word of God to him. Now, I must speak with his wife.” About that time, the heart of the wife of Captain Naaman began to change. The little maid said to the wife of Naaman, “It would be good for my Lord to be with the prophet in Samaria.” Naaman’s wife accepted those words and told them` to Naaman and he also just accepted those words. It was all because the hearts of these three people were humbled and were seeking the grace of God. Before, Naaman mocked God and didn’t believe in Him, but now we can see him going to Samaria in order to receive the grace of God. God worked so that the little maid’s heart can be one with God’s will and allowed the wife of Naaman’s heart to change so that she may accept the words of the little maid. He also worked so that the heart of Naaman can change. In the past he would have said, “Stop saying that nonsense!” but when his wife earnestly spoke to him, words that could not be imagined came from his mouth: “I think the only way left for us is to rely on God. I will go to Samaria.” Although it may seem that God is not working at all, but even now he is changing people’s hearts. In our mission, as we preach the Gospel in close to 100 countries, numerous people receive salvation and the works of God are arising. Even now, we continue to run forward to those countries where
“How Was This Possible?”
5
This Month's Sermon
the Gospel has not yet entered. When I first started the work of the Gospel, I did not know at all that God would work greatly as He is doing now. As I was called a heretic and despised by others, I thought that I would preach to ten or so brothers and sisters living thankfully and eventually die. But God is opening in front of me works that I could not imagine. In my whole life, there was not a year more joyful than 2015. When I reflect upon this past year, it is so amazing that I cannot describe with words how God has opened the doors of the Gospel from the beginning of this year to now. During the World Camp, many ministers representing many different countries, university chancellors and religious leaders received salvation and changed. They immensely like our mission and want to work with us. These things felt like a dream. Not too long ago when I traveled to Kenya, about a 1,000 bishops gathered and for four days they heard the Gospel and changed happily. God continues to stir up dream-like works. I often ask myself, “How was this possible? How is it possible?” God Waited Until the Heart of All Three People Changed In order for Captain Naaman to go before the prophet in Samaria, his heart had to become one with the heart of the little maid and with the heart of his wife. Even if the little maid spoke, if Naaman’s wife said, “Stop talking nonsense!” then it would have ended there. Even if Naaman’s wife spoke as much as she could, and if Naaman refused and said “Do you know how hard I tried to get healed of this sickness…I pleaded with the god Dagan but it didn’t work! Our Dagan is better than the God of Israel!” it would have no less ended there. Although it may seem God is not working at all, but he worked to change all three people’s hearts. God waited until the hearts of those three people changed. When their hearts changed, the great work of God arose through them. Naaman’s home that was once filled with darkness had changed to a home completely filled with happiness, gladness, peace and joy. Afterwards, the life of Captain Naaman changed. Whenever he met with the captains of the army, he preached the Gospel: “It will not work like that. God must do it; it cannot be done by the strength of man.” By hearing his words, people receiving salvation would arise around him…. When I think of these things, it’s so amazing that it’s hard to comprehend. God, in order to raise these precious works, is working even now in our hearts.
6
When We Look Closely, God Is Continually Living and Working Inside Us. Accordingly, One Day He Reveals the Things We Could Not Imagine Among Us.
If God Changes People’s Hearts… While doing the work of the Gospel for
over 50 years, I often thought, “I can no longer witness the Gospel anymore. It doesn’t work. It is over!” In front of some problems, it seemed like it would never be resolved. But God continually worked and at times by changing the heart of the other person, and at times by changing the heart of the public official, and other times by changing the unbelieving hearts of the saints’ parents. Recently, there is a sister who married. In the Gospel, as she is living serving the Lord, it became time for her to marry so she received an introduction and told her parents that she was going to get married. But her parents strongly opposed it. It was because they believed that their daughter would suffer if she lived as a wife of a Gospel preacher. I thought, “Her parents are so opposed to it; could she get married?” But because her parents were people who thought deeply, as they thought about their daughter’s future, one day they changed their hearts and permitted her marriage. I felt, “Ah, God changed their hearts!” If God changes people’s hearts, if He changes the hearts of those who oppose the Gospel, then we can know precisely that the great and small problems we encounter would not be difficult to resolve through God.
Pastor Ock Soo Park Pastor Park is currently the senior pastor of the Good News Gangnam Church. He is the founder of the Mahanaim Cyber Theology School and International Youth Fellowship. Annually he is the guest speaker for Bible Crusades domestically and internationally and serves as a guest lecturer to university students. He is the author of several titles such as: The Secret of Forgiveness of Sin and Being Born Again, Repentance and Faith, Navigating the Heart. These books have been translated in 17 different languages, and in addition he is the author of 40 other books on spiritual life.
7
Salvation Testimony
God turned my heart
from the hard stiff ground into a soft moist field Lendle Ha | Good News New York Church
Growing up, I’ve always had a sense that there was a God or a higher power. Although, I didn’t know Him, He led my life to a place where praises were sang and kids of my age would gather together for worship, church. Church was a place where I met some of my best friends growing up. Although, a few of us went to different schools, we would have time to spend with each other at church and this was what I would look forward to after a whole week of school. Being in the neighborhood I grew up in, I wasn’t a very popular kid growing up. I was a scrawny little Asian kid with glasses and the only real interest I had was drawing. In Jr. high school is when the beatings began. I would get beat up between classes and jumped by gangs walking home from school. I was thankful that the handful of friends that I had stuck around because I didn’t think that they would want to hang around someone who people picked on. My relationship with my father as I grew up would also begin to fade, as I wasn’t very good at school. My father, growing up was at the top of his class and I don’t think he ever understood why I couldn’t get good grades. The disappointment I brought my father made me sad and I would be scared to see him upset so I began to roam the streets a bit more. My parents worked long days and sometimes into the night, just to provide for us, so this gave me time to do all of the things kids “normally” do on the streets. 8
▲ At my wedding with New York church brothers and sisters.
“
Only My relationship with my father as I grew up would also begin to fade, as I wasn’t very good at school.
I picked a skateboard and had a newfound friend that kept me busy most of the days after school. Trick after trick, we would learn, riding around the blacktops of school campuses. This was my outlet. Skating was where I felt most free from everything that going on around me. I also found friends that I kept busy with, which also steered me away from gangs and drug abuse, although by this time I had already tried a bit of marijuana and smoking cigarettes, I was just happy I wasn’t living in fear and disappointment while skating. It wasn’t until college was when everything really started to prioritize itself for me. Things started to click and the environment was much more different, it gave me a sense of a new beginning. I became more serious about my studies and luckily was able to transfer into UC with a 1.9 GPA. Although, I graduated with a 3.4 GPA in business economics, the funny thing is I really don’t remember how it happened. Each summer, during college, a start-up company my father worked for had given me an internship. It was during these times I was most thankful
”
9
Salvation Testimony
thankfulness “The and the humbleness
for because everyone I had met was so welcoming and open to me being a part of their team. They would teach me everything about, everything. I had the opportunity to work with manufacturing & facilities, research & development, clinical & regulatory, commercial operations but where I ended up, I’d never expected, training and professional education. At the time, I was so thankful and excited because after a few internships and temporary positions, I didn’t think I was going to get hired full time. Unemployment was at its all time high and most of the guys I knew, who I had graduated with, had trouble finding jobs. Life was good. I loved my boss and the people I worked with. Throughout my carrier, my boss would continue to push me and would promote me in order for us to get help as we rapidly grew. More and more opportunities arose and what also rose with it was my self-righteousness and arrogance. The thankfulness and the humbleness in my heart was no longer present as it once was two years ago. Everything I was thankful for the past two years, I felt like I deserved. I felt that I earned what I had worked for and I began to feel that I was entitled to every bit of it. I started to have a hard time working with people who I once felt close to because of my arrogance. I didn’t just feel it within myself but it was also resonating from others around me as well. I began to see that we had changed and I became curious to why we’ve become this way towards one another. In 2013, things started to seem like they were going down hill for me. I couldn’t understand why I had become such a self-righteous and arrogant person. I didn’t know why my thoughts would always had me doubt others and even myself a lot of the times. I would have deceitful thoughts towards myself, drawing up situations and how I would get myself out of them and by solving threating circumstances. Of course these situations would never arise and it had become something very tiresome. These thoughts continually frustrated and tormented me, as I wasn’t able to change my way of thinking, I began to seek for a solution. I started doing yoga and meditation. I would read on self-spiritual development and started to think about sin. All of these methods were only temporary fixes. After yoga or meditation, my thoughts were the same as the once were. There was no way around it, no escape route in site. At a time in my life where I felt most successful, I also felt most empty. I had everything anyone could ever ask for, a good job, money, a nice place
in my heart was no longer present
”
10
