One of the 333 Prayer Partners’ prayer requests in 2009 was to "help Pastor Chai become a man of compassion." As this year nears its end, I’d like to share the result of their prayers. God answered their prayer, but in an unexpected way. More than anything, He made me see how selfish and self-centered, proud and arrogant, and loveless and heartless I am. First, God has shown me how self-centered I am in my relationships with others, especially with my wife. I feel a difference in the fervency of my prayers for Sunday worship services depending on who’s preaching ...

Read More

Many of the pastors who have visited our church have been envious that we have so many dedicated lay-leaders. Many of them are not just dedicated but devoted. They include a deacon who has completed 5 building projects without expecting any recognition at all, not even a plaque of appreciation. Another sister has faithfully served as the head Bible teacher for house churches, training teachers to lead Bible studies for house church meetings every week for 10 years. Another brother donated a large sum of money to a house church ministry fund, more than enough to cover my ...

Read More

I recently discovered that a Christian web magazine has been posting my weekly columns without asking for permission. A reporter seems to have been visiting our church website, selecting columns he likes, and posting them on that site. Since I am acquainted with the reporter, I decided to let it slide. Browsing through that site, I noted that one person posts negative comments whenever my columns appear. He seems to know me and our church, and is critical of my book, "Now You Know Me," a selection of my weekly columns. I left a comment, trying to explain that the book was ...

Read More

Recent surveys show that the number of Christians in Korea is decreasing. The only thing preventing a more drastic fall in numbers isn't new converts but the fact that people are living longer. You hardly see young people in most traditional Korean churches. Most were born into Christian families and come to church out of habit or because of various church programs they can benefit from. If this trend continues, Korean churches in a few decades will look like churches in Europe today, where big, empty church buildings are occupied by a few elderly people or converted into ...

Read More

I have 3 years left before I retire. Many people have asked me about my retirement plans. The question they ask most frequently is, "Is it true that you’re planning to leave Houston after you retire?" So although I feel it's a little premature, let me share my plans for retirement. According to our church bylaws, the official retirement age for pastors and deacons is 67. It’s customary that they don't retire on their 67th birthday but at the end of that fiscal year. So my official retirement date will be August 31, 2012. However, I got permission from our deacons to ...

Read More

I seriously considered resigning as Senior Pastor of Seoul Baptist church recently. The guest speaker at our annual Revival meeting last winter, before delivering his final message, said that it was from the Holy Spirit. Then he quoted Revelation 3:14-21, a message given to the church in Laodecia that says, "So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." When I heard that, I thought to myself, if his message that our church was lukewarm is indeed from God, who is responsible for it? It can’t be our lay leaders, because ...

Read More