Together

I must confess that I did not expect that I'd be involved in planting a church this early in my life (even though Pastors Daniel, Tim, and Matthew are younger than me). I always thought that I'd need more preparation, more experience, more training before I start a church.

It's all the more ironic, since I've had the title "pastor" for about 10 years, and it is only now that I am pastoring a group of people that's not limited by age (like the children's pastor) or culture (like a Korean pastor).

God is gracious (and forceful!) to the slow-footed pastors, someone like me, by allowing me to care for people's spirits.

I'm realizing more and more that a church is not a collection of individuals. A church is a community, a body of Christ, which is meant to stand together and fall together.

Two instances stand out when I think about this topoic:

1. On Friday night, our group (Blessed La Palma) prayed together for two hours. What a precious time it was for us! Praying with my brothers and sisters in Christ, the people who are bold enough to risk planting a church in La Palma, I was just encouraged tremendously by praying together.

2. Today, a number of people came out to continue their work on the house. I'm amazed at how uniquely gifted everyone is. Jeff, for example, came and set up the worship space. I didn't know how to arrange the furniture, and I've been thinking hard about where each piece of furniture goes for about a week, but without much solution. Jeff did a great job in arranging the furnitures ... he finished everything and set up the worship space in just 20 minutes! I am excited thinking about what God will do through each person's talents. God is helping me to appreciate the glory and power that He has endowed to the body of Christ more.