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482. Purity Can Be Toxic
Drinking absolutely pure water can kill us. All the water we normally drink, from taps, bottles, or the garden hose, contains impurities that affect a property of water called tonicity. This is a solution's ability to draw or repel water from adjacent solutions when separated by a membrane. Hypertonic solutions gain water, while hypotonic solutions lose water. Absolutely pure water, with no impurities at all, is the most hypotonic solution. So, if we drink enough of it, our cells will start absorbing water. This disturbs the balance of electrolytes in our body. This is most seriously a problem in the brain, where water poisoning can lead to brain damage, coma and even death. If truth is like water, 100% truth will kill us. Seeking purity in all our communication is actually toxic to our relationships. Expecting laser clarity of the heart's intention to be communicated all the time is not only infeasible but also only worsens a relationship. If we spoke 100% of our intentions and what is in our hearts to the people around us every day, they would probably want to be alone for the rest of their lives. Why? Because we cannot handle 100% truth about ourselves and what people think. Though some people claim they want truth and nothing but the truth, most of us want some cushion to minimize the impact of hard truths in communication. So we need to accept that we can never be 100% clear and pure in all our communication. It is said that there are 4 different levels of communication that happen in every conversation: What I think I said What I actually said What I think others heard What others actually heard Our words cannot contain and convey all the information by design. That is why tone of voice, facial expression, and gestures fill in the gaps in our understanding. So, in every communication, we must add and allow a small bit of nuance, consideration, and intentional unclarity so that a “reasonable” amount of truth can sustain “reasonable” understanding with each other. We won't see the full picture of truth until we see Jesus as he really is (2 Cor 3:18). Then we will all know the truth in full, and it will make us live forever, instead of killing us. Only pure water that does not kill is Jesus himself, the living water. (John 4:13-14) It is because through Jesus came not just truth, but "grace" and truth. (John 1:17) Grace allows truth to be true without being cruel.
October 29, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
482. Purity Can Be Toxic
Drinking absolutely pure water can kill us. All the water we normally drink, from taps, bottles, or the garden hose, contains impurities that affect a property of water called tonicity. This is a solution's ability to draw or repel water from adjacent solutions when separated by a membrane. Hypertonic solutions gain water, while hypotonic solutions lose water. Absolutely pure water, with no impurities at all, is the most hypotonic solution. So, if we drink enough of it, our cells will start absorbing water. This disturbs the balance of electrolytes in our body. This is most seriously a problem in the brain, where water poisoning can lead to brain damage, coma and even death. If truth is like water, 100% truth will kill us. Seeking purity in all our communication is actually toxic to our relationships. Expecting laser clarity of the heart's intention to be communicated all the time is not only infeasible but also only worsens a relationship. If we spoke 100% of our intentions and what is in our hearts to the people around us every day, they would probably want to be alone for the rest of their lives. Why? Because we cannot handle 100% truth about ourselves and what people think. Though some people claim they want truth and nothing but the truth, most of us want some cushion to minimize the impact of hard truths in communication. So we need to accept that we can never be 100% clear and pure in all our communication. It is said that there are 4 different levels of communication that happen in every conversation: What I think I said What I actually said What I think others heard What others actually heard Our words cannot contain and convey all the information by design. That is why tone of voice, facial expression, and gestures fill in the gaps in our understanding. So, in every communication, we must add and allow a small bit of nuance, consideration, and intentional unclarity so that a “reasonable” amount of truth can sustain “reasonable” understanding with each other. We won't see the full picture of truth until we see Jesus as he really is (2 Cor 3:18). Then we will all know the truth in full, and it will make us live forever, instead of killing us. Only pure water that does not kill is Jesus himself, the living water. (John 4:13-14) It is because through Jesus came not just truth, but "grace" and truth. (John 1:17) Grace allows truth to be true without being cruel.
October 22, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
481. Power of Weaknesses
Continuing on last week's blog, I want to talk about another weakness. During my guest speaking engagement in Nashville, someone came up to thank me for the message and asked how I could be so precise and concise in my words and points. I'd never been asked this question in person, so I thought for a moment. I told her it is actually because of my weakness: I'm not gifted in speech, and English isn't my first language, so I have to write everything for my talk because I cannot wing it. And I don't have the Charisma or humorous presence some pastors do, so I need to be precise in my points to keep people engaged. But many people came to me during this retreat saying, "Pastor Caleb has a lot of bangers!" After almost failing OAC (Grade 13) English because of presentations, I found it delightful that God's power was most evident in my biggest weakness. We dread our weaknesses because they don't seem to have immediate merit. Weakness is a weakness no matter how you decorate it. Especially without God, it is easy to despair over our weaknesses. We find it hard to imagine how our weakness could become something good. But if we submit it to God, he can use it to turn it into strength, or to make it look like strength. Because he uses the weak to shame the strong. (1 Cor 1:27) It is not that God doesn't use our strengths. But his strengths become much more evident through our weaknesses. People find merit in embracing our weaknesses. But the Bible goes a bit further. We are not just to be open about our weaknesses; we are to "boast" about them. (2 Cor 12:9)
It doesn't mean putting all our weaknesses in CAPS on our resume boastfully. It means we believe God's greatest favour will land on our weaknesses, not our strengths, and accomplish what we never thought possible. You might not have a good family background. It could be your childhood trauma. It could be your personality or tendency. It could be your not-so-dramatic faith life. If we embrace it as part of our identity and believe in God's extra favour on it, our weaknesses don't become a blockage but a building block for God's power.
October 15, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
480. Benefit of Weaknesses
I came back last Sunday after preaching at Unity Baptist Church in Nashville. I usually preach on the theme "Abundant Life", and it has four sessions: Happiness, Identity, Purpose and Future. Interestingly, after the second session, when I preach about "Identity," which is based on our weaknesses, not strengths, people often come to me to share how they connected with my message and my weaknesses. In the session, I shared about my weaknesses, mainly my introverted personality and my speech. It seems to confirm what one leader said: "People will admire you for your strengths but connect with your weaknesses." We think of weaknesses as defects. But if we embrace them as "part" of our identity, not only do we feel authentic, but God also uses that to encourage people and connect with them. So, at one point, I began to be intentionally open about what I see as my weakness. What I shared recently was about my desire for good things (namely Apple products and Lululemon, which some people consider excessive spending), mainly because they bring "me" great joy while using them. Thankfully, many of my members appreciate that I share it openly. (I think) I used to try to be more frugal. I thought, "Why am I not as frugal as other pastors who seem to get by with very little?" I budget, and I try to manage our household finances based on biblical and sound financial principles. But I struggle to find satisfaction in using things I don't love. Some people are happy with any smartphone or computer, as long as it works. Not me. Some people are very happy with cheap, functional clothes. Not me. (By the way, not all my clothes are Lululemon!) I genuinely struggled, but I eventually embraced this as part of me. Because I sensed that God doesn't judge me for it, and He seems to joyfully satisfy me with the good things I desire, which matches what He promises. (Psalms 103:5) It doesn't mean that I now mindlessly spend money on them, but I stopped condemning myself for not being as frugal as others. Thankfully, the Bible emphasizes more about "generosity" than "frugality", which is what I try to focus on instead. In Exodus, there were two miracles in God’s provision. The first miracle was "Manna", bread God sent from heaven. The second miracle was that those who gathered a lot (because of their great appetite) had no leftovers, and those who gathered a little (those who don't eat a lot) had no deficit. (Exo 16:16-18) They all amounted to the same amount God prescribed for their collection: one "Omer" (about 2.2 L). God can satisfy both those who need a lot and those who don't. We think our weaknesses will drive away people. But they actually attract them. Only our weaknesses that are "found out" do. That said, don't compare your strength with someone else's weakness. That leads to pride. What matters is whether we receive whatever amount of God's provision with "contentment", not "comparison".
October 8, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
479. Only This Far
This post is a translation of Pastor Lee's post from SBC's website, written on 9.27. 2026. We use certain words and ways of thinking without much thought, yet they quietly diminish the potential of our spiritual lives. One of them, I believe, is the expression many Koreans often use: ‘Only this far.’ (여기까지) Some people say that this phrase accurately describes the faith of many Korean Christians today. For example, when they are asked to serve in a ministry, they set a limit for themselves and say, ‘This is as far as I can go.’ Even those who are serving as Shepherds and Shepherd’s wives sometimes draw an invisible line in their hearts and decide, ‘This is as much as I’m willing to do.’ As I heard people describe this tendency, I could not help but ask myself, “Are we any different?” As I reflected, I realized how such thinking can hinder not only the capacity God has given us but also the work He desires to accomplish through us. One lesson I have learned through ministry is that God has given us far greater capacity than we realize. Human capacity can keep growing as long as we are willing to stretch it. Someone who struggles to care for one person today may continue responding to the challenges God places before them and eventually find themselves caring for two hundred people. Mother Teresa is a good example. When my wife lived in Korea, she would become completely exhausted after preparing a meal for ten guests. Sometimes she would even get sick afterward. But while serving in a singles house church, there were times when she prepared meals for as many as forty people, attended early morning prayer the next day, and later, when our third worship service first began, she regularly helped feed 120 young adults after worship. Today, because of her severe vision loss, she can no longer do those things, but she has become someone who is no longer intimidated by large numbers of guests. God expanded her capacity far beyond what she once thought possible. The same principle applies to intellectual abilities such as memory, learning, and understanding. Human capacity grows as it is stretched. We can be used far beyond what we believe our limits are. In fact, I believe this is part of what Jesus intended to teach through the Parable of the Talents. The servant who buried what he was entrusted with and returned it unchanged was called a wicked and lazy servant. In the same way, if we keep standing before opportunities for ministry and saying, “Only this far,” drawing our own boundaries, I believe we will one day hear a similar rebuke from our Lord. This mindset not only limits our own capacity; it also limits what God can do in and through us. Peter was the only disciple who stepped out of the boat. Even if he walked on water for only a few steps, he experienced something the others never did. Had he stayed in the boat, he would not have experienced a miracle. When we step beyond our comfort zone and take a risk in faith, God works, and we get to witness His work firsthand. When circumstances seem impossible, and we choose to tithe anyway, we discover God’s surprising provision. When life seems too busy and overwhelming to become a Shepherd, yet we commit ourselves to that ministry, we encounter God’s work in our lives. When we are sick, the natural response is to visit a doctor, but sometimes, when we step forward and ask for prayer, we experience God’s healing power in a fresh way. If we act only according to what seems reasonable and safe, we leave little room for God to demonstrate His power. It is when we step beyond what appears sensible and take a step of faith that we often experience God at work. But if we keep saying, “Only this far,” we will inevitably place limits on what God desires to do. Therefore, whenever the words “Only this far” begin to come out of your mouth, stop yourself. Instead, say, “If God desires it, I am willing to go the extra mile.” As you do, may God expand your capacity and enlarge your territory, and may you experience His wonderful work in your life.