to live, good friends, a love life and a nice car. I had nothing to worry about but what was empty was my heart. My heart didn’t have any happiness or hope in it any longer. It didn’t have faith to fuel it and the peace that once lived there was filled with doubt and selfishness. I thought about life and most of it was full of greed to become more and more successful. Life was all about going out and drinking with friends, lusting over women at the bars. Playing video games, watching and playing sports with the occasional gathering of Texas hold’em. I was still living “the single life,” at the age of 30. My life was filled with one thing, sin. So I tried it, I said to myself, “lets not sin, for even one day.” The thing was, this was impossible. Even if I didn’t act upon sin, I had sinful thoughts and these thoughts continually haunted me. It was driving me crazy. Why? Why couldn’t I find the “off “switch? Why were my thoughts continually dragging me in this way? Finally, I did what was most rational to me. I removed myself from the environment I was in because I had thought that what had shaped me into the person I’ve become was my surroundings. One day, I told my boss I was going to pursue a new career and that I wanted to do something that required me to be able to express creativity with the use of my hands. She was a bit shocked because we’ve established so much together but after the acquisition of our mid size company the position I had been training for closed and the director of our department had been let go. Now, was an opportunity for me to really pursue my dreams, or at least I thought. I was ambitious and trusting in myself, I believed that if I worked hard, I could be the best at anything I wanted to be. Society and media was where I absorbed all of this empowering wisdom. Ad campaigns, commercials, and billboards from large corporate companies using celebrities, athletes and musicians embraced the “self made,” life trend. We’re taught that if we worked hard and if we put our mind to it, we can achieve our dreams. But even before I started dreaming, things started to go down hill. I had torn my ACL and at the time, I didn’t know whether to get surgery or not because I hadn’t yet left my job and insurance would’ve helped a whole lot. 11
Salvation Testimony
Although, I opted out of surgery, it didn’t take too long to heal, but I definitely wasn’t able to be as active as I use to be. This was a real heart breaker for me and I would continue ask the God that I didn’t know, “why?” In April of 2013 I had moved to beautiful, sunny, Los Angeles. My college buddy welcomed me with open arms as I started an accelerated and specialized culinary academy in the world of sushi. I never liked sushi but the use of my hands and being able to express creativity attracted me to it. I was in a place to prove something to myself and to everyone around me. In class, I always compared my scores to everyone else and even though my sushi didn’t come out perfect, to me it was better than the other guy’s. After graduating, I quickly found a job at restaurant on the beaches of Malibu, CA and thought this was the best place for me to achieve my new goals. But soon after I found that the person I had become and the thoughts I had, had not changed at all. Although, I was a bit happier starting a new beginning, I wasn’t able to change. It didn’t help by removing myself from the environment I was in. I was still being tormented by my self-deceiving and self-righteous thoughts that I knew were not true. It was during this time when God really started to break my hard, selfrighteous and arrogant heart from dry, hard dirt into soft, moist soil. By doing so, I was sent to the ER one evening during a double shift at work. I had suffered a 3rd degree grease burn to my dominant hand, wrist and arm. Through this accident, I was sent into a spiral of emotions, deep depression and anxiety. I lost all hope in my determinations to be someone successful. I gave up on trusting my arrogant and self-righteous self and just lived life as it came. A few months had gone by and as I was recovering from my skin graft with physical therapy, I received a phone call. It was my sushi instructor; he had wanted to see how I was doing and if was interested in attending church. At this time, I had moved back home to San Jose, CA and I told him, I was interested and that Sunday I attended morning service. A few weeks had past and the Gospel began to take root into heart. It was here, where I heard something that sounded so true to my heart. As God led His servants, I felt every word preached was spoken directly
before “Even I started
dreaming, things started to go down hill.
”
12
to me. The Gospel was evident here at this place. A place, I would have never found on my own. One by one, all of the problems I’ve tried to solve with my own methods were being defeated for me and all I had to do was put myself down and receive what was already prepared. As I think about it now, it was by grace that I was able to see my true image and to receive the Gospel through the Word directly as it is. I understood how God had to break my heart through accidents, injures and surgery in order for me to give up on trusting in myself, my ways and my own methods. Where these methods that I had tried to change my life with, never worked, because my ways were the ways of sin. Little by little, God led me to receive His Word. Through testimony, bible conferences and fellowship the Gospel began to take root into my heart. The Gospel has become the foundation of my faith in Christ, where “doing good” had no justification to righteousness. God lives with me in faith but as I live without difficulties and in comfort, I begin to fall back into my flesh and into my methods of doing things of which I saw were right and not of faith. So, God would allow difficulties to draw me back into living by faith; this is His way for Him and I to be connected. It is here in Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,” says the Lord.” (NKJV) I understood that from how I saw myself and my situations were all wrong and how God allowed the events I had gone through in my life were good, leading me to faith and righteousness. In Romans 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (NKJV) and Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God
▼ With my sushi instructor
▼ At the Bible Seminar
13
Salvation Testimony
is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” (NKJV) God told me that the law was given only for me to know what sin is and that we are no longer justified by the law but purely by faith alone. Being so, all of my efforts in trying to keep the law or to “do good” is not something ▲ With L.A Pastor and brothers that will determine if I am righteous in His sight but only by faith in Christ that I am made righteous. It is here where my faith in Christ lies, Hebrew 10:10 “By the will we have been sanctified through the offering of Jesus Christ once and for all,” (NKJV) and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Do you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, not homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of our God.” (NKJV) Although, I lived such a sinful life by God’s mercy and grace, I was given a faith to receive the righteousness of Jesus and God had redeemed me through an eternal offering in heaven, Hebrews 9:12 “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once and for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” (NKJV) God had also clearly showed me why I suffered through the thoughts I had and that true repentance is accepting that I was purely a sinner and I was brought into this world in this way to receive His mercy, grace and faith. In Genesis 6:5 “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (NKJV) This is why I continually had such doubtful, deceitful and lustful thoughts in my heart that I could not solve on my own; without repentance, hope and faith, sin led my heart to eternal suffering. It is here at this place, Good New Mission that God showed me what true love is. I wasn’t led here to make friends, to find love, to ask for forgiveness, or to “do good” with my life but solely to receive the Word of 14
am righteous in His sight but “Ionly by faith in Christ that I am made righteous. ”
God. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (NKJV) It is here that the Gospel is the only “mission” the servants he has established, live to do. It is because of the camps, the services, the conferences, the fellowship and the events led by God allowed people like me to receive the Word, salvation and peace. I am thankful that God, who has established the church and His servants, led me to receive salvation in this way. By faith in Christ, He has freed me from sin and since then I am able to see myself from God’s eyes and not of my own eyes. I am thankful that God has been working so gracefully to give peace and joy into my heart. Although, sinful thoughts would arise because we live in a realm of time, with faith in His promise, all of my sins, in God’s eternal realm, have been accounted for by His perfect salvation and the sacrifice of His one and only Son. I am clean as white as snow. I am righteous, sanctified and holy in the eyes of God because He only sees Jesus who now lives in my heart. I am thankful to his servants and church, to our brothers and sisters whom God is leading to continue the love of the Gospel.
clean as white as snow. “I am I am righteous, sanctified
and holy in the eyes of God
because He only sees Jesus who now lives in my heart.
”
15
Special Article_South America
PUERTO RICO
EQUADOR
16
World Camp, English Camp, Christmas Cantata in South America Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and unincorporated U.S. territory with a landscape of green mountains, waterfalls and the tropical rainforest. Ecuador is a country straddling the equator on South America’s west coast. Its diverse landscape encompasses Amazon jungle, Andean highlands and the wildliferich Galåpagos Islands. These are the two countries major IYF events were held. The first World Camp and Christmas Cantata were held in Puerto Rico. And English Camp was held for the first time in Ecuador.
17
Special Article_South America
World Camp, English Camp, Christmas Cantata in South America On October 19th, 2015, the First World Camp opened in Arecibo, Puerto Rico Despite the fact that there is no IYF branch in Puerto Rico, it was a long process through which God led us to hold the IYF World Camp. The mayor of the city of Santiago, Dominican Republic invited the mayor of the city of Arecibo to the World Camp held in Dominican Republic last year. The mayor of Arecibo was so moved that he attended the World Camp in Korea this year and intended to hold a World Camp for the youth in Puerto Rico. The mayor helped with preparation for the World Camp, starting from the big things to the littlest things: the venue, promotion of the camp, food and transportation. We neither planned for this World Camp nor did we prepare for it. However, God worked according to His good promise, leading the camp and preparing for it. Through the help from the mayor’s office, we were able to promote the World Camp through TV and radio broadcasting. We were also able to promote the camp through National singers, Sie7e and Deddie Romero. We also invited mayors from other cities, as well as other distinguished guests, to a press conference to introduce them to the World Camp. We were invited to their annual Christian event where 14,000 people gathered. We promoted the World Camp and preached the gospel for a short time. The city helped us wholeheartedly as we prepared for the camp. They even put their own work aside and worked overtime as they supported us in preparation for this camp. We were able to see the work of God who gives without lacking in the most lacking of places. 18
1
3
1. World Camp venue held in Coliseo de Arecibo Manuel G. Iguina Reyes 2. Righteous Stars performing at the Opening Ceremony 3. Students at the registration desk
Despite all the help the city was giving us, it was very difficult to prepare for the World Camp when there was no IYF branch base. This was because the city was very slow in approving the necessary permits. The fact that everything was so slow affected our work as well. Also, another issue was not knowing the exact number of participants for the camp. Through help from the city, we were able to make the camp free for the students, but because it was free, we were not able to know the exact number of participants until the first day of the camp. This is why we could not help but to seek God until the start of the camp. Many students gathered around the registration desk on the first day of Camp. Their faces were filled with anticipation as they gathered in small groups. A total of 600 people registered. The rest of the community gathered in the evening as well. The World Camp began with the opening performance from the Righteous Stars. The string ensemble of Arecibo congratulated the opening of the World Camp through their music. The students were enthusiastic when they saw the African performance for the first time in their lives. 19
WORLD CAMP IN PUERTO RICO
2
Special Article_South America
The World Camp really got into full swing as the days progressed. God allowed us so many memories and testimonies. Here are some happy moments, as well as testimonies, that were most moving.
