There are two types of personalities: extroverts and introverts. Extroverts are energized when they are with people. They don't want to stop their activities and go to bed because they get more charged up the more time they spend with people. Introverts are use up energy when they are with people. So they need time alone to recharge, time that might seem like a waste to others. I am an introvert. I enjoy spending time with a small group of friends but not with crowds. I avoid going to crowded places as much as possible. It's hard for me to meet new people and carry on ...

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I just returned from a 3-week long trip from Korea, where I led 4 House Church seminars and conferences. Wherever I went, I found that Seoul Baptist Church was recognized as a model House Church. This made me both proud and humbled at the same time. For our church members, my co-laborers in Christ, I'd like to make a brief report of my trip. 2005 will be remembered as a watershed year for the House Church movement. Prior to my last trip, I was not sure if the House Church movement would take root, but I am now confident that it will happen. In a few years there will be ...

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Many of our church members say that they have happy lives because they are satisfied with church. Visitors comment that our church members seem genuinely happy. Statements like these make me glad because my goal in ministry is to help our members be happy through church. I had such bad experiences in churches I attended as a lay-person that I committed myself to making my church members happy when I became a pastor. Every Christian wants to enjoy their church. But sadly, it's rare to meet Christians who truly feel this way. I also think that every pastor wants to make ...

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When my grandchild Ellie was born, I had mixed emotions. On one hand, I was happy to get a beautiful granddaughter. On the other hand, I was sad to become a bona fide grandfather. I felt too young, at least at heart, to be a grandfather. But in less than a year, I will have three grandchildren. My daughter-in-law Jieun and my daughter Christine are both pregnant. So I'm resigned to the fact that I am a grandfather. But if I must be a grandfather, I want to be a nice one. So I pay close attention to older people and observe how they behave. One thing I noticed is that ...

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Someone once said that our church is demanding. I don't disagree with this assessment. Unlike many churches that accept visitors as members if they simply fill out a visitation card, our church asks people to come forward during Sunday worship services and sign a commitment card in order to become members. And these "members" do not have the voting privileges and may not serve in most ministry positions. These are reserved for "full members". To become a full member, a person needs to accept Christ, be baptized, and apply for full membership. Their application must be ...

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