From the Pastor’s Desk (250) It has been six weeks already since we have resorted to YouTube livestream for our Sunday worship service. This has been a new experience for all of us especially for me who is not technologically inclined at all. However, we have managed to worship God virtually together as one body of Christ. At first, it was awkward for me to be in the sanctuary with a small group of Magnification Team members praising God and preaching to them. I felt like I was in a recording studio. But as weeks went on, all of us who came out to church to ...

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From the Pastor’s Desk (249) The entire world seems to be consumed with COVID-19 the past several weeks. Houston where we live is not any exception. Just a few days ago, one major university announced that they are shutting down the school for the remaining of the semester and all the students except few whose homelands are more susceptible to COVID-19 are asked to go home. The students will receive their instruction from their professors through online teaching. New Life has been committed to “Give, suffer and die” for Christ and his kingdom. And I think I ...

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From the Pastor’s Desk (248) January 26, 2020 Those of you who had the opportunity to serve on the Leadership Team with me in the past know how I am not too fond of online giving. I believe that giving is a very important part of our Sunday corporate worship service. As we set aside a portion of our income to prepare our offering in cash or check at home during the week and physically place it into an offering basket, I would like for us to use that moment to thank and worship God who has provided us with a job and allowed us to earn an income. But I feel that it ...

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In about a month from now, I will be taking my first sabbatical ever. Since I have never done this before, I don’t know what to expect or what will come out of it. But because it is in our pastoral staff policy and the Holy Spirit seems to be leading me to this, I am obeying His guidance. At first, I thought about completely staying away and resting from church ministry. So, I planned not to come to church for any reason even when I am in town. Instead, I thought about attending different churches to experience different styles of worship and learn from them. After ...

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From the Pastor’s Desk (246) Lynette and I have been serving as College House Church Village Leaders for the past almost nine years. Though it was very meaningful and fulfilling to serve in this capacity, we have realized for some time that we can’t do a great job in this ministry while serving the whole church as the senior pastor couple. College house church is unique in that there is a very high turnover rate. College students typically stay in Houston and study in their school for about four or five years. After that, many of them graduate and move away from ...

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On November 30, 1994, my family (Lynette, Enoch, Caleb in Lynette’s womb and I) left Watertown, MA to come to Houston and serve as a youth pastor at Seoul Baptist Church. We loaded our belongings into a Budget rental truck while it was snowing, towed a white Honda Accord LX, and drove 1,850 miles in four days and three nights. We made stops to sleep in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Alabama. We arrived in Houston on Saturday, December 3. The church helped us to find an apartment on Jones and West Rd. Several deacons and their wives from the church helped us unload our ...

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From the Pastor’s Desk (244) The 15th House Church Seminar for Pastors is coming to an end with today’s Sunday corporate worship service. And I am experiencing various different kinds of emotions. First of all, I feel a sense of relief because I don’t need to speak anymore. I am an introvert and I don’t enjoy speaking in front of people. Now, it’s finally over! J I also feel very small and inadequate. What we are praying for and hoping to do by offering these seminars is to help local church pastors and lay leaders understand the kind of prevailing church ...

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