The Mini-Olympic held under the burning sun that gave us most joy The Mini-Olympic was held under the burning heat of the sun. As soon as the games began, the students were crying for victory as they ran at full speed. There were ten games: “Steal the Bacon,” moving peas using chopsticks, eating crackers with your face, blowing the paper. There were two teams of three people competing with each other for the game where you move the peas using chopsticks. The students have never used chopsticks before and it was a little difficult but they had so much fun experiencing a different culture. The game where you eat crackers with your face is where a cracker is placed on your forehead and the participants who ate the cracker without using their hands won. The students had a good time seeing their friends making funny faces, and they were nervous hoping that the cracker does not fall. When the participants finally ate the cracker, everyone was happy.
The meeting with the President of the Institute of Technology in Toluca, Mexico After the morning program ended, there was a special meeting in the VIP room. Pastor Ock Soo Park met with Dr. Jesus Rendon Garcia, President of the Institute of Technology in Toluca, Mexico, and his wife. Dr. Garcia attended the World Camp held in Toluca, Mexico in 2010 and has attended the World Camp ever since. He wants to spread the mindset of IYF to the schools in the city of Toluca and neighboring cities. His wife is an avid churchgoer and she opened her heart completely after seeing the change that came about one of her employees who attended the World Camp in Korea. She completely changed after she received salvation and volunteered in Korea. After they exchanged a few words, Pastor Park began to preach the word to them. “In the past, sins were forgiven through the offereing of sins. But we were not able to be perfected through this method. Because we continued to sin, we did not cover the altar on earth with blood, but we covered the altar in heaven with blood. That 20
was the eternal sacrifice. The blood that Jesus shed 2,000 years ago did not cover the altar on earth, but the blood covered the altar in heaven for eternity. Not just for our sins in 2015 but in 2016, 2017, 2018 and for eternity, we were made righteous. Many people ask for forgiveness of their sins because they do not know this truth. Our sins are not forgiven so we suffer because of it. God cleansed our sins forever and made us holy.” He preached the words about Hebrews chapter 9. After they heard the word, the couple was happy and shook hands with Pastor Ock Soo Park. They promised to work with IYF in the future.
The Gracias Christmas Cantata in Arecibo We held the Christmas Cantata for the first time in Puerto Rico during the World Camp. There was a lot of difficulty when preparing the stage for the Cantata. We asked the city for help, but it took a long time to get permits, and to get the materials needed. But eight days before the start of the camp, the city pulled through and was able to get us the materials needed for the Cantata. We were able to have the Cantata miraculously. The First Act showed the birth of Jesus; the Second Act was about mischevious Anna’s dream about family. We heard the message of the true meaning of Christmas, and the final Third Act was the performance of the whole Gracias Choir. At the end of each act, the audience will cheer and applaud. After the Third Act, the whole audience was in standing ovation. They anticipated the return of the Gracias Choir. Pastor Park preached his message of the true meaning of Christmas. “A long time ago, I met a young girl named Suhyun Choi. She was in a wheelchair because she suffered from an infection in her spine. She lived in despair but I spoke to her about how electricity travels. Just as electricity travels through wires, God’s power travels through the heart. ‘Suhyun, right now your body is being led by this disease but if your have hope in your heart, then you can overcome this disease. If your heart is alive, your body will come alive too!’ After that, Suhyun threw away the despair in her 21
WORLD CAMP IN PUERTO RICO
Standing ovation at the end of the Christmas Cantata performance
Special Article_South America
heart and she was filled with hope. Her life completely changed. We could see how God helped her and worked through her. Through Christmas, Jesus wants to place hope, happiness, and joy in our hearts. Please throw away the despair in your hearts and never give up hope.” “It was great! The dancing and the stage production went well together. I think everyone in the city of Arecibo must watch the Choir. I am honored that you came and performed here. I hope everything goes well in the future.” – Dr. Asaro “This is the third Cantata I’ve been too, including this year. I get the goose bumps whenever I see it. They are showing the true meaning of Christmas. They show how our sins are forgiven and how we are able to go to heaven. The Cantata shows the birth of Jesus and how we are saved. The message I heard tonight gave hope to my heart; I feel like I can overcome this world.” – Estelle, Costa Rica “I compliment this wonderful Cantata. The Cantata teaches a lot of things, especially about the importance of family. It is beautiful. The family builds strength in our hearts. We can overcome burdens. As I always say, strength doesn’t come from our muscles but from our hearts. The youth must know this secret. The students who learn this will improve and succeed.” - Hon. Angel Chayanne Martínez We are so hopeful when we see the students overjoyed through the Puerto Rico World Camp. They were sincere and full of hope. Through this camp, we were able to establish an IYF branch and missionary Sang Oh Jo was dispatched there. There are already volunteers who have received salvation and are members of the church. We are thankful when we think about how the gospel will spread to the many youths here.
The Puerto Rican volunteers who were together with us from the beginning There are people who were part of the Puerto Rico World Camp. They are the volunteers who helped out with all their hearts behind the scenes. There were 31 people who signed up to volunteer when we went to promote at different schools, churches and public places. They helped out all day even before the start of the camp; they even lent us their cars. They helped with renting instruments, too. There were many difficulties when working with the City, but the volunteers stood by our side and had one heart with us as they worked with us. 22
1
3
1. Students fill up the seats at the World Camp venue 2. Volunteers wear yellow scarves to show they are helping with the Camp 3. Volunteers smile for the camera
“I heard about the Gracias Choir through the Choral Competition in Italy. I looked up how I could be of some help to them. I was part of the VIP team since three weeks ago. I met with many other people from the surrounding Latin American countries. I was able to broaden my scope of other cultures, as well as my own personal outlook. I was able to improve my leadership skills as well.” – Antoy Aletriz “I found out about the camp through Facebook. I was able to see many youths meet Jesus through this camp. I learned how to overcome hardships, receive salvation and learn true happiness. I hope that this camp will never end.” - Jovanska Roca “They were promoting the camp at my college so I registered to volunteer. I wasn’t interested in the world of the heart until I saw the cultural performances and heard the mind lectures. I learned about the heart little by little. I learned that it is important to open the heart and I learned how to do it by listening to the lectures. I thought I was under a spell when I heard the Garcias Choir. I thought angels were singing. My thought began to change little by little. There is no other camp like this in all of Puerto Rico.” - Yomar Betancourt There were 15 volunteers who opened their hearts and received salvation through this camp. This is just the beginning for Puerto Rico. We thank God and glorify God when we think about how the gospel will spread across Puerto Rico.
23
WORLD CAMP IN PUERTO RICO
2
Special Article_South America
World Camp, English Camp, Christmas Cantata in South America The Door of Hope Opening at English Camp in Ecuador
The first English Camp was held in Quito, Ecuador from November 6th to the 8th at the ISM school. There were a lot of difficulties having the English Camp in Ecuador for the first time. 50 volunteers were connected through the first, second, and third workshops. 250 students from the ISM school attended the camp. We were able to see the path of God’s gospel open up in Ecuador through the English Camp. The programs were divided into morning and afternoon schedules the first day. During the morning program, there was English class for the ISM students, and also a mini olympics. Because it was a Friday, there were not that many students, which was an issue. But through Pastor Terry’s mind lecture the students listened intently and opened up their hearts. In the afternoon, 465 students from the military school attended. They learned to sing songs, had English class, and listened to mind lectures. The students were rigid at first, but after learning songs and speaking in English, they began to open their hearts as they participated. Pastor Terry Henderson spoke about John, who lost his limbs to the war, during his mind lecture. John took his own life because he believed his mother will not accept him because he lost his limbs during the war. John did not know the true heart of his mother. Pastor Terry preached that if our hearts are not connected with the heart of God, then we cannot help but to succumb to misfortune and despair. But if our hearts are connected to God’s, then even if we face hardship, then we can overcome those 24
1
3
1. Group picture of English Camp attendees and volunteers 2. Pastor Terry Henderson and student 3. Students who attended English Camp
hardship and pain through the power of the word. In John 1:29, it states that Jesus bore all our sins and died on the cross. We have become righteous through him and are now able to have one heart with God. On the second day, we had English class with the students. There were six subjects: hospital, airport, movie theater, dance, speaking, and mind lecture. Play money was given to the students during the airport and hospital class. As they recited lines according to the made-up situations, they practiced their English. The students also had fun and opened up their hearts during dance class. They also had mind lectures that taught the students about the heart of God. The third day followed the same morning schedule as the second day. They students opened their hearts even more as they progressed in their classes. In the evening, the IYF members and volunteers invited the student’s parents for a night of Righteous Stars dances, African a capella, and cultural performances. Pastor Terry ended the evening with preaching about John Choi’s testimony. He spoke about how the word of God revives the heart. It was a joyful time to convey the heart of 25
ENGLISH C A MP IN ECUADOR
2
Performances, Group Meeting discussions, Academies, and English Lectures took place throughout the English Camp in Ecuador.