October 2, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
478. Under Authority
These days, it's easy to find people who don't want to work for anyone. They want to be their own boss because they hate being told what to do. It is natural for humans to want independence, but if we are not careful, we might end up with no authority above us. It happens a lot as we get older, but it can also happen to young people once they reach adulthood because they now have a choice. But having no authority above us is not only impossible but dangerous. I heard someone say the most dangerous person is someone with no one above him. Some people might reach the top of the corporate ladder and have no official boss. But being under authority isn't just about having someone to report to; it's about seeking their counsel. That is why wise CEOs seek counsel and look for mentors with more experience than they do. Many people like the idea of humility but hate being under authority. But the best way to keep ourselves from becoming proud is to submit to someone ahead of us. I have Pastor Kwack as my authority, and I submit under his leadership. I submit to a leadership team on big ministry decisions (though we also submit to each other) and seek their counsel. I have many pastors in the house church network who have no official title above me, but I also submit to their authority because of the ministry journey they took ahead of me. I ask them questions before launching something big. The most tangible way to measure our humility is to ask this simple question: Do I have leaders whose advice I seek before making a big decision? If we don't, we might be spiritually in a dangerous place. I’m not talking about leaders or influencers we follow on Instagram, authors of books we read, or podcast hosts we listen to. I’m talking about real people around us who are ahead of us (other than our parents). When no one is involved in the important decisions of our lives, we might have people with titles of leaders, but we are not under real leadership. Under the right authority, we will always recognize what we lack and seek help. If we have one, we will appreciate feedback and be thankful for it. If we don’t, we will be offended when truth is spoken over us, because we won't see the need for it. We always have to be under someone. Some might say, “I’m under God’s authority!" That is a clear example of loophole-Christianity. Even the Son of God submitted to the Father God. It's a spiritual-sounding way of saying they don't like being under authority and want to stay proud.
September 24, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
477. How I Use AI
During the HC pastors' conference, as we ate breakfast, one of the pastors brought up the issue of "AI-generated worship songs" playing in some churches. So the discussion began, focused on "how much is too much." It was an interesting but also thought-provoking conversation. AI is the hottest topic wherever we go, and no one can doubt how prevalent it is these days. Even many seniors who are not tech-savvy regularly use and rely on AI. Many church members also use AI to get faith-related advice. So it is not hard to guess that many people are also curious about how pastors use AI and "how much." I can't speak for other pastors, so I will be transparent about how I use it. The first time I used AI extensively wasn't for my work, but for travel planning during my Japan Trip in 2024. I realized how much time it saved, as it gave me popular routes instantly without me having to compare different reviews and social media content. Then I thought about how I could use it more in my ministry. I tested it by asking it to give me exegesis of a certain passage to see if it says anything weird, but surprisingly, its output was pretty sound. So I started incorporating it into my sermon research for more modern implications. But AI is "one" of the resources I use. I usually study 3 commentaries, so it became my 4th resource. These days, I am trying to use it more to search my own work. I have my past sermons, blog posts, and new ideas all in a deposit of text files. The amount is quite large, and searching them manually has limitations. Now, I can ask AI to search my past work for a specific theme or words and use it to build a starting block for a related talk or message (usually for guest preaching). I find it useful because it can dig through my own work and synthesize a new creative direction. AI is also very handy for grammar checks. As English is not my first language, I try to make sure my main points are grammatically error-free. Sometimes they can be too wordy, unclear or potentially misleading, so I ask AI for correct expressions. But I do not ask AI to generate my main point. Whether AI is a net positive is hotly debated, even among experts. I am also in the middle of researching and experimenting. Meanwhile, what I can do now, at least, is maintain my "agency", not allowing it to "do" my work but to "assist" me. One thing I am sure of is that preserving our own agency will remain the greatest challenge when it comes to AI usage.
Collections
November 5, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
483. Four Years
It was Halloween last week. Because my mom went down with a stroke on the day of Halloween, it also marked the 4th year of her post-stroke recovery. Soon after the stroke and while she was still unconscious, I strongly sensed that I received a promise from God while doing daily QT that "This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God"(John 11:4). It was the passage of Lazarus's death. Amazingly, it was also the passage I was scheduled to preach on the coming Sunday. Despite the doctor's prediction that she would never regain consciousness, she miraculously woke up while her mental capacity was almost fully intact. She recognized us, remembered all our names, and answered our questions. Later, we also confirmed she could speak (though faintly). As joyful as we were, after holding onto God's promise for 4 years, we are experiencing the challenge of "waiting" for her full recovery. Faith is waiting. That is why the father of our faith is "Abraham", whose only accomplishment we know is waiting for 25 years for his miracle child. Even though many heroes of faith accomplished far more dramatic feats for God, God still wants Abraham to be our role model in faith. I didn't understand this, but after 4 years of waiting, I finally get it. Waiting seems passive and easy, but anyone who has waited long enough knows how difficult it is. It requires patience, endurance, trust and resolve in the face of contradicting realities. That's where my family is. As our caregiver couldn't continue and while we search for another one, I decided to fill in for the duty of providing basic care for my mom. I enjoy seeing her enjoy my more frequent visits. But at the same time, the more I visit, the more I see the reality of my mom's condition. Every time I see that she still can't move her right leg, which has become so thin and bony, I cannot logically picture how it could be strengthened again, and doubt begins to cloud my mind. However, God seems to continue to encourage me and my family through this time. My sister messaged me not long ago that a church member she knows died of a stroke very suddenly. After seeing that her family couldn't even have a chance to say a proper farewell, my sister realized how this difficult waiting season is actually a blessing for our family. It gave us 4 years of seeing our mom and building memories even after the stroke. The last 4 years were not just a waiting room, but 4 years of enjoying the miracle. These days, I am strengthening myself by reflecting on how Lazarus's story unfolded. After his death, Jesus intentionally waited 4 days before visiting his tomb. When everyone felt it was done, Jesus came and crashed the funeral. I tell myself that maybe God is purposely waiting 4 years before he does something miraculous again. So, as a small act of faith, every time I visit her, I massage her bony legs and prophesy over them that "dry bones will come to life". (Ezekiel 37:4-6)
October 29, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
482. Purity Can Be Toxic
Drinking absolutely pure water can kill us. All the water we normally drink, from taps, bottles, or the garden hose, contains impurities that affect a property of water called tonicity. This is a solution's ability to draw or repel water from adjacent solutions when separated by a membrane. Hypertonic solutions gain water, while hypotonic solutions lose water. Absolutely pure water, with no impurities at all, is the most hypotonic solution. So, if we drink enough of it, our cells will start absorbing water. This disturbs the balance of electrolytes in our body. This is most seriously a problem in the brain, where water poisoning can lead to brain damage, coma and even death. If truth is like water, 100% truth will kill us. Seeking purity in all our communication is actually toxic to our relationships. Expecting laser clarity of the heart's intention to be communicated all the time is not only infeasible but also only worsens a relationship. If we spoke 100% of our intentions and what is in our hearts to the people around us every day, they would probably want to be alone for the rest of their lives. Why? Because we cannot handle 100% truth about ourselves and what people think. Though some people claim they want truth and nothing but the truth, most of us want some cushion to minimize the impact of hard truths in communication. So we need to accept that we can never be 100% clear and pure in all our communication. It is said that there are 4 different levels of communication that happen in every conversation: What I think I said What I actually said What I think others heard What others actually heard Our words cannot contain and convey all the information by design. That is why tone of voice, facial expression, and gestures fill in the gaps in our understanding. So, in every communication, we must add and allow a small bit of nuance, consideration, and intentional unclarity so that a “reasonable” amount of truth can sustain “reasonable” understanding with each other. We won't see the full picture of truth until we see Jesus as he really is (2 Cor 3:18). Then we will all know the truth in full, and it will make us live forever, instead of killing us. Only pure water that does not kill is Jesus himself, the living water. (John 4:13-14) It is because through Jesus came not just truth, but "grace" and truth. (John 1:17) Grace allows truth to be true without being cruel.
October 22, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
481. Power of Weaknesses
Continuing on last week's blog, I want to talk about another weakness. During my guest speaking engagement in Nashville, someone came up to thank me for the message and asked how I could be so precise and concise in my words and points. I'd never been asked this question in person, so I thought for a moment. I told her it is actually because of my weakness: I'm not gifted in speech, and English isn't my first language, so I have to write everything for my talk because I cannot wing it. And I don't have the Charisma or humorous presence some pastors do, so I need to be precise in my points to keep people engaged. But many people came to me during this retreat saying, "Pastor Caleb has a lot of bangers!" After almost failing OAC (Grade 13) English because of presentations, I found it delightful that God's power was most evident in my biggest weakness. We dread our weaknesses because they don't seem to have immediate merit. Weakness is a weakness no matter how you decorate it. Especially without God, it is easy to despair over our weaknesses. We find it hard to imagine how our weakness could become something good. But if we submit it to God, he can use it to turn it into strength, or to make it look like strength. Because he uses the weak to shame the strong. (1 Cor 1:27) It is not that God doesn't use our strengths. But his strengths become much more evident through our weaknesses. People find merit in embracing our weaknesses. But the Bible goes a bit further. We are not just to be open about our weaknesses; we are to "boast" about them. (2 Cor 12:9)
It doesn't mean putting all our weaknesses in CAPS on our resume boastfully. It means we believe God's greatest favour will land on our weaknesses, not our strengths, and accomplish what we never thought possible. You might not have a good family background. It could be your childhood trauma. It could be your personality or tendency. It could be your not-so-dramatic faith life. If we embrace it as part of our identity and believe in God's extra favour on it, our weaknesses don't become a blockage but a building block for God's power.
