I believe it would be similar for most pastors, but I also had more ministry work after the pandemic. Since March last year, when all services and gatherings have been converted online, there have been many new things to start and adapt to. Since there was no church building, we first started worshipping at my house. There were many things to pay attention to: all equipment and programs related to broadcasting had to be kept updated for our situation; all meetings were held in Zoom, which I had to learn; sound system needed attention as we played a guitar and praise.

Personally, I believe that video has become the mainstream these days and that video editing will become a basic skill like driving. Although I have never done it, I watched various channels and leaned about Da Vinci Resolve, which movie directors usually use, so that I can do basic editing.

As a foreign ministry, we are also serving as a member of Steering Group, which established a group called Diaspora Network Alliance (DNA), where various diaspora churches can gather in large cities such as London. Until now, Vision, Mission, and Strategy have been formed by discussion. I hope that church pastors from various ethnic groups will soon gather too socialize and cooperate, and that the next generation will join forces to re-evangelize the UK and build churches for unreached people group in a city. To better prepare for this work, with a few other missionaries, I have a weekly meeting at 7am to discuss books related to diaspora mission.

Recently, I have also started speaking with Indian ministers, who we have been sponsoring, via online. In the past, I never thought of meeting them other than visiting India in person, but this pandemic eliminated the gab between here and mission places. As such, in addition to sending materials/donations and short-term missionary work, I will continue to meet ministers online to encourage them and help them with their ministry.

There were many new decisions that needed to be made for our church, too, depending on Covid-19 situation. We tried Cafe Talk where people with similar jobs or majors can gather and socialize, and we are trying to implement a system that will help prepare people to live as Christians in their workplace and in everyday lives.

As we had to continue to come up with ideas and adapt to these new changes, and as we started new ministries inside and outside of the church, there were many things to pay attention to. Above all, I am sorry that I couldn’t meet all the demands of the youngest son Yeo-Joon, who wants his father to play with him. Also, I feel grateful and sorry to see my wife, who invites church members to our place every Saturday for a meal. It would be already physically overwhelming just to feed a large family. Just like Paul’s confession, I think we need more grace to work harder than others. “No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10).”