One pastor’s last Sunday worship service

From the Pastor’s Desk (282)

On this last Sunday of the year, I regret that I won’t be able to worship and share God’s Word with you. I will be in Carson, CA, worshiping at Podowon Church, where the senior pastor will lead his final service with his congregation before retiring.

This pastor has faithfully served as the senior pastor for 24 years and 11 months and has been doing house church ministry for about 20 years. He is truly one of our brothers in Christ and a part of House Church Ministry International.

A few years ago, during the pandemic, the church faced a significant trial. An entire village left because the village leader was unhappy with the pastor’s leadership. This leader influenced everyone in his village to turn against the pastor and leave the church with him. This was a deeply painful chapter for the church and led the pastor into severe depression, to the point where he could no longer function effectively as a senior pastor. He had to take a sabbatical to rest and recover.

Although he has now fully recovered, the church leadership decided it was best for a fresh start with a new pastor. They asked him to retire a few years early, and the pastor and his wife quietly acquiesced in this request. However, I sense there is still some pain and disappointment in their hearts.

When I heard about this situation, I found myself reflecting, “Is God’s church really this delicate and fragile? Are people truly so fickle that they can turn against a pastor in just a few months, despite his faithful service of over two decades—especially when his struggles were caused by the actions of one individual?” These thoughts led me to ask myself a deeply personal question: “Could this happen to me at New Life?”

Years ago, I heard a seasoned pastor say something to a group of pastors at a conference that saddened and discouraged me. He said, “Your church members are people you must love, but they are not people you can trust.” I sincerely hope you and I can prove this pastor wrong.

When I learned a few months ago that this pastor would be retiring, with today’s service as his last, I felt compelled to attend and support him and his family. It’s an opportunity to honor their almost 25 years of faithful ministry and 20 years of house church ministry.

We often pay extraordinary amounts of money to attend K-Pop concerts, football games, or basketball playoffs. But I believe this pastor’s final worship service is far more precious and meaningful because the Spirit of God will undoubtedly be present. I didn’t want to miss it. Furthermore, given my age and the influence New Life has within House Church Ministry International, I believe my presence at this service will hold special significance for the pastor and his family. They don’t know I am coming—I wanted this to be a total surprise.

This morning, I got up at 2:45 a.m. to catch a 5:10 a.m. flight. I’ll be returning late tonight on a 7:30 p.m. flight from LAX. I purchased a United Basic Economy ticket again, but when I checked in yesterday, I was assigned a seat in the last row, right in front of the restroom, with no recline! So, I decided to upgrade to an Economy seat—and I’m very excited about this! 😊

As we close out the year, I want to express my gratitude to all of you. This year, we accomplished so much as a church, and I am deeply thankful for everyone who served joyfully, tirelessly, and sacrificially. You have built not just New Life but also strengthened the churches and pastors God brought into our lives.

I hope to see many of you at the Main Event on New Year’s Eve as we celebrate the amazing things God has done through New Life and welcome the New Year together!

Your pastor,

Pastor Eric