October 15, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
480. Benefit of Weaknesses
I came back last Sunday after preaching at Unity Baptist Church in Nashville. I usually preach on the theme "Abundant Life", and it has four sessions: Happiness, Identity, Purpose and Future. Interestingly, after the second session, when I preach about "Identity," which is based on our weaknesses, not strengths, people often come to me to share how they connected with my message and my weaknesses. In the session, I shared about my weaknesses, mainly my introverted personality and my speech. It seems to confirm what one leader said: "People will admire you for your strengths but connect with your weaknesses." We think of weaknesses as defects. But if we embrace them as "part" of our identity, not only do we feel authentic, but God also uses that to encourage people and connect with them. So, at one point, I began to be intentionally open about what I see as my weakness. What I shared recently was about my desire for good things (namely Apple products and Lululemon, which some people consider excessive spending), mainly because they bring "me" great joy while using them. Thankfully, many of my members appreciate that I share it openly. (I think) I used to try to be more frugal. I thought, "Why am I not as frugal as other pastors who seem to get by with very little?" I budget, and I try to manage our household finances based on biblical and sound financial principles. But I struggle to find satisfaction in using things I don't love. Some people are happy with any smartphone or computer, as long as it works. Not me. Some people are very happy with cheap, functional clothes. Not me. (By the way, not all my clothes are Lululemon!) I genuinely struggled, but I eventually embraced this as part of me. Because I sensed that God doesn't judge me for it, and He seems to joyfully satisfy me with the good things I desire, which matches what He promises. (Psalms 103:5) It doesn't mean that I now mindlessly spend money on them, but I stopped condemning myself for not being as frugal as others. Thankfully, the Bible emphasizes more about "generosity" than "frugality", which is what I try to focus on instead. In Exodus, there were two miracles in God’s provision. The first miracle was "Manna", bread God sent from heaven. The second miracle was that those who gathered a lot (because of their great appetite) had no leftovers, and those who gathered a little (those who don't eat a lot) had no deficit. (Exo 16:16-18) They all amounted to the same amount God prescribed for their collection: one "Omer" (about 2.2 L). God can satisfy both those who need a lot and those who don't. We think our weaknesses will drive away people. But they actually attract them. Only our weaknesses that are "found out" do. That said, don't compare your strength with someone else's weakness. That leads to pride. What matters is whether we receive whatever amount of God's provision with "contentment", not "comparison".
October 8, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
479. Only This Far
This post is a translation of Pastor Lee's post from SBC's website, written on 9.27. 2026. We use certain words and ways of thinking without much thought, yet they quietly diminish the potential of our spiritual lives. One of them, I believe, is the expression many Koreans often use: ‘Only this far.’ (여기까지) Some people say that this phrase accurately describes the faith of many Korean Christians today. For example, when they are asked to serve in a ministry, they set a limit for themselves and say, ‘This is as far as I can go.’ Even those who are serving as Shepherds and Shepherd’s wives sometimes draw an invisible line in their hearts and decide, ‘This is as much as I’m willing to do.’ As I heard people describe this tendency, I could not help but ask myself, “Are we any different?” As I reflected, I realized how such thinking can hinder not only the capacity God has given us but also the work He desires to accomplish through us. One lesson I have learned through ministry is that God has given us far greater capacity than we realize. Human capacity can keep growing as long as we are willing to stretch it. Someone who struggles to care for one person today may continue responding to the challenges God places before them and eventually find themselves caring for two hundred people. Mother Teresa is a good example. When my wife lived in Korea, she would become completely exhausted after preparing a meal for ten guests. Sometimes she would even get sick afterward. But while serving in a singles house church, there were times when she prepared meals for as many as forty people, attended early morning prayer the next day, and later, when our third worship service first began, she regularly helped feed 120 young adults after worship. Today, because of her severe vision loss, she can no longer do those things, but she has become someone who is no longer intimidated by large numbers of guests. God expanded her capacity far beyond what she once thought possible. The same principle applies to intellectual abilities such as memory, learning, and understanding. Human capacity grows as it is stretched. We can be used far beyond what we believe our limits are. In fact, I believe this is part of what Jesus intended to teach through the Parable of the Talents. The servant who buried what he was entrusted with and returned it unchanged was called a wicked and lazy servant. In the same way, if we keep standing before opportunities for ministry and saying, “Only this far,” drawing our own boundaries, I believe we will one day hear a similar rebuke from our Lord. This mindset not only limits our own capacity; it also limits what God can do in and through us. Peter was the only disciple who stepped out of the boat. Even if he walked on water for only a few steps, he experienced something the others never did. Had he stayed in the boat, he would not have experienced a miracle. When we step beyond our comfort zone and take a risk in faith, God works, and we get to witness His work firsthand. When circumstances seem impossible, and we choose to tithe anyway, we discover God’s surprising provision. When life seems too busy and overwhelming to become a Shepherd, yet we commit ourselves to that ministry, we encounter God’s work in our lives. When we are sick, the natural response is to visit a doctor, but sometimes, when we step forward and ask for prayer, we experience God’s healing power in a fresh way. If we act only according to what seems reasonable and safe, we leave little room for God to demonstrate His power. It is when we step beyond what appears sensible and take a step of faith that we often experience God at work. But if we keep saying, “Only this far,” we will inevitably place limits on what God desires to do. Therefore, whenever the words “Only this far” begin to come out of your mouth, stop yourself. Instead, say, “If God desires it, I am willing to go the extra mile.” As you do, may God expand your capacity and enlarge your territory, and may you experience His wonderful work in your life.
May 1, 2025 • 2 Minute Read
420. All the Answers Are in Jesus - Pastor Chai
I lost my parents during the Korean War, so I had a rather bleak view on life since childhood. I still have vivid memories of lying in bed, hoping the next morning would never come. I was only in third or fourth grade at that time, already depressed and suicidal. At such a young age, I was not able to express myself through questions like, "What is life?" But I struggled with the meaning of life. I felt like life was chaotic and devoid of meaning. In an effort to find life’s meaning, I read all the books I could find at home, most of which were beyond a child’s intellectual capacity. For example, I read Andre Gide's "Straight Is The Gate" and Camus' "The Plague," which are hard even for adults to understand. When I became a teenager, I questioned, "What does it mean to be a human being?" I thought psychology may provide me with answers, so I read a lot of books on psychology.
In college, my reading list was mostly filled with philosophical books. I was particularly interested in existential philosophy and was a great fan of Nietzsche. However, I got tired of just studying and analyzing life. I wanted to live a real life. I longed for a happy life. Then, I got a copy of the New Testament Bible from a street evangelism team when I was in graduate school. I started to read it and finished it in three days. I slowly came to realize that Jesus's death and resurrection was an undeniable historical fact. I felt that accepting Jesus as my Lord was my only feasible option.
After receiving Jesus, life started to make sense. My confusion about life gradually dissipated. My pessimistic personality became optimistic. Finally I was able to confess that I was truly happy. This is the primary reason I evangelize. While going to heaven is important, it's secondary. I want to help those living in pain and confusion experience a truly free and fulfilling life. I want them to know that Jesus is the answer to all of their life's problems.
May 8, 2025 • 2 Minute Read
421. Unsatisfied Yearning - Pastor Chai
I was 6 years old when the Korean war broke out. My family left Seoul to take refuge in Busan, a southern port of South Korea. Despite my young age, I was terribly homesick. However, when we returned home to Seoul 3 years later, I found myself still homesick. The longing for home, oddly enough, persisted. I think most people have this longing for home that cannot be satisfied. God instills within us desires, accompanied by the means to fulfill them. When we are hungry, we eat, then the hunger disappears. When we are thirsty, we drink, then the thirst is quenched. Why, then, does this longing for home happen even when we are actually at home? The home we yearn for lies not on earth but in Heaven. God instilled this desire in us so that we don’t forget our ultimate destination, our heavenly home. The moment we die and enter Heaven, we will feel that we have finally arrived home. We have inherent yearnings not just to be home, but also for relationships, parental love, family and homeland, words that stir deep emotions within us. All these yearnings and longings will find fulfillment when we reach Heaven and gaze upon Jesus face to face. Therefore, I eagerly anticipate the day when I ascend to Heaven.
May 15, 2025 • 3 Minute Read
422. Retreat Guest Speaker for This Year
The guest speaker for our annual members’ retreat this year is “Pastor Eric”. Those who have attended HC lay leader seminar should be familiar with him. I’ve known him for about 14 years through the house church ministry network, and I’ve always wanted to invite him, but was looking for the best timing. I felt that this year is the time, as I sensed that God is ushering our congregation into a significant change and growth in this season of ministry. I greatly appreciate his sense of humour and candid approach in communication and leadership, which I believe will not only challenge us but awaken us to a new type of “joy” that is available in serving the Lord. I feel very privileged to have him as our guest speaker this year. Please don’t miss out on this opportunity to be blessed through his messages. Here is his bio, quoted from his church’s website.
