Headed to South Korea for Missions

Next Monday, I’m headed to South Korea for missions. Not missions training, not a missions conference, not North Korea, but mission work in South Korea.

The first part isn’t evangelism, but that’s not all there is to the mission of the church. Jesus’ words were roughly, “as you’re going, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have said to you…” (Matthew 28:18-20). It’s not just sharing the Gospel for conversion; it’s discipleship for life transformation. The first part of our trip is an English Camp for pastors’ kids from rural areas of South Korea. These are kids who may not have ministries targeted for themselves. I guess I grew up in a situation that should make me more compassionate than I’ve been feeling; when I was a kid, our church struggled to have adequate youth and children’s programs. It wasn’t until I left for college that I was able to learn what a real relationship with God was about. True, it’s primarily the parents’ responsibility to disciple in a Christian home. But these kids need help.

The second part of the trip is evangelism, in an area of South Korea that seems a bit hostile to the Gospel. I heard once, about ten years ago, that South Korea was roughly 50% Christian. Lately, I’ve heard 25%. Some of that could be measurement issues, or nominalism. But there’s also been a nationalistic backlash against all things Western/American, and this includes a backlash against Christianity for some people. Add that into negative perceptions or experiences from legalistic tendencies of some churches in the Korean cultural milieu, and you’ve got a lot of people who aren’t open to the Gospel. We were planning a VBS-type outreach, but the pastor with whom we’re partnering said to do less overtly Christian programming. So we’re just using English teaching for both parts of the trip as a way of opening the door and building relationships. That may seem less impactive to some, but I think it’s a great way to show God’s love. We’re hoping to spend time with the children and adults in their own neighborhoods and homes, too, bringing God’s love right where they live.

So, please pray for our team of 11 going through our church program. We’re leaving July 16th and coming back August 1. And if you want to find out more, or if you want to contribute to sending some of our college-aged team members on this mission, just let me know.

And remember, just because you think there are plenty of Christians in a country, it doesn’t mean there’s no need for mission work for discipleship and evangelism. After all, people think of the United States as a Christian nation, but I’ll bet there’s someone living right next to you who needs you to be a missionary to them. Probably people in your own church, too. So, “as you’re going….”

Called to Repent

I received a phone call yesterday from a stranger in another state that was…interesting. A man had come across a paper I had written which included my mugshot and identified me as “Rev. David D. Lee.” He called me to ask if I was really “Reverend David Lee” and I said it was me. Then he most of the next hour to explain why I should not be clinging on to the title of “Reverend” because the Bible (KJV) only uses the term once, in Psalm 111, to refer to God. Though the term is used commonly for ordained clergy today, it should not be, he said, and while he could make exceptions for those of the older generation, for someone who looked so young, 20’s or 30’s, to be using the title instead of replacing it with “pastor” - well, he called into question whether I was actually a born-again Christian. I should repent for using the term and for clinging on to it.

What say you?

I tried to listen and understand his points. I tried to offer some in return, acknowledging that the abuse of the pastorate and negative examples that we may know have really shown that there are some who inappropriately demand to be revered. No one should think themselves so highly, and many in ministry, myself included, are tempted to do so.

I appreciate that caution as a caution. The argument from Scripture shows “reverend” is used in parallel with “holy” in Psalm 111, and both terms should not be used for any man, save with the understanding that there be a work of grace done by God in the person’s life which would allow for him to be called holy and perhaps even revered.

I also understand that with certain church movements, the understanding of the church and leadership within the church has become skewed by our democratic ideals, to the point where God’s authority in the church and through church leaders has gone missing. We revere the authority of God, not the man wielding it, when we deal with those who have been charged with particular responsibilities to which we ought to submit. I use the term to designate that I have been ordained, following the Biblical command to test and then set apart those whom God has called to particular service. I remember that when I was being ordained, I was humbled that God would call and use me, a sinner, for his service.

But as I tried to convince him that I was indeed a born-again Christian, and that my usage of the term is not simply a matter of pride (I did not explain to him why I choose to use the term), he said he could not be satisfied in his own heart because of my apparent lack of repentance as a reaction to his objection of my using the term reverend. I hope God will assure him, both of the Gospel and of my salvation.

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” - 1 Timothy 2:24-25a

I pray that I would learn how to live out this verse better and better. I have much more to learn, and, yes, sin of which to repent.

Testing

At a recent Presbytery meeting, I asked an examinee for book and chapter to defend the exclusivity of Christianity. He could not give me book and chapter. On the spot? Sure. Stressed? Sure. Nervous? Yes. But the Bible is where we start our understanding of our Christian faith and beliefs. If we do not know, we need to study. Testing happens everyday to every one of us.

He wasn’t being tested for ordination. And he did at least say “John” to get things started.

Do you know?
What about to defend marriage?
To argue against homosexuality?
To argue against co-habitation?
To defend abstinence before marriage?

Conference

I’m writing during the JAMA New Awakening Conference in Anaheim this week. Being here gives me time to reflect on several points.

This is a mega-conference, meaning it’s supposed to be several different tracks all in one - pastors, college, singles, youth, healthcare professionals, marketplace leaders, and others. I like the idea of having opportunities for all of God’s people to gather; we’re so used to having everyone segregated in different groups that it’s easy to think the church is more like me. We need times to gather with others.

That said, 1) it’s still so Korean American in focus that it is still not a great representation of God’s diversity and unity, and 2) with a gathering of many different people, you have many different views and ideas to sort through. Even among the speakers, there are many different ideas and opinions. But that is God’s church. There is diversity. There are different opinions. We agree to unity in the essentials and liberty in the non-essentials. This allows me to maintain and even pursue greater fellowship with the larger Body of Christ.