26
God to the students and the volunteers. The volunteers opened up their hearts during the daily evening performances by the Righteous Stars and the African a capella. The heart of God was preached through the message. Pastor Terry preached about the lepers who appear in Luke 17: 11-19. Jesus had already healed the lepers but only one leper believed in the words of Jesus and was healed according to His words. Just like this, God had already fulfilled everything, all our sins were washed through Jesus. There were many shortcomings and mistakes made during the preparation of the English Camp. But God fulfilled everything. God worked in the hearts of the volunteers so that they did not focus on our shortcomings, but their hearts focused on the word of God. There were many volunteers who received salvation during the camp. Some have even applied to volunteer as a short-term missionary overseas. We were lacking and weak but God worked according to His words. We can see that God fulfilled everything even before the start of this English Camp. Pastor Terry said that this is not the end of the English Camp but the beginning. He said that God’s plans for the English Camp are not able to be seen through our eyes. He said that the IYF is needed in Ecuador. The English Camp that started through the will of God gives us faith in how God will lead Ecuador through the IYF in the future.
27
ENGLISH C A MP IN ECUADOR
“My parents are pastors. I’ve attended church since I was little. But I questioned the church when I saw the contradicting lives they lived. I thought the words they preached were just stories. But when Pastor Terry preached the word, he didn’t just preach about stories, but he preached about how God worked in his life. When I heard pastor say, ‘the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,’ I believed then that all my sins have been forgiven, I am now righteous, God truly loves me. I knew God in my heart and I was excited and thankful to hear the words preached every evening.” - Andy Bustamanta
Memoirs of a Missionary_Myanmar
Life Wiggles in a Mustard Seed
Pastor Dae In Kim | Myanmar Missionary I was saved in February of 1989. While working as an elementary school teacher and serving the Gospel, I joined the missionary school by the calling from God. I gained faith by discovering the will of God who called me by grace, regardless of my lacking image. I was first dispatched to the Seoul Dobong Church and I am currently ministering in Myanmar as a missionary. Throughout the following 12 issues, we will see how God worked powerfully through my life and ministry. There is a fruit in Myanmar with the nickname, “Smell of hell; taste of heaven,” – durian. A durian tree is really big and the seed is as big and thick as a fist of a baby. It is so big that you would get bruised if you ever got hit by it. In the Bible, it is not written as “Heaven is like a big and thick durian seed,” but it is written as “Heaven like a grain of a mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field.” A mustard seed is the smallest and most unattractive seed of all seeds. However, God is pleased with establishing his kingdom through a grain of mustard seed. My image is like this mustard seed.
28
I Was Not Compatible
I was born in Gyeongsangnam province, South Korea in 1968. My father was running an herbal medicine shop and my mother was running a pharmacy. For that reason, my house was located well out in the countryside. When I was in elementary school, I studied very well and was a class leader, president of the student government, and the leader of the Boy Scouts. Because of my background I came to have a very competitive personality. After graduating from middle school, I entered a prestigous high school, Geochang Daesung high school, which was away from my hometown. However, I came back home three days later because I could not bear the burden of living away from my parents. I just wanted to go to high school in my hometown. Yet, I changed my mind and went back to Geochang, because of my desire to become an elite which had always been in my heart. I wanted to become as successful as my friend who is an herbal medicine professor in Kyung Hee University, but my life did not work out that way. I came to a conclusion after failing three times. “I had been deceived by the thought that if I had just tried I could have done everything!” There was no way. After the exam, I came home and just slept. It was really tiring to sleep for 18 hours a day. My lips were chapped. I wondered around in the fields at night with a bottle of alcohol and slept in the daytime because I hated to see people. When I covered myself with a blanket, I could not bear my image thinking that my whole life was twisted and pitiful. When I Received Salvation, Three Failures Turned Into Gratitude
While my heart was filled with despair, my mother told me to go to the retreat. After my mother was saved in 1986, she often told me that I should become born again, but I could not understand. She said, “You need to taste an apple to know if it is sour or sweet. Don’t just tell me that I’m in a cult. You should go for yourself and if something is wrong, you should teach me.” She already paid the fee, so I had heart to go thinking that it would be time for me to get away from everything. In February 1989, I went to the retreat at Hanbat Youth Center and heard the sermon in the Gospel Class. Pastor Young Chul Jang who was the guest speaker preached about Luke chapter 10. As I listened to the sermon I realized that I was just like the person who was hit by robbers. It was amazing. “My 29
Memoirs of a Missionary
God allowed me to study three more years to enter the university to break my righteousness and stubbornness. A person like me would never meet Jesus if I had not failed three times.
story is in the Bible! I could not do anything after been hit by the robbers!” Just like the Samaritan saved the person who was half dead and naked, Jesus came to my heart. Hallelujah! I was so thankful to God. “God allowed me to fail three times to break my stubbornness and righteousness. If I did not fail three times, I would never meet Jesus!” This was a turning point in my life. The three failures was not an embarrassment but rather it turned into thankfulness. “Why didn’t my previous church teach me about eternal redemption?” I thought I was a sinner ever since I was young. I repeated the cycle of committing and confessing sins. I even vaguely thought that it would be good to confess my sins five minutes before I die and stand before God since sins never ended and I continued to commit sins. However, all of my questions of sin were answered in February of 1989. For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26) I surely realized that Jesus washed all my sins away through the Word. It was so amazing. My previous church taught me that the original sin was washed but I still had to ask for forgiveness for the sins I committed daily even though the Bible said that all of our sins were washed. Since then, I attended Good News Geochang Church with my mother. Good News Geochang Church was renting a two-story building for a chapel near the Hwang River. The brothers and sisters had worship on wine color cushions. Though the building was shabby, we were happy. The brothers and sisters did not go to big cities to make more money rather they stayed in the countryside while serving the Gospel regardless of making low salaries. It was touching to see how they were serving the Gospel with all their hearts and I learned about the church through them. After receiving salvation, I felt that a big rock was removed that had been on top of my heart. I was able to see many ways of happiness after my desire toward the world was removed. 30
“God! No More Happiness, No More!”
Soon after I received salvation, I was admitted into Daegu National University of Education by the grace of God. After the graduation, I became an elementary school teacher and I was happy. After school was out, I drove on the highway back home. I was overwhelmed by the wonder of God as I saw the sunset far away and I prayed. “God, thank you. You saved a lacking person like me, gave me a good job, and gave me a family. I am so happy. Can I continue to: offer tithe, working for Sunday school, attend Sunday service with the family, going to the retreats during the vacation, and serve the church? All 35 students in my class would receive salvation year after a year. God! No more happiness, no more! Thank you, God.” I often prayed like this. However, I had a weird feeling that I would end up moving somewhere else. My Friend In Soo, Who Went To A Missionary School After Being Healing From Leukemia
One day, in 1995, I heard that my old friend, In Soo (Pastor In Soo Heo, Good News Gangdong Church) got leukemia. In Soo’s wife asked for a divorce four months after they were married. Divorced In Soo was waiting for his death while staying in his hometown. I did not have the power to cure his disease, but I visited him with hope that God who saved me from suffering would save In Soo as well. In Soo lost all of his hair due to chemotherapy and new hair was starting to grow. In Soo could not even sit down. As he was listening to me, he interrupted and said, “Dae In, my life is over. I can’t work because I have no strength. I can’t give offering because I have no money. All I have left are my ears.” His word was good news to me. “Yes, that’s it! You only need your ears! Faith comes from hearing!” Pastor Sae Jae Oh from Good News Geochang at that time preached the Gospel to In Soo all day, and In Soo finally received salvation. After In Soo was saved, he was so happy that he sat on the offering box. In Soo told Pastor Oh. “Pastor, I don’t have money to give as an offering. So, I sat on the offering box hoping that God would receive my body instead.” Later, In Soo read Pastor Ock Soo Park’s testimony, “I am healed even though it hurts,” and he believe the word, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”(Mark 11:24). “Ah! Even though it hurts, I also am healed!” In Soo was completely healed from leukemia by faith and got married again and joined the missionary school. 31
Memoirs of a Missionary
For God is a God of creation, He created a heart that I did not have in me. It was the heart to go to the missionary school.
Though I Marked With A Cross Over And Over…
I was actually a little bit shocked as I saw Pastor Sae Jae Oh sending In Soo to the missionary school in 1996. I thought, “Ah, going to the missionary school is not by skills but grace! Then, if I receive grace, I too would pick up grains after him!” I found hope there. After I was saved, I actually chose things that should normally not happen to me. The first was to quit smoking, the second was to get married inside of the church, and the third was to go to missionary school. If I were to add one more, I wanted to go abroad as a missionary. Truly, I marked these all as impossible. However, as I stayed in the church, my heart changed. There were miracles happening in my heart. For God is the God of creation, He created a heart that I did not have in me. It was the heart to go to missionary school. After I had that heart, I got into four car accidents in one month. I was driving fine, but a person fell asleep while he was driving and almost hit me driving over the centerline. I barely survived. At that time, I remembered the Word, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25). “Yes, all of my ways are the ways of death! I have to follow the path that God shows me!” In 1995, God called me through the Word. In that year, before the interior renovation of Good News Geochang Church, Pastor Sae Jae Oh preached about 2 Samuel 7:2, “I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.” I was listening to the sermon carefully because I wanted to be with the church and the work of the church. The word that came after struck my heart. “Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth” (2 Samuel 7:8-9). I suddenly received a great word of blessing, but I hid it because I felt too burdened and I had no heart to go to the missionary school at that time. I tried to ignore the Word but the word that God spoke to me on that day kept arising in my heart like air bubbles rising to the surface of 32
1. Author, 6 years old 2. The student in the very front is the author when he was in 6th grade. 3. Time that he preached the Gospel to students. 4. I sang a hymn on the Christmas day with my mother and my wife.
