News > Asia

I am a Child of God

1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

I. You might have called me a hipster

I was born in Chicago in the 70's, as the second of five brothers. I was told when I was little that my dad had government service so I didn’t see him for a while. Later when my dad came home, my brother and I would hide in fear of the wrath of dad. I hid in the closet or on top of the refrigerator. When I was nine years old, my brother and I found an invitation to VBS at the door. It said, “Stories, fun and food!” We were hungry, so we went. On the last day they said to bring your parents, so we brought our mom and dad. They began Bible study with one couple in the church and met Jesus. My dad was healed by Jesus, but I still had a hard time to forgive him. On Christmas Sunday, I prayed that God would accept me into his family because I didn’t like mine. I tried to escape and entered a Great Books program in college when I was 17. Ironically, I didn’t read many books there. I was what you might call a hipster. I wore boots and danced in a mosh pit. I grew my hair long, wore ripped up blue jeans, and sang, “I am iron man. Dan a nun nuna.” I drank too much alcohol and found myself wandering down the street at night hitting trees with a baseball bat. Finally, I was kicked out of college. I didn’t want to go home. So in despair and frustration, I wandered around the streets of Chicago for about three months. I stayed with friends and played video games. I had fallen very low, but God made me part of his family. By the grace of God, I had the chance to study at Triton Community College.

II. I am a child of God

During the first week of class, a woman came up to me and asked, “Would you like to study the Bible?” This was Shepherdess Liz Hembekides. I told her I study the Bible at church. She said, “That’s interesting!” and asked, “What are you studying now?” I was caught. I couldn’t remember. She said, “You need 1 to 1 Bible study.” From that time on, we met every week to study Genesis. Nine months later I received an invitation to attend the 1993 Timber Lee Easter Bible conference. There I received one word from Matthew 26:27, 28: “Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” I cried because Jesus gave his blood for my sins and I cried because I knew I did not deserve to be called a child of God. Yet I was healed by Jesus’ blood on the cross. I forgave my father. I was a new creation. One week later I met an old friend on the bus. He said, “Hey Chris. You gotta come to this party-- free beer and so many girls. It’s gonna be great.” I told him, “I am a child of God.” He said, “Oh, I see.”

From there my life as a child of God began. I changed my major to Biology and made a decision to be a medical missionary. Organic chemistry was too difficult for me, so I made a vow to God like Jacob in the Bible. I said, “Lord, if you help me pass organic chemistry, I will give my life to you as a missionary.” God helped me to graduate by faith, but I forgot my decision. I was concerned with getting a job to pay my loans back. I applied to 120 companies, but got a response from only one, Arby’s. “Welcome to Arby’s. Can I take your order please?” Later I worked for a lab at the university. I was very content with my new job. So I bought a new car. Within a month, the new car was wrecked. I cared about my job and my car more than I cared about God or his sheep. My Bible teacher challenged me, “Do something by faith!” I decided to go to Korea as a missionary “by faith” based on 1 Peter 4:13. “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” Joy doesn’t come from a job or a car, but joy comes from participating in the remaining sufferings of Christ-- his heart for saving this world. The Sunday before I left America, Dr. Samuel Lee prayed for me, saying, “God sent many saints from Yonhee center to Chicago. Now God is sending Saint Christopher to Yonhee center.” I was not a saint and people called me “Chris”, but he called me “Christopher” to bear Christ to the world. In 1998, my plan was to stay in Korea for one year and then come back to America, but by God’s grace I have lived in Korea for fifteen years.

I learned that participating in the sufferings of Christ is more than sleeping on the floor and eating kimchee. Participating in the sufferings of Christ is learning Jesus’ long-suffering love for one person or one group of people. When I first came to Korea I was ready to serve Koreans, but not ready to love Korean people. I would say, “Koreans do this…” or, “Koreans do that.” I would try to teach people, “In America we do… (this or that).” This changed when I met my coworker. She was a graduate student from Ewha Woman’s University, the university that the most Korean presidents’ wives graduated from. She was my helper for English group Bible studies and English worship service. She was my translator. Finally in the year 2000, I asked her to marry me. We married by faith. We worked hard to serve God through campus group Bible study and one to one Bible study. God helped students to come and study the Bible and God used them for world mission. Our family was happy, but we had one problem. The doctor said it was impossible for us to have a child. Many coworkers prayed for us and our family. Then God opened the way for my son John to be born in 2007, and then Moses in 2011. God blessed our prayers when we continued to serve Yonsei and Ewha students. Not only did I become a father to two boys, I became a spiritual father to lost students. Students in Korea are overwhelmed with anxiety and competition. Seoul is so busy there is no rest and there is no joy in daily life, but there is rest in Jesus and there is joy for those who participate in the sufferings of Christ. Please pray for God to continue to raise up campus students as disciples of Jesus from Yonsei and Ewha who rejoice to participate in the sufferings of Christ.

God blessed me to be a self-supporting missionary teaching English in the public schools for the past four years. Now I am teaching in an elementary school for the first time. Please pray for me to be a humble teacher who can love, forgive and encourage co-teachers and students. Please pray for our Ewha campus group Bible study so students can meet Jesus and receive eternal life. Please pray for our English worship service messages to be filled with life and for Korean students to continue to be engaged in world mission. May God bless Korea to be united by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One word: Rejoice!