Mission fervor is constantly rising in our church. Four families have gone as long term missionaries and another family is waiting to go. About 30 people have committed to going to mission fields for at least 2 years. Many factors have contributed to our church becoming a missions-minded church. I think the biggest is our system of naming house churches after the mission fields where their supporting missionaries work. As a result, the names of mission fields are constantly on our members' lips. Also, members feel close to their missionaries because they pray for them ...

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When I first came to Seoul Baptist, the church finances were not in good shape. But they improved dramatically in a very short time and we haven't had financial difficulty in a long time; our budget has always been in the black. The main reason our finances have improved is that most of our church members tithe. Almost 90% of our offering comes from tithes. Another reason is Brother Tae Woo Park. We have gone through three building projects during my tenure. Each time, Brother Park took charge. He donated his free time and used his experience and connections to get low ...

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Churches of our size usually have several assistant and associate pastors. Our Korean speaking congregation has been able to do without any because of our house churches. Shepherds have carried out care ministries usually reserved for ordained pastors in traditional churches, including visitation and counseling. Our deacons have also performed administrative duties usually done by professional ministers in traditional churches. Brother Kwang Park has played a primary role in us being able to work without professional ministers. He performs many duties of an administrat...

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In last Sunday's sermon, I quoted Jesus in saying that anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and that anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. Later that night, one of our deacons posted on our website that he had become a beneficiary of the sermon. A couple from his house church received baptism during the worship service. To celebrate, they all went to a restaurant. But after the meal, the couple insisted on footing the bill themselves because of my sermon. ...

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We have a strong, healthy youth ministry. This isn't just my own assessment; outsiders say the same thing. Foreign missionaries who have hosted our youth group members have commented that they are faithful and hardworking, more so than any others they had met. The Houston mission center staff, with whom our youth group works to help inner city kids during the summer, made similar comments. More evidence of our successful youth ministry is that almost everyone from our youth group becomes an active member of a local church when they go to college. Many other young people ...

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Mrs. Seo, our children's pastor, came to Seoul Baptist in 1994, one year after me. We have worked together for the last 12 years. The time has come where she wants to retire in April next year. She hasn't yet reached retirement age, but she wants to go out as a missionary before she gets older. Her co-worker in the children's department, Pastor Lim, will also be leaving Seoul Baptist. He will be going to the Korean First Baptist Church of San Jose, the church I served at before coming to Houston, where he will be in charge of the children's department. Right now he is in ...

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