33
Memoirs of a Missionary
1. With my old friend In Soo and his wife. 2. Pastor Sae Jae Oh who preached the Gospel and taught faith to me (second from the right) and brothers.
the water. Even to this day, this Word held me up and accomplished works while ministering in Myanmar. I could testify that this word gave peace in my heart in the mist of difficulties. In 1998, I was transferred from Dowon Elementary School in Seongju to Nakjin Elementary School. However, the word “Nakjin” means “fallout” in Korean. I was living with a heart that I was a useless person like dirt, then Pastor Young Bok Jeong from Jinju called me. The pastor showed me Luke 14:26 and asked me if I would go to the missionary school. Sometime later, I went to Daejeon for the interview for the missionary school. The pastor who would teach me asked me. “Hey, are there any teachers who got connected to the church while preaching the Gospel in the school?” “I preached the Gospel but there was no one who got connected.” “Did you take some time off from school?” “No, I quit.” “Oh! That’s a problem. You have to go back home if you don’t have works of God in your life….” I was a little nervous when he said that. However, as I was walking out of the door after the interview, God gave me the word of promise. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”(Romans 8:32) After I received the Word, my heart was at peace. Not long after, I received a letter that I got accepted to the missionary school.
34
“Absalom! My Loving Son, Absalom!”
I thought if I took the midterm exam in the missionary school, I would at least be in fourth place. It was because whatever I did, I would always be in fourth place. When I was in race with seven or eight people, I was always end in fourth place. For that reason, I was never awarded with a prize. I thought I would be in the fourth place in the missionary school as well, but after 10 months, my wife and I was the most lacking and weakest of all. At that time my son, Min Chan, was a month old. We ran out of baby formula to feed him so we fed him with juice and brewed water for three days. Of course, we were breastfeeding him but it was not enough. I went to the market to beg for the formula. I got kicked out three times and I received good baby formula on the fourth time. I was so happy. After that, I got a free haircut, a free pair of glasses, and free medicine from the pharmacy when my wife was sick. At that time, some of my classmates followed me and I gave a testimony during the class. The pastor in charge heard me and told me, “What kind of faith is that? That’s begging! I prayed to God when I didn’t have money!” It struck my head. By grace, the pastor received a chapel in Gimcheon. However, I was humbling my heart only for my flesh. The focus was different. During the grand conference, I was looking for a barbershop wondering where I could get a haircut and searching for a supermarket for the baby formula. I did not care about witnessing but I was a beggar. I started to wail. I was crying, but I felt like God was calling me, “Absalom! My loving son, Absalom!” “God loves even a person like me. He calls people His people, which were not His people; and her beloved, which was not beloved!” I was able to feel the warmth of the Father. After that, amazingly God gave me freedom in my heart and bestowed grace upon me. One time, I met Jo Jungrae who was a senior studying in computer science while I was witnessing at Pai Chai University. He was originally from Haman and opened his heart to me since I was speaking in a dialect from Gyeongsang province. He heard the Gospel and received salvation. Yet, he was not attending our church. One day, he attended a regional group service. There, Pastor Ock Soo Park spoke to him, “Brother Jo, from this week, we will broadcast our Sunday service on the internet for the first time. On the first Internet broadcasting Sunday service, you should give your salvation testimony.” He was already interested in computers and started to come to church diligently from that time on. It was so easy to connect a person to the church when God did it.” I was later dispatched to the Seoul Dobong Grace Church in February of 2000.
35
New York Times: Notes on Genesis I
The Genealogy of Death and the Genealogy of Life Pastor Ock Soo Park | Good News Gangnam Church
And And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died. (Genesis 5:3~8)
36
36
during the night when no one would be watching. A Rose Has Bloomed in My Heart His wife then received salvation and began to come to our church, but this gentleman persecuted her. “Don’t go to church! Believing in Jesus is worthless!” He persecuted her continually, but this elderly woman continued to come to church with joy. One day, her two other daughters, who were already married, came to visit her and they were startled when they saw her sleeping on the bed. “Shhh! Be quiet!” they said. Their mother had always been insecure because of her son and daughter so she was never able to sleep deeply. She would be startled easily and wake up. But they saw that their mother was sleeping so peacefully. They understood that their mother had truly received salvation and though they were rejoicing, they were absolutely startled to see their mother sleeping so peacefully. The two daughters went outside, afraid that their mother would wake up and tearfully discussed this with one another. “Our mother has changed. The God she believes in is truly God. How could she change so much?” However, her husband continued to persecute his wife in order to keep her from going to church. One day he thought, “Why is this old woman so crazy about this church?” and saw a book entitled, The Secret of Forgiveness of Sin and Being Born Again by Pastor Ock Soo Park on the desk. He became determined,
37
New York Times
Have You Ever Seen a Home like Ours? An elderly woman attended our church when I was in Dajeon. I was once holding a Bible study at an apartment complex and she gave her testimony of how she was tied to sin but had become saved. It was really good, so I asked her, “Sister, where do you live?” and she replied, “I live right here in Building 4.” I went with her to see where she lived and her husband came out to greet her. This gentleman became startled and said, “Pastor Park! What brings you to my home?” He then began to speak to me. When this gentleman was much younger, his son contracted a terminal illness. He tried everything to cure his son, but the doctors at the hospital told him that there was no hope for his son whatsoever. Then he went in search of prayer houses. He sold his house and tried everything to save his son, but ultimately, his son died. He also had a daughter who was sick. She suffered from cerebral palsy, and could not get up at all. She lived all 30 years of her life lying down. In this gentleman’s heart, he thought, “Why did God place these plagues upon me?” and he was filled with complaints against God. From then on, he completely cut himself off from God. This grandfather asked, “Pastor, have you ever seen a home like ours?” He said that he was so ashamed of his daughter’s condition that they never once moved during the daylight. If they had to move, they would pack everything and move like a thief
New York Times: Notes on Genesis I
thinking, “Good! Now I shall find what’s wrong with this church in this book and take my wife out!” So he read the book, but his heart changed as he read it. “I had no idea, but this is the love of God! God sent His son Jesus for me and Jesus was crucified for me!” In this manner, his heart had been completely opened, and when I had gone to his apartment, he said, “Pastor, there are so many homes in Dajeon. Why have you come to mine?” Soon afterwards, he received salvation. He then came to church and gave his testimony. “I had never once been joyful during my 70-year life. I have never once been happy. I had laughed before, but it was never from my heart. I could never erase my son’s death from my mind. I could never erase my daughter being ill of cerebral palsy and lying on her bed. I always lived inside of darkness, but Jesus came into my heart and made a rose bloom in my heart.” I can never forget this elderly gentleman. He was so happy and joyful to see me. I often went to their house, but I no longer live in Dajeon so I have not been there for some time.
and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. Adam’s genealogy continually says, “Died, died, died. . . .” It is filled with death. But if you look at the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter 1, it says, Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; There is no word “death” here. It continually says, “Begat, begat, begat. . . .” While the works of life continue, there is no work of death. Think about it. Jesus is the one who defeated death. Would He then keep death in His family? He defeated sin. Would He then keep sin? He defeated fear and sadness. Would He then keep fear and sadness? We cannot defeat sin or death, but if we are inside of Jesus, He defeats all of those things. My grandmother passed away about 20 years ago. I was the chief mourner at the funeral so I had to greet visitors all night long. I was sleepy, but I drank coffee and lasted several days without sleeping. After I Was So Happy Standing the funeral, I had to return home. Before Death My stomach hurt so much the next The genealogy of Adam is shown day. It would hurt; then be okay. in Genesis chapter 5. And Adam It would hurt; then be okay . . . It lived an hundred and thirty years, repeated like this, but at about 38
Jesus, who is with me, has swallowed and triumphed over all of my sorrow, pain, and despair. the curse that I was to bear, and the death that I was to receive were all defeated by the Lord and He gave me true freedom and liberty. Therefore, my heart was extremely peaceful. “Ah, death is something joyful for a Christian! Death is coming to me, but it is not death! I will be freed from this flesh, wear new clothes, and stand before Jesus. It is something absolutely joyful! It is happiness!” Things were so complicated when I was not standing before death. But when I thought of actually finalizing everything before my death, there was nothing for me to finalize. Things I had worried about while I was alive were not worrisome anymore. So I thought, “I will live forever inside of Jesus! I will be freed from this body of pain and wear a new one! I will have life! I have received grace!” I was so thankful. “God, thank you so much!” Death is not death if you are with Jesus. Pain is not pain when you are with Jesus. Sorrow is not sorrow when you are with Jesus. It appears to be extreme sadness, pain, and despair in the eyes of people, but Jesus, who is with me, has swallowed and triumphed over all of my sorrow, pain, and despair. Therefore, despair is not despair even if it comes to me. Sorrow is not sorrow and pain is not pain even if they come to me. I am inside of Jesus.
