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Turn to God in repentance, faith in Jesus

Key verse: Acts 20:21 “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”

1. Bible study

At the European directors meeting 2014 in Poland, one word of God touched my heart. “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:  Preach the word…” (2Tim 4:1,2a) Until now, I went to campus with missionary Sarah. But this year, I turned my intention to my son Jr. Joshua (ULB, 2nd economics) as new fishing partner. Actually he is my regular bible student on Friday. He accepted this proposal as part of mission from God. I thank God for laying down in him a life-long foundation through the Bible study and for his participation to the mission with his parents. This year, we tried to come up to campus every week even though there has been no tangible fruit.

In 2014 our main bible lecture was the book of Acts. In December, we arrived at chapter 28, last lecture. One of my questions was why the author Luke described in detail Paul’s stop in Jerusalem, his chain and his defense. This 3rd part of Book Acts is completely different from the works of Holy Spirit that Paul experienced in Asia & Europe. Why does the Bible invite us to see his solitary situation instead of showing powerful work of God in many other places? When Paul came back to Jerusalem Church, the atmosphere was very different from the past; no mention about welcoming from the apostles, Jerusalem Church’s stability oriented strategy with local Judeo-Christian; there was no practical support for Paul who stayed in prison. In a sense, Paul was not a welcomed evangelist in Jerusalem. Every time of his defenses, Paul repeated: “It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.” (Acts 24:21) With hope of resurrection, Paul followed the step of Jesus Christ and served God’s redemptive plan, the world mission. His hope of resurrection should be also ours. When we are firmly set in this hope, we can follow Jesus & serve God’s world mission under any circumstance.

2. European Summer Bible Conference

One of most important characteristics of ESBC 2014 was that main hosting is done by European local shepherds, who are fruits of European missionaries’ prayer & love. With various cultural back ground, languages and personalities, each nation contributed its heart & talent to build up God’s ministry in Europe. Many participants commented that this conference was very “European conference” in program leading style, presiding and preaching. Most of all, 2nd generation did not stay anymore on 2nd place, but served the conference as main partner as we have listened from 3 messengers among them (Paulus Chang, Henoc Hong, David Shin). I received a grace to prepare this conference as serving member from 2013 just after ISBC in USA. From June of this year, several national coordinators studied together every Sunday evening via Skype and prayed together. For our SWS in Brussels, I delivered the message based on each lecture as preparation of EU conference.

The conference place was very nice with perfect logistics, food serving and environment. But the participant registration was slow that many members worried about paying the penalty. However this situation invited us to pray together with one heart and one mind. European regional coordinators checked every week the number of registrations and prayed together after bible study. God answered our prayer. According to the figure presented by Shepherd Walter Nett during the conference, the participant number reached 840, more than our prayer topic. And in many aspects, God blessed the conference with his abundant grace. We still need to improve several things, for instance, the translation beam, new Gens’ GBS etc.  

Personally I did not bring our Belgium local student to this conference. From Belgium, Joshua, Sarah, Jr. Joshua, Timothy (High school 2) and Paul (elementary 6) participated. We thanked God for using Msn. Hanna Shin and several EU prayer mothers who served sacrificially all kids, including my son Paul. I was happy when I experienced faithfulness of God who hears our united prayer. Personally, my heart was refreshed by lecture of Ezra and Paul’s letter to Philippiens.