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Pastor Eric Shin (affectionately known as “PE”) has been serving as the Senior Pastor of New Life Fellowship since its inception in 1997. PE was born and raised in Seoul, S. Korea until he was 13 years old, when he and his family immigrated to the U.S. and settled in New York City. Though he went through tumultuous teenage years while adjusting to life in a new country, he met Christ at the age of 18 at his home church’s fall retreat. After experiencing the joys and challenges of following Christ and serving his local church during his high school and college years, he left behind aspirations of being a lawyer in his adopted hometown of New York City and followed God’s call to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA. In the fall of 1994, PE and his wife, Lynette, received God’s call to move their family down to Houston, Texas, where PE served at Seoul Baptist Church of Houston as the youth pastor.
While serving, they responded to God’s prompting and, together with about 20 members and the blessing and loving support of Seoul Baptist Church, founded New Life Fellowship on August 10, 1997. Since then, PE has been experiencing the joy of witnessing the expansion of God’s kingdom through house church ministry. Over the years at New Life, PE, Lynette and their three now adult sons, Enoch, Caleb and Josiah, had the privilege of trekking through nine countries in Southeast Asia and China and serving in Mexico and Camp Barnabas as a family for missional purposes. PE has also had the honor of serving the Lord in far-flung places like Afghanistan where he has been able to live out his faith and share the gospel with the Muslim world. Several years ago, PE visited a college house church, where they had a potluck dinner.
That evening, there were five different kinds of chicken served: McDonald’s McNuggets, Church’s Chicken, Popeye’s Chicken, Boston Market Chicken and KFC! PE will never forget that house church meal! When PE isn’t equipping New Life members to make Christ’s disciples of all nations through their house churches or prayerfully using New Life’s resources to help other churches implement their own house church ministries in the spirit of the New Testament church, he enjoys traveling with Lynette, fishing, sharing good food with good people and drinking senior citizen coffee from McDonald’s. But no matter where he is or what he’s doing, PE tries to live by one of his favorite verses in 2 Corinthians 8:9 because it reminds him of how Christ became poor for our sake, so that through His poverty we might become rich.
May 22, 2025 • 2 Minute Read
423. Hearing Soft Voice of God - Pastor Chai
When I feel overwhelmed with negative emotions like worry, fear, or anger, I sit down at a desk with an open notebook. I write down everything that comes to mind, all my feelings. When it appears that God is trying to say something to me through my thoughts, I write those thoughts in a new paragraph. Then I start a new paragraph and write my counter argument against them. Eventually I come to the point where I have nothing more to say. By that time my emotions have calmed down, and I have found the cause of my emotions and the ways to handle them. It’s because I have heard God’s voice. God speaks constantly to us, rarely with an audible voice but through thoughts. His voice is not loud. His voice is so subtle that we can’t hear it if we are emotionally agitated. Writing my thoughts and feelings as they come to my mind helps calm the emotions and sort out the thoughts to enable me to hear God’s voice. When I read later what I have written down previously, I find that some of the voices are accusing and condemning while others are comforting and encouraging. The former is an evil spirit’s voice disguising itself as God’s voice, and the latter is the God’s true voice. As I learn to discern the difference between my thoughts, the devil’s ideas, and God’s true voice, I don’t have to sit down to write to hear God’s voice in the midst of daily routines.
May 29, 2025 • 2 Minute Read
424. A Pastor with a High Risk - Pastor Chai
When I hear news of pastors succumbing to sexual sin or financial mismanagement, I feel a sense of dread rather than shock. I can't help but think that had it been me in those situations, I may have succumbed to the same temptations. I seem to have a stronger inclination toward pleasure than most people. Before becoming a Christian, I found my greatest joy in gambling while intoxicated. This predisposition makes me more susceptible to the allure of sin than others.
My attraction to pleasure and sin didn't vanish after I accepted Jesus as my savior - it persisted. As a result, I fear that if I ever loosen my grip on Jesus' hand, I will swiftly succumb to temptation. Therefore, for me, being filled with the Holy Spirit is not merely an option, it's an absolute necessity. I am widely recognized as the founder of the house church movement. If I were to fall into sin, countless individuals would be disillusioned, and the house church movement would be severely hindered. For a long time, I've been seeking an answer from the Lord as to why He would entrust someone like me, a high-risk individual, with the task of restoring the New Testament church. There are numerous pure, sincere, capable, and compassionate individuals. Why did He choose me over them, risking the collapse of the house church movement at any given moment?
For quite some time, I received no response. However, Jesus recently revealed that He employs me because of my vulnerability to temptation. I am compelled to rely solely on Jesus, preventing me from attempting to act independently and requiring me to follow His guidance. While it's comforting to know that my weakness is actually a strength in the Lord's eyes, I still experience anxiety because I am aware that He will not eliminate my weaknesses. The prospect of me succumbing to temptation and derailing the house church movement will always linger.
I eagerly await the day when Jesus returns. My body will be clothed with the power of the resurrection, and only then will I be liberated from my sinful desires.
June 5, 2025 • 3 Minute Read
425. A Lion, Not A Cat - Pastor Chai
Many Christians suffer from worry and fear because they have a dim view of Jesus. They think of Jesus like a domestic cat. The Horse and His Boy is the third book in CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. In the story, there is a girl named Aravis living in a country next to Narnia. Her father pledged for her to be married to an old official without her consent, so she decided to run away to Narnia, a land she had always admired. She set out with two Narnian horses (Narnian horses can speak) and a young Narnian slave, Shasta, without telling her parents. While passing through the city, Aravis ran into her friend, the princess. The princess insisted she come with her to the palace, so the girl promised to meet Shasta at the cemetery outside the city the next day. When night fell, Shasta was overwhelmed by the dread of ghosts while waiting among the graves. At that moment, a cat came out from nowhere, rubbed its body against the boy and comforted him, allowing him to fall asleep. While staying overnight in the palace, Aravis learned that the evil prince was planning a surprise attack on Narnia. When Aravis met Shasta in the morning, she told him about the plot, and they rode their horses at top speed to inform the Narnian king. Along the way, the horses became exhausted and started to slow down. A fierce lion suddenly appeared and chased them, so the horses ran for their lives and were able to tell the news to the Narnian king before the evil prince's army arrived. As a result, Narnia was well-prepared, won the battle, and even captured the prince. Later, Aslan the Lion appeared (Aslan is the lion that appears throughout the Chronicles of Narnia series, symbolizing Jesus). He revealed that he had been the fierce lion that chased them to make the horses run with all their might. He told them that he was also the small cat who had comforted the boy at the graveyard.
Jesus is big. He is the creator of the entire universe. All things were made through Him and are sustained in Him. This infinite God emptied himself and came to the world in a humble human body. And He invites us to be His friends. As we enjoy intimacy with Him, we sometimes forget how great Jesus is. We start to think of Him as a cat instead of a lion. If we don’t understand the full scope of who He is, we can't be free of worry or fear because we can't truly trust Jesus. We must pursue intimacy with Jesus but should always remember that He is also an awe-some God.
June 12, 2025 • 2 Minute Read
426. The reason I post youth ministry-related announcements for Sunday
Youth ministry (and Children’s ministry) are often easy to view in a silo. Simply because they are isolated, separate ministries that operate independently of adult ministries, it can be easy to think what happens in youth ministry is independent of adult ministry. However, youth ministry impacts the entire church because of two key components: graduation and youth shepherds. Graduation means that youth of The Seed will become adults of the The Seed. So successes in youth ministry directly translate over to successes in adult ministry, since all the success stories of youth ministry are moving in towards adult ministry. Youth Shepherds, through youth ministry, become strong adult members who trust in God and have a shepherd heart. Many team leaders in our church, are youth shepherds or former youth shepherds. In many ways, youth ministry has impacted and shaped the core leaders of adult ministry today. I used to not put youth ministry only announcements for Sunday announcements, since I too, once believed youth ministry was it’s own bubble. But now, I am very willing to inform church members, even about youth ministry announcements on Sunday service. This is because I believe youth ministry and adult ministry are linked and dependent on one another. And specifically, I believe youth ministry blessings, become direct blessings to adult ministry as well. There will be an upcoming graduation service. This is not just a routine thing we do every year for students moving on from high school, but also an acknowledgement of members from youth house church transitioning into adult house church. There will also be an upcoming youth shepherd appreciation as new youth shepherd appointment ceremony. Again, these are not just youth ministry staffing changes that made it’s way into Sunday service, but highlights and celebrates adult members who have caught our mission to restore the new testament church. These adult members return to their house churches as stronger house church members, because they understand the shepherd’s heart. So when you see a youth ministry announcement don’t dismiss it as irrelevant information, but rejoice for we are one church, one body, with many parts (1 Cor 12:12). And when you see a youth ministry budget increase, don’t think “youth ministry is taking all our money.” Think “that is a great investment for our entire church.” Because successes in youth ministry always flow in the direction of adult ministry.
July 30, 2019 • 1 Minute Read
Couple Life (1) Completion
Congratulations to Yaeji, Jackie on successfully completing Couple Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
April 5, 2022 • 1 Minute Read
Couple Life (2) Completion
Congratulations to Chris Woo, Alexandra Raphael on successfully completing Couple Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
March 7, 2023 • 1 Minute Read
Couple Life (3) Completion
Congratulations to Albert Lee, Jessica Lee on successfully completing Couple Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
August 6, 2024 • 1 Minute Read
Couple Life (4) Completion
Congratulations to Joy Kim, Phillip Kim on successfully completing Couple Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
July 7, 2022 • 1 Minute Read
Transforming Life (1) Completion
Congratulations to Joy Kim, Anthony Cho, Esther Sung, Esther Ahn, Emily Eun, Sarah Cho, Jennifer Kang, Brian Woo on successfully completing Transforming Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
December 14, 2023 • 1 Minute Read
Transforming Life (2) Completion
Congratulations to Stanley Kim, Daniel Kim, Sophia Sung, Helen Song on successfully completing Transforming Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
August 25, 2016 • 1 Minute Read
New Life (1) Completion
Congratulations to Joy Kim, Anthony Cho, Grace Kwack, Jeesu Sohn, Esther Sung, Irin Byun, Terry Pyun on successfully completing New Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
August 17, 2017 • 1 Minute Read
New Life (2) Completion
Congratulations to Dohyeon Sung, Sarah Cho, Paul Yoo on successfully completing New Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
July 13, 2021 • 1 Minute Read
New Life (3) Completion
Congratulations to Joyce Kwack, Sophia Sung, Daniel Kim on successfully completing New Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
July 4, 2024 • 1 Minute Read
New Life (4) Completion
Congratulations to Byungchan Sohn, Byoungwhee Sohn, Jeesu Sohn, Helen Song, Sophia Sung, Esther Sung, Irin Byun, Esther Ahn on successfully completing New Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
December 18, 2025 • 1 Minute Read
New Life (5) Completion
Congratulations to Sarah Cho, Angela Kang, Ryan Kang, Esther Byun, Jennifer Kang on successfully completing New Life! May you continue to grow into mature followers of Jesus!