39
New York Times
12 o’clock at night, I could not take it any longer and went to the hospital. They examined me and said that I had an intestinal obstruction. My intestines had become twisted due to over-anxiety. I was lying on the bed and my wife looked down at me with a worried face. Then my wife’s face quickly became blurry and unclear. I thought, “Ah, now I am dying. Let me finalize some things before I die,” and the church came to mind first. I should live and lead my church, but when I quietly thought about it, there were many great pastors in my church and it seemed that everything would go well even if I died. Then I thought of my family. I had the heart that God, who has protected my family till now, would continue to protect my family. I then finally thought of myself. “When I lived inside of sin and inside of darkness, Jesus entered my heart after I received the forgiveness of sin. He cast out the darkness and the sadness that I could not defeat and allowed me to live inside of joy and hope. Now Jesus will take my hand as I cross the river of death and lead me to the eternal land!” I was so happy standing before death that day. Before, I was so afraid of death and thought that it would be so painful. But that day, I did not actually die, but I clearly thought that I would die. I was so thankful that I was standing before death with Jesus. Jesus defeated the sin, judgment, and death inside of me. My sins, the destruction that I was to receive,
New York Times: Notes on Genesis I
Jesus, You Do It! You Are the Lord! The word death is nowhere to be found in the genealogy of Jesus, in Matthew chapter 1. Because Jesus defeated death, the villain named death cannot enter the house of Jesus. Therefore, you, who are inside of Jesus, will not taste death. You will shed your flesh and enter the eternal world. You are not dying. There is no sin inside of Jesus. There is no despair inside of Jesus. We are tied to sin in pain when we are outside of Jesus. But when we are together with Jesus, no sin can condemn or pain you. While you are with Jesus, you and He are one. Though you may sin, the one who resolves that sin is not you, but the Lord. When pain or sadness comes to us while we are separate from Jesus, we must bear it as it comes, but it is not that way inside of Jesus. My son is married with children now, but when I used to hold him by the hand and take him around when he was young, I took all the responsibilities no matter what happened. Whether it was a taxi, food, or whatever, I took the responsibility. When my son was six, the family rode in a taxi together. I asked the driver, “How much is it to East Daegu Station?” “It is one dollar.” “Oh, really? Then Daddy will pay 30 cents, Mother 30 cents, Yeong-kook 20 cents, and your sister 20 cents.” Then my son said, “No!” “Why not?” “Daddy, you should pay.” “Why should Daddy pay? We are all riding together.” “Because you are our daddy!” I could not say anything. He was
riding in the car, but he was telling me to pay. If you have this much faith in Jesus, it is so great living in this world. “Jesus, you do it! It’s your problem, Jesus! Jesus, you are our Lord!” When I say, “I sinned, but you take the responsibility, Jesus. Jesus, you are my Lord!” then He does so. But we do not have faith and we bear the pain of sin because we committed it. However, the Lord carried our sins and was crucified. Why? It was because the responsibility for the sins we committed was placed upon the Lord and not upon us. The Lord should receive the death we should have received, and the plagues and sadness that we should have gone through are not ours in any way after we have entered inside of Jesus. Death Is Swallowed Up in Victory The days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. . . All the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years. . . . (Genesis 5:5~8) In the genealogy of Adam in Genesis chapter 5, “Died, died, died . . . ,” continues. These are the works of death. But there is no death in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 1. It is because Jesus completely cast out death. If you belong to the genealogy of Jesus Christ, you can avoid death. This is because the fight between death and us is not our own. For this corruptible must put 40
41
New York Times
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Corinthians 15:53~54) Death and victory were fighting and death was swallowed up by victory. Victory represents Jesus. It means Jesus defeated death. He swallowed it. Jesus defeated sin. He defeated Satan. He defeated disease. That is why sin cannot exist when you are with Jesus. Death cannot exist and disease cannot exist. We have lived separated from God ever since Adam and Eve sinned and death reigned in the midst of us. It is only natural that one becomes close with darkness remain within His domain. Jesus when he departs from God, who is does not allow death, curse, or the light. We cannot overcome sin in destruction in His domain, but He such a state. We fall deeper into sin casts them all out. That is why it is as we struggle not to sin. We cannot not that we must labor to not sin, defeat death. We cannot defeat the to be good, or to be sincere, but we judgment. Therefore, we become the must enter into Jesus. servants of sin when we fight against A person could only have lived sin. We become the servants to death if he entered the ark during the time when we fight death. We become of Noah’s flood. It is okay even if the servants to temptation when we that person does not know how to fight temptation. And we become the swim. Inside the ark, even evil people servants to pain when we fight pain. live. Not only the clean animals but But people who belong to Jesus also the unclean animals in the ark Christ do not fight themselves, but lived. However, even the clean animals Jesus who is the Lord fights for them. outside the ark were all killed. All Jesus fights against your sin and the good people who were outside your pain and He fights against the the ark were killed. Everything outside punishment, curse, and destruction the ark was killed. you should receive. Therefore, there Our goodness or evilness does is true rest and freedom inside of not decide our salvation. How well Jesus. Jesus does not allow sin to you have kept the law or how poorly
New York Times: Notes on Genesis I
you have kept the law does not decide will fall again and again if you try not this, either. “Are you inside of Jesus to sin. You say, “This time I will not sin or outside of Jesus?” That is the only and I will be good!” but you fall again. thing that determines your salvation. This is because you cannot defeat sin.
"You cannot defeat temptation, curses, destruction, or pain. That is why we hide behind Jesus. We take refuge in Jesus." Do Not Try to Do It, but Belong Inside of Jesus
I have gone to church ever since I was young, but I was outside of Jesus until the year I turned 19. I tried to pray hard, be loyal to church work, and not commit sin, but I was outside of Jesus. Back then, I tried hard to believe in God, and I tried to stand before God through the good I had done. However, all of this was useless. One day, I realized that everything I did was useless and I realized that it would not work by me trying to do well. So, I gave up on trying to do well in order to go to heaven. I gave up on spiritual life; I gave up on myself; and I entered into Jesus and belonged to Him. I was now inside of Jesus, and since He was inside of me, Jesus defeated death, destruction, and despair from inside of me. At that moment, true peace, joy, and satisfaction came to my heart. Many people today go to church, but they try to do good and be righteous on their own. You should not do that, but give up on yourself. I hope that you will belong to Jesus Christ. Then Jesus Christ will fight your fights for you. You
You cannot defeat temptation, curses, destruction, or pain. That is why we hide behind Jesus. We take refuge in Jesus. Jesus Christ bestows grace upon you and fights for you if He is inside of you. Even though we sin, it is not our problem, but Jesus’. The curse that we should receive is not ours, but Jesus has done everything necessary to make it His. Now, if we enter Jesus and rest in Him, Jesus will bestow His grace upon us. The people in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter 1 had nothing to do with death. They had nothing to do with curses. They had nothing to do with sadness. However, the people inside of the genealogy of Adam had death, curses, and destruction come upon them. Do you belong to Jesus Christ? Have you entered Jesus? I hope that all of you will enter Jesus. I hope that you will all receive the grace of the Lord in your life, and live strengthened by the work the Lord has done.
42
43
Gospel Lesson
Two Types of Sin Pastor Kim Sung Hoon Good News Daejon Church
T
he leaf that has fallen from the tree has no choice but to be carried away by the wind. We who have departed from God are the same. Regardless of our own desires, we cannot help but to fly away to where sin carries us. That is why the Bible tells us that we have no goodness. When man who has left God goes on his own path, the Bible tells us that all the things he does is sin. Lets us look at the words in Jeremiah 2:13,
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. When we look at this word, God looks at us and He sees two kinds of sins. First, throwing away God who is the source of living water or in other words, man leaving God in his heart. God called Himself the source of living water. If a person leaves water, then thirst comes to him. And so, all people have a thirst in their heart. Thirst for joy, thirst for happiness‌ there is always something that is not enough. There is a lack of health, there is a lack of joy, also, there is a lack of money‌ Where did all of this thirst come from? The fact that you are feeling this thirst is not because of your husband, money, or your child. Because you have departed from God, the source of living water is why you have these kinds of problems. However, this thirst and pain must come to us because it is given to us by God. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove
44
thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. (Jeremiah 2:19) According to this verse, when man departed from God was when he received all of this pain. Through this pain, God wanted to turn the heart of man back towards Him. All lives without God are vain. There is not a single person who is happy without God. There are people that look happy, you say? That is just a delusion. When we look at people, they seem happy, but in reality, if you look inside of that person’s heart, they have pain and suffering. In the end, money, fame, and power cannot make us happy. There is a man named Amnon in the Bible and he was a man deceived by Satan. Amnon liked a girl named Tamar so much, that he thought if he took Tamar as his wife, then he will be happy. And so, he planned a trick. According to his own plan, after Amnon had dragged Tamar to his house, he violated her. He was able to take Tamar as wife after doing so. But, what happened next? It seemed that if he had Tamar as his wife, he would be happy, but when he had actually taken her, she could not become happiness for him. And so, he casted her out. In the end, Amnon was killed because of that event. That event did not just kill him, but it became the seed that would bring a frightful war upon Israel. Amnon was deceived by one heart. The only one able to satisfy his heart is God, but he thought that Tamar would have been able to make him happy instead. If you get on a bus in Busan heading to Seoul, Amnon Amnon was the half-brother where will you end up? Do you have to go inside of Tamar, as they shared the in order to find out? The moment someone same father, David. Tamar gets on a bus going to Seoul, it has already been is described as a virgin decided for that person to end up in Seoul. Man and “beautiful,” and Amnon has departed from God, the source of living waters, was highly attracted to her (2 Samuel 13:1–2). He so how can he be satisfied? Inevitably, thirst will soon confided in a friend come. Through that thirst, God wants the heart of named Jonadab. Jonadab man to return to Him. But the problem is, man was “very shrewd” and gave stubbornly does not want to return to God, and Amnon a plan on how to get he tries to solve the problem of his thirst himself. Tamar.
