So far I’ve shared my three main prayer requests for our church this year. I would like to go into a bit more detail on each one. The first one I’d like to talk about today is our “Christians at Work Groups”, which was the first prayer request. This is a new initiative that we are looking to launch, whereby Christians in the same field gather once every month or two (instead of cell group meetings).

Since sharing this vision, I had a few meaningful meetings. I met the chairman of a group who shared how he saw God doing amazing things through his struggles to build his business in faith, a pastor who had enough business experience to become the deputy CEO of a company, and a professor at Yonsei University who is running a foundation that focuses on arming students with the Christian faith so that they can change the world. Speaking to them helped me understand that God is using Christians that are changing the world through the gospel.

Korea is a country that is making history in many ways. In 1950, the Korean War left the country in shambles, but 70 years later it was able to rank as one of the top 10 countries based on economic advancement. The only explanation that can be given for this is God’s grace that came through the rapid growth of the Christian faith in Korea. Of course, several conflicts arose as all this change occurred within such a short space of time – which is why the church’s role has become more important, as the gospel has the power to bridge these gaps and unify.

Some point to the rapid pace at which the world is changing, especially with technological advancements, and asks what the church is doing to keep up. But I believe that we are heading towards an era that appreciates love and spirituality, each of which lie in the church, and so I believe that the church will still be able to remain influential in changing times, as long as it holds onto the basic principles of Christianity.

So far, Korean churches have been focused on the importance of church activities, such as worship, prayer, bible studies, offerings, evangelism and ministry. God poured out his blessings through these activities, and now many Christians sit in influential positions. That is why I think that it is time for the church to go back to the heart of the gospel and provide its members with the resources from heaven; and its members are to go out to the world with these, and strive to see God’s kingdom come to this world in their respective fields.

It is time for the church to raise God’s witnesses in this world, such as Joseph, Daniel, Esther and Nehemiah. So we need to appoint leaders that are able to teach others as to how we can be victorious in our daily lives through faith. Through those leaders, Christians need to be able to hear how we can experience God working through us in this world if we hold onto His word, rather than worldly know-hows. This is the dream I have in launching our Christians at Work Groups.