Last week, right after my return from Korea,the church had its Mission Festival. This week, I am heading to Mozambique, which is in SE Africa. There are many trips scheduled for me until the early part of the next year and I want to provide some explanation for you.
Originally, as the yearly plan was set up, I was to go to Korea in October of this year to teach ‘House church guidance’ at a conference and to be a speaker in revivals and shepherd retreat sat two churches. These two churches were both getting much attention as they convert to the House Church system. In addition, the senior pastors of both churches retired and the new pastors desired to continue in the house church system. Therefore, I thought they could use some help.
Also, in May of next year,I planned a trip to speak at a revival in a church where the House church system is working out very successfully and to visit several Japanese churches where House churches are growing rapidly. Therefore, basically there were two trips; one in the later part of this year and the other in the early part of the next year.
However, unexpectedly it was decided to have a pastor’s seminar in Mozambique and I have to go there next week and again next April. In addition, as it was decided to have a pastor’s seminar in C country, I need to be there next January. The seminar in Mozambique is the first seminar in Africa. And it is also the first official seminar in C country which underground church will host and members will open house and offer room for the seminar participants.
These churches need help as they host seminars for the first time so that they can start on the right path. Besides, shepherds of churches in these countries cannot participate in the layman’s seminar. Therefore, I will give classes and show recorded testimonies of shepherds so that they can experience the layman’s seminar.
On top of these, one church in the Middle East requested urgent help. This church had a fairly well established house church system, then suddenly faced severe difficulties and they desperately needed consulting. Since this church is the most important church in the Middle East, I could not ignore their request. So, I worked on my schedule to spare one week to visit them in December after the end of the Living life class. There have been many other requests for consultations which I could not honor. However, now it is planned to establish a team of consultants to pass down know-how and expertise related to house church. Deacon Seung Hyun Sung will be involved in this project. Accordingly, after my visit of one week, Deacon Sung will come over for one more week to continue in the consultation endeavor.
All these trips were arranged so that I will miss only one Sunday sermon, but it is true that I will be out of town a lot. I did not accept any speaking engagements from the US or Korea. However, these are not rallies but ministry work to help build house churches in strategically-crucial areas. These urgent requests will result in my frequent absence over the coming months and I ask for your understanding.
No Comments to "The reason for my frequent trips"