April 30, 2013 • 1 Minute Read
Living Life (1) Completion
Congratulations to Edward Eun, Jennifer Kang, Grace Kwack on successfully completing Living Life! May you continue to grow into a mature follower of Jesus!
July 7, 2015 • 5 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Joey Yoo
Unlike most of you guys here, I come from a non-Christian family. At the age of 5 my family and I immigrated into Canada. When we moved, we stayed at my uncle’s house for a couple months. There we followed his family to their church. Personally I believe that wasn’t the start of my family’s Christian life. Mostly because I’m pretty sure my parents were more interested in meeting Koreans in a foreign country. After the couple months of stay in my Uncle’s house, my family and I moved into our own apartment. We moved into an apartment right next to Pastor Kwack’s which I believe was God’s work. Pastor Kwack was starting his own church around the time when we moved in. Honestly, Without Pastor Kwack starting his own church at that time, I think my family would have been in a whole different world right now. Once his church was settled down and was named Mokmin there were so more things happening in the church like Sunday school, Worship team, and more. When the church settled down in the big church I was around 8-9 years old. There I attended Sunday school which I have to admit was a nightmare for me. Being such a loud kid, stuck inside another school when I was already going to school from Monday to Friday was enough for me. When I think about it now, I think I did trouble the teachers a lot. So I remember promising them I will become a Sunday school teacher when I get older. Till then, Christianity didn’t mean anything to me. Sunday was just another day when I played Pokémon except in another place. After those sorrowful years went by I finally moved into EM. My expectation was the one word “Freedom”. I thought there was going to be more Pokémon time and just talking to my friends but it actually wasn’t. This time there were longer sermons and more bigger people who were twice my size and looked scary. So at the end of the day, I just stayed quiet and followed along like what the rest of the people did. After about a year of being part of the E-Xit Ministry, Puberty started to happen. My puberty is more serious than other teenagers. I know we all go through tough times but I think I had more problems with my adolescence than others. Taking my mom’s personality of “Must win all arguments” really gave me trouble with the family. Also taking my dad’s “I love to have alone time” really isolated me from everyone else including friends. Out of everything from this world I had to like online gaming. When I hit puberty I started to take gaming to the next level. My personality changed and everything about me changed. Being such a loud kid everywhere made me loud in making trouble. Gaming was more important to me than school work, friends, and family. I chose to game over studying for a test or spending time with my friends or family. I hating going outside, so whenever I went outside the only thing that came up to me was “I have to get home quick before it gets too dark so I can start smashing the keyboard”. Whenever I fought with someone from my family since I had to take my mom’s personality, I had to win every fight which lead into huge fights which are unimaginable. Since I had no one to trust around me I was just always alone. I didn’t really hate God because I didn’t even really care about him. What actually started to change me was this book I read called “Catcher in the Rye”. The books pretty messed up but it really gave me the motivation to live life better. I could totally relate myself to the main character and I really didn’t want to end up like him. So every day I try my best to live my life to fullest. I try doing what non- normal teenagers do. Kiss their mom or do ehgyo. But it’s totally worth it because; you never know when someone you actually loved will be gone. I try doing things before I regret. So I took bible 101 and took Jesus Receiving meeting. When I took Jesus receiving meeting I felt very numb. I remember I had to pray and for about 10 seconds everything around me went white. This never happened to me so I thought that there was going to be something ahead of me. It actually came true. God gave me a mission. I have these two friends in school. One of them suffers from the exact same pain I had couple years ago. And the other one, I’m just really thankful to god for sending me him. There were of course times when I wanted to give up with Christianity but someone helped me think again. I really wanted to share this with you. If you hold hands with someone pretending the other person is the lord and you try to let go. No matter how many times you try, the lord will always be hanging onto you. That lecture really gave me the power to keep on living as a Christian. A lot of things about me changed. Although my passion towards gaming didn’t change, just me as a person changed and my view towards the lord. Every day I pray without myself knowing. That’s another signal that I am making a progress of and I am so happy for. I am just so excited for what other things are going to happen to. Maybe this is a new type of game god is introducing me to “life”. Thank you for listening.
February 14, 2017 • 6 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Arnold Wong
Hello everyone, my name is Arnold and I’m currently a first year student studying Mathematics in Waterloo. I would like to share about how I came to learn about Christianity and my decision to get baptized today. Even as close as half a year ago, I knew relatively nothing about the Christian faith. Throughout my high school years, I felt very lost and didn’t even know myself too well. Growing up, I had a lot of compassion. But over time, this feeling had diminished; I felt like there wasn’t anyone I could actually give it to. I never really became close to anyone at school and became very isolated. Soon, I became very unmotivated at school as well. I was always thinking, “Why am I doing all of this?” I felt no real sense of fulfillment and didn’t really know what I was trying to accomplish. Eventually, I became so stressed that I didn’t even want to continue anymore. In the middle of my Grade 11 year, I had just stopped going to school entirely. Coming back to school the following year, I got a lot of questions about it. Whenever someone would ask about why I had been gone for the entire year, I kind of just avoided the question. I felt like there was no way that I could share about it, especially to the same people who I’ve known for years, yet have been so distant with. The first time I came here was in August. It’s something that I never would have expected at all. Sometime just before the summer retreat, Paul asked me if I wanted to go. It seemed very foreign to me; I felt like if I had gone, I’d be a complete outsider. I decided to put my trust in him anyways and took a leap of faith. And now, I don’t regret my decision at all. Over the course of just a few days, I got to know a lot of you very well and it was a wonderful experience. As part of a follow-up to the retreat, I started to coming out to house church whenever I could. It has become something I always look forward to whenever I come back home from Waterloo. Through the strong sense of community and fellowship, I feel like I’ve been able to open up a lot more through our time of sharing. I remember the first time I came to house church, which was just before the summer retreat. The only thing I shared was: I was thankful for being invited and I was stressed about school approaching. Over time, I’ve been able to grow a lot by becoming more willing to share about things I never really talked to anyone about. I’ve also learned a lot through listening to others share. It has given me a better understanding of others and has taught me to not just assume that everyone is doing well right off the bat. I’ve gotten to know my fellow house church members very well and I feel a sense of home there. Just last month, Caleb invited me to come to the Gospel Presentation Session. For the last few months, I was a bit hesitant to go as I didn’t really know how committed I was to faith. I didn’t know too much about it but I had come to trust Caleb a lot though, and again, I took another chance. It was a unique experience for me since we had the chance to have a one-on-one session. During the presentation, there was one verse that really got my attention. It comes from Revelations 3:20:
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Over the few months that I’ve been exposed to faith, I had been learning a lot through church and fellowships at school. I was always scared to call myself a Christian, as I felt that I wasn’t ready. It had only been a short time for me and I felt like I was not a Christian “yet”. There were still a lot of things that I didn’t know and had a lot of uncertainty about. I thought that I needed to completely understand everything.
Through this verse and through Caleb’s explanation, I was able to understand in clear detail, what it meant to be a Christian: to open the door for Jesus; to receive him. Everything else is only a part of the journey. It was at that point that I felt ready to take the first step. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be here. Oftentimes it felt like it wasn’t just a coincidence, but it became confusing to me. If I were to say this was all God’s doing, then wouldn’t that diminish the respect and appreciation I had for Paul for bringing me here? Later, I came to realize what the free will that God granted us really means. From how I see it, it’s not that God forced him to approach me, but rather that God presented an opportunity for Paul to bring me here as part of His plan, and it was up to Paul to actually act upon it. So, I have both God and Paul to thank for being here. In a very similar manner, I had the common question of, “Why does God let bad things happen in this world?” I’ve come to my own understanding that while bad things do happen, it is in His plan that we are able to do as much as we can to help each other — to be more like the Good Samaritan. We are given the chance to do so, but it’s our choice to take it. Rather than drowning in pity and regret, we have the opportunity to actually try and do something about it. In response to this, I’ve decided to join the Outreach Ministry in my campus, where we plan to serve and give back to the community. It has always been something on my mind, but never really got to actually doing. I’ve gained a lot more courage from fellowship and I believe that this something that I’ve been called to do for a while. There are still a lot of things that I don’t understand that well, but I’ve become more willing to learn about them. As I go along this path, I hope to continue to grow both in faith and as a Christian. Thank you.