3. Belgium campus ministry

This year we prayed for the participation of brother Romeo & sister Gaelle to EU conference. We hoped something to be happened in their life through this conference. But to our invitation, they showed their hesitation and finally their refusal. We were very unhappy with the attitude of Romeo who considered as sacrifice their day-off from work and conference fee. Returned from the conference, Sarah showed her mind to Gaelle during bible study; and asked her for what reason they come to us; “just to keep friendship with us” or not. She proposed her not to come if they just want to have human relationship. With this, we stopped to contact with them, and prayed that God would show us how to serve them.  We asked in ourselves; are they people that God would really make remain? In our mind, many words and thoughts came and out. During this period, I was reading a Christian book written by Johan Lukas, Dutch missionary in Belgium. He put accent on the fact that Jesus called several men as disciples from beginning. And he said that we should not postpone the disciple formation as 2nd step or something to do tomorrow, but right now. His message and his experiences were very convincing to my heart. I shared this point with my coworker, who also agreed with that. After much prayer, we invited Romeo & Galle to Christmas Worship service. They accepted. Now we are praying God may help us to love & to serve them with Jesus’ love and truth; and plus with direction to help them to follow Jesus as disciple.

This year was year of victory for missionary Sarah. After 4 years of studies and practices, she obtained finally the certificate to be teacher of pre-school. As a foreigner, not European but Asian, almost at the age of 50, with insufficient language skill, it was impossible for her to graduate from the faculty of children education in Belgium. There were many hardships and humiliations, not only from students, but even from professors, who considered her study direction as ridiculous. In 2013, she did not succeed her last 3rd year in catholic college, and came to another public college to do same year. There she met two professors who acknowledged her methodology with positive view. They encouraged her to keep going by saying that a man can’t be a teacher even with excellent language capacity; language is important, but teacher’s philosophy is much more important to children’s education. Motivated by this, Sarah worked hard & did practices. During 4 years, Sarah would like to abandon this study many times; but very strangely whenever she arrived to such mind, there was always someone and something, which encouraged her. After obtaining her diploma, she sent her CV & motivation letter to many schools; but no tangible fruit. She was discouraged again. But we prayed with faith in God who can move mountain and who can open a new door when all are closed. Recently, Belgium government has transferred some budget to the ministry of education with intention to reduce unemployment in education sector. The money is used for people, more than 40 years old, who have finished their study, but still stayed as unemployed. In October, there was a call from a pre-school director, who wanted to meet Sarah. After interview, Sarah was accepted as part time job. It’s not a teaching position, but part of education in pre-school. Anyway, we experienced again that if God will do, there is always a way, even in impossible situation.

In October, family of Jeremiah Lee came to Belgium, in Flemish campus, KUL (Catholic University of Leuven) to follow his post-doctorate (computer science). His two of three children are accepted in Flemish school and are now following very well their school year. We are praying that God may grant Msn. Jeremiah wisdom and strength to work well with success his job and in this way God may use this family campus pioneering work in Flemish campus.

4. Spiritual direction for 2015

My key verse for 2015 is Acts 20:21: “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.” In this declaration, we can see Paul’s testimony in his mission field. He saw that Jews, Asian, European and everyone without exception has two things absolutely to do: turn to God in repentance & have faith in Jesus. Without this, there is no way to be saved. These days we can observe signs of the end more and more: war, disease, earthquake, famine and terrorism. Belgium government declares from last year his battle with water. According to scientists, the level of Nord-See will be higher by 8 cm in 2050. With this ocean level rising, there would be big disaster if there is storm. So our government is constructing some security walls along Nord-See. Nowadays, we hear frequently flood attack everywhere in Belgium. In outside of Brussels, people who live in beautiful house, especially along riverside or Nord-See, worry about their future. There is no security in this world. This world is just a passage, not eternal place. Our mission is to open their eyes & to bring them from the darkness to the light of Jesus, our living God, to have place in God’s kingdom.

Prayer topic

1. John’s Gospel – Joshua Lee’s deep bible study & message

2. Disciple making ministry – Romeo, Gaelle, Jr. Joshua (22), new comers

3. New Gen – Timothy (17), Paul (12) to grow in Jesus’ truth & love as people of God

4. United prayer with EU coworkers for France, Europe & world mission

5. Jeremiah Lee – to work successfully in his post-doctorate (KUL) & to have God’s vision & guide

5. Sarah – to grow as excellent teacher & bible teacher