Up until the pandemic, our church held a three-night, four-day retreat twice a year, around Easter and Christmas, at a rented venue. We wanted to focus solely on God, so we went all in on the morning, afternoon, and evening services. However, as our congregation grew, it became difficult to find a venue in the UK that could accommodate all the retreat participants – so we were unable to hold retreats for a while. Fortunately, we have found a venue this time to accommodate more people, but our parish capacity is limited, and costs have risen significantly, so we are still concerned about whether we can continue to hold retreats for the entire congregation.
What makes this retreat different from previous ones is that Pastor Chung-dong Lee, who is the instructor, and a team of twenty professional ministers will be here to serve us. Pastor Lee received a vision from God to awaken the overseas Korean diaspora and establish them as missionaries, and has primarily served in the US and Asia. He has visited the UK twice on mission trips, and we had time to connect with him on those occasions. I also had the opportunity to personally meet with him in Korea when I visited and to preach at the church where he serves. Through these occaisions we shared our mutual understanding of the Gospel and our commitment to world missions. I believe this encounter was a meaningful connection, especially given that we share a common vision for diaspora missionary work. He believes our church plays a significant role in the European Korean diaspora, and so is bringing his ministry team to this retreat.
Looking back at how God has guided me so far, it wasn’t because of anything I did, but rather because of chance encounters that initiated significant ministries. Meeting missionary Kang-hee Ahn led me to begin working with groups of people who are considered ‘unreachable’, particularly in India. Meeting missionary Jong-sang Choi allowed me to delve deeper into churches in the UK. Through Pastor David Kim, I had the opportunity to connect with leaders of major organizations in London, such as LCM, the London Project, and Union Theological Seminary.
On the Korean side, God provided me with opportunities to naturally meet influential pastors from various denominations interested in diaspora missions, creating a valuable network. I have even been approached with a proposal for next year’s KOSTA gathering in the UK. No matter how great or large a church or organization, if it’s not connected to our diaspora vision, I don’t pay much attention. Surprisingly, the pastors God has connected with me with are all passionate about the gospel and have a clear vision for missionary work, and I’m grateful for that. They possess the spirituality of our Father, and their hearts are not limited to their own churches, but are especially devoted to the many underprivileged Korean churches, the next generation, and the marginalized diaspora.
Whenever I think of our church, I always feel a sacred burden, knowing that God is saying, “I’ll push you for now, we’ll see how you do.” Up until now, we’ve been blessed by God giving us growth and clarity of vision. Going forward, I want to build a more substantial church while reaching out to diverse churches in London. Specifically, I want to gather the next generation from each country, foster their grace and unity, and ultimately help them become leaders in missions across the UK. This winter retreat is part of that larger picture. Our church truly has a dream.”