January 2, 2018 • 8 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Eric Wu
Hello, everyone, I’m Eric. Many of you may not know me, as I only recently started coming to The Seed a little over 10 months ago. I’m a student at the University of Waterloo, about to finish my 4th year. Thank you all in advance for listening to my testimony. For my background, I wasn’t born into a Christian household. Both my parents were not Christian, and neither is my sister. My position with religion and God had always been “Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t, but there isn’t any way to be certain.” Also, I never felt the need for religion. However, I did always have an interest in the Christians around me and the core values they held. What stood out to me the most was the amount of love they had for each other and how often they would go out of their way to help another in need. I think it was the love shown to me that got me interested. Many people along the way have brought me to where I am now. Two of my closest friends from high school, Raph and Ralph, invited me to a fellowship called True Vine. While I didn’t go very frequently, the few times I did go was my first real exposure to things like singing praise, praying, and the gospel. It was all very foreign to me, but having their company in an unfamiliar setting like that was really helpful, so I’d like to thank them for bringing me out and introducing all of this to me. In my second year of university, I made a new friend named Evelyn in a carpool on the way to Waterloo over a weekend. From the brief chat we had, we stumbled onto the topic of the Chinese Christian Fellowship she attended. Seeing my previous curiosity from True Vine, she invited me out and introduced me to a lot of people. We grew closer as friends, and eventually, she offered to study the Book of Mark with me. While we were both students with incredibly busy schedules, we did our best to summarize each week’s assigned readings, and share with each other what we thought, what stood out, and any questions we may have. Of course, I’d have far more questions than she did, since it was my first time reading the Book, and the Bible at that. However, she was still incredibly patient with me and managed to answer as many questions as she could. Looking back, I’m so amazed that she would go so far to help a stranger she met from a typical weekend. In the end, we were both too busy with final exams and our schedules to completely finish the book, but she helped keep me accountable and helped me with my first bible study. Even as we began to lose touch from our schedules, she messaged me around the end of the term before the holidays, and gave me a mug as a present for studying the Bible with her. The mug had a passage from the Book of Mark, with the words “Follow Me”. I’m still really grateful for her initiative and effort put into me. We haven’t kept in touch much today but I really want to say thank you, Evelyn. While I didn’t continue attending the Chinese Christian Fellowship, I had a Chinese friend introduce me to Korean Christian Fellowship in my third year of university. The biggest thing that stood out to me was that she wasn’t Korean, nor Christian. I related a lot to that, so I decided to try it out. At first, I was shy and didn’t go that regularly, but I felt very welcomed the few times I did go. It was the warmest I’ve ever felt with people since coming to Waterloo, despite being with many more strangers than I’m comfortable with. In my second term of 3rd year, I decided to try my best to attend more regularly, and to really learn and experience as much as I could. I started making friendships that I am so thankful for today. I joined a small group that studied the book of James, where I could discuss and learn and connect with people in a smaller, personal setting. I joined the praise team, helping with drums, and discovered that I loved serving and praising. I went to a few retreats like the KCF retreat in January, and Mark Central in May, where I got to study the book of Mark in a very in-depth way, as well as serve on the praise team. All of these things together with an amazing community like KCF really brought me so much joy and I’m so thankful for the new friends that gave me so many opportunities to learn and grow. 10 months ago, in my 4th year, I was back in Toronto for a co-op term, and was looking for a church to attend. That was when Arnold, who I had met from KCF, introduced me to Lampang House Church. I decided to try it out and was immediately greeted with the familiar warm setting I felt in KCF. The first Sunday service that I attended was actually Arnold getting baptized, and it’s incredible because I never would have thought I’d be here giving a testimony 10 months later! It was the house church that really got me feeling the most love. Every week, we would gather to share a meal, sing, and discuss and share our week. I couldn’t believe how comfortable and welcoming everyone was all the time. It really felt like a home away from home, despite them being people I had met only recently. People like Pastor Caleb and Anthony would always make sure to greet me, and listen attentively to what I had to say. It was a really great time where I could be myself and share anything I wanted. Not long after, I attended the Gospel Presentation Session in February. Pastor Caleb did a really good job at explaining the Gospel in a simple, understandable way for me, and I decided to receive Christ on February 26. The reason I didn’t get baptized right away after that was because I felt like things were still happening too fast, and I didn’t even tell many people about the new activities I had been a part of. For example, many of my non-Christian friends were just finding out that I was now attending church. I was too afraid to tell my family about it out of fear of miscommunication and awkwardness. I wanted to take more time to develop the boldness and courage to be able to communicate my faith properly. This was a prayer request I had when I started the Living Life Bible study series with Pastor Caleb, Edward, and Esther in September. Living life was a really blessed time. To be honest, I was really busy during that period, and didn’t feel going most of the time, but after every session, I was glad I went. It confirmed and corrected a lot of things I thought I knew, and taught me a lot of things as well. One thing that I struggled with particularly was the concept of Salvation. I only had a small understanding of it. We discussed the assurance of Salvation, and Caleb explained it very well to me. I still remember his analogy of how Jesus holds your hand once you receive Christ, and he will never let go, even if you let go. This analogy was really comforting and encouraging to me. Living Life ended around 2 weeks ago, and I decided to try and tell my sister and my parents about my faith. Thankfully, my sister helped me a lot, and after telling them, I decided I was ready to be baptized. A lot of my friends knew now too. I think my prayer request from the start of Living Life was answered. Overall it was a really good time and I’d really recommend it to anyone who can take it. Looking back to how I felt I never needed God, I feel like God reached out to me first, and desired me so much more before I even desired him. One of the verses I remembered from Living Life and the Gospel Presentation Session is from Revelation 3:20. It says “See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” This verse really stands out to me because I like the image of how Jesus was already at my door, ready and desiring. All I had to do was open the door to let him in. It resonates with me a lot seeing how I never thought I would be here today getting baptized a year ago. Looking forward, since I’ve received Christ, I’ve begun to look towards praying more in really stressful and hard times. Before, I would shoulder a lot of my struggles on myself, determined to get through it without anyone else. That was very difficult. Now, I find myself praying and it gives me a lot of comfort. Overall, the extent of people’s initiative and love really moved me and brought me to be more receptive to who Jesus is. I wouldn’t be here today without the support of these people. I really hope that my faith continues to grow and that I will be able to have the same impact on other people.
March 11, 2018 • 4 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - David Choi
Hello everyone, my name is David and currently a 2nd year student studying criminology at York University. I would like to share about how I came to learn about Jesus and why I made the decision to get baptized today. I grew up in a Catholic family, but I never felt connected to God growing up and it wasn’t a part of my day to day life. My mom would always force me to go to the mass, but I just did not have the heart to go and never wanted to go. I knew of God’s existence but I felt that Catholicism wasn’t for me. Throughout my lifetime, I’ve always been a well known person among my peers and classmates. Once University came, it became harder for me to connect with people in the same way. All of my friends left town to go to school and I didn’t bother making friends when I came into university because I thought people would come to me like in high school. My friend Emily reached out to me and asked me to come to this Christian club called Agape Impact. This was the first major impact and influence I had with a church community. At first, it was a very difficult thought, knowing that everyone at the club is Christian or a follower of Christ except for me. As I started to get to meet people, it was the first encounter that really showed me the grace of Christ. The people around me took me in with open arms regardless of my differences and accepted me as I was. After going out to AI for a month or so, I decided to go to the winter retreat that was hosted by AI. In a way, it felt really strange for me because I felt like I was the only non-christian that was going, but everyone was still welcoming towards me, which I thought was amazing. During the trip, a specific individual stood out. James who is my current discipler, a stranger at the time, and randomly asked me to study the Bible with him. At first, It was very strange because I didn’t expect him to be so inviting. He was the first person that really reached out to me and taught me the first lessons of being reborn again. We ended up having regulatory bible studies that really showed me the word of the lord. Couple months later, Emily, Josh, and Edward invited me to Every Nation House Church and I started attending regularly. When I first visited House Church, it was another strange thing because people started sharing about their life. I never liked the idea of sharing my life to other people, but overtime I started growing appreciative about it and revealed to me the importance of opening up and repentance. I was glad to be invited to house church and getting to know the members and now I can say they just feel like my family. I also started attending Church regularly about a couple months ago. I attended GPS (Gospel Presentation Session) a couple weeks ago. It was a one-on-one session with Caleb and it was a unique experience where I sat down with a Pastor to have a conversation about my spirit life. During the presentation, the verse, Revelations 3:20: touched my heart the most. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Because with the faith we have, we are able to see our Father and he is willing to come into our life and all we have to do is just open the door. Over the last couple months, I have been learning a lot from AI, House Church, and Church. Though, when I started calling myself Christian, I was afraid for me to tell my close friends and my family that I am Christian for many reasons. And I think one of the main reason was that, in the back of my head, there was always this negative connotation of religion, but now I come to realize that this is part of the journey I have to take. With the verse from Revelations, I am proud to say that, I understand what it means to be a Christian, just open the door for Jesus and receive him. And now I am proud to tell my family and my friends that I am a Christian. There are many things I lack, but my heart is open and I am willing to learn them. So, please help me stay accountable in my walk with Christ and continue to guide me to be a Godly man. Thank you.
August 18, 2018 • 3 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Stanley Kim
Like the most of you i wasn’t born in a christian family, and growing up i thought what was out there was everything to this world, nothing else. And when i first heard about christianity, and going to church, i was against it. To me, i thought we were going to church cause every other korean went. And the service was on sunday, and that was already heartbreaking for 10 year old stanley. I thought that I didn’t need god in my life and I was good on my own. Still going to church I learned all the things god has done and the messages from the bible. And the messages never really came to me. I truly met God through my beginning phase of my pre-teen, because during the time i was so emotionally unstable. I knew i needed help but i didn’t know who i could/should ask for help. That’s when I went to one of Seed’s youth winter retreat. And finally realised through the message pastor Caleb had for us and realized the love that God has for me and how he was there for me the whole time, and it was myself that didn’t realize all of that. None of this wouldn’t’ve happened if our church was so welcoming and loving. And my youth house church members for showing me the love of jesus christ and to love and care for others. The verse that helped me realize that I wanted to be one of God’s children was, (Revelation 3:20 “See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.) It helped me understand the gospel better cause I could relate to it and just understood how much that verse meant. And it was me that was denying God’s love not acknowledging his presence not the other way around. After making the decision, I understood what it meant to be children of god and what we have to do at our end of the deal. I knew how loving he was but through the GPA, I also learnt that he’s the mighty god, and he would do things the way we don’t see it. And at the right time. I also realized once again how great he is and loving he is. I just finally want to thank God, how much i’ve grown through him and for being there when I didn’t realise his love. And thank you for listening to my testimony!