45
Gospel Lesson
He is hewing out his own cisterns. The second sin of man that God is speaking about is the hewing of his own cisterns. People hew cisterns in order to get water. It is that people try to hew their own cisterns, find water, and quench their own thirst. Likewise, digging in the dirt to find water means to bring about happiness from the flesh. The dirt means the flesh in the Bible. Today, people live like this. When bumping against many times of thirst and problems after leaving God, I labor, I try, and I put in effort to solve the problem. However, that is sin. Sin is nothing else but the thing that has taken a hold on your heart so it will not be able to go to God, even though it wants to do so. You all have to turn back to God, but sin is exactly trusting the flesh and having expectations in one’s own labor. From there, comes murder, adultery, and robbery. All sins start from there. Do you all know that from the place of putting confidence in the flesh and digging up the flesh in order to gain water is the start of all sin and misfortune? The Bible is speaking about this precisely. The Lifeless Flower in the Vase
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. (Romans 1:28) Man did not want to retain God in their knowledge. In this way, as man left God, man has died. If you snap off one rose flower and put it in a vase, is that flower alive? Now, it is blooming and there is a fragrance, but it has already died. As soon as it was snapped off, it was dead. Soon, it will enter the trash can. Indeed, the moment that the heart of man was disconnected with God, he died. It looks like he is alive now, but when God looks at man, he is already dead. There is no hope in a dead body. Inside of him is filled with completely rotted and decayed things. As man fell away from God, he started to rot. It is because he does not have the power of life. And so in Jeremiah Chapter 17 verse 9, it is written, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Has any of you been deceived by a liar? If that person were to lie to you again, would you believe him, or would you not? You would say, “You bad guy, I think all of the words you say to be lies. I’m not going to listen to you!” However, all of you have been deceived by your own hearts many times. Your heart says to you “Hey, try that out. It’s going to be good.” But when you had actually done it, it wasn’t so great. How many times have you been deceived by your own heart? Probably many times. You were deceived more than one
46
Sin is nothing else but the thing that has taken a hold on your heart so it will not be able to go to God, even though it wants to do so.
hundred times. But just like a fool, you believe in that heart once again. Oh my, if I believe in someone who has deceived me more than one hundred times, what shall I do? If it was someone else who deceived you three times, you would no longer believe that person. Our hearts are deceitful above all things. Your heart that has departed from God is a liar, in other words. All the words that your heart says to you are lies. In reality, when we live our lives, we do not know how many times our hearts deceive us. It is because we are foolish. In Proverbs chapter 28, it is written, whoever trusts in his own heart is a fool. Someone who trusts in his or her own heart is a fool. The thoughts that come from the heart are lies. The heart that has departed from God, that heart makes lies. Good or beautiful things will never exist inside. If you look at Romans 1, it speaks about how departing from God is sin, and from that sin comes offenses. In chapter 1, verse 29, it speaks about these offenses. All unrighteousness, wickness, greed, maliciousness, proud, boasters… And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. (Roman 1:28) In verse 28, the sin that makes them not want to retain God in their knowledge is like a seed. And the crimes that come out in verse 29 are like the fruits. If a seed is planted, there is always fruit. Likewise because the heart of man has departed from God, through that sin comes so many crimes. Envy, murder, conflict, adultery… where did all of these crimes come from? They are from the heart that does not want to retain God. And so the crimes in verse 29 are not the problem but the sin in verse 28 is the problem. That is where all these things have stemmed from. In our mission, there is missionary who was under the care of a hospital for a long time. At the age of 18, he collapsed because his joints were not good and he went to several hospitals but there was no one who could treat him. He took a tremendous amount of medicine but there was no improvement. Because of the arthritis, he became unable to use either his knee or hip joints. Then, he met one American doctor at the Eh-hyang hospital. The doctor looked at pastor and said, “Take a chest x-ray.” Because his joints were the part
47
Gospel Lesson
of his body in pain, he told the interpreter to repeat, “I came because my knees hurt.” But the doctor said, “Stop the nonsense and take an x-ray of your chest.” After taking an x-ray of his chest and bringing the picture, the doctor spoke. “Your arthritis is not something you have to eat arthritis medicine for. This arthritis has started from tuberculosis. And so, it is not that you have to be treated for arthritis but you must be treated for tuberculosis.” From then on, he took tuberculosis medicine, and since his tuberculosis was cured, his arthritis slowly got better. Even though nothing could be done about his bad joints, he was able to walk because his disease no longer developed. But if he did not meet that doctor, his entire body would have gone bad because of the tuberculosis cells. The important thing is not to treat what you see with your eyes but to find the cause which you cannot see and to treat that. While people say, “I can’t stop gambling. I can’t stop drinking. What should I do?” “I have no money. What should I do?” They just try to solve what they see. However, for that to be fixed, it is not the things you see that should be resolved but the cause should be resolved. Two Black Pills, Two White Pills
Repentance Repent means to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent. However true repentance is to realize that we are sinners − having departed from God − and to return to Him. A person who has repented realizes no good can come from himself, and therefore turns to God.
Nowadays, people misunderstand repentance. While they say, “God, I committed this sin. Please forgive me,” they think confessing the sins they’ve committed in detail and asking for forgiveness is repentance. This is totally wrong. The pastors that teach in this way deceive their church members. Due to the fact that the pastors do not know and speak their thoughts without reserve, the Christians of Korea have entered a wrong path. The pastors of Korea always prescribe “repentance” and “effort.” They say many things, but in the end there is only two things remaining: “Please repent” and “Please try hard.” When I was in the army, five soldiers from my group, each one with a different disease, visited the military medical office. But the medicine they received was all the same: two white pills and two black pills. The black ones were digestive medicine
48
...it is not the things you see that should be resolved but the cause should be resolved.
and the white ones were aspirin. My youngest brother was a medic in the army and when I was told stories like this, he said, “That’s nothing.” On some days, the medicine to give was already decided from the morning. When a sick soldier would come in, they would give the medicine in order regardless of what disease they had. Nowadays, churches are like this. Repentance and effort, they can only prescribe these two things. But their repentance is not even true repentance. Sin and repent, sin and repent-they called this repentance. When I was in the army, on Sundays, I would go to service, this is what the army chaplain said, “This week, we departed from God and we sinned. In the perilous life of the army, we commit sin and from these lips, we speak dirty curses, while with these hands, we beat up other people.” And then, when he says “Lord!” with a voice mixed with sobs, the soldiers would also confess the same way. “God, I hit a private. I cursed. Please forgive me. Please do not allow me to sin next time.” After praying like this, as soon as they would leave the chapel, they would pull out a cigarette, bite it and yell “Hey, are you not going to walk straight? You can’t even keep the line, can you, you bastards!” Cursing would spring out automatically. Is that repentance? Sin and confess, sin and confess…. This is not repentance. Repentance is not listing your sins. When Adam left God, he entered into his own way. Afterwards, we walk the same way. We live inside of our own ways. Likewise, because from our roots we have departed from God, everything that comes out of us is all sin. Repentance is to realize this and to repent this fact to God. “God, I have no good inside of me. From the top of my head to the soles of my feet, everything of me is sin. I am a person who cannot help but to sin. Just like how an apple tree cannot help but to bear apples, I cannot help but to bear sin.” If an apple seed is planted, an apple tree is formed, and it cannot help but to bear apples. From our origin, we are sinners; sin comes out of us and good cannot come out of us. A person who realizes this is a person who has truly repented. Therefore, would a person who has repented truly being happy or sad? They will be sad. If they realize that from the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet, they are a complete sinner, their heart will feel vanity. “Oh, I cannot help but to be destroyed! I cannot escape hell!”