Then, if we are to be more open, to engage those who come in the name of Christ but walk a different way, and if we are to admit that our congregants will always be doing so in their peer groups, at their workplaces, in their neighborhoods, etc., then we must do a very good job of educating and discipling our church members to know what is essential and what is non-essential. Along with grounding them in sound Biblical doctrine and a deep understanding of the Gospel, we must disciple them to interact with those of differing opinions in a gracious manner, not in a proud or condescending or, yea, judgmental way. Pursue and convey truth, in love.

Final thought: too often we let those sitting under preachers fall into worship of the preachers, even ourselves. But we must always teach them to worship God.

Emerging toward…

Josh Riley has an interesting summary/review of Mark Driscoll’s book, Confessions of a Reformission Rev, about the work of God in Mars Hill Church. You can read it here:
http://blog.worship.com/worship/2006/05/review_confessi.html.

We may all have opinions on Driscoll’s ministry, and we may disagree with the review of Riley, but it is an interesting read. Driscoll seems to have tempered his zeal for the emerging church as a movement because of some dangerous trends he sees arising from certain segments of the movement. So many “waves” in the Christian community have been ridden without proper Biblical guidance. The lessons we learn from those who have gone before us, literally or figuratively, and from those who also are our contemporaries and know God and His Word must be heard. We all have much to learn still.

Is there anyone here who hasn’t made mistakes in life and ministry? Is there anyone here who isn’t humbled as you grow older?

Brief Missions

I just returned on Saturday from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with one of our mission teams after nine days in the Villa Mella area of that city.
I know that there are some who have openly questioned the value of short-term mission trips of less than a month or so. I think I understand why: change takes time, relationships are the context for ministry and it takes time to build relationships, follow-up is crucial but nearly impossible for short term teams, etc.
Still, after this trip, I am excited about what can be done in a week. I think about Philip in Acts 8, how God used him in brief encounters with Simon the Magician and with the Ethiopian. He wasn’t with the Ethiopian a day, and yet God used him. Amazing stuff, but only possible by God’s hand.
In the short time we were in the DR, we were overwhelmed by the needs there, but I still believe that God strengthened at least two churches there during out time with them and our prayer is for that work to continue.

General Assembly

The Southern Baptist Convention met and discussed some things and reaffirmed their stance against alcohol. The Episcopalians are still debating about homosexual clergy members. Our churches need prayer.

The PCA is meeting this week here in Atlanta. We’re still working out our differences but I pray that we’ll keep our hearts and minds submitted to the Lord and His will for His work and His workers. Please pray that the Gospel will continue to be our passion, not just for missions, but for our Christian relationships as well.

Challenges

Over the past two months, one pastor friend of mine dissolved a relationship with a church and another is in process of doing so. One was self-initiated, the other forced. In neither case is it a clean process.

I guess the severing of any relationship is messy. Even Paul and Barnabas split on uneasy terms, arguing over John Mark, and probably arguing over aspects of grace, second (or third or fourth) chances, discipline, and faithfulness. I am challenged both to consider my own lack of faithfulness and the inconsistent attendance and efforts of other leaders in our churches. And when things do get messy, what is the mature thing to do?

I wonder when I am old and gray how I will look back on these things. What is a big issue now may very well be forgotten.

Lord, save me from doing or saying things I will later regret, and grant me wisdom to know how to be like Christ in ways that I know I am not. And in all things, help me to grasp tightly on to grace and to give it freely to others.

National Day of Prayer

One thing I really like about praying is that it forces me to confess that I need God. The problem is that too often I pray as if I just need God’s help, His assistance in the things that I desire to do and the things that I can mostly do on my own and just need His extra bit of help. I must remind myself that without Him, all I have is of no consequence. And if I am praying my will, then I am treading a dangerous path. This can be true of small things, like writing this post, or big things, like trying to make an impact in His name in this country.

Reading a travel guide about New England, I came across a description of, if I remember correctly, Plymouth Rock. There’s not much to see but there is a replica of the Mayflower. The size of the ship helps tourists understand that the journey was incredibly dangerous and unglamorous. Reading/hearing David McCullough’s biography of John Adams and the accounts of the Atlantic crossings also brought to light the great and grave danger faced on those journeys. Yet those original passengers on the Mayflower came, hoping for a better life, and all those hopes in their hearts and each moment of life being held in God’s hands.

With such a heart may we pray today!

Passion

For a more comprehensive review of each message from the Together for the Gospel Conference, please check Tim Challies (official) blog at challies.com.

Today, after some wonderful messages by Ligon Duncan, Albert Mohler, and R.C. Sproul, the evening concluded with John Piper speaking on preaching with passion. Many of the 2500 in the room were convicted regarding the simple question of whether or not we really grasp the passion for God’s glory that we ought.

The issue can be applied to any Christian’s life, not just a pastor’s pulpit duties. If we worship a God who is glorious, and claim to know and have a personal relationship with Him as well, then how does that translate into the way we live worship, preach, hope, make decisions, etc.

A commentator on modern culture mentioned that what people are really looking for today is an authentic experience with God. While that assessment seems accurate, the question is how we define an “authentic experience”. Not mere emotions, though emotions ought to come with it. Not mere knowledge, because knowledge does not necessarily connote interaction. A real God, who is really glorious, and has revealed Himself through His Scripture and His Son, i.e. His Word.

One question though: since we all express passion in different ways, is it possible to passionately convey the glory of God from one person to another? Yes and no. I’ll explain later.