May 7, 2019 • 6 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Seoyeon Yoo
Hello everyone! As most of you probably know, my name is Seo Yeon. I would like to take this time with you and share my experience with God, and how he has taken a huge step in my life. Unlike most of you guys here, I was not born as a christian. I have been attending Mokmin church since I was three years old, but I never knew the reason why we had to go to church, and out of all the days it had to be on Sundays. And on some days when I complained to my parents like “I don’t want to go”, I would get a full on lecture on why I had to go which I liked to call “jansori”. I also felt very isolated at church as I was only surrounded by older people, so I never felt as if I “fit in” with everyone. I lacked interest in listening to sermons as I found them boring, and usually you would find me on phone most of the time. If I had a problem, I was told to pray or read the bible. No matter how many times I tried that it just did not work. Middle school was an extremely hard time for me. One day, I was talking to my christian friend about God. A boy overheard me and said “God’s not real.” I did not know how to respond to what he said as I was still questioning who God was. After it became a huge controversy in my class about “God” and people attacked me with words saying I was delusional for believing something that is not real and that I was insane. And from that day on, religion was a hard topic for me and I never really spoke a word about it. Also, whenever my friends would ask me to hang out with them on Fridays or Sundays, I always had to say no because even if I wanted to go, I had to go to house church and church. Then they stopped asking me to hang out because I was too busy with church and blamed me for not being able to spend time with them. I could say I was even angry with God or blamed him, so I pushed him away and just went to church to please my parents. There were a lot of obstacles for me, and it mostly had to do with myself. I started to sense that I was having a really hard time and my friends did not understand what was going on with me, and how to make me feel better. I was confused, in a really dark place and negative thoughts kept coming to my head. What is so scary is that, when this is happening no one knows what you are experiencing, so you feel more alone. It’s like screaming for help or knocking on a door but nobody answers, or they can not hear you. I felt as if I was stuck inside a box, and I could not get out. I did not know why I was feeling this way. On top of that, the event of my grandfather’s passing tore me apart. I did not know who to reach out to, as my friends would say “stop complaining” or “keep your problems to yourself, they’re irrelevant.” I was furious with God and completely shut him away from me and stopped caring about life and even had thoughts of just ending it and wanting to disappear from the world. Soon enough, the winter retreat, “ASK” came along, and I had the opportunity to go to one of the counselling sessions that was offered. And let me tell you, I am so grateful that I had this time talking to someone that was willing to listen to me. I felt a sense of peace, and felt as if a huge weight fell off my back. Although, I was not completely ready to open my heart to God. Later on, Sarah, my shepherd recommended I go to GPS (Gospel Presentation Session). At first I was hesitant to go, because, I did not understand the purpose of it. But I am so thankful Sarah recommended it to me as I had a better idea of what becoming a Christian is, and who God really is. This is where I received Christ and made the decision to be baptized. The date was set and was approaching, however I delayed it as I was scared that it was too big of a commitment. The next winter retreat “RESOLVE” came around. This retreat gave me an opportunity to give myself another chance to open up to God. In one of the sermons, Caleb told the story in the bible about Daniel’s friends who were walking around the fire, and when Jesus came into the pit, the fire was gone. After, there was a prayer session and while I was praying, God showed me an image. At first, there was a fire in my head and I got scared, and was about to open my eyes but before I could a rush of water, washed the fire away. I was calm. And from there, I felt a sign that God was telling me that he was with me and that he knows what I am going through. From there on, I made an official decision of wanting to be baptized and here I am today! I’ve created a closer bond with my house church as they were the ones who I first opened up to. Sharing in house church made it easier for me to reach out to people. And I’d like to thank my members and especially my shepherd Sarah. Also, there was a verse from GPS that has stuck with me and it is: (Revelation 3:20 CSB) “See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” This verse is a reminder of how I guarded my heart, even from God, and rejected him numerous times but he remained the same and was patient with me until I was ready to open my heart. There are some changes I have made to my daily habits, and here are a couple of them. So personally, I hate reading, so I always lost focus when reading the bible. But, downloading the bible app, has made it easier to enjoy the bible. I now take the time everyday to sit down, listen to worship songs, and that is where I feel the presence of God. I use my phone at church for a good purpose, which is jotting notes from the sermons. I’d like to thank my house church, Caleb, and my family for the endless support and Anthony for giving me the opportunity for joining worship team. I am extremely excited to explore this new life that has been unlocked for me and I pray that you will all be able to open your hearts to God as well. Thank you.
July 18, 2019 • 7 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Alexandra Raphael
Hello everyone, today I’ll be talking to you about my spiritual journey with God and how my life has changed by becoming Christian. Growing up I went to Catholic school and was raised in a catholic family. I went through baptism, communion and confirmation but never felt it was my decision- just something I had to do. Around the time I was in high school I started to move away from God and eventually became an atheist. Before accepting Jesus in my life I had a lot of struggles with anxiety, depression and motivation. Anxiety had controlled my life for as long as I could remember. I spent many nights listening to the negative voices in my head and feeding my anxieties and insecurities. I felt I had no purpose and felt unfulfilled. Listening to all those negative thoughts and words I had eventually lead me to becoming more depressed. I would hardly leave the house, and I started to further isolate myself from friends and family. This lead me to losing a lot of friendships and put a strain on my relationship with my family. As a result of all this it was difficult to see a silver lining and I didn’t have much of a drive to well in school, or in general. I felt stuck. I knew I was not truly living my life. And then after meeting Chris, I was invited to attend The Seed one Sunday. When I walked through the doors and was greeted by people who had never met me before I felt that this time it would be different. I don’t exactly remember what Pastor Caleb was preaching about but I remember that I wanted to try and put his words into practice. That night I started to pray to God. I didn’t feel anything particularly amazing at first, but I did feel more at ease. Ever since then I have been praying every morning and evening. Whenever I feel anxious or worried about my future I take some quiet time and talk it out with God. Prayer for me was one of the biggest changes in my life. It gave me time to really talk to God and work through the challenges in life I was facing. I would talk and God would listen and comfort me. He would remind me that I was worthy and that he did have a plan for me. Another thing that I learned was that sometimes our prayers take time to be answered. When I first started praying, like many of us, I expected fast results. Sometimes it can be discouraging when we feel like our prayers are not being answered. Sometimes we even feel ignored or put on the back burner. But as the months passed I started to realize that God answers all our prayers, but sometimes it’s hard for us to understand his plan. In times like these, I think it’s important to not try to rush things. Let God work in the background and continue to pray and ask for guidance and clarity. Once I started to realize that not all of my prayers and issues can be solved in one or two nights and I gave up control I found that God was answering me, just in a different way than I imagined. Another important aspect of my spiritual life was Living Life and GPS. After a few months of attending church service I decided to sign up for a Living Life class. This was a completely new experience for me. In the past I had only taken religion in mandatory school classes, not because I truly wanted to learn about God. Going into Living Life I thought I already knew most of the story of Jesus and what his teachings were about and what was expected of me as a Christian. However, I realized that in order to grow in our faith and spirituality we sometimes need to put in some work and hit the books. By taking Living Life, the gaps in my knowledge about christianity and Jesus were filled in and I truly feel more prepared for life and discussing my faith with other people. After completing Living Life, it took me a while to decide to make the next big step and attend GPS. Before attending GPS I had worries and self doubt. I questioned if I was worthy enough to become a Christian. I felt like I had too much baggage and that maybe I wasn’t really ready to commit myself to Jesus. I knew becoming a Christian and being baptised would thrust me into having more responsibility and putting more time aside for God. I wasn’t sure I could handle it, until I went through GPS. One of the quotes that really resonated with me from GPS was from Revelations 5:20, “See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” I learned that God doesn’t expect us to be perfect and sometimes he’s waiting for you to make the first move. Instead of shying away from this new set of responsibilities I prayed and asked God for guidance. He let me know that I was making the right choice and that all my fears were just in my head. After completing GPS I started to take note of changes in my life. Overall I would say the biggest changes in my life would be I have less worries about my future and I learned how to be patient and let God do his work on his time. Now whenever I’m having anxiety or unsure of what to do, I take time and pray. I honestly lay everything on the table when I talk to God. Sometimes just saying everything on my mind will relax and calm me enough to help work through my issues.I’ve also learned that praising God for how amazing he is and all the gifts he has given us can heal us as well. I now usually end my prayers with thanking him for giving me another day with my loved ones and family and for the little things in life. Sometimes it’s difficult for us to see the positive in our lives so giving thanks for the little things like good food and good friendships can help remind us that things aren’t too bad. Once I started to think about the little joys and miracles in my life it helped me to find more things to be thankful for and happy about. In conclusion, God has helped me become a more fulfilled and satisfied person. He’s helped me conquer my fears and calm my anxieties. By following His plan and putting my spirituality first I have to started to feel closer and more connected to God. If there’s one thing that I would like you to take away from this, is that when you’re feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about where you are in your life right now, that’s okay. Take some time to put Jesus first and talk honestly about your issues and fears. Have patience and let God work His miracles on His time. And lastly, sometimes all we need to put our lives in perspective is to give gratitude and praise to God for the little moments of happiness in our lives. I want to thank God for giving me this opportunity to talk to you all about my spiritual journey. And also thanks to my family for pushing and supporting me on this next chapter of my Christian life. And thank you all for giving me some time to tell my story.