49
Gospel Lesson
These kinds of people have their hearts humbled. And so, if you look in the Bible, it is written that blessed be the poor in spirit. What kind of heart is one poor of spirit? It is a heart that has realized sin. It is a heart that realizes that one has departed from God. Things That Are Plated, Things That Change
The Bible expresses the person who departed from God as a wife who threw away her husband. She threw away her good husband and is living with another man. You call that kind of woman a lewd woman. Although her husband is obviously alive, if she goes to another man, sacrifices for him, and lives an exemplary life, is that something which is good? No, it is not. The fact that she left her husband is sin. In the state of having departed from her husband, no matter what she does, that is sin. The Bible clearly says that by departing from God who is our husband and in the state of not having God, everything that appears from us is dirty evilness. What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:9-12) Did the Bible say that there was someone who does good? It says that there is no one that does good. Do you have any good inside? Although the Bible says we do not, do you say “I have some evil things but I also have some good things too,” or do you say “But still, I have done some good things.” Real gold is gold in the inside and the outside. But the insides and the outsides of the plated things are different. And so, as time passes, it discolors. Real good does not change, but fake good cannot help but to change. Even though you do good, if that good is fake, then it will change. All the good that man has done changes and so, it is fake. Although the bridegroom promises to love the bride in sickness and health when they get married, as time passes, they get a divorce. In some households, no one else is the enemy. When they have gotten married, they truly loved each other, but when time had passed, that love changed. All the good inside of man will change. Thus, that is not true goodness. I feel often that there is no good inside of man. Even though people all look different, the difference is only whether they bear it for a long time or for a short time; all the things inside are the same. The only thing different is that a slightly kinder person waits a little longer until their evil is revealed,
50
What kind of heart is one poor of spirit? It is a heart that has realized sin. It is a heart that realizes that one has departed from God.
while a slightly more evil person has their evil come out a little faster. This happened in a department store in Los Angeles, California. It was a department store that did not allow entry for poor people, where well-dressed ladies and gentlemen were shopping. Then suddenly, the electricity went out. As soon as that happened, the ladies and gentlemen started to take the merchandise, one-by-one. In places like the jewelry corner, they wanted the jewels so they were fiddling with them and when the electricity went out, they put it in their pockets and left the area. That day, all these ladies and gentlemen became thieves. When it becomes a particular situation, the evil things inside start to come out. That is why man cannot be good. Those ladies and gentlemen, do you think stole before there was a blackout? Of course not. People probably looked at those people who did not steal to be good. But God does not view them the same way. He looks at the core. In that core, even though it has not come out yet, there is thievery. When does it come out? When the situation is just right, like a blackout, is when they come out. In the Bible, there is a verse, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. Just like when it is summer fruits are born, when it becomes a certain situation, the evil inside of us comes out. And so, no matter how good you lived until now, even if you did not sin on the outside, God does not call you a good person. It is because your core is evil. It is exactly like putting a lid on a trash can. Is the trash can clean because you put a lid on it? Inside, there are all sorts of dirty things. Everyone, it is because you hide yourselves and do not have the eyes to see, but when you face a certain situation, the evil things in your heart cannot help but to come out. Thus, the good you have right now is just plated goodness. Truly, man has no good. Man has only evil inside of him.
Pastor Kim Sung Hoon is currently the senior pastor at Good News Daejon Church. This is the sermon that he preached at the 29th Summer Retreat, titled, “For the Lost Souls.�
51
Preaching the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth
Testimony of Pastor Ock Soo Park
O
ne day, when I was serving in the army, I discovered that my gloves were missing. In the Korean army, items that had gone missing were not ‘stolen,’ but had merely ‘been relocated’ since many items were passed around and around within the army. On my way to the training station that morning, I could not reveal my hands since I was the only one without gloves. Gloves were part of the required attire, and if I were caught without gloves, my team leader would beat me. I was afraid of that. Satan continuously tempted me, saying, “Hey, believing in God is no use in the army. You should steal someone else’s gloves too.” Yet whenever I thought about taking someone else’s gloves, God would give me an uncomfortable heart. One night, I prayed under my blanket, “God, if I can’t find my gloves, I’ll get beaten, but I won’t steal.” My heart was set in front of God. The next day, a friend came to me. “Ock Soo Park, you don’t have gloves?” “Yeah, it’s a big problem. Someone stole them.” “You idiot! You should have told me earlier. I have two pairs. You can have one.” “You punk, where did you steal them?” “What do you mean steal? My brother’s a lieutenant in the army. He gave me an extra pair when I had frostbite.” After training that day, I cried a lot. “God, you’re alive even within the army!” Because God is with me, I have been able to do the work of the Gospel without seeking help from people or using humanistic methods. 52
53
Church Directory (North America) EAST COAST Good News New York Church 718-878-4246 300 Nassau Rd., Huntington, NY 11743
Good News New Jersey Church 201-406-4677 1075 Queen Anne Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666
Good News Manhattan Church 917-678-3344 268 West 44th St. 5th Floor, New York, NY 10036
Good News Detroit Church 248-971-4151 1181 Harding Ave., Rochester Hills, MI 48307
Good News Bronx Church 646-339-6432 685 Morris Park Avenue 2nd floor, NY 10462
Good News Indianapolis Church 516-231-8562 383 S. Emerson Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46219
Good News Brooklyn NY Church 917-526-7498 765 43rd St. 1st FL, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Good News Miami Church 954-667-7753 331 NW 65th Way, Hollywood, FL 33024
Good News Flushing Chinese Church 631-535-1169 134-24 Cherry Ave., Flushing, NY 11355
Good News New Orleans Church 504-432-6000 3205 Cherry St., New Orleans, LA 70118
Good News Atlanta Church 404-966-6352 11000 Rogers Circle, Johns Creek, GA 30097
Good News Jacksonville Church 904-800-7890 3850 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32207
Good News Atlanta Spanish Church 678-387-9271 2635 Fairlane Drive, 2nd FL, Doraville, GA 30340
Good News Boston Church 617-943-9739 4 Church St. #8, Malden, MA 02148
Good News Philadelphia Church 215-379-0501 305 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027
Good News Charlotte Church 704-500-6063 8731 Green Ivy Lane, Charlotte, NC 28217
Good News Chicago Church 847-329-0237 4825 W. Jarlath St., Lincolnwood, IL 60712
Good News Fort Wayne Church 260-797-3412 3316 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne, IN 46807
Good News Washington Church 703-309-7132 5044 Portsmouth Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032
Good News Maryland Chinese Church 301-250-1138 85 Orchard Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Good News Memphis Church 901-206-7891 4162 Owen Rd., Memphis, TN 38122
Good News Nashville Spanish Church 615-927-8980 120 Arbor Knoll Blvd., Antioch, TN 37013
Good News Minneapolis Church 612-354-3909 3000 West Broadway Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55411 Good News Orlando Church 407-456-0470 3164 Knotty Pine Ave, Winter Park FL 32792
WEST COAST Good News Central Church 213-386-0097 3500 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90004
Good News Tacoma Church 253-582-3599 10103 South Tacoma Way, Lakewood, WA 98499
Good News Hawaii Church 808-679-2800 1219 Keeaumoku St., Suite 400, Honolulu, HI 96814
Good News Albuquerque Church 505-301-7167 3001 Cuervo Dr., N.E. Albuquerque, NM 87110
Good News Houston Church 210-315-0346 6534 Rolla St., Houston, TX 77055
Good News Dallas First Church 972-272-4724 4502 Lawler Rd., Garland, TX 75042
Good News Phoenix Church 480-273-2199 9001 West ELM St. #5, Phoenix, AZ 85037
Good News San Jose Church 408-893-2267 1548 Curtner Ave., San Jose, CA 95125
Good News Sacramento Church 916-996-4655 7136 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael, CA 95608
Good News Las Vegas Church 702-248-0572 2880 Red Rock St., Las Vegas, NV 89146
Good News Oklahoma Church 405-535-9553 5801 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73119
Good News Salt Lake Church 801-656-5299 353 Park Creeke LN #B, Salt Lake City, UT 84115 Good News O.C. Baptist Church 714-226-0595 3330 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801 Good News Anchorage Church 907-258-9987 1020 W. Fireweed Lane, Anchorage, AK 99503 Good News El Paso Church 915-478-3576 8001 Magnetic Street, El Paso, TX 79904 Good News Portland Church 971-300-1127 6225 S.W. Dale Ave., Beaverton, OR 97008
CANADA & CARIBBEAN Good News Vancouver Church 1-778-881-5508 2291 Dorman Dr., Burnaby, BC V5A 2V3 Good News Ottawa Church 1-647-770-3379 275 Rue LaramĂŠe, Gatineau, QC J8Y 3A1, Canada Good News Toronto Church 1-416-321-2004 70 Mcgriskin Rd., Toronto, ON M1S 4S5, Canada Good News Jamaica Church 1-876-318-0189 63b Deanery Road, Kingston 3, Jamaica W.I.
Good News San Antonio Church 210-993-9414 405 Walton Ave., San Antonio, TX 78225
Good News Dominican Republic Church 1-809-350-1429 Calle 26 #2, Valle Verde 1, Santiago, La Republica Dominicana
Good News Denver Church 720-308-3442 8279 E Kenyon Ave., Denver, CO 80237
Good News Haiti Church 509-70-8253-2511 Rue Jeremie #22 Delmas 33, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Good News Kansas Church 816-210-0351 1301 E 100th TER, Kansas City, MO 64131
Join the 2015 World Christian Leader’s Workshop
wclwusa.com
December 27–31, 2015 Hyatt Regency DFW International Airport Dallas, TX World Christian Leaders Workshop (WCLW) provides solutions to various problems Christian leaders encounter in their ministries and personal lives. WCLW aims to promote effective evangelism through creating partnerships to address these pressing issues, and developing sound ministerial practices and a strong heart focused on spreading the gospel throughout the world.
Visit wclwusa.com or contact your nearest Good News Mission Church (Call your local branch for more information at wclwusa.com)