Last year, a rare opportunity presented itself to me—a chance to go to South Korea. With Freed-Hardeman University’s business department finally being able to resume their South Korea summer program, I saw a door open to my home country. As conversations were had and plans were getting finalized, I ended up not going with the business students, but rather with a group representing the Lads to Leaders/ Leaderettes.
Building up to the trip itself were a lot of nervous moments. Fundraising, making sure the flight details were correct, wondering what I have to pack, hoping I won’t run out of money over there, etc. When I arrived in South Korea, however, all those worries melted away. I got to see my mom’s side of the family. I got to visit my late grandmother who raised me for the two first years of my life. I also spent time with my other grandmother, whom I haven’t seen in almost a decade. I got to experience the culture and the food of my motherland. I made new friends both Korean and American. Most of all, I got to be a part of the effort to bring Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes for the first time to the Christians in Seoul. Meeting like-minded Christians on the other side of the world and conversing with them about faith and future plans in my native tongue was an eye-opening experience. Thanks to this experience, I was reminded of two important facts. One, the Church is always much bigger than what we can imagine, and two, there is always so much work to be done everywhere for God.
Speaking to Korean Christians about their worship and visions for the Church in South Korea (in the Korean language!) was incredibly refreshing. It reminded me that we are part of something so much bigger than ourselves—a family that adopts people of all nationalities, races, ethnicities, and cultures. And unlike families brought together by human institutions, we are brought together with perfect unity that binds us together with love and purpose—all thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 3:14; Eph. 2:13-16). Gaining perspective on the magnitude of God’s family and the love of Christ that brought us all together made all of my problems and troubles seem so small (cf. Phil. 2:1-7).
While there, I learned that here is a vision for various goals and objectives that will hopefully strengthen the Church in South Korea and grow its presence in the larger Christendom of South Korea (which is currently dominated by denominationalism). It was an honor, therefore, to be a small part of the plans that are steadily being put into motion. Our duty is to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that [Jesus] has commanded [us]” (Mt. 28:19-20). Isaiah says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘your God reigns,’” (Isa. 52:7). The South Korea L2L was a reminder for the need to always work to expand the borders of God’s Kingdom. The work is always there, no matter where we are in the world. It comes down to us to be involved and get working!
Regardless of where we are in the world, let us always remember that the family of God transcends human borders, languages and cultures, and that there is always a need for workers in the Kingdom of God.
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