August 14, 2019 • 3 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Kevin Ku
Hello everyone, my name is Kevin and I am a new member of the Seed. First of all, I want to thank my fellow house church members and Pastor Caleb for making this event possible for me. Without their support, I wouldn’t be here today. When I was growing up, my relationship with Jesus has been on and off. Back in elementary school, I went to church only because I was dropped off there by my parents every Sundays. When high school started, my parents wanted me to focus on my studies. They no longer pressured me to go to church, so I stopped going as a result. Before I received Jesus Christ, I noticed that I have been experiencing some self-doubt. When I am with a group of friends, I feel that their opinions were more important than mine and that what I was thinking or feeling were irrelevant. When I was first introduced to house church, the first thing I noticed was how welcoming the environment was and how it felt like a second home to me. My view of church changed because of house church. I always imagined that the church is a building you go to do your worship and praise of God. But what I realize now is that the church is not the building itself but it is the people that make church what it is. What I liked most about house church was the sharing of the important moments and concerns of our lives and how we each had a turn to share them with others. This helped me believe that my thoughts and opinions were important and that God was showing me a way to believe in myself and to love myself and others. One verse during the GPS that stood out to me was: “Jesus already wants to come into our heart” because I can love and believe in myself because Jesus already loves me for who I am. After receiving Jesus, I am more hopeful that with each day, I learn from my mistakes and become a little bit wiser and a little bit more mature. Most importantly, with Jesus’s love, I know that I can face any hardships to come and still embrace myself at the end of the day. I also want to follow Jesus’s example of loving others unconditionally through helping others. Thank you for listening to my testimony.
December 19, 2021 • 3 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Miru Kim
From the beginning of my time in a church, I initially thought of God like how many others did; nothing more than a myth and a fairy tale that a few people were crazed over for apparently no reason. Back in those days, I wasn’t able to understand the reason why the adults around me were so devoted to the man they called their Father, so I decided to avoid sermons and singing by hiding away from everyone else. Also, I once believed that going to church in the first place was a waste of time, since there was nothing for me to do other than listen to useless trivia while I could be back home relaxing with my video games and toys. But that was long ago. Because once I started to invest time in God, He gave more information, truths about himself, and told tales of his great disciples to me. One day, I thought to myself, “Hey, God seems nice. So why not give him one chance to prove himself worthy in my eyes?” And let me tell you: that was the best decision I ever made as a Christian. As the years went by, I began to open my heart to God more and more, but it wasn’t until a heartbreaking loss in Grade 7 that I finally turned to him for advice. Even in the silence of the moment, he pointed me in the direction that I needed to go and move on with myself, though it did take me two years to truly take his word. Somewhere down the line, I decided to accept Jesus Christ as my great lord and saviour, so I declared to him that he will always help and lead me down the right path. And it worked… marvellously. Since then, I completely trust God with certain decisions, even if I do sometimes hold small doubts of his great and mighty plans for the next generation. And this baptism is no different. Sure, I am considerably nervous about actually being baptised (due to being a new experience for me), but it will be ultimately worth stepping out of my comfort zone, becoming a true child of God, and standing with all of you. As long as I ask the Father for advice and question him over what step I need to take next, then life (even with its many ups and downs) will be fine for me. Amen.
June 8, 2022 • 5 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Esther Ahn
Hello everyone. My name is Esther and I’d like to share with you all today of my spiritual journey and how I came to my decision to be baptized. Like many of you, I was brought up in a Christian household. I think from a young age, I recognized that I was a very weak person because I felt very helpless on my own and felt I couldn’t do normal things like everyone else without feeling anxious. Growing up, I often felt incompetent, inadequete, and felt like I couldn’t trust myself. So I found the idea of God to be comforting and it wasn’t very difficult for me to rely on him, mainly because I didn’t feel I could rely on myself. And so I put my faith in God from a young age, but as I got older, I found myself becoming frustrated with myself and with God because I felt like I had to depend on God for everything. When I entered university, my anxiety got so bad that I was filled with a sense of dread towards the idea of living. I began to often fantasise about death and became unattached to the idea of living. I thought that if I have to live everyday with fear and suffering, I’d honestly just rather not because it was so exhausting. I actually avoided going to GPS for a long time because I had a lot of fear surrounding it. My anxiety told me that after publicly being baptized would mean I had to now be a certain way and that I would not live up to people’s expectations. And that everyone would be on a lookout for me and that I would not be able to make mistakes. I was letting fear consume me and get in the way of taking the next step in my faith. And when I did decide to go to GPS, I was still hesitant to get baptized right away. But I think I was slowly transformed through the love I felt from surrounding myself with our church members. I don’t know if I have a single dramatic event in my life where I felt I met God but I think slowly throughout I was able to feel that God is alive and present with me through my spent time in church. I was really amazed by the care our house church members had towards each other and the devotion of my sheppards Pastor Caleb and Jennifer. Attending house church was a challenge at first as I was overcome by social anxiety and was self conscious every time I had to share. However, I soon came to realize that we were all gathered not to put on an act and to be a certain way, but to really share all parts of our lives including where we fell short and our struggles. Listening to others share so honestly made me realize that it’s okay to struggle and it’s okay not to be perfect. And that we are here to listen to one another, and support each other and pray for one another. The verse mentioned in GPS that I remember stood out to me was from Ephesians 2:8–9 “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.” I was so concerned about being or appearing perfect to be confirmed but I had failed to realize salvation was a gift, it was not earned by my doings, but by God’s grace that I am saved. The biggest change I see after having received Christ is in the way I view my future and my life. I used to not be very attached to the thought of living my life and held back by the fear of all the future obstacles and pains of living I will have to endure. But now I actually want to live and I can look forward to what God has in store for me and I believe that even through suffering, I can experience the goodness of God. I am a much more expectant person now and. I’m less afraid of making commitments and becoming involved in church or letting everyone know of my decisions publicly. And the thought of living doesn’t cripple me anymore. I am definitely not all of the sudden fearless, I still have many fears but I see now God as something much greater than whatever fears I have. I can live with the assurance that God is with me always and that He is a good, and he is a gracious and loving father. I’d like to say a big thank you to my house church members, friends, and Pastor Caleb and Jennifer for your prayers and guidance. Thank you so much for listening.
June 26, 2022 • 3 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Claire Shin
When I was younger, I feared going to church because I would have to be separated from my parents. Unfortunately, this fear lasted for many years. I began to sit with my parents at church where the other adults were. Eventually, I stopped going to church when I was 6. In middle school, I became insecure about the fact that I didn’t have any particular hobbies, interests, or passions. I didn’t know how to determine my self-worth. I began to worry about my future as I couldn’t even determine what was valuable to me. I was insecure about myself, and naturally, I adopted a negative attitude and distanced myself from everybody. Before I knew Jesus, I thought it was normal to live such an anxious life. One thing God gave me from this pandemic was a pause on my fast-paced life. Only then did I begin to turn to Jesus. I didn’t have much trouble or doubt when I first accepted him into my life. But I could never feel God’s presence; I never felt a moment when I realized that God had answered my prayers until just a few weeks ago. Last year, I was still hiding from everybody, trying to grow as a Christian by myself. I prayed to God that I would overcome my fear of interacting with new people and that I could start going to church. This was in grade 9 and now I am in grade 10. I think God answered my prayers through my youth shepherd who encouraged me to go to church. I remember last May I joined an online youth house church meeting for the first time. I’m so grateful for the other members and my youth shepherd for making me feel welcomed. A bible verse from GPS that was very meaningful to me is Revelations 3ʧ20. It says, “See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” All this time I had been seeking for something to make me feel complete. That something was in front of me all along, and all I had to do was welcome it into my life. After making the decision to follow Jesus, questions I used to ask have become much clearer, like who I am, what I’m going to do in the future, and what my values are. The past version of me who hated social interaction now looks forward to every social event. I’ve become more hopeful for the future, too. I know that I want to continue to be a part of a community that is connected through God. I truly love the church community I am a part of.
December 25, 2022 • 4 Minute Read
Baptism Testimony - Yoosun Lim
Hello, my name is Yoosun Lim and I belong to the English-speaking Congregation Kazakhstan House Church. I am more than happy and grateful to be baptized on the day of the Christmas Joint Service. In the spring of 2017, I came to Toronto to study and met Sharon, an acquaintance of mine, through the introduction of a senior from graduate school.
From the first worship service, I was very moved by the pastor’s sermon that was perfect for my situation. The atmosphere of the church was very warm and comfortable, so I fell in love with the Mokmin faith community. I was led to Vietnam House Church and belonged to it. I came to know the concept that God works through people while attending Mokmin Church. Looking back, I realized that God has constantly kept good people with good faith close to me. When I came to Toronto, I had no connections. But I was deeply moved by God’s love and grace that transcends human limitation when I witnessed my shepherd and shepherd’s wife who demonstrated God’s love and led a mature life of faith, in both the former Vietnam House Church and the current Kazakhstan House Church. The faith that I had not developed, no matter how hard I tried for a long time naturally settled in my heart. I relied on and was grateful for the verse, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). In the past few years, as prayers that I wanted to do but did not come out became possible, a relationship with God was created. During Thanksgiving last year, I received a long-awaited PR card, and this year, through the 10 Days early morning prayer, I unexpectedly changed my job, and my prayers were answered. I have learned to be happy and to be grateful as I shared prayer requests and answered prayers with the House Church family. I used to worry too much every time I was in trouble and suffered, but gradually I began to ask God questions in prayer, wait, and find peace. Around the age of 10, since my parents forbade me to go to the local church, I forgot how sad I was at that time. But living with a cold heart only by worldly standards for more than 25 years, it was difficult for me to recover my pure faith again. When I think of how difficult it was, I realize that there is a big change in my life after receiving baptism and starting my life of faith, and I feel deeply grateful. And through various steps in my faith community such as worship services, House Church meetings, Gospel Presentation session, 10 Days Early Morning Prayer, and the Path of Happiness Life bible study, I confessed my many sins, deeply experienced God’s grace and love, and experienced the gradual healing of my soul. So, I come to the baptism ceremony with a grateful heart. Even if you choose to live a life of faith, it is not possible to imitate faith, so I am most grateful for the faith God gave me as a gift. I would like to thank those who have prayed for and served me so far for the salvation of my soul.
I also have a vision that I will have to live a life of praying for VIPs in the future as well. I want to embark my journey of faith while obeying this verse, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be frightened, for I am your God (Isaiah 41:10-13)”, with joy, hope, and patience that wasn’t there before. Thank you for celebrating the new birth of my soul with me. Lastly, I would like to thank the Mokmin community, the pastors, the House Church family, and the shepherd and shepherd’s wife who served me.