News > North America

Baltimore II UBF, US
March 27, 2014

HAVE FAITH IN GOD

Mark 11:22 “’Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.”

As I had done in the past, I really wanted to challenge the work of God by faith that moves mountains and learn the mountain moving faith that Jesus really wanted his disciples to have. Actually last year Don’s family left us, and Missionary Becky Shim who finished her degree went back to Korea. But by the grace of God, we had an average of 16 SWS attendees (eight Americans and eight Korean missionaries). Among eight Americans, two people were undergraduates in college. We had an average of 15 one-to-one Bible battles each week last year. We studied the Acts, James and the gospel of Matthew. God gave us the privilege to serve 25 guests from ISBC and we had fellowship with them in Jesus.

Dane Witmer has been in the work of God for the last 18 1/2 years. He finished his post-doctoral period and began working at a new job at Johns Hopkins Hospital and has a part time teaching job at Towson Univ. He has faithfully fed three Bible students with the word of God. David Watson has been in the work of God for the last 16 years. He finished his Master’s degree in education and received the certificate of education in Maryland. He has been faithful to grow in Jesus. Vince Glorioso has been in the Bible study ministry for the last 14 years. He fed one sheep faithfully last year. Stephen Krocheski has studied the Bible for nine and a half years. By the grace of God, he has changed a lot as a new person in Jesus. Sarah Blusiewicz has studied the Bible for the last eight years. She has begun feeding one sheep starting from last fall.

Sean Drawbaugh has been studying the Bible for two and half years. God is working in him to be faithful and has blessed him to know the amazing love of God upon his life. He is the presider of our SWS and has begun feeding five sheep by God’s mercy. Sadly, God suddenly took his mother away December 23, 2013. Before Bible study, he was full of fear and stress because of his future. He also had a strong family centered heart and mentality. However, God encouraged him to challenge his academic courses so that he got all “A’s” last fall. He has been president of our student organization on campus. We had student activities twice last year on campus. Sean has a strong identity of being a believer in Jesus Christ to the unbelievers as well as to the faculty and staff members on campus. God used him to be a servant of the ISBC registration work last year in our chapter. He has also been praying for his sister to study the Bible with him.

Johannes Bufano has been studying the Bible for the last four and half years. He was unfaithful and was a typical young American man who had no clear life direction. He was on academic probation and had many troubles on campus. But God has slowly begun changing his attitude and heart desire through deep Bible study. By the grace of God, he has been struggling to resist temptations from his peers and attending SWS faithfully from the beginning of last fall. It was a miracle that God moved his heart to come and faithfully worship Him. Gordon Mcdonnell, Dan Wesloh, and Jonathan are growing well in the word of God. Lydia Park who is in her first year of high school began attending SWS and is a music servant. Her younger sister Ruth Park who is in middle school began to attend SWS from the end of last year. They are second gens. In this way, God filled the empty seats of those who left. I thank God for the Korean missionaries in our ministry who faithfully serve behind-the-scenes, sacrificing their money, effort, heart, and strength to serve God’s people.

Personally, I was a man of inability and a lack of good talent. However, by the grace of God, I struggled each week to write Bible questions, Bible study materials, and message preparation. But there was no new visible fruit at the end of last year. While I was discouraged by seemingly invisible work of God, God provided me spiritual strength, hope, and vision to battle against the schemes of Satan.

I began to think about the main reason why they would reject God’s word and why they didn’t want to commit themselves to the truth of God. Of course, they have their own perspectives and reasons, but in the light of the Bible, they are possessed by something else that hinders them from coming to God. Many people have Bible knowledge, but they lack God’s truth and don’t want to commit themselves to the truth of God. It is a serious spiritual sickness in our country. I was distraught to realize that America is a spiritually barren land. On the other hand, I was thankful that God has chosen me to love his word and pray for young college students even though I am rejected by them. It was also a privilege that God has given me an opportunity to learn the faith that Jesus wants me to have through disciple-making ministry.

I have chosen Mark 11:22 again for 2014 to learn about faith that moves mountains. It says, “’Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.” The heart of an unbeliever is bigger than a mountain. By overcoming doubt through prayer, I pray that I may learn that God moves man’s heart.

One Word: Faith that moves a mountain!

Peter Hong