The three visions that our church aspires to in its ministry are: Christians at Work gatherings, Multicultural Church establishment, and Diaspora Missions. What these visions have in common is a focus on moving beyond the church and reaching out to the world. The church is a community that calls people out of the world, nurtures them as complete followers of Christ, and sends them back into the world to bring about transformation. Serving others often requires sacrificing and giving up our own comfort, which can sometimes lead to a passive attitude.
To be honest, managing two churches and taking care of my two sons born in my old age is already overwhelming for me. However, the passionate desire in my heart refuses to let me stay still. Moreover, knowing that things won’t simply happen just by wishing, I cannot help but follow the heart that God has given me, trusting that He will open up unique and unexpected situations to make things happen. I cannot help but move forward with even greater passion.
If you have been part of our church for a long time and have been involved in ministry, you would have witnessed how the church constantly evolves and grows. There have been significant changes every year. It is not something planned or achieved by human effort alone. It is solely God who leads our church. Knowing how inadequate I am, I have no confidence in leading the church or carrying out planned ministries with my own abilities. However, because I have seen what God has done so far and becuase I have the conviction that He will continue to do so, I can boldly move forward.
We are currently discussing Christians at Work gatherings, which aim to prepare individuals to live lives that manifest the values of the Kingdom of God in the midst of the world. We are seeking various opinions on this matter. First and foremost, we are naturally seeking advice from pastors, professors, CEOs, and members of parliament who have extensive experience and expertise. Additionally, we have had several discussions with cell group leaders, who represent our congregation, regarding their thoughts on their areas of expertise and work. We understand that there will be challenges and setbacks along the way, but we will continue to knock and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Recently, there has been an increasing number of people who prefer English worship services to the point where our 25 interpretation devices were too few. As a result, we purchased additional receivers, which marks the second time this year. We believe that God will continue to bring people together to establish a Multicultural Church, and we ask for your prayers as we seek a pastor to lead this church.
In London, it is crucial for churches of various ethnicities to work together, especially as the first generation faces language and cultural barriers that hinder effective communication. Gathering the next generation, who are free from such barriers, and empowering them to take the lead in missions requires the unity of spiritual fathers rallying around a common vision. To this end, we have met with representatives from City to City, an organization founded by Tim Keller, as well as leaders from London City Mission, one of the oldest and most influential organizations in London. We are also planning to establish a collaborative organization involving major Korean and British groups with the purpose of serving diaspora churches.
Let us not be satisfied with merely attending church on Sundays, but dream God’s dream for London and run together towards it.
